Finance Committee Approves $70 MillionTo Reimburse Chicago for Food Service for New Arrivals

Cook County Board Committee Meetings
April 16 and 17, 2024

The following are key items from the Committee Meetings:

Finance Committee:
Resolution to redirect $70 M (out of $100 M in the Disaster Response & Recovery Fund) from new arrival health care to reimbursing Chicago for food service for new arrivals (Item 24-2103)

• Approved after significant discussion with the caveat that any modification to the grant agreement with Chicago (such as change in vendors or use of the funds) would have to come back to the Board for approval.  
• Normally, the Chief Financial Officer and the Director of the Emergency Management and Regional Security (DEMRS) would be able to approve such changes as long as the purpose fell within the scope of the resolution:  “food service or other new arrival operating costs throughout calendar year 2024.”  
• Commissioners Bridget Gainer, Sean Morrison, and Donna Miller led the call for the greater oversight by the Board given the great interest the public has in these expenditures.

Public Comment

• The lone commenter pointed out the settlements on the agenda for Freedom of Information Act Violations.  The commenter urged that such settlement payments come out of the applicable department/official’s budget.
• The following settlements were on this agenda (and approved):  $5,500 for the Sheriff’s Office; $31,500 and $29,500 and $41,537 for the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Comptroller’s Report (Item 24-2587) for 1st quarter of 2024

• $140 M favorable balance for the General Fund
• $37 M favorable balance for the Health Fund (cash basis)
• $126 M favorable balance for the Health Fund on an accrual basis

Legislation & Intergovernment Relations Committee
Approved amendment of Ethics Ordinance (Item 24-2057)

• Modified language to prohibit only County officials who are candidates for the upcoming election from using County funds for newsletters, brochures, public service announcements or advertisements up to 60 days prior to the election.
• Previously, the prohibition applied to all County officials, not just those running in the upcoming election.

Health & Hospitals Committee
Heard a report from Dr. Lamar Hasbrouck, Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Public Health (Item 23-3815)

• Up to 64 cases of measles state-wide; 58 in Chicago and 2 in Suburban Cook; most of which related to migrant shelters.  Doing a lot of education on both measles and need for vaccinations in general.  
• Currently low transmission for Covid-19, both within Cook County and nationally.  Says now endemic (that is, present), as opposed to epidemic (spreading widely).
• Provided some information about Long Covid, which defined as either new or recurring symptoms 4 weeks after initial infection.  Most often seen 3 months after initial infection.  Most common after the first infection.  Symptoms do seem to be decreasing over time.  Much more study is needed.

Technology Committee
All County Officials provided reports on their major technology projects from Sept. 2023 thru March 2024.  However, written reports/presentations were not posted for the Board of Review or the State’s Attorney, though they did report at the meeting.  A few items of note:

• Bureau of Technology reported on the Integrated Property Tax System, saying the overall schedule appears to be back on track.  Hoping to go live with the automated tax bill by October 18, which suggests that the 2nd installment of the property taxes will not be sent out prior to then.
• The Board of Review has migrated from the main frame and data sharing with the Assessor is working.
• The Clerk’s office reported that the new recording system, which was done in house (!) went live in March of 2024.  
• The Clerk of the Court’s office reported that the case management system is off the main frame, though still looking up history from the main frame.  Expect to be completely off by July.
• The Chief Judge’s office expects to be completely off the main frame by December at the latest, but hopes earlier.  All courtrooms are now ready for hybrid proceedings.  A new web site was just launched.

Observer:  Priscilla Mims