Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Finance Committee met March 29.

Here is the minutes as provided by the committee:

1. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Mr. Johnson, at 9:00 a. m.

Quorum present.

2. Public Comment

None

3. Approval of Minutes: March 1, 2017

Mr. Washington made a motion to approve the minutes, and Mr. Hildebrand seconded it.

Motion carried with a voice vote.

4. County Auditor’s Office – Jake Lee

 Monthly Claims

Mr. LaGesse made a motion to combine and approve the monthly claims, and Ms. Webber

seconded it. Motion carried with a roll call vote of 10 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were

Mr. Johnson, Mr. LaGesse, Mr. Washington, Mr. Vickery, Mr. Mulcahy, Mr. Hildebrand, Ms.

Webber, Mr. Payton, Mr. Ritter, and Mr. Wheeler.

Mr. Lee reviewed and discussed the report with the committee.

5. Insurance/HR – Lynn Mackin

 Staffing Levels Report

Ms. Mackin reviewed and discussed the report with the committee. The current staff level is at

496.

6. Treasurer - Nick Africano

Ms. Webber made a motion to combine and approve the reports and monthly resolutions,

and Mr. Hildebrand seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

 County Treasurer’s Report – February 2017

 County Collector’s Report – February 2017.

 Monthly Resolutions for March and April, 2017

Mr. Africano reviewed and discussed the above reports and monthly resolutions with the

committee.

Mr. Africano also reviewed the high volume of sales in error with the committee, and explained

where the money has to be paid from.

Mr. Wheeler stated that he had been speaking with Mr. Roof about the folder inserter that is in

the VAC area. He wanted to see if we could find another home for that, but it has to be in a

climate controlled area. He asked Mr. Africano if he had thought about the use of it and where it

could be put.

Mr. Africano stated that he understands the lease is through 2018. He had told Mr. Gadbois that

his office will not be using it at all in the future. The Treasurer’s office is going to send tax bills

out to be printed. He believes that it will be a cost savings. Possibly they can end the contract,

or buy it out, but that would be his recommendation.

Mr. Vickery asked if Mr. Africano did a bid to have the tax bills printed outside his office.

Mr. Africano said he is currently doing them, and he has two bids in right now.

Mr. Vickery asked if those will be brought before the Finance Committee.

Mr. Africano stated yes, they would.

7. Finance Department – Steve McCarty

 Property Tax Abatement for Tax Year 2016

Mr. McCarty stated that this is an annual process for the property tax abatement for tax year

2016, payable in 2017. The bond that will be abated is Series 2007 General Obligation Bond for

the County Health Department. The Health Department has put in writing that the funds are

available for the payment of the bond.

Mr. Vickery made a motion to approve the property tax abatement, and Mr. Washington

seconded it. Motion carried with a roll call vote of 10 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were

Mr. Johnson, Mr. LaGesse, Mr. Washington, Mr. Vickery, Mr. Mulcahy, Mr. Hildebrand, Ms.

Webber, Mr. Payton, Mr. Ritter, and Mr. Wheeler.

 Miscellaneous Financial Reports and Discussion

Mr. McCarty reviewed and discussed the reports with the committee.

Mr. McCarty stated that, as far as an update on the audit, the outside auditors spent four days in

the Finance Department doing the internal work. They’re waiting on the actual property tax

numbers to come back from the state to finish calculations, along with a number of other

miscellaneous issues, so that process is moving along.

8. Sheriff’s Department - Sheriff Mike Downey

 Monthly Update

Sheriff Downey stated that the out of county revenue is increasing, which is a good thing.

Through February, the total revenue, which includes overtime, salary reimbursement, inmate

telephone, and some other inmate revenue, is approximately $2.2 million. If you multiply that

out, based upon that number, it will end up being about $8.9 million for the year. Housing only,

or in other words, bed rentals, amounts to $1.9 million. If you multiply that out for the remainder

of the year, it totals $7,988,000 for housing alone. Based upon what they’re dealing with in

relation to ICE, those trends are probably going to go up, so he anticipates that number to be

well over the $8 million mark for fiscal year 2017.

Sheriff Downey stated that they are progressing regarding ICE. The apprehension of those who

ICE wants to detain continues to go up, and ICE continues to look for bed space. As soon as he

is able to get some more staffing, he has advised ICE that they will take whatever they can. For

those that wonder if ICE is paying, they are now completely up to date, as they have just

received February’s payment. Some committee members may have seen the Tribune article

that Kankakee is being used as a staging area for deportation, and that part of it is accurate.

Starting every Wednesday, they bring ICE detainees who are being deported from the two

facilities in Wisconsin, and from McHenry and Pulaski Counties, back to their facility. That’s the

reason that their numbers seem to be going up a little bit. On Friday mornings, ICE is here,

along with some of their staff, and those individuals are put on buses and transported to the

Gary airport for deportation. In addition to transporting to Gary, they are working with the local

airport to possibly fly these detainees right out of Kankakee. They are working with some state

representatives, some people at headquarters in D.C., through ICE, and hopefully moving that

forward and making it a reality. It wouldn’t be as much for ICE and the Sheriff’s Department, but

for the community as a whole, because if the airport is able to take in these bigger planes,

obviously that will benefit all of Kankakee County.

 Jerome Combs Detention Center Food Contract Increase

Sheriff Downey stated that the food vendor at the jail is a local company called The Country

Table. They have been with the County for a number of years, and do great work in providing a

meal that is acceptable, not only to the Illinois Department of Corrections, but also to the inmates

and detainees. They are feeding each inmate and detainee for $1.50 per person for lunch and

$1.65 per person for dinner. The food service has added 14 additional meals to the rotation,

which was a requirement from ICE. They have significantly increased the number of ethnic

meals, per ICE standards. They are preparing approximately 70 special dietary meals, which

actually cost them about two to three times what they’re providing the meals for now. ICE

officials are very pleased with the meals served and, if anyone recalls him saying from the

beginning, the three most important things ICE cares about are food, medical, and safety of the

detainees. The Country Table is asking to increase the price of lunch by five cents, and the

price of dinner by five cents. He had spoken with the State’s Attorney who indicated that we

should be able to amend this contract without going out for bid.

Mr. LaGesse made a motion to amend the existing contract, subject to the approval of the

State’s Attorney’s Office, and Mr. Washington approved it. Motion carried with a roll call

vote of 10 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were Mr. Johnson, Mr. LaGesse, Mr. Washington,

Mr. Vickery, Mr. Mulcahy, Mr. Hildebrand, Ms. Webber, Mr. Payton, Mr. Ritter, and Mr.

Wheeler.

9. Other Business

10. Old/New Business

11. Adjournment

A motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:01 a.m. was made by Mr. LaGesse, and seconded

by Mr. Mulcahy. Motion carried.

http://www.co.kankakee.il.us/files/committees/finance_329171.pdf