Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Criminal Justice Committee met Nov. 10.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Members Present

Mr. Hess, Mr. Long, Mr. Liehr, Mr. Snipes, Ms. Parker, Mr. Fairfield, Mr. Darrel Smith, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Ekhoff, Mr. Kenneth Smith, Mr. Carrico, Mr. Kerkstra, Mr. Collins and Mr. Wheeler

Members Absent

Ms. Peters, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Sirois

In Attendance

• Board Members

• Department Heads

Eric Cavender, Mike Downey, Tom Latham, Ed Pentuic, Jim Rowe, Theresa Goudie, Anita Speckman, John Coghlan, Sandi Cianci

Media

None

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by the Committee Chairman, Mr. Hess at 7:30 a.m.

Public Comment

None

Approval of Minutes: October 13, 2021

Mr. Fairfield made a motion to approve and Mr. Kerkstra seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Judicial – Chief Judge Michael Kramer

None

Circuit Clerk’s Office - Sandi Cianci

• Monthly Report

Ms. Cianci provided the committee with reports, there were no questions or comments.

Mr. Ekhoff made a motion to approve the report, and Mr. Long seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• Circuit Clerk Fee Ordinance

Ms. Cianci advised that this will be ready for the Executive or Finance Committee meeting.

State’s Attorney’s Office – Jim Rowe

• Grand Jury Report

• Grand Jury Statistics Report

Mr. Rowe reviewed the reports with the committee

There were no questions from the committee.

Mr. Liehr made a motion to combine and approve the reports and Mr. Gowler seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. Rowe stated that this was the last grand jury with as covid backlog.

• Program Update

Mr. Rowe updated the committee of the Riverside Programming. Riverside has moved in the space and kids have already been scheduled. So it is taking off quickly.

Public Defender’s Office – Ed Pentuic

• Monthly Report

Mr. Pentuic reviewed the report with the committee.

Mr. Carrico made a motion to approve, and Mr. Fairfield seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Probation – Tom Latham

• Monthly Report

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

Mr. Long made a motion to approve, and Mr. Kerkstra seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. Latham updated the committee on the pretrial process by the state. Mr. Latham also commented that the drug court has been recertified.

Sheriff/EMA Department – Sheriff Mike Downey

• Monthly Report

Sheriff reviewed the report with the committee. Discussions were held.

Mr. Long made a motion to approve, and Mr. Gowler seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote

• Declaring Equipment as surplus

Sheriff advised that he had computer equipment to declare as surplus.

Mr. Long made a motion to approve, and Mr. Fairfield seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• ARPA Request – Dual View Transmission X-Ray Full Body Scanner Sheriff Downey reviewed the body scanner with the committee. This was previously approved at an ARPA meeting, but didn’t have the exact price. The total cost is $166,250 Mr. Snipes made a motion approve updating the price, and Mr. Gowler seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• ARPA Request – Gray Key Mobile Phone Forensics

Sheriff Downey advised the committee that this service would cost $9,995 per year, but is critical as technology advances.

Mr. Smith made a motion to move to finance, and Mr. Snipes seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• Animal Control Update

Sheriff provided the committee with an update of Animal Control.

There were no questions from the committee.

Coroner’s Office – Bob Gessner

• Monthly Reports

• Monthly Receipts of Money

Mr. Gessner was present and reviewed the reports with the committee.

Mr. Gessner voiced concerns over overdoses and Fentanyl in our area as well as homicides being double.

Mr. Ekhoff made a motion to combine and approve, and Mr. Long seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

11. Old Business/New Business

None

12. Adjournment

Mr. Kerkstra made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:26 a.m., and Mr. Long seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

https://www.k3county.net/files/committees/criminal_justice_111021.pdf