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Now on Twitter!
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Follow Commissioner Goslin on Twitter to find out what he's been reading in the news and for live updates during County and Forest Preserve Board Meetings.
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Now on Facebook!
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Connect with Commissioner Goslin on Facebook and let him know what's on your mind!.
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Protecting Taxpayers' Money
| I have heard from many constituents regarding the recent irresponsible contract and personnel decisions made by the Stroger administration. I
share their concern about the "going out of business" sale that seems to be occurring at the expense of Cook County
taxpayers, and I am joining my fellow County Commissioners
in a bipartisan effort to address these concerns. Yesterday the Board approved three pieces of
legislation, which I sponsored, intended to curb these excesses. The countywide hiring freeze means that any new hires require approval by the County Board. The legislation also includes stricter oversight procedures for hiring, spending and
county contracts. With the new 72-hour notification requirements, Commissioners can take immediate and necessary action to stop irresponsible use of taxpayer money.
I have summarized details of this legislation below: - The hiring freeze, effective immediately through the end of November, 2010, excludes only departments subject to a judicial order , such as the Cook County Jail, and the independent Health System. Any hires, transfers, reclassification of positions or salary adjustments must be approved by the County Board.
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The hiring report currently received by the Board of Commissioners will be expanded to include more information and any personnel activity must be reported to the board within 72 hours.
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The County Board must be notified within 72 hours of any authorization to enter into a contract below the threshold for Board approval ($100,000 for supplies and $25,000 for consulting contracts).
- The County Board must be notified within 72 hours of any payments made under contracts that are below the threshold for Board approval.
- The County Board must be notified within 72 hours of any requests to issue an RFP or RFQ.
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Greening County Technology
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As part of my efforts to "green" Cook County, I am researching environmental best practices around the country to find ways that we can be more environmentally responsible in our operations. Of particular interest are ideas that protect and improve the
environment while also saving taxpayer money. Yesterday, I sponsored a resolution on just such an idea--PC Power Management .
PC power management features can be used to automatically
place monitors and computers into a low-power sleep mode after a pre-set
period
of inactivity. When active, typical
computers use 50-70 watts and CRT and LCD monitors use around 60 and 35 watts respectively; in sleep mode, energy usage is reduced to only 1-3 watts.
When King County, Washington implemented a software to enforce PC power management policies,
it was able to reduce computer energy consumption by an average of 38%
and eliminate more
than 3 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
This resolution directs the Bureau of Technology to develop a countywide PC power management policy, including required sleep settings and power-down requirements for monitors and computers. It also calls for research into using PC power management software to centralize control of this new policy.
This resolution was approved.
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Group
Purchasing at the County Health System
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In an
effort to reduce costs, the independent Cook County Health & Hospitals
System (CCHHS) Board instituted a group purchasing program to provide the
necessary inventory of products. At yesterday's County Board Meeting, I
co-sponsored a resolution to conduct a public hearing on the details and savings of the program to date. The hearing will be held on September 1, 2010.
I remain a strong supporter of the independent CCHHS Board and their efforts to
promote efficiency and improve services in the County health system. Their cost-cutting efforts have reduced the burden on county taxpayers, and I
encourage their continued exploration for methods and innovations which will
allow quality services to be delivered both efficiently and cost-effectively.
This resolution was approved.
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Deer Grove East Land Acquisition
| The Forest Preserve District Board approved the first section (Parcel A) of a land acquisition adjacent to Deer Grove East Preserve. The total intended acquisition includes 7 contiguous parcels located on Dundee Road approximately a quarter mile east of Quentin
Road in Palatine. The properties are immediately adjacent to the Deer Grove East
Preserve and include over 1,000 feet of Salt Creek and both of its
banks. Parcel A consists of 4 contiguous parcels totaling approximately 1.79 acres and including over 250 feet of Salt Creek and both of its banks. Through negotiations, the landowner agreed to sell the land to the District for $300,000. To see an aerial photograph of the new land acquisition, download the pdf at my website. |
Strengthening FPD Trespass and Use Penalties
| Changes to the FPD code were proposed to assist in the enforcement of laws about trespassing and improper use of Forest Preserve District property. These adjustments strengthen liability presumption for adjacent landowners, which will aid in the removal of fences and other structures built illegally on FPD property.
The changes also prohibit the abandonment of vehicles in the forest preserves, and provide for use of the administrative hearing process to enforce penalties.
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Model Aircraft Permits
| The Cook County Forest Preserve District of
Cook County operates nine model aircraft
flying fields throughout the preserves. Users of these
model aircraft flying fields are required to be a member of the Academy of Model
Aeronautics to ensure they are covered by liability insurance. Currently, there is no formal procedure for ensuring that users adhere to this requirement.
To address this situation, I have proposed an ordinance amendment requiring annual permits for users of model aircraft flying fields. This amendment will alleviate liability concerns for the District and also provide for easier resolution to any issues arising out of use of these fields.
This ordinance amendment was sent to the Recreation Committee.
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In the District
| FPD Disbursements
- Master Project,
Chicago - $65,279.70 for Limestone Picnic Shelters
- Tallgrass Restoration,
Schaumburg -
$57,144.84 for Comprehensive Vegetation Management - North Region
- Tallgrass Restoration,
Schaumburg - $21,109.60 for Prescribed Burning - North Region
- Autumn Tree Care,
Glenview - $4,205.57 for
Hazardous Tree Removal - North Region
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Let's
have a conversation! As always, feel free to
reply to this newsletter, send me an email or give me a call about any
Cook County issue.
Sincerely,
Gregg Goslin, Commissioner
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