Cook County Board of Commissioners
Committee Meetings 
February 5, 2025
Rules and Administration Committee
The Committee approved 2 amendments to their rules concerning the Consent Agenda aspect of their meetings. 

• The first amendment requires that the Consent Agenda be limited to 60 minutes and will be held prior to the regular board meeting. It will be separately noticed. (Agenda Item 25-0984) 
• The second amendment established the dates and times for the meetings to be held at 9am the same day as the regular board meeting. (Agenda Item 25-0986)

Commissioner comments: 

• Comm. Britton stated this would be a more efficient use of their time and while it is important to recognize people/groups perhaps doing it in district should be more frequently considered. 
• Comm. Miller wanted to know what other bodies restricted their Consent Agenda and Comm. Scott stated that the Chicago Board limits oral recognition to 3 at their meetings and has done so for several years. 
• Comm. Miller and Degnan were concerned about the process - how ordinances would be prioritized and who decides that. 
• Comm. Stamps and Anaya wanted to know how the picture taking with the President would be incorporated. 
• Comm. Britton stated that a quorum would be necessary so it behooves everyone to be there at 9am for the meetings. Comm. Britton also said that the issues raised by the commissioners were the issues that needed to be considered and discussed as they institute this change in the Consent Agenda procedure.

Finance Committee

• Analysis of Revenues and Expenses for the County were presented by the Comptroller and representatives from Cook County Health (CCH). Both revenue and expense variances were reported as negative with timing issues being the cause. 
• Comm. Gainer had questions regarding a report from CCH about salaries of contracted persons vs employees. She stated the report was thorough and transparent and wanted more clarity on the long term plans for addressing the discrepancies - whether training of employees would address filling the positions or the positions were too specialized and would continue to be contracted out.  
• Comm. Sean Morrison’s questioned whether CCH reports were based on an accrual basis or cash basis. CCH said they do their finances on an accrual basis but convert to a cash basis for reporting as part of the Cook County Budget. 
• The Market Survey Report on Elected Official Compensation (Agenda Item 25-0739) was received and filed without comment. 

Transportation Committee
Department of Transportation and Highways Superintendent Jennifer (Sis) Killen provided a presentation on the department’s ADA Transition Plan. Highlights of her presentation:

• The plan fulfills a Federal requirement relating to ADA ensuring that all the facilities and services in the public right-of-way along the roadways maintained by the County are compliant with the ADA standards. 
• The report focused on curb ramps, crosswalks and pedestrian signals and indicated the plan is to improve all assets over the next 25 years. 
• An ADA Coordinator has been named (Andrew Warner) to answer questions from the public and to oversee communication about the goals and progress of the plan.
• Commissioner concerns were about ongoing trainings for personnel and how it is determined who is responsible for payment for any construction or repairs. Response was the Federal government does do training. Installation is done by the entity responsible for maintaining the right-of-way which can be the County, the City or a municipality or township. All repairs must be made to the current standards.

Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee
The Committee had a presentation of the annual report for the Board of Ethics for Fiscal Year 2024 (Agenda Item 25-0829). 
Highlights of presentation:

• Ethics Board is supposed to have 5 members - have 3 recently appointed members and 2 vacancies.
• Office has 12 staff and 1 dedicated Ethics Investigator.
• Now have a searchable data base for Campaign Contributions as well as an online form to file disclosures and requests. 
• Ethics investigations appear to focus on gifts and conflicts of interest.
• Comm. Anaya asked about some of the numbers presented but there was no further discussion of the report. 

Technology and Innovations Committee
The committee heard presentations on the Technology Strategic Plan Report (Agenda Item 25-0262) from the Bureau of Technology, and the offices of the Board of Review, the Assessor, the Treasurer, the Sheriff, the County Clerk, The Clerk of the Circuit Court, the Chief Judge, and the State’s Attorney.
Highlights from the reports:

• The Bureau of Technology has a dual role of providing IT support to the President’s office as well as maintaining IT throughout County government offices. 
• Retirement of the Main Frame is projected to be April of 2025. There are still 2 applications that utilize the Main Frame - Jury Administration under the Chief Judge and some parts of the Property Tax system - but all seem to have committed to getting off by April of 2025.
• Each office outlined their projects and goals for the next year and many are developing plans for incorporating AI into their work. 
• Almost all offices indicated a need for upgraded equipment and software - some thanking the commissioners for providing funds in their budgets to do this and others indicating they would need funds in the future.
• The Board of Review (BOR) and the Assessor seemed to indicate that they both will now have a new system IasWorld that will allow them to share data although the BOR did say that their public facing portal remains as a different system.
• Commissioner questions and comments centered on keeping to established timelines for implementing systems, holding vendors accountable to ensure that systems can be up and running by deadlines, and requesting that offices work together on implementing systems that need to communicate with each other. 

Observer - Cynthia Schilsky

​Cook County Board of Commissioners Committee and Board Meetings 
June 15, 16, 2022

Rules Committee June 15, 2022

• The Department of Human Rights & Ethics proposed changes  to the Cook County Board of Ethics Procedural Rules to align with the December 2021 amendments to Code of Ordinances (Item 22-3150)
• Sisavanh Baker explained the changes to the rules and regulations. Commissioners were concerned with two changes to the rules.  The first was to ensure that Commissioner were not subject to the  20-hour limitation of outside employment because they are part-time positions.   The other was the wording on how to handle reporting  campaign contributions that exceed the prescribed limit.   It was decided that the item would be deferred to next month and Ms. Baker would work with the Commissioners to clarify those two points. (Item 22-3155)

Technology Committee June 15, 2022

• Approval of the extension of the Tyler contract. This system is the comprehensive tax processing system that includes the Assessor, Board of Review, County Clerk, and County Treasurer functions. The implementation is several months behind and the August tax bills will be delayed. The extension was recommended for approval in the Technology Committee and approved by the full Board  with no discussion from the Commissioners. This renewal is the first of three optional 3-year renewal periods.
• The County will take advantage of several negotiated concessions including additional resources across various areas of the project, updated Deliverables Payment Schedule including Hold Backs. Three (3) years of Assessment Connect and Open Connect cloud-based services at no additional cost. Scope items that were originally contested by Tyler, have been included in the solution at no additional costs. Lastly, a 5-year freeze on Software Support and Maintenance payment increases.
• This contract is a collaboration between the Assessor, Clerk, Treasurer offices with the Bureau of Technology to leverage a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) centralized property tax solution.  (Item 22-2917)

Board Meeting of the Cook County Commissioners
June 16,2022

​American Rescue Plan Act Funds

• The Commissioners approved several grants from the funds in various categories. There were descriptions of the programs but no information on how the programs will be monitored and evaluated.  The only discussion was when Commissioner Sean Morrison  commented that each grant should also have a plan to measure the outcomes of the programs and to report on them.
• One example was Item 22-3550 that awarded several grants via the Justice Advisory Council.  The resolution did include this paragraph: “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cook County Board of Commissioners recognizes that time is of the essence and authorizes Executive Director Avik Das and the Justice Advisory Council to negotiate and enter into the various agreements that outlines the specific metric and impact data, and compliance with all ARPA reporting and monitoring requirements with the Subrecipients listed above to implement the programs.”

County Officials Salary Increases

• The Resolution to have the Cook County Bureau of Human Resources  commission an independent Compensation and Market Survey every 4 years to determine if the current compensation of the  elected officials is in line with similarly situated positions nationwide or if increases are warranted was referred to the Finance Committee. (Item 22-4009)

Cook County Health

• Dr. LaMar Hasbrouch was approved as the Chief Operation Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health. (Item 22-3342)
• A hearing was requested on the problems with short-term and long-term nursing home availability in Cook County.  Referred to the Health and Hospital Committee. (Item 22-4009) 

Climate

• The resolution to create a special fund to ensure that 40% of any Federal assistance for climate issues and clean energy  goes to disadvantaged areas of Cook County was referred to the Finance Committee.  (Item 22-3910)

Criminal Justice

• The resolution to request a hearing in the Cook County Criminal Justice Committee to discuss the annual report of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Advisory Board on  youth  re-entry from detention in Cook County was referred the Criminal Justice Committee.  (Item22-3546)

New Flag  for Cook County
The Board of Commissioners  congratulated Drew Duffy and Martin Burciaga, the winning student and design mentor, on his design of the new flag. (Item 22-3341). Duffy's winning design features six red stars and a sideways “Y” in green and blue on a white background. The stars have seven points to represent the regions of the county, the city of Chicago and the forest preserves, and they are in red to signal social change. ​​


Observer - Kathi Graffam ​

COOK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING
January 13, 2022-10:00 a.m.

The one and a half hours of public comments at the meeting focused on two main areas: those advocating for continued/increased funding to social agencies and to those opposed to the Cook County Health Department mandate pressing for vaccination and for masking/social distancing.

• Social agencies’ remarks concentrated on the need for continued work against violence, particularly gender-based domestic violence. It has increased a great deal during the pandemic. Several speakers requested funds to be used for work with the abusers themselves, emphasizing the need to stop the violence at its source.
• All the people commenting on the health mandate spoke against the vaccine and against the enforcement of masks and social distancing in public areas.
• ​Commissioner Sean Morrison, after the speakers finished, emphasized that the Cook County Board of Commissioners did not create nor did they vote on this mandate. The policy came from the Cook County Department of Health.

President Preckwinkle then invited Dr. Rachel Rubin, senior medical officer of the Department of Health, to explain the rationale for the policy. She said the order was based on science and on how covid is transmitted. The current severe outbreak made this a necessity. Two things have been shown to mitigate the disease: 1) masks work. 2) vaccinations prevent the disease, or at least temper the severity of the illness. She invited citizens to visit the Cook County Health Department website for more detailed information on the subject.

The remainder of the agenda was passed without a great deal of discussion. 

• The monthly covid report was presented for CARES, FEMA, ERA, and ARPA. Staff reported that while administrative costs for such programs generally run about 10%, the costs here have been closer to 3%. (Agenda Item 22-1088)
• One of the more lengthy discussions involved the ongoing arbitration with the SEIU union related to pandemic pay. Staff is currently awaiting the arbitrator’s decision. This should be resolved in the first quarter of 2022. Staff reminded the Board that this agreement must be presented in its entirety. The Board cannot deal with it separately in sections.
• 2021 Annual Ethics Report was received and filed. (Agenda Item 22-0877)
• Amendment to the ordinance for Inspector General was referred to the Legislative and Intergovernmental Relations Committee. The proposed changes to the ordinance deal with the process of selecting an Independent Inspector General. (Agenda Item 22-1224)
• Commissioner Anaya presented an item that allows the public defender to represent noncitizens in court on immigration matters. Commissioner Suffredin spoke in support. (Agenda Item 22-1161)
• Appointment of Lynn Turner as the permanent secretary of the Board replacing Matt DeLeon was referred to the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. (Agenda Item 22-1238)

Meeting was adjourned at 3:59 p.m.

Observer - Georgia Gebhardt

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting
February 25, 2021

Public Speakers & Consent Agenda:

• There were no verbal public speakers but the Board received 38 written comments mostly supporting renaming the Columbus Holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Holiday. Commissioner Suffredin stated that the Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee will hold a Public Hearing on this issue in May and vote on it in June.  He also said that the Ethics Ordinance will be on the Committee’s agenda in March with an April vote expected.
• Former US Senators’ Roland Burris and Carol Moseley Braun were recognized as part of black history month.  They participated virtually and were honored collectively and individually by the Commissioners.  Karen Lewis, former President of the Chicago Teachers Union, was also honored.

Board Action:

• Agenda Item 21-1048  Approved an ordinance amendment requiring Tax Increment Financing Districts to provide information to the Cook County (CC) Treasurer each year, within 60 days of audited financials, plus provide such information for the past 5 years within 60 days of this amendment becoming effective 60 days from February 25.  This change will allow the Treasurer to provide a report to the public.
• Agenda Item 21-1189  Approved a resolution to assess the needs and improve the quality and effectiveness of behavioral health care provided by County Government.  It requires a quarterly report and a public hearing from at least 9 government departments and agencies covering a list of 14 specific pieces of information.
• ​Agenda Item 21-1848 Approved changing the recently passed Tenant-Landlord Ordinance to only require a summary of the Ordinance to be given to each new lease and posted on the Department of Human Rights and Ethics website. 
• Agenda Item 21-1752 Passed a resolution to encourage CC residents to learn about the Summer project.  Summer offers free advisory services to chart the most affordable loan path and to simplify repayment plans.  This service is free because of a grant from the Joyce Foundation.
• Agenda Item 21-1664 Approved a resolution requesting an extension of a food contract with the Black Dog Company for meat deliveries to the Juvenile Detention Center. Commissioner Suffredin said that this is the last time he will vote for a Black Dog contract.  He referred to several critical articles in the Sun Times and Tribune.  A representative from the Chief Judge’s office said that an RFP has been issued and it will take the rest of this year to go through the process to hire a new contractor.  Commissioners asked Mr. Suffredin to send them the articles.
• Agenda Item 21-1609 Authorizes the Bureau of Economic Development to design and implement the CC Rental & Utility Assistance Program using the $72.6 million in Federal Funds awarded to Cook County.
• Agenda Item 21-0388 The Safer Foundation asked for a license agreement to park mobile trailers outside of 3 courthouses so it may provide information about their services which include housing and job placement.  The three sites are the Markham and Maywood courthouses and the Leighton Criminal Courts building. 
• Appointed Transportation and Highways Superintendent, John Yonan, to Chief of the Bureau of Asset Management and Jennifer [Sis] Killen as his replacement.
• Several Ordinance amendments were passed to help businesses in unincorporated CC during Covid.  Among them is video gaming application fees and then licensing fees per termination.  Both were cut in half.  Wheel taxes on various types of commercial vehicles were also cut.  Beer garden licenses were reduced to $200.
• Grants to Cook County Health and the Department of Public Health were approved as part of the new requirements for approval by the CC Commissioners.  These requests to receive grants do not need to be reviewed at the committee level before board authorization. $1.2 million was awarded by the US Department of Justice to fund a comprehensive opioid, stimulant, and substance abuse program.  
• A $600,000 grant to the Justice Advisory Council was also approved.  The Il. Criminal Justice Information Authority provided the grant.

Other: 

• Agenda Item 21-1273 Resolution to allow joint committee meetings and referred to the Rules and Administration Committee on January 28, 2021 is still in committee.
• Agenda Item 21-1306 Resolution calling for a public hearing to evaluate the economic impact of vacant and abandoned properties in CC and referred to the Business and Economic Development committee on January 28, 2021 has been held/deferred in committee.

Observed by:  Diane Edmundson                                            Meeting Length:   3 ½ hours