Lake County Board Financial and Administrative Committee Meeting – October 9, 2025

The Financial and Administrative Committee of the Lake County Board met on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. A quorum was present. The meeting covered the consent agenda, several substantive resolutions, a budget overview, and an executive session. One agenda item (8.20) was removed due to an Open Meetings Act posting issue and referred to the County Board.

Consent Calendar

• Items 8.1 through 8.29 (excluding 8.20, 8.19, and 8.21, which were pulled for discussion) were approved unanimously by voice vote. Item 8.20 was removed from the agenda because the amended posting did not meet the Open Meetings Act requirement; it was added to the County Board agenda for October 14, 2025, with concurrence from the committee chair.

Discussion Items

• 8.19 – Emergency Appropriation for State's Attorney's Office: A joint resolution authorizing an emergency appropriation of $21,200 from the State's Attorney’s Office Money Laundering Fund to pay salary and fringe costs through the remainder of fiscal year 2025 for the Conviction Integrity Unit Director. Chief Deputy Joe Gerbitter explained that the position was previously grant‑funded and that this appropriation bridges a gap until a budget modification for the Illinois Innocence Project grant is approved. Member Maine questioned the use of a special revenue fund and the policy of retaining a position when a grant lapses; County Administrator Sutton noted the office chose to use its custodial funds to avoid a service gap. The item was approved by voice vote.
• 8.21 – Intersection Improvement Change Order: A joint resolution appropriating $921,000 from the quarter‑percent sales tax for transportation funds and approving Change Order No. 4 in the amount of $1,294,769.65 for the Winchester Road at Illinois Route 83 intersection improvement. County Engineer Shane Schneider reported that the contractor discovered a larger peat bog than anticipated, requiring additional soil mitigation. He noted that IDOT agreed to provide an additional $1 million to share the cost. Approved by voice vote.
• 8.30 – Polling Place Accessibility Grant: A resolution accepting a $250,000 Illinois State Board of Elections grant for ADA improvements at 18 North County, the building housing the County Clerk’s office. Clerk Vega said the grant will fund new ramps and repaving, making the building fully accessible for voters with disabilities. Director of Facilities Carl Carr described the two new ramps on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and County Street. Approved.
• 8.31 – Fire Alarm Replacement Project: Approval of a job‑order contract not to exceed $350,000 for replacing the fire alarm system at the Mundelein Branch Courthouse. Director Carr noted the system is at end of life and parts are no longer available. Approved.
• 8.32 – Multi‑Agency Facility Design Services: A resolution authorizing a $1,184,559 agreement with FGM Architects for pre‑design and schematic design of a multi‑department facility in Libertyville for the Sheriff’s Office, Coroner’s Office, and County Clerk. Director Carr stated that schematic design will be complete by February 2026, with construction possible by mid‑2027. The project is preliminarily budgeted at $25–30 million. Member Maine commented on the challenge of moving functions out of Waukegan. The item was approved with one vote in opposition (specific member not identified in the transcript).
• 8.33 – Circuit Court Clerk Operations Fund: A resolution to create a separate fund for circuit court clerk fees. An amendment by Member Clark (to clarify statutory references and remove the words “special revenue”) was adopted. CFO Regina Tuzak and Budget Director Mike Wheeler explained that the fund will increase transparency on how fee revenue is used. The fund had already been established as a bank account in 2024 with about $500,000; the resolution formally creates the accounting fund. Approved as amended.
• 8.34 – Budget Development Policy Updates: A resolution amending Finance Policy 3.5 for the FY2026 budget. Changes include: (1) vacant positions not actively recruited will be eliminated; (2) non‑union wage increases set at a minimum of 1.75% and a maximum of 4% (departmental lump sum not to exceed 3%); (3) wage tables increase by 1.75%. Approved.
• 8.35 – Director’s Report: Administrator Sutton announced that Moody’s reaffirmed Lake County’s AAA credit rating on September 15, 2025. No action required.
• 8.36 – Tax Bill Printing Contract: A resolution authorizing a contract with Data Integrators of Fredericksburg, Virginia for printing and mailing real estate tax bills for the Lake County Treasurer’s Office, at an estimated annual amount of $34,270 with renewal options. Treasurer’s representative Stephen stated that the previous vendor, Master’s Touch (bid $48,000), was not selected; the new vendor met all requirements. The contract includes e‑bill services; about 3,000 of 260,000 taxpayers currently receive bills electronically. Approved.
• 8.37 – FY2026 Recommended Budget Presentation: Administrator Sutton presented a high‑level overview of the recommended $673.4 million budget (2.2% increase over FY2025). Key points: operating funds stable with a 1% property tax increase; property taxes make up less than one‑third of revenue; personnel and benefits are 42% of spending; 41 new program requests totaling $10.6 million (12 recommended); a scenario using half the allowable property tax extension (PTEL) results in a 3.6% levy increase, adding about $9 to the tax bill for an average home valued at $330,000. Budget meetings are scheduled for October 21–22, 2025, with County Board approval planned for November 18.
• 8.38 – Destruction of Executive Session Recordings: Committee action to permanently destroy executive session recordings from October 8, 2008 through February 2024 (F&A Committee) and October 2, 2018 through September 22, 2022 (Inactive Ethics & Oversight Committee), as permitted by the Open Meetings Act and recommended by the State’s Attorney’s Office. Approved.

Key Outcomes

• All consent agenda items (8.1–8.29, minus pulled items) approved.
• Individual resolutions 8.19, 8.21, 8.30, 8.31, 8.32, 8.33 (as amended), 8.34, 8.36, and 8.38 were approved. Item 8.32 had one vote in opposition.
• Item 8.20 was referred to the County Board for October 14, 2025.
• The committee entered executive session to discuss personnel, property sale/lease pricing, insurance claims/risk management, and to review executive session minutes from September 4, 2025.
• Next meeting: Budget hearings on October 21–22, 2025.