Several Contracts Questioned by Commissioners at Cook County Board Meeting Especially for Clerk Of Court Brown

Cook County Board of Commissioners -  Meeting - September 26, 2019
Absent:  Commissioner Tobolski             

Board Actions:

• The Board unanimously voted to DISAPPROVE a contract request (Agenda Item 19-5564) from the Clerk of the Court for $20,000.00 to print 10,000 calendars used in courtrooms and by some attorneys.  Objections raised included that paper calendars are an outdated, ineffective method not used by many in the Court system and that they are a political advertisement for the elected official (Clerk Dorothy Brown).  An ordinance had previously been passed that disallows the name of elected officials on these types of materials.
  
• Commissioner S. Morrison questioned contract extensions (even beyond the original extension expiration dates) without RFP bids.  Procurement should have put out this furniture contract (Agenda Item 19-5580) for re-bid.  He asked why this was occurring again and stated  that “this sounds like procurement rules aren't being followed.”  Asset Management countered that there wasn't time to get a new RFP out but it will be ready for the next round.
  
• Commissioners S. Morrison and D. Miller both voted NO on a contract for the acquisition of property for $15,000,000.00 for a new health clinic (Agenda Item 19-5233).  This was discussed in closed session at the Asset Management Committee yesterday (9/25/19).  Today the vote for approval by the Board was bundled with several other items with no description.

Items referred to Committees for future discussion and consideration:

• (Agenda Item 19-5620) Voting Opportunity and Translation Equity Ordinance was referred to Legislation Committee.  This ordinance would have more voting materials translated into more languages for voters who do not speak English.  This would encompass 13,000 voters and would be ready for the March elections.
  
• (Agenda Item 19-5629) which would give leniency to municipality-owned parking lots from the new increased Cook County taxes on these lots, was referred to the Finance Committee.

Committee Recommendations Approved:
Very quickly and without much explanation the following committee items were approved by the Board of Commissioners (I may have missed some that were bundled with other items and approved):

• (Agenda Item 19-3776) Proposed Cook County Health Preliminary Budget
  
• (Agenda Item 19-5556) a new State’s Attorney program to reduce violence—“a new approach”
  
• (Agenda Item 19-0768) an approved substitute ordinance for the Charitable Rotating Bond Funds which prevents fees, court charges and attorney fees from being taken out of this posted bond.  Also it would not prevent a Public Defender from being appointed to the bonded defendant.
  
• (Agenda Item 19-5845) sets up a new Special Purpose Fund in the Assessor’s Office in order to receive their share of GIS distributed funds.​

 Observed by:  Karin Hribar         Length of meeting: 1 hour 50 minutes (includes 45 minutes of public speakers)