Office of Inspector General of Cook County Now Included in Ethics Ordinance

Cook County Board of Commissioners Committee Meetings and Board Meeting - December 14, 2016

Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee Meeting

• An amendment to the Cook County Ethics Ordinance was approved that will include the office of the Independent Inspector General of Cook County as an office that can receive reports of ethics violations, supspected violations, or other misconduct. This is in addition to the Board of Ethics as a place where such can be reported with the rationale that this will make it easier for violations to be reported. The amendment was approved by all Commissioners present. (Comm. Steele was the only commissioner absent) (Agenda Item 16-5767)

Rules and Administration Committee Meeting

• An ordinance to the Rules of Organization and Procedure of the Cook County Board of Commissioners stating that a “substitute ordinance shall not be considered until the meeting of the Board of Commissioners following the meeting at which the substitute was introduced “was deferred to the January Board meeting. It was deferred because the Commissioners felt more discussion of this was needed and there was concern about substituted amendments during the budget process and how this might affect the budget. Commissioner Sufferdin thanked the LWV Cook County for their input on this matter. (Agenda Item 16-5778)

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

Significant Items Approved:

• The Board unanimously approved the Cook County Gun Violence Task Force Final Report. The Task Force was established to serve as an investigative and fact-finding body authorized to hear and gather testimony and data about economic, social, and cultural causes of gun violence in the City of Chicago and Cook County, with the specific objective of recommending a  set of written policies designed to reduce gun violence and its roots. The report can be found HERE. (Agenda Item 17-0524)

Other items of interest:

• The Board approved the Annual Calendar of Regular Meetings for 2017. There will be 13 meetings with one every month except for two in March and June, and no meeting in August. (Agenda Item 17-0615)
• The Cook County Justice Advisory Board awarded seven Violence Prevention, Intervention, and Reduction Demonstration Grants to provide various services and /or programs. (Agenda Item 17-0428)

New Items Added to the Agenda:

• Proposed Resolution amendment to establish the President Pro Tempore and Chairs and Vice-chairs of the standing committees and subcommittees. Commissioner Steele will remain as President Pro-Tempore and some of the Chair and Vice-Chair have been changed due to the death of Commissioner Murphy. (Agenda Item 17-0644)
• Proposed Resolution designating and appointing members of the standing committees and subcommittees. This was done to add Commissioner Moody who replaced Commissioner Murphy to the standing committees, (Agenda Item 17-0645)

New items referred to Committees:

• An ordinance establishing time limits for distribution of departmental documents to the Board was referred to the Rules Committee, (Agenda Item 17-0058)
• A Resolution for County Unity for fair and equal treatment of immigrants, refugees and their families etc. for all of Cook County was referred to the Human Relations Committee.

​Observer - Nancy Marcus