County Board - Regular Meeting

Good morning everyone welcome to the will will county will county board meeting for June, 18th, 2026. I'll call this meeting to order. Oh, remember new quiz is not here. Um. I will lead us in the pledge and then, um, if you don't mind pastor Brooks, we'll let you just say a quick. Indication, thank you very much. Let's stand for the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States and to the Republic and which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Shall we pray father? God, we thank you 1 more time for the Will County board, our executive, our legislative committee, and all of our departments and residents will county now Lord bless each and everyone in this agenda on today that we do your work and the will that you cause to do and by the voters our Lord's name. We pray. Amen.

It's good to have pastor Brooks here to pitch it for us. So, thank you. Uh, we're moving on to roll call. Madam clerk. Will you please call the role?

Richmond Williams.

Dean slot man. Pretzel Butler new quest. Oh, look at that. Actually. Brooks win free. Bullock, Logan, Freeman, Revis, Mitchell, Ortiz, Berkowitz, Hickey, Costa, Trainier, Van Den.

20 members present. We have a quorum. I need a motion to place on file the certificate of publication. Motion by Gala, 2nd, by Ortiz, madam clerk, please call the role.

Richmond Williams. Yeah, okay. Yes. Pretzel. Yes. Butler. New quest. Baloch actually. Brooks.

Yeah.

Bullock, Logan, Freeman, Revis. Ortiz Berkowitz Hickey Costa. Trainee.

Yes, but thank you in the affirmative the motion carries. Can I get a motion to approve the minutes from May 21st 2026 board meeting? Motion by Revis. Seconded by Cosa. Previous roll call by Belich. Seconded by Brooks. All in favor? Any opposed? The motion carries. We're going to please add Member Winfrey to the roll. Madam Clerk, will you please acknowledge the elected officials and media present today?

Today, we have county executive Jennifer Bertino, Taryn, county clerk, Annette Parker. Corner Lori summers recorder of deeds, Karen stucco. Treasure Tim brophy and we have someone here from representative bunting's office. Oh, Randy, sorry, Randy, Randy from representative bunting's office.

Um, at this time, we're moving on to public comment for agenda items only agenda items only if you have a public comment for today's agenda item land use and otherwise please come forward now. Going once going twice. All right. We're going to move on to old business resolutions and ordinance from the May 21st, 2026 board meeting have been signed and returned. Going on to new business chair pretzel land use and development.

Thank you madam executive. First up on today's agenda, zoning case ZC26023 in Custer Township requesting a special use permit for a major public utility, Custer Township at 35332 Grant Street, Custer Park, Illinois, County Board District number one. PZC and land use were unanimous in approving this and I so move.

Motion by Pretzel, seconded by Dean Schlattman. Any discussion? Previous roll call by Ortiz, seconded by Hickey. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Member Winfrey, would you like to be a yes on that? Motion carries.

Number two, SEXT26-017. For a first extension request, a special use permit for a commercial solar energy facility with four conditions. Wesley Township at 1960 South Water Street, Wilmington, Illinois, County Board District number one. Land use voted six to zero to approve and I so move.

Motion by Pretzel, second by Freeman. Previous roll call by, okay, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Richmond? Williams? Yes. Dean Schlotman? No. Ogalla?

Yes.

Pretzel?

Yes.

Butler? Newquist? Yes.

No, actually previous or present. Sorry. Present.

Yes, or no, please. No, no, Brooks.

Yeah.

The 3. Logan Freeman. Revis skip. Oh, Freeman.

Thank you.

Yes. Revis. Berkowitz. Yeah, Costa. Yeah. It's all like, sorry.

I was trying to break a record on speed today, so this is really.

It's not. 17 in the firm of the motion carries.

All right. Number 3, 1st, extension request for a special use permit for a commercial solar energy facility with 4 conditions. Jackson township at 25217, South Chicago road, Illinois, county board district number 2 land use and development voted 620 to approve. And I so move.

Most of my pretzel 2nd, by Hickey previous roll call by. Dean Simon 2nd, bio gala on favor.

Any opposed motion next land use and development committee meeting is scheduled for July 2nd, 2026. thank you. Thank you.

Moving on to Finance Committee, Chair Newquist.

Good morning. Everybody. Okay. We have a consent agenda consisting of the following items resolution 26 dash 187 committing funds for the University of Illinois cooperative extension resolution 26 dash 188 appropriating funds in the vehicle replacement budget resolution 26 dash 189 appropriating funds in the emergency management agencies budget. Resolution 26-190, authorizing use of contingency funds for the county corridor, and Resolution 26-191, appropriating funds in the coroner's budget, and I so move.

Motion by new quiz 2nd, and by Freeman all in favor. I post motion carries. Okay.

And then number 2, we don't really have, uh, well, we have a, our finance report from June of 2026 to be placed on file and I don't believe we need a motion for that. Thank you. That's all I have other than our next finance committee meeting is scheduled for July 7th, 2026. Thank you.

We're moving on to chair trainer, public works and transportation.

Good morning madam executive fellow county board members. Is there any county board member that wishes to have 1 of the items removed from the consent agenda? Hearing none, I'll move forward. Um. Letter a resolution 26192 awarding, um, confirming award of contract to deconstruction, uh, resurfacing roadways in Wilmington township. Letter B, resolution 26193, confirming award of contract to tri state asphalt. Let on May 20th for the will road district materials oil county board district to letter C resolution 26 dash 194 confirming a word of contract to Gallagher asphalt corporation. Let on May 20th. Uh, Indiana Avenue and county line road resurfacing district 3 letter D resolution 26195 authorizing an agreement between the county of will and BP Midwest product pipeline holdings for reimbursement to perform an analysis and assessment to determine the scope of relocating facilities for improvements of Manhattan money road from center road to Harlem Avenue county board district 3. Letter E resolution 26 dash 196 authorizing approval of supplemental professional services agreement for right of way acquisition services with wood. Land valuation services, LLC for several parcels of property for the intersection of layer away and route 45 county board districts 2 and 3 letter F resolution 26 dash 197 authorizing approval of professional services agreement for design engineering services. Phase 1 with Clark deeds on county line road. From Illinois route 50 to Illinois route 1 county board district 2 letter G resolution 26 dash 198 improvement by the county under Illinois highway county code for county line road from Illinois route 50 to route 1 using motor fuel tax funds in county board district 2 and ISO move.

Motion by trainer, seconded by Freeman all in favor.

I motion carries the next public works and transportation committee meeting is scheduled for July 7th at 9 0 AM. Thank you.

Thank you. Chair Butler, public health and safety.

We have nothing to bring forward. Um. Our next meeting, it will be July 2nd. Thank you.

Thank you legislative committee chair win free.

Good morning madam executive, the legislative committee continues to work on its state and federal agenda, and we'll continue that on July 7th when we meet again. Thank you.

Share freeman capital improvement and it.

Thank you. I have nothing to bring forward. Our July meeting has been canceled, which gives everybody another chance next month to in their caucus to discuss the capital improvement plan. Because I look forward to hearing what we come back with. Our next meeting is scheduled for August 4th. Thank you. Thank you.

Chair, actually landfill.

Good morning madam executive landfill committee for June was canceled. We have nothing to report. Thank you. Thank you.

Oh, sorry. Uh, moving on to speaker Van Dyne executive committee.

Good morning, madam executive and fellow county board members and members of the public. Uh, we do have a consent agenda this morning. However, I would like to remove. Letter a establishing a will county land bank. Is there any other items that need to be removed this morning? Hearing none, um. Going to letter a, I would like to make a motion to remove. Resolution 26 dash 199 hold on speaker.

Yeah, we go to the consent agenda first outside of a okay letters B through G.

Resolution 26-200, authorizing the Will County Executive to execute a contract with Workforce Services Division of Will County as a one-stop operator for Workforce Center of Will County. Resolution 26-201, authorizing the County Executive to renew a contract with Joliet Junior College. 26-202, authorizing the County Executive to renew a contract with JJC for the Workforce Development Work Readiness Program. Uh, a number of ordinances, uh, 26, 203, 204, 205 and 206, which consists of title. 15, um, swimming pools, pollution control facilities, economic development and setting the number of assistant state's attorneys. And I, oh, I'm sorry that I jumped ahead. Those what I had just said, so I make a motion to approve all of those.

Motion by Van Dyne, seconded by Trenere. All in favor?

Aye.

The motion carries.

May I proceed to letter A?

You may.

All right. Looking for a motion to remove letter A following a discussion.

Motion by Van Dyne, seconded by Richmond. Any discussion?

Madam Chair. Go ahead. Uh, we, uh, we have had a number of, uh, county board members that, um, feel that this is a very important program and, um, there have been, uh, as of recent, some additional questioning. So. i believe it's only fair to remove this item from the agenda i will work with staff and the leadership to come up with a date in early july for a committee the whole and then present this item to full board in july is that it thank you

Uh, oh, we removed it for you. Okay. Um, so I did, I did make that we already have a motion and a 2nd, I'm sorry, I forgot there was a vote on the floor. So more discussion yet member new quest.

Yeah, I would just like to know, where did this come from that we found on our desks?

Um, I believe this, uh, that was, I believe, uh, member bail college left that for you as information.

Okay. Thank you. That was my only question.

Any other questions. Member gala, thank you.

I appreciate the consideration given for all the questions that people have had regarding this. And I think that it's a fabulous idea that we're going to do a committee of the whole. Thank you, Joe.

So, we have a motion, we have a 2nd, I think. Previous look, we're called by Logan 2nd of our teas all in favor. Any opposed motion carries.

Thank you number two on our agenda resolution 26 dash 206. this is a resolution that is setting the number of assistant state's attorneys and I will make that motion motion by Van Dine.

Seconded by Hickey any discussion.

Member Bullock, this is about the 1 that just went by. Can I just ask a question for procedure on a committee of whole.

Uh, did she okay? Sorry I didn't see it. Um. All right, hold on a 2nd. Oh, um, okay. Yes, go ahead.

I'm sorry in a committee of a whole. Can any decisions be made or votes be taken?

Correct. Yeah, everyone else beat me to it. They're informational only. Um, they generally are brought so that we can kind of workshop ideas and then the idea is brought to the full county board or it's not if, you know, we, we talk about it and the idea is, this isn't going to work. So it will simply be for information to have the whole board meet.

In 1 area, but can be changed afterwards then correct because nothing can be decided. Correct. So we're having a meeting.

Okay, usually we do it for large topics where there's need for a significant amount of discussion.

All right now, we've got more correct. It's separate. No, no committee of the whole. Yep. All right, so we have a motion in a 2nd out on the number, uh, setting the number of assistant state attorney discussion on that. Please. We have discussion member trainer.

I did submit a question to get some more data on this so that I could have actual facts in front of me. Since I don't know how to search anything in this lovely new system, whatever it's called, prime.gov.com, because I have no clue how to search anything, and I've tried. I am not in favor of upping the number of state's attorneys. Our state's attorney hasn't been here at a meeting since, I don't know, 2012, maybe. It's been a long time. I just think that we've given them enough extra state's attorneys since COVID because of the change in the Safety Act that we really don't need to do this. I'm just not going to support it. I really think that by now, if they're not caught up from the COVID cases, they're never going to catch up. And that's always going to be the excuse. And I'm just not going to be supporting this. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other discussion? Member Revis?

I would just say that I know the state's attorney's office has been very busy lately, you know, uh, different cases coming forward with, like, other, like, board members and stuff like that. So that's probably why they might need some more people. So.

Any other discussion member? Okay, ma'am Clark, please call the roll.

Richmond Williams. Okay. Pretzel Butler. New quest. Yeah, actually Brooks.

Yeah.

Winfrey. Logan Freeman. Ortiz. Kosta. Yes.

1717 in the affirmative the motion carries.

Thank you, uh, last on our agenda. Ordinance 26 dash 207 ordinance amending the will county code of ordinances title 15 land usage chapter 154 subdivision regulations and I would like to make the motion.

Motion by being dying second by any discussion. Madam Clark, please call the roll.

Richmond? Yes. Williams? Yes. Dean Schlattman? Yes. Ogalla? Yes. Pretzel? Yes. Butler? Yes. Newquist? Yes. Balich? Yes. Axley? Yes. Brooks? Yes. Winfrey? Bullock? Logan? Yes. Freeman? Yes. Revis? Yes. Mitchell? I'm sorry. Ortiz? Yes. Berkowitz? Yes. Hickey? Costa? Yes.

Yes, 21 in the affirmative the motion carries.

Our next executive committee meeting is scheduled for July 9th, 2026 and I hope during that meeting, we do not use a certain type of comments. Like, I just had to listen to just a moment ago. Moving on to appointments by the county executive resolution 26 dash 208, approving the county executive appointments to the Northern Illinois transit authority. And I still move.

Motion by Van Dyne, seconded by Oxley. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed?

Motion carries. Resolution 26-209, approving county executive appointments to the Manhattan Fire Protection District of Will County. And I so move.

Motion by Van Dyne, seconded by Ogalla. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries.

Madam Executive, that concludes the Executive Committee's report. Thank you so much.

I'm moving on to public comment relevant to matters under the jurisdiction of the county. Is there anyone here who has a public comment relevant to matters under the jurisdiction? Sir, please and.

When you come up, just please state your name for us. Thank you.

Hello.

My name is Jim O'Connor. I'm the executive director of the Second Story Foundation. And I just wanted to take a moment here. Two years ago, I came into this chamber and announced that the Second Story Foundation would buy a farm in Crete, build this recovery community organization and long-term workforce development program. And I acknowledge that it must have sounded crazy. This week, we were awarded a $2 million grant from the state of Illinois. It was severely championed by Will County officials, Senator LG Sims, Senator Mike Hastings, Senator Rachel Ventura, Senator Pat Joyce, Jackie Haas, and people beyond the county. And your support, Here in this room and will county land use has been instrumental in getting us this far. We are more than halfway to what we need. Um, but when you come and ask for support, I also think it's important to come and say, thank you. And so thank you to all of you, you know, systems sometimes don't work, but when people get together. Um, and make decisions, you know, to help things can. Seriously move, so I know there are a lot of people here that were instrumental in getting us this far. We've got a little ways to go, but again, thank you. Thank you. Thank you all.

All right, we are. She'll go back and see. Jackie can go back and see it. We are moving on to comments by the county board members. Anything relevant to the greater good in the county? County board member Brooks.

Madam executive, excuse me. I'm a little rusty. I'm still new on the board.

Okay.

Meaning of the whole, I know, Kevin, we can only discuss what's on the agenda. Is that correct? Correct. Okay. Now, here's my real question. Executive committee on the 9th, is that also apply and or can we discuss the land bank on July 9th if it's not on the agenda? Okay.

Generally, I don't stop you guys from bringing up basic concept. Hey, I'd like to bring I'd like to bring this forward. I don't like having in depth discussions because the argument then is that we've made a decision. So generally, no, it's got to be very, very close. I try if I think you're getting off task. I will.

Thank you sir. Thank you madam executive.

Member. Sorry. Okay. Member gala.

Thank you. I've sent information to the counties. Well, I sent it to. The Democrat leader, and I sent it to the Republican caucus. There are some interesting events coming up on Wednesday, June 24th from 9 AM to 12 PM at and Wilmington at the Tim and treeberry. There's a farm tour. They are the conservation award winning family from the will South cooks on water conservation district this year. Um, that's a very interesting unique farm different than any you've seen before because it's trees and and fruit plant fruit, like, um, raspberries and blueberries and things like that. So I think it'll be very interesting tour. And if you haven't taken 1 before, I hope that you'll be able to sign up to go on July Thursday, July 16th, Chicago wilderness is having a team's presentation at noon. I know that's our county board meeting, but maybe we'll be lucky to go just like today and they have a presentation about data centers. I think that might be beneficial for everyone to watch and just this last past Saturday. I had the honor of going down to the Chicago history museum for a viewing of the film called holding pattern holding painters, a documentary that was recorded for 24 years by young man named Tom dash. He's from coal city. It's regarding the airport and it's a, um. A documentary that shows the pros and cons both sides is extremely well done and, um. They had a panel afterwards I was able to speak on that, but hopefully that will be coming forward to a presentation out our way as well as going on. So, I think it's something entries just tells the history of everything how it started and as to where we are today. Nothing forecasting the future, but I just want to let you guys all know about that. Thank you.

Member Hickey.

Thank you madam executive. I just wanted to call everyone's attention to the fact that the emergency management agency is transitioning from ever bridge to smart 911. it's a way to receive emergency notifications and with the weather that we've had recently, I think it's pretty timely that we make sure that everyone downloads the app and registers for yourself and for your constituents. There are posts from on social media. that you can boost that give people instruction on how to do that. So please encourage people to sign up.

Thank you. Member Bullock.

One, Member Ogalla, is it possible for you, I guess through the chat, I don't know what I'm doing.

She'll hear you.

At any rate, to see if the data center team situation is something that they can send us a link to if they do record it so that we can see it later. And I don't even know what's happening right now. I feel like I'm in another zone. I packed lunch. What is going on? But okay, let's do it.

Member balance.

Yeah, I just want to say, happy Father's Day to all the fathers and then in Spanish deals. They've been a deca they.

Member Butler.

So, I'm speaking today because I just, you know, 1st, I want to explain why. Okay. Some people might travel down the range road and might have experienced a lot of heavy traffic as they go in and pull into their subdivisions. But there's a few people that actually drive all the way down and break free of it. And and they're out in the country. In green garden and. Those people are very comfortable out there. That's why they moved out there. And 25% of that open space that we try so hard in our forest preserves to preserve has just been taken up by a huge corporation, 25% of their available agriculture. when i speak to how the permit process was done it's because i feel for these people who are not going to have that same feeling when they drive out there when they go to their homes who have had that feeling of open country are now going to be surrounded by solar panels it's not going to be the same for them ever again a lot of those people are contemplating if they're gonna move, if they're gonna have to go further south to find that kind of lifestyle again. And there were simple things that we could have done as a board. They had to fill out what type of wetlands were on the properties that they were building on. They said flooded farm wetlands. That is not a description of a wetland. We know that nobody denies that, but yet we passed it. I mean, there's something really wrong here and and I talk about a lack of empathy. I mean, we had a clear cut. Reason not to approve that permit, but we didn't take it. The road commissioners who were communicating with. The solar companies never had a written agreement. It wasn't the ones that didn't respond where the good faith clause came into effect. And still, we didn't listen. We passed it anyway. I'd like to think in the future that people will think a little bit harder, a little bit more outside the box, and really listen to the facts when they make these decisions and not make decisions based on fear or if they're tired. Green garden township would have appreciated it. We've decimated their community. And I just, I just think we should all think hard and long about that.

Thank you.

Thank you madam executive. I just have 2 points. Uh, the 1st, 1 is, I just want to say, thank you to speaker Joe Van Dine. He said he would have something removed from the agenda and he removed it. I appreciate that. There was no sleight of hand. It was very transparent. I think that's very representative of the work. He's been doing as the speaker of our board. Um, secondly, I would like to transition into the main reason I put my microphone on and that is with this committee of the whole that's coming up with the item that was removed from the agenda today. Um. Not about that issue, but I think there's some other hanging chads that we have on the board that we need to kind of work through and get some ironing through the ideas. Uh, 1 of that would be, uh, they're the 9th street bridge. the 159th street bridge from going from Plainfield into Lockport or Romeoville into Lockport, that bridge is gonna be closed for a year. And I think our board has some work to do in terms of discussion, how we're going to deal with that, alternative solutions for traffic, maybe even an alternative bridge. So I would just like to get that on leadership's radar. And that's very important to me. So thank you.

Thank you. Moving on to leadership.

Member Williams later, William, thank you. I just want to say, as my always, um, report on the strategic plan, it is up and running. We have, um, the surveys have been completed and hopefully everybody signed up to do the interviews and the next step will be the off site workshop on June 30th. I'm hoping that most people, if not all do attend that workshop. I'm glad that this board had decided to go ahead with the strategic plan. So now that we did vote for it, hopefully we can actually give the input that is needed so that we can we can get it going and do what we need to do. Also, I have would like to, I'd like to thank my caucus. Um, they have been very good at anything I've asked them to do. They have been very cooperative and willing to do it. Uh, we don't always agree on everything, but we don't have to the communication is there and I, I do appreciate it. So, thank you guys. Um, lastly. Uh, tomorrow is we're celebrating Juneteenth at the lockport park district is doing this is the 3rd or 4th year that they've doing this at hill park on Hawthorne place and lockport township. Hopefully, we can get see some of you come out there. It's a good time. They have just the white tumblers are going to be there. They got food trucks. They got a whole lot of entertainment. I'll be there myself and I'm inviting everybody to attend. It's tomorrow from 4 to 7 PM. Park hope to see you there. Thank you.

Thank you. Leader Richmond.

Thank you very much. Everyone. I think we're setting a record today in multiple areas.

Executive session.

That's okay. That's okay. I think we've got like, 4 more hours for that. If that's the case, but, um. No, I, I think also too is, uh. Mark alluded to it, um, is the fact that the system is actually working. We have discussion questions. As leadership, we work together. I think we work very well. I think our caucuses work very well. And we're going to best serve our residents by having these this, uh, following meeting. So, thank you very much to. Joe Sherry and our caucuses, and now the heavy lifting comes to staff to try and coordinate this. So thank you very much.

Thank you speaker van.

Thank you again, madam executive. Um. Not much to say this morning. Same sentiment as a few others. I can't believe how smoothly this went. I did have a feeling that the meeting would go smoothly, and I was afraid that I would jinx myself, but I think it's a testament to everyone being more prepared for this meeting, so I'm very appreciative of that, and I'm glad that Steve had, Mr. Balich had mentioned Happy Father's Day. I want to extend that to all the fathers I have stated this before, it's one of my favorite holidays of the year because being a father is something that a lot of us don't get to enjoy, but the ones who do, it really means a lot. So I wish all the men out there that our father's a very happy Father's Day. Thank you so much.

Thank you. We need a motion now to go into executive session. Motion by Revis. Oh, I'm sorry. Motion to go into executive session regarding pending litigation. Motion by Revis. Seconded by Richmond. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Excuse me. Richmond? Williams? Dean Schlattman? Ogalla? Pretzel? Butler? Newquist? Balich? Oxley? Brooks? Winfrey? Bullock? Logan Freeman Revis Ortiz Berkowitz Hickey Costa Trainier Van Dyne

I'm going to just quickly go back. But before we make a motion, I'm going to just let put the mic back to a member of gala because I don't remember where it was located at. So I'll let you or it doesn't the date and stuff. So member gal.

Okay. And requests from member Bullock, the Chicago wilderness teams meeting scheduled for July 16th will be recorded. So when I get that link, then I will share it with staff and then they can give it to all of you because be something interesting to watch. Thank you.

Okay, uh, speaker Van Dyne, I would like to make a motion to, um, approve the recommendation of the state's attorneys following the executive session.

Motion by Van Dyne, seconded by trainer, madam clerk, please call the role.

Richmond Williams. Yes. Dean slot man. Okay. Hello. Butler Newquist. Axley Brooks Winfrey. Bullock, Logan, Freeman, Revis, Berkowitz, Hickey, Costa, Trenier, Van Dyne.

20 in the affirmative, the motion carries. Can I please get a motion to recess until July 16th, 2026? Motion by Trenier, seconded by Brooks. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Have a great day. Happy Father's Day, Dad.