[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:07] Next meeting is of force-preserved finance.
[1:34] Now we're having reached 930. I not call the Cook County force-preserved finance committee to order.
[1:39] Secondary, please call the vote.
[1:43] Commissioner Agular.
[1:44] Here.
[1:46] Commissioner Anaya.
[1:48] Commissioner Britain.
[1:49] Here.
[1:49] Commissioner Daily.
[1:51] Vice Chairman Deer.
[1:53] Commissioner Degnan.
[1:55] President.
[1:56] Commissioner Gainer.
[2:01] Commissioner Miller, Miller.
[2:06] Miller here?
[2:07] Miller here?
[2:09] Commissioner.
[2:10] Commissioner Miller here?
[2:11] Commissioner, more is here!
[2:14] Commissioner, captain, more is,
[2:24] sir?
[2:24] Commissioner, sir.
[2:25] Commissioner, sir, is the bestry is, President?
[2:27] Commissioner, Cims?
[2:30] Commissioner, sir for the.
[2:30] President.
[2:33] And chairman of Royal?
[2:35] Chair.
[2:35] Chairman you have a quorum. Thank you madam secretary she informs me we have a form president madam secretary
[2:42] Do we have public speakers?
[2:44] Okay, thank
[2:54] you chair part in the distraction
[2:56] Chris
[2:58] Gladwin is our first registered public speaker. We have a total of 16 registered public speakers
[3:03] Chris Gladwin is first
[3:08] Hi, is here we all right
[3:12] Yes, there we do
[3:14] Well, I'll just talk briefly, represent a couple of different
[3:18] influences of the business community and the educational community.
[3:24] I made Java as a software company, and we've hired over a thousand people,
[3:40] and I started
[3:41] companies like, when I can report is that first preserves are a key part of recruiting and
[3:48] obtaining key employees. And so, from a business point of view, we want these kinds of activities
[3:56] and we want to make them better. And so that's why I'm in support of this additional financing.
[4:01] I'm also a co-chair of an organization called P33, which, you know, the business leaders and academic
[4:06] leaders and others, civic leaders in Chicago have created to transform Chicago into a world
[4:12] leading tech economy. As a part of that a couple weeks ago I was traveling with the mayor
[4:17] and other business leaders to San Francisco to basically identify people who have grown up or
[4:23] gone to school in the Chicago area and our pitch was you know come back to move forward. In a big
[4:29] part of that I mean essentially part of that frankly is you know we have to have forest
[4:32] reserves, if we're going to be competitive and attracting talent, you know, that creates jobs
[4:38] and economic activity.
[4:41] I'm also the chairman of an organization called The Ford Salmon, which is a company that
[4:46] builds outdoor recreation parks, and our first park is a Malon, Illinois, which is in
[4:50] Cook County.
[4:52] It's a public-private partnership that we've established to bring recreational opportunities
[4:58] as well as education.
[5:03] We open that during the pandemic, and we just celebrated our 1 year anniversary. And I can tell you that's another example where, you know, there's a demand, you know, for, you know, a better force preserve, you know, better services, better capabilities, makes, you know, those kinds of opportunities, even better.
[5:20] And then finally, I'm on the Board of Trustees of Illinois Tech, which is a great university
[5:27] in the city of Chicago, and it's also essential, you know, to have forest reserves.
[5:33] Let me just tell you a quick story, and then I'll conclude on that.
[5:37] So one of my friends here in Chicago is one of the leading computer science.
[5:41] Chris, you have one minute?
[5:42] No, thank you.
[5:44] And he came to, you know, one of the great schools here in the city to lead their computer science department and he called me the other day and said he was trying to recruit.
[5:57] But one of the leading professors in the United States to move to Chicago to be a professor here.
[6:04] And this guy is a special specialist in data science and he's also an African American man.
[6:09] 30 seconds there's a ton of interest and you know he could kind of work at any
[6:14] university and his number one question was tell me about the mountain biking in Chicago
[6:19] so I explained about payloads and all the great stuff that we have and you know that's essential
[6:24] to recruiting, irritating and building Chicago into an economically vibrant place. Thank you very much.
[6:33] Thank you our next public speaker is Stuart's strong.
[6:47] Do what I think you are muted.
[6:50] Please
[6:50] a new
[6:54] story if you can hear me you're muted we can't hear you
[7:03] stored I'm going to come back
[7:05] to you see if you can unmute your mic Rose can
[7:12] you help us and ask Patricia Hayes to
[7:14] please come in Patricia Hayes I'm sorry go to the the laptop in the reception area
[7:21] Patricia Hayes I believe Patricia Hayes is in person
[7:36] store we're going to come back to you
[7:37] because your mic says muted and we couldn't hear you.
[8:03] Patricia Hayes,
[8:10] Chairman, I'm going to move to the next one
[8:11] while they get her situated as well.
[8:13] Benjamin Cox, Mr. Benchard.
[8:16] Good morning, everyone.
[8:17] Good morning, Benchard.
[8:18] Good morning.
[8:20] Good to see you all.
[8:21] We've all been virtually still.
[8:24] And I won't go on for very long because the commissioners
[8:26] have suffered a lot of time with the late lane.
[8:29] I really appreciate it.
[8:31] But obviously, I'm here to speak in support
[8:33] of the course of your referendum.
[8:35] Friends of the Force preserves, you know, it's 2,200 members of a 10,000 social media
[8:41] context and then this coalition that many of the folks in my call today have helped us
[8:45] pull together with 50 organizations so far that have signed on and supported the referendum,
[8:52] representing tens of thousands of people here in County.
[8:56] We know that this referendum would
[8:59] with clean air, clean water, jobs for youth and adults, recreation and land acquisition,
[9:07] and just an extensive list of terribly important things, including our opportunity to impact climate
[9:13] change. Climate change is a very daunting thing. It's a global problem and the only way it's going to
[9:19] get solved is if we're all doing our part and this is a huge opportunity for us to have a large impact
[9:24] are locally. Of course, there will also be assistance with essential capital needs and essential
[9:33] support for our two world class institutions here at Cook County, the Zoo, the Brookfield Zoo,
[9:39] and the Chicago Botanic Garden. And we stand ready to help move this referendum forward and then
[9:46] to help implement through the next entry conservation plan, all the wonderful plans that all of the
[9:53] of course, preserve the sport of coming together on to move forward over the next 20 years.
[9:59] So thank you.
[10:00] We're going to ask for your support on this. We're glad to see unanimous sponsorship of this bill. And we look forward to unanimous vote today. Thank you again.
[10:11] Thank you. We're going to go back to Patricia Hayes. Patricia, are you ready?
[10:18] Brian, is she ready?
[10:20] After Patricia, we're going to have Jean Fransk and Dr. Felice Binion.
[10:32] Is Patricia ready?
[10:37] Seems like we have a connection issue with the laptop in the reception area.
[10:41] I'm going to move to the next speaker, Jean Fransk.
[10:48] Thank you.
[10:50] Thank you.
[10:50] Thank you.
[10:50] Thank you.
[10:51] Thank you.
[10:52] President C.O.
[10:53] The Chicago Botanic Garden.
[10:55] I am so thrilled to be able to offer public support for putting this referendum on the
[11:00] ballot.
[11:00] It calls for a very modest property tax increase that will support the preserves, the
[11:05] garden, and the zoo.
[11:07] I want to thank each and every one of you for recognizing just how important the
[11:12] to the health and well-being of the entire region.
[11:17] So you know us at the garden where a world we're now in the Tana Garden and conservation and education institute was more than a million visitors a year.
[11:26] And we're really proud to be that scientific and cultural asset to the county.
[11:31] And whether it's, you know, we had our main campus at the garden or one of our urban farms in Washington Park or Laundail.
[11:38] We know that these places really resonate with people.
[11:42] We know our own visitorship is increased by 43%
[11:46] over the last few years.
[11:48] Our education and learning programs
[11:49] have more than doubled in size.
[11:51] So that tells us that green space, nature, gardens
[11:54] are really in demand.
[11:56] And it's because places like this, places like the Bores
[11:59] deserves are fundamentally important to our mental
[12:02] and physical health and wellbeing.
[12:04] It was so apparent during this last year of COVID.
[12:07] And we know that the biggest green space in this region are the force reserves of Cook County and that everybody in the region benefits from this green canopy.
[12:17] So what we do collectively, the garden reserves and the zoo is really become a part of this community's identity important to recruiting that professor to Illinois tech, as well as some of those new young employees were trying to bring into the Chicago market.
[12:31] We know the benefits today, and it's our obligation and responsibility to make sure these benefits exist for the next generation.
[12:38] We want to save these open spaces, protect the woods, the remaining priorities, the waterways, and preserve what really is a national treasure.
[12:48] So all of these resources need funding. We need the funding to increase to meet the increasing costs associated with
[12:55] but frankly keeping up with our growth,
[12:57] keeping up with the demand,
[12:59] that's operational needs and infrastructure.
[13:01] In the garden, that's about maintaining a world-class living museum,
[13:05] research and learning programs,
[13:07] and then the broad race community engagement programs as well.
[13:10] One minute too.
[13:11] So I am so happy that we as an institution
[13:15] and I as an individual are here to help you work this through,
[13:18] and can't thank you enough for the unanimous support
[13:21] recognizing the need and working with us to see it realized.
[13:24] Thank you.
[13:25] Thank you, our next public speaker is Dr. Felice Binion.
[13:31] Dr. Binion.
[13:33] Yes, good morning.
[13:35] Good morning.
[13:37] My name is Dr. Felice Binion.
[13:38] I'm a CEO and President of the West Side Minister's Coalition.
[13:42] And I am in support of this referendum in regards to clean water, clean air, global warming, reducing flooding, job creation.
[13:54] But I wanted to show the story. I remember when I was a little girl and I was a girl
[14:00] out and we went hiking and there was a stream. There was no garbage. There it was very
[14:09] plain and I noticed that it was very clean. But there were dear friends that was in the mud.
[14:16] And so it was very impressive to be because normally when I see and think of deers I think
[14:21] food off the red nose reindeer back at that time. So it is very important that our forest
[14:29] preserves be, they be preserved. But they have the things that they need. If they have the
[14:36] funding that is needed to take place in regards to jobs and regards to water, clean water,
[14:43] clean air, global warming. And even with the strings of funding that's going to take place,
[14:49] even after they're looking to see if other areas of funding that could be tapped into.
[14:55] So just in trying to keep it going, keep it clean.
[15:00] I'm especially with reducing a flooding as we can see what's happening throughout the world and the nation.
[15:07] Just in that I am in support of this, but I'm also in support of just finding other strings of funding so that it can just come from and so that it doesn't.
[15:18] What about that?
[15:18] Group of people, but that we all collectively are part of making sure that our force preserves are taken care of. Thank you.
[15:30] Thank you. I'm going to go back to Stuart straw. Then we're going to have me hear me. Hold down one second, Mr. straw. Stuart will be next then need to do do on us and Joe and Siegren in that order. Mr. straw.
[15:47] Thank you. Can you hear me.
[15:49] Yes, we can hear you now.
[15:52] Good morning, Chairman Roya, Commissioner of Superintendent Randall, and apparently 71 others.
[16:00] I'm Stuart Stroll, still the President and CEO of the Chicago Sewological Society.
[16:05] And I'm here to thank you all for supporting an initiative that will provide Cook County residents.
[16:10] The opportunity to vote in support of clean air, clean water, new jobs, outdoor education
[16:19] programs for youth, and improved and expanded recreational facilities for all of our county
[16:25] residents.
[16:26] In 2021, here at CZES, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Chicago
[16:32] Zoological Society by the Forest Preserves of Cook County, a particular Peter Rineberg and
[16:38] Dan Ryan.
[16:39] This charitable not-for-profit organization that I'm the CEO of has partnered with the Forest
[16:44] Preserve's for over a century to grow our common recreational education outreach and conservation
[16:51] missions. Both inside the zoo and also throughout the Cook County region. As society becomes
[16:58] more urbanized, zoos, gardens and forest preserves provide an important space for nature and
[17:05] learning for children. With our partners, CCS is committed to building an inclusive
[17:10] conservation movement that engages people of all backgrounds and our community
[17:15] based initiatives, which reach more than 200,000 people annually, also serve a
[17:22] diverse population of residents on the west and south sides of Chicago.
[17:26] Sorry, can the county? These educational opportunities are possible due to our successful
[17:32] public-private partnership with the Forest Berservs of Good County. This referendum will help
[17:38] support the creation of even more outdoor activities and open spaces, improving physical and
[17:44] mental well-being for children and adults alike. We're proud to be a part of the Forest Berserv
[17:50] system that contributes to the health and quality of life of millions of people. The preserve's
[17:56] wetlands help mitigate flooding and filter polluted water. It's forests improve air quality by
[18:01] observing pollutants, and our programs and construction projects collectively support thousands
[18:07] of jobs. However, the Forest Preserves and its partners, including Brookfield Zoo, can't maintain
[18:13] all of these benefits for Cook County without additional support. Our campus spans 216 acres,
[18:21] and many of those who are structures first built in the 1920s, and all of which are the
[18:26] property of the forest preserves of Cook County are in desperate need of repair.
[18:30] One minute, Phillips.
[18:32] If successful, this referendum will allow us to rehab the zoos aging structures, continue
[18:38] to invest in educational programs for youth conservation initiatives in our community.
[18:44] The zoos board of directors are staff, our volunteers, and member families and thousands
[18:49] of community partners, including our 100,000 member families, stand ready to work with the
[18:55] deserves in our sister institution at the Chicago Botanic Garden to ensure a vibrant future
[19:00] for these regional treasures and improve recreational opportunities for all Cook County residents.
[19:06] 30 seconds.
[19:07] Thank you very much.
[19:10] Thank you.
[19:11] Our next public speaker is Nina Duanis.
[19:16] Yes.
[19:17] Good morning, everybody.
[19:18] Thank you for listening to our comments this morning and for working on this very important
[19:25] referendum. I am the Vice President of Children's Services at the Lord who are a nonprofit that
[19:31] serves about 2,000 children and families in Chicago and in Césarro. And we are starting
[19:38] early. We are showing children about urban conservation and conservation in general at an early
[19:45] age. And we often come out with the children to the Forest Purser. We have great partnership
[19:52] for all 50 years with the Brookfield Zoo. They have been part of our program for all these years.
[20:00] And helping us educate further educator teachers in the efforts of bringing all of these wonderful things that we're all talking about today to the children and families that we serve.
[20:13] It's very important to us that we have the forced preserve as it is, are even better.
[20:19] We'll be forward for them for the children. So I'm here speaking on their behalf.
[20:23] And I also want to say that for the last 15, 17 years we've been working with the monarch butterfly project in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
[20:35] As you know, Illinois is a pathway for the monarch butterfly.
[20:39] The zoo also works very closely with monarchs and it's very important that we continue all of our work with nature and the forest preserve for all of these reasons.
[20:50] Thank you very much.
[20:53] Thank you. Our next public speaker is Patricia Hayes. Patricia, are you ready?
[21:02] I'm here. Thank you.
[21:06] Hello.
[21:08] A man, President, Commissioner, thank you so very much for this opportunity to talk to you today.
[21:14] My name is Patricia Hayes. I live in Orland Park, John Lorson, 17th District.
[21:19] I have been a volunteer sites toward a thousand acre Orland grassland.
[21:23] It'll be 20 years next year or a very long time, reading, volunteer work activity and outreach activities.
[21:29] I have two recent success stories, there are many, but these are just recent from last week.
[21:34] We're now at Breast in Bernard from a marine valley community college.
[21:38] Brings her class out to do oral and grass land three times a year once a month during the spring.
[21:45] And we had one of her prior students come out last week, and he has successfully completed
[21:52] a very valley gone on to complete his undergrad career, and is going on to his masters.
[21:59] It's in medical ethics, but he was so taken by what he heard and what he saw at Orland
[22:05] Grassland that he wants to come back and continue to volunteer with us.
[22:10] Another success story, a young man from Tenandwood Park.
[22:13] He went out to Illinois State University
[22:15] as majoring in environmental sciences,
[22:18] comes out with us as often as he can.
[22:21] In summers, he's now a fellow
[22:23] getting a choose to grassland,
[22:25] having completed his Illinois studies at Illinois State.
[22:30] Two very, very good success stories.
[22:33] Others, high level of ecologist
[22:37] been out with me at various times at Berlin. The place is amazing. The place is off the charts,
[22:46] stewardship here is amazing. This is wonderful but has been accomplished and so short of time.
[22:53] I can't believe the accomplishment is so short of time. So success stories,
[22:58] bad news is we're going to lose the sight. We are under a tsunami of invading calorie pair of
[23:04] preferred pair of the darling of the industry, the landscape industry.
[23:08] Birds would tree-foil is appearing in great, great masses, suffocating our native species
[23:13] opportunities and gathering up those that are there.
[23:17] Our pond streams, creeks, are being inundated and overwhelmed with tree growth.
[23:23] One minute.
[23:24] One minute.
[23:26] So we have this problem that we use, the tall grass prairie, that cleans water, cleans
[23:33] Air,
[23:36] reduces flooding, and also, we'll lose opportunity to engage in a mature community.
[23:43] So I am asking that you support this referendum, we are desperate for your help.
[23:49] Thank you very much.
[23:52] Thank you. Our next three public speakers, Joanne Seagrin,
[23:56] to Nisha Harris and Joseph Pellezky.
[24:02] Go in.
[24:04] Thanks. My name is Joanne Seagrin and I'd like to ask you to please vote
[24:08] yes to the force preserves referendum to have it move forward.
[24:12] My husband and I live in the city of Chicago.
[24:14] I've been on the board of open lands for around eight years
[24:17] and in the current board chair.
[24:20] Prior to living in downtown Chicago, I lived in Berington.
[24:22] In both places, I have come to value the force preserves for many reasons, starting with personal enjoyment, a sense of peace and wonder and a place to spend time with my family.
[24:35] My children are now grown, but we regularly spent time in Cook County's many force preserves.
[24:40] From the time they sat in a baby backpack through high school and even summers home from college, when we all volunteered to pick prairie seeds, clear brush or replant native plants and trees.
[24:51] It's one of their most important childhood experiences and it is shaped the way they think about caring for the world today.
[24:58] It's people, places.
[25:01] Over the years I saw how important the preserves are for cleaning and filtering water and addressing flooding and for providing clean air, habitat for animals as critical too.
[25:13] There is so much work to be done though. I've watched over 30 years as brush has overcome our precious periods in Savannah's, and this past year especially as numbers of visitors have overwhelmed the infrastructure.
[25:25] Now, more than ever, people need access to nature to be able to watch and raptured as a family
[25:32] of boxes plays in the afternoon sunlight to exclaim out loud about the beauty of a carpet
[25:38] of delicate spring wildflowers or a riot of color and texture of a prairie and full summer
[25:44] bloom.
[25:45] Or to watch and wonder as a Cooper's hawk catches its prey, flying precisely through the woods.
[25:50] Protecting our preserves takes people and effort and money, and by properly funding jobs and providing training we can protect our preserves, and we can continue to improve accessibility to all of our residents.
[26:04] Our forefathers had tremendous foresight to establish the county forest preserves.
[26:10] We need the foresight and the will to see this vision succeed well into the 21st century and beyond.
[26:15] What minutes isn't just nice to do, it's critical work, and this referendum must be put on the ballot.
[26:22] I have no doubt that it will be supported by voters, so many of whom have discovered a new world in nature.
[26:29] When their usual world shut down during the pandemic period, please vote yes unanimously to move this important referendum forward.
[26:38] Thank you.
[26:40] Our next speaker.
[26:44] Thank
[26:48] you, President Patmigol and Cook County Board of Commissioners for a lot of these
[26:52] people for you to do.
[26:54] And support the force to go back to them.
[26:57] Item number 21-0346.
[27:00] My name is Tunisia Harris and I am the Chicagoan Conservation Manager at the Irwin
[27:04] Wayne Bible Council.
[27:06] I do see represents over 100 environmental organizations from across the state.
[27:12] and I'll be half of those organizations support this initiative.
[27:15] We understand each of the mechanisms between people and the environment
[27:18] and dependent environmental and community protections
[27:21] of the local, state, and federal level.
[27:24] Even though I worked with a viciously taking me to the forest reserves of summer,
[27:28] my first time, of course, is ever because county property,
[27:30] this is a teenager doing field work for service hours.
[27:34] I've done it by the side of your work that is for how we get morning and community
[27:37] to the nearest forest reserves to collect seeds,
[27:39] climate basis and overall doing nature.
[27:42] I didn't join in a two hour commute from soft shore to the end of the city or join.
[27:47] Number every day, so it's organization, so it's a volunteer event.
[27:51] I distinctly remember the feeling of peace, aberration, and curiosity.
[27:56] Some reading a question crisp air to excitedly pulling that atmosphere from the ground.
[28:00] It was just a re-experience, I would find hard to replicate in the city.
[28:04] It was going to be in a bigger league about the fresh air, which is something with asthma.
[28:08] I can't get enough love.
[28:10] That's how this experience creates a certain community connection to nature,
[28:13] but I care with me through my work that I received,
[28:16] and I don't have other kids in the Kentucky residents to have this experience.
[28:20] The first results of the Titanic has got a set of opportunities
[28:23] and you've got some services that are invaluable to developing
[28:26] and people in the environment.
[28:28] We mostly show the longevity and vitality of the first
[28:31] deserves that clean out your water,
[28:33] to do studying, make sure that for those who are accessible,
[28:36] I'm great to play for our kid on TV, Joe, like I once was.
[28:39] Thank you, Michael Bajor.
[28:41] I urge you about yesterday to move the staff around the board, and then you do
[28:44] thousands of new kids, so the one there for my course, the nurse.
[28:47] Thank you.
[28:51] Thank you.
[28:51] Next public speaker, Joseph Pat Lasky.
[28:58] Joseph are you there?
[29:02] All right.
[29:03] I will call the next three public speakers.
[29:05] Gloria Orasco, Daniel Souras, and Robert Casper in that
[29:11] or Gloria are you there?
[29:17] Gloria or Roscoe,
[29:21] I'll move to the next one.
[29:22] Daniel Svores.
[29:27] Hello, good morning.
[29:28] Thank you, members of the committee,
[29:29] for the opportunity to be here today.
[29:31] To support the inclusion of the fours preserves
[29:33] of Cook County referendum, item number 21-0346.
[29:38] My name is Daniel Svores.
[29:38] I'm the Conservation Manager for Audubon Great Lakes,
[29:41] which is a regional office of the National Audubon Society.
[29:44] And we work to conserve and restore the Great Lakes
[29:46] for the benefit of birds, other wildlife and people.
[29:50] In Illinois, we have 11 locally affiliated chapters
[29:52] over 54,000 members and have identified 95 important
[29:56] bird areas, many of which are contained within the Cook County
[30:00] I'm also a proud resident of Cook County's eight district and would like to specifically thank Commissioner
[30:05] Arroyo for his support of the referendum. Increased funding for the force preserves will ensure
[30:11] continue protection for the nearly 300 species of birds that nest or pass through the force preserves
[30:16] of Cook County annually, relying on the preserves, woodlands, grasslands and wetlands for food and shelter.
[30:22] And this is more important than ever because birds are facing unprecedented threats. A recent study found
[30:28] since 1970, North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds, while Audubon's science shows that
[30:34] two-thirds of North American birds, species, including many across our region, are vulnerable
[30:39] to extinction from climate change. My favorite bird, the bobbling, annually in barks on an epic
[30:44] weeks or monthslong journey from their wintering grounds in Argentina across the Amazon rainforest
[30:50] through Mexico and finally into the United States where it needs specific habitat to nest and rest.
[30:56] And the large acreage treeless prairies, like Patricia Hayes was talking about at Orland
[31:01] Grassland, are the habitat that they need, and they're virtually non-existent in our
[31:06] region outside of our forest preserves and public lands.
[31:09] So an increase in funding for the forest preserves will ensure that this important bottling
[31:12] habitat will continue to be protected.
[31:15] And the forest preserves are home for a world-renowned volunteer stewardship program.
[31:18] Some of whom we've already heard from today.
[31:21] And that nurtured my own interest in conservation.
[31:23] caring community of volunteer stewards throughout the county took the time to teach me
[31:27] how to identify plants and restore natural areas when I was having a hard time finding
[31:31] a job after the great recession in the late 2000s. At Audubon Great Lakes, we're also helping
[31:38] the next generation make connections to nature right in their backyards. Our habitat restoration
[31:43] internship program trains young adults for careers in conservation on forest preserve lands.
[31:48] And like Benchman mentioned earlier, this program is part of the Conservation Corps,
[31:51] which is one of the largest and most diverse programs
[31:54] of its kind in the United States.
[31:56] The Forest Preserve of the backdrop
[31:57] to this vital job training skills program,
[32:00] which is placed Cook County residents
[32:01] and key positions in the environmental and conservation field,
[32:04] including more than 80% of Audubon
[32:06] in since 2014.
[32:09] This measure will create and sustain thousands of jobs
[32:11] and lead to more opportunities
[32:12] for communities across Cook County
[32:14] to help heal and nurture the land.
[32:17] So on behalf of Audubon Great Lakes,
[32:19] I encourage you to support the Forest Preserve
[32:20] and the residents of Cook County by voting to move this referendum for it.
[32:24] Thank you very much.
[32:28] Thank you.
[32:28] I'll call the next three public speakers in this order, Robert Casper, Chelsea Grassfield,
[32:35] and Elaine Layman.
[32:38] Mr. Casper?
[32:40] Hi, yes, many of us are our Casper.
[32:42] I would like to speak on behalf of the Chicago area mountain bikers, which is a 501C3 organization
[32:47] dedicated to the maintenance and development of sustainable use trails for all users not
[32:53] mountain bikers, as well as on a professional level as a family physician with the community.
[32:59] regards to the growth of the forest reserves over the last multiple years of the
[33:05] Schkallway and mountain bikers that I nearly 30 year partnership with the Forest Reserve
[33:08] District of Cook County for the development of trails within the Payless Forest Reserve
[33:12] System. These trails have shown tremendous growth within, in terms of mileage as well as within
[33:18] use of multiple users in the last year of the pandemic we have seen, the significant proliferation
[33:25] of people enjoying our open spaces that we have, and this has really inspired me as
[33:32] a family physician, as a physician, as a physician, hoping to expand the access to the
[33:39] land, because numerous sites have shown the benefits of outdoor recreation for people of all
[33:45] ages, especially in our younger population, and having this vital resource that we have in
[33:51] the community,
[33:55] the people of Cook County benefit from having this, excuse me, from
[34:00] having the forces are there.
[34:04] And in that vein, the Schkogreger Mountain Bikers and myself
[34:09] Robert Casper speak in favor of referendum 210346. Thank you for your time and thank you for your vote in favor of this.
[34:18] Madam Secretary, can you please add Commissioner Gainer to the roll?
[34:21] Yes, Chairman. Well, thank you, Mr. Casper. Chelsea Grassfield.
[34:28] Good morning. All my name is Chelsea Grassfield.
[34:31] And I'm the policy specialist that friends with the Chicago River.
[34:35] We are a 40 plus year old organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the Chicago and
[34:40] Helium at River Watershed for People Plants and Wildlife and I live in the 10th District
[34:45] so thank you to my Commissioner of Project Gainer and I'll go to County Commissioner
[34:49] for the opportunity to make this public comment today.
[34:52] I'm here to ask that you vote yet to move the funding referendum for the force to their
[34:57] forward.
[34:58] Friends of the Chicago River partners.
[35:00] Regularly with the force preserves on ecological restoration and public access projects. We partner to install
[35:06] off-racals for nesting habitat and bat maternity awards. And last winter alone, we expanded our land restoration
[35:12] foot by print by 172 acres, removing evades of a new species, so that these areas can be returned to a
[35:21] native and diverse ecosystem. Not only do we protect and enhance the force figures for wildlife, but
[35:27] with the part of the coalition that oversees
[35:29] and tenial volunteer, which organizes regular volunteer
[35:33] days in the preserves.
[35:34] And outside of my professional capacity
[35:36] at friends, I myself have enjoyed volunteering
[35:38] at and visiting love all wood.
[35:41] In addition to this work on the land,
[35:43] we know this measure will help improve water quality
[35:45] and ensuring that what floats to the Chicago
[35:47] on Calamet River is the claims.
[35:50] Forest preserves include wetlands and land
[35:52] along river stream, filter rain and storm water.
[35:55] That's the solution from entering our rivers and streams and Lake Michigan.
[36:01] About 15,000 acres of forest preserved land are next to streams and rivers and we must
[36:07] protect and restore these to ensure water quality.
[36:11] On behalf of the Friends of the Chicago River and our many supporters, please support
[36:15] the Forest Reserve's referendum and vote to move this referendum forward.
[36:19] Thank you.
[36:22] Thank you Chelsea.
[36:23] Next public speaker, Elaine Layman.
[36:26] Elaine Layman.
[36:29] Hi, can you hear me?
[36:30] Yes.
[36:30] Go ahead.
[36:36] First of all, thank you so much for a lot of opportunity.
[36:39] And I'd like to thank Board of Commissioners.
[36:41] And we are in the 12th District.
[36:42] So we're very happy.
[36:44] Um, um, the fire commissioner of Bridges, um,
[36:47] Dougman supportive this measure.
[36:50] Um, I am the executive director of the Filipino American Council.
[36:56] We're just cargo, one of the reasons in the nation, we've dabbished in 1953,
[37:06] and the Filipino
[37:07] American Union, maybe we have about 110,000 here in the Chicago area.
[37:18] Many of them do live in Cook County, and in Cook County, in Cook County, in Cook County,
[37:26] in
[37:26] We feel through Andrew Chicago Botanical Garden, our very important
[37:30] to our community, because we help us to appreciate and to to enjoy
[37:35] nature. And, um, almost, it's just surrounding around, and for us, the
[37:47] the referendum is very important because it allows us to learn about the
[37:53] world around and it connects us to the world beyond the borders of Cook County, the referendum
[38:01] helps us to appreciate and to foster and understanding of how the impacts of our actions,
[38:12] the encourages and impact of the world around us, including the Gulf of Mexico and the
[38:20] the ocean, to our own islands, it helps us to develop the self-awareness. This measure will help us
[38:28] to continue saving our trees, to help us to improve wildlife, which is part of the work that we do
[38:37] here, the Filipino American Council of Leadership Hago, one minute from a advocacy,
[38:42] and environmental advocacy for the pollinators and also for tree
[38:48] canopies. This just expands our work. And we really would really like to see this
[38:56] referendum come to fruition. Thank you very much. Thank you, Lane. Our last two
[39:04] public speakers, Gloria Orasco.
[39:10] Gloria, are you with us? Gloria,
[39:13] the state that she submitted mid in testimony and support.
[39:17] Great. Thank you. Last public speaker is Joseph, Pat Lisec.
[39:24] Joseph Pat Lisec.
[39:27] Permanent concludes our list of registered public speakers.
[39:35] Thank you, Madam Secretary. Thank you to all the speakers.
[39:37] It took time out today to give us the question.
[39:40] Let's get back to the order of business and the items before us.
[39:44] Commissioner Deer.
[39:48] Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.
[39:52] I move approval of item number 21-0378, minutes from the meeting of February 25.
[40:00] 221, is there a second?
[40:04] Move by Commissioner Deer, seconded by who was that?
[40:07] Commissioner suffered all those in favor of approval of the minutes, aye.
[40:10] Opposed?
[40:12] In the opinion of the chair that I have it.
[40:14] Chair now also recognizes Commissioner Deer.
[40:19] I move approval of the following.
[40:21] Item's number 21, does 031-8.
[40:24] 21, does 031-9.
[40:27] 21, does 032-0.
[41:27] Okay, the next item is 21 dash to zero three one nine is proposed bid recommendation with
[41:34] phybex technologies.
[41:36] This is for masonry repairs.
[41:38] It's a salt creek resource management center located in Western Springs.
[41:44] Phybex technologies LLC was a lowest responsive bidder at 176,000, $460.
[41:51] Next item is 21-103-2-0.
[41:53] This proposed bid recommendation with L Marshall Inc.
[41:56] For Riff Replacement at South the Southeast Police Headquarters located near Lansing.
[42:03] They were the lowest response of bidder at $264,000.
[42:07] The previous slowest response of bidder oak construction with through their bid,
[42:11] making L-martial overload.
[42:15] Next item is 21-103-2-4.
[42:17] This is proposed bid recommendation for the force deserves to enter to a into a three year contract with two one year renewal options for region one up with allied waste transportation.
[42:28] This is for waste removal. This is a trash that we collect and has to be deposited somewhere and this is one of those contracts.
[42:37] Similar one is 21 dash 0325.
[42:40] This is for waste removal, waste removal for Lakeshore recycling.
[42:45] This is for region 2.
[42:46] This is our central region.
[42:48] They were the lowest response a bit of for region 2.
[42:50] For a 21 dash 0326, similar contract allied waste transportation.
[42:58] This is for region 4, our southeast region for waste.
[43:03] Next item is 21 dash 0351.
[43:06] of proposed bid recommendation with Matthew Paving to
[43:11] redistribute transportation improvements at Cherie Hill Woods
[43:13] in payloads, crawdads, slew and willows springs,
[43:15] and the glory springs Woods in payloads park.
[43:18] Matthew Paving was the lowest responsive bitter at $369,000,
[43:22] $470,000.
[43:24] This is these resources are coming from the motor fuel tax funds
[43:29] that we receive from the county through the Department
[43:32] Transportation and Highways.
[43:34] Next item is 21-0352.
[43:36] This is a proposed bid recommendation with N-Lite LLC.
[43:41] This is for a parking lot green infrastructure retrofit and canoe lodge project.
[43:46] That's huge scope in North Riverside.
[43:49] N-Lite was the lowest response of Fitter N-8003.
[43:53] Hence, we're also for this project receiving money from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
[44:02] toward the completion of this project in the
[44:06] amount of $2,200 and $3,100 and $7 from MWRD
[44:11] and $80,000 from the county of the motorfield
[44:15] ex-tiles as well.
[44:17] Next item is 21-103-5-3.
[44:19] This is a proposed bid recommendation.
[44:21] Again, with N-Lite LLC, this is for district-wide transportation
[44:25] improvements at 165 of the Ogonquin Road and
[44:28] Crab Tree Nature Center in Barrington.
[44:30] and like it was the lowest responsive bidder at 711
[44:36] and the next item is 21-00356
[44:39] is proposed bid recommendation with Meru Corporation or Water Outlet Improvement Project
[44:45] at Powderhorn Lake, which is located on the far southeast side of the city Chicago.
[44:51] This is the site where we'll do it.
[44:56] Or I'm sure it's to create a fish passage system to connect Powderhorn Lake to Wulfl.
[45:00] And another related work, a specified by Planning. Maru is a law-schersponsored bidder at 845,774,550 cents. And 21, dash 0350 is the
[45:16] corporate analysis fund analysis of revenue and expenditure.
[45:42] Are no, this is Steve Hughes. Chief Financial Officer, would you like me to summarize the budget report?
[45:47] Yes, please.
[45:49] Good morning, commissioners. Item 21, 035, 0 is the corporate fund revenue and expense report for May of 2021.
[45:57] May revenue is at 33 million, 479,588 dollars, 54% of budget. We are $2,5582,139 dollars above last year through May.
[46:13] with property tax collections up $746,000 for $171 compared to last year. Also, I'd like to point out that our PPRT collections are up about 2.2 million.
[46:26] So we have already met our annual budget projection for the year for that revenue category.
[46:32] Moving on to non-tax revenue where up approximately 1 million compared to last year, with our permits campgrounds and concessions all rebounding,
[46:40] over still lagging behind our 2019 numbers.
[46:44] For example, using 2019 as a baseline, the number of
[46:47] June picnic permits are about 15% below our 2019 permits,
[46:53] and our number of campers is down about 33%.
[46:56] Still, we have hosted over 26,000 campers this year
[47:00] so that numbers moving upward.
[47:03] Moving on to expenditures, our May expenditures are at 18 million, 25,000, 951 dollars
[47:09] We're about 29% of the budget.
[47:12] We're approximately 850,000 below last year,
[47:15] mostly due to our personnel costs being down
[47:17] due to hiring freeze that we had in place
[47:20] at the beginning of the year.
[47:21] We have since resumed hiring,
[47:23] but as you can understand, it takes a while
[47:25] to fill those making positions.
[47:28] In summary, our May Unit 8 expenditures
[47:29] are our May Unit 8 revenue exceeds expenditures
[47:32] by about 15.2 million,
[47:35] so by currently managing our finances,
[47:37] is the revenue expense numbers are a bit higher than the prior two years through May.
[47:43] So I would like to believe those are all the items that have been introduced for the finance
[47:46] committee so far.
[47:47] Thank you.
[47:48] Thank you, Steve.
[47:50] Just a correction on my part.
[47:52] Commissioner Deer.
[47:53] Move the following items for approval.
[47:56] 21, 0, 3, 1, 8, 21, 0, 0, 3, 1, 9.
[48:00] 21, 0, 0, 3, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 2, 4.
[48:07] 21-035-1, 21-035-2, 21-035-3, 21-035-3, 21-035-3, 21-035-6, and I would ask Vice Chair
[48:17] dear to, if you could amend that motion to include receiving and filing items, 21-035-5-035-0 and 21-036-2.
[48:28] I'm in that motion to include receive a file items number 2 1 dash 0 3 5 0 and items number 2 1 dash 0 3 6 2.
[48:38] Thank you.
[48:42] Next item is item number 21 0 3 6 2. We would hear from Lisa Lee.
[49:19] Better.
[49:24] All right. So I'm just going to try to speak up.
[49:28] For item 21, 0362 for the month of May 2021, our administrative costs associated with work
[49:41] on par with where we were in May of 2020.
[49:56] Any questions from commissioners?
[49:59] Chair.
[50:00] Good night's commission, Sean Morrison.
[50:03] Thank you, Chairman.
[50:05] Arnold, two questions.
[50:07] The procurement.
[50:10] Do we use the same procurement as we do with the county orders, forces, or have their own procurement department?
[50:17] So the forces have has its own procurement process. Tom Collins are purchasing director.
[50:23] We have the same process, though, but we do our own procurement.
[50:27] And I'd like to point out how well these are presented to us.
[50:33] The items have all the bidders and have the dollar values of those bidders, and we've talked
[50:38] about doing that from the county side as well.
[50:41] So, procurement, if we could take a look at this as a commissioner, I think this is the best
[50:45] way to present these items to us so that we can not only see who won, but we can also see
[50:49] the other firms as well.
[50:50] So I want to commend you for that.
[50:52] Thank you.
[50:52] on the garbage.
[50:57] I assume that we did that internally because I see forced preserve garbage trucks
[51:01] all the time. I didn't realize that we were contracting that out or do we do both.
[51:04] So we collect the garbage from the actual gross, but that gets put together back at our site
[51:11] and then with that has to be collected and taken to a dump so that this is what this is.
[51:15] Gotcha. Okay. That clarifies. And it also includes recycling. Thanks.
[51:22] any other questions, they're bringing
[51:23] all of the questions.
[51:25] The motion was made by commissioner Naya.
[51:56] So both of those items if they could be kind of
[51:58] explained a little bit because there seems to be
[52:00] Mr. Hughes if you're on, can you please answer
[52:03] commissioner Naya's questions?
[52:06] Commissioner I pledge I didn't hear the
[52:07] beginning part of the question.
[52:09] So if you can just walk us through the
[52:13] intergovernmental sources on the revenue
[52:15] and expense report and also the landscape
[52:17] landscape maintenance because I would assume that during these months landscape maintenance still is going on, so I'm not quite sure why there's a huge decrease in the expense.
[52:31] Okay, so regarding, sorry, I believe you're referring to the revenue for intergovernmental sources.
[52:39] Yes, and then expenditures with the landscape maintenance.
[52:42] Okay, so on the review side, our intergal metal sources are, our reimbursement that we get from the county, we provide basically a law enforcement or security detail.
[52:54] On behalf of the county, there's an IGA that we have where we get reimbursed by them. So that's the bulk of what that is. But we also provide some grass cutting and snow removal services services.
[53:06] Of course site. So those are all being put in those numbers.
[53:10] I can speak to the landscape maintenance commissioner.
[53:14] So we, like everybody else, have had a hard time hiring and retaining seasonal laborers.
[53:20] And so while we've gone through the same process, we go through every year and start hiring
[53:24] in the early spring, we've had a hard time keeping people or getting people to actually take
[53:28] the job.
[53:29] So we're still short.
[53:30] I'd say 30, 35 bodies, so that these are, this is a lot of this reflected in the
[53:41] Um, so does that mean that there's certain areas that we haven't been able to maintain or everything's been taken care of.
[53:47] We're just really short staff at this point.
[53:49] We're really short staffed and we've had to prioritize it.
[53:52] Been out a lot with our landscape maintenance folks this year.
[53:55] So we're still cutting the grass.
[53:56] We're making sure the trash picked up with some of the other work has to get pushed down on the priority list because we just don't have enough people to do it.
[54:02] But hopefully you don't notice because we're doing a good job of prioritizing.
[54:06] But it has been a real strain action on landscape maintenance crews this year.
[54:09] because you write a lot of people are still out, but it's a challenge, but we've tried hard
[54:13] to keep up as much as possible, but we are short staff.
[54:16] Okay, I just wanted to know, because it seemed to be a huge decrease from the previous year,
[54:21] so thank you.
[54:24] There are being no other questions at this time, Commissioner, your moves, Commissioner
[54:28] Sims at second and all those in favor, oppose, in the opinion of the chair of the
[54:34] eyes.
[54:34] have it. Next up,
[54:39] Bustry.
[55:04] Thank you, Commissioner Sylvester. He moves the approval of item number 2102700, seconded by Commissioner Britain. All those in favour? Opposed? Any opinion of the chair that I have it? Commissioner Moore?
[55:25] President.
[55:28] And the Secretary, please.
[55:31] Commissioner Moore's vote on item.
[55:34] 210203.
[55:35] Is that correct?
[55:38] President on that item.
[55:41] Next up, before I call on Commissioners Suffered in.
[55:45] Well, here, we'll go ahead.
[55:46] On Commissioners Suffered in.
[55:48] Commissioners Suffered in.
[56:07] District.
[56:09] And if I could ask the general superintendent to make some remarks, and then I'd like to make some remarks.
[56:14] Thank you.
[56:15] information are suffered and moves the approval of item number 210346, seconded by Commissioner
[56:22] Moore.
[56:22] We will now ask leave to hear from our General Superintendent, Mr. Arnold Randall.
[56:27] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[56:30] I mean, first to say it's good to be here with all of you.
[56:32] I've seen you all throughout the last year and a half in different places, and
[56:36] and out in the force preserves, and that's been wonderful, but it's good to see you all together.
[56:39] It's good to be with you all together here again.
[56:41] In the interim, it's usually the President and the podium in me sitting in the back, and that's how it's been for the last several months has been really high, so it's good to be all back together.
[56:51] Thank you, commissioners, and I want to thank you for your support of the work that we do every day.
[56:55] Thank you for this initiative to provide more resources for that work.
[56:59] And thank you for the trust that increased revenue for the force reserves will be wisely and carefully spent.
[57:08] If we're given the opportunity, I can promise you that that trust will be met.
[57:13] For more than 10 years now, I've served as a general superintendent of the force
[57:16] deserves, and I want to thank President Prakwinkle for the opportunity and even more
[57:20] for her leadership over those years.
[57:22] In the last decade, we more than doubled the amount of land of our land that is under ecological
[57:28] restoration.
[57:29] We hold hundreds of more of events and for schools and for the public, and we've added new
[57:33] amenities across the preserves, and we are actively working towards commitments to
[57:37] environmental sustainability and racial equity.
[57:41] All that work has been made possible, of course,
[57:45] of the course that you have set
[57:47] and your steadfast support is a board and as a matter of present.
[57:51] We have not arrived at this plan to put a referendum
[57:53] in front of the voters quickly or rashly.
[57:56] After we launched the next entry conservation plan
[57:58] back in 2014, we worked with partners to create a list
[58:01] of more than 50 possible initiatives
[58:03] that could earn revenue or cut costs.
[58:06] Nothing was left off the table, and as we researched we found that some of the ideas were not
[58:10] feasible or simply did not match our mission.
[58:14] But we have pursued ideas that worked.
[58:16] We've cut costs, we've streamed line operations, and we're bringing in more funds from
[58:19] grants and non-tax revenue.
[58:21] All the improvements and new initiatives I cited have happened while our corporate operating
[58:26] budget has barely risen, just 9% higher in the total of the course of the last decade,
[58:32] and some 9% and over the last 10 years total.
[58:35] For several years, we have worked with advocates and supporters.
[58:38] You heard from some of them earlier, the President's Office, and this Board to explore
[58:42] options to do more.
[58:43] If the referendum passes, although the addition to a homeowner's private tax bill will
[58:48] be relatively small, it would give us the capacity to do a number of things, expand our
[58:53] successful restoration work, acquire more natural open land and cook county.
[58:57] Add more programs and events that share the natural world with every part of Cook County,
[59:01] address deferred maintenance and capital improvements, fully fixed the force
[59:06] deserves pension shortfall and support the capital needs of our partners at
[59:10] the Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden. These initiatives will
[59:14] allow us to continue to expand what the force deserves provide us all. The
[59:18] reserves help keep the water clean and the air quality high and is highly
[59:23] developed county. They are critical to native plants and animals and ensure that we
[59:31] We know that spending time out nature is good for our physical and mental health and the
[59:36] force deserves our critical resource for this as well.
[59:40] I think that during the past year under lockdown and since we've been reminded about that.
[59:45] And also just how good it feels to be outside.
[59:49] Thank you to everyone who came out today to give public testimony, whether it's virtual or in person,
[59:54] about the importance of these benefits to Cook County and to provide the opportunity for more resources to support the preserve.
[1:00:01] A particularly want to thank the friends of the force deserves, open lands, the nature conservacy, the trust for public land, the Chicago Zooological Society, the Chicago Botanic Garden, and our conservation and policy council for their support.
[1:00:16] As we created the next-century conservation plan, one of our goals was to increase and deepen our connections with the conservation organizations and partners.
[1:00:23] That is work better than I think we even realized was possible and makes a stronger, more effective, as an organization, so I want to thank you all.
[1:00:32] And finally I want to once again express my appreciation and thanks to our staff and our network of volunteers for their dedication, creativity and hard work.
[1:00:40] I know that we are ready with the vision and momentum and the people and the plans to take the force reserves to the next level if the voters decide they will make this investment.
[1:00:49] So thank you.
[1:00:50] Thank you, Mr. Superintendent.
[1:00:52] Commissioner Sufford.
[1:00:54] Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ladies and gentlemen,
[1:00:56] to the committee.
[1:00:58] For over a hundred years, the Cook County Force
[1:01:00] Reserve has gathered land and protected
[1:01:03] the people of this county from climate change,
[1:01:07] protecting it with clean or water,
[1:01:10] better air, and jobs that have been created
[1:01:13] because of the district.
[1:01:15] We've improved the quality of life,
[1:01:18] but unfortunately because we are
[1:01:19] non-home rule unit of government, we've had limitations on how revenue can be raised to be able
[1:01:26] to accomplish our mission. In 2014, this board created the next century conservation plan and adopted it.
[1:01:36] Since we introduced the language on this referendum, both of the Chicago Dailys, the
[1:01:41] sometimes in the Tribune, have editorialized in favor of this referendum as essential to protecting
[1:01:48] the quality of life going forward.
[1:01:50] I ask for an aye vote at this time.
[1:01:53] We will probably still technically have to come back in December
[1:01:57] to do one final vote to get this on the ballot.
[1:02:00] But this would be on the ballot in November of 2020.
[1:02:04] And if it passes, it would be a modest property tax increase.
[1:02:08] But it would be sufficient funds to guarantee that 100 years
[1:02:11] from now when they're celebrating the 200th anniversary
[1:02:14] of the force deserves.
[1:02:15] They are in the same quality of bland that we are today.
[1:02:19] Thank you.
[1:02:19] Thank you, Commissioner Suffin and Commissioner Daley.
[1:02:23] Thank you, thank you, Mr. Chair.
[1:02:24] Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[1:02:56] Commissioner Miller.
[1:03:03] Thank you, Chairman and for the recognition and I'm happy to sponsor this resolution.
[1:03:09] I want to thank congratulations to Superintendent Randall and everyone who's been working for this.
[1:03:15] This is really going to allow our voters and our citizens to decide on increasing the limiting
[1:03:21] rate for the forest reserve district of Cook County. As we look at the forest reserve, my district has one third of forest reserve landholdings and during this difficult pandemic, the forest reserve remained open had programming virtually as well as some in person things that were allowing people to the ability to come out and walk and participate and it's just really re-emphasizes the point that the forest reserve is an integral part of our community and contributes to our quality of life.
[1:03:50] I've been a strong supporter of the Forest Reserve and Patron long before I even became a commissioner and they're truly a jewel of the community.
[1:03:59] We posted many events at the Forest Reserve to show what's out there, the campgrounds as well as other things and gives children a place to exercise and stay physically fit as well as adults.
[1:04:12] We've enjoyed swallow cliffs stairs over the years or just walking and I think the pandemic's really reinforced the point of something that we already knew we'd like being in nature and we like the forest reserves as that place that we can go to improve our health both mentally and physically.
[1:04:30] We also know the role of the forest for their play and the health of our environment by protecting helping to protect the water and the air quality.
[1:04:37] So this referendum would give Cook County voters an opportunity to ensure that the forest reserve
[1:04:42] could continue to help our environment but also provide opportunities for our children in the future
[1:04:47] with the summer jobs program that we heard people talk about earlier today, scholarships,
[1:04:53] and exploration of job opportunities that people might not have known even exist it,
[1:04:59] and upper...
[1:05:00] We've got the opportunity to explore nature and outdoor programming. The Forest Rips, the referendum would also support the world-renowned cultural institutions, like the Brookfield Zoo, and we've had many people visit the Zoo lately. I'm proud that a local Girl Scout troop, number 65152 from my local area, just recently went to the Zoo, and we'll be able to get a badge related to that.
[1:05:23] and all the girls' doubts were happy about that.
[1:05:26] But these are just small things that add
[1:05:27] into the big part of what community means,
[1:05:30] as well as the Botanic Gardens,
[1:05:31] and it helps the Forest Preserve.
[1:05:32] This referendum is going to help the Forest Preserve
[1:05:35] realize the goals of the next century conservation plan.
[1:05:39] So for all these reasons, and more,
[1:05:41] I joined my colleagues on the board
[1:05:42] in supporting this measure and look forward
[1:05:44] to voting in favor of it.
[1:05:46] Thank you.
[1:05:47] Thank you, Commissioner Miller, Commissioner Sean Morrison.
[1:05:54] Chairman, thank you.
[1:05:58] The referendum that we're going to put forth today, and I recommend, and I vote, really should, you know, I would like, I'd like the general public to just think about a few things.
[1:06:09] Having gone through through COVID, we have seen an unprecedented amount of folks that had the opportunities to get out of their homes and to be a amongst nature.
[1:06:17] The forces are, is place critical roles in the community, not only is it the hills and the trees and the trails, but we have great lakes and we have great ponds and streams.
[1:06:29] We have Brookfield Zoo, we have the gardens. These are all the contributing factors that we have in Cook County.
[1:06:38] I've said several times the force preserve of Cook County, number one, it's recognized throughout
[1:06:44] the country, award-winning.
[1:06:46] It's the largest in the country, and it really is a true gem that we have here in
[1:06:52] Cook County.
[1:06:53] We have one of the best major urban cities in the country, and we have one, and it's surrounded
[1:06:58] by these wonderful force preserves.
[1:07:02] You know, I know my family uses it personally.
[1:07:04] Now, the way of talking about increasing revenue, this is the right way that government should always do it.
[1:07:10] Government should always bring the idea of increasing revenue before the voters before the constituents who live there.
[1:07:15] So this really is the right way to do this.
[1:07:20] And I would recommend an aye vote.
[1:07:23] Thank you very much.
[1:07:53] I heard that dentist.
[1:07:54] The, as I was saying, where would we be without the screen to ask out of the forces or whether it be on the northwest side, the southwest side, the southwest suburbs of the northwest suburbs, no matter where in Cook County, someone's close enough to get to a forest was there.
[1:08:08] Some I have to walk, some I have to drive, but they're there.
[1:08:11] And I see when I drive down Cumberland, for example, children, woods and those by culbo woods up north.
[1:08:16] They're full. They're always full all weekend long. So people are enjoying and taking advantage of it, but it's important now that we ask the voters for this authority.
[1:08:23] So that this could continue to, so that our forces, there could continue to be the
[1:08:27] jewel around the city that it is around the county.
[1:08:30] So I certainly support this referendum, and I hope that everyone else does too.
[1:08:34] Because ultimately it is the power that people that are needed to keep these forces, there
[1:08:38] is on our other assets in progress.
[1:08:42] So, congratulations, hopefully this would be a congratulatory meeting after the referendum
[1:08:46] too.
[1:08:47] And thank you for you and your staff.
[1:08:49] You all do a wonderful job over there.
[1:08:50] the forces have come a long way in the 25 years that I've sat here, so when I was on high
[1:08:58] school sitting here at the time. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Commissioner
[1:09:02] Commissioner Britten. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And again, I want to thank Commissioner
[1:09:09] Sufford and for his leadership on this issue. I was a co-sponsor when we talked about this
[1:09:13] once before. I'm continue to be a co-sponsor and enthusiastically in support of this
[1:09:19] referendum, you know, I just a week ago, I was in some woods in Northbrook.
[1:09:25] I'm going to the Skoki Lagoon's to kayak and about a week and a half with the constituent.
[1:09:32] Probably there's some baby bald eagles out there, I'm going to take a look at.
[1:09:35] And the prospectized police department is sponsoring an event.
[1:09:38] I'm getting some tickets to them, where they're going to take some individuals to the botanic garden.
[1:09:42] That is just a taste of the things that we do through our force preserve system.
[1:09:47] And you know, I guess I will echo my friend, Sean Morrison, who we don't always agree on everything, but I think one thing we can certainly agree on is that people of Cook County will decide if is this the jewel we want to maintain or is this
[1:10:00] Something that we can do without or allow to be overgrown. I hope that we will be able to marshal our forces and support this resolution. It is extremely important for our force deserves, and it is a jewel that should never be forgotten. So I am strongly in support. No one requests an aye vote.
[1:10:18] Thank you, Commissioner Britain, Commissioner Degnan.
[1:10:23] Thank you, Chairman.
[1:10:26] I'm so thrilled to see the board support today for this
[1:10:29] referendum.
[1:10:31] The force preserves Green Space provides a calming nature area that's free
[1:10:35] to all of us to support our mental health.
[1:10:38] The trees and plants help balance our carbon emissions with its significant
[1:10:41] carbon sequestration.
[1:10:43] But the preserves need revenue and continue to need additional
[1:10:47] capital improvements. Bringing this referendum to the voters brings this important message
[1:10:52] on the forest preserves health to the very people using the preserves and who should know about
[1:10:57] the preserves presence and be educated on their presence. Those watching this meeting on
[1:11:04] CCTV, I urge you to pick up your phone to Google Cognitive Forest Preserves to find the closest
[1:11:11] preserve to you and to go visit it. To educate yourself on the referendum, what it means
[1:11:17] and to vote on it and talk to your friends and neighbors about it as well. And that's the way that
[1:11:22] this referendum will get passed through all of our intentional work on it, and to make sure that we
[1:11:28] are making sure that we support the forest preserves, the animals, the nature, and to resist climate
[1:11:35] change with its very presence. And thank you so much to Superintendent Randall for all your work on
[1:11:40] not just your work, but your team's work, the community's work,
[1:11:45] it's a Commissioner of Suffordin, and to this board who has been
[1:11:48] overwhelmingly in support of this over the last several years.
[1:11:51] Thank you.
[1:11:54] Commissioner.
[1:11:55] Thank you.
[1:12:02] Thank you, Chairman O'Royal.
[1:12:04] I would just like to, first of all, yes, I support the referendum.
[1:12:08] And I would like to say to everybody that worked on this.
[1:12:12] a good job working on isn't and trying to get the word out, I think that as much as we're
[1:12:19] all talking about it and that we're all in favor of it, the one thing we have to remember
[1:12:24] is that we have to push this out to the public. So, you know, it's going to take an election
[1:12:30] and it's going to take the referendum for the past. We can say all of these good things,
[1:12:35] but if the people don't buy in or they don't have a reason to buy in, we're just having
[1:12:42] conversation. So we have to make sure we have a robust get out the word on that we need
[1:12:51] to support the referendum. When you think about it, you think 10 years from now if we don't
[1:12:59] do this and I think this is some of the message that we have to get out. You know, you have
[1:13:04] those people that don't go to the forest preserve, but you have those people that go to the zoo.
[1:13:09] You have those people that don't go to the zoo, but they go to the botanic garden.
[1:13:15] Well, I mean, if you tell them 10 years from now, if you go to the zoo and there's no animals or there's no repair to the elephant house or if you go to look at the polar bears and there's just a tank with no bears or if you go to the botanic garden and it's overgrown and we haven't taken advantage of whatever
[1:13:39] new species are out there and the birds are not migrating and they're not coming.
[1:13:45] We have to think about all of those things because we could do nothing and if we do nothing,
[1:13:50] guess what, nothing happens. The animals leave, the plants leave. So this is a good
[1:13:59] if you think about it, it's a legacy that we can leave for the generation that's coming behind us.
[1:14:06] So I hope that everybody looks at it that way and even if you don't go to the garden like I said and even if you don't go to
[1:14:16] The forest preserve. I don't think there's anybody who doesn't like the zoo
[1:14:22] So I mean if you don't if for anything else you don't do it
[1:14:26] Remember do it for the zoo and do it for the animals. So that's my pitch. That's what I'm going to say you know do it for the animals
[1:14:36] So, I support it.
[1:14:38] I'm a superintendent, Randall.
[1:14:40] Thank you commissioner for those words.
[1:14:42] I think the thing that is really different right now
[1:14:45] is that our advocates are driving this.
[1:14:50] And we as government employees can say
[1:14:53] what the need is all the time,
[1:14:54] but when you have advocates who historically
[1:14:56] would be on our case, if we weren't doing the right things,
[1:14:59] are now
[1:15:00] I'm fully supporting this and you're going to drive the whole information campaign in all it. So these are folks who are saying, look, the force deserves is doing a better job and they need more resources. And so I know they're working very hard in doing a lot of planning to figure out what that information campaign looks like and as it leads up to a referendum, hopefully referendum vote in November 2022. So that is a big deal because it can't just be us saying it has got to be third party validation.
[1:15:28] and I think they're more than willing to do that and we thank them for that support.
[1:15:34] Thank you, Superintendent Commissioner Nayah.
[1:15:36] Thank you, Chair. Why also support this referendum? I think it's extremely important that we
[1:15:43] highlight exactly what the Superintendent just said. I mean we're proud of the board taking this action,
[1:15:48] but I think what is most something to be most proud of is the fact that it is going to be
[1:15:58] with advocates, with community residents and organizations that have seen the fact that our
[1:16:06] forest preserve land of the over 70 plus acres that we have have brought a benefit to the community
[1:16:11] and to the region. So I'm extremely proud to be a sponsor. But I'm also proud of what the forest
[1:16:19] preserve district has done for everyone in Cook County. My district is all in the city of Chicago,
[1:16:24] but I myself have been able to go out there at least once a week to really see what the
[1:16:31] lands provide and I be able to carry with a walk with a jog or going to swallow cliff and
[1:16:38] you know taking the steps. So I do encourage all of the residents of Cook County to take a
[1:16:44] vantage just because you don't live in in an area particularly close maybe two or four
[1:16:50] preserve does not mean that it's not there for you. This is a gem that is available to every
[1:16:55] single resident in Cook County. So we need to make sure that we continue to push forward for
[1:17:01] even residents in the city of Chicago. And some in the suburban Cook County that may have not
[1:17:06] had the opportunity to already visit one of the the preserves to really take advantage of this gem
[1:17:12] that is not only a gem here in the in the Midwest and the region but throughout the county. I'm sorry
[1:17:17] country. So I just want to encourage and I vote as well. And of course, encourage the residents
[1:17:23] to take advantage of the programs, the collaboration that exists, and also to really
[1:17:31] look at this as an investment for the future for, you know, to combat climate change and to
[1:17:37] have a better quality of life for all of the residents. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner
[1:17:41] Commissioner Moore. Thank you Chairman. Make sure you can hear me. I'm happy that this body is in support of this referendum. I believe that the public will support this measure. The force preserve the zoo, the botanical garden. They have shown our citizens how important their role is to our health, our well-being of this county. COVID has shown us how important to our mental health and our physical health. And I want to make sure that.
[1:18:13] I thank the staff of all three of these bodies of government for their great work, the
[1:18:18] zoo, the technical garden, the force preserve.
[1:18:21] I personally am proud to sit on the conservation policy council, and I would be remiss
[1:18:26] if I did not thank the members, pass and present, forgive me if I am missing one I wrote
[1:18:32] the names down, Alan Bell, Michael DeSantiago, Terry Gwen, Emily Harris, Sylvia Jenkins,
[1:18:43] Ms.
[1:18:46] Maria Pasquira, Laura Ross, Hank Saunders, Shelley Spencer, Mark Templeton, and Wendy Paulson,
[1:19:00] Pass and President, special thanks to Benjamin, friends of the force, preserve, and
[1:19:05] I urge an aye vote.
[1:19:07] Thank you.
[1:19:09] Chair Rick and Nights's Commissioner, so best.
[1:19:12] Thank you Mr. Chairman.
[1:19:14] I'd like to call the order of the litigation subcommittee of the forces or district of
[1:19:17] Cook County.
[1:19:18] I asked the Secretary to take the roll.
[1:19:20] Mr. Britain.
[1:19:23] Mr.
[1:19:26] Jagdendon.
[1:19:27] Mr. Johnson.
[1:19:32] Vice Chairman Laura.
[1:19:41] Sean Morrison.
[1:19:42] Commissioner Sean Morrison.
[1:19:49] Are you confident?
[1:19:50] President.
[1:19:55] Chairman Sylvestery.
[1:19:57] Uh, here.
[1:19:59] Chairman, you do have a question.
[1:20:00] It's committed to just a recess to the call of the church will be immediately following the forces of the meeting. I'd like to call the order of the litigation subcommittee of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
[1:20:11] As the secretary to take the roll.
[1:20:12] Mr. Britain.
[1:20:16] Mr. Degnan.
[1:20:18] Mr. Johnson.
[1:20:20] Vice Chairman Larry.
[1:20:22] Mr. Sean Morrison.
[1:20:24] Mr. Nusselfordan.
[1:20:26] President.
[1:20:26] Chairman Sylvester.
[1:20:27] President.
[1:20:28] Have you ever been informed as a corpsman will recess through the call of the chair, which will be immediately after the forces are meeting?
[1:20:35] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[1:20:37] Commissioner.
[1:20:38] Chair recognizes this commissioner, dear.
[1:20:44] Thank you so much.
[1:20:46] Thank you so much.
[1:20:47] I too want to acknowledge the fact that the force preserve has played an integral role in my life.
[1:20:55] Not only is commissioner and force preserve commissioner, but from when I was a little taught.
[1:20:59] Right? I remember the trips to the bookfields, you. I remember the trips to the cabins.
[1:21:07] I remember the trips to the Botanic Garden. And now we're able to continue to do that with individuals
[1:21:14] who are coming from underserved communities who need that exposure.
[1:21:20] Just this year, we've had a large group of individuals who were able to go out to the Botanic Gardens
[1:21:26] for a scavenger hunt, a nonprofit group that is serving,
[1:21:33] under-serve individuals who had been victims of trauma and violence
[1:21:37] were able to go out to the botanic gardens and guess what?
[1:21:40] What I heard back from them is the peace and serenity of the garden.
[1:21:45] That's the jewel that we have here.
[1:21:47] And so when this was brought up to me,
[1:21:50] the first thing I said is, how are we going to pay for it?
[1:21:53] Because that's going to call some money.
[1:21:54] I'm all for it. We want to keep our fourth preserves. First, Dean, it is a jewel that we have, but
[1:22:01] how do we pay for it? And then they told me that we're taking it to the people. I say,
[1:22:07] we'll sign me up for that. Because I am a proponent of power to the people. And the people should make
[1:22:14] the decisions about how we spend in their tax dollars. They should have input into that. And so I want
[1:22:20] And thank you, Arnold, for the work that you have done with the Forrest Preserve.
[1:22:25] We are able to continue to enjoy it.
[1:22:29] We are able to enjoy the Brookfield Zoo, which many of our constituents have gone out
[1:22:35] to the zoo on this year.
[1:22:38] Again, it's power to the people.
[1:22:40] And for me, it's all about those individuals who would not have had, would not have had
[1:22:46] an opportunity to be exposed, being able to get that opportunity.
[1:22:50] And for that, I say thanks.
[1:22:52] I urge an aye vote.
[1:22:55] Commissioner Morris.
[1:22:56] Kevin Morris.
[1:22:57] Thank you, Chairman.
[1:22:58] First, I want to begin by thanking the unity of this board and recognizing the vital and critical importance of protecting our force preserve district.
[1:23:07] In the north of the suburbs, we are incredibly blessed to have so much force preserve property from
[1:23:13] Busy woods in Alkro village by Guwap, to Crab tree, to Spring Lake.
[1:23:19] I also want to share my appreciation with all the advocates who have been fighting to not only
[1:23:27] protect our forest visitors, we make sure that we have the funding necessary to safeguard
[1:23:33] these vital and critical carbon sinks into the future.
[1:23:37] You know, it is so crucial as we see the consequences of climate change across the nation
[1:23:48] and in countries across the world that we take into account how important it is to
[1:23:54] read our force reserves of invasive species.
[1:23:57] Our native species are the best carbon sinks that we have with their longer root systems,
[1:24:05] not only do they protect against flooding and erosion, but they also help promote and improve
[1:24:13] our air quality. And so it is critical that we take care of our forest
[1:24:19] bersers into the future. And so I am proud of this board for moving forward on this
[1:24:23] recommendation. And I hope the voters of Cook County agree that we need to
[1:24:28] protect our forest bersers, not just today, but into the future as well. Thank you.
[1:24:33] Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Aguilar, thank you, Chairman, and I like to, you know,
[1:24:41] proud to support this referendum, but I like to echo Commissioner Sam's comments earlier.
[1:24:46] You know, we, we, we, we should promote this referendum with our constituency and our residents,
[1:24:50] you know, just really show the highlights and not just as a recreational part of our county,
[1:24:55] but it's also, it's therapeutic, you know, convincing the forest to deserve. So, whatever I can
[1:25:00] To the joint of the campaign to support this and hopefully encourage our residents to support
[1:25:04] come November, glad to do it. So you got my equipment and I'm sure you got the, you know,
[1:25:09] the committee and our communities. Thank you.
[1:25:12] Thank you, commissioners. Anybody else seeks to speak? Before we go to this roll call,
[1:25:17] I just want to start off by saying an Arnold Rando. I commend you in your staff, Lisa, Steve,
[1:25:26] from top to bottom all the workers out there doing what they do on a daily basis.
[1:25:30] Let's not forget that during this this COVID this last 18 months people took refuge and going to our forced reserves and looking at a lot of the
[1:25:40] B.C.s and a lot of the things that we had in the and the forced reserve and we didn't see much of a decline
[1:25:45] We actually seen more and more people going so that speaks volumes not only that it brings peace to people
[1:25:51] But it brings happiness during some of these these tough times. I'd like to also think all the people that were on the call today
[1:25:58] all the advocates from friends of the park, all their volunteers.
[1:26:03] Missionaries, Sims had said it, this is not just about the force reserve because of our
[1:26:09] allocations.
[1:26:09] This does help with the zoo and the Botanic Gardens.
[1:26:13] When you talk about the zoo, you talk about our families, you talk about our children.
[1:26:17] Botanic Gardens, I like to think a lot of older folks, a lot of seniors,
[1:26:21] Sikh peace in the beauty of what our Botanic Gardens has to share.
[1:26:26] So, I, too, am in support of this, so I would ask now for the secondary vote.
[1:26:32] Go call vote on this item, which is item number 2, 1, 0, 3, 4, 6, which was moved by Commissioner
[1:26:40] Softford and Seconded by Commissioner Aguilar.
[1:26:44] I, Commissioner Aguilar is Commissioner and I, I, Commissioner and I, is I, Commissioner
[1:26:50] Britain.
[1:26:50] I, Commissioner Britain is I, Commissioner Daily, Commissioner Daily is I.
[1:27:25] Mr. Sean Morrison as I commissioner so Vestery.
[1:27:28] Mr. Sylvester as I.
[1:27:29] Commissioner Sylvester as I commissioner Sims.
[1:27:32] Commissioner Sims as I commissioner's suffered it.
[1:27:35] I commissioner suffered and as I chairman of Royal.
[1:27:39] Chairman of Royal as I chairman you have 17 eyes.
[1:27:43] Secretary of Times for me I am number two one zero three four six passes.
[1:27:48] All right.
[1:27:50] All right.
[1:27:53] All right.
[1:27:54] Good.
[1:27:54] Next I item of business.
[1:27:56] Item number 2-1-0-3-6-3 recommendation of the Finance Subcommittee on Litigation, Commissioner
[1:28:03] of Sylvestery, Moose Approval, Seconded by Commissioner Lowry, All those in favour?
[1:28:08] Aye.
[1:28:09] All those opposed?
[1:28:11] In the opinion of the Chair of the eyes have it.
[1:28:13] Next item is Item number 2-1-0-3-6-4, Recommendation of the Finance Subcommittee on Workers
[1:28:19] Comp, Move by Commissioner Morrison, Seconded by Commissioner Britain.
[1:28:24] All those in favour?
[1:28:26] I pose, in the opinion of the chair, the I's have it.
[1:28:30] Chairman, permission or service.
[1:28:31] Are we confident that the litigation and workers'
[1:28:35] Cap reports didn't need a roll call because of the action of the gate?
[1:28:39] I'm sorry, can you repeat that?
[1:28:41] Would they supposed to be a re-call?
[1:28:44] Would they supposed to be a roll call for the litigation in subcommittee
[1:28:47] and the workers' cap subcommittee?
[1:28:50] Lisa?
[1:28:52] We didn't need a roll call.
[1:28:54] Safe to the side, point once, going twice, all those in favor, oppose any opinion of the chair that eyes have it.
[1:29:04] Any other commissioners wish to be recognized at this time.
[1:29:07] They're being none.
[1:29:08] Motion on the floor to adjourn by Commissioner Deer, seconded by Commissioner Naya, all those in favor.
[1:29:14] Opposed, eyes have it, this meeting stands to adjourn. Thank you.