Government Center

719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A

Geneva, IL 60134

Kane County

County Board

Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

11:30 AM

County Board Room

***SPECIAL MEETING***

CALL TO ORDER

The continued meeting of the Kane County Board was held at the Kane County

Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A, Geneva, IL 60134 on October 30,

2024.

Chairman Pierog called the meeting to order at 11:30 AM.

ROLL CALL

Board Member Mavis Bates

Board Member Dale Berman

Board Member Michelle Gumz

Board Member Leslie Juby

Board Member Michael Kenyon

Board Member Chris Kious

Board Member Michael Linder

Board Member Bill Lenert

PRESENT:

Board Member Myrna Molina

Board Member Bill Roth

Board Member Jarett Sanchez

Board Member Monica Silva

Board Member Cherryl Strathmann

Board Member Vern Tepe

Board Member Rick Williams

Chairman Corinne M. Pierog

Board Member Bill Tarver

REMOTE:

ABSENT:

Board Member Mark Davoust

Board Member Anita Lewis

Board Member Deborah Allan

Board Member Gary Daugherty

Board Member Ron Ford

AWAY:

Board Member Mo Iqbal

Board Member Clifford Surges

Board Member David Young

REMOTE ATTENDANCE REQUESTS

Madam Chair asked for board approval to allow Board Member Tarver to attend the

meeting remotely. No objections voiced.

Also present: State's Atty. Mosser, ASAs Frank, Shepro*, Vargas*; Spcl. Invstg.

Weiler; Sheriff Hain; HR Exec. Dir. Lobrillo; Animan Control Dir. Youngsteadt; ITD Asst.

Dir. Lasky, and members of the press & public.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION

Board Member Silva led the assembly with the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None

PUBLIC COMMENT

Madam Chair invited public comment:

Frank Esposito noted the budget was not on the agenda. He discussed the increasing

expense figures from 2020 to 2024, coming up with a 45% increase. He stated the

budget needed to be tightened up. He stated the public was disgusted with the

spending. (Iqbal arrives.)

Mark Titre, resident, asked the board to adopt a budget and not overspend -- a simple

process. He provided words of wisdom from his life and asked the board to maintain it

and do what is right for the taxpayers.

(Allan arrives.)

Sheriff Hain, along with others who joined him from Lighthouse Recovery, discussed

the transitional housing program and the fact that there was "muddy waters" and as a

consequence, the building was lost after looking for two years. He discussed the need

for transitional housing, got the funding, but expressed his disappointment in the board

on how the matter played out.

Kathy Flesberg, resident, thanked those members who voted against the proposed

budget. She discussed the difference from the 2020 budget and this proposed budget

was an 111% increase. Covid was gone. She stated the board was overworked with

so many subcommittees. She did not understand those few who voted in support of

the budget (Young arrives) because they do the least amount of work or provide little

input.

Jenine Mehr, Elburn, a financial planner, reviewed the general fund expenditure figures

from 2014 to present, and their increases over the years. Following, she then reviewed

the expenditure figures from the years the chairwoman was in office, starting in 2022 to

the present budget. The retail tax will not bail out the county.

Brian Anderson, Sugar Grove, noted the agenda did not include the budget and was

confused as to why. He noted the high payroll, too many committees created by the

chairwoman, and appreciated those who "digged in". He voiced his displeasure of the

chairwoman running on a slogan of "integrity" and found it absurd to be called an

extremist when he calling the board to task.

Brad Lashky discussed what the board is and is not and not representative of the

people, especially by raising taxes through a "legalized extortion." Every expansion of

the board's authority is another encroachment on the freedom of the individuals who

actually create value in our society. He stated the board should look at what

regulations can be abolished or those that are obsolete.

Michelle Bettag, recalled last year's budget as compared to year's budget, which was a

disaster. She believed adoption of the budget was done purposely set to be adopted

after the election in November. She stated Madam Chair is hurting the citizens by

raising taxes and she supposedly adores them. She explained that her recent FOIA

requests to a number of the chairwoman's donors were all denied. She stated people

were struggling, can afford groceries and were mad.

CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS

None

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Madam Chair entertained a motion to go into closed discussion to discuss 1) the

appointment, employment, compensation, discipline and performance, or dismissal of

specific employees and 2) the purchase or lease of real property for the use of the

public body. (Daugherty arrives remotely and allowed to attend.)

The Board entered into closed session at 12:04 p.m.

RESULT:

APPROVED BY ROLL CALL VOTE

Michael Linder

Michelle Gumz

MOVER:

SECONDER:

Deborah Allan, Mavis Bates, Dale Berman, Gary Daugherty,

Michelle Gumz, Leslie Juby, Mo Iqbal, Michael Kenyon, Chris

Kious, Michael Linder, Bill Lenert, Myrna Molina, Bill Roth, Jarett

Sanchez, Monica Silva, Cherryl Strathmann, Bill Tarver, Vern

Tepe, Rick Williams, and David Young

AYE:

Mark Davoust, and Anita Lewis

Ron Ford, and Clifford Surges

ABSENT:

AWAY:

The Appointment, Employment, Compensation, Discipline, Performance, or

Dismissal of Specific Employees

Purchase or Lease of Real Property for the Use of the Public Body

OPEN SESSION