Will County Board Ad-hoc Ordinance Review Committee met March 11

Sherry Newquist, District 3 (D-Steger) | Will County Board Website

By Philip Gonzales

Apr 13, 2025

Will County Board Ad-hoc Ordinance Review Committee met March 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AD-HOC COMMITTEE IS TO REVIEW PROPOSED CHANGES TO WILL COUNTY ORDINANCES. THE COMMITTEE SHALL STUDY AND EVALUATE THE PROPOSED CHANGES (ONE CHAPTER AT A TIME); THE REASON THE CHANGE IS BEING REQUESTED; WHETHER THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS REQUIRED (BY LAW OR OTHERWISE) AND WHAT IMPACT THE PROPOSED CHANGE WILL HAVE ON WILL COUNTY. THE COMMITTEE SHALL PREPARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AS TO EACH CHANGE REQUESTED..

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Ms. Freeman led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

III. ROLL CALL

Chair Jackie Traynere called the meeting to order at 10:03 AM

Attendee Name

Title

Status

Arrived

Vince Logan

Vice Chair

Present

Dawn Bullock

Present

Daniel J. Butler

District 3 (R - Frankfort)

Present

Mica Freeman

District 8 (D - Plainfield)

Present

Sherry Newquist

District 3 (D - Steger)

Present

Mark Revis

District 8 (R - Plainfield)

Absent

Jackie Traynere

Chair

Present

Present from the State's Attorney's Office: P. Mock

Also Present: C. Pelkie

Minutes Provided by: S. Ceci

IV. OLD BUSINESS

1. Review of Changes to Will County Ordinances Chapters 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43

(Phil Mock)

Ms. Traynere stated we are still working on §10 and §30 with the scrivener’s errors, and any other minor changes. That will come back to us again if we need to vote on anything. I just received a copy of Mr. Richmond’s edits yesterday. I also met with Mr. Mock yesterday, and he has talked with the State’s Attorney’s Office, going forward anytime we change anything that might affect an ordinance; the ordinance will come along with whatever we are voting on. For instance, like our rules because our rules are reflected in our ordinances.

Mr. Mock added that by going forward we always want to keep current with all our modifications, that way the public can always find it if they need to. We will send them over to American Publishing and they will be updated, and they will update them whenever we request them to do so. I want to have a conversation with the County Clerk because we should be able to publish them ourselves. There may be modifications that must be done with the numbering, we may use American Publishing to print the books for us, they are printed in a binder where the pages can be exchanged out.

Mr. Pelkie stated that he has a copy of Mr. Richmond’s edits, and we are creating another red-line version of those edits, When completed I will forward them to the committee.

Ms. Freeman said we had talked about the numbering and the lettering was all going to be reviewed at the end in case something needs to be added in-between.

Mr. Mock added that if a number is wrong it is not fatal if we pass it, it can be corrected without a vote being done because it is a scrivener’s error.

A discussion was held regarding tabling and postponing corrections that needed to be done. It was explained by Mr. Mock that if when on the floor at a County Board meeting you have moved to amend something, what will happen is it will be amended, and this committee will review it, and it should match what was amended on the floor so does not need to go back to the full County Board for approval again. The only reason it would have to go back to the County Board again is if you don’t agree with the amended version. Ms. Traynere advised the committee we will review the changes and if they are not correct, we will review that on this committee and make some changes. Going forward whenever we have a resolution or any kind of vote on the County Board floor that might affect an ordinance, the ordinance will be attached, and they will mirror each other. When you get your meeting packet next month, please review it before the meeting, and alert us before the meeting if it needs to be corrected.

Ms. Traynere said let start with §31, I noticed that on 31.01, this is one place that Mr. Mock missed striking the section number (§) that is in front of 31.01 and it will be stricken because all of them are not needed. Please read over the red section and see if you see any grammatical errors, let me know, but the numbering system is the system that Mr. Mock is following.

Mr. Mock said everyone knows the reason we cut out the ethical standards for the Executive Branch, it should never have been in there, you didn’t pass that as part of the ordinance, that was an Executive order, Executive orders are not part of the County Ordinance, it is part of their own staff rules.

Ms. Newquist stated most of these red-line changes are changes that we have already made on this committee a year ago.

Ms. Traynere advised the members that at the last meeting Mr. Mock asked you to review the chapters when he sends them to the members, and if you have any questions, you should call him before the meeting. Yesterday when he and I met, he informed me that none of the committee members contacted him, except Board Member Freeman.

Mr. Mock asked if we do not have ethical standards for County Board members.

Ms. Traynere said we have ethics training that is required, but I am not sure of ethical standards.

Mr. Mock said the ethical standards are set by State Statute for everybody.

The committee reviewed some of the changes that Mr. Mock has made. Ms. Ogalla added that when it is about appointments to boards, in most places it says “County Board” but it doesn’t always say that, and that needs to be corrected. Members pointed out the different sections that needed corrections to Mr. Mock. Ms. Freeman said I know it has been stated that “Board” and “County Board” can be used. Mr. Mock said, but for purposes of style it is better to uniformly use the “County Board”, it just makes it clear. It was discussed again that ethics pertains to everybody, and it doesn’t belong to the County Code of Ordinances. Those are rules of the state statute because the state law said you must pass it substantially in this language, there are several of them, open meetings act you must follow that. The committee continued to review § 31, Ms. Bullock wants there to be an explanation of why things are stricken from the ordinance, so the members are clear of why the changes were made. Ms. Traynere reiterated this is the reason it is so important to contact Mr. Mock before the committee meeting, because the committee has already gone over these chapters, they already have reviewed them. Now that the committee’s formation has changed, some people are new, and I am the new Chair. The reason he has offered for us to call him, is then we don’t have to spend extra time going over these questions at the meeting where we are moving forward reviewing the changes we need to make.

Mr. Mock stated on §31.04 for removing and suspending appointed persons, that was struck because the County Executive determines their own standards of why they want to remove or suspend people under their authority, and to hire their own employees. That is why it is not needed and covered under the change. They have the power to remove or suspend at his own discretion, and they decided that the state statute could change that to give her that authority. Regarding the changes for the Board to the County Board I will do some research to find those and correct each and every one of them; a lot of these changes are due to SB 1015.

Ms. Williams asked §31.05 seems like it says the exact same thing as §31.01.

Ms. Traynere pointed out that §31.01 is more detailed, talking about the annual budget, the annual report to the Board as well as the monthly financial reports.

The members discussed the monthly reports and may want to leave it open-ended so we can request different reports. The members would like to strike item B, because it is already mentioned in A. Mr. Mock suggested leaving it B so it could read “The County Executive will prepare such additional reports to the County Board at the County Board Meeting designated by the County Board.” it allows to request a report because it is covered by an ordinance because that is what it is supposed to do. We would strike out “an annual” and make reports and such additional reports at a regular County Board meeting designated by the Board. Mr. Mock advised the committee that if you want a report from a department, you can simply request it, they will provide it for you. Ms. Ogalla said if we ask and they don’t give it to us, we will go through our process here and I have never seen anyone deny giving us a report. Ms. Traynere asked that we strike §31.05 C, and again this is why Mr. Mock has requested that the members contact him prior to the meeting and give him a heads up if you have any questions. These are chapters that we have already reviewed last year at length, Mr. Logan agreed. Ms. Williams said since this has been an issue since I have been on the Board, any request for space by any County Official, Elected Official or Office holder shall be followed up in writing, and it then says it shall be approved or denied within two weeks. The County Executive has the right to reassign space as needed. Ms. Traynere said we just never really enforced it. Ms. Williams said it’s a rule because we say it’s a rule, I don’t like that rule, and I would like that removed. It should be that the Executive should supervise the use of the county office space. Ms. Traynere said this just lays out the process for requesting the space, put it in writing and then you will get a response back. Ms. Wiliams said then the sole discission lies with the Executive. Ms. Ogalla mentioned we should override that, she explained the situation when the Executive told her she could have an office, and then the next day took the offer away saying that room was used too much by the Executive office. Mr. Mock advised the committee that the statute states that the County Executive controls all the grounds and offices, you can’t usurp one Office holders’ authority. Ms. Williams wants to be approved or denied within two weeks removed. She can respond anyway that she wants is fine, it doesn’t just give her the opportunity to just deny it, I feel supervising and control are not the same thing. Mr. Mock told the committee the state statute doesn’t address how fast the Executive must get back to you, which has been defined as two weeks. Mr. Mock said the Executive must provide you with reasonable space, but they are the one who decides if it is reasonable or not.

Ms. Traynere asked for a Motion to send §31 to the Executive committee for approval as amended. Motion by Ms. Freeman and seconded by Ms. Newquist. With a roll call Vote of 6-0 moves forward to the Executive Committee.

Ms. Traynere advised the committee members this will not go to the Executive Committee on Thursday, it will be next month. So, understand in a two-hour meeting we did one chapter in 52 minutes. Chapter §32. Mr. Mock would you like to start off by talking about the bonds.

Mr. Mock stated I added a few bonds in red because they were not previously listed in our previous ordinance. All these bonds’ amounts come out of state statute, the reason except for some of these bonds is the County Board determines what the proper bond should be. I used the figures for what your current bonds are, if you still think that they are appropriate. The County Executive right now entered a $1 million bond before taking office, there is no statutory requirement for it. If you want us to put it here, we could but I would not recommend it, because theoretically then you are impacting on the County Executives’ ability to serve in their office. If you said besides the requirement of being Elected by the Voters, you also have the requirement of getting a bond. I don’t know if you have authority without a state statute behind you to but that condition precedents on them taking office. I have asked them not to continue doing bonds unless you have a good reason because it is just a waste of money. The fact that we are self-insured we can bond ourselves. All the figures that I have changed match what the state statutes require.

Ms. Traynere said let’s move on to §32.004 do you want to explain striking the County Manager.

Mr. Mock said the County Board decided we needed a County Manager who will run the day-to-day of the County, it is not necessary now that we have the County Executive. Moving on to the Supervisor of Assessments we had one then back when the statute allowed it, and we no longer must create it, so I removed it. Also, for §32.007 we no longer have one, so I have removed that, and for §32.009 we just need to change the name. With §32.013 and was removed because the position is no longer, I checked with the Assessor’s Office, and they said it can be removed. Item §32.030 and §32.031 are no longer used as well.

After reviewing §32. Ms. Traynere asked for a motion to send this chapter to the Executive Committee. Motion by Ms. Freeman and seconded by Mr. Logan.

At the request of Ms. Traynere Mr. Mock provided reasons why items were stricken in Chapter 33, there was no discussion except for these items listed below: §33.003 Merit where you list all the state statutes, there is a section where items were, it was explained they were left in for historical reasons. Mr. Mock advises if you want them removed you can do so.

Ms. Newquist made a Motion to strike everything except the (55 ILCS 5/3 - 8003) under §33.003 MERIT COMMISSION after section C, seconded by Ms. Freeman.

Mr. Mock said on 33.008 Swarn Reimbursement personal Fund is for hiring Deputies or for Deputies in cars to do a wedding or public events, instead of you setting the rate like that they sent the rate based on the hourly rate of the deputies, the hourly rate that they put on for the car, and they are charging more for these rates right now, that is why I struck it because it is not current.

Ms. Bullock wants the rate to be charged for the service of deputies and cars shall be determined by the Sherriff on 33.008.

Ms. Traynere wants to add on to §33.045 CREATOR section C, add Executive at the end after County, to read County Executive.

Ms. Traynere asked for a motion to move §33 to the Executive Committee in April.

Mr. Butler made a Motion to move §33.00 to the April Executive Committee in April as amended. seconded by Ms. Freeman

Ms. Traynere said thank you to everybody that there was three chapters, and that was good. Next month we will review Title 10 and §30 for those scrivener’s errors and go through everything that Mr. Richmond provided to us the other day.

Mr. Mock said I will have Ms. Ceci to put that down under Old Business, and it will be a review of it. If you want to amend things you could if it is not correct.

Ms. Traynere said to the Committee Members, I urge you, beg and plead with you to read chapters §34, §35, §36, and §37, and call or email Mr. Mock with any questions or concerns.

Mr. Mock said, going forward I have broken them up with each chapter and I have put the page numbers on. I will have them sent to all the Committee Members and I will also fix everything else that we discussed. I am speaking about the stylization type of things. I will re-due §31, §32, and §33 with the amendments to go forward. The new items that you receive will have an April 1st date, with page numbers and I will try and correct the stylistic things that we discussed on those going forward.

Ms. Traynere said I just want to say that Mr. Mock was super he met me yesterday and he went over all of these through §37. What are your office hours.

Mr. Mock said I don’t have any, but you can call me at home as well, I don’t charge the County unless I am in my office at the County or at Committee meetings. I will even meet with you, I am retired, but I am not doing anything.

Ms. Traynere said he doesn’t mind, he met with me at my office, or he will meet you at the County Building and meet with you for an hour. If you don’t want to call him or want to email him, then sit with him and go through it.

Mr. Mock said I will provide my phone numbers with Mr. Pelkie, I am limited in hours but if you call my phone leave a message, call my house next because I have a land line still, and call my cell third because I don’t always answer my cell unless I leave the house. I am more than happy to go over things with you, and I have the paper copies at home with me so we can review them.

Ms. Traynere said Mr. Mock is really trying to do everything that he can, so we can move through this in an expeditious manner when we get together. This is the second time we are going through this, not the first but the second time.

Ms. Bullock said I appreciate that, however, when you re-do your committees every two years or whatever and you don’t complete the work that you started on your committee then you do have to do it over again. I think the decision to bring chapter by chapter to the Executive Board will probably keep this from happening again. But there are no guarantees’ I’m not opposed to calling Mr. Mock but I don’t think that twelve of us should be calling Mr. Mock when we have a committee meeting. I know you want to get through this, and I understand that you have been through this already, I sympathize with that. I have done this type of work myself and have been through it many times. Just don’t punish us because of the way it was handled before.

Ms. Traynere said, “I don’t want to punish anybody, but my goal is to get through this before the next two years, and we get a brand-new committee again. That is why it is so important and that is what has happened in the last two years, things never got to the Executive Committee, and I don’t know why, I don’t care, and it is not anybody’s fault, it is just what happens.

Mr. Mock said it is my fault, because I wanted to get an entire Title done.

Ms. Traynere stated this is why I am really trying to push to get things to the Executive Committee so they can get to the full County Board. That way we can get it done before we must change the committee makeup again.

Ms. Ogalla said one of the things we did with our County Board Rules; we put a change there that we should review the ordinances every so many years. We are doing this because the ordinances have not changed for years and years. We put it into the rules because we re-do the rules every two years, and it will remind us to do the ordinances as well.

Ms. Traynere said Ms. Ogalla, I think that the process that the State’s Attorney is going to be put in place that we won’t have to do that. There still may be some for the statute changes. As far as when we make a change in our rules or a new resolution, if it affects an ordinance, they will be together.

Mr. Mock added we are going to ask that the ordinance will be updated when we make a change at the same time.

Ms. Traynere said and Springfield makes changes and then we really do have to go back through those sections and see if there are any law changes this year, so you are right about that. Hopefully going forward when we make a change to any resolution that if is effects an ordinance that ordinance will be there as part of the packet.

Mr. Butler said I can appreciate trying to get through the meetings quick and trying to get information from Mr. Mock, at least asking him questions. But at the same time, I want everyone to be comfortable asking any questions that we need to. I think with the ordinances having not been done in so long that it is important that we go through them properly and get them done right. To me the timeframe is second to that, I don’t think that any harassment of people for asking questions should occur.

Ms. Traynere said but you should read through the packet prior to the meeting and have your questions together and do as Mr. Mock has asked us to do. Remember he is not here for free, and we are paying him when he is in his office and not using his service. We should take advantage of that resource, ask the questions and get our answers to understand the historical aspect, again he has offered and really implored us to take this advantage. So, he is happy to meet with the members of the committee during day time hours, and willing to take calls at home for members who work.

Ms. Freeman stated I would just request new red-line copies.

Ms. Traynere stated Mr. Mock said he is sending them to you.

Ms. Freeman said no, I want them printed for me.

Mr. Mock said there is light at the end of the tunnel, Article III is one of the worst articles. Some of the others are so tiny, and some other ones you just recently did, so we can say you have to remember you just passed this two years ago, there should not be a lot of updating that we will do. If you have scrivener errors, please send them to me before the committee meeting, that way it will save time I can make those changes, and we can concentrate on the actual changes of the ordinances.

Ms. Freeman said I sent all kinds of changes to Mr. Mock, and we worked on them together, and he was wonderful and got right back to me. I believe I went through §41.

Mr. Mock added, and it was helpful, and it helped me with the stylization items.

Ms. Trayner said this is hard work and everything you are doing is very much appreciated, I am just asking for a little bit more. Like I said we are going through this for a second time, and hoping we make more progress. Thank you all for your hard work.

Motion to send §32 to the Executive Committee for approval as amended.

RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [5 TO 1]

AYES: Logan, Bullock, Freeman, Newquist, Traynere

NAYS: Butler

ABSENT: Revis

Motion to send §31 to the Executive committee for approval as amended.

RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [5 TO 1]

MOVER: Mica Freeman, District 8 (D - Plainfield)

SECONDER: Sherry Newquist, District 3 (D - Steger)

AYES: Logan, Bullock, Freeman, Newquist, Traynere

NAYS: Butler

ABSENT: Revis