Cook County Board Finance Committee Budget Hearings
October 25, 2023 - 1pm Cook County Clerk - Karen Yarborough 2024 Request Total: $76,772,474 2023 Approved: $65,849,554 2024 Total FTEs: 349 2023 FTEs: 351 Key Items from the Meeting:
Office of the Independent Inspector General - Interim IIG - Steve Cyronoski 2024 Request Total: $2,456,335 2023 Approved: $2,307,093 2024 Total FTEs: 19 2023 FTEs: 19 Key Items from Meeting:
Assessor - Fritz Kaegi 2024 Request Total: $35,848,794 2023 Approved: $35,000,768 2024 Total FTEs: 296 2023 FTEs: 286 Key points from the meeting:
Chief Judge (CJ) - Tim Evans 2024 Request Total: $343,259,173 2023 Approved: $329,470,661 2024 FTEs: 3,031 2023 FTEs: 3,020.3 Key points from the meeting:
Capital Budget - Tanya Anthony/ Jennifer Killen/ Tom Lynch/ Elizabeth Granato 2024 Proposed Total: $539.1M $238.6M for Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for County facilities $154.3M for Transportation and Highways Program (THP) $146.2M for Capital Equipment Program (CEP) for County departments PowerPoint presented outlining all these programs. Key Point from Questions:Comm. Miller asked Tom Lynch, Bureau of Technology, for clarification on cost and time frame for the various technology projects. He stated the following:
The meeting was recessed at 7:15pm. Very few commissioners still remained in the room. Observer: Cynthia Schilsky
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Cook County Board Finance Committee – Mid-Year Budget Hearings
July 25, 2023 - Afternoon Meetings Inspector General – Steven Cyranoski, Interim IG. $2.3 million Preliminary 2024 budget
Public Administrator – Louis Apostal. $1.7 million self-funded 2024
Cook County Clerk – Karen Yarborough. $20.6 million Preliminary 2024 budget
Board of Review [BOR] – Cardenas, Steele, Rogers. $18 million Preliminary 2024 budget
Land Bank – Jessica Caffrey, Executive Director. Primarily self-funded Ms. Caffrey is relatively new to the Land Bank having worked for the County in previous roles including coordinating the development of the Old Stroger Hospital and the building of the Cook County Health’s Administrative Building on Polk.
Observer: Diane Edmundson Cook County Board Finance Committee Meetings on the Budget
October 25, 2022 Cook County Health (“CCH”) – Presented by CCH CEO Israel Rocha. Jr.
Miller: Addressing the issue of the new Change Institute, said that she was pleased to see more focus on "preventive vs reactionary" care, and noted the increase of 44 new positions in this new Department. She particularly asked for goals and metrics from each of the Institute's funding sources [ARPA, Grants, County] and any other new programs using ARPA and County funding. CEO Rocha responded to a question about the behavior health goals using ARPA funding stating that there are two big categories:
Next came Miller's question on the Juvenile Justice Care Coordination Program to be funded by ARPA. Two Care Coordinators will be hired for reentry and transition stabilization. When asked about the ongoing long-time issue of low patient satisfaction ratings, Rocha noted that the HIV Core Center has a great reputation and rhetorically asked "how can we use its experience?" Degnan: Wants the system to communicate more broadly that CCH is a safe home for reproductive health. Said that a specific brochure is needed focusing on the System's services. Rocha responded that he would send her the communication tools currently in use. Anaya: Responding to Anaya's concern about the length of the hiring process, Rocha said that the System has hired 350 individuals in the last 150 days and that turnover is at its lowest level in 18-20 months. Several other Commissioners noted that their questions had been covered by previous colleagues and also commended CEO Rocha on his command of the System's needs and his vision for CCH. Assessor’s Office -– Presented by Assessor Fritz Kaegi
Carrying over from the meeting with the Assessor earlier, court oversight of the offices of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the County Clerk under the Shakman cases (which prohibit political considerations regarding most County personnel) was raised during these two meetings.
Following are more details from these meetings, along with the one with the Treasurer, who announced that she is expecting to receive the information for the 2nd installment property tax bills by November 11. If so, she said she would have bills posted on her web site and available for downloading and payment by November 15. Treasurer - Presented by Treasurer Maria Pappas
Office of the Independent Inspector General -– Presented by Acting IIG Steven Cyranoski
Clerk of the Circuit Court - Presented by Circuit Court Clerk Iris Y. Martinez
County Clerk - Presented by Clerk Karen Yarbrough
Observers: Diane Edmundson and Priscilla Mims Cook County Board Finance Committee
Departmental Budget Hearings: Day 2 October 26, 2021 Cook County Public Defender - presented by Sharone Mitchell and staff Proposed 2022 Budget - $84,102,421 2021 Budget - $80,839,889 (Both include General Funds, Special Purpose Funds and Grant Funds) Proposed 2022 - 750 FTEs 2021 - 700 FTEs Presentation by Sharone Mitchell focused on 4 Challenges within the office. 1. Caseloads/Workloads
Cook County Clerk - presented by Karen Yarborough Proposed 2022 Budget - $76,502,087 2021 Budget - $56,472,352 (Includes Corporate Funds, Election Fund, Special Purpose Funds, Grant Funds) 2022 includes $8,823,854 allocated from the American Rescue Plan Special Purpose Fund Proposed 2022 - 348 FTEs 2021 - 350 FTEs Highlights of Presentation by Clerk Yarborough Elections
Clerk of Circuit Court of Cook County - Presented by Iris Martinez and Staff Proposed 2022 Budget - $125,285,335 2021 Budget - $120,480,906 (Includes General Funds, Special Purpose Funds and Grants) 2022 budget includes $4,345,794 allocated from the American Rescue Plan SP Fund Proposed 2022 - 1479 FTEs 2021 Budget - 1386 FTEs 2022 includes 25 FTEs under the American Rescue Plan Highlights of Presentation by Iris Martinez
Board of Review - Commissioners Larry Rogers, Michael Cabonargi, and Tammy Wendt Proposed 2022 Budget - $15,686,657 2021 Budget - $14,072,527 2022 budget includes $1,064,256 allocated from the American Rescue Plan SP Fund Proposed 2022 - 151 FTEs 2021 Budget - 142 FTEs 2022 includes 9 FTEs under the American Rescue Plan Highlights of Presentation by Larry Rogers
Questions/Comments from the Cook County Board Commissioners
Item of Note:
Observer: Cynthia Schilsky Cook County Board Finance Committee Mid Year Budget Hearings
July 20, 2021 Presentations - Cook County State’s Attorney, County Clerk, and Board of Review Cook County State’s Attorney, Kimberly Fox
Cook County Clerk’s Office, presented by Chief Deputy Clerk Cedric Giles
Board of Review, presented by Commissioner Larry Rogers, with Commissioners Michael Cabonargi and Tammy Wendt
Cook County Board Finance Committee Departmental Budget Meeting
Friday, November 6, Morning Session State’s Attorney Budget: $176,585,418 (2021)-$161,837,454(2020) = increase of $14,747,964 1,401.4 FTE’s (2021)-1,362.2 FTE’s (2020) = an increase of 39.2 Cook County Clerk Budget: $58.590M (2021)- $58.070 M (2020-includes Recorder’s Budget from 2020) =increase of $520,000 350 FTE’s (2021)- 386.8(2020- includes Recorder’s FTEs from 2020) =decrease of 36.8 Chicago Board of Elections Budget (note: the City of Chicago provides a large portion of the monies for this Board’s operation during even years, and all but the cost of the 4 FTEs during odd-numbered years): $1,248,144 (2021)-$22,770,124 (2020) =decrease of $21,521,980 FTE’S 4.0 (2021)-4.0 FTE’s (2020) =no difference Highlights of the State’s Attorney Budget Meeting: Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx highlighted work done in fiscal year 2020:
The State’s Attorney’s office is well aware of the budget restraints during these difficult times and they are working to prioritize prosecuting violent crimes especially unlawful use of guns. The Commissioners did not ask many questions about the budget. Commissioner K. Morrison wanted to know why there was a nine-person reduction of personnel in the Felony Review Unit (this Unit works with law enforcement agencies to review felonies cases.) Kim Foxx stated that they went from a two shift 12-hour seven day a week to three shifts. They found that they did not need as many personnel in each shift as they did when it was a 12-hour shift, so they were able to cut positions but not the effectiveness of the Unit. Commissioner Degnen commended the State’s Attorney’s office for a well-organized budget. She questioned the increase in operating funds. Kim Foxx stated that this was due to Grants they received for programs. Commissioners Aguilar, Suffredin and Degnen questioned the expungement of marijuana cases. Foxx stated that due to COVID there has been a slowdown of these cases. But they are making progress. To date they are working to process 300 cases, working twice a week. Commissioner Sims wanted to know about the issue concerning retail theft and whether people are being prosecuted. Foxx is trying to work with local municipalities to handle some of these cases as it takes a lot of time for the Assistant State’s Attorneys to prosecute and sometimes the defendants do not show up in court. She emphasized they are being prosecuted despite what was heard in the news. Foxx stated they would rather focus on gun cases. Commissioners Suffredin and Britton both praised the Civil Division of the States Attorney ‘s office. They both said it does not get noticed like the Criminal Division. Of interest Foxx stated that Cook County Attorney’s office is the second largest office in the US, LA County being the largest. LA only handles felonies. Cook County handles Felonies, misdemeanors, Civil cases, child support cases and Juvenile Delinquent cases. A big case load to handle. Highlights of the Cook County Clerk’s Budget Meeting This was a challenging year for the Election. Despite COVID-19, Clerk Karen Yarbrough reported that her office worked tirelessly to make sure this election went well. Clerk Yarbrough thanked Toni Preckwinkle and the Procurement staff for all of their help to make sure there was PPE and equipment available at all polling places. This was a record-breaking election. Yarbrough divided her discussion into two parts: the Election and the Assumption of the Recorder of Deeds’ duties into the Cook County Clerk’s office. Election
Highlights of The Chicago Board of Elections Budget Meeting It was announced that Lane Gough, Executive Director of the Board of Elections will be retiring. His assistant, Charles Holiday will be replacing him. All commissioners wished him well. Marisol Hernandez, Chair of the Board of Elections reported the following:
Commissioner Degnen questioned a line item, Contingencies & special Purposes page B-4 of the budget. It shows $900,000-line item taken out of the budget. Executive Director Gough stated that he believed this was a Grant that is finished but he will get back to the Board. Observer: Nancy Marcus |
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