Government Center  
719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A  
Geneva, IL 60134  
Kane County  
KC Public Service Committee  
Meeting Minutes  
SANCHEZ, Young, Gripe, Gumz, Lewis, Surges, Tepe, ex-officios Roth (County Vice Chair)  
and Pierog (County Chair)  
Thursday, January 23, 2025  
9:00 AM  
County Board Room  
2025 Committee Goals  
• Continue presenting all Public Service reports from each department  
• Continue receiving Committee member’s feedback  
_______________________________________________________________________  
1.  
2.  
Call To Order  
Chairman Sanchez called today's meeting to order at 9:02 AM.  
Roll Call  
Board Member Jarett Sanchez  
Board Member David Young  
Board Member Jon Gripe  
PRESENT  
Board Member Anita Lewis  
Board Member Vern Tepe  
Ex-Officio County Board Vice Chair Bill Roth  
Board Member Michelle Gumz  
ABSENT  
Board Member Clifford Surges  
Ex-Officio County Board Chair Corinne M. Pierog  
Also present: Co. Bd. members Bates*, Berman*, Juby, Molina*, Penesis; Treasurer  
Lauzen; SOA Armstrong; ROE Admin. Morris; VAC Supt. Zimmerman*; Co. Clerk staff  
Pollock; ASA Cermak; ITD staff Peters; and members of the press and public.  
3.  
4.  
Remote Attendance Requests  
There were no remote attendance requests for today's meeting.  
Approval of Minutes: December 18, 2024  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT  
Vern Tepe  
5.  
Public Comment  
Committee Member and Kane County resident Young reminded the Committee that the  
Kane County Clerk's Office received an award for Center of Election Excellence in  
February of 2023. This award came with a $2M grant from the Center of Tech and  
Civic Life (CTCL). The grant agreement listed the CTCL as the entity. The grant funds  
were supposed to be used for election equipment, software components, and election  
judges. Young stated his issues with how these funds were allocated. Young requested  
that the $2M be returned to the CTCL, and the Kane County Clerk's Office no longer be  
affiliated with the organization.  
6.  
7.  
8.  
Finance  
Monthly Report  
A.  
The monthly report is on file. No additional report was made.  
Recorder  
Monthly Report  
The monthly report is on file. No additional report was made.  
Treasurer / Collector  
A.  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Kane County Treasurer Lauzen stated that the 2024-2025 tax bills are in the  
beginning stages of being printed. He indicated that there are 200K parcels in  
Kane County. He commended his staff, SOA Armstrong, and the Co. Clerk's  
Office for all the hard work they do for making this process go smoothly every  
year.  
9.  
Supervisor of Assessments  
Monthly Report  
A.  
SOA Armstrong stated that the monthly reports are on file. He stated that the  
Board of Review hearings on assessment complaints concluded on January 14,  
2025. Notices of findings are scheduled to be mailed on January 21, 2025, and  
the final filing date for appeals to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board will be  
February 20, 2025. The Board of Review is on track to certify the assessment  
roll to the County Clerk well ahead of the statutory adjournment date of March  
15, 2025.  
10.  
Regional Office of Education  
Regional Office of Education (ROE) Admin. Morris stated that the ROE is partnering  
with the Health Department organizing the 6th Annual Youth Voices Forum that will  
take place early next month at Elgin Community College. This event brings students  
together for open dialogue and engagement between youth, educators, and mental  
health professionals. The Forum aims to amplify the voices of young people, allowing  
them to share their experiences, insights, and suggestions for enhancing mental health  
services in schools and communities. Morris announced that on February 28 the  
County-wide Institute Day for professional development and it will be held at the Q  
Center in St. Charles. Registration for this event is now open. An Arts Education  
Institute will be hosted on the same day by the ROE in partnership with Central 301.  
This event will take place at Central High School beginning at 8:00 a.m. All school  
districts will have non-attendance that day. Lastly, Morris announced that the 49th  
Annual Kane County Educator of the Year Banquet will be held at the Q Center on  
Friday, May 2, 2025.  
11.  
Veteran's Assistance Commission  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Veterans Assistance Commission (VAC) Supt. Zimmerman stated that the  
monthly reports are on file. He stated that for Fiscal Year 2024, the VAC brought  
in over $9.5M in new monetary benefits for Kane County veterans, their  
dependants, and their survivors. This represents a return to the community of  
$17.97 for every dollar of property tax revenue received by the Commission.  
Zimmerman provided a chart showing the amount of new monetary benefits  
awarded to veterans by the VA per fiscal year. A large part of the VA's success  
in FY24 was due to the enhanced benefits offered under the Promise to Address  
Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act. He shared a graph depicting the breakdown  
of combined disability compensation rating for the 708 veterans who received a  
disability compensation decision in FY24. In Fiscal Year 2024, Commission staff  
completed 442 Intents-to-File, which is a record number for the VAC. Discussion  
ensued.  
Authorizing Number of Procurement Cards Issued to the Veterans’ Assistance  
Commission of Kane County and Each of Their Transaction Limits  
B.  
KC Finance and Budget Committee  
RESULT:  
TO:  
MOVED FORWARD BY ROLL CALL VOTE  
KC Finance and Budget Committee  
Jon Gripe  
MOVER:  
Anita Lewis  
SECONDER:  
Jarett Sanchez, David Young, Jon Gripe, Anita Lewis, and Vern  
Tepe  
AYE:  
Michelle Gumz, Clifford Surges, and Corinne M. Pierog  
ABSENT:  
County Clerk  
12.  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Co. Clerk staff Pollock thanked Treasurer Lauzen for the great work he and his  
staff do to collaborate with the Co. Clerk's Office on Tax Extensions. He looks  
forward to getting the tax bills out on time. He highlighted that the consolidated  
Primary Election is for Aurora and Aurora Township only. The only races that are  
on the ballot for February 25, 2025 will be the Mayor of Aurora, and three  
Primary Democratic races for Democrat township races. The April Election is  
open to everyone to participate, including City and Village Boards, Townships,  
Library Board, School and Park Districts. Early voting began on January 16, and  
will end the day before the election. Expanded early voting will start on February  
10. Voting will be held at the Co. Clerk's Office in Aurora and Geneva. Early  
voting for the April election will begin on March 7. Pollock stated that 131  
passports were processed in the first full week of January. In the first eight days  
of January, there was an average of 52 new passport applications processed a  
day. He indicated that over $64K in revenue for passport pictures taken. Much  
discussion ensued.  
13.  
14.  
Other Business  
None.  
Reports Placed On File  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT  
Vern Tepe  
15.  
Executive Session  
The Public Service Committee entered into Executive Session at 9:51 a.m. to discuss  
the release of closed session minutes on a motion made by Tepe, seconded by Gripe.  
Motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.  
RESULT:  
APPROVED BY ROLL CALL VOTE  
Vern Tepe  
Jon Gripe  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
Jarett Sanchez, David Young, Jon Gripe, Anita Lewis, and Vern  
Tepe  
AYE:  
Michelle Gumz, Clifford Surges, and Corinne M. Pierog  
ABSENT:  
A.  
Release of Closed Session Minutes  
16.  
Open Session  
The Public Service Committee returned to Open Session at 9:55 a.m. on a motion  
made by Gripe, seconded by Tepe. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.  
RESULT:  
APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE  
Jon Gripe  
Vern Tepe  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
A.  
Vote on Release of Closed Session Minutes  
The Committee came to a consensus to vote on the release of closed session minutes  
on a motion made by Tepe, seconded by Gripe. Motion carried by roll call vote.  
RESULT:  
APPROVED BY ROLL CALL VOTE  
Vern Tepe  
Jon Gripe  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
Jarett Sanchez, David Young, Jon Gripe, Anita Lewis, and Vern  
Tepe  
AYE:  
Michelle Gumz, Clifford Surges, and Corinne M. Pierog  
ABSENT:  
17.  
Adjournment  
RESULT:  
APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE  
Vern Tepe  
Jon Gripe  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
This meeting was adjourned at 9:56 a.m.  
Rachel Santora  
Recording Secretary