Government Center

719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A

Geneva, IL 60134

Kane County

KC Committee of the Whole

Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

4:00 PM

County Board Room

Call To Order

Madam Chairman Pierog called today's meeting to order at 4:00 PM.

Roll Call

After roll call was taken, an in-person quorum was not established. This meeting will be

for informational purposes only.

Board Member Deborah Allan

Board Member Alex Arroyo

Board Member Sonia Garcia

Board Member Jon Gripe

Board Member Mo Iqbal

PRESENT

Board Member Chris Kious

Board Member Michael Linder

Board Member Ted Penesis

Vice Chair Bill Roth

Board Member Cherryl Strathmann

Chairman Corinne M. Pierog

Board Member Leslie Juby

Board Member Bill Lenert

Board Member Myrna Molina

Board Member Bill Tarver

Board Member Vern Tepe

Board Member Rick Williams

Board Member Mavis Bates

Board Member Dale Berman

Board Member Gary Daugherty

Board Member Michelle Gumz

Board Member Anita Lewis

Board Member Jarett Sanchez

Board Member Clifford Surges

Board Member David Young

REMOTE

ABSENT

Also present: KCAC Admin. Youngsteadt*; Exec. Dir. IT/Bldg Mgt. Fahnestock and

staff Files, Harris, Walker, Passaglia, Smith; Sheriff's Office Chief of Admin. Catich;

ASA Cermak; ITD staff Kash; and members of the press and public.

Remote Attendance Requests

Madam Chairman Pierog announced the remote attendance requests for today's

meeting. She asked the Committee if there were any objections to Committee

Members Roth, Tarver, Juby, Williams, Lenert, Tepe, Molina, Allan attending remotely.

There were no objections.

Pledge of Allegiance

Madam Chairman Pierog asked Committee Member Penesis to lead the Pledge of

Allegiance.

Approval of Minutes: December 16, 2024 & February 13, 2025

There was no-person quorum established for today's meeting. No votes were taken.

Public Comment

Kane County resident Brian Anderson spoke on Board Member Kious' Awareness

Campaign for the Kane County Tax Referendum. He expressed his un-appreciation for

being interrupted by Kious when speaking at one of the campaigns. Anderson stated

that it is a Board Member's job to listen to "we the people," and respect freedom of

speech. He went on to speak of the importance of being frugal in Kane County.

Anderson recommended the Board start thinking about saving money, and decide what

expenses need to be cut.

Presentations/Discussion

Kane County’s Capital Projects Program

ITD/Blg. Mgt. Fahnestock presented information on Kane County's Capital

Projects Program. He briefly introduced staff of the Building Management team.

Fahnestock stated that the Capital Program matters because it protects public

safety and essential services, ensures fiscal responsibility, and builds a resilient

future. Justice and Public Safety facilities support daily judicial proceedings and

24/7 custodial care. He noted that there is currently a need for a second and

third shift maintenance employee for the Juvenile Center. (Board Members Allan

and Arroyo arrived at 4:08 p.m.) The goal is to make sure facilities and

technology exceed the public, officials, and the department's expectations.

Some of the larger systems will be transitioning to more modern systems, and

will be more reliable and efficient. Fahnestock affirmed that deferred

maintenance leads to emergency repairs, which are more expensive. One of the

systems currently being worked on is the Judicial Center's chillers. They will be

replaced with a new, and reliable system. He explained that aging infrastructure,

like HVAC systems and plumbing, don't just break; they disrupt operations and

create unexpected financial burdens and liabilities. He noted that $20M of

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are being spent on infrastructure and

improvements. Fahnestock explained that the Responsible Bidders Ordinance

ensures high-quality, reliable work. In addition, by following the Green Building

Policy, it will promote energy efficiency, sustainable practices, and healthy

indoor environments. He proceeded to share the capital program budget

process. (Board Member Roth arrived at 4:40 p.m.) The process begins with

collecting capital project requests from offices and departments. The project

requests are then classified and ranked by the review team, which then the

budget is drafted. The process continues on to committee approvals to the

County Board Adoption, and then on to the publish, implement, and

assessments process. Fahnestock provided a website to the Kane County

Capital Projects, with links to all current projects and completed projects listed.

He went on to share a series of photos of the key building systems and the

current conditions they are in. Fahnestock concluded by stating that the Capital

Project is not only very important for the county, but for the county's assets and

its investments. Many systems are at or near the end of their useful life,

therefore, years of deferred maintenance have compounded repair costs. Much

discussion ensued.

Executive Session

There was no in-person quorum established for today's meeting. No votes were taken.

Release of Closed Session Minutes

Open Session

No votes were taken.