Government Center  
719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A  
Geneva, IL 60134  
Kane County  
KC Public Service Committee  
Meeting Minutes  
SANCHEZ, Young, Gripe, Gumz, Lewis, Surges, Tepe, ex-officios Roth (County Vice Chair)  
and Pierog (County Chair)  
Thursday, February 20, 2025  
9:00 AM  
County Board Room  
2025 Committee Goals  
• Continue presenting all Public Service reports from each department  
• Continue receiving Committee member’s feedback  
_______________________________________________________________________  
1.  
2.  
Call To Order  
Chairman Sanchez called today's meeting to order at 9:01 AM.  
Roll Call  
Board Member Jarett Sanchez  
Board Member David Young  
Board Member Jon Gripe  
Board Member Anita Lewis  
Board Member Clifford Surges  
Board Member Vern Tepe  
PRESENT  
ABSENT  
Ex-Officio County Board Vice Chair Bill Roth  
Board Member Michelle Gumz  
Ex-Officio County Board Chair Corinne M. Pierog  
Also present: Co. Bd. members Molina*, Penesis; Treasurer Lauzen; SOA Armstrong;  
ROE Supt. Dal Santo; VAC Supt. Zimmerman; Co. Clerk staff Pollock*; ITD staff  
Peters; and members of the press and public.  
3.  
4.  
Remote Attendance Requests  
There were no remote attendance requests for today's meeting.  
Approval of Minutes: January 23, 2025  
There was an amendment made to the minutes on a motion made by Young,  
seconded by Gripe. Motion carried by roll call vote. Motion passed.  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT  
Vern Tepe  
5.  
Public Comment  
Kane County resident Brian Anderson spoke on the U.S. Alliance Election Excellence  
Grant for $2M awarded to the Kane County Clerk's Office. He suggested that the  
County Clerk's Office be more transparent on how these funds were allocated.  
Committee Member and Kane County resident David Young reminded the Committee  
that in February of 2023, the Kane County Clerk's Office received the Election  
Excellence Award. This $2M grant came from the Center for Technology and Civic Life  
(CTCL). He stated that the Clerk's Office spent $650K of those grant funds in July of  
2023, and spent $1.35M in December 2023. He reiterated that the grant is supposed to  
be used for three things: election equipment, software, and election judges. Young  
referenced a company website called "The Honest Election Project." This group stated  
that the CTCL has ties with the Democratic party and Partisan Progressive  
Organizations. He mentioned that the drop-boxes used in the 2020 Presidential  
Election were funded by the CTCL, which evidently made them illegal. Young  
expressed his concerns on the allocation of these funds, and why he has been  
unsuccessful in getting answers from the Clerk's Office. He requested that the County  
Clerk's Office return the $2M, and no longer be affiliated with the CTCL.  
6.  
7.  
8.  
Finance  
Monthly Report  
A.  
The monthly reports are on file. No additional report was made.  
Recorder  
Monthly Report  
The monthly reports are on file. No additional report was made.  
Treasurer / Collector  
A.  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Treasurer Lauzen stated the monthly reports are on file. There are no significant  
changes. He stated that he and his staff would like to express their appreciation  
to Committee Chairman Sanchez, as well as the Committee Member's support  
for the all the work being done in the Treasurer's Office.  
9.  
Supervisor of Assessments  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Supervisor of Assessments (SOA) Armstrong stated the report has been  
submitted. No additional report was made.  
10.  
Regional Office of Education  
Regional Office of Education (ROE) Supt. Dal Santo stated that the Kane County  
Institute Day will be on Friday, February 28, 2025, and will be held at the Q-Center in  
St. Charles. There will be 75 different sessions for teachers to participate in, including  
staff wellness, social and emotional learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). There are  
currently 1,570 people registered to attend the event. In addition, the Art Ed Institute  
will have a workshop for all fine arts teachers in the county to be held at Central High  
School in Burlington. There are currently 120 people signed up for the event, and 20  
different sessions will be available for teachers to attend. Lastly, Dal Santo noted that  
ROE is pleased to partner with Valees, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy  
(IMSA), Arts Projects, Fermilab, Kane County Farm Bureau, and Fona to offer specific  
content areas at remote host sites for Kane County Institute Day.  
11.  
Veteran's Assistance Commission  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Veteran's Assistant Commission (VAC) Supt. Zimmerman stated that the  
monthly reports are on file. He noted that in December 2024, $688K of new  
Kane County Veteran benefits were collected. He announced that on Saturday,  
March 1, 2025, there will be a Women Veterans Resource Fair held at the  
Prisco Center in Aurora from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. On Friday, April 25, at Elgin  
Community College, there will be a Senior Resource Fair from 10:00 a.m.-12:00  
a.m. A date was established for a Veteran Resource Fair at the Batavia  
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) on Friday, May 2, 2025. There will be more  
information available on that event soon. Zimmerman addressed questions and  
comments from the Committee. Much discussion ensued.  
12.  
County Clerk  
Monthly Report  
A.  
Co. Clerk staff Pollock stated that there were 1,024 passport applications  
processed in January. There were 100 more marriage licenses this January than  
last year. Pollock announced that the April 1 Consolidated Election is upon us.  
The February 25 Primary Election is open to Aurora and Aurora Township  
voters. Early voting begins on March 7, and expanded early voting begins March  
17. Early voting is open to everyone including Village Boards, City Council,  
Schools and Park Districts. Pollock addressed questions on the grant. He stated  
that $80K of interest from the $2M grant has gone back to the General Fund to  
assist the county for the FY25 budget. About $400K of the grant funds were  
allocated for election equipment. In addition, the Clerk's Office generated $250K  
more for the General Fund than what was budgeted last year. The Clerk's Office  
will continue to evaluate the rest of the funds. Much discussion ensued.  
Authorization Number of Procurement Cards Issued to the Kane County Clerk  
and Each of Their Transaction Limits  
B.  
KC Finance and Budget Committee  
RESULT:  
TO:  
MOVED FORWARD BY ROLL CALL VOTE  
KC Finance and Budget Committee  
Clifford Surges  
MOVER:  
Vern Tepe  
SECONDER:  
Jarett Sanchez, David Young, Jon Gripe, Anita Lewis, Clifford  
Surges, and Vern Tepe  
AYE:  
Michelle Gumz, and Corinne M. Pierog  
ABSENT:  
13.  
14.  
15.  
Other Business  
None.  
Executive Session (If Needed)  
None.  
Reports Placed On File  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT  
Jon Gripe  
16.  
Adjournment  
RESULT:  
APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE  
Vern Tepe  
Jon Gripe  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
This meeting was adjourned at 9:40 a.m.  
Rachel Santora  
Recording Secretary