Thank you.

I'd like to reconvene uh asset management.

Can you please add Commissioner Naya to the role?

Ma'am, at your recess meeting, we had a number of members that were absent.

Commissioner Aguilar is now present.

Commissioner Naya is now present.

Commissioner Moore.

Commissioner Moore is present.

You do have a quorum.

All members present with the exception of Sean Morrison.

Great.

Are there any public speakers?

You do have public speakers in this order, please.

Jessica Jackson, Taiwan Sims, George Blake Lore.

If you're in the room, please come to the mic.

Whatever order you show up now is fine.

Please begin speaking once you're there.

And give us your name.

We are blessed with our young people.

It means uh the technology, it means the building, it means the computers.

But what about the human access?

The human that's the most important of all the human.

And and if we don't use our young people, they are gifts.

They are pearls, they are diamonds.

And when we can't shape them up and shine them up, uh uh, we have lost.

So uh I I'm spent these other activists have gone.

They're focused on their issues, and good, they should.

But the access uh of the county, what is the big greatest county?

It's staff, it's people but these people are not working in the interest of our community.

Now you are now uh they say I moved on uh to DC.

Uh well, you are accessed uh to uh uh in your position as a commissioner here.

What motivates our people?

Is it money?

Is it money?

And who sponsors our people?

Who was uh uh I was like who sponsors George little baby George, uh-huh, my daddy, my mama.

I didn't have to get but they took care of me.

So our people got to go back.

We got to be selfish.

You don't owe them nothing, and you have that little group or whatever that that's put you up and donated money to you to go to DC, but your lines is supposed to be to your blackness.

They say you come from a professional uh a black family.

You got history.

You can't let us down when you go to DC.

You got to know that.

Know who you are.

Your assets is your blackness.

Now whoever sponsored you and gave all this hundreds of thousands of dollars for your campaign.

No, you're a black lady.

And you must never forget that's the access that you have your history, your legacy, or your family.

People talk very uh highly of you, and they didn't get to be professional or blacks by other white folks paying them.

Campaign for them.

You come from somebody, and don't you forget that?

Who you are, and where you're buying for this speaker next.

I don't see Jessica Jackson in the room.

Tywan Sims is next.

And ma'am, after that, that concludes your speakers.

That money that they gave you over cafe must be gone.

Um ever y'all ready.

Hello, mic on.

Whenever y'all are ready.

Your time has started.

Awesome.

I see Sam Williams has left out the room.

I was hoping to address him regarding this, because it's all it's been such a crazy journey, this whole thing.

Me going to file an order protection only to end up criminalized.

However, the manager of the domestic relations, she was also given up.

I was given a two-year order protection, stalking, no contact order.

The order is 24 OP 0736.

At first it was a domestic violence order.

But then somehow, because they are because they heard the clerk's office, they're able to manipulate the documents.

And so it became a stalking no contact order.

Where, but the only reason that I was in 50 West Washington up there on the A floor was to take care of the matter of 23D 79597, which was a parentage case.

And the only reason I was consistently coming there was because they given they had given the respondent Alberta Reed order protection against me.

When I came in, I filed an order, which was 23 OP72315.

After that, I filed a parentage case, which consolidated these cases.

23023 OP72315 and 23D79597.

23D79523D79597 is the consolidation of the case.

But inside that consolidation, Alberta Reed was given a two-year plenary order of protection.

Defaulted.

And since then I've been trying to challenge that order, only to be denied my meaningful opportunity to utilize the judicial system.

And for whatever reason, one minute.

But Sam Williams has been promoted from chancellor to now head of the domestic relations division.

Why?

And I'm still a father on the other end trying to fight for his child.

So much so that on the 15th, I'll be jailed if I don't take a BCX, a behavioral clinical exam.

Do I look crazy?

Do I sound crazy?

37.

Do I sound like an individual who does not understand or cannot comprehend what is going on?

Because I've been dealing with it for three years now.

I have so much documentation over there that it's like a rucksack when I'm walking down the street.

So help me understand.

When did I become crazy?

When did I become this person that can't understand?

Was it because I do understand?

Was my I'm looking I'm at a loss for words.

I just would like to understand.

So we're gonna wait on Sam.

We're gonna let we're gonna wait on the next committee to find out.

Thank you.

Ma'am, I believe that concludes your speakers for this meeting.

Thank you.

The chair will entertain a motion from Vice Chair Aguilar to move approval of item number 26 1660.

Meetings, uh minutes from the meeting on May 13th, seconded by Commissioner Naya.

All in favor of approving say aye.

All opposed say nay.

The eyes have it.

I'll approve uh everybody say aye.

Okay, thank you.

Um the eyes have it.

Vice Chair Aguilar, please move the next items on the agenda.

Okay, so Vice Chair Aguilar moves to approve item follow the following item 26-0842, the authorization of the chief procurement officer to increase contract with multiple vendors for countywide job order contract for the jock program.

Second it by Commissioner uh McCaskell.

And who's here from asset management that can cover this item?

For Oscars for a horse, I should say.

Uh nothing there told me that I'm gonna take it out of any of my predictions or anything like that.

It's just gonna be a matter of the reviews when they hit.

Oh, so I think you're talking to the wrong committee.

So we need someone from asset management to good afternoon.

Oh, thank you.

There you go.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Chairwoman Miller and Commissioners.

I'm Catherine Leonardo, the deputy bureau chief for the Bureau of Asset Management.

And this afternoon, we only have the one item that you mentioned, which is 26-0842, a contract increase of 13,250,000 for six of our jock vendors that will address the increased capacity for the Department of Capital Planning that identified the projects for the FY26 CIP.

The increased capacity exists largely in the CIP's health and hospitals and public safety portfolios, and it's specifically for six jock vendors who conduct preparatory site work and electrical work.

Some of the projects the increase will address include provident hospital sewer replacement, the Skokie Courthouse Underground Water Main Replacement, the emergency generator work at the DOC campus and courthouses, and fire alarm upgrades at the county corrections, courts, and health facilities.

And I do have Earl Manning here with me this afternoon in case you have any specific questions regarding this item.

Okay, Commissioner Dagman.

Thank you, Commissioner Moore.

Thank you, Chairwoman.

Um so the inquiries were cost let's back up a little bit.

The total current contract authority is 197,000.

Um, and that was a 23 to 26 contract with two one year renewal options.

So is this are you asking for a one-year renewal for $13,250,000?

What did I say?

It's $13 million.

Sorry, $197 million.

I'm sorry.

Right.

That's the current contract authority.

The increase would be for $13,250,000, and it's for two one year renewal options.

So you're asking for one year renewal option for $13 million.

It covers the three three fiscal years, correct, Earl?

Yes.

And covers the balance of the contract.

So through the end of 28, you're asking for $13 more million dollars.

No, it would be as it says potentially FY26 5.2 and then FY27 6.5 and then FY28 1.4.

Okay, so the contract went through January of 26.

Yes.

So what have we been doing between January of 26 and June of 26?

We have been using the JOC program, but at this time it seems that we need an increase due to the increased number of projects that we have for the FY26 CIP list.

Okay, but the original contract period was through January of 26.

If you continue to use a contract or want to contract, you have to come back to the board after that contract expires to ask us for a one-year renewal option, right?

Yes.

Okay, and did you do that?

Yes, I believe we did.

Let me have the director of capital planning, Earl Manning join me.

Good afternoon, Earl.

Good afternoon, thanks, Earl.

Earl Manning Director of Capital Planning.

Um Commissioner Degnan, to your question, the the option to renew uh with procurement, Ralphie, our procurement officer, was able to extend the contract under his authority.

At that time, we didn't need any additional funds.

Okay, so can Rafi get online?

Because it was my understanding for our excuse me a second, Rafi, thank you.

Just for um clarity's sake, it was my understanding that for a contract that expires, if there's a renewal option, then the board then has to then be informed and then approve for that renewal.

You're saying that now under the new rules that you can just extend the contract without a discussion with the board.

Pursuant to the code change uh commissioner, yes.

So the board approved uh what at the time that the the uh the contract were presented to the board, the board approved the initial term and the renewal options.

So back in uh January of 20 uh of January of this year under uh code authority.

Uh I ex I renewed the contracts through 2028.

Did you did you send a notification to the board that you had done that?

Uh I uh at that time no, I did not.

Are you required to under the code?

Uh no, I don't believe so.

Okay, well, just to put a pin in that, I think that you know, the these rules are there for a reason that you know having a jock contract that is 197 million dollars is really important for this board to lean into the work that we're doing, understand who we're using to do that work, making sure that we have contractors that we know and that we trust that we continue to want to do this work as a board, and having you extend a contract for two years without any kind of notification to this board for such a significant program for such a significant amount of money is something that I'll take a look at um and propose some changes because that just doesn't seem to align with the whole purpose of us having a board and for us to be here to opine on these things.

I'm not saying that in this particular instance we would say no, but it gives me a lot of discomfort for almost 200 million dollar contract that you would extend it for time without even notifying this board.

So I'm gonna take a look at that and probably next month propose some rule changes.

Okay, so back to Earl.

It sounds like um Rafi on his own had extended the contract through the end of 28, but in doing that, he couldn't add money to the contract, right?

That is correct.

So now you're coming back to the board and saying that through the end of that contract term through January of 28 that you're asking for another 13 million dollars.

That is correct.

So the jock contract really is for you to select different contractors who are in that pool of contractors that have met your minimum requirements so that you can kind of spread money around, make sure that people are doing the work and making sure that no one contractor is like overwhelmed, but that it gives you some flexibility in order to perform this type of CPI work, right?

Within the constraints and the categories that the contractors are qualified for are absolutely correct.

Okay.

So I see FH Passion is on here and some of these other um other contractors.

You know, to kind of bring it back, that this fifth floor here has been um under construction for a really long time.

I understand there's a stop work order that has been issued through our other contractor on the boardroom that's on the other side of the fifth floor.

I know in my office I've had a number of issues that in my new office here with like it being 90 degrees and then it being 60 degrees, and then discussions between the architect and then the contractor about why uh there are problems there.

So I you know, at least for the home my home base where like I live in my office in here, I don't really have a really good idea about what's going on here.

So it's hard for me to say yes and approve a contract for another 13 million dollars on top of this when I don't have any information or communication about the work that's being performed, you know, even why there are stop work orders that are being issued kind of in in my my county home, um, and for having our CPO extend a contract for two years when we weren't even notified.

So it's like I take my job here very seriously and wanting to know the different nooks and crannies of the county, how they operate, you know, whether or not those vendors are doing the job that we want them to do, you know, how they're performing.

I have to rely on you know your office to share information with me and and kind of keep us updated.

And so not having that gives me pause to want to agree to another $13 million over two years.

And with this big of a contract, it's almost $200 million of the four, excuse me, over the course of three years.

I imagine that there's gonna be more money that's asked for in the future.

So, how do I get comfort that I know what's going on that I can answer to my constituents and the taxpayers about that fact that we're using money wisely, that we feel good about it when I'm not getting any information.

Commissioner, um let me there's several questions here.

Let me try to address as many as I can.

I think you've asked.

And if I missed anything, please repeat your question, please.

Regarding the stop work order on the fifth floor project, this is news to us because there's only two people that can issue a stop work order, which would be the city of Chicago, because that would mean that the vendor was doing something without a permit.

They do have a permit, or it would be my office, which would stop them for non-compliant work.

I've not issued a stop work order, and I don't know if the city of Chicago has come by and done an inspection to stop the work.

I will find out after this meeting.

I did make a call to the project manager.

He also was unaware of a stop work order.

So I do need to find out more information regarding that.

Regarding the history of the job program, we're more than willing to sit down with you and show you how the money has been distributed.

But what I will do is at the end of 2025, I can give you some statistics on that 197 million and how it has been spent.

The contract capacity was 197,250,000.

At the end of 25, we spent 94 million, 510,000.

And the job program was able to help us avoid about $7 million worth of cost.

The average amount of a contract is around $638 million.

$638,000.

There are categories that we have not used because the CIP does not have those categories at this point.

We do anticipate they will use the majority of that money.

Right now, we have a volume that we're anticipating between $35 and 40 million dollars of work between all three portfolios that we will be distributing work for this year.

At the same time, I would like the board to know that any money that we do not use comes back into the overall budget.

The board also authorized us a one-year extension on the Gordian contract, which we are now, and they also authorized an extension, the authorization for us to enter a new contract with the vendor called FOS.

And FOS will begin the process of new uh outreach to bring new contractors into this program.

So within a year or two, we will have a whole new JOC program with new vendors.

This money allows us for the categories that we have within the CIP where there is a need to fund those particular projects as Catherine had outlined earlier.

And we have a full list of those projects that we're more than happy to share with you and all members of the board.

So that because we're being very transparent, we're not trying to hide anything.

Okay, so let me just put a pin in that.

I in no way am I thinking or is my discussion here today um accusatory or saying that you're trying to hide anything.

I know you you and I have worked for eight years.

You when I first got on this board, you explained and sat down for an hour and talked about the dock program, why it was important, what it accomplished.

I still agree with the dock program today, and in uh over these last eight years of seeing you know the work that you're doing and in the procurement realm of how difficult it can be to get CIP money out the door and get these projects built.

So in no way is it that I think that you're not being transparent.

For me, as my job as a commissioner, I understand that I have an ability to look at all different parts of the county and try to figure out how things are operating, how they're working, to suggest improvements if I see them to be you know apparent.

So having a large tranche of money, like 197 million dollars, and then adding 13 or 20 or 100 or whatever it is, doesn't give me the ability to kind of pick things apart the way that I think that people want us to do on this board to kind of look at them and and hold them up at the light of day and move them around.

So the fact that Rafi can just extend a contract and then not seek approval from us kind of flies in the face of what this board by state statute and by our county code is designed to do.

And then agreeing to large amounts of money to be spent on CIP projects where we don't really get to see what's going on unless we ask you for a meeting.

Is it's hard, it's hard for me to move forward and say yes when I don't have like regular updates or meetings and and see where that money goes.

Commissioner, uh we've enjoyed the opportunity to brief you as you always wanted, and you've always provided us good at uh alternatives and ideas on how to move forward, and we will continue to do that and brief you as you need.

We would hope that we can get your support on this particular item because you have been a valuable resource to us, but that's where we stand today.

Okay.

Well, I'm gonna vote present on this chairwoman.

I do think that you know, going forward, I would like more clarity about the projects, who like where we're going, how they're working, and to make sure that the dollars and cents make sense to me and a little bit more of a micro sense.

Like I said, 197 million dollars plus another 13250 to just say yes without having more information about it.

And you know that I like briefings, you know, I'm here like nine to five every day.

I mean, this is my only job.

This is what I do, and I love it, but this gives me pause because I don't have as many details as I need to say yes.

We'll be happy to meet with you whenever you're ready, Commissioner.

I'm ready now.

Okay.

Thank you.

Commissioner Moore.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um to follow along in that vein of thought.

Um, who now manages the jock program?

Is it still Gordian group or is there someone else?

Commissioner Moore, good afternoon.

Uh yes, the Gordian group still manages the jock program on behalf of the county.

And I was looking at these uh new vendor, vendor pool, and uh a lot of them I've never heard of.

I've been out of the game for a minute, so maybe you can help me out.

BMI construction joint ventures, who who are they?

Are they local?

Yes, they're a local electrical contractor.

We're um looking to increase both BMI and Stingray Electric.

They're smoke, both small electrical contractors that are located in the city in Cook County.

Um I don't have I'm I'm trying to look them up online.

I guess BMI doesn't have a website.

Do you know if they have a website where they we can find out more information about who they are?

Yeah, I can get you more information on them.

I don't have it handy, but yes, we can.

Stingray as well.

Yes.

MQ MQ sewer and water contractors.

Um this one's really confusing because when I looked them up, uh I came up with 4323 North Central Avenue, 665 R O P P O L Drive, Elkgrow Village.

It's like three or four different headquarters addresses.

And so it's really confusing.

I'm not sure who they are, where they're located.

I mean, we know FH Passion and Nielsen, but uh these other ones, and so these dollar amounts, the 3.5 for BMI, and then the 1.7.

So we add those together.

Those are two contracts for BMI.

Is that correct?

Two separate contracts, that is absolutely correct, and different categories.

And then MQ sewer and water, they're getting 1.8 on this one contract, 1.7 on this, I'm sorry, 900,000 on this second contract.

That's correct.

That is correct.

Okay.

And then um so they're like the primes, and they're gonna have subs that are working for them under these dollar amounts.

And some do self-perform, but the you're absolutely correct.

Are any of these uh firms uh MBE?

I can't tell you off the top of my head, I will get back to you, but I think the answer is yes.

I think uh MQ is a M or a W.

I'd like to know that.

But I can get that information to you.

Okay.

And um Stingray Electric also don't can't seem to find a website for them, and I'm not sure who they are.

Yeah, these were vendors that were part of the original pool of 30 uh southern contractors when we came to the committee uh and to the board for the 1970 menu.

So they are not new to the program.

We're just extending their capacity.

My colleague just whispered to me, are all of them union?

I'm sure they are, right?

Yes, yes, they are recurring, they're union, they're signatory to the union.

All right.

And uh the jock program, how long is that last?

When does that come up for rebid again?

You the the board has extended the program for through 28 through 28, and that allows us time to bring in a new group of contractors under the program.

January 31st, to be to be exact.

Can you provide us with information on I wanna give some clarity on Commissioner Degnan feels that there's a stop work order, and that's why we don't see anybody working in the boardroom.

You know, if you can real briefly just tell us when you expect them to go back to work and when we'll see we had a dispute with the contractor over work that we believe that was part of their contract.

Uh earlier this week we sat down with them and came to an agreement on what we can pay within the terms of the contract, and now they're pulling their people back together.

We anticipate that either by the end of the week or early next week we'll have a full crew of people back to complete the work.

What what left what is left to be done?

Within the boardroom itself, it's actually completing the space there, and we've also released them to start working in the president's suite.

Uh once the boardroom will anticipate within a few months will be ready, then they will start the demolishing of this space and your old space so we can build out the uh the president's suite and then complete the entire project.

So would you say the boardroom is what 70 percent complete, 80 percent complete?

About 80 percent complete at this point.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Naya.

Thank you, Chair.

Um similar questions.

So I've never been a fan of uh some of these contracts when they're big um and have a lot of um I think components that are done not in front of the the the board.

I I again not not saying that it's hidden or in any way uh things are are done in malicious way, but I always like the transparency for commissioners.

Um we often are the first to get blamed when things don't go right um in big contracts.

Um I won't mention the the the T-word um but we all know what we're talking about, but we we usually get the you know the brunt of of a lot of the votes that we have.

So I like also uh just like my colleagues, as much transparency as possible, and would definitely uplift their concerns and ask for the same information to be sent over to the whole body if possible.

Oh, absolutely, Commissioner.

We will do that.

Thank you, Earl.

Um, can you just for the record sh tell us the difference between a jock and a uh CMAR uh contract?

They're very different.

Um the Jock program is a program for mostly small work repair improvements that we have to any of our facilities.

The idea of that is that work to be done within a year.

Um it's administered through the Guardian system where they have a price book, and the contractors at the time that they bid to be included in the program have a price factor, and that price factor includes their markup and general conditions.

And that price factor includes their markup and general conditions.

So then also there's a price book that lists any and everything that we could potentially do, and those line items are used with their mark with their with the quantities, their price, and then they total the bottom of it, add their factor to it, and then give us a price.

Once in some cases we have to do the design beforehand, sometimes it's pretty straightforward.

Those are t issued on a task basis, meaning that depending on the category of work that it is and that they're qualified for, the Gordian team manages that entire process for us.

We then get a final proposal.

That proposal is then sent to procurement and compliance to make sure they're compliant with the contract terms, and then once it has been approved and released, then we are issuing a purchase order for them to do the work.

Under a construction management at risk program, the contractor is working, they're usually larger projects.

We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars of or 35 million, 40 million, depending on the large scope of work.

It could be new construction, it could be a major innovation.

And at that time we bring the contractor and the architect together to work the design through the design process to look for constructibility and opportunities to save money.

Once that process is complete through schematic design development and construction documents, the CMAR reaches out through procurement and through their own means and develops a GMP.

They hire contractors, they solicit them, they get bids, they bring back to the county to our department a guaranteed maximum price.

And then once we've agreed to that guaranteed maximum price, then we issue a notice to proceed, and then we manage their work to make sure that they're doing the work in accordance with the contract documents, and they guarantee us a price that with the exception of unforeseen conditions, because we do provide contingency in that number, they complete the work.

That is absolutely correct.

They don't have the capacity to do that kind of work.

Perfect.

Thank you for clarifying.

So part of the discussion right now is the fact that we've been a lot of our projects have not been completed.

Um it's been a little lengthy.

I understand that there's issues sometimes that happen and that they're out of our control.

But I'm wondering if we have at the at the beginning discussion regarding how many um uh internal employees under COP agreements can handle portions of some of these projects.

Um this could be literally a yes or no.

I I I know we're um we're running a little late on on the committees and stuff.

So um are the is the is that kind of factored in at the beginning?

I forgot to mention through the JOG program, the projects go through the coup process where the unions have an opportunity to select to do the work if they choose not to, then we stick with the contractor that's listed.

Perfect.

I just wanted to make sure that that was a part of it.

So um second, well, I guess uh third question at this point.

Um the uh vendors that are highlighted in the vendor pool, are these the original vendors from the original contract?

Commissioner, the answer is yes.

Okay, and then um this is the ceiling that we see on page uh three.

Is this the ceiling um for the amount under the new the the additional um increase, correct?

Absolutely correct.

Based on what our current CIP and what we forecast, we believe that's the number.

Okay.

Um it it doesn't mean that they're gonna go up to the I mean they could they could go up to that number, but we're not expect based on what we're voting today.

We're not expecting them to go over that.

Correct.

Okay.

And then this is the sec this is the first one-year renewal, which is what is uh allowed, I guess, based on the contract.

And I heard the one the renewal that Ralphie provided was the first time that we actually that he exercised that.

This is our first time coming for an increase in documents.

So he can he can go an additional year after this one.

That I have to have Ralphie, if you're on the phone, can you answer that?

I hi Commissioner, hi Commissioner Rafi, uh Chief Procurement Officer.

Thank you for your question.

So the renewal option that I exercise pursuant to code authority is there were two one-year renewal options available.

We bundled those into one amendment.

And so now the now the contract was renewed through February uh 1st of uh this year through the end of January of 2028.

And the amendment before you is just for an increase.

you answer that hi commissioner hi commissioner raffi uh chief procurement officer thank you for your question so the renewal option that i exercise pursuant pursuant to code authority is there were two one year renewal options available we bundled those into one amendment and so now the now the contract was renewed through february uh 1st of uh this year through the end of january of 2028 and the amendment before you was just for an increase it has there is no time involved there's no time attached to the amendment that's being presented today the amendment that was exercised under CPO authority that was time only there was no money attached to that correct so do you foresee that the 13 million is sufficient I think I heard you say that is sufficient for the remainder of the contract which means by 2028 you don't foresee that you're gonna come before this body to ask for additional funding no commissioner we will not that's for these vendors and that's what we need the additional capacity okay thank you thanks Chair thank you any other questions from any other commissioners hearing no further discussion all in favor of approving item 26-0842 signifying by saying aye aye all opposed say no okay there is a present vote ma'am please present who that is uh commissioner and I would like to be recorded as present okay and commissioner degman thank you thank you ma'am okay uh despite the division the uh the motion passes okay vice chair aguilar moves to adjourn second by commissioner degman all in favor adjournment say aye all opposed say nay the meeting is adjourned thank you