County Board - Regular Meeting

Good morning. Everyone welcome to the will county board meeting July 16th, 2026. I'll call this meeting to order. We are going to have member village lead us in the pledge of Legion. A pledge of allegiance and introduce the clergy.

To the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, or if she scans 1 nation under God, indivisible with liberty, justice for all. We have a real good speaker this time and I just want to thank her for coming out. She's been a good friend of mine for a long while, but I'm going to have. Repel read it so I don't screw it up.

Evangelist Latasha. Woo! Evangelist Latasha Fields has been a home educator for 20 years, a passionate advocate for parental rights, unconventional education, and community empowerment, and a JD candidate at Trinity Law School. She and her husband evangelist Ronald L fields. The 2nd are the founders of our report ministries and publications and evangelistic outreach ministry. Natasha is the founder of Christian home educator support system chess, a home school Co, op support group and micro school and empowering parents igniting communities. Epic a parental rights organization in Chicago, she serves as the Illinois state coordinator for parental rights dot org is a 1776 unites achiever a project 21 ambassador and a past candidate for lieutenant governor of Illinois. She has testified before the U. S house budget committee, a hearing titled poverty in America, economic realities of struggling families and written for the Wall Street Journal. She has also been featured on various local and national podcasts and media platforms, including W. T. T. W. in B. C. 5, Chicago, A. B. C. 7, Fox News, Newsmax, C-SPAN and more. Natasha and her husband have 4 children to homeschool to college graduates and to still homeschooling and together on 3rd, phase barbershop in Chicago South shore community. Natasha fields.

All right, come on, give it up for Jesus. Amen. Y'all can do better than that. I know it's a boring meeting, but y'all got to get excited this morning. Good morning, good morning. It's a pleasure to be here again. Thank you, Steve Ballack, for inviting me. Thank you, Raquel. It's a pleasure to see you again. So, amen. I've been asked to pray for you guys as you lead the legislation that has to happen this morning in Will County. And I'm always honored to be with you. So, bow your heads with me. Amen. So, Father, we thank you right now in the name of Jesus. God, I thank you for the privilege. for gathering here today and for every member of the will county board who has accepted the responsibility to serve the people of this county your word declares in daniel 417 that the most high rules in the kingdom of men Therefore, we acknowledge that all authority ultimately belongs to you and that those entrusted with public office are called to exercise that authority with humility, wisdom, justice and integrity. Lord, grant these board members the understanding of the sons of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 12 and 32. An understanding of the times and the wisdom to know what ought to be done. as they deliberate over legislation policies and budgets and matters affecting the people of will county give them discernment to look beyond personal interests political pressures and temporary gain help them to seek what is just lawful honest and in the best interest of the people they serve according to psalm 7 2 Grant them righteous judgments. May they defend the afflicted, protect the vulnerable, administer justice fairly, and lead with compassion. Give them courage to stand for what is right, even when it's difficult or unpopular. father may every board member lead with integrity honesty humility and wisdom remembering that each one of us will one day give an account before you remind us that our words and actions and decisions and deeds and even the intentions of our hearts are known and recorded in heaven let this truth produce reverence sobriety and faithfulness in all who govern father we also pray for the residents of will county According to 1 Timothy 2 and 1 and 2, teach us to pray for those in authority so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and dignity. Remove division and hostility and confusion and help us to become responsible, informed, prideful, and engaged citizens. As declared in 2 Thessalonians 3 and 1, we pray that your word would have free course and be honored through our Will County Let truth prevail. Let every righteousness be established and let peace dwell within our communities. Protect our families and our children, our seniors and our first responders, our workers and our businesses and every municipality represented here. May the decisions made in this chamber strengthen our communities and promote justice, safety, liberty, and peace. Bless this meeting, Lord. Govern every discussion, restrain anger and pride, and grant patience, mutual respect, and clarity. May all this be said and done, bring honor to you, and benefit the people of Will County. In Jesus' name we pray. Come on. Amen? Amen.

Thank you for joining us.

Madam clerk, will you please call the role.

Richmond Williams. Okay. Pretzel, Butler, Newquist, Balich, Oxley, Brooks, Winfrey, Bullock, Logan, Freeman, Revis, Mitchell, Ortiz, Berkowitz, Hickey, Costa, Trainier, Van Dyne.

We actually have, you know, we have, um, member Dean schlattman's in the doorway as well as I think I saw member, um, oh, gala. All right, we need we need that here though. We.

Dean slotman here.

Well, I get we will just wait to member and we'll call it. So we're at 2020 members present. We have a forum. Actually, that's 19 members. I'm sorry. 19 members present. We have a quorum. Nope, I'm around 20 members. We have a. We have a quorum, uh, we need a motion to place on file the certificate of publication. Motion by Freeman, seconded by Winfrey all in favor. I'm sorry we need a roll call roll call vote. I'm off to the game.

Richmond Williams. Pretzel yes.

Madam clerk will add member to the roles.

All right.

We're voting on search.

Pretzel yes. Butler new quest. Brooks Winfrey. Logan Freeman. Mitchell Ortiz. Hickey Costa train here.

Yes, 21 in the affirmative the motion carries can I get a motion to approve the minutes from the June 18th, 2026 board meeting.

Motion by Dean.

Seconded by Mitchell any discussion. Previous roll call by. 2nd, by Hickey on favor any opposed motion carries. I need a motion to prove the minutes from the June 18th executive session motion by Mitchell. 2nd, by Freeman, previous roll call by Brooks. 2nd, by went for all in favor any opposed motion carries. Madam clerk, will you please acknowledge elected officials and media present today?

This morning we have county executive Jennifer Bertino. County clerk, Annette Parker corner, Lori summers. Auditor Duffy Blackburn recorder of deeds, Karen, stucco, treasurer, Tim brophy. And media, we have, uh, Bob Ocon with the Herald news and Michelle Mullins with daily South town.

Thank you very much. We have no honorary resolutions or proclamations at this time. I will invite anyone to come up for public comment for today's agenda items. Days agenda items only remind you if you could come up here and state your name, you have 3 minutes. I will make a preliminary comment. That is my understanding that during land use, we will be pulling off. Item I don't know which 1 it is here member pretzel. Can you help me? Which 1 will actually be tabling or postponing item number 2. 2, okay, so we will be putting off ordinance number 26 dash 211. so, in case 26020, you can still speak on it, but I will let you know that there will be a motion later to post part, but you can still speak on it. Yes. Absolutely you are still welcome. Absolutely. Yes. That's why I said it. Um, so is there anyone here to speak to come up please? And like I said, please just state your name for the record.

Okay. Good morning everyone. My. My name is Lydia Simray, S-I-M-R-A-Y-H. I'm here with the Indiana, Illinois, Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting. The IIIFC is a labor management organization dedicated to promoting fair competition, public accountability, and compliance in the construction industry. We work with responsible contractors, excuse me. We work with responsible contractors and the men and women of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150. I'm here today in support of ZC 26020, the MAP amendment requested by Badger Daylighting Corporation for the property on 159th Street in Homer Glimm. This is a $6 million investment that will bring Badger's operations to Will County on a permanent basis. The project will support more than 50 local 150 upper and engineer jobs, plus administrative, sales, and field staff, and will keep a full-time local 150 technician on site. These are good family supporting careers and this investment strengthens the local tax base. Badger has also listened to the community of the 38 acres on this site. Badger will use only about 14 acres with the remainder intended for sale to the forest preserve district. Badger has committed to a landscape berm and vegetative screening along the property line, bordering the neighboring subdivision. And has remained willing to work directly with neighbors as the project moves forward trucks will be housed indoors back into their base to reduce noise. And the facility will not be open to the public. We recognize this board is weighing real concerns from nearby residents and the village. Um, of Homer Glenn, and we don't dismiss them, but county staff reviewed this request in detail and recommended approval. Finding it consistent with the county's land resource management plan, and with Homer lens own 2005, future land use plan, which identifies this site as a business part. For these reasons, the triple respectfully urges this board to approve. This is a responsible project brought by a responsible employer that creates good union jobs and investable county. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment.

Thank you.

Good morning board. My name is Linda here and I'm the executive director of my community partnership group. For the past 11 years, we have worked to improve the fair my community alongside residents volunteers. Nonprofit partners and local government. Today I come before you with 1 request. Fairness. Fairmont is a Title I school community. Many of our families work hard simply to meet their everyday obligations, including paying their property taxes. For many, every tax bill represents a real sacrifice. Before I continue, I want to acknowledge that Fairmont School Superintendent Dr. Daniels and School Board President Shepherd are both away on previously scheduled vacations. This matter arose after their plans were made. I have been in communication with Dr. Daniels this week. I also appreciate the members of Fairmont School District Board and staff who are here this morning. Over the past several days, despite temperatures in the 90s, I went door to door speaking with residents. Many signed these pages to show their support for bringing these concerns before this board. Although they could not be here this morning, I want to ensure their voices are heard. These are signed letters giving me permission to speak on their behalf on this matter. Over the last seven years, together we have organized more than 21 community cleanups, established a community garden, and more than 20 of our seniors have gardens in their backyards. We have also provided employment opportunities for Lockport High School students who help secure The high school students help in the summer with the gardens at Fairmont school and our community garden in the senior gardens. We've helped to secure the repaving of Fairmont's major thoroughfares for the 1st time in approximately 70 years. and celebrated the beginning of our community's first underground stormwater drainage system in the South Shedd area of Fairmont. This area of Fairmont has never had drainage in the entire history of Fairmont. These accomplishments demonstrate what can happen when residents, community organizations, and government work together with a shared purpose. I have prepared a summary of our communities accomplishments over the past 11 years. And if anyone would like to have a copy of it, any of the board members, I have 1.

You're approaching 3 minutes. Okay.

Yeah, today I'm asking you to.

Okay, that's fine. Yeah. Make a motion by, um, member trainer, seconded by, uh, member Logan, Madam clerk, please call the role. Just hold on a 2nd there. Can you tell? Yeah. Um, can you give me in a, um, miss, uh, turn here. Do you have a time? Okay, 2, Max, 2, 2, Max. Okay. Madam clerk, please call the role. You'd like to make a discussion. Okay.

County board member, I just want to confirm it's for this speaker only.

Yes, right now. Okay. That's yes. Because all right.

Ready?

All right. Madam clerk, please take the role Richmond or do you want to do it all in favor? All in favor. Any opposed motion post. Okay. 1 of them. Thank you motion carries.

Should I continue?

You can continue ma'am.

Okay. Today I am asking you to consider an issue of property tax fairness. Property taxes support our schools, fire protection, libraries, parks, roads, public safety, and other essential local services. It is reasonable for every taxpayer to expect that every property owner contributes an equitable share. Fairmont is among the communities least able to absorb an unfair tax burden. This is not a request for special treatment. It is a request for equal treatment for Fairmont families and for every taxpayer in Will County. Before deciding whether to reappoint members of the Board of Review, I respectfully ask you to carefully consider the concerns that have been brought forward. Public confidence depends on a property tax system that is fair, transparent, and accountable. As my mother approaches her 89th birthday, I think about her nearly seven decades in Fairmont. She has witnessed both the challenges our community has endured and the progress we have fought to achieve. My hope is that the next generation of Fairmount residents will inherit a community where everyone expected to play by the same rules, contribute their fair share and receive the same fairness and respect as each and every other taxpayer in Will County. We have always chosen to work with government, not against it, and we will continue that commitment. I respectfully ask you to do the same by ensuring that fairness remains at the heart of every decision you make. Thank you for your time, your thoughtful consideration, and for the service to the people of Will County. Thank you.

Was anyone interested in seeing that you can leave it up here and we'll make sure that the chief of staff gets it Linda and can get it to all the members.

Thank you.

Right.

You folks can come up, so you don't have to do the long walk and wait.

Hello, I'm Sue Stylin. I'm the supervisor for Homer Township and I'm here regarding the Badger 159th. I know it's been tabled, but I don't know what discussions will take place between now and whenever it appears back. Or were you talking about a pink table? Thank you. Um, Homer Township, uh, proved a resolution objecting to this zoning change and it was included in your packet. There are 2 components to this rezoning. There's a C2 to C4. Which is just 10% of the parcel and there's our 2 to C4. which is 90% of the parcel, which is a more drastic change. The C4 highway commercial classification permits intensive uses, not limited to heavy truck operations, outdoor storage, and industrial scale activity. Permanent application of that classification to property immediately adjacent to the established residential lots in Cedar Glen would be incompatible with the surrounding residential character and would impose adverse impacts A neighboring property owners that no temporary applicant specific site conditions can adequately constrain over the long term. What would be the benefit and who's going to benefit and are you going to put businesses over residents businesses that provide limited tax revenue to the community? They will not generate any sales tax revenue. That is important to the local municipality. Should they annex. Schools county fire library and township all rely on property tax. The Cedar Glen residents invested and purchased their property to build their homes in 1985. For many individuals, purchasing a home is the biggest investment that they will make in their lifetime. And when they make that investment, they rely on zoning. And when that property was zoned, R2 since 1978. So they relied on Will County's zoning when they made that decision. And so how are people going to do homework if you're going to change zoning drastically from R2 to C4? The zoning change will provide no benefits to the residents. There are 65 households there that generate, that pay 838,000 in property taxes. That again, go to the schools, fire, library, forest preserves. And so on. This is going to tell the residents that you value business over their labors and their tax payments. Badger says that it's a $6 million investment. That property is 38 acres. If you just took and put 20 homes on 20 of the acres, that is a $10 million investment, not a $6 million investment. And we need rooftops in our community. So we have over 1,000 new homes coming to Homer Township this year. People are looking for new houses. So to just eliminate the R2 zoning is reducing our houses. A forest preserve would be nice, but there's no guarantee. And there's plenty other property that the forest preserve can purchase.

Supervisor, I'm going to need you to wrap up.

Okay, thank you. So this is also the C2 to C4 is also going to affect the economic development because if if you change from C2 to C4, more businesses are going to come and do C4 and that's not going to generate tax revenue and it'll affect the county. You already affected the community when you widened 143rd street. We're going to lose. Traffic to 143rd street that would help our economic development. So I'm just going to ask that. Through the before this, if it doesn't come before the board today, and it comes before again that you come out to Homer Glenn and look at what we have. Thank you.

Hello and good morning. My name is Christina and I'm the mayor of Homer Glen. This would be now my fourth time speaking on this matter. So I'm sure majority of you have already heard my speech over and over. And I've talked to several of you on a one on one basis. I've talked about the environmental impact, the trucking, the roads. I've talked about the water. I've talked about almost everything under the sun. The one thing I realized that I haven't made clear in any of my speeches is the financial impact this would have on the village of Homer Glen. Just as Supervisor Silent had mentioned, This would be a detrimental impact to our future. 1 thing that 1 of the speakers said earlier that this falls within our business plan. It does not. Um, it's totally different. There's a different definition of what that what our plan is for that. And I'd also like to remind you that our plan is from 2005 that's 21 years old. The village is in the is currently in the process of updating our comprehensive plan, which does not include this in our business park at all. Um, I asked Brett Westcott who also signed in. So I asked that he has his full 3 minutes to explain. In detail, because I didn't want to make it look as if I came up with these numbers. I brought the professional who actually has the numbers and an engineer to provide you with all that information. So thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning. All my name is Brett Westcott. I'm the village engineer for the village of Homer Glen, and I'm here to talk about the badger project there. So I'm going to try and keep it short and sweet. Just kind of talk some numbers. I won't bore you with the specific details, but we can just talk in economies of scale here. So, essentially, to date, the village has invested over 13Million dollars, 13Million dollars in infrastructure to serve previously unserved parcels in these unincorporated areas here. We've installed water main along 159 street. We've installed a sanitary sewer trunk main to serve those parcels with sanitary sewer. So, when mayor Christina talks about financial implementation implementations of this, um, the issue is that the village is losing a lot of of recapture and impact fees, which we rely on to recoup our investment for this, right? The 13Million dollars that we spent on these, um, an example would be the. The, uh, the badger development is a single user that eats up a lot of acreage for this, uh, for this parcel, as opposed to a residential development per se that would provide us with a much higher tap on an impact fee recovery rate. Uh, if we run some numbers on this and a density of roughly 4 drawings per acre. Uh, you would have a tap on an impact fee recoup of about 1.4Million dollars for the village on a parcel of this size as opposed to a single user even assuming that they had 50 employees that used 100 gallons of water a day. Uh, the tap on an impact fee for that single user would be 391,000 dollars. So there's a significant difference. If we break that down in acreage, a residential impact and tap-on fee recovery would be right around $37,000 per acre. And on the contrary, a single industrial user would be closer to $10,000 an acre. So you're looking at about a third of that, right? We're losing approximately 67% of what we would be recovering as opposed to doing a residential development or density. You know, at the end of the day, This is the villages prime, uh, commercial corridor and losing on these investments that we've made to try and bring these commercial users here. The sales tax is the biggest part of the revenue pie for the village. Uh, an industrial user doesn't bring sales tax in. Uh, we are looking to invest in commercial, right? And things that generate that sales tax revenue for us for a long time to come, um, as opposed to just a 1 time payment for the tap on an impact fees. Um, so I think that about wraps it up just trying to keep it short and sweet to the point. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.

Thank you.

Good morning. Oh, well, county board members. My name is Mark and I'm a resident of the Cedar Glen subdivision. I know many of you have heard me talk on three previous meetings, so I'll try to keep this focused and brief. Today, I'm sure all of the board members and those present will receive a thorough update from the zoning team and a lot of additional detail and promises from the Badger team. We've heard this over and over. I'm sure it's going to be the same today from all appearances. Badger appears to be a fine company offering a much needed public service in the construction industry. But this zoning request is simply, in my mind, ill-founded attempt to place a light industrial operation right next to a picnic Grove and a residential subdivision. Both of those established decades ago. What is zoning anyway? The parcel in question is currently an appropriately zoned C2R2 and that is consistent with the comprehensive plans about the village and the township, the local municipalities. Both these municipalities have passed resolutions objecting to this rezoning request and you have them on file. The villages filed a legal objection, which I know is on file. We have submitted a notarized paper petition signed by a majority of homeowners and Cedar Glen subdivision. I posted an online petition using change dot org over 2 months ago when I was notified of this change. And as of today, it has 820 online signatures, 60% plus within 3 zip codes of this parcel. I find it hard to believe that the company was currently that the company. Filed the, um, the request does not currently on the parcel. Um, how can they submit a request to rezone it? I thought the owner would have to do that, but I'm not a municipal lawyer or a real estate agent until there's a legal a real legal estate closing. Just like in our home. That land does not belong to them. The badger business and its leaders are planning on expansion, which is great. See American way and searching for a low cost parcel of land. But it happens to be next to an established subdivision and a picnic growth. And that parcels already appropriately zoned to match the comprehensive plans of both the village and the township. Badger team is offered and we'll probably hear it today. I know some of the members board members heard it and the land use committee. They'll offer concessions, but at the end of the day. Um, they run a light industrial operation and. In many of our opinions, it does not belong next to a residential subdivision or picnic row. All of these compromises and promises as far as I can tell are not documented anywhere in a legally binding sense. I don't think they might be part of minutes of meetings, but I'm not sure they will hold when when press to actually implement these concessions.

Sure, I'm going to need to wrap up. All right.

This is it simple case of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Please do the right thing. Please vote. No, thank you all for your service and consideration.

Thank you.

Good morning. My name is Chris Thompson. I am the board secretary for the metal Creek community association and also the designated airport manager for metal Creek air park. I come to oppose land use item. Number 1, the proposed solar farm on road that borders the metal Creek community. I have. Uh, as airport manager, we are actively engaged with Hughes aerospace to install to our nav approaches 1 on each end of our runway. As such that secures our airspace and we consulted with use over this and I'll gladly submit this to the clerk. We have some FAA considerations. Advisory circulars are noted. These are not innuendo or conjecture. I'll just read the executive conclusion. Solar panels directly beyond a runway end or near extended center line can present an aviation safety and airport compatibility concern. Potential issues include fixed object encroachment into protected runway areas, incompatible land use with runway protection zone, Glint or glare penetration of airspace and it goes on and on. I won't bore you. You can read it. 1st, I'd like to say that I'm not 1 of the not in my backyard people. I am not morally opposed to solar farms just for the sake of being opposed to them. Like, many are, I'd like to just rule with common sense in the same way. You wouldn't put an industrial trucking facility, a switching terminal directly behind a subdivision. I think it makes common sense that you wouldn't put a solar farm next to an active runway again for no other reason other than we are in two critical phases of flight when we fly over this solar farm, irrespective of glare or anything else. We're in either a landing phase or takeoff phase and if we lose an engine. It's always my consideration that we have a field on each end, a blank field, right? And we can put our aircraft down in that field. And we go from a scenario where we might bend up the airplane, but we most certainly walk away, 2, we absolutely totally airplane and we absolutely have a fatality full stop. There's no, I don't think there's any arguing that fact. There's no way you can land into a solar farm and survive. So it just makes common sense that we wouldn't have a solar farm. Off of 2 active runways, I won't board the board with any more facts or details. Thank you all for your consideration and your service to what county.

Thank you morning.

My name is up all Brown of energy. Um, we're the developer of the solar farm along with green flow energy. I just want to say that, um. There's been a lot of concerns about the runway being close proximity to the solar farm. There are many, many airports in the world over 100 airports, international airports, some local airports that are supported by solar farm and there is no. Nothing on record of any incident. Causing any crashed, there's absolutely nothing to support that whatsoever. I just wanted to say that there's been a lot of concerns from the neighbors. And, by the way, the panels are going to be facing East West. So, it is not going to, like, have the same visibility as the runway. This runway is north of where the solar farm is going to be. So, they're coming from, their descent and approach is from an entirely different direction. But again, there's not 1 plane crash that has ever happened because of a solar farm. And I just want to point it out. We've also taken into consideration everything that we, the neighbours had to say and. They will not be looking out their backyard at a solar farm because this farm will be entirely surrounded by berms. All they will see is just green tree. So I understand their concerns. We've addressed it and we just want to be good neighbors. Thank you.

All right, anyone here for public comment and I'm going to again, stress what member Butler said, just because there will be a motion to table does not mean that will pass if there's anyone who would like, we're not stopping anyone from talking. So, if anyone has any additional comments, please. Come forward.

Good morning everyone. My name is Pat. I live in metal creek. Uh, where this gentleman just commented, he doesn't realize that. I live at 7021 was false, which is across the street from that lot that they oppose to put that farm in. I'm elevated I am 12 to 15 feet higher than the road. Aesthetically, I can see everything. I don't care if you put a berm. I don't care if you put a fence. I will see it. It affects me. Also, for some reason. My house is situated where we have a echo effect where. My neighbors, I can hear my neighbors in their backyard distinctly talk. I can just imagine if this. Let's out some sounds that is going to be enhanced and I'm going to be affected totally. Also, the fact that the decrease in income for my property, the property value will be going down. As I understand, I purchased that house. I used to live in a city. I wanted to get away and be in a rural area. I don't want industrial. That's a farm area. It's tranquil. It's wonderful. Now that you're gonna put this solar farm in there, it's gonna affect the neighbors. We weren't even advised of this. I wasn't, maybe five neighbors were let known. I was just let known maybe July, beginning of July. So the first meeting, I wasn't even able to know or comment anything. So I want you to take that in consideration. Why didn't they let the whole neighborhood know that this was going to be proposed? And of course, I've witnessed pilots move back and forth if there's any any fact that you know glare or wind i live close they can hit my house i'm worried about my family so that's about all i could say is i hope that you decide not to have this farm thank you

Good morning. My name is Sam Roth. I'm at 6828 Raleigh Road in Monee. I'd like to say thank you for allowing me to speak today regarding the proposed 7009 Raleigh Road solar farm. As stated in my previous presentations, I'm less concerned about the political sides and we're concerned about the safety of placing a solar farm of this size in such close proximity to the runway threshold of the active Meadow Creek runway. I'm concerned for the safety of the pilots as well as the residents of the surrounding areas where one of the most hazardous aspects of flying is landing. The representative just stated that the The airport is north of the solar farm that's proposed. No, the airport is actually just south of it. So there will be a little bit of a sun glare. But as they stated before, the glare will be minimized. Numerous hazardous could be directly or indirectly related with the placement of proposed solar farm near the said runway. Slight atmospheric abnormalities or unexpected lift followed by a sudden loss of lift could become a catastrophic situation, especially for an amateur, unexperienced pilots performing a touch and go or simply landing. The thermal plume, a proven phenomenon generated by a large solar farm such as this one may generate a change in conditions right over the threshold of the runway. I sent a video of how disturbed unseen air can affect the landing of a small aircraft, which led to a crash 22 seconds after a helicopter went over the runway. This was for reference of unstable conditions during landing. So I sent this to Mr. Pelkey yesterday. He said he distributed it to everybody yesterday.

Yeah.

Oops. I'm presenting these facts based on a lifetime of flying. No, I'm not a licensed pilot, but I have been passenger, and I've piloted numerous types of airplanes, all general aviation, as well as large civilian airlines and military aircraft. I also hold an airframe and power plant license with the FAA, so I have experience when it comes to aviation matters. The representatives from the solar company are quick to say this is why we have liability insurance. Liability insurance will not bring a loved one back in the event of a disaster involving loss of life. At the land use meeting, the wheatfield, Indiana, solar film, solar farm was referenced regarding the damage a tornado caused to it a few months back. Debris was scattered over a large footprint. Several large and small pieces of debris ended up on the property of neighboring residents, buildings and farms. Liability insurance generally does not cover the cleanup and removal caused by the tornado. THIS IS SIMILAR TO A TREE FALLING ON YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE FROM YOUR PROPERTY. EVEN THOUGH YOUR TREE FELL ON THEIR HOUSE, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMOVAL AND RESTORATION OF THEIR PROPERTY AS CONSIDERED AN ACT OF GOD, MEANING THE AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNER MAY HAVE TO FILE A CLAIM ON THEIR INSURANCE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CLAIM SURCHARGE AT THE RENEWAL OR A DECLINATION OF RENEWAL DEPENDING ON THE CLAIMANT'S HISTORY. I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS MATTER AS I'M ALSO AN INSURANCE PRODUCER FOR 27 YEARS. I attached an article referencing McHenry county, sir.

I'm going to need to wrap up.

Okay.

Thank you.

Be held liable for the death of a boy and morango for a traffic control device that the county knew existed, but yet to failed to enact a motion or a legislation to put in a traffic control device. This runway is referenced. They, they state that there's a lake in the hills airport that is similar, but the lake in the hills airport has a solar farm. That's 1 mile away, not 800 feet away. So there's a drastic difference. So, their reference on the lake in the hills airport is is skewed. I have no knowledge of any incidents involving small general aviation solar fields, but there are no known solar fields of this size in such close proximity to the runway with such a small runway as this runway is only 40 feet wide with houses on each side of the runway leaving very little room for error available for any questions.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Good morning everyone. My name is Evelyn Jones and I live in metal creek. My address is 6936 West false row. The proposed solar farm. We are bored of my backyard. It won't border their backyard. I live there with my spouse and my 5 dogs. And yes, we have wildlife there. We have dear. We have county, which I don't like, but they're there. And I really don't want this solar farm behind my house.

We moved there, we built that home. We just didn't buy into that community. We looked around and we built that home. We bought that property and we built it in 2004. Now I'm being told that if I wish to sell, my property value may go down. I'm told that because they put that farm behind my house, my homeowner's insurance may go up. They didn't ask us. They didn't say anything to us. We just got a letter and said, we're putting a solar farm behind your home. I really don't want that, and I hope you consider that. That's all I have to say. Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh, morning, uh, Rick row, um, the property butts right up against where you want to put the solar farm. Um. The issue here is, is that this is unique. This isn't like a regular solar farms that you have in here coming in front of you. This is a land grab by somebody that's finding cheaper. Agricultural residential property, no matter where they put it at. And it's right at the end of a runway right there. No, getting around it. Um. Um, like I said, I've walked the dogs in the back of the property and I watched these planes. And say, those solar panels are going to be as high as this. A plane is going to be as high as that ceiling. That's how close it's going to be. It's a unique with safety. This whole thing is about safety. There's hundreds of acres out there. Plenty of places to put a solar farm. Um, but for this issue here is, it's the safety of that airport. And if you would have had a chance to see some of the plans, because you basically have is amateur pilots teaching their kids how to fly. Um. Little by planes that are. 10 feet wide this is like a mom pop runway. And, um, it's the safety that is concerned. Um, I'm sure all the engineers and everybody that's coming up and giving you all the. National reviews never phone a plane. I've never even been out and see how these planes come to land. But the issue is, is a chance to grab some property a little bit cheaper to stick it in there. The issue here, and I appreciate your time, but it is, it's over safety, no other issue, no other issue at all. So, thank you very much for your time.

Thank you.

Good morning. My name is Tamara home and I live in Cedar Glen subdivision. My lot is almost contiguous to the parcel that Badger is proposing to resolve for all the reasons previously stated in past meetings. I ask you to consider all of the objections presented to you. My main issue is the effect that this will have on our well systems. This issue has been discussed in length at previous meetings. Should this be approved? My question to you, the board is cool will be responsible for the additional tremendous expense. We will all encounter to redrill our wealth. As, you know, we're all at about 225 feet. Many of the homes in our subdivision, I can't give you the exact percentage, but many of them have had to have our wells reach. Excuse me re, drilled, including myself, the approximate cost now to go down another 200 feet is around 20000 dollars. So this is a main concern for each and every resident of our subdivision. And I ask each of you to seriously consider this and vote on it as if this parcel was going next to your personal home. Thank you very much for your time. I appreciate it. Thank you.

All right, we're going to do a final call for public comment for today's today's agenda items once. Twice. All right, thank you. We're going to move on to old business all resolutions and ordinance from the June 18th meeting have been signed and returned. Um, I'm going to pass it on under old business to, um. Speaker Van dying regarding resolution 23. I'm sorry 26199.

Thank you madam executive 1st, I will make a motion to. For resolution 26 dash 199 resolution, establishing a will county land bank and I will have a amendment following that motion by Van Dine.

Seconded by Freeman, you're backed up, sir discussion item.

Um. I would like to make amendment to, um, replace the curtain, the current resolution and replace it with the resolution provided to all the county board members and this resolution simply. Um. Sorry, this resolution will simply, uh, give the county executive. The, um, the, um. The, uh, chance to negotiate with the municipalities that are interested in a land bank and show that the county board is interested in moving forward the, um. The, um, I'm losing my train of thought here. The will come at a later date. Thank you.

So, we have a motion for an amendment amendment. To resolution number, I'm sorry again 26 dash 1, 9, 926 dash 1 by 9. there is a 2nd to that discussion. Member Logan.

Um, in this resolution, does it talk about, uh, that we're going to give this land bank to the CD? I don't see that anywhere in there. I guess I guess since the, the attorney made this, I guess I'm addressing the attorney's office.

No, so it has not established any framework for anything right now. What this is intended to do is to move the process forward for an intergovernmental agreement. We have to have other governments to be part of that. So the idea here is to move this forward so that we can find. Partner member agencies, and then the, which would establish. Whether the CD is going to run it, whether the specific questions we all had on Tuesday that will be brought back to the board at a later date. So, this is just basically, I'll call for lack of a better word, a search committee to go out and get. The partner municipalities, so we're not voting to start a land bank. No, this is your first step to get the land bank going. Because I am for the land bank, but I'm just not for CED running it. And those are all things that will be ironed out at a later time, including some of the things about conflicts of interest, all those things that we brought up on Tuesday. Yeah. This was an idea to...

I thought we still had a lot more questions on Tuesday to answer.

Correct. This is to address that where we're moving forward to sort of get those member... Members involved, um, because I'm sure they'll have comments as well.

So we need a, we need a resolution in order to move forward with this or we just can't.

I think I think it's important to do that. Um, so that. We have certainty from the county that, as you said, you support the land bank, um, and that somebody be directed to do something, move this ball forward. Okay, so I see this is step 1. it doesn't bind us because if we can't, this is 9 binding then. It's not binding to the 4 final form of the, um, land banks if we can't get an agreement, um, then obviously we can't get a, um, a land bank started. Okay. Who drafted this? I did. Oh, okay. All right. Thank you.

Number.

Thank you. So. This is the problem when we are very unprepared, this resolution was presented when. This morning you want us to vote on a resolution that was presented this morning.

Sorry, I direct this resolution in an attempt to fix all of the issues that were brought up on Tuesday, but that's the expectation that we vote on the resolution that was drafted this morning. Yes, yes, that's what we're asking.

That's crazy. Isn't that crazy? I know I just, I just, you can I'm sorry chair. Yeah, these are. I'm sorry, this is just my thought process as I'm trying to process all of this in the moment, because so many times we bring things up in the moment at the county board, but yet we like to sit here and say. Why didn't we do this beforehand? We had all this time and I'm looking at you, but I'm not talking to you. I'm just saying, like, in general, this is a problem. I support the land bank wholeheartedly. I spoke with staff a year ago about creating a land bank. I want to make sure that this is not right for corruption. And at this point, right now, without all of the suggestions that I put forward, it is right for corruption. I don't know if I can trust you guys saying, oh, we're going to do this now and then the process comes later. We've not established that level of trust and again, not towards you. I'm just looking at you because you're right in my.

Peripheral, um, that's funny.

I really, I cannot. I just can't, um. I'm at a loss of words and how dysfunctional this county board is to be honest. Thank you remember Berkowitz.

Yeah, um, so. Uh, 1st of all, I'm, I'm not going to vote on something that I have not had time to review or even, um. Even review, um. This is this is just insanity and it seems to happen far too frequently. Um, and I, I am a little perplex perplex because there. Is something binding when we approve a resolution we, we may not agree what it is, but. We're only approving a resolution because the county board is agreeing to something. So, let's look at what the resolution says, and this is in black and white. It, it says that there's a significant number of vacant abandoned and taxed delinquent properties in our conversations. It's been said. There's not really that many, but the ones we have are a problem, but here we're stating there's a significant number. Well. Fellow board members, let's take a look at that and really think about that. If there's a significant number. Then the real problem is, is we need to figure out why. And again, that'll go back to why our taxes so high and never stop rising. Putting together a land bank isn't going to solve that problem. It says that the county desires to partner with other governmental agencies and maximize the benefits of the landing. Sounds great. The presenter came to the county board, the CD and said that they had had. mayors or municipalities come before them that want this land bank but now we don't know who we are we need to give the county executive the ability to go out and negotiate and to find our partners those are two different things i'm hearing two different things i listened very intently i took notes we've had two meetings on this subject this is the third They're not they're conflicting. We're hearing and we're being told 2 different things. This resolution does not mention any fact that they are using 1Million. Dollars of money to start this lamb bank that is 1Million 1Million dollars that I did not have a portion of just a small portion of to go into help the businesses. And the school districts that were struggling during cobit. They needed a little bit of help just to get through cobit. And a lot of those businesses went under. People lost their their pride and joy. Meanwhile, it was sitting in a bank account, getting interest. We don't know how many. How much interest and we don't know where the bank account is. And there's more than 1Million dollars. I am stunned at what I have sat and heard in just 2 meetings. Now, imagine. If the county board, it had any. Notice that this conversation had had had started prior than a month ago. I have serious doubts that. The idea of forming a land bank started. 8 weeks ago, I'm sorry I am a little cynical, but I do look at things very carefully, especially when it looks at when we're considering. We are here to answer to the people who elected us in these seats and it wasn't the business community. It was our neighbors who are paying taxes. Now, I say, if we have. A problem with properties and. And we can have hand signals and interaction and silent communication, but I don't think this is funny. I don't see anything funny about this.

No, I usually get time when they're asking me to to kind of get so on the resolution for all of those reasons.

I feel that it is irresponsible to vote on something. When there are all these discrepancies, and we were not given any prior notice and. Um, for that reason, I'm, I'm. Asking my fellow board members to consider those things if you are even thinking about voting. To create the bill. Excuse me the ability for. The county executive to negotiate something we have no idea what the terms will be. For that reason. I really feel that this needs to be, um, withdrawn from the agenda. Thank you.

Thank you.

Member trainer than Butler.

Oops, sorry, so this is our 4th gathering to discuss a land bank, not the 3rd, but regardless, um, I understood this to be kind of an olive branch, because there are people on the other side of the aisle that would like to have a land bank. And as I think I heard stated, the issue is they don't trust or don't want the CED to run it. I would have loved to have heard a proposal on Tuesday from anyone of the folks that are opposing the CED running this as to who should run it. They are our Center for Economic Development. Uh, most of the large municipalities belong to this organization. We belong to this organization. They are our economic department. Um. I don't know why we wouldn't want them to run it other than there's maybe some political. Shenanigans going on and I'll just say it that way. We had a mayor come here and support this who's benefited from being a part of a land bank on Tuesday. We had a real estate investor, both. commercial and residential come to support this idea. I'm not sure what my fellow board members expect, but when I'm given information and I have questions or I don't understand it, I don't expect to wait until the next meeting and have somebody give me my answers. I take the time to investigate, make phone calls, talk to the people involved, get my questions and concerns answered, If I don't like what's being presented, find an alternative if I do believe in the issue. And to me, this just says, yeah, we want to have a land bank. We don't know what it looks like. We don't know what kind of groups are going to be a part of it, but we'd like to have the executive reach out to some groups and find out if they agree and want to be a part of it. Not a big deal. Not a big deal at all. Land bank cannot go forward Unless we have an intergovernmental agreement, that's not what's on the agenda today. Apparently, because that's going to be removed and replaced with this. Folks, I don't know what boogeyman you think are hiding behind this land bank. Um, I don't know what you corruption you think is going to take place. I've heard nothing but good things about these land banks. Um. We're going to have representation on the land bank. It's not going to be some outside group running it. We're going to have representation. My concern now, if we remove this from the agenda, we don't vote on this today. That means just more and more delay. The funds have to be spent by October 31st. So, I mean, it's a make or break moment either. We're for a land bank and we want to move forward or we're against it and just say, I don't trust the CD. I don't want to land bank with the CD. Tell the CD to spend the money or give it back. Because if we don't spend the money, we are going to give it back. It's going to go back to the federal government. It needs to be spent by the end of the year. And if it's not, it'll go back. Thank you.

Member Butler then.

Thank you. So, I feel like we're putting the cart before the horse. Why is it being pushed so hard? It is it like he said, there's money to ask to be spent before they lose it. Why didn't they put in whereas can shelter 1Million? They couldn't figure out what to do with before they have to give it back in the body of this. And what is the real hurry? I would like to see a well laid out plan and as far as invisible, you know. Thieves or whatever land banks have been misused in the past. You know, if you're on a land bank, and, you know, properties that are coming up and you're, you know, some people that can. Put money in and pick up those properties and you could have a private deal with them. And when they make a profit off it, you could get a kickback. There it's real simple. It's not something that is unheard of or crazy. It's been happened before. I looked it up. This is a problem with land banks. Okay, there's a lot of questions. What is the purpose of this land bank? Really? Like, what are they really going to do for the people? When when they pick up these properties and they sell them and they make money off of them, will that money be turned into the taxes to help cover the losses of taxes? When they buy a 1000 of them at a time, if it's in 1 area, and all those properties are taken out of the tax roles, because they're tax exempt. Does everybody else in the neighborhood responsible for picking them up? So, if you create an extra tax burden, because all these properties are tax exempt, then all the neighbors have to pick up that that extra burden. So there's a lot of questions that have to be answered. And I don't blame you. I'm sure that you were directed to come up with something. You're the attorney. You didn't decide it on yourself.

And if I may, I remember Trenier characterized it better than I could. I intend this to be sort of an olive branch to all the things I heard on Tuesday and thought this was about most neutral way. We could at least move this forward. So, again, the, the final would come back to you.

The county executive has no power to do that. And I could, I can appreciate your olive branch, you know, in the past, there's been incremental steps to move us in a direction that before we knew it, there was no turning back. And I think that's what some of us are nervous about and honestly. In a negotiation, it's better to have. Not have a land bank already voted on when negotiating how that land bank would be set up. It gives us more leverage. Okay, so so that's another thing. So. Unless someone can explain to me the urgency for the people of will county. To have this done before we figure it out. Which many, you know, on this side of the aisle have a real, you know, become nervous about having to, you know, prove things that haven't been laid out for us. Um. There's no way we should do this. Absolutely no way. The only thing I could say is, if there is a 1Million dollars. And and they have to get rid of it, I can think of 9 properties on Harris. Drive that could really use some help. And they could use it up there. But, um, I'm sure there's other ways to do this and, um, I know that the isn't on there, but there's an underlying current. Of urgency to spend this money, but they're not on here. So, you know, if if you want to scoff at people for mistrust, I mean, think about think about what's going on.

Thank you. Member.

Thank you. I have a question for Joe 1st, and then to clarify something. So, Joe, by putting this proposed resolution forward. Because on our agenda is a resolution and the attached so then your intent is this resolution without an attached.

That is correct. Um, there was a, there was during the committee of the whole, there was. A couple members that had 50 plus questions, another member that had 40 and another member that maybe possibly had 10. there was another member that had 15 different. Um, amendments to the. So, this is simply like Kevin and member had said, this is an attempt to. Give the board members an opportunity that, like the land bank idea. To keep it alive, and we can come back and discuss the in detail at at. May possibly next month, and the urgency is the money does have to be spent by. October 31st or whatnot, so I tried to do a. I wouldn't say a favor, but I took in consideration of all the comments and questions and and at least this, this continues to move forward. If if the board. Chooses, so my other comment would be. that amendments happen all the time. And when an amendment comes brought to this floor, most folks ask for a written copy. So that was done in advance. This is not anything that's trying to sneak by. This is simply a one page resolution that any normal minded person could read through in a few minutes and completely understand it. So thank you for your question, Ms. Ogalla.

Thank you for the explanation. I just need to verify that the is not attached. So, since it's not attached, we don't write as a board county doesn't we approve and other issues, but we don't ever write an. So, what stops the land bank from moving forward? Um, even though there is no, there's an can be written by the county executive and they can get an agreement, bring it back to us and we say yes or no. But how does it stop them from moving forward with a land bank? Um, if if the board wouldn't want to do that.

So, based on our research, um, the is necessary for the land bank to exist. Um, it would be, well, basically what is government sharing powers with these partner agencies if they exist. Um, obviously that's part of the thing is, uh, determining who wants to sign on on what terms. Until the was approved by all those governing bodies, the land bank doesn't exist. It's just, it's a concept that we're all working on right now. And that's another reason I threw in there that everything so that you all understood the would have to come back to the county board with any amendments. The board might want to make just like any other that we bring forward. I also. Again, tried to lift a lot from the resolution you guys have had for for about a month. Um, so I didn't write any of this language about underutilized underutilized properties. That was in the original, um. Original ordinance, uh, proposed resolution. So, I guess the short answer your question is. There is no land bank, so it can't move forward until we have with. Other agencies concept at this point.

Okay. Thank you for that. So, also, um, a member brought up the fact that she can't believe that a landing conversations started 8 weeks ago and that's absolutely correct. Um, because, um, I think it was March 6th. I might have the date wrong. Um, Senate bill 45771 was before the state legislature. To be voted on, and our county executive signed on in support of 4571. So, if you're not familiar Senate bill, 4571 gives the authority to will county. To do a land bank, so we didn't have the authority before my understanding is from talking to a lot of people is that that language 1st came 1st forward for DuPage County that they had some projects. They wanted to be able to do a land bank and and so. Then our amendment got made after that, and then got made, then the county executive supported it. I was told the will county supported it. Well, we hadn't heard about it. So we should hear about something and the executive signs on that means she's in support of it. That doesn't always necessarily mean the county board is in support of it. Um, another thing that's interesting to me is the conversation that has happened the 1st, couple of presentations that we received. We were told about the properties that we have here in the county. That, um, they were somebody hasn't paid taxes on and they went to tax sale. No, 1, no, 1, no, 1 purchased them. They went to auction and no 1 has purchased them. There's approximately I think it's 116 of those properties that we would be looking at for the land bank. That was the 1st, 2 presentations. So, 1 of them was, if there's a pie shape, we would take that and maybe do water retention or give it to municipality. They can make a park out of it or something. The other 1 was. Between 2 property owners, there might be a parcel of property that doesn't belong to either of them, but they both might use it. They both might maintain it. We would try and get them to purchase this land and then we could get it included in their pin and then they would pay property taxes on it. Then suddenly we hear that those are ones that own that we would only be looking at properties that have no equity. You can go back, listen to watch the YouTube videos of it. That was specifically stated. Then the 3rd presentation says, well, we really wouldn't be looking into those parcels. We would be looking into. Abandoned and vacant properties, my understanding from everything that I watched, and I wasn't able to be here for the committee whole because I was at a conference. I didn't expect it to be scheduled during that time the last week of the month. So I thought I'd be safe going to conference. But during that committee of the whole, I was understood that these abandoned and vacant properties. Our property taxes are being paid on them. They're not part of the 116 that nobody is paying on. So it's confusing to me and I've yet to see a list of any of these properties, or even come up with an example. Say, hey, pin number 1234 is this property here? It has a, uh, it's in this community and it's been sitting there and a dilapidated state and nothing's happening with it. I also know that the municipalities have the ability to purchase properties and demo them if they want. So I haven't I don't have a clear understanding as to why a municipality would not do it themselves versus why the need of a land bank. So that's that's kind of what I have. Another thing is, I, I have been looking at rules and such, and I have not found something in here that says we could take these dollars and no 1 has shown me which page on the agreement or on the information how a land bank could be given this this money. I understand that the month the. The money is very important right now, because it does have to be spent by October 31st or we do have to return it to the feds. I find nothing wrong with giving the federal government a 1Million back because we're trillions in debt. So I think that's probably not a bad idea. I don't know what the original intent. For the CD was with the money that they were granted, but obviously they didn't have a real intent. They at this late date still have a 1Million dollars left. Um, I have a lot of of problem. I don't have a problem with the CD being involved or handling it all. I don't, but my problem is, I believe that there's definite conflict of interest. We have the county executive, which would be working with this with a group of municipalities who have yet to be named. I guess Mayor Rudez, since he was here the other day, he would be interested. That's the only person that I heard of. Otherwise, I've not heard anybody interested in it and I've called a lot of mayors and spoke to them directly. So they were not aware of it prior to me having the conversation, nor did they say that they would be interested. They didn't say anything because they knew nothing about it. but our county executive is the county executive here of will county the county executive sits at the as the head of the president of the ced county executive then is written into this um i as this in this iga is one of the members of this board okay that's that's a lot of conflict to me um that i think should be different i i know that i thought that made sense A member had said we have the county board speaker fine and then there was a suggestion for the Republican and Democrat leader. Somebody said, oh, we don't want to make this political. Everything's political. Are we joking here? Every single thing is political. Putting the Democrat and Republican leaders on as members rather than the county executive to me gives much more clarity to it because the county executive is still the county executive. She's still the president of the. If I have that title, right? So then she would have influence from that perspective. So I just find there's lots of things here that are very up in the air and for me. I understand you did a good job here, Kevin. I understand what your intent was to try, but when somebody says to me, this is an attempt at the olive to an olive branch to the other side of the aisle, because we understand that they're interested in doing a land bank. But they're not, they're not happy with it. So that tells me this, because it is political. It tells me that you people on the right side of the aisle here, we're giving you this olive branch, so you vote yes. So this becomes a bipartisan vote. That's what I see it as. We're not going to clear anything up. You have 50 questions, 40 questions, 30 questions, nine amendments. We're going to leave all that. Just please vote yes. To me that I can't vote yes for something like that. I can't vote. Yes. When I have not been, uh, we have not been informed about this. We had a committee of the whole because of this reason, because only this was only presented at the executive committee. So, if members of this board, all 22 did not attend the executive committee, and many can't because they have jobs. If they're not on the committee, they are working on those days. So they weren't there. And I talked to members that I'm like, how do you feel about the land bank? I don't know anything about it because they weren't at the executive committee. So then we had the committee to hold because I did bring that forward, which thank you, Joe, for doing that. But I, I just think there are too many open questions about this. Um, the is not robust enough in my, my ideas for securing that we would have a good land bank. I'm not opposed to the land bank. I think if we do it, we could do it. Right? But. I think that we need to have examples. I need to see these properties we're talking about. I need to have some input from some mayor. The only mayor he had was mayor from university park. And, um, I, I just, I think it's too many questions in the air for any vote today. Thank you.

And I'm going to ask, um. speaker van dyne again again just because there's a lot of projection here of of people uh feeling things are sinister i guess i mean again i challenge anyone to uh look at my record but again there's a lot of projection going on here i have no problem and i'm sorry uh mr o'hare here you pull this just stop it now i mean again we have a lot of speakers you're more than welcome just to drop it all and that's fine i have I mean, I think if there is concerns about the CD, there's concerns about the, there's concerns. I mean, I'm just. Telling you, I mean, the CD is a separate entity. He has a board and if he can discuss with his board how, you know, what else. To do, but I have no again, I'm just going on record here because for some reason, people think this is me pushing this. I have no issue with you pulling this and it never coming back if you don't want it to. So, just so it's on the record, I'll let you make that decision. We have a lot of speakers on it and I don't know if people want to listen to this all for it to fail. So I have no issue.

Thank you, madam executive. Before I make that statement, I would just like to say that I do know of. 3 mayors and district 1 that I represent that are interested and I could probably speak for the remaining of the of the other mayors in Southwestern will county. I think it is a good idea, but I have 0 skin in this game, uh, seeing in listening to the concerns of some of the members. Uh, I will remove. My amendment, and then I will make a motion to remove this item from today's agenda.

We have to do them in 2 votes so 1st, we're going to have a motion to a member event. Our speaker Van Dyne has made a motion to remove the amendment. Is there a 2nd. 2nd, by Butler, is there a discussion? So, if you are, you waiting to talk in the last 1, if you could turn it off, this is going to be discussion on removing his motion for the amended proposal that was sitting in front of you. So, if you have comments on that, leave your lights on if not. Member.

Thank you madam executive. I don't want to remove this. I'd like to do an upper down vote. I think it needs to be clear for the record. What people feel about this idea of moving forward with the land bank. I did call Mr prior after the 1st meeting we had on this. I don't even remember how long ago maybe may or June and I asked him and I think it was explained that this these funds that he that we gave him through the decision were to be used to help distressed or needy businesses throughout will county. And I, I believe he may have used some of the money. That I can't say for sure, but what he did say to me was that the needs were so great. they were huge, that there really wasn't enough money to really make a difference. And so that was why, and apparently this discussion in Springfield about allowing these collar counties to now be a part of a land bank, why he brought this idea of a land bank forward. He said, if we don't want a land bank, they'll continue on to try to use this money to help a few businesses in Will County. I'm okay with that too, but I want a yes or a no vote on a land bank. Thank you.

Continue with the discussion on whether or not to remove it member. Oh, sorry.

Okay.

Member Freeman.

I have to agree with member trainer. This is our 4th meeting. We had a committee of the whole, because some wanted more information at the beginning of that meeting. There were only, um, there were 6 absent. By the start of that meeting by 1115, 1120, there were 9 absent. That's almost half the board. And now, all of a sudden, we want more information. I would suggest you come to the meetings you go and you reach out to talk to people. This is not a partisan. All of branch there were members on both sides of the aisle. I'm so done with that. There were members on both sides of the aisle who have submitted who have questions who have things they want added to the and during the committee of the whole, it was discussed that this would be. A possibility to get this thing started, because it is good for the community. It is good for our residents. It's good for our county and. It is stated right here that everything is based on the intergovernmental agreement that has to come back to the board for approval for final approval. So, even if an agency decides. They want to be part of it, and we create an, they don't like, they won't sign it. They won't be part of it, but we cannot get this thing started without. A resolution to begin, and that's what this is. So I think we do need to vote on it because we're just kicking the can down the road.

Thank you member Richmond.

Thank you. I appreciate all the effort that we've taken up till now. We did have a committee of the whole. And yes, it was during time where people were on vacation, things like that. But what I tried to do is get all the questions from. Our side of the aisle kind of categorize them, aggregate them. And put them in a format that we could step through. Very easily without a lot of back and forth or duplication of questions and things like that, because I wanted to see it to be a streamlined process. And unfortunately. Mr. Pepsi showed up to discuss...

I mean... You know what? Let me finish talking. Can you call him Mr. O'Hara? Yes.

Not Mr. Pepsi. I'm making a reference. Okay. I'm speaking figuratively because, you know, a lot of people don't understand the difference between the CED and the... Just say that. Okay. So Hugh showed up to answer questions for Doug. How's that? Hugh was also involved with Doug with that. Did he write the whole thing, and is the money going to him? No, and so here's here's the ultimate question in 2022, 3.5Million dollars was given to the. Four years later by the county board. Oh, that's fine. If it's awarded by the county board. But 4 years later, almost in the 11th hour, we get told that there's a 1Million dollars sitting left over and it's roughly 30 some percent of their of their spend. Now, I looked at what their, their budget is and pulled up there. There was 099 or 990 is whatever it was. 3Million dollars is a significant portion of their annual budget. And they, they weren't able to spend it and now on the 11th hour were brought forward something and this is what we were told is, you know, here's here's the documentation. Of those questions that were presented. Doug did the best he possibly could answer him, but most of them weren't even answered. And at the end of the day, I'm not about to sign on to something because many years ago we heard, oh, just approve it and you can read about it. And you can see how that's all gone for us as an emotion is to remove it. Well, here's the thing, but we're also being asked to take there's there's people on this side of the aisle that are for land bank. The problem is, is we want to have. Answers to the questions, and that's the bottom line.

I think. I think that's being acknowledged. I think that's being acknowledged. And again, you know what?

There's many times that you let the horse out of the barn. You can't get it back in the bar, but then yeah, exactly.

That's why he's removing it. So, all right, remember Butler.

So, I am definitely in favor of removing this, um, and not having this, uh. Move forward, I, I can't understand what. Unless there is a deadline. If we're not talking about the, if we're just talking about a land bank that could be run by anybody, there has to be a deadline in order to want to create something that you don't know what it is. I don't know. I don't care how many questions are asked. And he answered until it's written in writing and I got to sign my name to it. It's not real. It's nothing's decided. So, if this was an urgent matter, I wonder why all this stuff couldn't been put in writing and we could have looked at it and said, oh, okay. That's the way the land bank is. Yes or no. It's simple all it says is be it therefore resolved that the will county board supports the creation of a will county land bank. and that we're gonna negotiate terms for this agreement. It's just the, you know, just decide what it is first. There's no reason we can't do it, but let's get all the details first.

You're absolutely right. There is no reason in two years you could come back to this and do it again. I think they were just tying it to some actual dollars that they had in place already, but you're absolutely right. You could come at any time moving forward and discuss a land bank. So, I don't see any member. Oh, I'm sorry. Member new quest and then Ortiz on the. Thank you.

So I live in an area and I represent an area that has a fair amount of blight and I'm excited about the possibility of a land bank. I mean, mayor was here yesterday. He's 1 of the communities I represent, because we don't get a whole lot of economic development out our way. And if this is a tool, I don't look at this as the end all and the be all, but I look at this as a possible tool that could help revitalize neighborhoods and revitalize communities. We're always talking about wanting to do something for the people for our residents. Well, this is a. Pretty good opportunity, I think to help our communities and I really do believe that. I don't want to I do want to vote on this up or down because we've had 4 meetings on this already. And if we're not going to move ahead with the land bank, I don't want to waste any more time on it. Thank you. Remember our teeth Thank you.

um i am in full support of removing this i actually thank lord jesus of above for you making that motion because again there's been talk here saying that this is just one page you should be able to read it super easy we are in discussion right now i am actively listening to the discussion going on and it's it's being told to me that i should be expected to stop listening to discussion And read this whole new resolution, because apparently it's an olive branch that we were never told was an olive branch. I didn't even nobody in the full board. Did not have access to this language until we sat down and we'd started discussing and they said, oh, yeah, this is what we're bringing forward here. It's right in front of you. We're in the middle of discussion right now. I have to listen to what is going on. I'm not going to stop listening. To read this whole thing, that's just the things that are said here again. I just cannot. When we were at strategic planning 2 days ago, when was that Tuesday? Monday, thank you 3 days ago. It was stated by a member here in leadership that this would. Probably be postponed until August. I don't understand why we're trying to do all or nothing. You vote for it. If you if you want. If you support it, if not just forget the whole plan, if if you really cared about the land bank, you would be trying harder to work together to get this past. Right now, this is just this is craziness and no, we shouldn't be expected to vote on an entire resolution that we are barely seeing during discussion. We literally have had usually when these things are presented, we take a little break so we can read. But apparently today, this is super easy. We should be able to do work. If it's so easy, why didn't we present this before the meeting? You could have shared this last night or something. I don't, I don't understand. I really don't. And again, it was already suggested that this would be pushed back to to August. So I don't understand why that is an option. I pulled leadership into the hallway right before the meeting started. And I said, can we do a special meeting next week? Can we do a special meeting next week? Just so that we have time to read this olive branch. What's the point? Because we have 3 meetings, 4 meetings is enough to pass an entire land bank apparently to the rest of this board.

In same member, uh, member Hickey then Bullock.

Thank you madam executive. I would like this to go to a vote. I would like this to remain on our agenda. Um. I hope my colleagues are interested in prior notice when we go through the budget process. Um. I also hope that when I walk in and I have a manifesto from 1 of the other colleagues on the board that they understand that we have to stop and read at that point as well. I was given. 14, I believe green lined items and so I excuse me. I have the video. I have the floor. Thank you. So I just really ma'am.

Destiny, she has a floor. No, 1 interrupt you.

I believe that. There were questions about the, I believe that this was a novel solution to try to. Make sure that we all want to move forward with this, but we will come up with how as a group and. I think that we've been accommodated here. This is getting to be embarrassing, so I apologize and thank you and I hope we vote on this.

Thank you member book this 1 page that was okay a page in a. That was given to us this morning that was on our desks when we showed up for the meeting. If we were here early, it was here everywhere as on this piece of paper is the same language. As the 1 that we looked at the other day. It's exact same language. It may be in a little different order. It may be a little different wording, but is the exact same content. So, the only thing that is different is now therefore be it resolved to be it further resolved be it further resolved. And those aren't even that different. The CED is not running the land bank. The CED is not in charge of the land bank. They are helping it to become created and the board that is on it is the one that is going to run the land bank. We have a final say subject to the approval of Will County Board on the bottom of this. I don't understand what more People need it. We have had meetings we've had. Doug available for email phone call whatever if we were really concerned about this. I believe what we have here. Is an issue of trust and we're going to let that issue of trust with 1 person. Derail us from doing things that will benefit the county. This needs to go to a vote.

Mr Butler, if you can do it quickly, please is your 2nd time. I think we're, I think we were done. I think we were done there, sir. So, um, we have a, uh, a motion in a 2nd. Oh, great. So what would you have more? You're not on. So, um, but yeah, it's fine. Okay. We had them then if you're going to have to speak, we have a motion to call the question 2nd. Oh, you spoke already. I'm sorry on this. Yeah, you're right. You're right. Sorry. You could speak twice. I know, but you can't call the question if you've already spoken. So, sorry member Berkowitz.

When you once you speak, you can't call the question. No, if you speak at that time.

I can call the question seconds. If I started to speak on something else, you spoke on the amendment already, but not you spoke on his withdrawal.

You spoke on his drawing, but not this time.

This was the 2nd time I was called and I made the motion.

My understanding is if you've already spoke while emotion is there that you cannot call the question. So I'm going to. Okay, all right, we're going to try member Berkowitz.

Okay, so I'm going to share again some facts. And. You can groan about having to listen to facts, but these are facts. These are notes I took from when you say facts and cite your sources. Okay, prior executive and committee of the whole those, those are my sources. These are words that came out of somebody's mouth and all of these meetings are recorded. The public can and should listen to our county board meetings. We want you to do that. Facts, and I'm going to be seriously say who the county.

Okay.

Uh, when you say that, please say pressure brophy. Okay. Uh, indicated that these properties. When they are transferred to the lamb bank. If there's any taxes owed. The county never, they're not responsible to pay them. We lose those back taxes. Now, follow me then that property is transferred to the land bank board, which never comes back to your elected officials. The land bank board never comes back. To your elected county board members, the land bank board, trust me.

So please trust me. Thank you.

The land bank board then sells these profit these properties for a profit. We were that information was shared with us also, um, when. These properties come, so these are properties that come off of the tax rolls. The county's never reimbursed for their taxes. And then the land bank board receives the profits from. So, whatever development or whatever property, which I'm going to say, I'm going to interrupt because you're saying you're talking for someone else and they're shaking their head.

So, again, I don't know if you have accurate information. I have the treasurer's here. Would you like him to be people? He said.

No, I okay so these aren't facts your interpretation of what this is a recorded meeting Jennifer.

I know, but you, you, you, you can't say fact. This is what somebody else said. Okay, so let me try to since I was interrupted and well, I'm trying to make sure that you are not telling me things because you can't you can't speak for someone else. So I want you're saying these are facts people. Facts really do matter. And facts require citation and you are repeating what you heard and summarizing. So it's a difference. It's a difference member Berkowitz. So if you'd like to speak what your issues are on this, please do. Thank you point of order. Thank you.

So. I have indicated that these.

Up, you have to hold on madam executive. I believe this discussion is about whether to remove the amendment or not. Anything else is is not germane. Thank you.

Okay. In my motion.

I think we are ready to vote now, sir. So we are going to vote. Um, this is their removal of the item, um. For the, the landing discussion, so, um, madam clerk, please call the role.

Richmond yes. Williams. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Butler. Yes. Yes. Brooks.

We're voting on whether or not to remove this from the agenda. Well, we didn't have anyone else speaking. You are voting on to remove this item right now. Ma'am continue Brooks.

Oh, thanks. Sorry. Thank you.

When free.

Logan. Freeman. Revis Mitchell Ortiz Berkowitz yes Hickey Costa Trenier no Van Dyne no 11 affirmative the item is both thank you

We are going to move on to yes, sir. Oh, now we have to I'm sorry we have to remove the entire item now.

Hold on. Hold on.

So we, well, we removed the amended item. So do we have to now remove the other item?

So, as I understand it, the way the board wanted to proceed was to remove this. Piece of paper, and then they wanted to vote on whether to go forward or not.

His motion was to remove.

The item from the entire motion.

Yeah, let's. Yeah, so it's removed. We're not. Yeah, I think it's pretty clear. It's it's it's being removed. Yes.

All right.

Well, I have permission.

Moving on to public.

I'm sorry land use. I'm looking. Yes, okay. Uh, moving on to committees land use and development chair pretzel.

Thank you, man.

I'm sorry.

First up on today's agenda, zoning case 25-138. This is for a special use permit for a commercial solar energy facility in Monee Township. It's a vacant property on the south side of Drolley Road, east of 7001 Drolley Road, Monee, Illinois County Board District 3. PZC voted three to four, thereby denying the request. And Land Use and Development also voted three to four, thereby denying the request, and ISO move.

Motion by pretzel seconded by new quiz any discussion any discussion member gala.

Thank you so this board as a whole has voted for many solar facilities. This board has voted no for some solar facilities. We have never voted on a solar facility that was being proposed to be built directly next to a small air part air park. This is different than the airports that were talked about in public comment and also at the public hearing. It's different in the sense that we have not, we don't have any data to support the impact on small planes. On inexperienced people who fly, because they're not like a professional pilot who flies American or anything like that. We do not have information on that and how it impacts the planes. We did hear that. These are non glare panels. Well, if you look up non glare panels, it will tell you there is glare that's produced by these 9 player panels. Well, it may not impact a large airplane. It does impact smaller people who are flying because they don't have all these same instruments. They don't have a control control tower. They don't have any of that. They don't have the same weight of a plane. I heard that, you know, the, um, there is no heat reflectivity because nothing reflects off. That's that's true. The panels absorb it, but that means the panels are absorbing a lot of heat in that area. That would impact the plane. So, I think we have never had these discussions. I think that this is something that needs to be looked at. I don't think that the legislators and Springfield even gave this a consideration as to whether. Um, whether a small solar facility like this is being proposed directly next to an air park. So, I think there are so many unknown variables that could lead to very severe safety issues that I think that it makes the most sense is to deny this project. For safety reasons that were never considered. In the legislation nowhere in the legislation that I read, does it say anything about this? And I don't believe that they even consider this because I'm not aware of another solar facility that is built right next to a small air park. Yes, there are large solar facility. There are solar facilities built next to large airports. This is a whole different dynamic and I would encourage everybody to please vote. No, thank you. Thank you member Logan the new quest.

I do agree with the member in regards to the airplanes. Um. But I also heard the residents, so based on that, I'm going to be a no.

Member new quest.

I am hoping somebody from land use or on the committee can confirm this for me. I believe that this project was submitted to the for approval and that they did in fact approve it. Is that correct? Can somebody confirm that?

I'm seeing a nodding, but the other coming forward.

Okay. Thank you.

Margaret Kenny with bill county land use. So, yes, part of the application, um, the applicant did submit consultation with the and they determine it that there was no flight hazard with this project.

Thank you remember Williams and Brooks.

Thank you. I just want to know from the state's attorney, as far as the law is concerned for what the actions that we can and cannot take, what do we have to do? Does it matter that this may be a safety concern?

Well, it certainly is not 1 of the factors that they listed in the, uh, the state statute and I, I tend to agree with member. Oh, God, they probably didn't even consider this. Um, we do have a part of the problem, um, that we've come with the equity solar cases is the application complete and we just heard land. You say that the is signed off on that. That's always a concern when you're doing so this has never been tested. Um. You know, there are some novel ways we could look at this, but generally, we'll say the law is right now, if they have a complete application and they check the boxes, it should be approved.

Member works, and then balance your.

Madam executive when we sit on that podium and Kevin is in my seat for the land use committee, many of us vote on this project. No, for now, and that was the 2 words we gave remember that. And the reason why we gave that, because we knew we would come before this final decision on today. So, 2 things I have to say, and I turn the microphone off. Uh, no, for now was applied to land use development, but no, for now for this many as well. And secondly, unfortunately, my full time duty does call. I unfortunately had to leave 1130. that's my heart stop. But I would have to tell you, I am still Mr. Chairman. A noble Madam chairman for this.

Mr.

I just want to get on your list. I know my.

Oh, okay. That'll get you. Yep. Sorry. Thank you. Member ballot.

I want to make sure everybody understands on the county board that this is a hardship to the county and the residents. But it's a hardship for our county, because we have a good possibility of being sued because we had prior knowledge to what happened. And. Well, I think it was McHenry county when a little boy was killed from a similar type of by accident and not regarding the solar problems, but they were held liable. We can be held liable for anything that we know in advance and we know there's problems with this right now. So. If we get sued, it's on us for voting for it. So, I think we should all be voting. No, and just leave it alone.

Thank you. We're going to remember Richmond then pretzel. Oh, yeah.

So, and I'm no pilot or anything like that, but I would have to. Go out on a limb here and say that these commercial airports, these large airports that they're talking about just about every plane that lands in them can land on autopilot. No matter glare doesn't matter anything like that. What I've heard today is there's a lot of people that are learning to fly and private pilots that don't have near the experience, nor the instrumentation to be able to actually do an autopilot landing like that. So, and I believe that they probably don't even have the equipment on the ground to help them with that. So, like I said, I'm no aviation expert, but. We have to take that into consideration as far as the difference between the airports that were. Is approving normally, or the threat versus this type of airport.

Member pretzel. Sorry, I'm sorry about that.

But all right member Richmond kind of took my comment, but I just. Remember, this isn't a traditional airport. This is a runway that they built homes around some of these residents specifically chose to live here so they can park their plane. And their driveway, or they drive these planes down the street. To get to the runway, this is a very, uh. It's right for amateur pilots. You heard some of these people say they're teaching their kids how to fly the planes. That's why they chose to live here. These are not all. Experienced pilots, these are not large planes with autopilot. I just worry that. An accident could happen as a result of this. And if if you're the 1 that passed this, I mean, that would. Come back to you approving it.

I. I don't see how anybody could vote yes on this 1 and just to remind people, I think member Brooks would like to vote on this as well before he has to take off. So, if we want to keep our comments to sync, so we can, but we have now member. I'm sorry we have a member.

Thank you madam executive. I personally don't know what the state legislators considered when they pass this law. Wish I did wish I could have maybe changed their minds on how they they created this law. But, um. You know, you take a risk when you live near an airport. I live near an airport, not right next door, but live near an airport. I actually saw the plane crash into my local bank. Who knows? I could have been at the ATM machine when it crashed. I wasn't. Um, there are no guarantees in this world if you choose to live next to an airport, no matter what the reason. That's your choice and anything can happen. We don't have a solar facility next to our airport in Bolingbrook. But yet a plane crashed into the bank, um. We live in a very litigious society. People are going to sue no matter what. In fact, our state's attorney told us somebody was going to sue us over something.

I don't can we have order in here? Please can we please have order? We're having a discussion now and.

Thank you what I have to say probably doesn't isn't going to change their vote, but I'm not going to wrap everybody in bubble wrap. Um, you know, anytime something goes wrong, people want to sue. They never look to themselves to look at their own member.

Why don't we hold on to? We have some order in here.

Well, that's not going to happen.

Complete.

If they're going to sue anybody, they're going to sue the FAA. They're the ones that said that this was okay. They said there were no safety issues. I looked at the map. and I looked at where the farmland is, and from everything I can see, the plane taking off or landing has a greater risk of hitting a home or trees that are directly at the end of the runway or at the beginning of the runway. The solar farm is actually, if I understand the map correctly, is kind of off to the left on a diagonal and north of where the end of the runway is. So I'm gonna go ahead and follow the state's rules And I'm going to vote yes for the special use permit. I don't believe we can stop people from suing. Um, we've certainly been sued. We're going to continue to be sued. Um, but the didn't have any issues with this and our state legislators said we need to move solar forward. So I'll be a yes.

Thank you member Butler and then.

So, I am also not going to worry about getting sued. I am going to concern myself mostly with doing the right thing. And that is going to be foremost in any vote I make. This area suffers a lot of damage from. Drainage improper drainage and while even if this doesn't fit in a, uh, a wetland, if it's above it. And there's a farm wetland below it, the water will collect where the wetland is. So, anywhere you have drain tiles, you're going to have problems when they put these solar fields in. I am going to be a no on every single solar. Project that goes in there I am until we get a study and we get an understanding of what the impact is going to be on the residents and the environment. And so far that has not been done. And I feel that is the right thing to do. And it says in the special use permit, we are supposed to decide if there's going to be any harm to the surrounding. Uh, people, so I'm gonna know thank you member gala.

Thank you. Can we please call the question?

I don't know. Um, I think we, uh, well, we can call the question and let's remember we're going to do the same thing speaker. Okay. So we have a motion to call the set question. Is there a 2nd. Mitch, can we please we need okay we can you please take the roll call for calling the question. We need 14 members in the affirmative.

Richmond yes, Williams. Yes. Okay, let's yes to call. Yes. Butler new quest. Yes, Brooks Winfrey. Logan Freeman. Mitchell. Kiki Costa. Yes.

20 in the affirmative motion carries, we are going to call the question. So we are now voting on item. Number 1, madam clerk, please call the. Call ordinance number 26 dash 210. ma'am clerk please call the role Richmond.

Williams. Okay. Pretzel Butler. New quest. No. Brooks Winfrey Bullock. Logan Freeman. Mitchell Ortiz Berkowitz.

Yes, I mean, no picky.

Yeah, Costa. Yeah. No.

For 15 and the negative, the motion fails. Moving on to, um, member pressure, I started taking over for you there. All right.

Thank you. Madam executive next up on today's agenda zoning case. Zc2 6020 badger daylight incorporation requesting a map amendment from C2 slash R2 to C4 and Homer township. I do have a request from the applicant to postpone this to the August meeting. And I still move on that motion.

2nd, Mitchell motion by pretzel seconded by Mitchell any discussion on the postponement to the August meeting.

Oh, man, you need I'm sorry member Butler.

What what is the purpose for the postponement? So, the applicant is working with the village. And they are still in conversation with them and have just asked for more time.

I'm I'm confused. Does it does the discussion involves another property or the same property? Because if it's the same property, I believe that the village and the township and the people have made their position clear. If it's a different property, then are we asking to withdraw our map amendment?

Well, I believe if they had a different property, they would withdraw this.

So it's the same property. So we have no reason to believe that there is really any negotiation other than the villages made it clear that this will hurt their economic plan and the ability to recoup costs for the infrastructure that was put in place for residential building.

And they're, they have looking simply asking for more time. I don't want to speak for them on anything else. I, if you don't want to give them more time, you should vote. No.

Thank you member Van dyne.

Thank you madam executive. I did receive an email from Mr Logan a lot from badger lighting. Mr Van Dyne, we respectfully request the removal of badger zoning request from the July 2026 board meeting agenda. And we'd like this postponed until the August 2026. what county board meeting. To allow us to work with Homer Glenn on potential solutions along with the local residents. Thank you for your time.

All right, that's the purpose.

All right. See, in no more discussion we are now voting on, um, is it tabling. To the postponing to the August. The August meeting, so, right. All right. Madam clerk, please call the role.

Richmond Williams. Yes. Okay. Yes.

Yes.

Butler. Very good. Right Newquist. Yes. Brooks. Um, Winfrey. Bullock Logan. Bremen. Okay, Mitchell. Yes. Berkowitz. Costa.

And then, yeah, okay. Yeah. 1918.

70 in the affirmative motion carries.

Okay, next on the agenda ordinance. Sorry zoning case is 26-036 special use for firearms dealership business as a home occupation in township. At 25734 West Hickory court in Manuka, Illinois, county board district. Number 1 was in favor 7 to 0 and land use also unanimous 7 to 0 and ISO move.

Motion by motion by pretzels was 2nd, by. Any discussion member Freeman.

So, I have to be very honest here when I read this, I thought, oh, there's going to be a lot of discussion about this, you know, someone creating firearms, ammunition and their home. I was shocked when there was very little conversation. My father built rifles in the basement back in the seventies. Um. I was raised in a world that says firearms are not good. Besides my father and. That's my personal feeling and when I sat here and I thought about the. Right and wrong way to do this. This gentleman is actually doing it the right way. He came before us. He's following the law. I have to take off my personal hat, put my county board hat on and say, I have no reason he's metal of the South factors. And I just wanted to go on record to say, I appreciate that. He is following the law and is doing his due diligence to keep everyone safe.

Thank you.

I see no more discussion. Madam clerk, please call the role very disruptive today. Yes.

All right. Let's see who's here. Richmond. Williams. Yes. Okay.

Yes.

Butler. New quest balance.

Yes, wait, I mean, this is like, okay. We obviously, so something's happening over here. It's getting disruptive. Mr. Revis can you take it outside?

The board room, I agree with you. Okay.

Yeah, this is really. Yeah, it. Yeah, I know member reference cause a lot of distraction for us here today. Can we have you sit? You can, but you're interrupting you've been doing it for the whole time and people are talking and we're trying to listen. So.

Ready yes, ma'am.

Win free. Win free bullet.

Yeah.

Freeman, I'm sorry, Logan. Yeah, Freeman. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mitchell. Hickey Costa train here and then. Yes, and Judy's a yes.

All right. 20 in the affirmative the motion carries.

Thank you the next language development committee meeting is scheduled for August 6th.

Thank you moving on to finance chair new quest.

Okay, we start out with a consent agenda composed of the following items resolution 26 dash 213 delinquent tax resolution 26 dash 214 appropriating funds in the corners budget 26 dash 215 declaring equipment surplus and authorizing disposal 26 dash 216. I'm sorry. I just said that. Oh, no, sorry. That was equipment was 215216 is declaring vehicles surplus and authorizing disposal 26 to 17 appropriating grant funds in the county clerk budget from the Illinois state board of elections polling place accessibility grant 26 to 18 appropriating grant funds in the county clerk budget from the Illinois state board of elections. 26 dash to 19 appropriating grant funds and the county clerk budget from the Illinois state board of elections voter registration grant and 26. I'm sorry that was it for the consent agenda and I so move. You have to ask if anyone wants anything removed please. Oh, right.

Does anybody want anything removed? I remember and you just have to state we don't explain it. Member which 1 would you like removed? Okay, member Berk, which is the 1 you'd like anything removed. There's no, no, if it's if you're going to, you just have it removed then if you. Okay, all right all right so now we have a motion for items. B. C. D. E. F. G. is there a 2nd. All in favor. Any opposed motion carries.

Okay, here new quest moving back up to letter a, then, um, doing, uh, resolution to 26 to 13, just delinquent tax resolution.

And I so move motion by new quest, seconded by Winfrey discussion. Uh, member or speaker Van Dyne.

I don't know if this is the time and place Madam executive, but, um, I feel like the board is having a lot of side conversations and and I know it's I'm guilty of it myself, but it is extremely hard to hear. So, either a, we can use our inside voice or B, maybe step outside because we are really having a hard time to concentrate. Thank you. Thank you.

Any discussion on resolution 26 to 13 member Berkowitz.

Uh, yes, so I had a question regarding this resolution. Um. Is this regarding specific. Properties it says execute necessary documents for delinquent tax programs. The documents are for what is.

Can can someone explain exactly what that means? This is this is our standard. Oh, sorry. Do you want me to this is basically our, our standard resolution that we have many months where properties need to be disposed of per tax sale. And it's basically just allowing the treasurer's office to execute the paperwork needed. To make this happen, at least that's my understanding of it.

And so my, my inquiry is, is with this. Resolution that the board be provided with a list of the properties is, is this a 100 property?

There is a list attached to the resolution. I believe.

Okay, I'm looking for it. I don't see it here. There's a list. Oh, there's something sideways that I can't read that. There was 1,000.

Okay, property.

That's okay.

I got it. Thank you. All right. So we have a motion. We have a 2nd, no more discussion. Madam clerk, please call the roll.

Which we have our, so we're doing letter a.

Under the finance letter in the finance committee.

Richmond Williams. Yeah. Oh, gala. Yes, Butler. New quest yes. Winfrey yes. Bullock yes, Logan Freeman. Revis Mitchell parties. Perkowitz Hickey yes. Costa train here being done.

Yeah.

19 and then for 1 of the motion carries.

Hold on wait 1 sec resolution 26 to 20 fiscal year 26 budget transfer and I so move motion by new twist.

2nd, by Hickey member gala.

Thank you, I would like to make a motion to amend resolution 26 to 20. I know that the support document that shows the budget transfer lines was updated as to where the dollars were going and how much, but the resolution wasn't. So, if we could, I'd like to make a motion to add another, whereas there will be a transfer of a total of 945,000. The will get 335,000 from cannabis housing stabilization. We'll get 440,000 from cannabis and workforce services. We'll get 170,000 from canvas funds.

When was this? Okay. Yeah. So can you okay?

It's just to clarify where the cannabis dollars are going because this doesn't say it doesn't say this at all for transferring. Budget transfers, it doesn't say it just says transferring between various departments. Yeah, we're we're.

Hey, can you can you yes?

Yeah.

Can you say as can you just say it's not in the resolution?

Can you ask for the men? Um, how would you like it in here?

We don't have to put a print it on the end.

Would you be willing so we don't have to get a print, uh, be it further resolved as included in the attached document? Would you be willing to make that amendment? Because it is attached, but we don't have in the resolution.

If anyone's looking at it, it's pretty clear. It's in the attached document is just clarifying it.

There's no change to it. Okay. Then it would be as it be it resolved. Then you'd have to have your, your, you'd have to have your amendment and the be it resolved resolved. Okay. So we have a motion to put what your is in your attached document in the actual resolution. Is there a 2nd. 2nd, or tease any discussion wonder. Oh, do you want it in? 2 it's fine. Well, it isn't. Oh, well, okay. They would. Okay. So, I remember Freeman, you had a member Freeman. No, they don't.

Pardon?

Would it please make your what was your request?

Well, we're supposed to provide any amendments in writing.

Okay.

All right, so you requesting in this, right?

What exactly? Can we please?

Yeah, I know. Like, seriously, you know, we know something's happening here. Mr. Revis and can you please sit down? Yes, like, we're trying to do official business here. So, we're going to take well. I, I'm, I'm going to be highly, um, I'm highly suspicious of that, but so we are going to take break. Well, because she would like it in writing all you're going to do if we're going to get in writing, probably take a break anyway. All right. So we're going to return. How much time do you need there? To get she would like, what's the attachment in the resolution where the whereas so. Well, Madam speaker, what exactly is her amendment? Her amendment is she would like the actual dollar amount and you can correct me. Uh, you, she would act. Like, the dollar amount in the resolution, it is just an attachment. She wants those numbers in the resolution. So you have the numbers there. They're attached, but she would like those in the resolution. So they're written, but not written in the resolution. So, the final resolution will have all those that they'll have all added.

I will because I'm so generous. I will withdraw my request to have this in writing because, you know, sometimes we have to read through everything and I appreciate that. Okay.

So there is a motion just to we don't did Chuck leave. You don't need it. Okay. All right. So there is a motion to add the, whereas no, be it resolved with the actual numbers. Is there a 2nd. 2nd, and oh, we already said that. I'm sorry. So we already had a motion. 2nd, when I'm close discussion. Okay. Yes, we can still discuss. Madam new park. Madam new quest.

Oh, it turned off. Oh, I went off. That's weird. Sorry about that. Are we talking about adding the total, the 945,000 or the individual components? So what are the individual components? They're on your attachment. They're in your attachment.

But I don't see them.

That's why.

Member O'Gala, will you please reread your amount? Yeah, the fiscal 26 budget.

Great.

It's it's on the attachment.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't move over. Okay. Got it. I, my question has been resolved. Thank you.

Thank you. All right. Very good. Um, member Berkowitz discussion on the amendment. Oh, you're fine. Okay. All right. So we have a motion. We have a 2nd, madam clerk, please call the role.

Richmond Williams, Dean, Schlappman, okay. Pretzel Butler. Uh, new quest. Yes. Yeah. Winfrey. Logan Freeman. Mitchell Ortiz. No. Trineer being done. It wasn't it already vote now.

You did vote. Okay.

All right. So, I think, no.

19 in the firm of the motion carries. All right, we're going to, we're going to, we're going to get through finance, then we'll take a break. So, remember chair.

Okay, um, so we voted on amending it. Do we need to vote on the amended resolution now? Okay, so resolution 26 dash 220 fiscal 26 budget transfer as amended and I so move motion by new quest. 2nd, by previous member.

Thank you so I am going to be a no on this and I'm going to encourage all my colleagues to be a no on this because there has been heavy. Controversy regarding these budget transfers so much so that. Corruption has been thrown around online and we need to acknowledge. That we, as board members need to come together and write out a policy and I want that to be on record me saying this, because I've put it in 2 documents. I've send it out to you all. I've been having these conversations. Well, this needs to be in the record that. If we want to distribute these funds or transfer these funds, or do whatever with these funds, there needs to be clear guidelines and safeguards so that these funds can go exactly where they were intended to be. And there's no future fighting. We have been fighting about these funds. For when do we pass the budget November? It's July. We have literally been fighting about this for way too long and we have no plan in place for the budget that's coming up in 5 weeks from now. To address these same issues, so I would advise to avoid any more controversy. And, you know, just to clean this all up vote. No, and we move forward with clean policy and clean. You know, direction on where and how this money is supposed to be spent. We need to look at other communities and see exactly how they're doing it. Because right now again, it's all up to discretion and everybody's pointing fingers and saying, oh, you're giving money to your friends. You're going to we need to stop all of that. We need policy written in place and for that reason, I'm going to be a firm note and I encourage everybody else. To vote no as well.

Thank you. I'm going to share the same kind of comment here. You mentioned the who, who are you allegating is corrupt? Because that's an important, you just said that there's, so I want to make it clear, I'm going to ask that, that's a strong word, so I'm just... No, you said there is allegations that there's corruption.

So, again, yes, if you go online to the well, any Democrats page, you will see all the conversation.

We're talking about Facebook stuff. Okay.

Yes. Public.

Yes.

There's a lot of misinformation being spread by public officials, being spread by public officials, being spread by party members who should know better. Okay.

So it's not just all random people on Facebook. I'm just saying.

I'm just saying. Corruption is a tough word.

And if we're taking all our information on Facebook, I think there is.

There's people in your party who are saying that I'm corrupt. My party? Yes. Okay. I didn't. I'm the party girl. Don't play. Come on now.

Okay. There we go. Stop. All right.

Stop it.

Okay. You know what? Stop. Hey, Destiny, this isn't about politics. This is about policy. And you just claim that we are allocating these monies and there's corruption.

You claim that. Go on the comments.

That's what I was referring to. I never said that. I don't respond on Facebook. Because you know better. Because I am busy doing work. Because you know better. Because you know better. Okay, well, you know what? Corruption is a strong word. So stop doing it. Tell your people in the party to stop doing it around. Stop it. Okay, we're moving on. Exactly. Yeah, I know it. You're right. But again, can we get back on? Well, we need to get back on track. You're right. You know, we hear a lot of accusations. And again, if you're getting your facts from Facebook, we need to reevaluate with facts. Your people need to remember rich and my people is me. Remember Richmond.

Great, um, so are we going to break shortly after this?

We are.

Okay. All right.

So we got 2 more comments, sir.

All right. I will be, I will be really brief is is I'm all for. Transparency and clarity and trying to put together a timeline policy procedure guard rails. Kevin, you know, I love that guard rails role role word. I would like to see us work on that aggressively. Over the course of this next month, so this way we don't go through any kind of, um, challenges that we've experienced over the past couple of years. Um, I would like to reach out to Sherry and Joe, and let's make this happen sooner rather than later. So, whatever we have to do to be fully transparent, not only to. Staff to the county board to the residents to organizations on how they can apply or get the money or whatever it is, you know, and maybe even look at how some of these other communities and that communities counties use these funds. So that's all I have. Thank you.

I will say yesterday I did talk to leader new quest after a meeting and I said, I think you either need to make a decision where it's clear that these rights, because it seems to be what the fight is all about is just that little patch of money. You either decide to put it back in the, um, in the general revenue, or you create a resolution of what you want to spend it to. And I am all for that because I agree. This is a lot of time on. A little bit of a lot of time and a little bit of dollars in the big scheme of things important dollars, but I completely agree that we have to either just make that decision on the board member Logan.

Uh, I do agree, uh, the cannabis money, there is no direction from the state, um, and they love restricting everything and they do not restrict this at all. If you read the statute, um, and it's 2 and a half 1Million dollars. So it is a lot of money. I would love to see a resolution and how we actually spend this. So I am with member Ortiz and getting that resolution member.

Thank you just really quickly. I recall that when we had the presentation that there was some concern that a couple of the entities. Needed the money that was what brought about the transfer is that still the case or yes.

Yes, so the work that those are the 3, the 3 that member gala has asked to be allocated exactly what? Yeah. Okay. All right. Thank you. Member gala.

Yeah, so cannabis at the end of last year, at the end of every year in the budget, cannabis dollars are appropriated to various different organizations or uses by the county as we choose to do as we can do. And this is just moving them out now. I don't know why we don't do it earlier. I'm not behind all that. I don't know why. Um, but everybody who applied for a, um, cannabis and who actually everybody who was given dollars via the budget vote at the end of the year had a need that was not addressed in any other manner. And so there, or an additional needs for, like, the, they wanted additional dollars to help do what they do. So we voted for that. So, I support taking cannabis dollars and voting it for things like this that come up that are in need that maybe some federal grant program is no longer supporting and we choose to support. I don't support putting in the general fund because it gets lost. I do like the idea of being able to give it to those that need it. Sometimes something comes up. And a certain department head or other elected official has a need. They weren't granted in the budget because the budget can only give so much money out and they, that money was not given to them for a budget need. So I support that. I think that's something that we should do to make it make those dollars use the way this board feels that they should be used. And then I also support the fact that when the board votes with a majority vote for a budget at the county executive, go ahead and agree with the. And do what the county board has requested. So I think we do need a policy. I'm glad that our leadership is going to be looking at that.

You're on, but just because you're leading. Okay. So we have a motion and a, uh, we have a motion as amended in a 2nd, Madam clerk, please call the role.

Richmond Williams. Okay, I love pretzel. Yes, Butler. Yes. Winfrey yes. Logan.

Uh, no, Freeman. Mitchell.

Right now, you're voting on the 3 items that were amended by member gala to put the dollar amount from the candidates money into the department.

Vicky.

Yes, Costa.

Train here and then.

15, the firm of the motion carries.

All right number 3, we have a couple of monthly finance reports attached for your reading pleasure and our next finance committee meeting is scheduled for August 4th, 2026. thank you.

All right. Very good. I think we have a request to take a little break at 15 minute. Okay. 15 minute breaks. We'll see you at 1215.

Sorry, we apologize.

We're a little later than anticipated. So, oh, we are only on item number 15. we are going to move on to. Public works and transportation chair.

Thank you madam executive. Welcome back from break everybody. Um. So we have a consent agenda today, uh, as noted in our agenda county board members who wish to remove items from the consent agenda for further discussion should have formed the county executive from the floor before the motions are made to approve and and be proposed and accepted. Is there anything anybody would like to have removed from the public works and transportation committee agenda of. The consent items. Okay, hearing nothing we're going to go letter a resolution 26 dash 221 authorizing approval of 2nd, supplemental professional services agreement with Alfred and company on 80th Avenue from 191st street to 183rd street county board district. Number 4. Letter B resolution 26 dash 222. Authorizing a 2nd, amended intergovernmental agreement between the village of Manuka, the county of Grundy and the county of will for improvement of McEvely road from Ridge road to Vista court county board district. Number 1. See resolution 26 dash 223 providing title commitment reports for use by county from Wheatland title guarantee company. for Bluff Road from I-55 West Frontage Road to U.S. Route 6, County Board District Number 1. Letter D, Resolution 26-224, providing title commitment reports for use by county from Wheatland Title Guarantee Company for County Line Road, Illinois Route 50 to Illinois Route 1, County Board District Number 2. Letter E, Resolution 26-225, confirming award of contract to P.T. Ferro Construction Company, let on June 17th, 2026, Schoolhouse Road to Shizer Drive, Safety Improvements, County Board District 4. Letter F, Resolution 26-226, confirming award of contract to Vulcan Materials, Let on June 17th, 2026 will county road district materials, aggregate county board district number 2 and I so move.

Motion by trainer 2nd, by Hickey all in favor and the opposed motion carries.

Our next public works and transportation committee meeting is scheduled for August 4th at 9 a. M. and I hope that you will all attend. Thank you.

Thank you moving on to public health and safety cheer Butler.

Okay, thank you chair. Let me see our next meeting will be held August 6th and we have nothing to move forward.

Thank you moving on to legislation legislative committee. Um, I believe chair Winfrey had to leave and the vice chair is member. Are you the vice chair?

Oh, oh, sorry.

I forgot that Denise left of catch a plane. Okay. We have 1 resolution to bring forward today. It's resolution 26 dash 227 opposing increases to truck sizes or truck weights outlined in the federal service transportation funding package. And I so move motion by.

Seconded by Freeman any discussion man. Member trainer.

i just have a question um we've been opposed to this for a number of times why isn't this just a part of our regular federal agenda so it is but it's it's also going to be discussed at naco and this gives a resolution that also supports denise when she's in naco so just reiterates our our our um federal legislative agenda and we have a resolution to support it so this is different than our regular It's the same. Okay. But it's going to go before the board when you're in, you know, how they have the different breakout groups. So this resolution supports supports Denise when she's in D. C. Say, we pass the resolution and support and opposition. Well, New Orleans actually, but I just understand why she wouldn't just read it out of the book. I'm just curious. That's all. It also is part of the next service transportation bill. It's in the bill. So we want to tell them that we, and we'll county, we don't support it. I know our director of, uh. Public of highways, he doesn't support it. I don't know that many support it. So.

I know, and they keep putting it in the surface and I don't think this is the 1st time. So, I just, I thought it was kind of odd that we were doing a separate 1 for it and I kind of wanted an explanation and. You've explained it, but it's clear as mud to me, because I would have just assumed that you would just take the federal agenda and read the thing. So, okay.

Thank you. Thank you. So there's a motion in a 2nd. All in favor. Oh, do we have a previous? Previous by, uh, Freeman 2nd, or we did we have a clean 1? Yeah, we did a clean 1 previous by sec by Freeman. The 2nd. Bullock all in favor and opposed motion carries.

Thank you. The next legislative committee meeting is scheduled for August 4th.

Thank you. Capital improvements. Sure. Freeman.

Thank you. Um, we have nothing to bring forward next capital and it committee meeting will be August 4th. Thank you.

Thank you. Um, the chair of landfill.

All right member Hickey and vice chair do a mutiny here. Um, we did not have a meeting in July. Our next landfill committee meeting is scheduled for August 11. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Finally, executive committee speaker van dime.

Thank you once again, Madam Executive. We do have a consent agenda. If any member would like anything removed, and this does not include the appointments by the County Executive, now is your chance. All right, so.

Member Gallagher has her light on.

Yeah, just because I have a couple questions about item C and item D that weren't clear to me when we had the meeting I would like to have C and D removed from the consent agenda.

I understand. Letters C and D need to be removed so I will continue with. The rest resolution 26 to 28 designating election judges for 26 to 28 term and executive appointment of director of the will county department of human resources. Adopting the U. S. Department of housing and urban development action plan for 26. And then, uh, several ordinances chapter 150 building code 159 contributions to library districts chapter 160 school site contribution. Chapter 161 capital improvement plan chapter 162 street naming and street signs. 163 is the county land resource management plan. 164 is water resource ordinances and lastly, 166 is historic preservation and I would make that motion motion by Van Dine. 2nd, bio gala all in favor aye any opposed motion carries resolution 26 dash 230 the resolution adopting successor collective bargaining agreement between the county of will and ask me council 31 local 1028 for the executive branch and I move motion by Van Dine.

2nd, by hickey now, before you ask your questions member is there any. Do we have to go in executive session for this? Okay, well, okay member gala.

Okay, so I took time to read through both of the agreements and then I forget our negotiators name.

Forgive me for that.

Oh, there he is. I didn't even see you come up. I asked him some questions outside. So he kind of clarified for me why they are written and are not exactly the same. So that was clear me up. My only question is with these with these bargaining agreements. Are we also agreeing to like a pay schedule? Because I never saw anything in the agreement is just the agreement. Like, if you go to restaurants, see a menu, but there's no prices on it. I want a sub sandwich. So that's just my question. I don't, I don't know.

So I can tell you, uh, obviously 2 different agreements. Um, the. Executive contract will have, uh, different, uh, pay schedules. Um, they were being worked on, but essentially, um, the, the total increases we've, uh, made pursuant to your authority given to us by the board, which, uh, we're actually below, uh, what the authority that you gave to us, the increases are 3 and a half percent through.

Then we would rather go on. Well, yeah, we're going to talk actually surprise. You're going to exactly.

Okay, yeah, because I'll make a motion going executive session to do right in the middle. You can do that.

Okay. So we have a motion to go into executive session by, um, member. Okay, Alice, seconded by. Madam clerk call the role while people start exiting.

Richmond Williams. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Pretzels yes. Butler. Newquist and village. Yes. Logan Freeman. You seem to know.

There we go. That's the sign we'll cover. Okay.

We are back from executive session. There is no recommendations from executive session, so we are going to be moving on with item number C. Speaker Van Dyne.

Madam Chair, I believe we have a motion and a second, so I... I would like to wait.

No, we don't. We have to start fresh because with C and D, they were pulled. Okay.

All right. Resolution 26 dash 230 resolution adopting successor, collective bargaining agreement between the county of will and ask me council 31 local 1028 for the executive branch. And I so move you did.

You're right. So we had Van Dyne and then Hickey. So I do appreciate that. We went, but motion by Van Dyne, seconded by Hickey, uh, Previous roll call by Mitchell, seconded by Freeman. All in favor?

Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. And letter D, I would like to make a motion for resolution 26-231, the resolution adopting successor collective bargaining agreement between the County of Will and the Will County Sheriff and the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Chapter 354. Motion to move forward court security officers.

Motion by Van Dyne. Seconded by Freeman. Previous roll call by O'Gala, seconded by Berkowitz. All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? Motion carries.

Moving on to the appointments by the County Executive, Resolution 26-241, approving appointment by the County Executive for Godley Public Water District. And I so move.

Motion by Van Dyne. Seconded by O'Gala. Previous? Previous by Hickey, seconded by Balich. All in favor?

Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Resolution 26-242, approving county executive appointments to the Historic Preservation Commission of Will County. And I will make that motion.

Motion by Van Dyne, seconded by Freeman. Previous roll call by Balich.

But heck, and by Hickey all in favor, I opposed motion carries and lastly resolution 26 dash 243 approving county executive appointments to the board of review of will county and I would like to 5 this over to, uh, leader Richmond.

Thank you motion.

I'll make a motion to put it on the floor.

Motion, um, motion by. Van dyne seconded by, oh, gala member Richard.

Thank you very much. Um, I know there's been a lot of discussion about this, uh, not only in the, these chambers, but out in the public and that and, uh. What I'd like to see us do is is, uh, uh, take take a breather. Let's let's understand everything that's going on and, uh, move this to next month's meeting. So this way we can better understand everything. I did have this conversation with, uh. Speaker Van Dyne and that, and I think that would be the prudent thing to do from what I've understood then from Jennifer, your offices, this would not have any negative impact on the county and or any of the initiatives at the board of review at this point in time. They've already been in place and the only way that. New people would have to be appointed before these people could be removed. So did I. Fair statement so far. All right, so, so what I just wanted to give the, everybody understands where we're at and what we're doing and everything's pretty transparent. So, what I'd like to do is make a motion that we move this to the August meeting.

A motion from Van dyne to postpone to this August meeting, seconded by a gala previous roll call by Mitchell, seconded by balance on favor.

Any opposed to do we do it right? Is that clean? I, madam, um, I put the motion on the floor. I believe Mr. Richmond made the motion to have it moved to August.

Okay.

I'm sorry with the seconded by, uh, Mitchell.

It would be with the 2 motions.

I think you just put on the floor and then I amended you a minute.

Yeah, you.

Hi. That concludes the county executive committee's report. Thank you very much.

Thank you. We're moving on to public comments relevant to matters under the jurisdiction of the county. I see we have some patients waiting. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you. Um, I wanted to respect the agenda and not speak out of turn. Um, so good afternoon, uh, chairwoman members of the will county board and the county executive. Um, my name is crystal Adams and I am here on behalf of the residents of Preston heights. And those served by the southeast Joliet sanitary district 1st, I want to thank the county for recognizing the seriousness of our water infrastructure challenges and for committing approximately 15.6Million dollars toward improving our water system. We appreciate that investment because it acknowledges what our community has been living through for far too long. However, I ask that you guys consider one important question. Can our community afford to wait 10 years? Since February 1st, our community has experienced 33 water main breaks, and that is since the City of Joliet took over managing the water system. That's 33 times our infrastructure has failed the residents who rely on it every day. Families have repeatedly gone without running water for hours, and in some cases, more than 24 hours. During those outages, parents cannot bathe their children, prepare meals, flush toilets, wash their hands, or care for elderly loved ones and those with medical needs. Businesses lose revenue and residents are left wondering when the next outage will occur. The Will County Board recognized this crisis more than a year ago, and on May 15th, 2025, the Board voted to support dissolving the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District and transferring its failing water system to the City of Joliet. Then on January 15, 2026, the board approved the intergovernmental agreement. The I. G. A. I learned that today. Okay. Uh, committing that 15Million dollars that I mentioned through a combination of federal are per funds, community development, block grant funding and county resources to improve the water and sewer infrastructure serving about 800 residents. So recently, Allison Swisher, director of public utilities for the city of Joliet, informed the residents that these funds would be distributed over a 10 year time frame. If the county recognized the urgency of this crisis over a year ago and approved the funding in early 2026, I respectfully ask why are these improvements being stretched over a 10-year timeframe while our community continues to experience repeated water main breaks? I would also like to address something discussed during today's meeting. The board stated that there are remaining ARPA funds and discussed the possibility of using those funds to establish a land bank. That raises an important question. If ARPA funds are still available, why isn't addressing the Preston Heights water crisis the county's highest priority? Safe drinking water infrastructure is an eligible use of ARPA funding, and if funding is available for new initiatives, then residents deserve to understand why those dollars cannot be used to accelerate critical water infrastructure improvements in a community that continues to experience repeated system failures. So today I just asked that the board to answer these questions. How much ARPA funding still remains? Are those funds already legally obligated or is there flexibility to direct additional funding towards Preston Heights? If those funds cannot be used for our water system, what specific legal or financial barrier prevents that from happening? Finally, I respectfully asked the board to work with the city of Joliet to determine where the funding and construction can be accelerated, prioritize replacement of the water mains with the highest failure rates, pursue every available state and federal funding opportunity and provide residents with funding. Okay. I'm sorry.

Uh,

Okay, sorry about that. Okay. Uh, and just pursue every available state and federal funding opportunity and provide residents with regular public updates on funding project milestones and expected completion dates. The resonance of President high Preston heights have waited long enough. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for transparency. Accountability in the same reliable access to the clean safe drinking water that every resident of will county deserves. After 33 main breaks since February 1st, we have earned more than temporary repairs. We deserve a permanent solution, and we deserve it with urgency. This crisis demands. Thank you. Crystal, Adam. Thank you.

Thank you, Crystal. Yeah. Thank you. You heard it. Yeah, thank you. Crystal.

Yeah.

Yeah. And I will, um, I will just announce at this time, though, that Juliet is having another informational meeting with the residents on July 30th. And construction does start Monday and some of these projects, so. Just for board board reference, because obviously the county is playing a key role in this. Um, with that, we're moving on to comments of our county board members, so please press your button and we will call you in the order that you come in to keep it. Pleasant member.

I say, um, thank you to all the staff that supports our efforts here on the county board. Not only the state's attorney's office, but I know, uh, chief of staff, Chuck. Uh, they do a great job at keeping tensions low and making sure all our work gets done. So thank you Chuck. And thank you team.

Member. For a long time, we've been talking about a lot of different items and nothing ever. Seems to trans, you know, that doesn't happen. So I decided to go talk to Joe.

Can can you again we were talking about, or can we get that out? Can you please. Take it outside so we can no, no, no, not you, sir. We can't. Yeah. 1 of them. You're telling me to take it here.

So they asked to be good.

Yeah.

I can talk now. All right for a long time. We've talked about these items and nothing happened. So I decided to talk to Joe myself. And something's going to happen. We don't have a policy at all. Concerning data centers, and we need to get 1. Because we've got rumors I'm calling a rumor because I don't see anything else about 1 going to new Lennox. So Joe agreed. I sent him a sample from Aurora, which I don't agree with the whole thing, but we could tweak that and use that for our county. So I just want to let everybody know. Thank you. We're finally getting something going to happen. Then the next thing is the land use. They do everything in increments. Or stages, wherever you want to call it and other counties and other cities and other places, they give everybody the information they need all at once. And they know how much money it costs right up front. They know what kind of permits they need the whole bit. So I would like to revamp. And I talked to Joe about this too. revamped the way our land use operates. So instead of somebody who wants to pull, they go and say, throw out a form to get a pull. And then the next thing they find out, they need underground wiring. And they got to form a permit for underground wiring. Then the next thing is they got to have a fence. The fence has to be so high, you need a permit for the fence. You can go on and on. So let's do it all at once. It'll make the process go faster, and it'll also make the people that see how much it costs say, well, I may not do it, or I will do it. So those are 2 important things that we've been having trouble with the data center. Not yet, but it's possibly coming. And then the land use, I'm getting so many calls on land use and I always get them remedy without coming to the board. You know, land use works with me and I don't have a problem with land use. But I do have a problem with the way they have their formulas. So if we can get that formula changed so that everything is upfront on a hunk of paper or a book or whatever. So that people know what they're getting into and it gets done fast. Because I know there's businesses that don't come because they don't like the way they have to get their permitting here takes too long. So that's a way to expedite everything. And then the last thing is when that lady's talking about the water, I mean, I don't have a problem with the land bank. I just want the right language in it. But do I want to help a land bank get developed or do I want to help a lady and the rest of the people that live there get water? I think water is way more important than a land bank. So I don't even know what we have in ARPA. But I'd rather see ARPA money going to Dixon right? Dick's whatever the heck the name of it was. I repressed and I'd rather see that than anything else because those poor people could be dying. You know, I don't want that on my conscience. But with that, I just want to tell everybody have a great weekend. It's going to be nice out and God bless you all.

Thank you. Member O'Galla and then Kiki.

Thank you, I do want to say, thanks to the members of this board for voting the way you did on several issues that we can make things more clear going forward. Um, whether it's how we spend the cannabis dollars coming up with a policy on voting for against that solar facility right next to an airport, because that is very, um. It's up in the air, we don't have particulars on it from any, any example anywhere. I appreciate you guys voting for the budget transfer. I just want to make make it very clear in that. I know we do budget transfers all the time, but this 1, I felt needed to be very clear. So we know which. which things were being moved from cannabis to where they were going, because it's not clear with just giving a certain amount of money. So I appreciate all of that, and thank you so much.

Thank you. Member Hickey?

I just wanted to quickly say, um, thank you to the will county sheriff's office. They, I don't know if you've seen, they have some new wraps on some of their vehicles that feature autism. And I think I just think it's great that they are showing their commitment to autism awareness and autism informed training and making sure that they meet everybody in the community where they are. So, I think. Member to near.

Thank you. I really feel for the Preston Heights community and their water situation. Um. I know we already have some money earmarked for it. Do you happen to recall how much.

And I'm going to give an estimate about 5Million. And I'm happy to talk after with anyone who wants to kind of know the big picture. I agree. It's a long-term project because it's about a $15 million. And we only get so much. We put in what we could for ARPA. You only get so much money a year from CDBG as members of that. No. So I'm not disagreeing. But we recognize that we would like this to be more hurried if possible.

No, and I feel for the whole community. I live in a community that panicked about water at 1 point, and they made a decision to buy to sell their water company. And that continues to haunt us. We had a several hour ICC complaint meeting on Tuesday. If that sale goes through, and I want to urge everyone here. If you're an AARP member or not go to their website. If you are a cub member or not go to their website, go to the website and really, really discourage them from allowing American water. To merge with Aqua, they will then own 90% over 90% of the water private water companies in this state and they will squeeze. The lifeblood out of us, they are already doing that. I mean. I'm sure we have a board member that could talk about his water bill in Homer Glenn. Um, but in Bolingbrook, if you don't even use your water, you do not use the water for the entire month. Not 1 drop your bill is over 130 dollars and that's without using any water whatsoever. Yep, I know we got folks in the room. Yeah, so we, we have to somehow, um, you don't as American, uh.

What is it? Aqua?

It's Aqua. I said, I thought I had the floor. Maybe not. Um, but I want to urge people to, um. Oppose these private companies from owning water companies last year alone. They had a 21% profit. There's top seven officials at Aqua, I mean, at American Water were paid over $27 million in salary for seven people. These are documented things. We're elected officials. Yeah, is it in front of us? No, but we have a voice. And I know that there are state representatives and state senators that have introduced legislation in Springfield to allow Communities to get their water companies back. It hasn't gone anywhere, but we could certainly support those individuals as well and write letters on behalf of our own community members. The water bills are just out of control and it's this bad now. It's going to get worse. It's going to get worse as things change in the country. People are likely to move closer and closer to the Midwest. And then water is going to be even in that much more demand. So I just, I want to urge everybody to use your voice. Contact hub contact and contact the. Thank you.

Thank you moving on to leadership. Is there anyone who has. I remember leader Williams and then Richmond.

Okay, I am. Once again, gonna give my little report on the strategic plan, but this time we actually have had some success and some progress and, um, the workshop went went well, I was hoping to have a few more people there, but they couldn't make it, but it went well. And we should get the report sometime next month and we should be bringing it to the caucuses to review and change whatever we need to change or want to change. And I just appreciate everybody's participation. And it's good to know that we can actually work together if we actually want to work together. So I appreciate it. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. So, today we've had some healthy discussions about a number of things, cannabis, land bank, things like that. And what I don't want to see is us have. Chaos like we had in the last budget here. So what I wanted to do is. Put a statement out that this way, everybody understands where we're coming from. I've had the opportunity to sit down with staff, sit through the budget meetings. I didn't sit through all of my set through a number fair number of them, you know, maybe 50% or so. But what I'd like to do is just on behalf of the Republican members of the will county board to outline our priorities for will counties fiscal year 2025 budget and property tax levy. Will County residents are facing a serious property tax crisis. Family, seniors, farmers, small businesses continue to see their bills rise, even when their household incomes do not keep pace. County government must recognize this financial pressure and make tax relief a central part of the fiscal year 2027 process. Last year, Republican board members led with bipartisan push to hold the county's levy growth at 0%. By responsibly using excess cash reserves, the county was able to avoid collecting additional property tax dollars while continuing to fund all essential services. For fiscal year 26, the county board approved a total property levy of approximately $158 million, supported by the adoption of $161 million. Thus, we used several million dollars of reserve. At the time of the adoption, the county maintained approximately 30 plus million dollars in available reserves. For fiscal year 27, we propose reducing the Will County property tax levy by 2%. This is not a 2% reduction in the rate of the levy growth. It's a proposal to collect approximately 2% less than the total property tax revenue than the county collected under fiscal year 2026 levy. Based on the 2026 levy, this proposal would reduce the county's property tax collection by approximately $4 million. From a from a broader perspective or vision for this county, we want to provide meaningful tax relief for our residents, protect essential public safety and transportation services, reduced administrative and overhead and unnecessary spending, eliminate duplicative programs and contracts, use taxpayer funded reserves responsibly. as well as slow the growth of the county's bureaucracy structure. I know we've had some conversations today, and I'm going a little bit off of my script here. We've had some conversations today about how to streamline. Steve brought it up about land use. We've had conversations about the cannabis and that. I would like to see us continue to do things like that. So let me get back to my thing. We believe the reductions should begin with administrative and discretionary spending rather than frontline services. We are not looking to cut employees. We're not looking to cut safety of this community or that. What we're looking to do is make sure that we examine the budgets. I am going a little bit off script. Will County government should not automatically increase its property tax collection simply because the state allows it to do so. I'm going off script here again, folks, but there's many taxing bodies that actually do this, and I want to be one of the ones that are out in front and not doing that, go through everything line item by line item, working with staff closely. The county should first examine its reserves, administrative costs, contracts, staff levels, and non-essential programs. The 2% levy reduction would send a clear message that Will County understands the burden placed on property owners. It would also demonstrate that fiscal discipline and effective county services are not competing goals. The taxpayers of Will County deserve a government that lives within its means and carefully manages its reserves and looks for savings before seeking additional revenue. We stand ready to work with your administration and our colleagues on the county board to advance a responsible 2027 budget that delivers real property tax relief. That's my commitment to you, Jennifer.

It's always been my commitment as well. So, as you know, I am, um, and I will may, I won't want to, I'll let the speaker go, but I will respond. I agree 100%, but so I'm sorry.

I don't mean to cut you off. Jill. I'm ready willing and able to. I hope so.

I am grateful for that. I've always been willing to talk. I mean, if you ask anyone what I don't like is the last minute, what I'd like to call sneakiness, the conversation on the side. I'm a pretty open and I'm just saying that in a general context. I'm a pretty open person. When there's time for compromise, I will do it. And I've seen us compromise on a lot of things here. It doesn't give me my way. It doesn't give you your way. And I'm always willing to do that. I'm going to tell you this. We can disagree on things. And some things in this budget, you may say, that is not important to me, and I may stick to my guns and say that. is important to me. And I understand we're going to do that. But at the end of the day, I really hope we come to this meeting, this next budget meeting, with all that resolved, all that taken care of, so we can just listen to people's feedback on it in general and move forward.

I wanted to put this on the table. I'm open and willing, able to do just that. And I think you saw some of that In regards to our cannabis discussion, I've talked to several people. Uh, I, I know Joe and I think Sherry Sherry, we've. I don't think we talked exactly, but I think you had some conversations I heard last night. So, I, I want to, I want to make this a very efficient and effective government. Um, we don't need to be running a circus every 3rd Thursday of the month. So. Thank you agree.

Thank you speaker.

Thank you. Um, I, I know we have members of this board that have served in the leadership role and also in the. As speaker, or the chair of this board, um, I, I just want to briefly talk about the position of the speaker. Um. Obviously, um, the speaker's job, I believe, is to be able to pivot and have conversations with both parties. Um, you know. You try to do the best you can with the members that are present, um, listening to both sides of the issue and sometimes you come in with a plan. And it doesn't work. And you listen to conversations and different opinions. And you're constantly having to pivot. And your job is to... try to look at the board as a whole and make the best decision that you can for the body of the county board. And I know sometimes one side or the other, or maybe individuals might not agree with your decision as speaker, but you have to, the speaker and the leaders are elected for that reason to make decisions on the fly. And like I said, You might not be extremely happy with them, but people that are in this position, and I'm not a martyr by any means. It's a very challenging position, but you just got to try to... trust in the individual that you elected to try to make the best decisions. And that's what I have done. And I, I will continue to do. And I just wanted people to know that this is a very extremely hard job and, and I appreciate all you guys. And like I said, I'm not a martyr, but, uh, I thank you for this opportunity. And, uh, I, I look forward to working with all sides of the aisle and in compromise is is the key term here. So that's that's what I would like to say today and, uh, enjoy your weekend everyone. Um. And I'm and I'm glad that, uh, we had the opportunity to take an extra week off. Uh, maybe possibly we can do this again. We can streamline some meetings so folks can actually. take a break take a vacation and come back with maybe a fresher idea or or a clear mind because this does get uh this does get hard coming week after week after week seeing the same people and the same issues so let's let's all just try our best and let's move will county forward so thank you

All right, thank you everyone. I'll conclude with again, thank you for this letter, Leader Richmond. I look forward to working with the entire board on the upcoming board budget presentation. You have to know too, we also get to recognize and celebrate the successes for the last year. So while the budget's a big piece of it, my favorite part is reviewing what we have been able to accomplish over the last year, and that will be next month. i fully understand that you are the legislative branch i am the executive branch and that we have clearly different roles in this process i look forward to presenting a draft budget it is my draft budget i recognize that and in that budget i will have already addressed my cuts where i think money should be allocated priorities and then after that it falls into your hands and again i am going to say publicly as well Mr. Richmond, I look forward to us having some meetings prior to from the time we do our draft to the final hurrah. So thank you very much. Have a good day. And we now need a motion to turn motion by Mitchell seconded by Van Dyne all in favor and the opposed. We are adjourned.