The meeting was called to order at 10:20 a.m. by President Toni Preckwinkle. A resolution honoring Jerry "Ice Man" Butler for 25 years of service as a Commissioner of Cook County was read into the record. Over the next 40-50 minutes various commissioners paid honor and respect to Commissioner Butler. Several mentioned his wonderful voice and singing career. All talked about his commitment to accessible and good health care for the people of Chicago regardless of income level.
Commissioner Daley thanked the Board members for their condolences in the death of his sister-in-law Maggie Daley and noted that President Preckwinkle has invited the entire Daley family to the Thursday, December 14 Board Meeting in which a resolution honoring Mrs. Daley will be presented. Commissioner Daley said that he hoped the family could be together on that date.
Under Old Business:
1) The Dept. Of Environmental Control requested authorization to accept a grant award of $530,508 from the Federal Highway Administration to install EPA verified diesel retrofit technology to Highway Department and Forest Preserve District trucks. It was approved.
2) During a discussion of a contract award to remove and recycle discarded electronic equipment, Commissioners asked if some of these items could be donated to non profits. The answer was no because of the liability the County has for disposal and because the equipment is usually outdated.
3) Discussion was held regarding the Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities [TASC] for drug court services. Some commissioners felt that TASC has too much of the County’s business and Commissioner Beavers asked the Probation Director to come back with information on the minority representation of the County contracts for this purpose.
4) Extensive discussion was held when the Board was asked to extend the storage contract with Whitfield Security Services until April 2012 when a new RFP will go out for an additional 6 months of services which are required because Whitfield was found not to have paid property taxes. The Purchasing Dept. needs until April to do the RFP and select a new contractor. Apparently, there is a new storage facility [Hawthorne Center] that should be ready in September 2012. It has been delayed several years because the funding requests were not granted by the Board under the previous administration. The upshot is that County dollars have been wasted.
Under New Business
1) The Board was asked to transfer funds within the Clerk of Court’s Office budget to pay for Inspector General and Auditor functions [employees] that were reduced in the salaries budget line. The plan is to use “savings found in the new budget” to rehire 17 staff. This would be paid both by the found funds and the use of furlough days for the entire department’s staff. Commissioner Daley and several others voted no and wondered how the Clerk came up with the “savings” if in fact her budget prepared just three months ago was “bare bones” as requested of all CC elected officials and department heads when preparing their 2012 budget. Daley wondered why these savings could not be found just three months ago. However, the request did PASS.
2) The Board referred to the Legislative Committee a proposed resolution to support US House of Representatives Bill #3179, The Marketplace and Equity Act. This Act would require internet vendors to collect sales tax. The proposed resolution urges the members of the US House and Senate from the state of Illinois to support #3179.
Submitted by Diane Edmundson
LWV Chicago
Showing posts with label Butler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Butler. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Friday, July 24, 2009
Cook County Board Meeting July 21, 2009
The Board passed an amendment which waives the death certificate fee for the family and friends of desecrated grave victims of Burr Oak Cemetery. Commissioner Daley stated that this gesture would help provide closure for the families and friends affected by this tragedy. One issue of concern with recovering the graves at Burr Oak is the cost to the county. Commissioner Peraica offered that the State of Illinois has a responsibility to pay for incurring costs—not just Cook County. Sheriff Dart spoke on behalf of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, recalling the 55,000 phone calls his office has received, and his hope that the county will recover some of the $326,000 dollars it has spent to investigate and repair the fallout from the grave crimes.
The Board then paid tribute to Officer Williams, a former employee with the sheriff’s department, who was recently killed in battle in Afghanistan, as well as Frederick Douglass Sengstacke of the Chicago Defender, recently deceased. Rising votes were taken for both of these noble men. Finally, condolences were expressed to the family and friends of Dempsey Travis, whose name remains highly respected for his multiple roles as Civil Rights activist and contributor to the real estate profession.
The financial state of the county, particularly the implementation of the sales tax, was also brought to the table at the meeting. Commissioner Peraica stated that Cook County is running behind on its projected increase in revenue, while Commissioner Suffredin was more optimistic about the financial condition of the county. He argued that Cook County is not in a financial crisis.
Discussion concerning the new budget –to be made public in September—followed. At this time, the Board plans to hold forums in which elected officials will debate budget requests. As discussion of the budget continued, the announcement that the current reduced allocations in the budget will be the starting point for next year’s budget was made.
The Board discussed cutting the sales tax by .25 per cent and the question of how much this reduction will affect health care was debated. Commissioner Sims reiterated her position that she will not support any reduction of the sales tax if reducing the tax means compromising health care. She also encouraged a climate of trust and compromise among Board members.
The sales tax has had the unintended effect of reducing revenue in Cook County instead of increasing it, as residents are now shopping in counties which have lower sales taxes. The Board reminded one another and the audience that there is no Cook County sales tax on food. Commissioner Collins offered that the Board only receives one penny out of the 9 pennies that is charged on sales in Cook County. She also expressed her hope that the Press and the people of Cook County will stop vilifying the Board for the tax increase.
A substitute ordinance that reduces the sales tax to 1.25 percent beginning January 1 was presented. Finally, Commissioner Butler emphasized that attempts to replenish peoples’ pocketbooks is only “feel good” rhetoric: the county still needs to retain any monies it may have acquired to pay venders who have remained unpaid for significant periods of time.
The Board then paid tribute to Officer Williams, a former employee with the sheriff’s department, who was recently killed in battle in Afghanistan, as well as Frederick Douglass Sengstacke of the Chicago Defender, recently deceased. Rising votes were taken for both of these noble men. Finally, condolences were expressed to the family and friends of Dempsey Travis, whose name remains highly respected for his multiple roles as Civil Rights activist and contributor to the real estate profession.
The financial state of the county, particularly the implementation of the sales tax, was also brought to the table at the meeting. Commissioner Peraica stated that Cook County is running behind on its projected increase in revenue, while Commissioner Suffredin was more optimistic about the financial condition of the county. He argued that Cook County is not in a financial crisis.
Discussion concerning the new budget –to be made public in September—followed. At this time, the Board plans to hold forums in which elected officials will debate budget requests. As discussion of the budget continued, the announcement that the current reduced allocations in the budget will be the starting point for next year’s budget was made.
The Board discussed cutting the sales tax by .25 per cent and the question of how much this reduction will affect health care was debated. Commissioner Sims reiterated her position that she will not support any reduction of the sales tax if reducing the tax means compromising health care. She also encouraged a climate of trust and compromise among Board members.
The sales tax has had the unintended effect of reducing revenue in Cook County instead of increasing it, as residents are now shopping in counties which have lower sales taxes. The Board reminded one another and the audience that there is no Cook County sales tax on food. Commissioner Collins offered that the Board only receives one penny out of the 9 pennies that is charged on sales in Cook County. She also expressed her hope that the Press and the people of Cook County will stop vilifying the Board for the tax increase.
A substitute ordinance that reduces the sales tax to 1.25 percent beginning January 1 was presented. Finally, Commissioner Butler emphasized that attempts to replenish peoples’ pocketbooks is only “feel good” rhetoric: the county still needs to retain any monies it may have acquired to pay venders who have remained unpaid for significant periods of time.
Friday, March 6, 2009
COMMISSIONERS DEFER DECISION ON MOVING DPH OFFICE
Health and Hospitals Committee of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County
Meeting on March 5, 2009
Commissioners Silvestri and Collins had proposed a resolution to the Board of Commissioners in opposition to the relocation of the Cook County Department of Public Health to the Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County Campus. It was considered at this meeting. This Committee is a standing Committee of the whole and includes all 17 members. (Its origins predate the establishment of the Independent Board of the Health and Hospitals System. Jerry Butler, the Cook County Board representative on CCHHS, serves as chair.)
The Directors of DPH and Capital Planning gave arguments in favor of the move and noted that renovation of the Oak Forest facility were underway with a target finish date in 2011. They cited the need to consolidate emergency management functions in which DPH is involved at a site on the outskirts of the County for safety reasons. They stated that the current office in Oak Park provides only administrative functions that do not involve the public and that clinical services for west suburban residents are located in Maywood and Cicero. Vital statistics have been transferred to the Clerk's office. The current lease to 2011 is $600,000 and operating expenses about $50,000 annually. The build out in Oak Forest would cost about $5.1 million. Operating expenses would continue.
Arguments against the move were made by several Commissioners and the President of the Village of Oak Park and the current building leaser. These included the convenient central location and public transportation for employee access and the harm that would be done to the Village by removing (variously) 70 to 100 workers from the Downtown. The leaser offered to negotiate rent to retain the Department. Concerns were also raised about the construction cost in this tight economy.
After lengthy discussion and no evidence of consensus, a motion to defer the discussion was approved.
Submitted by Nancy Staunton
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