Comm. Fritchey Bores in on Animal and Rabies Control

2016 Cook County Proposed Budget: Bureau of Administration, Oct. 22, 2015

The Bureau of Administration is composed of

• Bureau Departments:  Transportation and Highways, Environmental Control, Medical Examiner, Law Library, Animal and Rabies Control, and Adoption and Child Custody Advocacy
• Shared Services Functions:  Industrial Engineering, Printing and Graphics Services, Fleet Management, Records Management, Veterans Affairs, and Child Support Enforcemenst

Martha Martinez, Chief of the Bureau of Administration, presented information on all the Shared Services Functions, while the heads of the Bureau Departments had individual presentations.

Several Commissioners heaped praise on John Yonan and the Department of Transportation and Highways and on Dr. Stephen Cina and the Medical Examiner's office. Several Commissioners also noted the successful rabies control clinics run by Dr. Donna Alexander and the Animal and Rabies Control Department. But Commissioner Fritchey spent a considerable amount of time questioning Dr. Alexander.

Commissioner Fritchey criticized the recommendations published on the Animal and Rabies Control Department's web site for owners of lost pets (e.g., owners should walk around their area calling the name of their pet), and said he thinks the department can and should do much better. Comm. Fritchey asked whether Dr. Alexander knew that the Animal Welfare League, with which the County contracts to take in animals the County collects from unincorporated areas, has the highest kill rate in the state. Dr. Alexander answered she was aware, but the Animal Welfare League also takes all animals, regardless of whether in poor health, unlike other entities, which explains the higher kill rate.

Looking at the number of animals collected and the number of staff doing the collection, Comm. Fritchey said that the average per day per employee is 3. He asked what else these staff people were doing. Dr. Alexander explained that capturing an animal can take several hours. Comm. Fritchey noted the Office of Inspector General's recently issued report on the department which described a practice whereby staff people with cars were able to include their time driving to and from work as part of their work day, and received overtime if they returned to their home later than the regular workday.  Dr. Alexander said that practice, which pre-dates her tenure which began in 2008, was discontinued as soon as the Inspector General brought it to her attention, about 8 months ago.  Chairman Daley spoke up that the Department had sent a letter to the Commissioners a few days earlier addressing all the issues raised by the Inspector General in the report. Comm. Fritchey said he had not received the letter, and it was resent by email to all the Commissioners. Comm. Fritchey also questioned why it was taking so long for the department to upgrade its computer system, and concluded that he would like to overhaul the deparment, but would like to ork with the department to do so.

As was true for the deparments under the Bureau of Finance, the STAR performance management 2016 goals did not encompass the departments' 2016 "highlights," and often the targets for those goals were lower than the expected actuals for 2015.

--Priscialla Mims

Department Review Meetings for 2014 Budget: Friday morning, Oct. 18, 2013

Bureau of Administration and Bureau of Economic Development

The Bureau of Administration, headed by Carl Byrd, is composed of 6 departments and the budget proposes 558 Full Time Equivalent (“FTE”) positions:  Environmental Control, the Medical Examiner’s office, Child Custody & Advocacy, the Department of Transportation & Highways (which also oversees the separate Motor Fuel Tax budget), Animal Control, and the Law Library. 

Deborah Stone heads up the Environmental Control Department which has improved its response time to complaints to virtually the same day.  She said that this budget, which is essentially flat from 2013, does not include the proposed solid waste ordinance, since it has not yet been passed by the County Board.  The Medical Examiner, Dr. Stephen Cina, explained that the $10.4 million proposed budget increase and additional 26 FTE positions are needed to deal with the work and eventually obtain national accreditation, which was lost several years ago.  He stated that the department should reach provisional accreditation status by the end of 2014, and full status within 2 years.  This status will open up the possibility of receiving more grant money. John Yonan, who heads up the Department of Transportation & Highways, said that professionalizing his staff has enabled him to move more employees under the separate Motor Fuel Tax budget (whose money comes from the State) and to improve efficiencies.  The Automatic Vehicle Location system, which his department is collaborating with the Bureau of Technology to implement, should be ready in 2014 and will help with deployment of personnel and equipment to reduce costs while improving service and response time. 

The Bureau of Economic Development is composed of the departments of Planning & Development, the Office of Economic Development, Capital Planning & Policy, Building & Zoning, and the Zoning Board of Appeals.  Commissioner Steele questioned the proposed reduction in staff in some areas.  The head, Herman Brewer, explained that automation, the higher skill set of current employees, and the reduction in grants (such as the Community Development Block Grants, “CDBG,” from the Federal Government due to the reduced Federal budget) have resulted in some employees being laid off.  Commissioner Sims expressed concern that some of the money from CDBG was going for social services (about 15%, which is also the cap) rather than Infrastructure.  Mr. Brewer was to return in the afternoon with more information on the CDBGs, but this observer was not able to be there.

-- Priscilla Mims, observer

Cook County Finance Committee Budget Review, October 27, 2011

Cook County Finance Committee Begins Review of the Proposed 2012 Budget; Concerns Raised over Some Proposed Fees and Taxes; Impact of Recent League Initiatives Seen

Department of Finance; Department of Administrative Hearings; Department of Technology; Offices under the President; and Bureau of Administration

All of the areas and departments appearing this day are under the President.  The Finance Department began by presenting an overview of the proposed Operating Budget of $2.943 billion (down from $3.055 billion in 2011).  There is also a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan for 2012 which proposes $180 million to be spent in 2012, all from funds from bonds issued in 2009 and 10; and $143 million for Capital Projects. 

Proposed Fees and Taxes

During the course of the day, Commissioners expressed concerns about several of the taxes and fees that were proposed by the President in order to balance the budget.  The proposal to have unincorporated areas either be annexed, contract for police services, or pay an additional amount for police services provided by the County Sheriff through a “special service area” tax appears to be among the most controversial.  Andrea Gibson, the Budget Director, explained that her department had worked with the Sheriff to identify that the incremental costs for the Sheriff to provide policing service for the unincorporated areas is $5 million.  Comm. Silvestri noted that areas can opt out of a “special service area” with a 51% vote of the residents.  Some of the questions asked:  Why wouldn’t the residents all vote to opt out?  Would the Sheriff really not provide service there?  The Sheriff is currently providing policing service for Ford Heights which eliminated its police force several years ago because it couldn’t afford to pay for its own.  So how will the County distinguish between Ford Heights and the unincorporated areas?

Expect much more on this topic when the Sheriff appears to discuss his proposed budget.

Several Commissioners, including Collins, Suffredin, and Schneider, expressed concern over the proposed increase in the county’s alcohol tax.  The Finance Department was asked to provide information on the current and proposed total tax on alcohol (including federal, state, and local, as well as county portions) and compare that total to the totals in other major urban areas, as well as adjoining counties.  They don’t want to vote to approve and then find out that the County would then have the highest liquor tax in the U.S., as happened several years ago when they voted to increase the sales tax by a penny.

Comm. Schneider expressed concern over the proposed new auto amusement device tax on machines that require payment to be used by the general public, such as jukeboxes and slot and video poker machines.  Comm. Schneider said that many bars will have 5 or more of these machines, and if the tax on alcohol is also raised, these small businesses will really be hurting.

Comm. Suffredin criticized the President for not mentioning that the budget contains a proposal to align Cook County and the City of Chicago’s parking tiers for charging the county’s parking tax on public garages for daily, weekly and monthly parkers, which results in an increase in the parking tax.  He said this will also affect suburban garages, which won’t necessarily be in alignment, and may hurt suburban downtown shopping districts.

Several Commissioners also wanted to know if there was any consideration given for exempting jurors, state’s attorneys, and public defenders from the proposal to institute parking fees at county parking facilities.  Comm. Gainer asked that information be provides as to whether the proposed fee was set above a threshold that would result in the County having to pay Chicago’s parking tax.

Furlough Days

This controversy was touched upon since also on this day the Interim Comptroller issued a revised and corrected report on who had not been taking these unpaid days off.  Apparently, about half the county’s employees have been deemed “essential” by their departments and thus have not taken any. While it was expected that a number of employees of the Sheriff and the Health & Hospitals System would be exempt from taking all the furlough days since some of their services are offered 24/7, there is concern that other departments are not taking the days.  The Committee will be getting further information by department, and Chairman Daley said that the Finance Committee should ask the departments about the status of furlough days when the departments appear during this budget review.  The Committee may want to amend the departments budgets for 2012 if they can’t justify not having the furlough days taken in 2011.  All employees under the President are taking the furlough days.

Note there is no proposal for furlough days in the 2012 budget.  There is a proposal to have one unpaid county-wide “shut down” day (the day after Thanksgiving in 2012).  In addition, the Administration has offered to cut the number of proposed layoffs (about 1,000) in half (to about 500) if the unions will accept 8 of the existing holidays as being unpaid.  Thus far, the unions have not agreed to this.

League Impact on Special Purpose Funds and Transparency

In September, the League provided the Commissioners its Final Report on its Study of the County’s Special Purpose Funds, along with an updated chart detailing each of the funds.  Representatives of the County League and local Leagues also met with a number of the Commissioners to discuss the concerns as to whether the Commissioners were paying sufficient attention to these funds, including whether they were still needed.  It was clear on this first day of hearings that the League has had an impact.

The Budget Director noted that one special purpose fund for the Homeland Security Department had been eliminated.  Comm. Silvestri questioned several people as to whether the county needed all 36 of the remaining funds.  The one for Animal Control was highlighted because it has a significant fund balance.  The department head explained that she hopes to utilize this fund balance at some point to build a facility to provide a number of services.

With regard to transparency, in the meetings with the Commissioners, the League noted that there appears to be more and more information being provided to Commissioners outside the public meetings.  Chairman Daley stated that, in response to the League’s concerns, for the first time the Commissioners’ questions to departments and the written responses that are provided outside of the budget hearings will be posted on the county’s web site for the public to see.

Technology

During the budget process for fiscal year 2011 (that took place in Feb.), Comm. Fritchey noted that he had offered an amendment that would require all the technology personnel under the different elected officials to work together under the direction of the County’s Technology Chief (currently Greg Wass).  This amendment did not pass because of the opposition from the other elected officials.  Comm. Fritchey stated that he intended to offer this amendment again, and asked whether Mr. Wass still supports such a consolidation.  Mr. Wass said that he supported such a move with regard to infrastructure (i.e., hardware) and enterprise functions (e.g., e-mail).  However, Mr. Wass indicated that applications for particular areas would not be ready for consolidation, noting that the Technology Collaboration Group, which was set up in lieu of the consolidation proposal, and which brings together representatives from different technology personnel throughout the county to share information about what they are doing and planning to do, may be sufficient at this time.

Overall Impression

Despite all the questions and concerns expressed by Commissioners, it was clear that the Commissioners are pleased with a number of the initiatives being taken by the Administration and all of these departments that are under the President in order to improve service, create efficiencies, and increase collaboration among different departments and between the County and City and the County and suburbs in order to reduce costs and improve services. 

-- reported by Priscilla Mims

Finance Committee Budget Hearings – Feb. 10, 2011

Exploring ways to reduce the number of layoffs.

The first public hearing on the proposed budget where members of the public could testify was held the evening before at the Maybrook Court House in Maywood. Employees who are union members turned out in force to protest the layoffs called for in this proposed budget. Commissioners were clearly affected by what they heard the prior evening. Finance Committee Chairman Daley brought Jonathan Rothstein, interim director of Human Relations, to this budget review meeting to update Commissioners on talks with unions about the possibility of unions accepting furloughs or other ideas to reduce the number of layoffs necessary. Mr. Rothstein indicated that no firm proposal had been put on the table, but when the subject had been brought up with at least some of the unions, it was indicated that this was not worth pursuing. However, Chairman Daley urged both Mr. Rothstein and the President's office and the unions to talk again to explore any and all ideas, including pay freezes and unpaid holidays. Commissioner Reyes stated that he was going to introduce an amendment to the budget that would reduce the salaries of department heads by 10% in order to free up money to reduce the number of layoffs.

Bureau of Administration

This Bureau is composed of a great variety of departments, the largest being the Highway Department, but also including the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (which works on projects that often cut across departmental lines), the Department of Environmental Control, the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Medical Examiner (i.e., the county coroner), the Office of Adoption and Child Custody Advocacy, the Veteran's Assistance Commission, the Animal Control Department, and the Cook County Law Library.

The majority of the questioning was directed to the budget of the Highway Department which calls for a net decrease of 74 FTEs, many of them union positions. An additional 36 positions were saved by transferring their costs to the Special Purpose Fund MFT Illinois First, which gets money from the State for the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of highways. In response to Commissioner questions, the Superintendent of the Department confirmed that he had conferred with the Illinois Dept. of Transportation to make sure the employees transferred qualified under this Special Purpose Fund.

As the Commissioners had done with the Facilities Department earlier in the week, several Commissioners pressed the Superintendent as to whether there were sufficient positions in the budget to be able to do the necessary work of the department, particularly during times like the recent blizzard. He said that there were, but also said that the department would be at a bare bone level, and he would prefer to have a cushion of 2 or 3 more positions in most of the areas. The Superintendent also said they were looking at how they can improve operations by working across the 5 districts of the department. Commissioner Gainer pressed the superintendent to look at closing down District 3 during the non-winter months (and moving the employees to the other districts) since it sounded like it might only need to be open for the purpose of salting. Several Commissioners brought up the idea of whether employees who were losing positions and were close to retirement could "buy out" in order to bridge their service and benefits.

There was also concern about the staffing of the Medical Examiner's area, and Dr. Jones said that she does not see how she can live with only the $60,000 budgeted for overtime. She also mentioned that several maintenance projects in her department were on hold because of the pending layoffs in the Facilities Department.

The one department that is adding people is Environmental Control, which is adding 2 inspectors and 1 administrative assistant. On average, each inspector brings in about 3 – 4 times his/her salary due to fines levied for violations. In the budget, about $300,000 more in revenues are projected as a result of the proposed addition of inspectors.

-- submitted by Priscilla Mims

CC Finance Committee Meeting on Proposed 2010 Budget: October 27, 2009, Bureau of Administration

This Bureau is an amalgamation of County departments under the President that literally run the gamut from A (Animal Control) to Z (Zoning Board of Appeals). Other departments are Planning and Development, Building and Zoning, Environmental Control, Judicial Advisory Council, Medical Examiner, Office of Adoption and Child Custody Advocacy, Veterans' Assistance Commission, Highway, Highway – MFT Illinois First, and the Law Library. Mark Kilgallon heads up the Bureau as the Chief Administrative Officer.

The 2009 Appropriation was $36 million (corporate funds) plus $22 million (special purpose funds). The amount included in the proposed budget from President Stroger is $35.6 million (corporate) plus $23.7 million (special). This is a 1.3% reduction in corporate funds per the Budget Director. However, each division was asked to reduce their corporate funds budget request by 5%. The number of FTE's (Full Time Equivalent employees) is currently authorized at 649 and the proposed budget has 697. The increases are due primarily to Highway -- MFT Illinois First (26), the Law Library (7) and the Medical Examiner (18). Among other things, the Medical Examiner needs to add another team to review infant deaths because there are so many. Dr. Nancy Jones, Cook County Medical Examiner, explained the primary purpose of the Medical Examiner's office is to prevent preventable deaths by identifying the cause of death so that action can be taken to prevent future deaths.

Commissioner Gainer asked whether any of the special purpose motor fuel tax (MFT) funds could be used for other items in the budget. To be explored. Commissioner Gainer also would like each department's budget in the future to reflect the costs for the facilities they utilize; otherwise, departments have no incentive to consolidate or move to less expensive space.

Commissioner Silvestri asked about where the project to add cameras at County –controlled intersections stood. The response was that they were still waiting for the Chief Judge to determine which County court would deal with tickets generated by the use of the cameras. This will probably come up when the Chief Judge appears to discuss that budget. While the installation of cameras is primarily being done for safety reasons, it will also be a revenue generator for the County.

--Submitted by Observer Pris Mims