Finance Committee [a committee of the whole]
There was some discussion regarding the transfer of $15,114.83 to the Assistant State's Attorney's Office, specifically the expense incurred by Stuart Nudelman, Special Prosecutor, to investigate the remaining cases of Police brutality filed against John Burge. Commissioner Peraica stated that the expenses were merely for storage of the case files. ASA Driscoll stated that Presiding Judge Biebel had appointed former Judge Nudelman to determine if any of the remaining cases had merit. In the event that Judge Nudelman would need to prosecute the cases, and as there were no funds to handle the cases, the Chief Judge's Office was requesting a transfer from his account. Commissioner Suffredin requested seeking State funds. Commissioner Peraicea protested the use of County funds for the Special Prosecutor. The item was passed.
There was discussion of special meals provided by Aramark Correctional Services for pregnant women in the Juvenile Detention Center. The item passed.
Contract Compliance was discussed. There is a need for greater monitoring and accountability.
All Zoning and Building and Roads and Bridges agenda items were passed without discussion.
Board Meeting
Commissioner Peraica protested about the management of the County Building at 69 W. Washington, because, he said, the contract never went out to bid. A representative from the Bureau of Capital, Planning and Facilities Management said that other rates were "looked at", and that their rates were "much more" than the current management company,"69 WWMC". Apparently this was good enough for the rest of the commissioners as they all voted "aye", but Commissioner Peraica stuck to his guns and voted "no".
Agenda Item 47, reducing the number of election precincts, was moved to the Veterans Affairs Committee. There was some discussion regarding the elimination and combining of precincts, but Commissioner Silvestri said that voters would not have to go to another polling place as currently there were multiple precincts in the same location, and that this was a cost cutting measure. This item was slated to be discussed further at the second meeting in July.
Commissioner Collins spoke up and complained that the people of Oak Park should come to the meetings, implying that citizens could see her at work at the board meeting. Collins said that an Oak Park and River Forest-based newspaper had printed an article saying that she doesn't do anything.
A "new" list of agenda items was passed out to the commissioners, but to no one else. The Board discussed School Superintendent Flowers and the Regional Board of Education. Specifically, Dr. Flowers had borrowed $190,000 from Cook County and failed to pay it back. There were various comments of outrage by the commissioners who had been "sidetracked and buffaloed" and called Dr. Flowers' behavior "a disgrace and an insult".
--Submitted by Observer Beverly Graham
