IN THIS ISSUE

In Other News

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A Message from the Chairman

Later this month the County Board is partnering with the Kane County Farm Bureau to host a bus visit to the county's farm areas where we will highlight a protected farm.

Sincerely,

Karen McConnaughay
Kane County Board Chair

2040 ENERGY / TRANSIT PLANS ADOPTED

Funded primarily with Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) planning program funds, the 2040 Transit Plan is designed to be an integral component in the County's long-range comprehensive planning process. Among other things, the plan identifies existing transit conditions, documents market potential, and recommends transit system improvements and funding strategies while recognizing that transit funding is limited.

The idea of a citizens advisory committee "has been discussed from time to time over the past several years and, as a result of an internal review of Animal Control, has been recommended by the executive directors of the county's Public Health and Human Resource Management Departments," she said. The appointment of the special task force was prompted by a division among County Board members over whether the department's next administrator should also be a licensed veterinarian with full-time responsibility for its management.

Many of the recommendations included in the Transit Plan focus on services sponsored by Kane County municipalities and employers. The plan was steered by the Kane/Kendall Council of Mayors Transit Committee, which includes municipal and County representatives as well as representatives of the RTA, Pace, Metra and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Major medical and educational institutions, employers and social service organizations also were interviewed as part of the planning process. The complete county 2040 Transit Plan is available on the county website. The complete Kane County 2040 Energy Plan (KC2040EP) is also available on the website.

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A REPORT FROM STATE'S ATTY McMAHON

(The following is an edited excerpt from an article written by Kane County State's Attorney Joseph H. McMahon for the May/June 2011 edition of "For the Record," his Office's official newsletter, and republished with his permission.)

Effective May 1, 2011, we reassigned some of our most experienced criminal prosecutors to handle investigations and prosecutions of violent and complex criminal cases. I hope to accomplish several objectives with the reorganization.

First, I want our most experienced prosecutors handling the most serious cases that we bring against the individuals who pose a continuing threat to our community.

Second, I want complex criminal cases prepared for trial in a timely and responsible timeframe to bring justice to the victims and all participants in the criminal justice system, especially the direct victim and the community.

Third, by devoting resources and experience to these cases I hope to obtain justice for the victims and allow them to begin the process of healing and moving on with their lives.

The Office of the Kane County State's Attorney has a long tradition of excellence when it comes to prosecuting those who abuse children, those who engage in violent crimes in our communities and those who choose to engage in illegal street gang activity. It is my belief that these changes will uphold that tradition.

COUNTY ENHANCES FIBER OPTIC NETWORK

The County Board approved the $1.5 million project in February to improve communications between county government satalite facilities - like the new Randall Road judicial facility pictured above - as well as tie together critical but scattered Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) for better disaster preparedness.

Cleverly leveraging available capital from the Illinois Century Network (ICN) and existing Toll Road and IDOT fiber, the county was able to include Elgin Community College among other facilities in the network at no additional cost as well as expand the fiber ring's overall reach allowing for the county's future growth.

Target service areas for the project include Geneva, St. Charles, Carpentersville, Elgin and South Elgin in the North Segment and Batavia, Montgomery, Aurora, and North Aurora in the South Segment.

The County plans for an aggresive 8 year ROI on the project that will provide a permanent network of its own that will be many times faster than the pricey leased broadband lines from cable providers they will replace. The network will easily have a life of 20 years or more, according to Fahnestock.

A more detailed presentation of the project's goals, assessment of the county's needs as well as target constituents and points of interest, is available on the county's website.

PRUDENT FISCAL MANAGEMENT PAYS OFF

With proceeds from the bond sale, the forest preserve district is projecting to add about 2,000 acres of land to the district's holdings. An upgrade in the district's bond rating to AA+, from AA, combined with a 3.9302 percent interest rate, is expected to result in interest savings of more than $2.2 million over the 20-year life of the bonds compared with interest costs the district had projected ahead of some active competition by six bidders.

"That's great news," said forest preserve commission President John Hoscheit, of the resulting savings to taxpayers. The commission voted June 13 to approve the bond sale.

"To see an agency improve (its bond rating in today's climate) is really quite remarkable," said Speer Financial's Dave Phillips, who advised the district on the sale. The AA+ rating is one rung below the coveted AAA rating, said Phillips.

"The (AA+) reflects the (fiscal) approach the district has taken," said Hoscheit, noting that the district's decision to maintain a reserve in its general fund appeared to be a key factor in the rating upgrade.

OUR COUNTY FAIR IS A GREAT COUNTY FAIR!

Don't Miss It, Don't Even Be Late!

This year's edition of the Kane County Fair and Festival running from July 20 through 24 in St. Charles promises to be bigger and better than ever.

First, there are all the traditional fun events you've come to expect:

·         Grandstand thrill events from championship bull riding to a horse speed show and truck pulls

·         A live sound stage with an ABBA salute and lots of bands including top local favorites like American English and Hi Infidelity.

·         Great 4H projects and blue ribbon competitions

·         A long list of kid's events like pig races, the Miller petting zoo and go cart montster trucks.

·         Lots of carnival rides, amusements and choice edibles like pork chops and corn on the cob

But this year's Fair, the third at Kane's new Fair Grounds at Randall Road and Route 64 in St. Charles, will add events like a Doll and Bear display involving 80 dealers, new rodeo barrel racing type events, even some wacky and creative fun events like the Odor Eaters' rotten sneakers contest, according to Larry Breon, the Fair Exposition's President.

Thre will be special discounts daily, and the $8 admission for all day (which from Thurs through Sunday means from noon till closing) makes it a great family fun stay-vacation for everyone. Lots more details are avilable at the Fair's website.

COUNTY EMPLOYEES ARE RECOGNIZED

More than two dozen Kane County government employees who were recognized June 23 for their outstanding work and dedication are scheduled to be the pre-game, on-field guests of the Kane County Cougars in conjunction with July 14 county "Employee and Family Night at the Cougars" festivities at Elfstrom Stadium, 32W002 Cherry Lane, in Geneva. The week's activities, planned by the Kane County Employees Events Committee, also include the annual employee Pancake Breakfast on July 13. Members of the Kane County Board and other elected officials and department heads will be cooking pancakes and serving County employees from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Moose Lodge on Ill. Rt. 38 in St. Charles. Various individual department and office recognition celebrations are scheduled for July 15

Members of the County Board and other elected officials and department heads will be cooking pancakes and serving County employees from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Moose Lodge on Ill. Rt. 38 in St. Charles.

The June 23 ceremony recognized one outstanding employee from each County office and department for exceptional work during the past year. The honorees, based on nominations from department heads and the County's elected officials, included: Darlene Allen – Animal Control; Truman Armstrong – Veterans Assistance Commission; Jay Bennett - Kane County Clerk; Dave Boesch - Division of Transportation; Dick Dice - Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office; Mary Anne Hoye - Development & Community Services Department; Ellyn McGrath - County Board Office; Esmeralda Mora – Water Resources Division; Julie Sharp - Health Department; Mitzi Strike, Davis Neuenkirchen, Barbara Garza, Kim Pompa, and Chris Ardelean, Website Development Team – Information Technologies; Jim Mudgett – Judiciary; Nick Krueger - GIS-Technologies; Ian Knorr - Building and Grounds; Lorraine Chidester – Information Technologies; Josh Beck - Kane County Office of Community Reinvestment; Leonardo Beltran - Finance Department; Diane Cooper - Kane County Department of Employment & Education; Nereida Diaz - Kane Comm; Nina Marszalek - Human Resource Management Department; John Martinez - Court Services – Juvenile Justice Center (JJC); Denise Olsen-Eby - Court Services and Samantha Sell - Circuit Clerk.

A special "Bright Idea Award" was presented June 23 to Mary Philips of the Kane County Division of Transportation for her idea to eliminate printing Director's names on county envelopes. Only the Department name and address will be printed in the future so that when an individual leaves, there is no waste.

BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE PLANNERS

As Board Chairman of a member county of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Karen McConnaughay is encouraging Kane County teens who want to learn about and contribute to a better future for our region to take advantage of a free leadership development opportunity being made available to them through the agency.

Applications for CMAP's 2011-2012 Future Leaders in Planning, or FLIP, program are being accepted through Monday, Sept. 12. Participants in FLIP will learn more about the northeastern region and share their thoughts with other teens from Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties while meeting and interacting with selected regional leaders who make key planning decisions in our communities.

The FLIP program begins in September and continues through early May, 2012. All participants should commit to one orientation session, one full-day retreat, five Saturday all-day sessions, and one weeknight for the Final Presentation. The five Saturday sessions will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. The sessions will be chaperoned by CMAP staff. The retreat will focus on building trust and a positive group dynamic. All sessions will begin and end at CMAP offices in the Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago. Financial assistance for travel is available to students who require it. Attendance at all meetings is strongly encouraged. Participation in the retreat is mandatory.

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BOARD RECOGNIZES RECYCLING LEADER

Gary Mielke, Kane County's first and only recycling coordinator, was recognized by the County Board on June 14 for more than 21 years of "distinguished service" and for what it described as "his visionary leadership and management." Mielke retired July 1. Responsibility for, among other things, the development, coordination and implementation of recycling and conservation programs in Kane County has been vested in a part-time recycling and resource conservation program coordinator.

A second, part-time position of resource conservation program educator is expected to be filled later in the year. When he was first hired by Kane County, the notion of diverting aluminum cans, glass bottles, newsprint and yard waste from the county landfill was just taking hold and mounting opposition to new landfills, in general, had begun to "really take hold," said Mielke.

In formally recognizing Mielke, the County Board resolution described him as "a leader in recycling and waste management in the State of Illinois" where he received "a high level of recognition from his peers as recipient of the Illinois Recycling Association’s 'Recycler of the Year' and 'Lifetime Achievement' awards as well as the Illinois Lieutenant Governor’s “Environmental Hero” award. Mielke is credited with coordinating the development of recycling programs throughout Kane County, including curbside and business recycling, school programs, and composting, resulting in an increase in the county's recycling rate from 9% to 42% during his tenure.

The more than 200 recycling events organized by Mielke, co-sponsored by numerous local groups and attended by over 114,000 participants, to collect household hazardous waste, motor oil, tires, electronics, and books, and to sell compost bins resulted in a diversion of 6 million pieces of electronics, 5 million pounds of toxic household hazardous waste, 600,000 pounds of books, 50,000 pounds of cardboard and 650,000 pieces of software from local landfills.