Patriot Acres Organic Materials Recycling Facility Approved by Cook County Board

Cook County Board of Commissioners Meeting - May 10, 2017                               

Significant Decisions Made:  

• The Patriot Acres Special Use proposal to establish an organic materials recycling facility to convert landscape trimmings and food scraps into high quality compost in Des Plaines was approved with several additional conditions imposed.  The vote was 13 yeas and 2 nos from Comm. Goslin and Morrison.  Comm. Silvestri recused himself from discussion and voting and Comm. Schneider was absent. (Agenda Item ​17-2310)
• Accepted a grant from IDHA of $250,000 to be used for maintenance and demolition of abandoned property. (Agenda Item 17-3106)
• Comm. Boykin's Resolution urging suburban communities to consider adopting and working  constructively with  Chicago neighborhoods was approved. (Agenda Item 17-3227)
• Reappointment of Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS) Board members Hill Hammock, Mary Driscoll,  Robert Reiter.

Significant Topics Discussed and/or Referred to Committee: 

• Comptroller’s Report  -  The State of Illinois owes Cook County $105 million dollars - including money from 2016. County did recently receive a $40 million payment for 2017.  The Board discussed the possibility  of getting paid interest from the state under The Prompt Payment Act.
• Commission Suffredin introduced an ordinance allowing for the electronic filing of witness slips by the public on all issues that come before the Cook County Board and the Committees of the Board The ordinance was referred to the Rules Committee to be voted on at June 7 meeting. (Agenda Item 17-3293)

Other Testimony: 

• During CCHHS reports, Dr. Shannon was asked about what can be done about the gun violence problems.  His comments focused on the desperation in the communities and the need for jobs, education, other societal determinants of health and the need to improve the economics of the community.

Other Comments or Observations:

• The lengthy meeting was a result of the large number of individuals who testified on the Patriot Acres proposal. 

Observer: Syvia Tillman                                         Meeting Length:  5 hours including committee meetings