Health and Community Services Committee Meeting – May 5, 2026

The Health and Community Services Committee of the Lake County Board met on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 8:34 a.m. The meeting was held in person with remote attendance via Zoom. The committee approved several grant and contract items, received an annual update from Community Development, and discussed data center regulation. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (April 7, 2026): The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the previous meeting (motion by Member Maine, second by Member Kasmin).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made.

Discussion Items

• 8.2 – Healthcare Foundation Leadership Development Grant: Director Chris Hoff presented a joint resolution accepting $20,000 in new grant funding from the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County for leadership development training. The grant requires a 100% match (using existing budgeted funds) and effectively doubles the planned training investment. Committee members discussed the distinction between “new” and “additional” grant language, noting that future similar items might not require committee approval under new rules. The resolution passed unanimously.
• 8.3 – Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center Grant: The committee approved an emergency appropriation of $13,125 for solution-focused brief therapy training. Member Kines noted that May is Mental Health Awareness Month and highlighted that the training will help clinicians treat clients more efficiently, expanding capacity. The resolution passed unanimously.
• 8.4 – Forest Preserve Water Quality Contract: Environmental Director Mike Adams presented a resolution accepting $2,674 in additional funding from the Lake County Forest Preserve District for water quality monitoring. The work will focus on Slough Lake/Duck Farm Lake as part of a lake rehabilitation project. The committee noted that this contract extension would not require future committee approval under the new rules. The resolution passed unanimously.
• 8.5 – Solid Waste Management Delegation Agreement Renewal: Director Adams presented a five-year renewal of the delegation agreement with the Illinois EPA for solid waste facility inspections and enforcement. The agreement covers 24 operating facilities (including two active landfills, transfer stations, and compost sites) and 22 closed landfills. The committee discussed the frequency of inspections and the number of sites. The resolution passed unanimously.
• 8.6 – Homeless Crisis Response System Capacity Grant: Administrator Dominic Strezzo presented a resolution accepting $96,200 from the Illinois Department of Human Services for a capacity expansion grant focused on improving data quality. The funds will be used for staff time and to develop a public data dashboard on homelessness, hosted by the Lake County Coalition for Homeless, with integration into a statewide data network. The dashboard will display real-time data on subpopulations, inflows/outflows, veteran homelessness, and chronic homelessness. The resolution passed unanimously.
• 8.7 – Community Development Annual Update: Directors Eric Wagner and Dominic Strezzo provided an update on current projects. Key points included:
  • Housing Lake Phase 2: Transitioning to work groups focused on four foundational pillars, with an MOU with CMAP extending the partnership for three years.
  • Healthy Houses Grant (HVAC Program): $2 million program for rental units (up to 6 units per property). About 140 interest forms received, but challenges include tenant hesitancy to provide income documentation and contractor responsiveness due to prevailing wage requirements. No funds have been disbursed yet; due diligence is ongoing.
  • Pads Fixed Site Shelter (Waukegan): Construction completion expected late July, occupancy in early August. The shelter will provide approximately 230 beds.
  • Other Housing Projects: Ravine Terrace (98 units, completion September), EB Lee Place (senior apartments, nearly ready for occupancy), Highland Park Town Homes (8 units, community land trust model), and North Point (affordable multifamily in Gurney, closing soon).
  • Compliance Portfolio: 80 properties, 480 units monitored for affordability (5–20 year terms based on investment level).
  • County AHP Funds: Increased to $600,000, supporting permanent supportive housing, legal expungement services, community land trust, and vocational programs.
• Member Remarks – Data Centers: Member Hark asked about the timeline for updating county regulations on data centers. Staff from Planning, Building and Development (Anna) responded that best practice research is underway, with a committee presentation expected in June or July 2026. A temporary administrative deferral (up to 120 days) could be enacted if needed, but no serious proposals have been received for unincorporated areas. The question was noted as outside the committee’s purview.

Key Outcomes

• All eight resolutions (8.1–8.6) were approved unanimously by voice vote. (8.1: consent agenda minutes; 8.2–8.6: grant/contract resolutions; 8.7 was an informational update, no vote.)
• Executive Session: The committee moved into closed session to review closed session minutes from October 7, 2025, and to conduct a periodic review of closed session minutes. Both sets of minutes were approved unanimously upon return to open session.
• Next Meeting: The committee will meet again on May 26, 2026.