Lake County Board Meeting Summary - November 18, 2025
Lake County Board Meeting Summary - November 18, 2025
The Lake County Board convened on November 18, 2025, to approve the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, review updates on the Lake County Consolidated Communications (LACOM) and Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) initiatives, and issue public recognitions. A significant portion of the meeting's opening was dedicated to a collective remembrance of Lake County residents currently detained by federal immigration enforcement agents, with board members expressing deep concern over the circumstances of these detentions and the lack of transparency regarding the individuals' whereabouts.
Consent Calendar
- Removed Item: Item 14 was removed from the consent agenda to address the indefinite postponement of the reappointment request for Jerry Sonier to the Manitou Creek Drainage District, following her request to step down.
- Approved: All other routine items on the consent agenda were approved as presented, excluding the modified budget items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Remembrance of Detained Residents: Multiple board members, including Clark, Volitzek, Wasick, Roberts, Parrick, Campos, Kenisnik, Kyle, Cunningham, and Altenburg, offered extended remarks remembering dozens of Lake County residents currently in immigration detention.
- Positions Expressed: Board members expressed strong opposition to the current enforcement tactics, stating concern regarding the detention of individuals with valid work permits, pending asylum cases, or no criminal records. Members highlighted that many detainees were sole providers for families or caregivers for family members with cancer, and voiced alarm at reports of forced self-deportation signings and lack of communication.
- Request for Action: Member Danforth expressed urgent concern regarding courthouse security shortages, stating that locked courtrooms are preventing access to justice for self-represented litigants and attorneys, and urging the Board to address the lack of deputy sheriffs in courtrooms to prevent constitutional issues with the Supreme Court.
Discussion Items
- LACOM Consolidation Update: Jason Kern (Executive Director) and Kevin Timony (Chair) reported that the consolidation of seven emergency communications centers was completed successfully in a two-week window in late October/early November. Timony expressed gratitude to the Board for a decade of support. Kern provided statistics: 13,349 calls taken and 11,551 dispatchable calls processed in the first two weeks.
- Member Schlick Position: Member Schlick stated that as an active user of the new LACOM system, he has found the transition to be "extremely smooth" with "no drop in service" and expressed strong support for the consolidation as a positive outcome for residents.
- RTA 2026 Budget & NITA Transition: Pat Carey (Director) and Kevin Buesso (CFO) presented the RTA's 2026 budget, detailing the impacts of Senate Bill 2111. They explained that the new funding will prevent service cuts, layoffs, or fare increases for 2026. A 0.25% increase in RTA sales tax will take effect in 2026 to generate $1.25 billion annually long-term. Members Maine, Wasick, and Hunter asked questions regarding fare policy, the structure of the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) board, and representation percentages for Lake County (1 of 20 seats).
- Metra 2026 Budget: Sean Morris (CFO) presented the Metra budget, noting that new funding allows for no fare hikes or service cuts. He discussed plans to replace 1955-era rail cars with new Alstom models and battery-powered trains, while acknowledging the constraints of track access provided by private railroads.
- PACE 2026 Budget: Linda Soto (Board Member) and Ed Gallagher (Staff) reported that the new RTA funding secures the 2026 budget with no service cuts. They highlighted the groundbreaking of the first all-electric bus facility in Waukegan and the expansion of van-pool and on-demand services. Members Hunter and Campos asked about future shelter locations for retired veterans and the electrical grid capacity for the growing electric bus fleet.
- Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA): Dominic Strezzo reported that all allocated funds were successfully dispersed within the deadline, assisting over 12,000 residents. He noted that $1.1 million was allocated to the Starlink Senior Apartments in Lake Villa.
- FY 2026 Budget Deliberations: County Administrator Patrice Sutton presented the $676.6 million operating budget.
- Positions on GVPI Funding: Member Maine and Member Hunter expressed strong opposition to a line item funding the State's Attorney's Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI) using one-time transfers, arguing that this sets a dangerous precedent of using general funds for permanently grant-supported positions without prior board approval or long-term fiscal planning.
- Positions on Extension Funding: Member Danforth proposed moving $10,000 of unrequested funds from the University of Illinois Extension to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Member Frank amended the motion to return the $10,000 to the general fund. Members Wasick and Kasman expressed support for the Extension, stating that its gardening and nutrition programs are critical for long-term self-sufficiency. Members Clark and Volitzek defended the process that approved the Extension increase, while Member Volitzek supported returning funds to the general fund due to procedural concerns.
Key Outcomes
- Budget Adoption: The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget (Item 44) passed with the amendment adopted to return $10,000 from the University of Illinois Extension to the general fund. The final vote tally was 16 in favor, 2 against (Hewitt, Hunter), and 1 abstention (Kyle).
- Tax Levies: Ordinances for Special Service Areas (SSAs) 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, and 17 passed unanimously (18 votes) to approve specific tax levies.
- Manitou Creek Drainage District: The reappointment of Jerry Sonier was postponed indefinitely. A resolution passed unanimously to appoint Michael Warner to the district.
- Executive Session: The Board decided to postpone the executive session regarding personnel and closed meeting minutes to the December 2025 meeting.
- Procedural Note: The Board agreed to consider moving employee recognitions earlier in future agendas to avoid long wait times for recipients.
Discrepancy Note: Regarding the final budget vote, the transcript indicates Member Hewitt voted "No" and Member Hunter voted "No," while Member Kyle abstained during the budget vote, though he participated in the amendment vote. The chair announced the motion passed with the amendment adopted.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Today is Tuesday, November 18, 2025. I called the Lake County Board meeting to order at 9.04 a.m. The meeting is being recorded and live streamed on our website, Comcast Channels 18 or 30 and ATT U verse Channel 99, as well as on Zoom at the link on the agenda. In addition to being able to attend in person, remote attendance has been made available to the public via Zoom. Per county board rules and the open meetings act, attendance via remote means is permitted for qualifying reasons as long as the majority of the board members are physically present. We have been notified in advance by Member Adam Schlick that he requests to participate electronically for work reasons. If there's no discussion, I will ask county staff to know to the minutes that Member Schlick is present and eligible to vote on matters before the county board today. And as a reminder to Member Schlick, he already has his camera on, uh just ensure it's on at all times. Thank you very much. Um before we begin, um, I'm gonna ask for a moment of silence. Uh, please. Is there anyone board members would like us to remember today? Thank you. Uh member Hewitt, followed by member vice chair Cunningham. Thank you, Member Chair. Um, I would like us all to remember and keep in prayers. Um, Officer Michael Shinakki this past month. I had a uh celebration of life for him. He worked many years at the Waukegan Township Highway Department, and then he transferred to the Waukegan Police Department where he finished his career. Um, due to health reasons that seem to be cut short. So uh I would like everybody please keep him and his family in their prayers. Thank you. Thank you. Vice Chair Cunningham. Thank you. And I would like everyone to remember a long time Otterman. We had his saying this weekend. And also Rosa Staben daughter. We had her saying this weekend. Her little daughter passed away. So uh we'd like to keep the prayer. All right. Thank you. Member Altenburg. Thank you. I'd like to remember um somebody from Buffalo Grove, Leanne Blue. She died suddenly in the last week. And um she was an incredible Jewish educator in the Chicago community. And um she's we've suffered a big loss. She it was um she's done tremendous work and affected a lot of people over the last 30 years. Thank you. Thank you. Member Clark. Yeah, I'd like us to keep in mind a few people today. I'd like us to keep in uh our in our thoughts. Jose, who was kidnapped on November 3rd while he was unloading his tools to do yard work. He did not resist, and he provided his documents to the agents. They didn't let him explain his situation, and they detained him. He's currently in the process of adjusting status to become a per legal permanent resident and doesn't have a criminal record.
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