Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Executive Committee met July 27.

Here is the agenda provided by the Committee:

Members Present:

Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Liehr, Mr. Tripp, Mr. LaGesse, Mr. Olthoff, Mr. Hess, Mr. Snipes, Mr. Byrne, Mr. Sirois, Mr. Hildebrand, and Ms. Webber

Members Absent:

Mr. Skutt, Mr. Byrne, and Mr. Hildebrand

In Attendance:

• Board Members

None

• Department Heads

Kevin Duval, John Bevis, Michael Roof, Delbert Skimerhorn, Erich Blair, and Lori Gadbois

• Media

None

1. Call to Order

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

2. Public Comment

None

3. Presentations

None

4. Approval of Minutes: May 23, 2017

A motion was made by Mr. Johnson to approve the minutes, and Mr. Olthoff seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

5. Legislative

None

6. Appointments

None

7. Information Services – Kevin Duval

Mr. Duval stated that, at the last meeting, he told the committee about his discussion with Fabulous Fiber, which is the local institution we use to connect the campus buildings. He wanted to see if we could get the previous line that we used from the State’s Attorney’s previous location to the Court campus, and have that moved over here. He has received correspondence back and they will allow for that to happen. What it will allow for is that we will both get an increased amount of band width for no additional cost, and we’ll be able to add a second virtual network.

Mr. Duval stated that he had also previously discussed with the committee that he is going to be implementing a web filter. More specifically, it will be a content web filter in this building. What it will block will be the basic things that no one in this building using a government-paid internet service should be accessing, or anything that causes a danger to the County network.

8. Health Department – John Bevis

• Vector Program Update Mr. Bevis stated that the Vector grant that the Health Department receives in environmental health is ramping up now the weather is getting warmer and we’re getting rain. We receive this grant from the state every year and it allows us to collect mosquitoes and larvae, and treat the larvae at locations throughout the County, specifically looking for West Nile Virus. We then provide information on ZICA and some other vector-borne diseases, and other vectors such as ticks and other insects.

• EPA Clean-Up in Pembroke Township Mr. Bevis stated that in early June he was notified that the EPA was conducting a clean-up at a site in Pembroke Township. He discussed this issue and answered questions from the committee.

• Dentist Position for Board of Health Mr. Wheeler stated that we’re having a lot of trouble finding a dentist for the Board of Health, and he asked Mr. Bevis if the Board could reach out and make some phone calls.

Mr. Bevis stated that they’ve discussed that at the meetings, and are trying to come up with some names. There are only so many dentists they can try to approach, but they have reached out to a couple and they’ve declined. They’ll keep trying.

Mr. Wheeler asked if it would be alright if the committee just left that up to the Board of Health then to make the phone calls. We can keep announcing it if need be.

Mr. Bevis stated that would be fine, and maybe they can report an update on a quarterly basis.

9. Schools – Dr. Gregg Murphy

• Quarterly Report of the Regional Superintendent of Schools, of Iroquois & Kankakee Counties

A motion was made by Mr. Sirois to put the report on file, and was seconded by Mr. Olthoff. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Dr. Murphy was not present.

10. Veterans Assistance Commission – Michael Roof

• Monthly Reports

Mr. Roof stated that he doesn’t have reports because they didn’t have a quorum at their last meetings. They will hopefully be getting them approved tonight.

Mr. Roof wanted to thank Mr. Snipes and Mr. McConnell for showing up to the veterans’ treatment court last week. They had two veterans graduate. Any one is welcome to come since it’s an open court session. They should have another two graduating in September.

Mr. Roof stated that they’re still waiting for the bus from the state, so they’ll see when that comes about.

11. Personnel/HR Issues

Ms. Mackin was not present.

12. County Code for Ethics Commission

Mr. Wheeler stated that we have a County Code right now on the Ethics Commission that was created quite a while ago, but some of it is a little outdated and needs to be changed. Actually, some of it will be wholly changed by what is adopted by the newly seated Ethics Commission. One of the things that need to be changed ahead of time is the Ethics Advisor for this three person commission. He proceeded to read Section 2-229 of the County Code to the committee. He didn’t think it was a good idea to have the State’s Attorney as the Ethics Advisor, that it should be an independent person, and the State’s Attorney agrees with him on that. He stated that he has found someone who will be discussed as part of the Appointments and Reappointments, but the first step is to change the County Code on that one part.

A motion was made by Mr. Liehr to remove Section 2-229 (c) of the Kankakee County Code of Ordinances, and was seconded by Mr. McConnell. Motion carried with a voice vote.

13. Administrative Issues

Mr. Wheeler stated that he was going to remove one of the appointments so that it could be discussed afterward. He then announced the following appointments and reappointments to the committee:

➢ Appointments/Reappointments:

✓ Reappointment of Michael R. Donahue to the Kankakee County Historic Preservation Commission (Attorney)

✓ Reappointment of Paul Mau to the Cabery Area Fire Protection District

✓ Reappointment of Jake Munyon to the Momence-Pembroke Union Drainage District No. 1

✓ Reappointment of Kenneth Brinkmann to the Momence-Pembroke Union Drainage District No. 1

✓ Appointment of Rick Manuel to the Kankakee County Planning Commission

A motion was made to combine and approve the above reappointments and appointments by Mr. Johnson, and was seconded by Mr. Tripp. Motion carried with a voice vote.

✓ Appointment of The Honorable Kendall O. Wenzelman as Ethics Advisor for the Kankakee County Ethics Commission

Mr. Wheeler stated that he has spoken with Judge Wenzelman, and he is eager to take on this role. It’s an organizational effort as they adopt their new rules and the ethics. It will be combined with what we already have, but there will be some things that are a little bit different.

A motion was made to approve the above appointment by Mr. Sirois, and seconded by Mr. Snipes. Motion carried with a voice vote.

➢ Openings:

✓ One Opening on the Kankakee County Board of Health (Dentist)

✓ Four Openings on the Kankakee County Regional Planning Commission

Mr. Wheeler announced the above openings to the committee.

➢ Resolutions:

• Establishing the Holidays for 2018

A motion was made to approve the holidays by Mr. Hess, and was seconded by Mr. Liehr. Motion carried with a voice vote.

14. Other Business

None

15. Information

None

16. Old Business/New Business

None

17. Adjournment

Mr. Olthoff made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:01 a.m., and Mr. LaGesse seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

http://www.co.kankakee.il.us/files/committees/executive_62717.pdf