Forest Preserve District (FPD) of Cook County Board Meeting
June 22, 2021   

Board Action:

• Item #21-0315    Code of Ethical Conduct   This was needed to comply with State Officials and Employees Act and needed to be updated to correspond with current County policy.  Referral to Litigation and Governmental Relations Committee approved.
• 21-0302    Recognition of Dedication of Somme Prairie Grove and an Illinois Nature Preserve.  This is the 27th nature preserve area for FPD that has been recognized by Illinois Nature Preserves Commission as restored to health and one of 600 restored nature preserves in Illinois. With 5 Land And Water Preserves, the FPD manages 10,405 acres with the support of many partner organizations. This is consistent with recommendations of the Natural and Cultural Resources Master Plan.  Approved.
• 21-0316.   Proposed grant by Illinois Dept of Natural Resources.  $1.2 million over 2 years to complete Caldwell Woods Wellness Studio located in Chicago.  This will be a Renovation construction of a facility formerly used as a warming shelter.  This is a matching grant with a $409,700 from FPDCC.  Approved.
• 21-309     Proposed IGA with Dept. of Planning and Development and CC Sheriff’s Office to extend for 3 yr contract for building deconstruction and salvage service of vacant buildings through the assistance of men in the Sheriff’s Dept.’s Renew program.  This is a vocational program for volunteers who are non-violent detainees. Work was delayed by Covid 19 restrictions.  Participants receive an OSHA  safety certification and learn construction skills, deconstruction skills and training in safe salvage removal practices.  Participants volunteer and are not paid. Commissioners raised many questions which were answered by Joe DeLisi from the Sheriff’s Office Renew program.  Comm. S. Morrison suggested that the dept. provide a briefing to the Board to more fully answer questions.  Com Daley stated that Budget hearings are a good time to ask questions of the Sheriff’s Office.  Approved.
• 21-0304   Corporate Fund Analysis of Revenue and Expenses Report.  Motion to receive and file was approved.  CFO Steven Hughes presented the report.  In April, property tax collection was down from that time in 2020 by about $1M.  By May, it had rebounded ahead of 2019 and 2020.  Fees are trending up from 2020 for licensing agreements and use of campgrounds and picnic areas. YTD, Revenue exceeds expenses by $14.8M which is similar to though a bit behind 2019 and 2020.  
• 21-0317  Proposed Calendar of Events.  Received and filed.  Supt. Randall reported that the FPD is operating at Phase 5  and continues to respond to Covid 19 guidance.  He stated that many outdoor events are taking place throughout the FPD including the 8th year of Juneteenth celebrations, teacher workshops, Kids Fest and Insects Fest.  Campground are fully open; there are no capacity limits for events.  Visitors are asked to mask indoors if not vaccinated and outdoors if not vaccinated when maintaining social distance is not possible. FPD employees are masked.  For details of events see FPDCC.com

New Business

• 21-0266   Clean Energy Framework - Proposed Resolution was approved.  This was developed by the University of IL Prairie Research Institute with the collaboration of key stakeholders, content experts, climate experts and FPD staff.  One goal change is that 100% of electricity consumed by Forest Preserves will be generated through renewable energy resources and associated technologies by 2050. 
• 21-0346.  Proposed Resolution to increase the tax levy rate for the FPD to be voted on in the General Election to be held on Nov. 8, 2022.  Referred to Finance Committee.  Com. Suffredin stated the final form for the Resolution will be submitted to the Board at the Dec. meeting. 

 Carolyn Cosentino - Observer                                                    Meeting Length: 1 hr 36 min     

Cook County Forest Preserve District Board Meeting  
January 26, 2021

A successful rollout of a vaccine site has opened in the Tinley Park Convention Center.  The challenge is having enough vaccine to meet the demand. 

Public Comment:
Written public comment from Benjamin Cox, Friends of the Forest Preserve, requested that the board set up live video for public speakers, similar to other government units. Commissioners agreed to pursue this option. 

Board Meeting:

• File# 21-0012 - Honored the Forest Preserve of Cook County’s southeast plan for land acquisition and overall planning.  The plan won a Green Ribbon Award from Friends of the Chicago River.  In 2020, the plan won the Healthy and Active Community award from the American Planning Association.  Many organizations were involved including Conservation Fund, Entero Group and Metro Planning Council.  The plan is recognized as a unique and innovative way to identify and protect valuable open space and natural areas that are considered having ecological value. Much of the land is currently in agricultural use.  The plan identified key factors for consideration such as public health, flood mitigation and climate resiliency.  Local communities were involved and interviewed as to needs and wants they would like such as fishing or picnic areas for families. The overall plan criteria includes racial and health equity and future development.  
• File# 21-0106 - REDI (Racial Equity Diversity and Inclusion) Committee shared a report on hiring, training, operations, policy and procedures.  The committee was created after an incident in 2018 when a Forest Preserve patron was harassed by another patron on the basis of her race.  One of the committee’s goals is to strengthen a work culture that embraces diversity and is inclusive and welcoming to all employees and all people of Cook County. All staff goes through the training with the goal of operationalizing equity. It is described as bottom up and strengthening the organization from the inside out. Changes have also been made in Human Resources regarding hiring and communications, with the website being accessible in other languages. The committee will continue to offer yearly updates. 
• File# 21-0114 - Proposed Intergovernmental Agreement between the Forest Preserve District and Cook County Health and Hospital System to use district property in order to set up vaccine sights throughout Cook County. 
• The Forest Preserves are transitioning back to more live events. Group camp sites will be reopened, but limited to 25 campers.  Indoor room rentals will be limited to 25% capacity. 

Observed online by Laura Davis                                         Meeting length:    2 hours — 10am to 11:57am

Cook County Forest Preserve District (FPDCC) Board Meeting
Regular Monthly Meeting Combined With FY2021 Budget Introduction
October 20, 2020  (Meetings were held virtually)

Board Actions:

• The Elizabeth Conkey Woods in southwest Cook County (CC) was recognized as an Illinois Nature Preserve.  This addition makes the 26th Illinois Nature Preserve for FPDCC.  Also recognized was the registration of Bergman Slough in southwest CC as the 5th Land and Water Reserve for FPDCC.
• Several partnership agreements were approved with conservation organizations.  The organizations  will fund various projects and FPDCC will provide coordination, overview and approval of activities.  Friends of the Chicago River will improve habitat by removing brush to expand nesting habitat for native turtles at Sag Quarries East in Lemont IL.  Save the Prairie Society (Westchester IL) wants to conduct restoration activities such as invasive plant control at Wolf Road Prairie Nature Preserve.  Friends of Bluff Spring Fen (Elgin IL) wants to conduct restoration activities such as brush and invasive plant control in the preserve.
• ​A contract was extended with Openlands, a conservation organization whose goal is to connect people with natural areas around the Chicago region, for ecological restoration at Deer Grove West Woodland and Wetland Nature Preserve in northwest CC.  This project is part of the larger Des Plaines River Watershed restoration program and funded by O'Hare Modernization Program whose purpose is to offset the expansion of O'Hare's impact on aquatic resources.  Interestingly, Deer Grove was the first property acquired by the FPDCC in 1916.
• Several vendor contracts were amended for 2020 due to the vendors' loss of income due to Covid-19 restrictions. The amended contracts reduced the fees paid to FPDCC.  Go Ape Bemis Woods, aerial adventure and zip line course,  Glen Grove Equestrian Sports (Morton Grove) and the Oak Park Tennis Center opened late and/or had to reduce operations.  Chicago River Canoe & Kayak (Evanston) had a big loss of revenue due to reduced operations and cancellation of boat rentals at two sites.
• A position paper "Acquisition and Disposition of Land" by the FPDCC was approved and provides guidance on land acquisition/disposition and land use policies.  The paper was developed by the Conservation and Policy Council of FPDCC.  Goals are to continue to acquire more land, partnerships to protect and conserve land, and consider acquiring land that is more accessible to diverse and underserved communities.
• A FPDCC Calendar for 10/20/2020 to 11/17/2020 was presented.  EVENTS CALENDAR HERE
  

​2021 Forest Preserve District Budget Recommendation Meeting

• The FY2021 FPDCC Budget Recommendation was introduced at a special meeting of the FPDCC Board of Commissioners.  The FY2021 starts on January 1st. 
• Due to the Covid-19 crisis, a 26% decrease in non-tax revenue from FY2020 is anticipated- revenue from permits, campgrounds, closing aquatic centers, less investment income, golf courses and other concessions.  Departments have reduced non-personnel budgets by 10 to 13% from FY2020. There is a continued hiring freeze (exception is essential staff and law enforcement) for the foreseeable future.
• The Corporate Budget request (which funds the day to day operations) is $62.2 million, a decrease of 1.9% from FY2020.  FPDCC has reserve funds and $19 million from this reserve has been allocated to its total proposed budget of $134 million which is an increase of 7.6% and includes $23.3 million for Brookfield Zoo and Chicago Botanic Garden.
• This FY2021 FPDCC Budget will be presented virtually at the CC Board of Commissioners Finance Committee meeting, Thursday, Nov 5 at 10am.  The Budget Recommendation can be found HERE

Other items of interest:

• A resolution commended three officers from forest preserves CC dept of law enforcement for  support and assistance in concert with other rescue personnel involved with water rescue of a girl and two men from Salt Creek in Brezina Woods this past July.
• A resolution honoring Openlands for placement of interpretative trail elements.  Deer Grove East interpretive trail elements: welcome sign, stone seats, topographic map, sundial, birds, signage for different habitats.  Kildeer wetlands: Bartel grassland/Bobolink meadow is flat country and a raised bridge helps to see this important grassland bird area, especially Bobolinks..  Other new interpretative trail elements are welcome sign and topographic map.
• A resolution honoring the retirement of John Sterenberg, an essential licensed land surveyor for the district with the important job that has led to reclaiming forest preserve property that has been encroached upon by private residents or business owners.
• FPDCC received the 2020 Public Service Award from the Illinois Archeological Survey for outstanding efforts to promote, protect and preserve cultural resources in the district lands.  The FPDCC has approximately 620 cultural/archeological sites in its lands and includes archeology  in its educational programs.

​Observed by Michele Niccolai                                       Combined  Meetings length:  2 hours 

Cook County Forest Preserve District Board Meeting - May 21, 2019 

What did the Board Decide?

• Approved the issuance of (not to exceed) $8,500,000.00 General Obligation Limited Tax Bonds of the Forest Preserve District. Passed unanimously.
• Approved replacement of sixteen vehicles due to age and condition. Two will be outfitted with hybrid electric engines and fourteen will have dual fuel tank capability (propane/unleaded gas). This purchase will support the Forest Preserves sustainability goals and reduce greenhouse gas production. Eight Police Utility Interceptor vehicles were also approved for replacement. 

Three Intergovernmental Agreements were approved:

1. An agreement to share stream and detention basin data collected in the North Branch Chicago             River Watershed for use in an update of the North Branch Chicago River Watershed-Based Plan.
2. An agreement  with the University of Illinois for professional services to assist Forest Preserves in implementation of Climate Resiliency Plan and the Net Zero GHG Emissions goal. 
3. An agreement with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to accept an Open Space Land Acquisition & Development grant  of $673,900.00 with a local match of $673,900.00 for improvements at the Sand Ridge/Shabbona/Green Lake Nature Campus. This grant will fund nature-based building and site improvements to support development of a cohesive campus that will welcome and orient new visitors.

General Superintendent Arnold Randall shared the Summer 2019 Proposed Calendar of Events with the Board.       

Meeting Length: 90 minutes (including meetings of Rules, Finance, Real Estate & Law Enforcement Comm.)

Observer - Georgia Gephardt