Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Executive Committee met Sept. 26.

Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:

Members Present Mr. Liehr, Mr. Tripp, Mr. LaGesse, Mr. Vickery, Mr. Olthoff, Mr. Hess, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Snipes, Mr. Byrne, Mr. Sirois, and Ms. Webber Members Absent Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Washington, and Mr. Skutt In Attendance

• Board Members Tinker Parker

• Department Heads Kevin Duval, Lori Gadbois, Delbert Skimerhorn, and Michael Roof

• Media None

1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by the Vice-Chairman, Mr. Liehr, at 9:00 a.m. Quorum present.

2. Public Comment None

3. Presentations None

4. Approval of Minutes: August 22, 2017 The minutes were not ready.

5. Legislative Mr. Liehr stated reviewed and discussed miscellaneous legislative issues with the committee.

6. Appointments None

7. Information Services – Kevin Duval Mr. Duval discussed with the committee the changes his department has made in the boardroom regarding the camera parameters. He also discussed other projects they are working on in various departments.

8. Health Department – John Bevis

• West Nile Virus Death

• Lead in Drinking Water for District 111 Mr. Bevis was not present, but provided an email with updates on the above two issues, which Mr. Liehr read to the committee.

9. Schools – Dr. Gregg Murphy Dr. Murphy was not present.

10. Veterans Assistance Commission – Michael Roof

• Monthly Report

Mr. Sirois made a motion to approve the report, and Mr. Vickery seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote. Mr. Roof reviewed and discussed the report with the committee.

Mr. Roof wanted to thank the board members again for the resolution recognizing the Veterans Court certification. They recently had a graduation, and he also wanted to thank the board members who were able to attend and show their support.

Mr. Roof stated that they still have not received their new bus.

11. Personnel/HR Issues

Ms. Mackin was not present.

12. Administrative Issues

➢ Resignations/Appointments/Reappointments:

✓ Appointment of David Wulff to the Kankakee Township Fire Protection District ✓ Appointment of David Hinderliter to the METRO Board of Directors ✓ Appointment of Dr. Peter R. Radulovic to the Kankakee County Regional Planning

Commission ✓ Reappointment of Steve Engelking to the Kankakee River Conservancy District

Board Mr. Byrne made a motion to approve the above appointments and reappointment, and Mr. Tripp seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. McConnell stated that he wanted to address the six openings for the Board of Examiners & Appeals. HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) needs to be added to that list.

Mr. Skimerhorn stated that the rules and ordinances would have to be changed for the Board of Examiners.

Mr. McConnell stated that should be done then.

Mr. Liehr asked that the Planning Department prepare a proposal.

Mr. Skimerhorn stated that he will look into it. It’s the Board of Examiners’ job to review and recommend changes to the code, and to hear appeals on building permit issues. He stated that this seems to be more of a process and code issue rather than a Board of Examiners issue. The Board of Examiners is meant to be a good cross-section of the building trades so that they can make determinations on the codes. He will try to get something together for the next PZA meeting. Mr. Snipes made a motion to recommend to the Board of Examiners & Appeals that they add HVAC, and Mr. McConnell seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. Liehr announced the following openings to the committee:

➢ Openings:

✓ One Opening on the Kankakee County Board of Health ✓ Two Openings on the Kankakee County Regional Planning Commission ✓ Two Openings on the Kankakee River Conservancy District Board ✓ Six Openings on Board of Examiners & Appeals (Engineer, Architect, Commercial

Contractor, Residential Contractor, Electrician, and Plumber)

✓ One Opening on the Kankakee County Board of Health ✓ Two Openings on the Kankakee County Regional Planning Commission ✓ Two Openings on the Kankakee River Conservancy District Board ✓ Six Openings on Board of Examiners & Appeals (Engineer, Architect, Commercial

Contractor, Residential Contractor, Electrician, and Plumber) ✓ One Opening for Juvenile Justice Council

13. Other Business

• Order of Succession Mr. Liehr stated that our previous resolution in the event of an emergency had the name of an individual in the resolution. The revised resolution substitutes the position instead of the name. Mr. Vickery made a motion to approve, and Mr. LaGesse seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• Increase Ethics Commission from Three to Five Members Mr. Snipes made a motion to approve, and Mr. Tripp seconded it.

Discussion: Mr. Liehr stated that he attended the last Ethics Commission meeting and, under our current ordinance, there are only three members, but one of the members was unable to attend. Obviously that is rather awkward as the chair has to either be making the motion or seconding it, so changing from three members to five would make for a better meeting.

Graeme Quinn from the State’s Attorney’s office stated that the reason this item came back to the committee was because last month it was voted on to send to the full board to go from three to five. He couldn’t write a resolution without changing the ordinance because the ordinance reflects the fact that it was three, so what the committee is looking at today is changing it from three to five with the necessary ordinance change. Original motion carried with a voice vote.

• Recommendation to Executive Committee for the Adoption of Additions and Deletions to the County Code Mr. Snipes made a motion to approve, and Mr. Byrne seconded it.

Discussion: Mr. Quinn stated that the Ethics Commission requested that the changes be made. Most of it is new, but there are a couple of things from the previous ordinance which is mostly on the first page. The rest of it is their internal procedures of how they would handle a complaint moving forward through the process, what sort of notification issues they might run across, and similar concerns. The Commission did ask him to put in two more things. The Commission asked that we create a complaint form so that everyone knows exactly what the Commission needs in order to move forward. That is the first thing, and it will also be posted on the County website. The second thing is the standard of proof that the Commission would have to use. It should be a preponderance of the evidence standard. The standard was in a previous version of this, but for some reason, it wasn’t in the one that went in front of the Commission, so just needs to be added back in.

Mr. Liehr asked Mr. Quinn if he needed the committee to amend the motion to add the two items that he mentioned.

Mr. Quinn stated yes, they should.

Mr. Tripp made a motion to add the two amendments to the original motion, and Mr. Byrne seconded it.

Discussion: Mr. Vickery asked about the Collective Bargaining Restriction in the document. We’re in negotiations now, and it states,” Collective bargaining agreements executed after the effective date of this ordinance shall include a provision which incorporates the substantive terms of this ordinance as part of such agreement”. Will we need to revise our collective bargaining agreements?

Mr. Quinn stated that moving forward, yes. The committee can choose not to include that clause as that’s their purview. It basically brings in the union contracts under the Ethics Commission’s jurisdiction so that they can hear complaints about anyone who’s in a union.

Mr. Liehr asked if we are far enough along in negotiations that this would complicate this current round of negotiations. Would it be easier to complete a round of negotiations when this is part of the initial discussion?

Mr. Quinn reminded the committee that there is nothing binding them to use the language that is proposed here today. If they want to take it out, they can do so.

Mr. Snipes stated that the language was put in there, or at least recommended to be placed in there, for a reason, so what would be the reason?

Mr. Quinn stated that the State’s Attorney’s office looked at other counties’ codes and some of those counties had Collective Bargaining, but not every single one did. We put it in there as part of the discussion for the Commission to consider, and they passed it to you.

Mr. Snipes stated that it appears that they’re doing that as another tier prior to arbitration, and that way there is more of a governing body to give some guidance to the arbitrator. He also stated if we have it going on already and we adopt it, it would not take place until the next negotiations because it’s not part of their negotiations. Wouldn’t they have to agree to it as far as that’s concerned?

Mr. Quinn stated that he wanted to make sure that he understood Mr. Snipes’ question. Is he asking if we pass this at the next County Board meeting, would that impact the current negotiations?

Mr. Snipes stated yes.

Mr. Quinn stated yes, it would. The Collective Bargaining Restriction clause would apply to those negotiations unless they sign the contract ahead of your adopting the ordinance. If they conclude by October 10th, then no, but if it’s after October 10th, then it would have to be part of the discussions.

Mr. Byrne asked if it would be best to adopt where any current negotiations that are being done right now are exempt and we move forward. This wouldn’t apply to the current negotiating process, but the next one. Why complicate something that’s already complicated enough?

The motion to add the two amendments discussed by Assistant State’s Attorney Graeme Quinn carried with a voice vote.

The motion as amended carried with a voice vote. Mr. Vickery asked that Mr. Quinn forward the Ethics Commission ordinance to Mr. Hibbon, and then the union can be notified.

Mr. Quinn stated that he would email the ordinance to Mr. Hibbon.

14. Information

None

15. Old Business/New Business

16. Adjournment

Mr. LaGesse made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:56 a.m., and Mr. Olthoff seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

http://www.co.kankakee.il.us/files/committees/executive_92617.pdf