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Geneva, IL 60134

Kane County

KC Human Services Committee

Meeting Minutes

SURGES, Linder, Allan, Kenyon, Lewis, Silva, Tarver & ex-officios Pierog (County Chair) and

Tepe (County Vice Chair)

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

9:00 AM

County Board Room

Call To Order

County Board Vice Chair Tepe called the meeting to order at 9:02 AM.

Roll Call

Board Member Deborah Allan

Board Member Michael Kenyon

Board Member Anita Lewis

PRESENT

Board Member Monica Silva

Ex-Officio County Board Vice Chair Vern Tepe

Board Member Michael Linder

Board Member Bill Tarver

Board Member Clifford Surges

REMOTE

ABSENT

Ex-Officio County Board Chair Corinne M. Pierog

Also present: Co. Bd. Members Gumz, Juby, Kious*, Molina, Roth, Sanchez*; HRM

Exec. Dir. Lobrillo & staff Miller; ITD/BLD Exec. Dir. Fahnestock* & staff Lasky*, Peters,

Green, Palleson; OEM Dir. Buziecki; KCAC Admin. Youngsteadt*; ASA Frank; Spec.

ASA Shepro*; Auditor Wegman; KDOT Deputy Dir. Rickert*; and members of the press

and public.

Remote Attendance Requests

County Board Vice Chair Tepe announced the remote attendance requests for today's

meeting. He asked the Committee if there were any objections to Committee Members

Allan, Linder, and Tarver attending today's meeting remotely. There were no

objections.

Approval of Minutes: February 14, 2024

RESULT:

MOVER:

APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT

Michael Kenyon

Public Comment (Agenda Items)

None.

Monthly Financial Reports

Monthly Finance Reports

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated the monthly financial reports were on file. No

additional report was made.

Department of Human Resource Management

Monthly Blue Cross Blue Shield Invoice

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated that monthly Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)

invoice was on file. She explained that this report was within tolerance and there

was nothing significant to report.

Monthly BCBS and MERP Totals

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated the monthly BCBS and MERP totals were on file.

No additional report was made.

Monthly Assured Partners Report

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated the monthly Assured Partners report was not

included in today's agenda. She explained that the County's vendor did not have

this report in time to be included in the agenda packet. She noted that this report

was posted on the County website outside of the agenda. Overall, the County's

insurance expenses have been consistent and within tolerance.

Monthly Applicants and Staff Changes

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated the monthly Applicants and Staff Changes report

was on file. She explained that this report shows nothing out of tolerance.

Monthly Workers Comp and Liability Reports

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated the monthly Workers' Comp. and Liability Reports

were on file. She explained that numbers are trending as expected.

Risk Management

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo provided a presentation on Risk Management. Risk

Management is the continuing process to identify, analyze, evaluate, and treat

loss exposures and monitor risk control and financial resources to mitigate the

adverse effects of loss. Currently, Kane County does not have a risk

management program and she believes the County would benefit from retaining

one. (Committee Member Tarver arrived remotely at 9:04 a.m.) She reviewed

several reasons as to why the County should implement risk management. She

presented the 2023 Workers' Compensation and Liability Claims. For Workers'

Compensation Claims, there were 66 claims made with $731,067.81 paid out.

There were nine preventable claims versus 57 unpreventable claims. For

Liability Claims, there were 106 claims with $453,730.90 paid out. There were

23 preventable claims and 83 unpreventable claims. Lobrillo explained if the

County put measures in place to help avoid preventable claims, the County

could have saved approximately $200K in 2023. Lobrillo shared the differences

between non-preventable claims versus preventable claims. She shared a table

depicting the department each claim came from, along with how much each cost

the County. Lobrillo explained that for the FY2025 Budget, she will be seeking a

Risk Manager position. She identified the definition and job duties of a Risk

Manager. She reviewed the potential savings to the County's Insurance Liability

Fund. In 2023, preventable Workers' Compensation and Liability Claims cost the

County approximately 316K. The estimated cost of a Risk Manager to the

Insurance Liability Fund would be $115K for salary and benefits. Lobrillo

addressed questions and comments from the Committee. Discussion ensued.

Lobrillo asked the Committee for their consensus to move forward in trying to

obtain a Risk Manager for the 2025 Budget. The Committee provided

consensus. (Committee Member Allan arrived in-person at 9:19 a.m.)

Compliance

Monthly Training Report

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated the monthly training report was on file. She

explained that staff is working diligently on completing the annual Sexual

Harassment Training.

Old Business

None.

10.

New Business

Authorizing Number of Procurement Cards Issued to the Department of Human

Resource Management and Each of their Transaction Limits

KC Finance and Budget Committee

RESULT:

TO:

MOVED FORWARD BY ROLL CALL VOTE

KC Finance and Budget Committee

Michael Kenyon

MOVER:

Monica Silva

SECONDER:

Michael Linder, Deborah Allan, Michael Kenyon, Anita Lewis,

Monica Silva, Bill Tarver, and Vern Tepe

AYE:

Clifford Surges, and Corinne M. Pierog

ABSENT:

Authorizing a Full Time Operations Manager for the Office of Emergency

Management and Associated Budget Adjustment

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated that this resolution is the first new head count

position that is going through the County's new Compensation Policy. This first

step is to approve the job description and grading that was done by the Human

Resource Management (HRM) Department. Lobrillo worked with OEM Dir.

Buziecki in the development of this position's job description, grading the

positions, and setting the associated pay range. This information is included

within the resolution to be approved by the Human Services Committee before

moving forward to the Judicial/Public Safety (JPS) Committee meeting. The JPS

Committee will vote on if this position is necessary. Lobrillo and OEM Dir.

Buziecki addressed questions and comments from the Committee. Discussion

ensued.

KC Judicial/Public Safety Committee

RESULT:

MOVED FORWARD BY ROLL CALL VOTE

KC Judicial/Public Safety Committee

Michael Kenyon

TO:

MOVER:

SECONDER:

Deborah Allan

Michael Linder, Deborah Allan, Michael Kenyon, Anita Lewis,

Monica Silva, and Bill Tarver

AYE:

Vern Tepe

NAY:

Clifford Surges, and Corinne M. Pierog

ABSENT:

Amending Resolution 23-518 Approving the Kane County Per Diem Meal Rates

for Calendar Year 2024

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo provided additional information on this resolution. She

stated that the term "per diem" has caused confusion among staff. To address

this, the term "per diem" stated in Resolution 23-508 needs to be replaced with

"maximum meal reimbursement amount". Lobrillo and Auditor Wegman

addressed questions and comments from the Committee. Discussion ensued.

Committee Member Lewis requested that Auditor Wegman and the State's

Attorney's Office research the ability to change the policy to $64.00 per day for

the maximum meal reimbursement amount, instead of having a meal

breakdown. Further discussion ensued.

KC Executive Committee

RESULT:

TO:

MOVED FORWARD BY ROLL CALL VOTE

KC Executive Committee

Michael Linder, Deborah Allan, Michael Kenyon, Anita Lewis,

Monica Silva, Bill Tarver, and Vern Tepe

AYE:

Clifford Surges, and Corinne M. Pierog

ABSENT:

Sick Leave Donation Policy

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo presented the proposed Sick Leave Donation Policy.

She stated that currently there is no Kane County Sick Leave Donation Policy.

She stated that she has received feedback from department heads and elected

officials on their views of this proposed policy. After compiling the data, she

drafted a proposed Sick Leave Donation Policy. She asked the Committee if this

would be something they would like to move forward. If so, the Board would

need to set the amount of sick days an employee would be able to donate, along

with when an employee could use the donated time. She listed options the

Board could choose to determine the use of donated time. Lobrillo addressed

questions and comments from the Committee. Discussion ensued. The

Committee provided consensus to move forward with the Sick Leave Donation

Policy and to write a resolution that would be voted on at next month's Human

Services Committee meeting. Lobrillo requested that the Committee e-mail her

with any feedback pertaining to this policy.

Lobrillo stated she is seeking the Committee's opinions on some possible

changes to be made to the County's Health Insurance Plans. Every year,

Lobrillo meets with the County's insurance broker to review the County's health

plan. At these meetings, the broker and Lobrillo settle on an action plan to help

improve the County's benefit offerings to employees. Lobrillo stated that a few

changes have come to light that she believes would be beneficial to the County

and employees. The first proposed option would be to combine the non-union

employee plans with the union employee health plans. The main change would

be the Emergency Room (ER) deductible. Currently, non-union employees pay

$500 per visit to the ER and union members pay $250 per visit. Additionally, this

change would allot for a minimal price reduction change to non-union

employee's monthly payment. Lobrillo stated that this change would be more

fair. All County employees could choose from the same plans. Lobrillo stated

that the amount of money it would cost to make this change would be saved in

the administrative expenses associated with managing six plans, instead of

three. She asked the Committee for their feedback on this, and if it is something

the Human Resource Management Department should pursue.

Lobrillo explained that the County's insurance plans have one PPO and two

HMO: HMO Blue Advantage and HMO Illinois. She would like to phase out the

HMO Illinois plan and explained the numerous reasons as to why the County

should pursue this. Lobrillo noted that the HMO Illinois plan is identical to the

HMO Blue Advantage, except for two doctors and a hospital located in

downtown Chicago. She explained that this process would be a limited phase

out, meaning this insurance plan would no longer be offered to new employees.

Those established employees with the HMO Illinois Plan would continue to

obtain it. County Board Vice-Chair Tepe requested that a campaign be shared

with County staff on these changes, if the County moves forward.

Lastly, Lobrillo stated that if these changes are made to reduce the County's

health insurance plan offerings, then a Health Savings Account (HSA) plan

option should be offered. This would be an additional offering to County

employees. This type of plan would fit best for those that are generally healthy

individuals providing a huge cost benefit. Lobrillo explained that an employee

would be given a high-deductible account and the County would put money in a

HSA Account for them annually. These generally healthy employees could take

these healthy years and could establish an account that would be utilized for

health expenses as they arise. Any unused money within the HSA could be used

by the employee for future retirement. Lastly, this account is portable and

belongs to the employee, meaning if they work for a different employer, they can

take the account with them. Lobrillo clarified that this would be an additional

offering and would not affect the County's health insurance. She noted that

nearly 50% of the County's insurance participants access less than $1K a year

in their benefits. Lobrillo asked the Committee to provide their feedback via

e-mail about these proposed changes. Lobrillo addressed questions and

comments from the Committee. Discussion ensued.

11.

Reports Placed On File

RESULT:

MOVER:

APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT

Michael Kenyon

12.

13.

14.

Executive Session (if needed)

None.

Public Comment (Non-Agenda Items)

None.

Adjournment

RESULT:

APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE

Michael Kenyon

Deborah Allan

MOVER:

SECONDER:

This meeting was adjourned at 9:59 AM.

Savannah Valdez

Sr. Recording Secretary