Dept. of Homeland Security & Emergency Management Budget Review

2015 Cook County Budget Department Review: Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management

October 29, 2015

 

On Oct. 29th, the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management met with the Finance Committee to discuss its budget. Commissioners Boykin, Tobolski, Morrison, Arroyo, Suffredin, Steele, and Schneider were present. All but Commissioner Schneider asked questions. All welcomed the new Director, Ernest Brown, who has only been on the job for 2 weeks. All stated that they looked forward to working with him in the future. To answer many of his questions, Mr. Brown deferred to his Chief of Staff and his Finance Director.  The purpose of this department is to respond to both natural and man-made disasters.

 

Three STAR goals were stated for this department in the budget book. They include more training courses for first responders, sharing notifications for federal grants with other county departments, and improving the arrival time for emergency personnel. Commissioner Suffredin was the only one to quote STAR goals in his questions, although Commissioner Steele did refer to including more types of personnel in the training courses. Commissioner Steele asked if funeral directors, religious leaders, and hospital workers could be included with the other first responders (police and fire fighters, for example) because they, too, should be trained in keeping communities calm and cared for in an emergency. Mr. Brown seemed to agree that including the community leaders in training was a good idea. Comm. Steele also asked if Mr. Brown had met with Dr. King, the director of the Illinois Medical District, since she works with bio-tech issues and wants to be part of this department’s work. Mr. Brown agreed to meet with her.

     

Commissioner Suffredin spent a good deal of time asking about specific federal grants, since most of this department’s budget is from such grants. He asked about the STAR goal of sharing grants. The Finance Director said that he would share notification for the application for such grants with other CC Departments such as the jail, forest preserves, and the state’s attorneys’ office. He also asked about the STAR goal of improving deployment times for emergency personnel. The budget showed a target last year of 14 minutes, yet the current goal was 60 minutes. The director said that he wanted the target to be “realistic” and that last year’s target was not.

 

Commissioner Tobolski praised the former Director, Michael Masters, for his work in uniting the 134 communities of Cook County in writing preparedness plans for evacuations and emergency planning. He said that without such plans, emergency aid does not come through from the federal government. He asked if we were currently prepared enough for such emergencies.  Mr. Brown assured him that we were and said he appreciated the need for all communities to work together on this.

 

A good deal of time was spent discussing what this department CANNOT do. Grant money from the federal government comes with some very specific stipulations, said the director. So when Commissioner Boykin asked if some money could be spent combating “narco-terrorism” (pipeline of hard drugs coming right into Chicago), the director said that he shares the concern over this problem, but his department cannot use grant money for it. The director did note that he works with the Sheriff’s department on communications and technical projects. Commissioner Suffredin also asked if some money could be used to combat the recent heroin epidemic (especially the overdosing on “bad” heroin). Again the director said that grant money could not be used for this purpose.

 

There was some discussion of the high salaries of some of the employees in this department, especially those who were paid with grant money. The director said that some personnel are highly technical computer experts who are trained to combat cyberterrorism, a real threat. He said that he was competing with the private sector for some of these experts.

 

Director Brown thanked the committee for the opportunity to explain his department’s budget and promised to be much more prepared next year, when he had more than 2 weeks on the job.

Submitted by Jan Goldberg

Hiring practices questioned during Inspector General's Office Budget Review

2016 Cook County Budget Hearings: Office of the Independent Inspector General

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The mission of the Office of the Independent Inspector General (OIIG) is to detect, deter, and prevent corruption, fraud, waste, mismanagement, unlawful political discrimination (Shakman patronage issues) and misconduct in the operation of Cook County government.  There are currently 17 employees in the office with one job opening. Mr. Patrick Blanchard is the Inspector General, he has two deputy Inspector Generals. There have been 310 complaints to this office for the current year; this is an increase from last year.  OIIG works with the Cook County Ethics committee, and also covers the Health and Hospital system and Forest Preserve.

Most of the questions and comments by commissioners during the budget hearing related to referring candidates for jobs within County government. There was concern about the hiring practice and how applicants are selected for interviews.  Commissioner Deborah Sims stated that one of her constituents sent in applications for a job 32 times and never even had an interview or a response from the Cook County HR Department.  There was discussion of creating a person to oversee the hiring practices of the Health and Hospital Systems since they employ the largest number of people in Cook County. Cook County Jail is second.

Most commissioners seemed pleased with the work of this office. Patrick Blanchard is satisfied with OIIG budget.

Submitted by Nancy Marcus

Cook County Land Bank Authority praised during first budget review

2016 Cook County Budget Hearings: Land Bank Authority

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The Land Bank Authority (CCLBA) acquires, holds, and transfers interest in real property throughout Cook County to: promote redevelopment and reuse of vacant, abandoned, foreclosed or tax-delinquent properties; supports targeted efforts to stabilize neighborhoods; stimulates residential, commercial and industrial development--all in ways that are consistent with goals and priorities established by local government partners and other community stakeholders. As of 10-27-15 there were 60,000 parcels. It takes about 6 months for the processing of acquired land and reselling properties.

CCLBA was established via ordinance passed by the Cook County Board in 2013. Commissioner Bridget Gainer was instrumental in creating the CCLBA. Robert Rose, appointed March 2015, is the Executive Director. CCLBA has 8 employees. Both Commissioner Gainer and Robert Rose received praised for their work with CCLBA. The Commissioners also commended CCLBA for its work and stated that it should be a model for Violence Prevention. The Commissioners were impressed with CCLBA’s clear mission.

How does CCLBA work? CCLBA works independently, with, or by request of municipalities and other partners. CCLBA acquires properties, liens, and notes of deeds through purchase, donations, forfeiture and other transfers.  CCLBA extinguishes delinquent taxes and liens as permitted by law, and, in some cases, demolishes buildings, with the intent of preparing property to be put back on the market.

Robert Rose reported that CCLBA receives no taxpayer money but receives funding from grants, MacArthur Foundation, banks, Chicago Community Trust, IDA, Citibank Foundation, selling of properties and other sources.  In addition, CCLBA works with the South Suburban Land Bank.

Robert Rose discussed the Focus Communities Program that works with local community organizations to help neighborhoods identify vacant properties. They have done extensive work in communities such as Woodlawn, Englewood, Chicago Heights and Riverdale. 

There was some concern from Commissioners Richard Boykin and Peter Silvestri about the Foreclosure Mediation Program and whether this program will be cut from the Cook County Budget. Tanya Anthony, Budget Director, stated that would not happen. Robert Rose made it clear that they do not do mortgage mediation; the CCLBA deals with property after foreclosures.

--Submitted by Nancy Marcus

Efficient space utilization, consolidation, compliance with regulations undergird plans for long term cost savings for Bureau of Asset Management

Cook County 2016 Budget Hearings: Bureau of Asset Management, Oct. 26, 2015

The Bureau of Asset Management was created in 2015 and now includes:

•    Cook County Hospital Strategic Redevelopment

•    Dept. of Capital Planning and Development

•    Facilities Management

•    Real Estate Management

Total recommended appropriation for the Bureau of Asset Management is $47,591,611 with 537.2 FTE’s.

Elaine Lockwood Bean, the newly appointed Chief of Asset Management, provided an overview of the bureau and then each department director provided more specific information. The intended purpose of the reorganization of this bureau is to enhance services and decrease long term costs throughout Cook County government. 

Jessica Caffrey summarized the redevelopment plans for Cook County Hospital. There are two plans for Central Campus, the area around Stroger Hospital. The Core Medical plan involves the demolition of Fantus Clinic and the creation of a new ambulatory clinic. The Market Rate Plan involves creating a new vision for old Cook County Hospital and the area surrounding it. Plans are proceeding to find a developer and to devise a long term lease plan to support such a project.

Phil Boothby, Director of Capital Planning, summarized the 2015 accomplishments dealing with procurement methods and energy efficiency projects. Plans for 2016 include looking at all facilities to bring them into ADA compliance, warehouse consolidations, and locating space for Community Based Health Centers.

Anna Ashcroft, Director of Real Estate Management, outlined the ongoing efforts of her department to decrease the amount of leased office space the county occupies and to generally reduce the amount of space occupied by county offices so as to free up space within county owned facilities to allow for leasing to other entities. This department also recommends the demolition or evacuation of underutilized facilities. Leasing of vacant space has increased revenue to the county by $2m and her office intends to double that in the next years. The 2016 goal is to have 7 floors in the 69 W. Washington building ready for leasing. Warehouse consolidations are in process as well. 18 departments have also been reviewed for consolidation.

Bilquis Jacobs-El stated that Facilities Management did meet their STAR Goal of compliance with the Dept. of Justice order concerning fire and life safety issues at all facilities. She also stated they had reached their goal of 183,908 completed work orders.

Questions from commissioners centered on what the cost savings are associated with consolidation of space and demolition of buildings. Comm. Gainer was concerned with how long term disability was handled within Facilities Management and what the constraints are on returning someone to work after they are out on disability. Human Resources will respond to her request for information. She also was concerned that routine maintenance be done so that large contracts did not have to be approved on an emergency basis i.e. when $44m was needed quickly to replace the cooler at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.

The Bureau Chief and the Directors all indicated that often the projects they work on last longer than one year and thus carry over from previous budgets or on to subsequent budgets. 

--Submitted by Cynthia Schilsky

Commissioners question CEO for nearly 3 hours on proposed 2016 budget as CCHHS evolution remains front and center

2016 Cook County Budget Hearing: Health and Hospitals System, Oct. 22, 2015

Dr. Shannon, CEO for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS), appeared before the County Board to present the CCHHS budget for 2016. In his presentation he emphasized that the Affordable Care Act has been a “game changer” for the system, as, for the first time in history, a majority of the patients being served are now insured (70% have some type of coverage). The desire to maintain the mission of serving all in need while having increased competition for patients who now with insurance have choice of where they get their health care is the underlying concern. 

Dr. Shannon further described how health care is changing from an acute care model to an outpatient ambulatory care model. Also, Cook County medicaid patients are now required by the state to be a part of a managed care system. These changes have resulted in the CCHHS Board rethinking how their services are best rendered and how their facilities are most efficiently and effectively utilized to deliver services. 

The viability of CCHHS depends on its financial success and therefore they now use national benchmarks to gauge their progress as they move towards implementing an expanded ambulatory system that is located county wide rather than hospital centered as it has been in the past. Changes within the system still need to take into account limits imposed by existing staffing models and physical space constraints. 

Revenue concerns he noted: the general decrease in hospitalization of patients and how this impacts hospital income as well as the yearly redetermination requirement for medicaid recipients.

The CCHHS proposed budget for FY16 is $1.7B with an anticipated “subsidy” from Cook County of $125m (anticipated decrease of $34m from 2015). It includes staffing throughout the system of 6736 FTE’s (a decrease of 11 from 2015) and assumes that County Care will maintain a membership of about 170,000 members.

Concerns raised during commissioner questioning:

•    Correctional health in the jail and in JTDC continues to be a challenge. One development is Community Triage Centers that will be staffed 24/7 and located in the community to assess individual arrestees with minor offenses who can perhaps be treated at these sites and diverted from jail. A pilot is anticipated to open in early 2016 on the south side of Chicago.

•    The Access to Care program had a decrease in funding in this budget and Comm. Suffredin and Schneider both expressed concern over the cut. Dr. Shannon stated that Access to Care, a program that provides community based medical care for uninsured persons, has also been impacted by the ACA and thus that program is also undergoing changes.

•    Comm. Steele expressed concern that the cultural shift within the system was not being effectively communicated to the staff within the system. Dr. Shannon said that as the staffing model is changing, they are working with the unions to try to ensure that employees will be able to find positions within the system. He stated that 200 new nurses have been hired and many nurses have changed to different positions.

•    Comms. Steele, Sims, and Garcia expressed concern that a new Trauma Center that has been proposed for Holy Cross Hospital would introduce unwanted competition to Stroger’s Trauma Center. Comm. Sims wanted to know if Dr. Shannon would be opposed and he stated that there was a process in Illinois to determine the need for another Trauma Center. When he did not express opposition, she wanted to know if he had been involved in planning discussions and he stated he was not involved. When asked if he had concerns, he stated that whatever solution concerning another Trauma Center had to have staying power as opening a Trauma Center was a big deal and so was closing one.

•    Comm. Boykin wanted to know why they were giving people raises when taxes are being raised to cover such raises. Comm. Sims wanted to know who developed the salary schedules. Dr. Shannon stated that 90% of the employees are union and the salaries are determined during union negotiations. They have done salary comparisons with other hospitals and Comm. Sims asked to have that information shared with the commissioners. Comm. Moore wanted to know why Physical Therapists (who have doctoral degrees) made less than drivers. No explanation was provided.

•    When asked about the closing of the pediatric inpatient beds, Dr. Shannon reiterated that they are committed to investment in ambulatory care and primary care for pediatric patients as the demand is for ambulatory pediatric specialists not inpatient services.

•    They have also made investments in dental clinics and hope to expand this service. There are now 5 dental clinics operating.

•    Comm. Sims and Comm. Arroyo asked about minority hiring. Dr. Shannon stated they do make an effort to ensure a diverse work force but there is a lot of competition in this area for competent staff and the County salary schedule is not always competitive and people go elsewhere to work.

•    Comm. Morrison wanted to know what would happen if CCHHS did not meet their projected revenue from County Care. Dr. Shannon stated that they continuously monitor using metrics and would decrease cost if revenues were not as expected. Dr Shannon stated again that this is going to be a tumultuous time in health care as all medicaid clients are moved to managed care and the switch is made to a focus on ambulatory care but he is committed to their mission and doesn’t think they should close up shop.

•    Comm. Gainer asked what they spent on outside attorneys for litigation. Dr. Shannon stated that they turn any litigation over to the State’s Attorney and if outside attorneys are hired it is done by the SA’s office.

Dr. Shannon ended the nearly 3 hour questioning by stating again that CCHHS is trying to make the pivot from a single campus to a countywide full service system for patients.

 

Dr. Shannon’s slide presentation can be found by clicking on CCHHS Budget Presentation under Attachments.

--Submitted by Cynthia Schilsky

Assessor's Office: “Hotels want B & B’s assessed as Commercial Property”

2016 Cook County Budget Review:  Assessor's Office, October 23, 2015

Assessor Berrios is obtaining more information and working with outside council to determine the appropriate classification for Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  Hotels complained and the State of Illinois notified Cook County to treat B&B’s as commercial properties, not their current class 2 status, residential.

2015 Accomplishments include:

• $14 million collected by going after individuals filing erroneous tax bills and another $11 million has been billed.  The interest and penalties collected are retained by the county and pays for this program.
• Also going after erroneous exemptions [claiming to be a senior or veteran].
• Website improvements
• Outreach efforts plus 92,000 over the counter and 99,000 phone inquiries.

Commissioners complimented the Assessor’s office on its efficiency and working relationship with the commissioners.

Submitted by Diane Edmundson

Board of Review: County bracing for a record number of tax appeals in 2016

2016 Cook County Budget Hearings:  Board of Review, October 23, 2015

The Board of Review handles residential, commercial, and industrial tax appeals for Cook County. Its budget for 2016 is $8.5 million.  Accomplishments include:

• The implementation in August of 2015 of an electronic tax appeals processing system- the largest in the world – which is estimated to save two million pieces of paper each year.
• Saved $126 million for all the CC taxing bodies and $8.5 million in Forest Preserve taxes.
• Increased its field outreach program which received great comments by all commissioners present and is expected to grow in 2016 due to the anticipated record number of appeals due to the Chicago reassessment of properties next year.

Commissioners Steele and Boykin committed to finding a way to amend the Fleet and Zip Car Programs so that employees can keep their county or rental car later into the night.  It is an insurance issue.  The Board of Review was highly complimented by the Commissioners.

--submitted by Diane Edmundson