Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Executive Committee met Jan. 22.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Members Present

Mr. Hess, Ms. Parker, Mr. Carrico, Mr. Hunter, Ms. Foster, Ms. Weber, Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand, Mr. Kerkstra, Mr. Smith, Ms. Polk, Mr. Long, Mr. Fetherling, Ms. Munday

Members Absent

Mr. Sirois, Mr. Ashcraft

In Attendance

Department Heads

Anita Speckman, Jason Shane, John Coghlan, Erich Blair, Dan Hendrickson, Karen Smietanski, Lori Gadbois, Eric Peterson, Frank Petkunas

Mr. Long made a motion to allow Ms. Parker to attend by Zoom and Mr. Smith seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Media Present

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by the County Board Chairman, Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand, at 9:00 a.m.

Quorum was Present

Public Comment

Presentations

None

Approval of Minutes: December 18, 2024

Mr. Fetherling made a motion to approve the minutes and Mr. Smith seconded. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Legislative

None

Information Services – Jason Shane

Mr. Shane gave an update on what his department has been working on. Their next big project will be replacing the county board IPads with lap top computers. The IPads are aging and some have failed and replacing them with lap tops instead of new IPads will save $18,000.

Health Department – John Bevis

Mr. Bevis was not in attendance.

Schools – Frank Petkunas

Mr. Petkunas gave an update on his department. All the schools have been inspected and they are all in good shape.

Mr. Smith asked if there is going to be a report that compares our students academically to other students in other counties or other states.

Mr. Petekunas stated that every school district has a report card that is posted on their website which shows that information.

Mr. Smith asked if there could be a report with that information given to this committee on a regular basis.

Mr. Hunter asked about the literacy issue in the school district.

Mr. Petkunas stated that they do have three literacy coaches that are addressing the literacy problem. Mr. Hunter asked about the issue of a lack of licensed teachers.

Mr. Petkunas stated that there is teacher shortage in the United States and they are having a hard time getting qualified teachers so their school districts are working really hard to get qualified licensed teacher into their classrooms. Fewer and fewer people are going into education as a career.

Ms. Foster asked if there will be any kind of program for people who are in the schools that want to become certified.

Mr. Petkunas stated that his office has worked very closely with the school districts to provide all of the information available about the licensure process for noncertified staff that are interested in teaching and even parents who may have a bacherlors degree. There are several avenues for a person to become a certified teacher and not have to go back and go through the whole process.

Ms. Foster asked if the school has talked about undocumented students as far as what to do if someone comes to the school to approach those children.

Mr. Petkunas stated that they been sharing information about how people can prepare themselves and be aware of their rights.

Veterans Assistance Commission – Eric Peterson

• Monthly Report

Mr. Carrico made a motion to accept and put on file the report and Ms. Munday seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. Peterson reviewed the 2024 Annual Governors Report with the committee. They are putting more effort in 2025 reaching out to all the communities to all the veterans to insure that if the veterans cannot get out to see them they will go to see them.

The Director of Veteran Affairs, Terry Prince, has come down several times to talk to them about what they are doing in this community in comparison to a lot of other counties and Director Prince has said multiple times that he believes that Kankakee County is one of the few counties in the State of Illinois that is truly doing what they need to do serve the veteran community and that is not because of one organization or one person but it is because of who we are as a community and as a county and Mr. Peterson is thankful for that.

Mr. Hunter expressed concern about veterans out in Pembroke.

Mr. Peterson stated that they are working on forming an outreach out to that community.

County Administrator – Anita Speckman

• Monthly Report

Ms. Speckman stated that there currently very few job openings. New hire orientation is tomorrow with nine employees registered to attend.

Ms. Speckman stated that they are currently in negotiations with the Corrections Department and hopefully they will be ready to bring it to a Special Finance Meeting before the full board meeting on February 11th.

Community Services

• County Assessor’s Monthly Report – Erich Blair

Mr. Long made a motion to approve the report and put it on file and Ms. Munday seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. Blair reviewed this report with the committee and he also gave an overview of the functions and duties of his Supervisor of Assessments Office.

• County Clerk’s Monthly Report – Dan Hendrickson

Mr. Smith made a motion to approve the report and put it on file and Mr. Long seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. Hendrickson updated the committee on the upcoming elections.

• Recorder’s Monthly Report – Lori Gadbois

Mr. Hunter made a motion to approve the report and put it on file and Mr. Carrico seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Ms. Gadbois stated that they had a twelve year backlog project where they imaged film and then had it put into their computer system filling a gap from 1967 to about 1982 and that project is now completed. They also had all of the 144 grantor/grantee books, along with all of their tracked books which started around 1944 going forward, imaged and put into their computer system. Also,all of the fische cards that had vinegar syndrome have been reproduced.

• AWAC Update – Tinker Parker

Ms. Parker stated that they have a meeting February 19th.

Ms. Parker stated that she is going to concentrate on education on how to take care of feral cates outside and what Animal Control can and cannot do with the different situations. She would like to sit down with the Chairman regarding some items on their agenda.

Administrative

Appointments/Reappointments/Resignations

Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand read the appointments into the record.

• Appointment of Scott DeYoung to the Little Beaver Drainage District

• Appointment to the Kankakee Waterways Advisory Subcommittee

o David Skelly

o Todd Huntley

o Frank Koehler (Appointment)

Mr. Hunter made a motion to combine and approve and Mr. Carrico seconded the motion. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Openings:

• One Opening on the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (Shelter Community Representative)

• One Opening on Historic Preservation Commission (Historian)

• Two Openings on the Kankakee County Public Building Commission

• One Opening on the Claussen Park Drainage District

• One Opening on the Exline Creek Drainage District

• One Opening on the Gar Creek Drainage District

• Two Openings on the Little Beaver Special Drainage District

• One Opening on the Manteno Drainage District No. 9

• One Opening on the Kankakee County Board of Health (dentist)

• One Opening on the Emergency Telephone System Board (911)

Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand read the openings to the committee.

New Business

Mr. Kerkstra stated that he has been attending the UCCI meetings in Springfield and he encourages others to attend. There will be a meeting on February 27th.

Old Business

None

Adjournment

Mr. Hess made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:07 a.m. and Mr. Fetherling seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

https://www.k3county.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01222025-2148