Cook County Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners Meeting
November 14, 2023 Board Action:
Observer: Sabine Scholz
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Forest Preserve District Of Cook County Board of Commissioners
2024 Budget Hearing Oct. 26, 2023 The Forest Preserve District Budget Request for all funds for FY 2024 is $188.7M - an increase of $6.6 M or 3.6% from FY 2023. The Corporate Budget Request which funds the day-to-day operations of the FPDCC, is $87.3M, which is an increase of $12.1 M from 2023. Gen Supt. Randall stated the budget became possible on Nov. 8, 2023, because the tax levy passed, providing a substantial increase in funding. Questions from Commissioners spanned Renewal Energy Credits, contracts for hay mowing, MWBE contracts, bike rental, and coping with suicide in the forest preserve. Progress in expanding educational opportunities and widening access for all were common themes in reports from FPDCC, Brookfield Zoo, and Chicago Botanic Garden. Some highlights include:
Dr. Michael Adkesson, Pres. and CEO of Chicago Zoological Society and Director of Brookfield Zoo stated the Zoo will be 100 in 2034 and continues to grow in providing exception animal care and welfare programs.
Jean Franczyk, President, and CEO of Chicago Botanic Gardens described the gardens as “living museums” and stated they were pleased to have stable funding from the successful referendum.
Observers: Debbie Halpern & Carolyn Cosentino Cook County Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners Meeting
October 17, 2023 Board Action:
Observer: Deborah Halpern Cook County Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners Meeting
September 19, 2023 Board Action: Cook County Forest Preserve Police Law Enforcement Report
Watch for in the future:
Observer: Laura Davis Cook County Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners Meeting
June 27, 2023 Board Action:
Other Items of Interest:
Observer: Laura Davis Producer of Emmy Award-Winning Documentary Honored by Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board5/31/2023 Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) Board Meeting
at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center May 23, 2023 A tribute to Shelley Spencer was on the agenda. In 2015 she produced “Chicago’s True Nature” an Emmy award-winning documentary on the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPDCC). https://fpdcc.com/chicagos-true-nature-forest-preserves-cook-county/ She has been on the FPDCC’s Conservation and Policy Council taking part in the Council’s Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee. The Friends of Northbrook Forest Preserve was organized in 1998 and received recognition for their volunteer work in Somme Woods, Somme Prairie Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove Nature Preserve in northeast Cook County. The groups “hands on” restoration includes brush control, prescribed burns, chainsaw safety, and invasive species control. Over decades this group has contributed thousands of work hours to restoring the health and biodiversity of the preserves. Commissioner Dennis Deer was reappointed to the Board of Directors of NeighborSpace, an affiliate partner of the Forest Preserve along with the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District. NeighborSpace is a nonprofit urban land trust in Chicago that supports gardens with dedicated community groups. NeighborSpace has acquired vacant lots and provides basic insurance, access to water, protection of land from development, links to resources, and technical assistance so community groups can focus on gardening. A brownfield is a property that is underutilized or vacant that may have environmental issues that prevent redevelopment. The Cook County Dept of Environment and Sustainability will provide American Rescue Plan Act funds up to $1.5 million to the preserves in Brownfield Program demolition, environmental assessment and environmental remediation services for an estimated 65 structures. The plan is to increase green space for outdoor recreation. Illegal dumping of garbage such as construction debris, tires, hazardous waste, household appliances, electronics, landscape waste on forest preserve land, waters, beaches or down storm sewers is an ongoing pollution problem when perpetrators won’t use legitimate waste disposal and FPDCC has to bear the cleanup costs. It is hard to monitor 70,000 acres for this “fly dumping” as a lot of dumping happens at night. Three agenda items were referred to the Finance Committee that proposed to raise the uppermost fine to $750 from $500 for each offense. Violators caught will be held liable for the cost of legal waste disposal as well as the cost to replace or repair the property damage from the illegal dumping. Sagawau Environmental Learning Center is in Lemont IL and has 2.6 miles of walking trails which in the winter are groomed only for cross-country skiing. Sagawau offers ski lessons and rents equipment. Sagawau Canyon has the only natural exposure of bedrock in Cook County- guided walks can be scheduled. The visitor center has many exhibits and its website lists many events and programs. Observer - Michele Niccolai |
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