The Forest Preserve District is celebrating the l00 year anniversary of the Burnham Plan. Mr. Todd Stroger reported on the 20l0 proposal which will be sent to the Forest Preserve Commission for consideration and adoption. On October 30th, there will be a public hearing and Nov. 30th there will be a meeting to discuss the Brookfield Zoo and the Botanic Gardens. On Dec. 2nd the budget will be adopted. The Forest Preserve District will not raise the tax levy this year. They own 68,000 acres and they have benefited from 93,000 hours of volunteer workers. This is equal to $23,000. They have a AA tax rating. They have increased their activities and media endeavors . The iPhone will soon list their activities.
Rev. Kenneth Franklin was elevated to become a Bishop. He is a community activist and church leader. October 20th was proclaimed Bishop Franklin Day. He has 237 churches under his leadership.
The Chicago South Swim Club was honored for its competitive swim program for children from 4 to l8 years of age. About l5 children were in attendance and honored.
Some juvenile detention individuals were moved from Cook County facilities to other counties. The cost in Cook County is $400 to $500 a day and the cost in other counties is $ll0 a day. An explanation of the cost difference was requested from Earl Dunlap, Transitional Administrator of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. The cost difference is attributed to the prison employee overtime pay. A system that was put in three years ago is not working yet.
The sales tax is down but it is not yet a concern. This year only 67% of the money allocated for health has been spent. The County Health system is improving its patient collection program. Payments are posted on line.
The property tax multiplier, or equalization factor, for Cook County has increased. The Illinois Department of Revenue in Springfield increased the multiplier to 2.85 %. Some feel this is not fair because many property tax payers think the increase comes from Cook County, when in fact, it is imposed by the state.
The Chief Operating Officer of the Dept. of Public Health was awarded $2,4ll,932 to provide vaccination at clinics for H1N1 influenza . He was also granted $l,477,l3l to maintain a suburban Cook County emergency response preparedness plan for incidents of bioterrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and other potential emergency situations.
--Submitted by Observer Arline Doblin
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
More from the Cook County Board Meeting, October 20, 2009
