The McHenry County Board will meet Tuesday morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. The location for the meeting is the Board Room of the County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock. The following matters are included on the agenda:
Proclamation for Service
A proclamation is being presented recognizing Robert Martens for 33 years of Public Service with Family Services and Community Health Center.
Other considerations included on the Agenda include:
Appointments
Appointments to two boards are being presented for County Board approval. These include several appointments to the Agricultural Conservation Easement and Farmland Protection Commission, including Brian D. Jenkner, Robert R. LaPorta and Virginia Peschke.
For the McHenry County Mental Health Board, appointments include Kathy J. Hinz, and Samuel J. Tenuto.
Software Renewals
Two resolutions are being presented to renew software maintenance. One is for GIS software, which is used by many county departments, for an amount of $42,933.63
The second renewal for software is for an accounting software system renewal for $56,614.
Grants
A couple grants are being presented for approval. Both are from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for vocational Training through the Workforce Network. One is for $16,470 with the second in the amount of $13,592.
Federal Legislative Program
The Board is scheduled to approve a Federal Legislative Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2013. This is a "wish list" and does not guarantee the requested funding will be received. The County's Representatives and Senators do need to know what the County is seeking.
Stormwater Strategic Protection Plan—Seeking $550,000 for Stormwater Management to complete watershed and flood mitigation plans for the Lower Nippersink Creek Watershed and the Upper Fox River Watershed.
Also requested is $20,000,000 in assistance as provided by the Corps of Engineers to accelerate the implementation of the county's groundwater/stormwater protection program.
Transportation- the County is seeking $1,000,000 to build a highway bypass by adding capacity to Charles J. Miller Road, River Road, and Chapel Hill Road. This would add one additional through lane in each direction along with adequate turn lanes at intersections.
Randall Road – A request is being made for a $1 million appropriation to add capacity to Randall Road from Ackman Road to County Line Road by adding one added through lane in each direction, continuous flow intersection at Algonquin Road intersection along with adequate turn lanes at other intersections and bicycle and pedestrian improvements as needed. A total of $102 million to $115 million is needed for remaining engineering, land acquisition and construction costs.
In the Public Safety Communication category, the McHenry County Sheriff's Office is seeking $300,000 for federal technology funds to allow the office to manage activities associated with public safety and criminal justice services. The acquired technology would allow an expansion of what the Office is now able to do in such areas as warrant service and management, ability to electronically file search warrants and criminal complaints. It also would provide the ability to share data between applications and across departments. The Department is specifically seeking Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems Technology. This would allow information sharing and the ability for officers to identify subjects using mobile identification technology.
Education—McHenry County is seeking $400,000 for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education as well as Training Administration, Training and Employment Services. Approval of the request would provide the County's workforce with career ladders and increase degree attainment by expanding the capacity of an infrastructure at McHenry County College.
A Complaint--McHenry County also has a "complaint" regarding Unfunded Mandates/Preemptions, stating, "A mainstay of restoring our partnership is to be constantly vigilant against legislative or regulatory initiatives that undermine local government decision making. The partnership with federal policy makers should recognize local government roles and not preempt county authority in issues such as land use, rights of way and other local functions.
"In addition, administering and bearing the costs of accurate and secure elections for local, state and federal office has always been primarily the responsibility of county officials. National Association of Counties (NACo) opposes federal efforts to dictate specific practices for administering elections. Adequate federal financial assistance should be provided for this key responsibility.
"National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Requirements. McHenry County is pointing out some of the obstacles faced in dealing with federal requirements. "In the last three federal transportation bills, ISTEA, TEA-21 and SAFETEA-LU have all offered adjustments to the process by which transportation projects are required to account for an mitigate negative impacts to society and the natural environment. Many of the adjustments were specifically intended to stream-line the process. In the State of Illinois, the process remains unacceptably slow.
"Professionals working for the USDOT struggle to interpret the law and therefore have difficulty assisting state and local agencies in how the process can be improved. This creates more confusion and more wasteful duplication of effort. It is not uncommon that a project will be built with a design that is over seven years old begging the question, 'At the end of the day, is the process helping or hindering professionals to design and build what is needed?"
McHenry County also took an opportunity to point out the importance of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the need to reauthorize it. "WIA has provided the framework for workforce investment, workforce preparation, and the country's employment system for almost ten years.
"Its reauthorization would assure some stability in providing for the best interests of both McHenry County businesses and an increase number of McHenry County job seekers. Our services to job seekers includes not only dislocated workers, but those working to overcome poverty circumstances, youth preparing to enter the workforce, and persons seeking skills and opportunities to climb their respective career ladders. Any and all changes must be made in the best interest of both groups. The system must also address those on the front lines delivering those services and programs.
The opportunity is here to craft and pass legislation that will not hamstring workforce investment staff with excessive rules and regulations, while still holding local areas accountable for making sure the funds they receive are spent in an effective and efficient manner in accordance with the law."
TRANSPORTATION
Several resolutions are going before the County Board regarding the Transportation Department. One is to approve the acquisition of Right-of-Way for Highway Purposes and Appropriating Funds for the North Union Road Bridge Project. The amount of $20,000 is to be appropriated to continue this process.
A second resolution is to approve the acquisition of Right of Way for Highway Purposes for the Alden Road Bridge Project. The sum of $75,000 is to be appropriated for this purpose.
A third resolution to be approved is for Wetland Credit Agreement for the Lawrence Road Bridge project. The agreement is between the County and Ecological Planning, Inc. for $66,000.
And a fourth resolution is to approve Adopt-A-Highway Volunteer Group Agreement for Darla Dog Says Opt to Adopt a K9. This group will clean up debris left by passing travelers on Alden Road from Knickerbocker Road to IL Route 173.
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