Peoria Standard

Peoria County Board met November 9.

Here is the minutes provided by the Board:

Call To Order

Moment Of Silence

Pledge Of Allegiance

Roll Call By The County Clerk

Attendance was taken with the Roll Call-Pro voting system, and the following members of the Board were present: Adamson, Baietto, Dillon, Elsasser, Fennell, Mayer, Morris, O'Neill, Parker, Pastucha, Rand, Robinson, Rosenbohm, Salzer, Watkins and Williams, with Harding, and Rieker absent.

I. Approval Of Minutes

• Approval of October 12, 2017 County Board Meeting Minutes

Mayer moved for approval of the minutes, Baietto seconded. The minutes were approved by a unanimous roll call vote of 16 ayes.

II. Proclamations And Presentations

• A proclamation recognizing November 25 as Small Business Saturday

III. Citizens' Remarks

There were no citizens’ remarks.

IV. Consent Agenda

C1. The Treasurer report consisting of the Bank and CD's Portfolio for the month of September 2017 and Revenue & Expenditure Reports for the month of August 2017.

C2. The Auditor's report of expenditures from Accounts Payable system is accessible at www.peoriacounty.org/auditor/transparency.

C3. A resolution (items 1 – 9 conveyances; item 10 reconveyance) from the Ways and Means Committee recommending that the County Board Chairman be authorized and directed to execute deed of said property to the highest bidder, and be authorized to cancel the appropriate Certificates of Purchase. This resolution shall be effective ninety days from November 9, 2017 and any transaction between the parties involved not occurring within this period shall be null and void. (Poll Vote per Rules of Order, Article V, Section 18C)

C4. A resolution from your Public Safety and Justice Committee recommending approval and appropriation of FY 2017 grant funds in the amount of $31,000.00 from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority for the Family Violence Coordinating Council Grant.

C5. A resolution from your County Operations Committee recommending approval of the execution of the 2018 HIPAA Exemption Election document.

C6. A resolution from your County Operations Committee recommending approval of a contract with Tyler Technologies, Duluth, GA, for the provision of a Planning and Zoning System, in an amount not to exceed $311,931.00.

C7. A resolution from your Infrastructure Committee recommending approval of the lowest responsible bid of Stark Excavating, Bloomington, IL, in the amount of $691,628.00, for bridge replacement on Akron Road.

C8. A resolution from your Infrastructure Committee recommending approval to enter negotiations and execute a multi-year Transportation Services Agreement with MV Transportation Inc., Dallas, TX for the purposes of providing transportation services in Peoria County.

C9. Chairman Appointments.

Pastucha moved to approve the Consent Agenda and Robinson seconded. The Consent Agenda was approved by a unanimous roll call vote of 16 ayes.

V. Zoning Ordinance And Resolutions

1. A resolution from your Public Safety and Justice Committee recommending approval of the StarCom21 System Communications Agreement (Lease) and the Equipment Lease-Purchase Agreement Proposal with Motorola Solutions Inc., Chicago, IL, in the amount of $7,597,199.50.

Baietto moved to approve the resolution and Salzer seconded.

Mr. Sorrel detailed that the ETSB implemented a countywide digital radio system a number of years ago and the Board issued debt to finance the system. He explained that due to a variety of reasons the current vendor is no longer capable of delivering the services necessary for a dollar value that the ETSB can afford. He said that the ETSB found the most appropriate solution in Motorola and there will be short-term debt issuance to pay for it. He noted that the current system would be replaced, but it would not be removing or building towers, it would only replace handhelds and base stations.

Chairman Rand recognized David Tuttle, Chairman of the Emergency Telephone System Board, who also serves as Chief of the Logan-Trivoli Fire District and the Director of the Emergency Communications Center for the City of Peoria. He said that Mr. Tuttle and his group have worked for two and a half decades since the original funding was authorized. He explained that this would be the fourth or fifth iteration of technology and it is quite complicated. He said the ETSB is a large board representing nearly every geography of the County and it is filed with very dedicated people. He informed that it may be expensive, but there is a whole lot of process behind immediately getting the dispatch. He stated that it is a remarkable accomplishment to bridge where it needs to be and get the required upgrades along the way all built into one executable project.

Mr. Tuttle detailed that the agreement gets to the path of affordability, saves a considerable amount of money for maintenance costs with the current vendor, and it provides a path to upgrading the system. He stated that the new system would have greater capacity and more sites for public safety. He said that the agreement is in the best interest of the ETSB and the County and it will provide outstanding service for many years. He mentioned that there are about 1700 radios on the system for various users.

Baietto informed that Mr. Tuttle is a humble and dedicated person. He said that Mr. Tuttle has been involved in the technology for as long as he has known him and he thanked him for his commitment.

Chairman Rand recognized retired chief John Doering in serving for the cause.

Rosenbohm inquired about the age of the system that is being upgraded. Mr. Tuttle explained that the system has been on the air for about three years, the base stations and some dispatch center equipment will be replaced, but the vast majority of the equipment will stay; with some resale value on the existing equipment to offset some of the cost.

Elsasser discussed that it is quite remarkable and thanked the ETSB as it is a huge victory for Peoria County.

The resolution passed by a unanimous roll call vote of 16 ayes.

2. A resolution from your Infrastructure Committee recommending approval of the reappointment of Amy Benecke-McLaren to a six-year term as Peoria County Engineer effective November 11, 2017.

Salzer moved to approve the resolution and Baietto seconded.

Baietto expressed that Ms. Benecke-McLaren does good work with less money, she is totally outstanding, and she does not receive enough recognition for it.

Salzer described that this is the third step in the hiring that was started two months ago, and perceived that the Board will do what is correct in extending the contract.

The resolution passed by a unanimous roll call vote of 16 ayes.

3. A resolution from your Budget Subcommittee recommending approval of a Budget Amendment to the Regional Office of Education Budget, IMRF Fund Budget, and FICA/Medicare Fund Budget. (Pending Committee Approval)

Mayer moved to approved the resolution and Fennell seconded.

Adamson remarked that the second paragraph of the Agenda Briefing stated, “in place of making necessary cuts in expenditures,” and he believed that it is an important phrase. He is against not-for-profit money coming into the County and being turned around to pay for salaries and other costs. He perceived that there are a lot of private business owners that may want to participate.

Mayer contended that the grant funding is government grants that the ROE receives, not charitable or not-for-profit that is being transferred.

Regional Superintendent Derry identified that there are two revenue sources being used. She stated that there was an ability within the Illinois Virtual School grant that allows allocation of funds to bookkeeping. She said that it is an appropriate use of the funds, is legal and should have been done. She explained the GED fund, which gains revenue from the fee charged for the test. She described that the money has been used in the past to invest in GED courses and give grants to those who take the GED, but it is now being used for the GED secretary.

Adamson reported that Mr. Sorrel explained that the money was coming from the 501(c)(3), and asked if that is incorrect. Mr. Sorrel remarked that if that was impression given, that is incorrect, but it is discretionary dollars that are available to her and are contained on her non-county side of her operations.

Superintendent Derry highlighted that there is a 501(c)(3) that has its own board and she cannot spend any of the money. She summarized that it is a part of her operation that supports the kids at the Peoria Regional High School. She described that she has used the discretionary dollars on the other side of the operations to offset the payroll dollars. She noted that there has to be approval of the dollars used through the grants from their respective bodies and that takes time to line up.

Mr. Sorrel apologized for any mischaracterization and said that Superintendent Derry has the depth and knowledge of the non-county side of her operations.

Superintendent Derry reported that she will bring information to the next Ways and Means meeting about her non-county operations.

Adamson asked for confirmation that it is not dollars coming from the non-for-profit but it is grant money; Superintendent Derry confirmed.

Baietto conveyed that the grant funds are restrictive and if there is any misuse of the money, the Board will hear about it.

Elsasser asked for how this will be prevented next year. Ms. Derry stated that she thought it would be a good solution to keep the fourth employee on the County payroll and reimburse all of the cost, but that has not been a good solution. She declared that she will be moving the employee from the County payroll to the other side of the operations. Elsasser inquired if the money would not be coming out of the General Fund, and Chairman Rand confirmed.

Chairman Rand thanked Fennell, the State’s Attorney, Mr. Sorrel, and Mr. Dubrowski who helped create a path forward to resolution.

The resolution passed by a unanimous roll call vote of 16 ayes.

4. A resolution from your Budget Subcommittee recommending approval of a Budget Amendment to the County Coroner Budget and Reclassification of Claims Against the County already paid from the County Coroner Budget to the Capital Project Fund and the General County Budget. (Pending Committee Approval)

Fennell moved to approve the resolution and Robinson seconded.

Mr. Sorrel explained that it is a multi-component approval with the first component being a reclassification of funds to the Capital Project Fund and the General County Budget, the second is to recognize grant dollars that the Coroner secured and appropriate the authority to spend, third is to move dollars from the commodities component of the budget to the personnel component, and lastly to approve a budget amendment to cover the remaining overage. He stated that the total coming from reserves would be $135,128. He noted that there will be reporting from the Coroner monthly that can find issues and resolve them quickly. He described that there are other revenue generating possibilities to offset the expenses.

Adamson inquired if the total projected overage would be $170,000. Mr. Sorrel summarized that with the reclassification and appropriation it does get to that number. Adamson described that $26,000 more is being spent than the 2016 budget. He stated that the Board must do its best to deliver value to the citizens and there are action items to be taken to ensure things are done in an efficient manner. Mr. Sorrel expressed that there are steps in place to realize some of the efficiencies and better monitoring going forward.

Elsasser mentioned that in the past the budget has run as much as $25,000 over due to the cost of autopsies, but he said he would feel better if there was a reduction in 2018 and forward to compensate for taking from reserves.

Fennell identified that the net results would be that the Coroner’s office has a $9,000 reduction over the last year’s budget, but it is not what the Board wanted.

Adamson stated that the office will spend $26,000 more than the last year. He described that he hoped that the Board does everything it can to deliver value to the citizens of the County and provide good service.

Chairman Rand brought up that the spend is up while the autopsies are down and there is spending that did not have to happen. He remarked that what Elsasser is describing would make the County whole, but there is too much that has gone out the window to repair. He reported that he asked the Coroner for reductions, but that he only came up with $10,000 or $12,000. He expressed that process-wise, there was much to do when the Coroner began. He specified that there is some portion that is a shortage of funding, there is also a process to fix in 2018 and Coroner Harwood is all there. He noted that the morgue is used for services that are sold to other counties and the County is not recovering full cost, including personnel costs in overtime. He proposed that the Board should be expending dollars related to the requirement of Peoria County and fully charging any other coroner for doing work. He predicted that the $170,000 will not be raised by raising morgue fees, but it will help get real close.

Morris explained that Chairman Rand is not being an apologist for the Electeds. He detailed that Chairman Rand is not real happy about how it shook out, and the Board is only having the conversation because of him. He mentioned that the Chairman brought it to the Board because it was unacceptable.

Elsasser noted that the large disparity in year-to-year spending was due to cost cutting reductions from last year.

The resolution passed by a roll call vote of 15 ayes and 1 nay, with Elsasser voting nay.

VI. Miscellaneous And Announcements

Robinson thanked everyone for attending his installation ceremony in October, and invited all to church on Sunday. He stated that the Board has some big challenges, but 2018 will be a good year.

Williams recognized Health Administrator Monica Hendrickson for being recognized with a Forty Leaders Under 40 award.

Dillon reported that Jail Superintendent Rhonda Guyton spoke in front of 500 people at the ICC Foundation dinner, and she did an exceptional job of representing the County and telling her story.

Mr. Sorrel announced that Sheriff will be re-opening the Jefferson entrance effective November 27th.

VII. Adjournment

There being no further business before the Board, the Chairman announced the meeting was adjourned.

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