Cook County Commissioners - Board and Committee Meetings
July 27, 29 and 30, 2020

Key items passed by the Board:

• “Justice for Black Lives” Resolution.  The substitute non-binding resolution calls on monies for policing and incarceration to be redirected to public services, not administered by law enforcement, which will promote community health and public safety, particularly in Black and Brown communities most impacted by violence and incarceration.  Such services to include housing, health care, mental health, restorative justice, job creation, public transport, eviction/foreclosure, and increasing opportunities for Minority-owned and Women-owned business enterprises.  Passed with 15 votes; Commissioner Aguilar voted present and Commissioner Sean Morrison voted no, both expressing concern with the idea that the resolution calls for defunding the police.  Commissioners voting in favor say that this lays out priorities for reducing crime and promoting opportunities through these other means.  The upcoming 2021 budget (which will be considered in October and November) will offer the first opportunity for the Commissioners to start to carry out the resolution. (Agenda Item 20-2867)
• Resolution to utilize $82 million of money County received under the CARES Act to aid economic recovery from COVID-19.  (Agenda Item 20-3229)  See the Observer Report for the Special Board Meeting on July 16 for details of the distribution.

Other Items of Interest Discussed in Committees:
Finance Committee:

• County’s Use of CARES Act funds:  CFO Ammar Rizki reported that the $429 million has been allocated for (1) County’s operational costs (46%), (2) County’s direct costs incurred  (23%), (3) spurs for economic development across the County (19%, the Resolution described above), and (4) $51 M for eligible costs incurred by suburban municipalities (12%, as described in the Observer Report for the July 16 Special Board Meeting).  New guidance comes out regularly from the U.S. Treasury as to how these monies can be spent.  Mr. Rizki said that with $300 M in lost revenues to the County, it is critical that now County can use the CARES money to cover some salary and benefit costs.  However, Mr. Rizki said that CARES Act money can only be used to cover hazard pay for those employees directly dealing with COVID positive people (health care workers and correctional officers in the Jail).  So hazard pay provided to other people will not be covered, based on current information.  Mr. Rizki stressed that with many people predicting a spike in COVID cases in the fall, the County needs to conserve some of these funds to cover future costs.
• To date, 439 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
• So far, no monies have been allocated to township governments, which have other options.
• Mr. Rizki receives a weekly report of which municipalities have requested monies under the $51 M allocation by the County and will share with the Commissioners so they can make sure municipalities in their districts are applying for that money.
• Cook County Health has received $59 million of CARES Act funding in May in addition to the above as a health care provider. 

Audit Committee:

• Clean audits received for both the County as a whole and Cook County Health (“CCH”) for fiscal year 2019.  County has a Fund Balance that would cover 2 months of expenses, which is considered what is necessary.  (Agenda Items 20-2685, 2687)
• Auditor stated that CCH’s receivables tend to be risky, but thinks there are sufficient reserves to cover delinquencies.  Liabilities include $477 M of claims to County Care for outside (“foreign”) providers, $236M which are identified and the rest based on management estimates of what claims will be submitted after the fiscal year for care provided during the fiscal year.  Comm. Miller asked for breakdown of these “foreign” claims so they will know where people are going for care outside of CCH’s facilities.  Comm. Morrison wants to know dollar amount not collected due to mistakes; this goes beyond scope of this audit.  Andrea Gibson, CCH interim chief business officer, will be setting up meetings with the Commissioners.  She said that CCH is now catching out-of-network people and so not providing service under County Care.  Also, CCH is making sure getting pre-authorizations required by other insurers.
• Clean audit for Clerk of the Circuit Court, except that fees not disbursed in timely manner as required under Illinois Clerks of the Courts Act. (Agenda Item 20-2653)

Legislation & Intergovernmental Relations Committee:

• Review of the Final Recommended Plan for consolidating the Recorder of Deeds functions into the Office of the County Clerk.  Estimated cost savings during 2021 is $1.1 M, and annual savings thereafter over next 3 years estimated at $6 M.  Expect reductions in positions down to 79 for recorder’s work due to streamlining and broadening of work done by an employee.  Savings also due to moving Clerk’s Vital Records area from Daley Center pedway to Recorder’s office on main floor and moving Clerk’s offices on 14th floor of 69 W. Washington to Recorder’s administrative offices in County building. (Agenda Item 20-2745)  Next review by Commissioners of this consolidation will be in the proposed budget submitted in October.

Items to watch for at next Committee meetings, likely during the week of Sept. 21:

• Agenda Item 20-3562: Proposed “Residential Tenant & Landlord Ordinance,” which was referred to the Finance Committee.  Co-sponsor Britton said that this is modeled on the Chicago and Evanston ordinances.  Would spell out tenant and landlord rights and obligations.
• Agenda Item 20-3482:  Proposed resolution requesting hearings every month of the Criminal Justice Committee with the Sheriff and senior staff to discuss the operation of the Jail and Police Department (responsible for unincorporated areas plus some suburban towns under inter-government agreements).  Referred to Criminal Justice Committee.
• Agenda Item 20-3435:  Proposed resolution supporting the Illinois NAACP State Conference and Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Ten Shared Principles.  Referred to Law Enforcement Committee.
• Commissioners Deer and Moore each submitted separate proposals to add Juneteenth as a County holiday, which were withdrawn.  The Commissioners said they would work to add this holiday without putting an added expense to the budget.

Note:  The Cook County Board and most of the Board Committees are not scheduled to meet again until week of Sept. 21, though Commissioner Suffredin wanted the public to know that everyone is still working and Commissioners continue meeting virtually in small groups (so as not to violate the Open Meetings Act) each Sunday with key County personnel.

Observer - Priscilla Mims

Cook County Board of Commissioners - July 20,2020 ​ 
Mid-Year Budget Hearings

BUREAU OF FINANCE/BUDGET OVERVIEW
Presented by CFO Ammar Rizki and Budget Director Annette Guzman
The General Fund
General Information from the report available on Legistar:
The General Fund was originally projected to end FY2020 with a $219.7M deficit 

• Revenues down$297 million or 15% below the adopted budget
• Expenses also down by $77.5 million or 4% below the adopted budget

However, with corrective actions already being taken, this projected deficit has been reduced to $100.7 M.  Additional corrective actions are being explored.
The outlook for FY2021 includes a General Fund deficit projected at $222 million

• Revenues down $129 million or 7% below FY2020 adopted budget
• Expenses up $92.9M or 5% above FY2020 adopted budget

Health Enterprise Fund
General information from report available on Legistar
The Health Fund was originally projected to end FY2020 with a $61M deficit

• Revenues up $322 million or 11% above the adopted budget
• Expenses up $383 million or 14% above the adopted budget

However, with corrective actions taken (including eliminating 70 positions), the remaining deficit to deal with is $26 M.
The outlook for FY2021 includes a Health Fund deficit of projected at $187 Million

• Revenues of $405 million or 14% above the FY2020 adopted budget
• Expenses of $592 million or 21% above the 2020 adopted budget

OFFICES UNDER THE PRESIDENT
Presented by Lanetta Hayes Turner, Chief of Staff
General Information from report available on Legista:r

• Revenues in 2020 down by 43,463,342.2 (7%) what was budgeted from this office May 2020.
• Expenses in 2020 up by $4,577,223 (7%) 
• Holdback Target of $9,848,904 
• Amount of Holdback Achieved $10,692,975 
• FY2021 Budget Target $143,164,820

Other information: Lessons Learned during COVID:

• Government can function remotely
• COVID-19 has shown the inequities in Cook County that need to be addressed, particularly gun violence
• Sustainable reforms with Criminal Justice system 

No raised question about the budget or reports on Legistar from Commissioners.

COUNTY CLERK, Karen Yarbrough
General information from report available on Legistar:

• Revenue: (County Clerk Fees) down by $334,010 (9%) from what was budgeted as of May 31,2020
• Expenses: Lower by $347,688 (6%)
• 2020 Holdback Target $830,746
• Amount of Holdback Achieved: $545,762
• FY 2021 Corporate Budget Target Revenues $47,918,5000.00
• FY 2021 Corporate Budget Target Expenditures $18,217,841.00

Other information:
Cook county Clerk Karen Yarbrough talked about the accomplishment of the County Clerk’s office during the COVID-19 pandemic. Questions concerning the November Election were asked. Deputy Clerk Edmund Michalowski was there to answer questions concerning:

• Vote by Mail 
• Security of the election
• Sanitizing Polling places

There were no questions asked from Commissioners concerning the Budget or report on Legistar.

OFFICE OF THE RECORDER OF DEEDS  -  Edward Moody
General information from report available on Legistar:

• Revenues: up $1,018,515 (5%)
• Expenditures: down $590,380 (16%)
• Holdback Target: $467,762
• Amount of Holdback Achieved $467,762
• They met their target.

Other information:

• There were no questions asked of the Recorder of Deeds. 
• There was some discussion of the merger of the offices of the Recorder of Deeds and the County Clerk.
• Yarbrough stated that the merger will happen on schedule

TREASURER - Maria Pappas 
General information from report available on Legistar:

• Revenues up by $2.7 million over what budgeted thru May 31.  Collected additional tax sale penalties as a result of the postponement of the Annual Tax Sale due to COVID-19.
• Expenses lower by $56,513.
• Holdback Target of $54,789 met.n

Other information of interest:

• Treasurer required all employees to keep a daily time sheet identifying what they did at home while office shut.  Used this information to determine that 6 employees were not needed, and 12 seasonal employees were laid off. That leaves 60 employees in office, with 24 open positions.  Says not sure at this time how many of these positions may be needed going forward.  Suggested it would be interesting if all County offices required such time sheets.
• Continued increase of people using web site to gain information; noted that web site can be viewed in many different languages. Said that have had 500,000 web site visits this month.
• “Black Houses Matter” program:  effort to remove properties in African American areas from delinquent tax list by doing reach-outs via media outlets (e.g., radio shows) and other means.  By far, the largest number of properties on the list are in African-American areas (Chicago and suburbs):  28,659 out of 40,568 properties for a total of $81.4 million of the $122 million outstanding.  Many of the individual properties, however, have a fairly small delinquency.
• As show above under Revenues, there are significant benefits to the County for delaying the Annual Tax Sale.  In addition, such sales result in other areas of the County becoming involved:  courts, sheriff, state’s attorney, etc.  And the delay provides the people more time to pay delinquencies, so they are helped.
• While there will be no penalties imposed on those who do not pay their tax bills on time this year until Oct. 1, the Treasurer’s office has reached out to the escrow agents (mortgage holders) to make sure they will be paying on time (by Aug. 3) since they have the money from their mortgagees.  Treasurer is confident that this being done and so the County, and all the local governments listed on the tax bills, will have good cash flow, despite the delay in applying penalties for late payments.

ASSESSOR - Fritz Kaegi 
General information from report available on Legistar:

• Revenues down by $13,939 from what budget from this office thru May 31. 
• Expenses lower by $1,610,730.
• Holdback Target of $1,745,832 met.

Other information of interest:

• This year the south suburbs reassessed.  Started sending out reassessments in January and February, and then halted due to COVID.  Used office shut-down to redo assessments to reflect effects of COVID on property values.  This is reflected in assessment that began going out again in May.  But says, whether or not appeal, the assessments sent out in January and February will be redone after closing of appeals process.
• Investments made in technology, hiring key people and training within office, and the legislative change that eliminated the need for seniors to file each year for the senior exemption were critical to the office to being able to continue working effectively during the office shut-down.  
• Last year the reassessments for the northern suburbs shifted the overall assessed value from 50-50 to 60-40 (commercial vs. residential), but after adjustments made by the Board of Review, the values were shifted back toward residential.  Assessor working on a report that will show actual shift back.  
• Last year and so far this year, the number of appeals the Assessor is handling is slightly down.  Assessor noted that this is a major change from past years when the number of appeals were continuing to go up significantly.
• In 2021, reassessment will be of Chicago properties.  This represents 52% of the properties in Cook County!

BOARD OF REVIEW - Michael Cabonargi,Dan Patlak, & Larry Rogers, Jr.
General information from report available on Legistar:

• Revenues down by $343,667 from what budget from this office thru May 31, but most of the revenues from this data subscription fee come at the end of the appeals process so Board of Review expects most of this will be made up.
• Expenses lower by $436,306, but most of the expenses are incurred in the 3rd and 4th quarters of the fiscal year (June through November).
• Holdback Target of $875,014, but so far only $301,179 met.  Have delayed hiring for 5 or 6 open positions, and expect to continue to delay hiring, so that will help meet more of the Holdback Target. 

Other information of interest:

• Said they processed 253,000 appeals (a record) on time so tax bills could go out on time this July.  Key was the online appeals process which enabled work to be done at home by employees.
• Report states that the 2021 budget target will not allow the Board of Review to complete the appeals process on time next year.
• Was not asked about the adjustments the Board of Review made to the reassessments of the northern suburbs. (See the item of interest under the Assessor.)

Nancy Marcus and Priscilla Mims -  Observers

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting (Virtual Meeting via Zoom)
May 21, 2020 

Board Action:

• Agenda Item 20-2472: Resolution extending Cook County” proclamation of disaster for Cook County through Sept. 30,2020. Pres. Preckwinkle has called virtual meetings on Sundays to respond to the new COVID-19 Crisis and through these virtual meetings, commissioners have met with many departments over the past 2 months in order to ask questions, receive clarifications. Commissioner Daley and others stated that Pres. Preckwinkle’s staff has been made available to address concerns and provide transparency and openness on issues of concern. Passed. 
• Agenda Item 20-2465: Extending Authorization for Budget Director to Execute Budget Transfers for Amounts over $50,000. CCBC receives monthly updates on purchases, procurements relating to COVID- 19 matters. Budget Director Guzman stated decisions on procuring supplies have to be made quickly to reserve access to them. Her office is in constant contact with Cook County departments regarding their needs. Several commissioners stated this is the most responsible action to take as it enhances the county’s ability to address ongoing changes during the COVID-19 Crisis. Passed. 
• Agenda Item 20-2546: Approve amendments to Res. 19-0443 regarding chairs, vice chairs, and committee members. The only change to what was previously in effect is the substitution of new Commissioner Frank Aguilar in place of the Commissioner he replaced, Jeffery Tobolski, on committees of Labor, Law Enforcement, Technology & Innovation, and Veterans. Passed. 
• Agenda Item 20-2479: Proposed Property Tax Ordinance, 2020 adding Sec 74-48, waiving interest and penalties through Oct. 1, 2020 on late payments of second installment of property tax for 60 days. Aug. 3, 2020 remains the due date for payment. A loss of $8-9 million dollars to Cook County is expected. Escrow agents must still pay property tax by Aug. 3, before delinquency. Legislation is pending in the Illinois General Assembly to address the flow of funds regarding escrow agents. Commissions Suffredin explained that extensive legal research and consultation was conducted to develop this proposal, that it was a difficult legal process. He stated it was done to enhance the ability to address ongoing changes in people’s circumstances and prevent or reduce damage and protect people. Passed. 
• Agenda Item 20-2229: Receive and File Changes to Rules promulgated by the Cook County Assessor’s office for appealing property assessment within that office. The revised rules on assessment are intended to improve clarity of the rules previously approved, replacing 20-1797. The Assessor’s Office explained that overall compliance is the goal of appeal process, These changes are intended to provide flexibility in regulating specific property. Approved. 

Ordinance Proposing Sharing of Addresses with First Responders
Agenda Item 20-2378. Proposal to share address information of confirmed COVID-19 positive patients with municipal first responders. Proposal is for a 60 day period within Cook County. Information would be purged after 60 days. Identification of address would be done through the Public Safety Answer Point (PSAP) Dispatch. The intent is to protect first responders. Dr. Rachel Rubin, Incident Commander of Cook County Dept. of Public Health, stated that this resolution does not follow good public health practice and would not increase safety of patients or first responders. Dr. Rubin stated that highest contagion period is within days 1-2 of contact and that responders need to do all of the right things all of the time to protect themselves. Many concerns were expressed by commissioners. Following are some of the ideas expressed during extensive discussion among Commissioners: 

• Finding balance between protecting first responders and people’s right to privacy must be considered.
• There was concern over the impact of this policy in areas already experiencing negative encounters with law enforcement, including questions about protecting privacy. 
• With no oversight, black and brown communities especially may have strong concerns about privacy and assumptions.
• That this policy would only provide a “false illusion of safety.”
• Best intentions do not always work and unintended consequences are always possible. 
• At a time when health professionals are ignored by some government officials, it is important to respect their recommendations.
• While demand for PPE by First Responders continues to outstrip supply in many areas, this would not answer that issue. 
• Federal Government has an obligation to provide needed supplies. Several Commissioners live with first responders and see many sides to the issue.
• Several Commissioners made the point that voting against this proposal should in no way be taken as not supporting First Responders. 

The proposal passed. (Subsequently this item was vetoed by President Preckwinkle)

New Items 

• Agenda Item 20-2550: Emergency Waiver of Non-Required Fees for recording Transfer on Death Instruments, effective May 21-Sept. 30, 2020. This would change the fee, inducing for electronic recording, to $39 plus the surcharge ($9, or as it might be reduced) for Rental Housing Support Program. Passed. 
• Agenda Item 20-2567 Establishing Cook county K-12 Solar Schools Initiative using $120,000 for the Dept. of Environment and Sustainability. This would include providing solar paneled roofs for up to 2 schools and developing related curriculum and building STEM programs. Passed. 

Note: There were over 150 individual public comments registered for this meeting. Public comments were read or summarized by Board Secretary DeLeon at the start of the meeting, with the names of senders, read into the minutes. 

Observer: Carolyn Cosentino, LWVCC                      Meeting Length: 5 Hr 15 min.(via zoom)

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting -  February 27, 2020

Board Action:

• The County Board approved the appropriation of $25,000,000 of motor tax fuel funds for transportation improvements within various properties under Forest Preserve jurisdiction.  The money goes to properties that do not charge admission.
• The Board renewed an agreement with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to maintain and expand the Prescription Drug Buy Back Program.  Pharmaceutical drugs are collected and disposed of in ways that keep them out of the Chicago Area Waterway System.

What to Watch for: 

• Tightening of approval of contract renewals and extensions.  The Cook County Clerks office asked for a one-year extension of their contract with the company maintaining and hosting their website even though they have maxed out their automatic renewals of the contract.  

​Other Observations: 

• The Board approved an agreement between the Cook County Medical Examiner and Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago for indigent burials of the unclaimed, unknown, and unborn children.  $48,000.

Observed by:  Kim Inman                                         Meeting Length:  1 1/2 hours