Will County Executive Committee met Sept. 1.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Mr. Van Duyne led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
III. ROLL CALL
Chair Mimi Cowan called the meeting to order at 10:10 AM
Mimi Cowan, Chair Present
Meta Mueller, Vice Chair Present
Herbert Brooks Jr., Member Present
Mike Fricilone, Member Present
Tyler Marcum, Member Present
Jim Moustis, Member Present
Judy Ogalla, Member Present
Annette Parker, Member Present
Jacqueline Traynere, Member Present
Margaret Tyson, Member Present
Joe VanDuyne, Member Present
Rachel Ventura, Member Present
Denise E. Winfrey, Member Present
Also Present: N. Palmer, B. Adams
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. WC Executive Committee - Board Agenda Setting Meeting - Jun 9, 2022 10:00 AM
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jacqueline Traynere, Member
SECONDER: Joe VanDuyne, Member
AYES: Cowan, Mueller, Brooks Jr., Fricilone, Marcum, Moustis, Ogalla, Parker, Traynere, Tyson, VanDuyne, Ventura, Winfrey
V. ACCEPT COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT REQUESTS
Speaker Cowan stated one of the things that we have talked about among Leadership and staff is we know some of the meetings where we talk about ARPA are getting a bit long. So, we have thought about moving the New Business to the front; so that staff who’s waiting around for those things can hear their bit and get back to the grind. If it is okay with everyone, without objection I’d like to move to the Committee Assignment requests portion of our agenda. We don’t have any additions currently, does anyone have any questions or comments about committee assignments at this time. In that case could I get a motion to except the committee assignment requests.
1. Motion to accept committee assignment requests.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Meta Mueller, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Judy Ogalla, Member
AYES: Cowan, Mueller, Brooks Jr., Fricilone, Marcum, Moustis, Ogalla, Parker, Traynere, Tyson, VanDuyne, Ventura, Winfrey
VI. OLD BUSINESS
1. American Rescue Plan
(Mimi Cowan)
Speaker Cowan stated back to Old Business; we are continuing our progress on the American Rescue Plan. Next steps, the Health Pillar, the applications are going to be released to the public next Tuesday. The Executive’s Office has had a website created, and materials created for this release. I don’t think that we have seen any of those documents yet. The application has a schedule and as soon as we get it, we will send it out to the Board Members. Next week Anser Advisory will be back to make another presentation to this committee. That is the Economic Development Pillar; Leadership met with them and the Executive’s Office yesterday to continue flushing out some of those details. There is still work to be done on that and we look forward to seeing that presentation next week. I will say next prepare for a lengthy meeting. We know that everyone will have lots of opinions and will want to ask a lot of questions. The good news is we are making progress, and this isn’t going to go on forever and we do appreciate everyone’s patient’s and work on these ARPA obligations. The Infrastructure Pillar and County Projects requests have sort of come in, LLIs for the infrastructure are in. One thing, to go over infrastructure and the County’s requests we are going to need more time. We can do these one of two ways. Leadership and I have talked about this, and staff has weighed in on this; we can have an extra committee meeting this month. We have basically two free weeks in September as opposed to one so we can have on the 22nd or the 29th. I know people plan trips and could be out of town. I know Mr. Fricilone is going to be out of town on the 22nd so I necessarily want to target that date, or we could all agree that one or both, probably both of our Executive Committee Meetings in October will be barn burners. Reason being we must work through the details. Frankly, this is because we want to include you in the decision-making process, and we want you to weigh in on these decisions.
A short discussion was had on the preference of Octobers Executive Committee meetings. The consensus was to have longer meetings for the month of October to work through the ARPA Pillars.
Speaker Cowan stated we might do some formal resolutions in September to codify some of the stuff we have been talking about, watch our inboxes for that.
Ms. Traynere asked if you have any information about the length of time to fill out application for the health pillars.
Speaker Cowan replied not yet. I do know there will be a marketing period and then the application period. I know that they have done some outreach to some organizations, but I am not sure of the breakdown.
Ms. Ventura asked if we could get an email from Anser, with the link for the application; I would like to have it to forward it on to different organizations.
Speaker Cowan replied we would like to have that information, if we had that information, you would have it. They also have some social media posts that they are polishing up.
Ms. Ventura said every time Anser has come before it they will let us know who has not turned in their information, I haven’t received any information from them.
Speaker Cowan stated in one of our last meetings there was a list of townships, districts, and fire protection districts that they had gotten information from; there were only one or two that they hadn’t receive information from.
Ms. Ventura stated I didn’t receive that.
Speaker Cowan confirmed that information was in our last meeting.
Mr. Palmer stated I appreciate your comments, they named off some of the Townships that they didn’t hear from yet. It is a dynamic process; I can request a current list of who hasn’t responded, and I will make sure that information goes out to the Board Members. We were supposed to have gotten the application to preview, and that didn’t happen. As far as we were told it is going out Tuesday. There were some records to social media, when I get it I will distribute to all the Board members so that you can help to get it out to potential applicants. I will also ask for a current list of what they have from other pillars.
Ms. Ventura replied I do want you to request that, and I really appreciate that, but I guess my concern is when they keep telling us they are going to send it and they don’t, at this point I would like them to do a by-weekly update to our staff and say here is where we are at. We are not getting this information even when they are telling us their going to bring us communication, we are not getting that.
Mr. Palmer stated there has been a lot of things that were promised but haven’t been delivered. This application is a little frustrating; if they want input from the Board, they have to get it to us in a timely manner, so they have the ability to give the input. I will ask again and be persistent about it, but I have been persistent about this health application and haven’t gotten it yet.
Speaker Cowan said I just pulled up the attachment from our last Executive Committee; and it says for Townships, received all official requests from all Townships - 4 have been approved; 24 are pending additional information. Fire Districts received allocation request from all Districts - 8 have been approved; 17 are pending additional information. Library Districts contacted all Districts; ongoing attempts to contact 4, so there was a list it is just not in this memo that I am looking at. Parks contacted all Districts/Departments/Associations; ongoing attempts to contact 10. So, it looks like at least from mid-August, there were 4 outstanding Library contacts and 10 outstanding Park Districts. We will get an update on that and find which ones they are.
Mr. Fricilone added we just got updated yesterday that if you are getting calls from people that have already been told that they have been approved; and their allocation would be coming down the line. I am starting to get those calls; they told us they are still waiting for the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) to be approved and legal, and that within the next week and a half the MOU will be going to say a Fire District so they can get the Board to sign off on it, then it goes back and then the checks will be cut. There are some that have already suspended funds and they are looking for reimbursement and they were notified three weeks ago that their project was approved.
Ms. Traynere said the Federal procurement process, apparently that was mentioned yesterday at the Township Supervisors Meeting. I feel it is the responsibility of Anser to enlighten us about what that is, so we have information; and especially the entities we are giving money to. Maybe I am alone in this but as you know it has been very difficult with this SAM.gov accounts; and they were no help with that, absolutely none.
Mr. Moustis said I have some of the same concerns, is federal procurement that much different; basically, what I heard is it requires you to do three bids. But putting a bid package together is another expense depending on what you are bidding. I am also concerned; in my Township our request is for an IT hardware update. That is professional services and already connected, is there some exemptions for that type of thing? These are things that we don’t know. I would look to our Attorney’s to give us some insight into the federal procurement; it would be nice if Anser could help with that, at least give us a guideline.
Mr. Balich added it would be nice if someone from the County was emailing the documents that each Township needs, because we looked for our documents and we were incorporated in 1836 in Homer Township; and we don’t have anything before 1854, that has been a similar problem with everybody that they wanted proof of incorporation, and few counties have it. Maybe it would be a good idea to find out what department in the County handles that, it is not the State either, the State doesn’t have those records either. I am just saying this is an issue with many of the Townships. I am thinking there should be a record at the County on when these Townships were incorporated.
Mr. Moustis added we also got our Township approved, but it did take us a while; our Attorney helped, and he got the information from the Secretary of State’s Office. In the meeting I heard people say they contacted the Secretary of State, and they were told they don’t have that information. For all Townships the legislation was passed in 1849; all the Townships and basically the Counties was all formed in 1850. I don’t know why that isn’t a universal date.
Speaker Cowan stated for our purposes here today, one of the points about this is part of Anser's prestation next week is going to be about administrative costs and administrative costs include dealing with things like this. Helping the applicants what they need together, that has been the direction I think from all of us that a lot of applicants, whether it is the Townships or a small no-profit or something like that might need assistance to move forward with their application process. Part of what we have discussed for the Economic Development Board is doing a portion that is application based like we are doing with the Health Care stuff. But then we also identified a couple of big picture projects and one of them is helping the CED do some stuff on behalf of the County; but the second one is a proposal from the Universities in Will County. It includes Governor’s State, JJC, St. Francis, and Lewis University. They want to do some recruitment and training bonuses for folks specifically in the teaching and nursing field; to get trained in Will County and remain working in Will County. This would take a chunk of money to do this program, but it involves all the major educational facilities working together. We are hoping to get them to present on that so you can get a better understanding of what I have just given you, and for you to ask questions about what that would look like. Perhaps at that point if we are ready for that to sign off that allocation.
Ms. Traynere stated I would like to see what you just described with the University’s in our Cannabis Program; not necessarily ARPA because I would like to see it on going. Maybe we use some ARPA money to seed the upfront cost, administratively, or whatever. I would like to see that as an ongoing program especially in the areas of mental health because that is obviously connected to drug use.
Ms. Mueller stated I like this idea and getting a lot of feedback from the folks in my district, and frankly all over the county. we have had huge shortages for nurses and teachers. What I like about this is it really fits under our vision of this ARPA dollars to help fix things that came up during the pandemic, now we have shortages of these folks to work. I really like that we are trying to keep folks in Will County working and not educating them and then leaving. That is one of the reasons that I feel it falls under ARPA is because it is because it is helping to remedy something that happen under COVID. I hear what Ms. Traynere said about future funding, I would like us to be able to do that if we find that this works well.
Mrs. Ogalla stated during my time prior to this when I was raising my children, I coached many different sports. A lot of my girls went on to nursing. Many of them left the nursing field because of the requirement of the COVID vaccine. That was an issue; I don’t know if that is a requirement. These girls were young, they had started families and one was pregnant. That is where some of the shortages are from; do we have any insight to know if that is no longer a requirement. I was wondering if there is another field besides nursing and education that might be more in line that men might pursue, I know men are nursing and teachers, but could there be another field we may investigate.
Speaker Cowan said we have been in contact with the schools for about a year, these are the fields that they established. Also, Workforce Investment is involved.
Ms. Ventura said I also would like to piggyback off what Ms. Traynere said. Mental Health is a field where obviously we get finding for where they need more professionals in that field.
Speaker Cowan said we can ask them about that next week when they come in.
2. Cannabis Tax Revenue
(Mimi Cowan)
Speaker Cowan stated to the Cannabis Funding, we currently added that on September 6th report will be going to the Finance Committee; we have accumulated $2,644,107.78 in the Cannabis Fund. We have heard a couple of presentation that I think everybody was thinking, maybe. We are going to have the Community Foundation to come and talk about educational grants, that might be to Ms. Traynere point we could direct that there were education grants for Mental Health, we could make that a focus if we wanted to. I don’t know that we need the CAC (Children’s Advocacy Center) in for a presentation. I think everyone is familiar and on board with giving some amount of funds to them. That may be even something we can agree on and move forward with. I did also put together not as an end point, but more of continuing the conversation. A proposal for discussion; four broad categories that we have seen repeated throughout members requests that interest with the Cannabis Funding. One, being in support for businesses, and targeting businesses in either R-3 Areas or maybe making it slightly larger in using census draft data to expand that a bit. Investment in housing affordability and stability measures, that was partially what the presentation that Mr. Schaben, but we could do something different or inclusive of that. The third area was grants or Scholarship Child Care, and or education; again, if we wanted to it could be very specific about Mental Health education. Item four is funding for the Children’s Advocacy Center. That seems to encompass of the ideas that everyone sort of had, I am not sure where we want to go from here.
Mr. Moustis said I was going to say we really need to make some decisions on this; I see in the proposed County Executive’s Budget she has appropriated those funds. If you are not agreeing it is in the budget, you will have to pull that out and appropriate it later. I think if we are going to re-appropriate those dollars from what is in the proposed budget.
Speaker Cowan said I agree and I would love to move forward with this.
VII. OTHER OLD BUSINESS
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
IX. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT REQUESTS
A. Land Use & Development Committee
T. Marcum, Chair
1. Request for Refund of Fees, REF- 22-003, Brenda and Josue Zaragoza Requesting a Refund for Building Permit 2103036, Single Family Residence (Brian Radner)
B. Finance Committee
J. Traynere, Chair
1. Allocation of Additional Funds for New Morgue
(County Board)
2. Appropriating Funds in the Health Department Budget from the IL Department of Human Services, IL State Opioid Response Grant
(Susan Olenek)
3. Appropriating Grant Funds in the Will County Health Department from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Behavioral Health Workforce Pipeline Grant
(Susan Olenek)
4. Appropriating Grant Funds in the Health Department Budget from the IL Children's Healthcare Foundation Nitrous Oxide Initiative Grant
(Susan Olenek)
5. Appropriating Grant Funds in the Health Department Budget from the IDPH Increasing School Health Centers Implementation Grant
(Susan Olenek)
6. Appropriating Grant Funds in the Health Department Budget from the National Association of County and City Health Officials Medical Reserve Corps Rise Grant
(Susan Olenek)
7. Abating the Taxes Heretofore Levied in Tax Levy Year 2022 for the Year 2023 to Pay Debt Service of $7,826,950 on the $52,420,000 Outstanding Principal Amount of General Obligation Transportation Improvement Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2010, of The County of Will, Illinois.
(Karen Hennessy)
8. Abating the Taxes Heretofore Levied in Tax Levy Year 2022 for the Year 2023 to Pay Debt Service of $1,443,000 on the $5,480,000 Outstanding Principal Amount of General Obligation Refunding Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2014, of The County of Will, Illinois.
(Karen Hennessy)
9. Abating the Taxes Heretofore Levied in Tax Levy Year 2022 for the Year 2023 to Pay Debt Service of $711,200 on the $11,250,000 Outstanding Principal Amount of General Obligation Refunding Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2015A, of The County of Will, Illinois.
(Karen Hennessy)
10. Abating the Taxes Heretofore Levied in Tax Levy Year 2022 for the Year 2023 to Pay Debt Service of $1,453,550 on the $34,720,000 Outstanding Principal Amount of General Obligation Building Will Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2016, of The County of Will, Illinois.
(Karen Hennessy)
11. Abating the Taxes Heretofore Levied in Tax Levy Year 2022 for the Year 2023 to Pay Debt Service of $5,095,425 on the $58,275,000 Outstanding Principal Amount of General Obligation Building Will Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2019, of The County of Will, Illinois.
(Karen Hennessy)
12. Abating the Taxes Heretofore Levied in Tax Levy Year 2022 for the Year 2023 to Pay Debt Service of $8,456,445 on the $168,605,000 Outstanding Principal Amount of General Obligation Building Will Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2020, of The County of Will, Illinois.
(Karen Hennessy)
13. Abating the Taxes Heretofore Levied in Tax Levy Year 2022 for the Year 2023 to Pay Debt Service of $4,617,850 on the $39,245,000 Outstanding Principal Amount of General Obligation Renewable Natural Gas Facility Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), Series 2021, of The County of Will, Illinois.
(Karen Hennessy)
14. Transferring Appropriations within Various FY22 County Budgets
(ReShawn Howard)
15. Authorizing County Executive to Execute Necessary Documents for Delinquent Tax Program
(Jen Alberico)
C. Public Works & Transportation Committee
J. VanDuyne, Chair
1. Confirming Award of Contract to Davis Concrete Construction Co. ($181,433.00), Let on August 17, 2022, Countywide Concrete Repairs, All County Board Districts
(Jeff Ronaldson)
2. Improvement by County Under the IL Highway Code for the Countywide Concrete Repairs, using MFT Funds ($220,000.00), All County Board Districts
(Jeff Ronaldson)
3. Authorizing Approval of a Supplemental Professional Services Agreement for Design Engineering Services (Phase II) with Robinson Engineering, Ltd., on 143rd Street (CH 37) from Lemont Road to Golden Oak Drive, Section 08-00169-18-FP, County Board District #7
(Jeff Ronaldson)
4. Authorizing Approval of a Supplemental Professional Services Agreement for Design Engineering Services (Phase II) with Strand Associates, Inc., on Exchange Street (CH 49) from Country Lane East to IL Route 394, Section 20-00086-25-CH, County Board District #1
(Jeff Ronaldson)
5. WCDOT Condensed Version of IDOT 2023 MYP – Projects in Will County Only
(Jeff Ronaldson)
6. Appropriating $160,503.00 Transportation Funds for the Acquisition of Necessary Right-of-Way, by Agreement or Condemnation, and Other Right-of-Way Costs Associated with the Improvements along Bell Road (CH 16) from 151st Street to Martingale Lane, County Board District #7
(Jeff Ronaldson)
7. Authorizing Approval of the Additional Expenditure of Rebuild Illinois Funds ($291,635.84) for the Improvements on Exchange Street (CH 49) from Country Lane East to IL Route 394, County Board District #1
(Jeff Ronaldson)
8. Authorizing Approval of Professional Services Agreement for Right-of-Way Acquisition Services (Appraisals) with Shonkwiler & Shonkwiler Appraisers for Several Parcels of Property on Exchange Street (CH 49) from Country Lane east to IL Route 394, Section 20-00086-25-CH, County Board District #1
(Jeff Ronaldson)
9. Authorizing Approval of Professional Services Agreement for Right-of-Way Acquisition Services (Appraisals) with Polach Appraisal Group for Several Parcels of Property on West River Road (CH 26) from Coal City Road north to IL Route 53, Section 20-00174-06-PV, County Board District #6
(Jeff Ronaldson)
10. Village Request for Participation in McEvilly Road Improvements (Jeff Ronaldson)
11. City of Wilmington Request for No Parking along Wilmington-Peotone Road East of IL Route 53 within Municipal Limits
(Jeff Ronaldson)
D. Diversity & Inclusion Committee
M. Tyson, Chair
E. Public Health & Safety Committee
R. Ventura, Chair
1. Amending the Will County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 90: Animal Control, Section 90.10 Pertaining to Registration Fees for Rabies Tags
(Dr. Roessler, Director of Animal Control)
2. Award of Bid for Therapy Services at Sunny Hill Nursing Home
(Maggie McDowell)
F. Legislative & Judicial Committee
D. Winfrey, Chair
G. Capital Improvements Committee
H. Brooks, Jr., Chair
H. Executive Committee
M. Cowan, Chair
1. Authorizing Expenditure of ARPA Funds for Health Pillar and Transferring Appropriations
(County Executive's Office)
2. Amending the Parameters for the Expenditure of American Rescue Plan Funds
(Executive Committee)
3. Authorizing the Will County Executive to Execute Lease Renewal with City of Joliet for Problem Solving Courts Program at 10 S. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL
(Dave Tkac)
4. Authorizing the County Executive to Execute the Contract with Total Parking Solutions, Inc., (TPS) for Multi-Space Parking Terminals
(County Executive's Office)
5. Authorizing County Executive to Renew Service and Maintenance Contract with Total Parking Solutions, Inc., (TPS) for Multi-Space Parking Terminals
(County Executive's Office)
6. Authorizing the County Executive to Execute an Elevator Maintenance Contract with Schindler Elevator for the Courthouse
(Dave Tkac)
7. Radio System Project
(Tom Murray)
8. Review of Purchasing Ordinance - Current Version Attached
(County Board)
9. Review of County Board Rules - Current Version Attached
(County Board)
10. Supporting Operation Green Light for Veterans
(Nick Palmer)
11. Awarding Bid for Ballistic Shields for Sheriff's Department
(Kevin Lynn)
12. Awarding Bid for Community Health Center Behavioral Health Renovations
(Dave Tkac)
13. Awarding Bid for Trench Drains at various D.O.T. garages
(Dave Tkac)
14. Setting a Cap on the County Fee for the Will County C-PACE Program (Briana Moore)
15. Authorizing Change Order from Midwestern Contractors for Crop Damages and Cover Crops on RNG Pipeline Easements
(Dave Hartke/Christina Snitko)
X. OTHER NEW BUSINESS
XI. REQUEST FOR STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OPINION
XII. ACCEPT COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT REQUESTS
This item was moved to the beginning of the agenda.
XIII. PUBLIC COMMENTS
XIV. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT/ANNOUNCEMENTS
XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION
XVI. ADJOURNMENT
1. Motion to adjourn at 11:22 a.m.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Herbert Brooks Jr., Member
SECONDER: Jacqueline Traynere, Member
AYES: Cowan, Mueller, Brooks Jr., Fricilone, Marcum, Moustis, Ogalla, Parker, Traynere, Tyson, VanDuyne, Ventura, Winfrey
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