Lake County Law and Judicial Committee Meeting - October 27, 2026

The Lake County (Illinois) Law and Judicial Committee met at 10:30 a.m. on October 27, 2026, in person and remotely via Zoom. Chair Roberts presided; roll call was taken. No addenda to the agenda, public comments, unfinished business, chair remarks, county administrator report, or executive session were reported. The agenda and minutes were not available, so this summary relies solely on the transcript. The committee approved the consent calendar, approved a Deer Park police services agreement and three grant resolutions, and postponed a law library publications contract for further information.

Consent Calendar

• Items 8.1 through 8.4 were approved by voice vote after a motion by Member Altenberg and a second by Vice Chair Kenishek. No opposition was noted.

Discussion Items

8.5 - Law Library Publications Contract with West Publishing (Postponed)

• Lisa Wolf, Executive Finance Director for the 19th Judicial Circuit Court, presented a joint resolution authorizing a five-year contract with West Publishing Corporation of Eagan, Minnesota, for printed legal materials for the law library. The annual amount was stated as $125,004 beginning in fiscal year 2027, with a 4% annual increase thereafter. Wolf said the print collection complements online resources and serves patrons with a range of computer skills; it is not required by statute. She said the contract permits termination if funding is not available, for example during a future budget cycle.
• Commissioner Danforth asked how many publications the $125,004 covers and whether the county was paying for new editions or supplements. Member Altenberg noted the attachment includes orders such as 26 circuit court rules volumes and 8 family law and court rules volumes. Wolf cited practice guides and desk books as examples. Commissioner Hart questioned how usage is measured and whether self-represented litigants can effectively use the books without assistance. Vice Chair Kenishek noted that circuit court staff are available to help law library users; Wolf said it may be possible to provide usage information but no record was immediately available.
• Commissioner Casmin asked about funding and county authority. Staff clarified that the county purchasing ordinance requires county board approval for goods and services over $30,000, even when funded from special revenue funds. The law library is funded by court fees through a special revenue fund, not the general fund.
• Discussion noted the total five-year value is at least $625,000 before the cumulative 4% annual increases. Wolf said the other option considered was a three-year contract with 6% annual increases. The current contract expires December 31, 2026, and the committee does not meet in December; members noted the paper volumes would remain on the shelf even if approval were delayed. Several members expressed interest in reviewing usage data, examining whether online-only access or alternative staffing might be a better use of funds, and hearing from judges.
• The committee voted to postpone action on Item 8.5 so staff could gather additional information and bring the item back to a future Law and Judicial Committee meeting. The voice vote carried; no tally was stated.

8.6 - Deer Park Contractual Police Services Agreement (Approved)

• Jim Chammernick, Sheriff's Office business manager, presented the resolution with Chief Christopher Cavalli participating remotely. The proposed intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Deer Park would renew contractual police services from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2029. The contract amount was transcribed as 4,646 and one cents (about $4.65 million if read as $4,646,001). The contract includes a 3% estimated wage adjustment for the next three years, with rate adjustments in 2028 and 2029, and an annual wage adjustment if actual wages exceed estimates.
• Chammernick said the Sheriff's Office bills Deer Park for every hour a deputy is assigned, so it is made whole for overtime, vacations, training, and sick time through the built-in shift relief factor. The contract has existed for 15 years; the renewal would extend it to 18 years. The coverage is 24 hours per day, seven days per week, with two deputies on one shift because of elevated traffic at Deer Park Mall; special details are billed separately.
• The committee approved the resolution by voice vote with no opposition noted.

8.7 - Justice Assistance Grant for Violent Crime Prosecution (Approved)

• Joe Gravitter and Steve Spagnoli of the State's Attorney's Office presented a one-year renewal Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) with an emergency appropriation of $200,000. The grant supports prosecution of violent crimes in Lake County, offsetting funding for one principal Assistant State's Attorney, 40% of a data analyst position, and staff training. The remaining 60% of the data analyst position is funded by a McArthur grant. The grant expires September 30 of the following year. The resolution was approved by voice vote.

8.8 - IDHS Gun Violence Prevention Grant (Approved)

• The State's Attorney's Office was awarded $1.5 million from the Illinois Department of Human Services for the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (G VPI), for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. This is the second year of the grant. Funds support salary and benefits for four G VPI staff, a sub-award to Waukegan Township for peacemaker services, a contracted therapist and youth coordinator, and community outreach. Staff said approximately $425,000 of the grant is for State's Attorney's Office staff salaries and benefits, with slightly over $1 million going to contractual partners and sub-awards; the remainder covers training, software, and outreach supplies.
• Member Altenberg thanked Senator Johnson and said the program has been associated with a 70% decrease in crime in some areas. Discussion confirmed that the four G VPI staff positions are fully grant-funded and that the firearm risk reduction coordinator is separately grant-funded. The resolution with the $1.5 million emergency appropriation was approved by voice vote.

8.9 - BJA Byrne Community Project Grant (Approved)

• The State's Attorney's Office received a $1 million Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Byrne Community Project Grant, for October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028. The grant was credited to Congressman Brad Schneider. It will fund the four G VPI staff after the IDHS grant ends, as well as the Waukegan Township sub-award, contracted youth coordinator, and community outreach specialist with the North Chicago Police Department. The resolution was approved by voice vote.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar Items 8.1-8.4 approved.
• Item 8.5 (West Publishing law library contract) postponed; staff will compile requested usage, publication, and alternative information for a future Law and Judicial Committee meeting.
• Item 8.6 (Deer Park police services) approved.
• Item 8.7 (JAG grant) approved with emergency appropriation.
• Item 8.8 (IDHS gun violence prevention grant) approved with emergency appropriation.
• Item 8.9 (BJA Byrne grant) approved with emergency appropriation.
• No executive session was held; the meeting was adjourned, with the next meeting date to be determined.