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Geneva, IL 60134

Kane County

KC Human Services Committee

Meeting Minutes

SURGES, Linder, Allan, Garcia, Gripe, Lewis, Tarver, ex-officios Roth (County Vice Chair) &

Pierog (County Chair)

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

9:00 AM

County Board Room

Call To Order

Chairman Surges called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM.

Roll Call

Board Member Clifford Surges

Board Member Michael Linder

Board Member Deborah Allan

Board Member Sonia Garcia

Board Member Jon Gripe

PRESENT

Board Member Anita Lewis

Ex-Officio County Board Vice Chair Bill Roth

Ex-Officio County Board Chair Corinne M. Pierog

Board Member Bill Tarver

REMOTE

Also present: Co. Bd. Members Bates*, Berman*, Juby, Kious*, Molina*, Penesis*,

Strathmann*; HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo & staff Davis, Larson; ITD/BLD Exec. Dir.

Fahnestock & staff Lasky, Harris, Peters, Roff; SAO Chief of Staff Frank & CFO Hunt*;

KDOT Maintenance Supt. Way; Auditor Wegman; KCAC Admin. Youngsteadt*;

KaneComm Dir. Guthrie; and members of the press and public.

Remote Attendance Requests

Chairman Surges announced the remote attendance requests for today's meeting. He

asked the Committee if there were any objections to Committee Member Tarver

attending today's meeting remotely. There were no objections.

Approval of Minutes: February 14, 2025

RESULT:

MOVER:

APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT

Michael Linder

Public Comment

None.

Monthly Financial Reports

Monthly Finance Reports

Chairman Surges 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 introduced Risk Manager, David Larson. She stated that

he will be providing a Risk Management presentation. Lobrillo notified the

Committee that moving forward HRM Asst. Dir. Davis will be presenting the

monthly reports.

Lobrillo explained that there has been a change in statute. The newly passed

statute is 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.4. This change requires mental health counseling be

provided to first responders through the County's health insurance. This

counseling will have no co-pay and deductibles. This statute will go in effect on

June 1, 2025. Lobrillo explained that in order to be in compliance, the County

must set up a additional health plan for first responders or add mental health

counseling to all insurance plans. She noted that setting up an additional health

plan would be difficult and extra work to manage, or the County could decide to

add the first dollar coverage to the existing HMO/PPO plan. She asked for the

County's direction on this. Lobrillo addressed questions and comments from the

Committee. Discussion ensued. (Committee Member Allan arrived in-person at

9:11 a.m.) The Committee requested additional information on the new statute

and what is needed of the County to be in compliance.

HRM Asst. Dir. Davis stated the monthly Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Invoice

was on file. She mentioned that January 2025 was on the higher side of

tolerance at $1.7M. Davis and Lobrillo addressed questions and comments from

the Committee. Discussion ensued. Chairman Surges requested that this

Committee keep track of the total administrative fees and adjustment costs listed

on the monthly invoice.

Monthly BCBS and MERP Totals

HRM Davis stated the monthly BCBS and MERP Totals Reports were on file.

She noted that the Medical Expense Reimbursement Program (MERP) has 80

enrollees, which is an increase from last year.

Monthly Applicants and Staff Changes

HRM Asst. Dir. Davis stated the monthly Applicants and Staff Changes reports

were on file. HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo addressed questions and comments from

the Committee. Committee Member Lewis requested that the new positions

versus replacement positions be reported. Discussion ensued.

Monthly Workers Comp and Liability Reports

HRM Asst. Dir. Davis stated the monthly Workers' Compensation and Liability

reports were on file. HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated that Risk Manager Larson

will speak on the Risk Management Program and this report would be

addressed afterwards, if needed. Davis addressed questions and comments

from the Committee. Much discussion ensued on the reasons employees have

terminated their employment with Kane County and how to address them.

Risk Management

HRM Risk Manager Larson provided a brief professional background. He

provided a presentation on Risk Management. He reviewed the purpose and

scope of Risk Management, such as proactively reduce loss exposure, hazard

and risk analysis, reporting to facilitate best practices and decision-making,

collaborate with County departments/offices, ensure adequate and appropriate

insurance coverage, and to help save the County money. He shared data on

FY2024 claims. In 2024, there were 73 Workers' Compensation Claims and 70

Liability Claims, in which 21 claims were preventable. This expected cost to the

County for preventable claims is $194,337.93. Larson explained that his

intention with the Risk Management Program is to take a two-prong approach.

The first prong would be Surveil, Analyze, and Report. Larson shared his tasks

and goals. The second prong would be to Educate and Equip. Larson reviewed

the tasks and goals. He shared the other Risk Management activities he will be

accomplishing, such as update incident reporting templates and facilitating

successful subrogation of claims. After all of this is put into place, Larson hopes

to have reduction in preventable incidents, severity and impact, increasing costs,

and improve efficiency and productivity. He asked the Committee what scope

and depth of reports they would like to see, how often do they want the reports,

and any other preferences. Chairman Surges requested Larson to send these

questions to Committee Members for feedback. Discussion ensued.

Compliance

Monthly Training Report

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo stated the monthly Training Report was on file. She

noted that the annual Sexual Harassment Training is due in August.

Old Business

Chairman Surges spoke on the development of a Human Services sub-committee for

the management of County Executive Directors. He noted that this would allow County

Board Members to meet within a group more than three. He mentioned that Committee

Member Gripe would chair this sub-committee and Committee Member Garcia would

be vice-chair. Discussion ensued. The Committee provided consensus to implement

this sub-committee. (Madam Chairman Pierog arrived in-person at 9:42 a.m.)

10.

New Business

Amending Kane County Financial Policies Related to Travel

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo introduced this resolution. She stated that travel is a

financial policy, but she was asked to complete the administrative work on

drafting this policy. She explained that this amendment adds an approval

process for County Board Members from the Committee that have jurisdiction of

the content matter of travel. Lobrillo and ASA Frank addressed questions and

comments from the Committee. Much discussion ensued.

KC Finance and Budget Committee

RESULT:

TO:

MOVED FORWARD BY ROLL CALL VOTE

KC Finance and Budget Committee

Jon Gripe

MOVER:

Sonia Garcia

SECONDER:

Clifford Surges, Michael Linder, Deborah Allan, Sonia Garcia,

Jon Gripe, Anita Lewis, and Bill Tarver

AYE:

Hiring Freeze Discussion

Chairman Surges introduced the Hiring Freeze discussion. He mentioned that

the County is weeks away from a sales tax referendum being voted upon that

could change how the County budgets. He stated that if this referendum does

not pass, immediate action will need to be taken. One thing the County will have

to do is a hiring freeze. (Committee Member Tarver left at 10:03 a.m.)

HRM Exec. Dir. Lobrillo explained that the County is currently in a hiring freeze.

She stated that the County Board must approve all replacement hires, in which

they always have. These replacement hires have been added to a New Hire

Authorization sheet that committee chairs sign at the beginning of each meeting.

That being said, the County Board does have the authority to stop replacement

hires. If the appropriate committee does not want departments/offices to be

filling positions, the committee chair would not sign this form. Lobrillo explained

that this form does include the detail on whether a position is a replacement hire

or new hire within budget or approved by a separate resolution. If the County

Board would like to institute a more formal hiring freeze, a draft would be written

under any parameters that the County Board would like to implement. Lobrillo

advised the Committee that a process needs to be in place because of cases

with critical positions that have to be filled and a qualified group of people need

to be established to address these requests in a discerning manner. Surges

asked County Board Chairman Pierog, County Board Vice-Chairman Roth, and

Lobrillo to draft a hiring freeze process before the Finance Committee meeting

on March 26, 2025. Much discussion ensued. The Committee provided

consensus to allow Pierog, Roth, and Lobrillo to work together to develop the

hiring freeze process and have it presented at the upcoming Finance Committee

meeting.