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 22, 2026  
9:00 AM  
County Board Room  
1.  
2.  
Call To Order  
Vice Chairman, Bill Roth, called today's meeting to order at 9:00 AM.  
Roll Call  
Vice Chairman, Bill Roth, announced that there was not an official quorum for today's  
meeting. This meeting was for informational purposes only.  
Board Member Jon Gripe  
Ex-Officio County Board Vice Chair Bill Roth  
Board Member David Young  
Board Member Anita Lewis  
Board Member Clifford Surges  
Board Member Vern Tepe  
PRESENT  
REMOTE  
Board Member Jarett Sanchez  
ABSENT  
Board Member Michelle Gumz  
Ex-Officio County Board Chair Corinne M. Pierog  
Also present: Co. Bd. members Juby, Linder*, Penesis*, Strathmann*; SOA Armstrong;  
ROE Technologies Dir. Morris; Co. Clk. Dir. of Tax Extensions/ Vital Records Emerson,  
Co. Clk's Office Dir. of Elections Raymond Esquivel; Spec. ASA Shepro; ITD staff  
Peters; and members of the press and public.  
3.  
Remote Attendance Requests  
Vice Chairman, Bill Roth, announced the remote attendance requests for today's  
meeting. He asked if there were any objections to Committee Members Lewis, Tepe,  
and Young attending remotely. There were no objections.  
4.  
5.  
Approval of Minutes: November 20, 2025  
An official quorum was not established for today's meeting. No votes could be taken.  
Public Comment  
None.  
6.  
7.  
8.  
9.  
Finance  
Monthly Report  
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.  
A.  
Monthly Report  
A.  
The monthly report is on file. No additional report was made.  
Supervisor of Assessments  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Kane County Supervisor of Assessments (SOA), Mark Armstrong, stated that  
the Board of Review hearings on assessment complaints for the 2025 concluded  
on December 12, 2025. The Board will take additional time to review and make  
findings on applications for non-homestead exemptions. The Board will adjourn  
well ahead of the statutory date of March 15, 2026. Armstrong stated that in the  
month of November, he identified three bills that passed the veto session. Since  
that time, all three have been sent to the Governor who has sixty days to take  
action. He reviewed the monthly year-to-date summaries of work performed by  
the Kane County Assessment Office during the previous month. Armstrong  
provided a chart showing data for Kane County Senior Citizen Homestead  
Exemption and Low-Income Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead  
Exemption penetration analysis. He stated that the percentage of homestead  
exemptions countywide is 84.8%. Currently, a total of 28.6% of households  
countywide have the Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption. He noted that of the  
Senior exemptions, 17.28% are receiving the low-income senior freeze  
homestead exemption. Discussion ensued.  
10.  
Regional Office of Education  
Regional Office of Education (ROE) Dir. of Technologies, Phillip Morris, stated that  
over 700 people attended the Raising Student Achievement Conference (RSAC) in  
December. He announced that the Countywide Institute Day will be on Friday, February  
27 at the Q-Center in St. Charles. The event provides a wide range of engaging  
sessions and presentations from guest speakers, colleagues, student, and community  
partners. There are currently over 1,00 people registered. Registration is open until  
February 6 at 12:00 p.m. Lastly, Morris announced that the 50th Kane County Educator  
of the Year event will be on Friday, May 1 at the Q-Center at 5:30 p.m. He stated that  
the goal for the Health Life Safety district annual inspection service is to complete all of  
them by the end of December.  
11.  
12.  
Veteran's Assistance Commission  
Monthly Report  
A.  
The monthly reports are on file. No additional report was made.  
County Clerk  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Co. Clk. Dir. of Tax Extensions/ Vital Records, John Emerson, stated that the  
reports are on file. He stated that last year a total of 6,540 passport applications  
were submitted, making it a 26.6% increase from the previous year. Lastly,  
Emerson stated that, by the direction from the U.S. Department of State, the  
new Elgin Kane County Clerk's Office is not allowed to accept passports.  
However, the Elgin office is open to all other functions of the Clerk's Office.  
Discussion ensued.  
13.  
14.  
Other Business  
None.  
Executive Session  
An official quorum was not established. No votes could be taken. The release of closed  
session minutes will be included on next month's agenda.  
A.  
Release of Closed Session Minutes  
15.  
Open Session  
No votes were taken.  
A.  
Vote on Release of Closed Session Minutes  
No votes were taken.  
16.  
17.  
Reports Placed On File  
No votes were taken.  
Adjournment  
No votes were taken.  
This meeting was adjourned at 9:26 a.m.  
Rachel Santora  
Recording Secretary