Chambana Sun

Champaign County Board met May 13

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The County Board of Champaign County, Illinois met at a Special Meeting, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 6:00 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: Hanauer-Friedman, Lokshin, Peugh, Sullard, Thorsland, Vanichtheeranont, Wiggs, Wilson, Cagle, Crane, Farney, Fortado, Greer, and Locke – 14; late: Rodriguez (arrived at 6:06 during the discussion of Ordinance No. 2025-8 and missed no votes), Carter (arrived at 6:13 during the discussion of Ordinance No. 2025-8 and missed no votes), and Cowart (arrived at 6:15 during the discussion of Ordinance No. 2025-8 and missed no votes) – 3; absent: Rogers, Sexton, Stohr, Esry, and Fava – 5. 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 May 9 and May 10, 2025.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA/ADDENDA

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

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

None.

COMMUNICATIONS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

Board Member Farney offered a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2025-146 Budget Amendment BUA 2025/5/19 appropriating funds to pay for the Carle settlement approved by Resolution No. 2025-90; Board Member Sullard seconded. Board Member Farney offered a motion to table the discussion of the resolution until after the discussion of Ordinance No. 2025-8 (item VII. B.) as there was only 14 Members present and the resolution mandated a 15-vote majority for approval; Board Member Lokshin seconded. The motion to table the discussion of Resolution No. 2025-146 carried by unanimous voice vote.

Board Member Lokshin offered a motion to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-8 authorizing the execution of a rental housing developer agreement and a regulatory and land use restriction agreement for the Parker Glen II Affordable Housing Development; Board Member Thorsland seconded. Regional Planning Commission (RPC) Chief Executive Officer Dalitso Sulamoyo and RPC Community Services Director Lisa Benson were invited to join the discussion. Board Member Wilson sought confirmation that no general county funds would be used for the development; Chief Executive Sulamoyo affirmed that no general county funds will be used. Board Member Wilson asked about the funding sources for the project; Chief Executive Sulamoyo stated that $700,000 would come from RPC and $50,000 from the City of Champaign, and he noted that while RPC’s portion is American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, they did not come from the County’s ARPA allocation but a separate, direct ARPA fund from the Department of the Treasury for rental assistance programs; Director Benson provided specific details about the funding. Board Member Wilson asked if the funding is essentially a 40-year loan to the developer; Chief Executive Sulamoyo affirmed that it is so but noted that all repaid funds still must be used for affordable housing. Board Member Wilson noted that Exhibit C (Project Budget and Schedule) was blank; Director Benson stated that it was not finalized until the day of the meeting and as such could not be included in the Agenda Packet. Board Member Wilson asked if the Board would have any further responsibilities after approving the Ordinance; County Executive Summers stated that this would be no different than other RPC business. Board Member Fortado asked if Woda Cooper would be both the developer and the operator; Chief Executive Sulamoyo stated that he was unsure about the operation manager role. Board member Fortado asked if RPC had performed a risk assessment on the project, given the current, chaotic state of federal grant funding; Director Benson stated that the current funds are guaranteed and the federal funds are in the PRC account; Chief Executive Sulamoyo added specific details about the funding. Board Member Peugh added that his constituents are grateful for the project. The motion to adopt the ordinance carried by unanimous voice vote.

County Executive raised the tabled discussion of Resolution No. 2025-146, already offered by Board Member Farney and seconded by Board Member Sullard. The motion to adopt the resolution carried by unanimous roll-call vote.

Yeas: Hanauer-Friedman, Lokshin, Peugh, Rodriguez Sullard, Thorsland, Vanichtheeranont, Wiggs, Wilson, Cagle, Carter, Cowart, Crane, Farney, Fortado, Greer, and Locke – 17

Nays: none

OTHER BUSINESS

None.

ADJOURNMENT

County Executive Summers adjourned the meeting at 6:03 PM.

https://www.co.champaign.il.us/CountyBoard/CB/2025/250513_Special_Meeting/250513Minutes.pdf