Chambana Sun

Champaign County Board met Dec. 16.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The County Board of Champaign County, Illinois met at a Regular Meeting at 6:31 PM in the Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 East Washington Street, Urbana, Illinois with County Executive Darlene Kloeppel presiding and Matthew Cross as Clerk of the meeting.

ROLL CALL

Roll call showed the following members present: Taylor, Thorsland, Vanichtheeranont, Williams, Esry, Fortado, Goss, Harper, King, Lokshin, McGuire, Paul, Rodriguez, Stohr, Straub, and Patterson – 16; late: Summers (arrived at 6:46 PM missing the Agenda approval vote) – 1; absent: Wolken, Carter, Cowart, Michaels, and Passaclacqua – 5. County Executive Kloeppel declared a quorum present and the Board competent to conduct business.

PRAYER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

County Executive Kloeppel wished the county happy holidays and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited.

READ NOTICE OF MEETING

The Clerk read the Notice of the Meeting, said Notice having been published in the News Gazette on December 2, December 9, and December 15, 2021.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA/ADDENDA

Board Member Goss offered a motion to approve the Agenda/Addenda; Board member King seconded. Board Chair Patterson asked to add a Presentation item, VIII B: an update from the County Recorder. Board Member Williams asked to strike Resolution No. 2021-365 from the Consent Agenda (item B9) and move it to be XIII A. The motion as amended carried by unanimous voice vote.

DATE/TIME OF NEXT MEETINGS

Standing Committees:

A. County Facilities Committee Meeting

Monday, January 4, 2022 at 6:30 PM

Shields-Carter Meeting Room

B. Environment & Land Use Committee

Thursday, January 6, 2022 at 6:30 PM

Shields-Carter Meeting Room

C. Highway and Transportation Committee Meeting

Friday, January 7, 2022 at 9 AM

1605 E Main Street, Urbana

Committee of the Whole:

A. Justice & Social Services; Policy, Personnel, & Appointments; Finance Tuesday, January 11, 2021 at 6:30 PM

Shields-Carter Meeting Room

County Board:

A. Regular Meeting

Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 6:30 PM

Shields-Carter Meeting Room

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Vincent Hock, Condit Township Supervisor, responded to Board Member Williams’ recent discussion in the News-Gazette of consolidating rural political townships; he defended the work of the political townships especially the township road commissioners.

Pastor Steve Stanley of unincorporated Urbana spoke about the lack of police/sheriff presence in the Liberty Commons community, particularly the enforcement of traffic laws on and around Columbia Blvd.

PRESENATATIONS

Mimi Hutchinson (Regional Planning Commission Human Service Transportation Planning Coordinator) gave a presentation of the Annual Service Report of the Champaign County Area Rural Public Transportation System (C-CARTS); she was joined by Rita Morocoima-Black (Regional Planning Commission Planning and Development Director) and Evan Alvarez (Champaign Urbana Mass Transit District Special Services Manager) to answer board questions. Board Member Stohr asked about the budget surplus; Mimi Hutchinson explained that C-CARTS received significant funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was spent first, creating a budget surplus for the year and Rita Morocoima-Black added that the CARES Act funding was to be utilized first per an Illinois Department of Transportation directive. Rita Morocoima-Black also explained that a surplus is typically retained for the purposes of fund matching contracts. Board Member Stohr asked about 48-hour notice required for door-to-door on-demand service; Evan Alvarez responded that with less than 48-hours notice C-CART will try to accommodate passengers into the schedule but cannot guarantee as such. Board Member Lokshin asked what conditions may lead to a denial of service; Evan Alvarez stated it is largely the result of a driver shortage. Board Member Paul asked about expanding service; Evan Alvarez explained C-CARTS has explored contracts with major employers in Rantoul to increase ridership. County Executive Kloeppel noted the C-CARTS report was received and placed on file.

County Recorder Ingram gave an outgoing report on the Recorder’s Office. Recorder Ingram noted major accomplishments, both in the official functions of the office and in the efforts to provide free masks and coats to community members in need. He also praised the work of Clerk Ammons and Chief Deputy Clerk Patton to ease the transition to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. He thanked all the employees of the Recorder’s Office.

CONSENT AGENDA

Board Member Esry offered a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, comprising 13 resolutions (Nos. 2021-354, 2021-355, 2021-356, 2021-357, 2021-358, 2021-359, 2021-360, 2021-361, 2021-362, 2021-363, 2021-364, 2021-366, and 2021-367) and one ordinance (Nos. 2021-14); Board Member Lokshin seconded. Motion carried by unanimous roll-call vote.

Yeas: Taylor, Thorsland, Vanichtheeranont, Williams, Esry, Fortado, Goss, Harper, King, Lokshin, McGuire, Paul, Rodriguez, Stohr, Straub, Summers, and Patterson – 17

Nays: None

COMMUNICATIONS

Board Member Straub wished Board Chair Patterson a happy birthday and thanked both board members and the community for mask wearing.

Board Member McGuire wished happy birthdays to Board Chair Patterson and Board Member Harper.

Board Member Williams thanked Condit Township Supervisor Vincent Hock for speaking during the Public Participation. He lauded the work of township government but stated his belief that the county contains too many distinct township governments. He then noted the Condit Township annual report is delinquent.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Board Member Thorsland offered an omnibus motion to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of the County Board of November 18, 2021 and of the Special Meeting of the County Board of December 8, 2021; Board Member Taylor seconded. Board Member Stohr noted minor corrections to the minutes of November 18, 2021, already noted and approved by the clerk. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote pending corrections.

STANDING COMMITTEES

County Executive Kloeppel noted the Environment and Land Use Committee Summary of Action Taken December 9, 2021 Meeting was received and placed on file.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

County Executive Kloeppel noted the Committee of the Whole (Justice and Social Services; Finance; Policy, Personnel, and Appointments) Summary of Action Taken December 8, 2021 Meeting was received and placed on file.

Board member McGuire offered a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2021-365 renewing the State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor Program for FY22; Board Chair Patterson seconded. Motion carried by voice vote with one descent.

NEW BUSINESS

Board Member Goss offered a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2021-368 honoring retiring County employees; Board Member Stohr seconded. Board Member Stohr read the names and years of service of the retiring employees. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

Board Member King offered a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2021-369 honoring County employees for milestone years of service; Board Chair Patterson seconded. Board Member Stohr read the name of employees having reached milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 35, and 40 years. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

Board member Summers offered an omnibus motion to adopt Resolutions No. 2021- 370 awarding contracts for aggregate materials for the 2022 maintenance of various road districts in Champaign County, No. 2021-371 awarding of contracts for bridge rehabilitation section #19-00075-00-BR, and No. 2021-272 awarding of contracts for road construction section #20-00455-00-RS; Board Member Harper seconded. Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

Board Member Fortado offered an omnibus motion to adopt Resolutions No. 2021-373 authorizing payments of claims and No. 2021-374 authorizing purchases not following purchasing policy; Board Member Straub seconded. Motion carried by voice vote with one descent.

Board Chair Patterson offered a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2021-375 appointing Andy Graham to the Public Aid Appeals Committee; Board Member McGuire seconded. Motion carried by voice vote with one descent.

Board Member Taylor offered a motion to adopt Ordinance No. 2021-15 rescinding Ordinance No. 2021-10 and establishing the Champaign County 2021 Apportionment Plan Map; Board Member Vanichtheeranont seconded. Board Member McGuire noted District 4 has shrunk and stated the reapportionment map has diminished rural power and representation in the county. Motion carried by a hand vote of twelve to five.

DISCUSSION/INFORMATION ONLY

ARPA Project Manager Kathy Larson noted the memo in the handout which summarized the ARPA Project updates. Board Member Fortado thanked Larson for her work and thanked the City of Champaign for creating a plan to address community violence and then asked the county to also created a plan to address community violence. She noted rural water ARPA allocations will require board approval as they would constitute intergovernmental agreements.

County Auditor Danos provided an update on the 2020 Audit timeline. Board Member Williams asked about the delay; Auditor Danos stated the audit contractor had pushed back the timeline, anticipating completion in mid-February 2022.

ADJOURNMENT

Board Chair Patterson offered a motion to adjourn the open portion of the meeting at 7:52 PM and enter closed session pursuant to 5ILCA 120/2(c)5 to discuss the purchase or lease of real property for the use of the public body; Board Member Vanichtheeranont seconded. The motion carried by unanimous roll-call vote and the County Board immediately entered into a closed session.

Yeas: Taylor, Thorsland, Vanichtheeranont, Williams, Esry, Fortado, Goss, Harper, King, Lokshin, McGuire, Paul, Rodriguez, Stohr, Straub, Summers, and Patterson – 17

Nays: None

County Executive Kloeppel adjourned the meeting from the closed session at 8:30 PM.

https://www.co.champaign.il.us/CountyBoard/CB/2021/211216_Meeting/20211216Minutes.pdf