Cook County Board Committee Meetings

Cook County Board of Directors Committee Meetings
October 17, 2023

Business & Economic Development Committee
The entire meeting was used to present item # 23-3872 - Ordinance Creating Assessment Classification for Industrial or Commercial Community Solar Energy System Installations
Goals: 

• 1)  to lower the barriers of entry for commercial and industrial companies to increase energy to contribute to the community energy grid.  
• 2)  to motivate companies to participate by offering an initial drop in assessments for a 10-year period. Assessments will be reduced to 20% of market value from the normal of 25% for the square footage used for the solar energy panels. 
• 3) to ensure that the energy created is used for off-site consumption. Companies must submit annual proof that the installed solar facilities are actively producing energy for off-site consumption.

The Assessors office worked with Commissioners Gainer and Degnan to create this avenue for creating energy while not penalizing companies by increasing their assessments for the square footage covered by the solar panels.  
Commissioner Degnan stated that "this is a great example of getting [bureaucracy] out of the way" for private business to contribute to the public good.
The meeting was then recessed until Thursday, October 19, 2023 to work on a substitute amendment to the originally introduced ordinance.  On Thursday morning, the committee voted unanimously to adopt the substitute and then adopted the ordinance to be presented to the board for approval.

​Technology Committee

• A representation of the Board of Review stated that about 96% of the development stage and 92% of the overall project to complete the integration with Tyler is completed. Tyler is the system being used by the Assessor's office and other offices involved in producing the twice annual property tax bills to property owners.   It is expected that the entire project will be completed by October 24.  It was mentioned by a commissioner that the report due October 1 comparing the cost of the patch to Tyler vs conversion to Tyler has not yet been received.  No return comment was made.
• Due to holidays, tax bills, etc., the Board of Technology stated that it expects to go live on Tyler in May of 2024. At that time, all property systems will be off the antiquated main frame computer system.  It also wants to extend the contract maintenance services to the main frame thru 2024 with the option to cancel earlier.
• The States Attorney said that its Nexus case management system resides on the mainframe too.  The go live date to transfer off is February 2024.

​Observer:  Diane Edmundson