Legislation and Intergovernment Relations Committee Meeting - May 12, 2026

The Legislation and Intergovernment Relations Committee of the Cook County Board of Commissioners met on May 12, 2026, at 9:30 AM. A quorum was established with 14 commissioners present and three excused absences (McCasco, Moore, Stamps). The committee approved remote participation, adopted previous meeting minutes, appointed a Housing Authority commissioner, passed a resolution on youth engagement, and received a presentation on election technology innovations.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (Item 261434): The minutes from the April 15, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.
• Appointment of Olive Brown (Item 261188): Olive Brown was appointed as Resident Commissioner of the Housing Authority of Cook County. In her testimony, she highlighted her long-standing community ties and experience with HACC tenants. The appointment passed unanimously (14 ayes).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Celia Peterson (founder/CEO, Hugo Chow Non-For-Profit) spoke in support of the Youth Advisory Council, emphasizing that youth voices should be included in policy decisions.
• Unnamed speaker (affiliated with Chicago Flips Red) criticized Commissioner Tara Stamps and the county for property tax sales, citing a federal judge's ruling that the property tax sales were unconstitutional. The speaker accused the county of stealing property and warned of further financial liability.
• Mo Stamps (Director of Transitional Housing, Ignite) urged the board to prioritize youth engagement, noting that Ignite serves homeless youth and that youth input is central to their services.
• D'Angelo Stahlmeyer (Ignite program participant) shared his personal story, stating that Ignite gave him a second chance and helped him transition from internship to full-time employment.

Discussion Items

• Resolution Recognizing the Importance of Engaged Youth (Item 261017): Commissioner Lowry introduced a resolution to establish a Youth Council to engage young people aged 14–21 across Cook County. The council will convene in summer 2027, include 20 youth from diverse backgrounds, and address priorities such as public safety, economic development, and health. Commissioners discussed the inclusion of technology topics, ensuring representation from each district, and coordination with existing intern programs (e.g., MICFA, CETA). The resolution was approved with 14 ayes and three excused absences.
• Election Technology Update (Item 261147): Deputy Clerk Ed Michalowski and IT partners presented the new "Election Lens" platform, a real-time analytics tool for voter turnout, mail ballot tracking, and polling place readiness. They also highlighted smart ballot drop boxes, GPS tracking, AI in call centers, and a high school voting pilot program. Commissioners asked about public access, cybersecurity, mail ballot return rates (approximately 53% returned from 117,000 sent), and coordination with the Chicago Board of Elections. The item was approved with 12 ayes and 5 absent (Commissioners Naya, Gaynor, McCaskill, Moore, Stamps).

Key Outcomes

• Remote Participation Motion: Approved 14-0 (3 excused).
• Minutes Approval: Approved unanimously.
• Appointment of Olive Brown: Approved 14-0.
• Youth Day Resolution: Approved 14-0; multiple commissioners added as co-sponsors.
• Election Technology Update: Approved 12-5 (5 absent).
• The meeting adjourned with no further business.