NEW ITEMS
Meeting of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
County Board Room, County Building
Tuesday, April 9, 2002, 10:00 A.M.
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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
ITEM #1
Submitting a Proposed
Resolution sponsored by
JOHN H. STROGER, JR.,
President, Cook County Board of Commissioners
Co-Sponsored by
JERRY BUTLER, ALLAN C.
CARR, EARLEAN COLLINS, JOHN P. DALEY, GREGG GOSLIN,
CARL R. HANSEN, TED
LECHOWICZ, ROBERTO MALDONADO, WILLIAM R. MORAN,
JOSEPH MARIO MORENO, MIKE
QUIGLEY, HERBERT T. SCHUMANN, JR.,
PETER N. SILVESTRI, DEBORAH
SIMS, BOBBIE L. STEELE and CALVIN R. SUTKER,
County Commissioners
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, counties secure
America. The terror attacks on September 11 spotlighted the work county officials
do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year; and
WHEREAS, counties are the
first to respond to emergency situations and are primarily responsible for
planning for disasters; and
WHEREAS, county officials
keep citizens protected and communities thriving. Due to the planning, cooperation and dedication of America's
counties, emergency response professionals from all across the nation are able
to mobilize and respond quickly and effectively; and
WHEREAS, counties still are
dealing with the after effects of September 11 and the ensuing health threats;
and
WHEREAS, there are 3,066
counties in the United States collectively responsible for the well-being of
more than 230 million residents; and
WHEREAS, counties have a
long history of serving and providing for the American people. In this new and trying time, counties help
safeguard our way of life, remaining vigilant protectors of our citizens; and
WHEREAS, Cook County has
the largest unified court system in the nation, helping cities and towns
throughout the County protect the public; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Jail,
located at 26th and California, in Chicago, is the largest single site jail in
the nation; and
WHEREAS, Cook County
Hospital, built in 1835, has Chicago's largest burn unit and the busiest Level
One trauma center; and
WHEREAS, county governments
are the citizen's local government voice, providing solutions that bring
communities together; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of
the leadership, innovation and valuable service provided by our nation's
counties.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the more
than five million residents of Cook County, does hereby designate April 7-13,
2002, to be “National County Government Week” in all of Cook County, in
recognition of contributions made and the leadership offered by the counties of
our nation.
_________________________
Commissioner Daley,
seconded by Commissioner Hansen, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter
may be considered. The motion
carried unanimously.
Commissioner Daley,
seconded by Commissioner Hansen, moved that the Resolution be approved and
adopted. The motion carried unanimously.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
ITEM #2
Submitting a Proposed
Ordinance sponsored by
CARL R. HANSEN, County
Commissioner
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
The Cook County Contracting
and Purchasing Ordinance is amended as follows:
Add the following language
to Section 10-7.2:
No contract or sub-contract
for auditing services for Cook County or any agency of Cook County may be
awarded to any firm or subsidiary also providing consulting services for Cook
County or any agency of Cook County.
Rationale:
Allowing auditing and
consulting services to be provided by the same firm risks conflict of interest.
_________________________
Commissioner Daley,
seconded by Commissioner Hansen, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter
may be considered. The motion
carried unanimously.
Commissioner Hansen,
seconded by Commissioner Daley, moved that the Proposed Ordinance be referred
to the Committee on Finance (Comm. No. 251021) and the Audit Committee (Comm.
No. 251022). The motion
carried unanimously.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
ITEM #3
Submitting a Proposed
Resolution sponsored by
WILLIAM R. MORAN, County
Commissioner
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
WHEREAS,
according to Illinois Statute (10 ILCS 5/6-70), no one employed by or appointed
to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners may participate in any manner
for a political party or any candidate for public office; and
WHEREAS,
this statute avoids any possible appearance of wrongdoing by ensuring no
official can favor any political party or candidate over any other; and
WHEREAS,
avoiding the appearance of impropriety is important for officials beyond the
City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS,
officials and employees who oversee elections should be seen as being outside
any political influence; and
WHEREAS,
although political activity is a fundamental right of any United States
Citizen, this right has been limited for the Election Commissioners and
employees of Chicago, and for the same reasons it should be limited for
Election officials across the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS,
County Clerk’s, other elected officials and employees, who are responsible for
reporting and collecting election returns, activities in politics can lead to
the same appearances of impropriety as for the Chicago Board of Elections
Commissioners; and
WHEREAS,
individuals responsible for ensuring the validity of elections in the State of
Illinois should be held to the same high standard set for the Chicago Board of
Elections by the State Legislature.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners urges
the Illinois General Assembly to review the Illinois State Statutes concerning
the political actions and involvement of officials and employees for state and
local governments who are responsible for counting and reporting election
returns.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be sent to
the Honorable George H. Ryan, Governor and the Honorable Members of the
Illinois General Assembly.
_________________________
Commissioner Daley,
seconded by Commissioner Hansen, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter
may be considered. The motion
carried unanimously.
Commissioner Moran moved
that the Resolution be approved and adopted.
The motion died for lack of a second.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
ITEM #4
Submitting a Proposed
Ordinance sponsored by
GREGG GOSLIN, County Commissioner
PROPOSED ORDINANCE
Establishing
the Cook County Elected Officials Compensation Review Board
WHEREAS,
the County of Cook is a home rule unit pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 of
the 1970 Illinois Constitution; and
WHEREAS,
as a home rule unit, Cook County may exercise any power and perform any
function pertaining to its government and affairs; and
WHEREAS,
at this time there is no impartial board to review the compensation of elected
officials in Cook County.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners shall
establish a Cook County Elected Officials Compensation Review Board,
hereinafter referred to as the Compensation Review Board, to review and
establish the compensation for the following elected county officials:
President
of the Cook County Board
Each
Member of the Cook County Board (excluding the Finance Chairman and the
President of the Board of Commissioners, if the President is also a
Commissioner)
Finance
Chairman of the Cook County Board
Cook
County Recorder of Deeds
Cook
County Assessor
Cook
County Clerk
Cook
County Treasurer
Cook
County Sheriff
Members
of the Board of Review
Appointments of Members -Terms
The
Board shall consist of seven members appointed in the following manner: The
President of the Cook County Board shall make appointments to the board,
subject to approval by a simple majority of the Board of Commissioners, which
will include three members from the City of Chicago; two members from the
northern suburbs of Cook County defined as those areas directly north and
northwest of North Avenue; and two members shall be from the southern suburbs
of Cook County defined as areas directly south of North Avenue.
Members
shall be at least 21 years of age and shall be residents of Cook County. Members
may not be elected officials covered under this act or their employees. Members
shall serve without compensation but shall receive an allowance for expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties. Such allowance shall be $75 per
meeting or any other rate determined by the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE continued
ITEM #4 cont'd
Members
will serve four-year terms and may be reappointed to a second term for a total
of 8 consecutive years of service.
The President of the County Board will appoint a staff member from the
County Board to serve as Executive Director and Secretary for the Compensation
Review Board.
Meetings of the Board; Determining Compensation;
Public Hearings; Reports
The Compensation Review Board shall meet as often as necessary but not
less than annually, and shall determine upon a vote requiring at least 4
affirmative votes, the compensation for those Cook County elected officials
named in this ordinance.
In determining the compensation for each office, the Cook County Elected
Officials Compensation Review Board shall consider the following factors:
a) the skill required,
b) the time required,
c) the opportunity for other earned income,
d) the value of public services as performed in
comparable state,
e) the value of such services as performed in
the private sector in Illinois and comparable counties based on the
responsibility and discretion required in the office,
f) the average consumer prices commonly known
as the cost of living,
g the overall compensation presently received
by the public officials and all other benefits received,
h) the interests and welfare of the public and
the financial ability of the county to meet those costs,
i) such other factors, not confined to the
foregoing, which are normally or traditionally taken into consideration in the
determination of such compensation.
The Compensation Review Board shall conduct public hearing prior to filing
its report.
At the public hearings, the Board shall allow interested persons to present
their views and comments. The Board may prescribe reasonable rules for the
conduct of public hearings, to prevent undue repetition. The meetings of the
Board are subject to the Opening Meetings Act.
The Board shall file an initial report with the Cook County Board.
Subsequent reports shall be filed therewith before May 1 in each even-numbered
year thereafter stating the annual salary for the Cook County elected officials
covered under this ordinance subsequent to the next general election.
The salaries in the report, or as reduced by the Cook County Board of
Commissioners shall take effect as provided by law.
Salary changes-Reports
If the Compensation Review Board fails to recommend a change in salary or
the Cook County Board of Commissioners disapproves the report as provided in
subsection (b), and a new term for any officer provided for in the Act begins,
the salary for the new term shall be the same as the salary in effect when the
previous term ended.
(b) The Cook County Board of Commissioners may disapprove the report of
the Compensation Review Board in whole, or reduce it in whole proportionately,
within 30 days after the report is filed by adoption of a resolution by a
majority of the Cook County Board. Such "resolution shall be binding upon the
Cook County Elected Officials Compensation Review Board.
This ordinance shall take effect upon passage.
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Commissioner Daley,
seconded by Commissioner Hansen, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter
may be considered. The motion
carried unanimously.
This item was WITHDRAWN at the request of the sponsor.
PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS
ITEM #5
Submitting a Proposed
Resolution sponsored by
CARL R. HANSEN, County
Commissioner
Co-Sponsored by
JOHN H. STROGER, JR.,
PRESIDENT, JERRY BUTLER, ALLAN C. CARR, EARLEAN COLLINS,
JOHN P. DALEY, GREGG
GOSLIN, TED LECHOWICZ, ROBERTO MALDONADO,
WILLIAM R. MORAN, JOSEPH
MARIO MORENO, MIKE QUIGLEY,
HERBERT T. SCHUMANN, JR.,
PETER N. SILVESTRI, DEBORAH SIMS, BOBBIE L. STEELE and
CALVIN R. SUTKER, County
Commissioners
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Elizabeth Bowes
Lyon, the Queen Mother of Great Britain, has passed away at the age of 101, and
WHEREAS, The Queen Mother,
daughter of a Scottish Lord, became Queen of England when her husband, George VI,
became King in 1936, and
WHEREAS, during the dark
days of World War II, the Queen Mother, as England's Queen, and her husband,
King George VI, stayed in their home in London throughout the relentless air
attack by Germany, and
WHEREAS, by this fortitude
and loyalty, the Queen Mother served as an inspiration not only to the British
people, but also to the thousands of men and women from all nations who were
fighting Axis oppression, and
WHEREAS, with the death of
King George VI in 1952, his daughter Elizabeth became Queen, and Elizabeth
Bowes Lyon's life began a new chapter, as grandmother and loving matriarch, and
WHEREAS, for more than four
decades, the Queen Mum, as she was affectionately called, continued to inspire
not only the people of Britain, but all people of good will, as she embarked on
more than 40 foreign tours and was a patron of more than 350 charitable and
civic organizations, and
WHEREAS, as the Queen Mum
aged, she continued to attract the attention and affection of each new generation,
and was honored by many on her 100th birthday, now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that the
Board of Commissioners of Cook County, Illinois, in the United States of
America, does hereby express its profound sorrow at the passing of Elizabeth,
the Queen Mother, and extends to her family and to the people of Great Britain
its deepest sympathy at the loss of this great lady.
_________________________
Commissioner Daley,
seconded by Commissioner Hansen, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter
may be considered. The motion
carried unanimously.
Commissioner Hansen,
seconded by Commissioner Sutker, moved that the Resolution be approved and
adopted. The motion carried unanimously.
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ITEM #6
Submitting a Proposed
Resolution sponsored by
JOSEPH MARIO MORENO and
ROBERTO MALDONADO, County Commissioners
Co-Sponsored by
JOHN H. STROGER, JR.,
PRESIDENT, JERRY BUTLER, ALLAN C. CARR, EARLEAN COLLINS,
JOHN P. DALEY, GREGG
GOSLIN, CARL R. HANSEN, TED LECHOWICZ,
WILLIAM R. MORAN, MIKE
QUIGLEY, HERBERT T. SCHUMANN, JR., PETER N. SILVESTRI,
DEBORAH SIMS, BOBBIE L.
STEELE and CALVIN R. SUTKER, County Commissioners
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Mexican
American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) was founded in 1968 in San
Antonio, Texas and is the leading nonprofit Latino litigation, advocacy and
educational outreach institution in the United States; and
WHEREAS, MALDEF's mission
is to foster sound public policies, laws and programs to safeguard the civil
rights of the 35 million Latinos living in the United States and to empower and
expand the opportunities of Latinos to participate fully in society and to make
a positive contribution toward its well being; and
WHEREAS, MALDEF achieves
its objectives through advocacy, community education, collaboration with other
groups and individuals, the awarding of higher education scholarships in law
and communications and, when necessary, through the legal system; and
WHEREAS, MALDEF has been at
the forefront of civil rights litigation, setting precedent in many cases and
establishing new systems to elect officials, hire and promote employees and
educate children; and
WHEREAS, MALDEF through its
leadership development program trains and empowers Latinos to serve on policy-making
boards and commissions at the local, state and national levels and through its
parent leadership programs also provides parents with the knowledge and tools
necessary to advocate for a quality education for their children; and
WHEREAS, MALDEF’s Headquarters
are located in Los Angeles, and has regional offices in Atlanta, Los Angeles,
San Antonio, Chicago and Washington, D.C., with a satellite office in
Sacramento, California and program offices in Phoenix, Arizona, Albuquerque,
NM, and Houston, Texas. The thirty-five
member Board of Directors is comprised of leaders from the public and private
sector, government, and law firms.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners acknowledges MALDEF's
22nd Annual Chicago Awards Dinner and extends our congratulations on their
continued success; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that a suitable copy of this Resolution be tendered to Antonia Hernandez,
President and General Counsel on behalf of MALDEF in recognition of their 22
years of service and their continued efforts towards creating a vibrant
Hispanic community by securing the rights of Latinos, through the promotion of
civil rights.
_________________________
Commissioner Daley,
seconded by Commissioner Hansen, moved to suspend the rules so that this matter
may be considered. The motion
carried unanimously.
Commissioner Moreno,
seconded by Commissioner Silvestri, moved that the Resolution be approved and
adopted. The motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
ITEM #7
Pursuant to Rule 4-30,
George Blakemore, addressed the President and Members of the Cook County Board
of Commissioners. Mr. Blakemore
expressed his concerns regarding the Human Rights Ordinance.