Chambana Sun

Champaign County Board met June 27.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The County Board of Champaign County, Illinois met at a Special Meeting, Thursday, June 27, 2023, at 6:30 PM in the Shields-Carter Meeting Room, Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 East Washington Street, Urbana, Illinois, with County Executive Steve Summers presiding and Matthew Cross as Clerk of the meeting.

ROLL CALL

Roll call showed the following members present: Peugh, Rodriguez, Rogers, Sexton, Stohr, Straub, Taylor, Thorsland, Vanichtheeranont, Carter, Esry, Fortado, Goss, Harper, Ingram, Locke, Lokshin, Michaels, and Patterson – 19; late: Cowart (arrived about 6:37 and missed the first vote) – 1; absent: Wilson and Hanauer-Friedman – 2.

County Executive Summers declared a quorum present and the Board competent to conduct business.

READ NOTICE OF MEETING

The Clerk read the Notice of the Meeting, said Notice having been published in the News Gazette on June 26 and June 27, 2023.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA/ADDENDA

Board Member Locke offered a motion to approve the Agenda/Addenda; Board Member Straub seconded. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

None.

COMMUNICATIONS

Board Member Thorsland asked an open question enquiring about a Pranjal Vachaspati campaign sign recently placed on Green Street.

OTHER BUSINESS

Board Member Carter offered a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2023-153 authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement between the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Champaign County Circuit Clerk; Board Member Michaels seconded.

Board Chair Patterson noted that Champaign County Circuit Clerk Susan McGrath was present and acknowledged her attendance at all meeting with an item concerning the Circuit Clerk’s Office meeting agenda, no matter how big or small. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

Board Member Vanichtheeranont offered a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2023-154 authorizing reimbursement of travel expense to county board member pursuant to the Champaign County Travel Policy; Board Chair Patterson seconded. Board Member Esry noted the date for Ordinance 2022-10 adoption was November 17, 2022, and he offered a friendly amendment to correct the resolution; originally offeror Board Member Vanichtheeranont and seconder Board Chair Patterson accepted the friendly amendment without objection. Board Member Michaels noted that only Democratic Board Member Stohr would be attending the National Association of Counties (NACO) Conference and asked if an attendance offer was extended to Republican board members; County Executive Summers stated that Board Member Stohr was the only board member to request attendance, and Board Member Ingram stated that all members received emails about the conference. Board Member Thorsland asked about the two different lodging figures; Board Member Stohr stated he was unsure but suspects they represent high and low estimates. Board Member Thorsland asked about the milage reimbursement figure, stating that it would be far less to fly to Austin, Texas than drive. Board Member Thorsland requested that following the conference, Board Member Stohr submit the real milage figures; Board Member Stohr agreed. County Executive Summers stated that the Board consider future budgeting include enough funds for a member of each party to attend the conference. Board Member Michaels  stated that it has been a number of years since any board member attended the NACO Conference and in the past two democratic and one republican member attended; Board Member Cowart confirmed that past attendance was two members of the majority party and one of the minority, and she added that attendance of the conference would be very useful, especially entering a post-COVID era. County Executive Summers stated that the current travel budget does not have the funds to accommodate conference attendance by multiple members. Board Member Fortado suggested increasing the travel funding to $9,000 to allow three members to attend.

Board Member Fortado offered an amendment to Resolution No. 2023-154 to appropriate up to $9,000 for three members (2 Democratic [majority party] and 1 Republican [minority party]) to attend the 2023 NACO Conference in Austin, Texas; Board Member Thorsland seconded. The motion to amend the resolution carried by unanimous voice vote.

Board Member Straub stated that she wants travel reimbursement to be only the cheapest form, i.e., Board Member Stohr is free to drive to Texas but would only be reimbursed to cost of a flight not the milage cost as the flight is the least expensive option; Board Members Lokshin agreed. Board Member Carter noted that it is a long drive to Texas and Board Member Stohr might reconsider his plan to drive. Board Member Cowart suggested that the individual board member be free to choose their preferred manner of travel. The motion as twice amended to correct the date and to allocate $9,000 for up to three members (2 Democratic [majority party] and 1 Republican [minority party]) to attend the 2023 NACO Conference carried unanimous roll-call vote.

Yeas: Peugh, Rodriguez, Rogers, Sexton, Stohr, Straub, Taylor, Thorsland, Vanichtheeranont, Carter, Cowart, Esry, Fortado, Goss, Harper, Ingram, Locke, Lokshin, Michaels, and Patterson – 20

Nays: none

ADJOURNMENT

County Executive Summers adjourned the meeting at 6:52 PM.

https://www.co.champaign.il.us/CountyBoard/CB/2023/230627_Special_Meeting/230627Minutes.pdf