Thank you.

Take care.

Good afternoon.

Chairman Daly, Vice Chairman Larry, members of the board.

Steve would need to turn me up a little bit.

I am Brandy Smith, Deputy Secretary to the Board, and on behalf of Lynn Turner, I'm pleased to present Office of Secretary to the boards meeting your budget summary.

Before I begin, I would like to recognize the exceptional team that keeps our office operating each and every day.

Some of those individuals are sitting behind me now.

Next to me, I have Victoria Sockwell, manager of archives to the right.

Gil, our newest employee, is our legal counsel.

We also have Rose Ortiz, Pandra Mohammed, Palestine Sarrell, Kane Washington, Diana Czar, who is in the back, Joe Vallicat, Yolanda Glass, both of our ledge coordinators.

We also have contractors who I do not see in the room, but Nazir Faulkner and Ms.

Janet, as everybody knows.

I like to recognize our partners throughout the county who also support each and every board and committee meeting.

That's Eric Batoy, Ryan Gleason, Cody Davis, who are our BOA video production team, our BLT team, Karen Walker, Danny Morillo, Joelle Baratsk, Steve Stampley and our facilities team for providing audio support, and our Cook County Sheriffs for ensuring the safety and security of everyone attending our meetings.

These are all the professionals working behind the scenes whose dedication allows every meeting to run efficiently and successfully.

Throughout 2026, our focus has been on maintaining operational efficiencies while continuing to provide exceptional service to the Board of Commissioners, County Departments, and the public.

Despite increasing demands and growing workflow, our staff has remained committed to transparency, accuracy, and timely legislative support.

Looking ahead to 2027, we remain committed to delivering that same high level of service while modernizing the board's legislative operations.

Our proposed 2027 budget presents some challenges.

The primary drivers are increased costs associated with our granitist legislative management platform and the technology enhancements being incorporated into the new boardroom.

These investments will significantly improve the public's experience and abort's operational efficiencies.

Those new capabilities will include swagging technology, which will allow for accurate video indexing and timestamping of all our committee and board meetings, multilingual closed captioning to enhance accessibility, searchable meeting videos, which will allow users to locate discussions by spoken word, further supporting our ADA accessibility and public transparency goals.

Electronic voting, which will streamline board operations and improve the efficiency of our meetings.

While these improvements represent an important investment in modernizing our legislative process, they also contribute to a budget target that currently leaves us about 250,000 short.

As part of our organizational planning, the vacant legislative services director position will be reclassed, reclassified to better align with evolving technological and operational needs.

At this time, I'd like to invite our manager of archives, Victoria Sockwell, to provide an update on our accomplishment and future initiatives of CARA.

Good afternoon, everybody, or good evening almost.

My name is Victoria Sakwell, manager of archives for Cook County.

I would like to highlight some of the accomplishments we've achieved so far this year and discuss a few challenges we're facing and share where we're headed for the remainder of the year.

One of our most significant accomplishments has been continuing to build the operational foundation for the archives, keeping us at standard with state laws as well as archivists uh standard as well that's made by the American Archivist Association.

Over the past several months, we've worked closely with Iron Mountain to complete a comprehensive inventory and assessment of archival materials housed across multiple storage locations.

This project has given us our clearest picture of what our archives and historical assets look like, where they're located, and what condition they're in.

These uh exhibitions celebrate important milestones not only in our county's history, but in our United States history.

We will continue to do archived um exhibitions throughout the next coming year, um, hopefully one per quarter.

Um we're gonna be using the lobby floor, fifth floor, as well as historic reading room when it's ready and available.

Um, another area we're seeing tremendous assess in is our educational outreach.

Um this year we've welcomed University of Chicago students studying archive theory, um, artists, librarians, culture professionals, and fellow county employees into the archives for small group tours.

One of my favorite moments is from a units University of Chicago student who said this had been the best tour that they had been on all semester.

Um we have also continued expanding our partnerships.

Um we are providing historical research, archival photographs, and institutional context for uh different projects around the county.

Looking ahead as we move into the second half of the year, we're focused on continuing that momentum.

Uh we're actively growing our social media programs uh while also developing an internal and external newsletter that will keep not only the public abris of what we're up to, but also county employees.

Um a couple of our challenges.

Um I am really proud of the stuff that we've done and the excellent ways that we've been able to be flexible throughout these challenges.

Our greatest challenge is space.

While the growth reflects the success of our program, we are able to collect over 2,000 um individual artifacts throughout Cook County's history.

Um but as we're growing, we're also reaching a limit on space.

As of recent, we have received a notice from facilities related to our space uh utilization.

While we have addressed these concerns, the notice also reflects a larger reality.

We're outgrowing our space.

As we are continuing to expand our programming, accepting new collections, and preparing for relocation that's dedicated for our archival survival and preservation infrastructure.

We find this to be increasingly important and hope that uh the rest of the county will as well.

And I'm open to any questions if Brandy is ready.

Alrighty, that concludes our presentation, Commissioners.

Well, let me begin by thanking you every single day.

Your hard work and covering the meet board meetings, the committee meetings, uh, and individual requests.

And as you outlined, you thank your entire staff, the sheriff.

Um I also want to thank you for uh participating in the interview for the historical view of as a member of this board.

It was very great honor for me to participate and give my perspective on what's occurred in Cook County in the past and what hopefully will occur in the future.

You're doing all a great job.

Thank you.

Commissioner.

Thank you, Chairman.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chairman.

And let me just say to Secretary Turner, uh, who is not here, as well as all of the team members who are here.

I think you guys do a fabulous job.

And I look at your goals.

And goal number one, I'd have to give you an A plus.

Uh, you absolutely make our meetings turnkey, even when we tried to keep that from happening.

And uh your uh professionalism, uh, your knowledge uh very much appreciated.

So I want to acknowledge that and say very well done.

Goal two as I look at uh the county archives and records office.

Uh I'd like to just know more about what we have.

And I think one way for us to do that is to partner and shine a light on that.

So I'm going to throw out Brandy for us to follow up and have a conversation that commensurate with the county's next anniversary.

Um my office will work work with you to put together a resolution because I want to not only acknowledge that anniversary, but acknowledge what our history has shown through the archives.

And I think that would be a wonderful way for us to do two things acknowledge our anniversary, but also acknowledge what the archives show and what your um group is now doing relative to that.

So let's put that on our to-do list.

And then the last thing I want to know relative to the vacant position and the reclassification, when do you think the reclassification will be done so that the next steps can um ensue?

We are currently working with BHR right now to reclassify a few positions.

A lot of team members have taken on additional report responsibilities since our legislative services director has retired.

Um so hopefully we can have those completed within the next six to nine months.

Being honest.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, also want to thank you, uh Brandy and the whole team.

You all are always so helpful to the commissioners, our our teams as well, and everybody that just in speakers and everybody, even though we don't always get treated the best.

But I am eternally grateful for all of the work that you all do.

Just some quick questions.

So I had some questions already about the boardroom, and those were answered already.

So thank you for stepping in when I had that question.

But one that I failed to ask was in regards to the conference room in the fifth floor.

I know that there's gonna be a space in which we can utilize for press conferences so that we don't always have to go to the fourth floor.

Those rooms should be turned over to us.

So we have a turnover date from the construction team for August 1st.

So fingers crossed.

When they are turned over, okay, perfect.

Thank you so much.

It looks like there's a 14% less than it was budgeted for.

So just want to know what the difference was is so far.

And also is this the line that pays for language access?

Okay.

Not language access, but for granicus.

So that is a quarterly payment.

So gotcha.

That line will come in line.

We get closer to the end of the year.

Okay, so it should be uh uh in line with what we're what we budgeted for.

Correct.

And then um, what line do you all pay for language interpretation services?

We do not.

It actually is a line item from the president's office.

Oh, the president's office, it's not under you all.

Okay.

Wonderful.

Those were my only questions.

Thanks for that.

Thank you, ma'am.

Commissioner Trevor.

Thank you, Chair.

I just want to pipe in with my great appreciation for the job that that everybody in your department does.

Uh as people said, makes our life or our meetings turnkey, and I really appreciate it.

So thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Commissioner McCastle.

Again, just um very briefly acknowledging the hard work that you all do.

We do acknowledge it, and we truly truly appreciate it.

Um, I'm with you on that six to nine months.

So we'll work on that.

But what can we do as new commissioners that would help you to um basically help us to streamline better how we're submitting information, how we're bringing in new employees.

What can we do differently, or what would you like to see us doing as a board that could help your process move a little um not even more expedited but more efficiently?

That is a very good question, Commissioner McCaskill.

Get back to me.

We want to know how we can help you because you do so much to help us, not just you, but the entire staff.

So we do.

Our staff, we have a small but mighty team of employees.

Um I think um, not to misspeak, but a lot of the delays that you guys may see and processing of documents is because they have to go through several different channels.

So it's not necessarily you know our office, but it's the other partners as well.

Let me thank you again.

And also I'm sorry, before I go to Commissioner Vasquez, I just want to thank you for the great service food, the services and especially this morning.

The peanut butter peanut butter jelly, which is one of my favorite.

So I am pleased.

Thank you, Chair.

I also love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Um similarly, would love to just give you my thanks.

Um, you all have been so great.

And um, I don't know if Diana is back there, but Diana has helped us quite a bit, so thank you.

Um, and I just want to express um my deep interest and um desire that we continue the great work in archives.

Um I did miss some of your presentation.

I had to run to the bathroom.

Um, but could you just say once more?

I know there's like essentially like a space issue that we have.

Yeah, so right now um our archives, the county's archive is pretty much in three locations.

118 and then two additional warehouses.

Um at a certain point, those items will need to be relocated to a better storage.

Right now, that better storage is the county building, but with that, we're running out of space.

Um, we're already running out of space on 10, which ultimately will go to another department during the reconstruction.

Um, and then those items on 3M are surrounded by mold, um, items that will immediately destroy paper if they're out for too long.

So as we are building and we've had a lot of success on getting archives together, partnering with other bureaus to get their archives and stuff that's important to them that's historical.

With that success comes the challenge of space.

And so with facilities kind of on my back about what we should do with this junk per se, um, or these items, um, you know, it it brings a little bit of tension, you know, with facilities in me, um, and as well as as BAM as in capital planning, as we're kind of figuring out where to put archives, um, as well as our podcast studio, which you've been in, all that stuff will have to go somewhere because all of that stuff is super important to the work that we do.

Um so one day we will have permanent housing.

Um, and that's pretty much what I'm hoping for is that we get permanent housing soon, and then someone else that has specialized hands like myself.

Though the team is mighty and powerful, there also needs to be someone who has the archive knowledge as I do that specialize in this to also help with this work because I'm a solo archivist.

So the exhibitions you may see, um, if you see me going down the hallway with cards, I have my contractor, of course, but it's just me as the actual archivist that's trained to do this work.

Um so all that moving that will have to be done will fall into my lap, which obviously I welcome with a smile on my face.

Um, but it's it's difficult because you know, you don't want to fight with facilities, and you don't want to have to tell them like I need space, you know.

And so the the constant conversation is to wait, wait, you know, wait until we have an assessment, see how much actual space you need.

Um, but if I'm being honest, we need at least 10,000 square feet.

And um, before I continue, my compliments on the exhibit that you have on the fifth floor, which is fantastic.

Um, I'm assuming you also did that on your own by yourself.

Well, the the banners weren't done by me.

Um so to give a bit of a shout out to Galler Institution, they're a historic institution, but they do rental services for exhibitions.

We will continue to use them in kind of in conjunction with our own archives.

Um, but again, with that space issue, I can only do so much work when most of my space is covered with items that need to be accessed, digitized, all that stuff.

But you won't feel comfortable, I won't feel comfortable doing that until we're in a permanent housing to do everything.

And I think I saw some of these items that are in need of a permanent space at the uh warehouse that I visited to look for county furniture.

Um and so for folks who haven't been there yet, you quite literally have like I think there's al capones like toilet, yes, you know.

Yes, yes, yes, yeah.

Things that I I feel to your point about there being exposure to you know, mold and you know, things that will deteriorate history.

Yep.

Um it people learn history differently.

Sometimes you read a book and that's how you obtain knowledge for a lot of folks, it's you know, going to a museum and learning about you know our history by seeing objects in front of them, being able to read how they you know were used or absolutely relate to an individual.

So I think it's it's extremely important that we preserve you know all of the materials that we have and that we look for that permanent space.

Um, in the path towards that, I'm just curious if there's been any conversations, because I do think you know, perhaps like the Chicago History Museum would be interested in a um temporary, you know, showcasing because as I said, like I was surprised that what we have in our warehouse, let alone what you probably see.

Yep, yeah.

So I've talked to Chicago Hustry Museum.

They're actually interested in the historic um majority female board exhibition that we had up.

Um so we're updating that exhibition with more items that we've came across recently, repaint, reprint, make it look spectacular as one that was on the fifth floor, um, and then send it out to them.

We have some logistic problems um with their uh exhibition scheduling.

A lot of museums like that tend to schedule out almost three years in advance due to budget constraints, um, and just understanding that artists and archivists will have to get their items together fast enough.

Um, so we're in talks, but I don't have a definitive date on that.

So for now, we're gonna try to do as much as we can in the county building.

Um, and any other probably county buildings that are welcome.

I know the law library has been interested in hosting an exhibition at one point too.

So I definitely hear you, and and we're working towards that too.

Yeah, and anything that I can do to help, you know, keep facilities off your back, like I will be a partner in that.

Um I appreciate it.

You know, we we we're seeing right now what happens when um people try and rewrite history.

I mean, that is essentially what our president is doing.

And so being able to tell our own story with facts with materials is super important.

And as they shut down the National Archives in Chicago, I suspect that they will be reaching out wanting to re-home their items with us, which makes perfect sense as we are the county.

Um but going back to that space thing, right?

That I can't necessarily help them if I can't help myself either.

Um so I suspect with defunding of a lot of art programs, a lot of archives themselves will be looking towards their government to house these items.

Well, thank you so much for your work.

Thank you.

I'm just gonna ask a question.

Is there anything in the 14,008 seven inventory from land bank that would be worthy of?

Um so often we look at uh brick and mortar as like warehousing type of situations, but maybe looking at one of the historical homes and possibly that's my dream.

Yeah, yeah.

So it's it's on my research uh to-do list, but yeah, absolutely.

I was looking at a historic bank on the south side, but it got bought up before us, um, which is fine.

Um, but on the south side on 47th and cottage.

So I'm looking for similar items like that, similar buildings like that that are historical that we can continue to preserve as archivists as the county, but also use it for our historical items.

Yes, absolutely.

Years ago, President Berkeley by an office basically.

I want it bad.

So let me so let me so let me know if they back out.

And again, let me just thank you.

Um just to follow up what has been said is anything we could do.

I know facilities is on your constantly, but to keep it in this building or very close by, I think is key.

Um history is being regretted.

And it is incumbent on us to protect what we have and restore it and keep it going.

And I know this board is worth you 100%.

Thank you.

Very much.

Thank you.

Questions this committee, this committee will stand in recess commissioners again, a reminder.

It is 9 a.m.

tomorrow morning when we will have the Cook County Sheriff.

Yeah.