Government Center  
719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A  
Geneva, IL 60134  
Kane County  
County Board  
Meeting Minutes  
Monday, November 6, 2023  
10:00 AM  
County Board Room  
***SPECIAL MEETING***  
1.  
2.  
CALL TO ORDER  
A Special Meeting of the Kane County Board was held at the Kane County  
Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A, Geneva, IL 60134 on November 6,  
2023.  
Chairman Pierog called the meeting to order at 10:06 AM.  
ROLL CALL  
Board Member Mavis Bates  
Board Member Dale Berman  
Board Member Mark Davoust  
Board Member Michelle Gumz  
Board Member Leslie Juby  
Board Member Mo Iqbal  
PRESENT:  
Board Member Michael Kenyon  
Board Member Chris Kious  
Board Member Anita Lewis  
Board Member Myrna Molina  
Board Member Bill Roth  
Board Member Monica Silva  
Board Member Cherryl Strathmann  
Board Member Clifford Surges  
Board Member Vern Tepe  
Board Member Rick Williams  
Chairman Corinne M. Pierog  
Board Member Deborah Allan  
Board Member Gary Daugherty  
Board Member Michael Linder  
Board Member Bill Lenert  
Board Member Jarett Sanchez  
Board Member Bill Tarver  
REMOTE:  
ABSENT:  
Board Member Ron Ford  
Board Member David Young  
3.  
REMOTE ATTENDANCE REQUESTS  
Madam Chair asked if there was any objection to allow Board Members Allan,  
Daugherty, Sanchez, Lenert, and Linder, Tarver to join the meeting remotely. No  
objections were voiced.  
Also Present: Clerk Chf. Dpty. Weilandt; Finance Exec. Dir. Hopkinson; Bldg. Mgmt.  
and I.T. Dir. Fahnestock* & staff; KDOT Dir. Schoedel & staff Rickert*; Auditor  
Wegman; Treasurer Lauzen; Asst. State's Attys. Frank, Shepro, Ford & CFO Hunt;  
Animal Control Admin. Youngsteadt* and members of the press & public.  
4.  
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION  
Member Davoust led the assembly in the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance. Public  
Health Committee Chair Strathmann distributed gifts of silly putty from the County's  
Public Health Department. Member Kenyon announced to the board this Saturday,  
November 11th, was Veterans Day/Armistice Day. He thanked all veterans for their  
service.  
Member Lenert commented that this board received notice of this meeting and agenda  
at 3:00 PM on November 2, 2023. He asked for the validity of the meeting and the  
opinion of Atty. Shepro regarding the County's ordinance for mailing the notice and  
agenda. Madam Chair stated the board was notified of today's meeting on October 23,  
2023.  
Special Asst. Atty. Sherpo asked for a half hour recess at 10:15 AM for the purpose of  
consulting with additional SAO attorneys on this matter. Motion by Member Roth,  
second by Berman to take a recess at 10:15 AM. A voice vote followed. The  
motion passed with one objection. (Williams objected.)  
The board reconvened at 11:08 AM. The roll was called.  
Present: Allan* Bates, Berman, Daugherty*, Davoust, Gumz, Iqbal, Juby, Kenyon,  
Kious, Lenert*, Lewis, Linder*, Molina, Roth, Sanchez*, Silva, Strathmann,  
Surges, Tarver*, Tepe, Williams  
Absent: Ford, Young  
A quorum was established.  
ASA Frank stated he met with Attys. Ford, Shepro, and Brady and after discussing the  
matter, recommended the following: that no voting take place on the resolutions  
except for the approval of placing the draft budget on display. All other resolutions and  
final budget approval would take place at the November 21, 2023 special County Board  
meeting.  
Member Lenert concurred with counsel's recommendation.  
5.  
6.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None  
PUBLIC COMMENT (Agenda Items)  
Madam Chair invited public comment on agenda items only.  
Mr. Brian Anderson, Sugar Grove, thanked the board members who attended  
executive committee and appreciated the executive committee not supporting the gas  
tax and listening to the constituents. As for the fiscal responsibility aspect, he  
addressed high inflation and high property taxes with Illinois being the second highest  
in the nation. Property tax statistics for Kane County also followed. He believed the  
county has been working well under the 13 year property freeze, the treasurer was  
doing a good job and $53.0M dollars was in the county. While everything around the  
county was increasing, he asked the board to be prudent in its finances.  
Marylee Leu, resident of Aurora, addressed the City of Aurora's casino TIF district  
which would not be taxes going to the county but stay inside the TIF district for 23  
years. She believed Kane County should receive its portion. Ms. Leu voiced that Penn  
Entertainment made$2.75B Dollars in the past two years and believed the $5.25M  
Dollars of TIF funds should remain in the county. Sjhe asked the board to consider the  
TIF funds it will lose from Sugar Grove and the City of Geneva for its warehouse  
construction. She suggested a board member attend the JRB meeting on November  
8th, 10:00 AM and not support the proposed casino TIF district and represent the  
county's financial interest..  
Kate Cuneo, Batavia resident, was supportive of having a staff member attend the JRB  
meeting and to not support the casino TIF district proposal. The county's funds needed  
to support county initiatives and support its schools, parks, constituents, etc.  
Resident, Mr. Jim Whittington, discussed the board's need to cut waste from its budget.  
He shared an example. While he appreciated the comment about the veterans he also  
found it condescending at the same time.  
Michelle Betteg, St. Charles, questioned if board members really research the budget  
items. She addressed the high inflation, high credit cards, and stated the county's  
resources are stretched to the limits, yet the board chairman wants to spend $750,000  
on a plan for a $110.0M Dollar new government center and a $30 Million Dollar health  
center. With the economy the way it was, she asked the board to cut its costs,  
otherwise the residents will be leaving the state. She asked the board to use some of  
its reserve money and to not support additional funding from the taxpayers.  
7.  
NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS  
A.  
FY24 Budget Update (K. Hopkinson)  
Finance Dir. Hopkinson reviewed a presentation on the budget, noting a few minor  
updates from the prior Executive Committee meeting. Details followed.  
Comments/questions followed as to the State's Attorneys own equity adjustment study  
and that it was presented at the Human Services Committee, which was included in the  
budget. Board Member Iqbal felt it was up to the board to accept or reject the SAO's  
study. Additional questions followed regarding the correct appropriation numbers for  
the budget, various special revenue funds, maintaining/reducing the insurance liability  
fund, and a re-review of the property tax inflation rate calculation used by Director  
Hopkinson.  
The following resolutions were placed on the November 21, 2023 Special County Board  
Agenda  
8.  
RESOLUTIONS/ORDINANCES  
------------------------------------------------ CONSENT AGENDA ------------------------------------------------  
The following Consent Agenda items were held over to the November 21, 2023 Special  
County Board meeting.  
Adopting the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Appropriations and  
Budget  
23-474  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the General Fund (AS AMENDED)  
23-476  
23-475  
23-477  
23-478  
23-479  
23-480  
23-481  
23-482  
23-483  
23-484  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Insurance Liability Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Social Security Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the County Highway Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the County Bridge Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the County Highway Matching Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Kane County Health Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Veterans' Commission Fund  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for Mill Creek Special Service Area  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Shirewood Farm Special Service  
Area  
23-485  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Wildwood West Special Billing Area  
23-486  
23-487  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Plank Road Estates Special Billing  
Area  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Exposition View Special Billing Area  
23-488  
23-489  
23-490  
23-491  
23-492  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Pasadena Drive Special Billing Area  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Tamara Dittman Special Billing Area  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Church Molitor Special Service Area  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the 45W185 Plank Road Special Service  
Area  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Boyer Road Special Service Area  
23-493  
23-494  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Adopting a Tax Levy for the Crane Road Estates Special Billing  
Area  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
Authorizing Fiscal Year 2024 Non-Union Cost-of-Living Wage  
Increase  
23-495  
RESULT:  
HELD OVER  
------------------------------------------END OF CONSENT AGENDA ------------------------------------------  
ROLL CALL  
(The board took a five minute recess at 12:27 PM. and reconvened at 12:32 PM.) For  
attendance purposes, the roll was called to ensure a quorum.  
Board Member Deborah Allan  
Board Member Mavis Bates  
Board Member Dale Berman  
Board Member Gary Daugherty  
Board Member Mark Davoust  
Board Member Michelle Gumz  
Board Member Leslie Juby  
Board Member Mo Iqbal  
PRESENT:  
Board Member Michael Kenyon  
Board Member Chris Kious  
Board Member Anita Lewis  
Board Member Myrna Molina  
Board Member Bill Roth  
Board Member Jarett Sanchez  
Board Member Monica Silva  
Board Member Cherryl Strathmann  
Board Member Bill Tarver  
Board Member Vern Tepe  
Board Member Rick Williams  
Chairman Corinne M. Pierog  
Board Member Ron Ford  
Board Member David Young  
Board Member Michael Linder  
Board Member Bill Lenert  
ABSENT:  
AWAY:  
Board Member Clifford Surges  
Briefly, Madam Chair announced that six new handicap spaces were created in front of  
Building A.  
Madam Chair asked for a motion to approve the public display of the County's draft  
2024 budget.  
Approving the FY24 Draft Budget to be Placed on Public Display  
23-427  
ASA Frank reminded the board that this was not the final approval of the budget;  
just a vote to place it on public display. Some board members shared their own  
comments.  
RESULT:  
ADOPTED BY ROLL CALL VOTE  
Vern Tepe  
Chris Kious  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
Deborah Allan, Mavis Bates, Dale Berman, Gary Daugherty,  
Mark Davoust, Michelle Gumz, Leslie Juby, Michael Kenyon,  
Chris Kious, Anita Lewis, Bill Roth, Jarett Sanchez, Monica Silva,  
Cherryl Strathmann, Bill Tarver, and Vern Tepe  
AYE:  
Mo Iqbal, Myrna Molina, and Rick Williams  
Ron Ford, and David Young  
NAY:  
ABSENT:  
AWAY:  
Michael Linder, Bill Lenert, and Clifford Surges  
9.  
EXECUTIVE SESSION (if needed)  
10.  
PUBLIC COMMENTS (Non-Agenda Items)  
Madam Chair asked Atty. Shepro to read a public comment received by email from Ms.  
Corinne Owens on November 4, 2023. Ms. Corrine Owens asked the board to stop  
raising real estate taxes because the county was driving citizens out their communities,  
especially seniors. She asked to instill a tax cap on income for seniors and not a  
senior freeze. She asked for other cuts in the budget relating to parks and teachers'  
salaries.  
11.  
ADJOURNMENT TO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023  
Adjourned at 12:48 pm  
RESULT:  
APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE  
Michael Kenyon  
Bill Roth  
MOVER:  
SECONDER: