Today is Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

I called Lake County Board meeting to order at 9 a.m.

The meeting is being recorded and live streamed on our website, Comcast Channels 18 or 30 and ATTU versus 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 Schlick that he requests to participate electronically due to work reasons.

A physical quorum is present.

If there's no discussion, I'll 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 eventually I know he will join us.

Maybe there's something wrong with the um screen, so we will look into that.

Um before we go any further, is there anyone board members would like us to remember during our moment of silence, please.

Thank you, Member Maine.

Yes, I believe um many of us got the um everyone got the email from um Greg Keppen about the passing of George Bell, who had been uh long-term very many years, served on the zoning board of appeals, and um really served this county well, and he had a great historical view of um what things had been and understanding neighbors and and things like that, and he was uh a great source of wisdom, and so I'd like to remember him and uh all he did for the county and of course his family, because any time you volunteer your time, you're taking time away from your family, also.

Thank you.

Member Kasman.

Back off the uh uh member main's comments um about Mr.

Bell.

He uh at one point I was going to join the Housing Board of Appeals and found out it wasn't compatible with my school board office.

Um, but when I showed interest, he pulled me aside, he had me meet all the members.

He was so kind to me and and really trying to explain um in great detail what the ZBA did.

And I I just it's um I'm sorry to hear of his passing.

I know um he treated me that way, he must have treated everyone that way, and he really appreciated people who had an interest in government, and um his devotion to the county is evident in his years of service.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Member Campos.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, today I want us to remember Mark L.

Pierce from Round Lake Beach.

Uh, with a heavy heart.

We remember an eight-year-old boy, a child whose life was cut tragically short due to neglect and abuse.

Uh Marquell had his entire life ahead of him.

Dreams yet to be dreamed, milestones yet to be reached, and laughter yet to be heard.

Um learning and discovering the world with the safety and love every child deserves.

Instead, that future was stolen.

As you bow your heads, please remember Markel, not for the abuse that he endured, but for the innocence, the light, and the potential of his future.

His passing is a painful reminder of our shared responsibilities.

And make sure that no child ends their life in in abuse.

If you abuse a child in Lake County and that abuse results in death, you will be tried for murder.

If you see abuse or neglect, please call your local police department or call the Lake County Child's Advocacy Center at 847-377-3155.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Thank you.

I also wanted to uh remember um that little eight-year-old boy's sibling who was taken to the hospital um severely undernourished with signs of abuse.

Um so please remember uh that sibling as well and another call that you could make as a Department of Children and Family Services, 1800 25 abuse.

Um so thank you.

And I do apologize.

I did speak with Vice Chair Cunningham, who is attending remotely, so I do want to state that per our county board rules in the open meetings act, I wasn't I was notified in advance by Vice Chair Cunningham that she requests to participate electronically due to illness.

So seeing no issues with that, I'll declare her present and eligible to vote on matters before the county board today.

And then I just wanted to ask our county administrator, do we know of what's going on with the screen?

Oh, Kevin's on it, or we're not sure for the work.

Okay, working on it.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Uh may I have a oh I'm sorry.

Join me in a moment of silence, please.

Member Roberts, if you would lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, please.

And Super Republic for which it stands, one nation under a individual with a liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

May I have a roll call, please, Clerk Vega.

Member Altonberg.

Here member Campbells.

Here member Casmin.

Here member Clark.

Here Member Cunningham.

She is here.

Member Cunningham, can you um remove and uh your mute?

I'm here.

Great, thank you.

Member Danforth, present.

Member Frank.

Member Hart.

Here.

Member Hewitt.

Here.

Member Hunter?

Here.

Member Kanishnick.

Here.

Member Kyle.

Present.

Member Maine?

Present.

Member Prack?

Here.

Member Peterson.

Present.

Member Roberts.

Here.

Member Schlick.

Member Volitzick.

Here.

Member Wasick?

Here.

18 members present.

Thank you.

We have no addenda to the agenda.

We do have a presentation of employee recognition.

So I'm really pleased to recognize Tiffany Cress for her 30 years of service.

Whereas over the course of 30 years, Tiffany Cress has exemplified professionalism, dedication, and a steadfast commitment to the mission and values of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

And whereas since beginning her career with the department in January 1996, Tiffany has made significant and lasting contributions to the gang and narcotics division and felony trial division in her role as senior paralegal.

And whereas she has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues and Lake County law enforcement agencies through her critical assistance in complex narcotics investigations, including the preparation of thousands of narcotics search warrants, seizure warrants, and GPS tracking orders.

And whereas Tiffany has played an integral role in the forfeiture of hundreds of thousands of dollars seized from drug dealers, which directly enhances law enforcement's ability to conduct effective investigations.

And whereas her collaborative spirit, institutional knowledge, and tireless dedication stand as a shining example of public service done with pride, purpose, and professionalism.

Now, therefore, be it recognized by this county board of Lake County, Illinois, that Tiffany Cress is celebrating 30 years of distinguished service, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

Her commitment, valuable contributions, and lasting impact are sincerely appreciated, and we extend our sincere gratitude for her continued service to the residents of Lake County, dated at Waukegan, Illinois, on February 10, 2026.

And if you could join me up, oh, up at the podium, Tiffany, please.

I don't know if anybody else would like family.

How are you?

And you don't want to sign.

Thank you.

If I can have you, could you get an answer?

Okay.

Yes, ma'am.

Oh.

Okay.

And look at me.

One, two, three.

One more.

And one, two, three.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just wanted to thank the county board for this recognition.

Thank you to Mr.

Reinhardt for being here and um my other colleagues.

And it has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people in Lake County.

And I look forward to a few more years.

Thank you.

Could you say okay?

And we have another special recognition.

Oh, thank you.

I'm sorry, Vice Chair Cunningham wanted to speak.

Thank you.

Go ahead, Vice Chair.

I see your hand is up.

Maybe she can't hear me very well.

I do think we might be having trouble with Zoom as well.

Okay.

All right.

So we're having some technical difficulties.

Okay, so I'm going to move on, and then if we are able to, after this, then we'll give her the floor.

Uh next is a special recognition of Lauren Kalsheim Rothenberg for 30 years of service.

Whereas Lauren Kalsheim Rothenburg has dedicated her career to upholding the highest standards of justice, maintaining a firm commitment to public safety, and working tirelessly to make Lake County a safer community.

And whereas since beginning her service with the Lake County State's Attorney's Office in January 1996, Lauren has served with distinction in numerous divisions of the state's attorney's office during her tenure, including traffic, misdemeanor, domestic violence, juvenile justice, felony review, felony drug, felony trial, specialty courts, and violent crimes.

And whereas Lauren is an exceptional trial lawyer, widely recognized for her outstanding work ethic and willingness to devote long hours to the pursuit of justice, prosecuting complex and serious cases involving involving child and adult sexual offenses, violent crimes, firearm cases, attempted murders, and homicide.

And whereas the pinnacle of Lauren's career was her role in the prosecution of Robert Cremo III, the Highland Park Independence Day mass shooter.

And whereas she treats all victims with compassion and respect, listens attentively to their concerns, and works tirelessly to ensure violent criminals are held accountable.

And whereas Lauren is a trusted leader and mentor to her co-workers.

Sorry.

That's okay.

Lauren is a trusted leader and mentor to her co-workers, generously sharing her knowledge and experience and contributing to the professional growth and successes of those around her.

And whereas she attributes her professional achievements to the unwavering support of her family and the collaboration of her colleagues, past and present within the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

Now, therefore, be it recognized by this county board of Lake County, Illinois, that Lauren Calsheim Rothenburg is celebrating 30 years of dedication and unwavering commitment to providing justice and safety.

Her profound contributions to the legal profession and the residents of Lake County have made a lasting and meaningful impact on countless people's lives, dated at Waukegan, Illinois on February 10, 2026.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Hi, how are you?

Good.

I'm good.

Nice to see you.

All right, I know Tammy's gonna get us to line up here.

I just wanted to run her.

Hi.

Should I see that?

Tammy, you want to use the photo in this photo first.

There you go.

Thank you so much.

Yes, please.

Thank you.

And then I'm holding that.

Would you like your three?

And one, two, three.

And we'll do one more.

One, two, three.

Thank you.

Thank you so much to the Lake County Board for recognizing both mine and my colleagues' achievements.

In our 30 years on the job, we don't get a lot of thank yous or recognition.

And so we really do appreciate it.

And it has been my honor to serve the people of Lake County and help ensure justice is served to countless crime victims.

And like Tiffany, I have a few more as well.

So we will continue to do that.

Good morning, everyone.

I'll be brief.

I know we have a uh a lot a long agenda.

I just want to I just want to thank Lauren and Tiffany uh for their unbelievable service.

Uh when you think about when you think about safety, when you think about the criminal justice system, these are the amazing professionals and individuals uh who are helping us on a daily basis on an hourly basis, uh, make sure that we do the things we need need to do to keep people safe.

They are uh fantastic professionals and they are the type of employees that we need to make sure uh are recognized, but also that we continue to keep in the county as long as we can, and that we always make sure that we are thinking about the compensation and pay structure for such long-standing employees, and I think that that is something that we need to make sure we are taking care of in the future.

Thank you very much to Tiffany and Lauren for your amazing work.

And Vice Chair Cunningham, I know you had uh raised your hand to speak, so um, if you if you would like to um go ahead, did you want to speak, Vice Chair or no?

I just want to congratulate Lars Bonha Hardwork from the Space Attorney's Office.

I'm sorry I can't be there, but um I'm always supportive of a states attorney.

Great, thank you.

Okay, moving on, we have a special recognition of 211 Day in Lake County to be read by Member Hunter.

Thanks, Chair.

Uh special recognition, whereas United Way of Lake County has been dedicated to serving children and families in our communities for more than a hundred years, and whereas 211 Lake County is a critical community service that is available to all residents across the county.

It was launched by United Way of Lake County in partnership with Lake County government on September 24th, 2019.

And whereas 211 is a free, confidential, easy to remember, one stop helpline that connects people in need to wide range of essential health and human services and reduces non-emergency calls to 911.

And whereas 211 connects Lake County residents by phone, text, and online to assistance 24 hours a day, every day of the year, regardless of the language they speak or where they live in the county.

And whereas 211 expert navigators are trained specialists who will listen, identify underlying problems, and guide people to available resources.

And whereas, since the launch of 211 has made more than 448,000 connections to assistance for residents across the zip codes in Lake County.

And whereas in the past year alone, 211 team members answered 9,299 calls and texts from residents addressing 13,905 needs requests and 15,041 referrals, offering compet uh combion while helping with housing and shelter, utilities, employment and income support, food, health care, government and legal support, mental health, and addiction.

And whereas 211 provides vital information and referrals every day to individuals and families in our community to improve and save lives, and whereas 211 is now available to 99% of America's population with Lake County leading the way and serving as a model for other Illinois communities, helping to ensure that every Illinois resident has access to quality information, resources, and assistance for addressing health and human service needs.

And whereas Lake County government has been community partner with 211 from the beginning and is committed to raising awareness and providing support to ensure this service can be used by Lake County residents for years to come.

Now, therefore, be it recognized that by this Lake County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that February 11th, 2026 is 211 day in Lake County, and encourages everyone to know about 211, spread the word and help it one call, one text and one click away.

Dated Waukeegan, Illinois, February 10th, 2026.

Thank you very much.

And um folks here from United Way Lake County.

Thank you so much for being here.

It's nice to see you.

Thank you.

And hopefully you'd like to say a few words.

Kevin, you're on the oh great.

There you are.

Thank you.

Oh, that's just all.

Maybe this to you all.

Thanks.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Great.

Thank you.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

I would like to thank you, Chair Hart.

Thank you, Member Hunter.

Thank you, all the members of the board who have been amazing partners for this system two-on-one that we launched together in 2019.

Kevin Hunter said all of the all of my notes from the presentation, but we're so proud to have almost 450,000 referrals for assistance since this program started just before COVID.

I think all of you know that we thought that this would be sort of a slow, we would get our feet underneath ourselves.

And then COVID happened, and then it ballooned into this into this amazing program that has served so many people, and I'm so very, very proud that it's able to serve so many people.

Six, seven years ago, I didn't personally have a good way to refer people that I met on a day-to-day basis to all the kinds of services.

I knew they were out there.

We all knew that they were out there, but it was challenging to get them connected.

It was challenging to make sure that they got the referrals that they need and that they got the services that they need because Lake County is such a wonderful, such a supported community.

There's so many services.

It's just a matter of getting people connected to the right things.

So I'm so delighted to get this recognition and to get this wonderful award.

I'd like to thank my board chair, Glenda Abbott as well for coming with me today and being a part of this.

Thank you all so very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Clark.

Thank you.

I remember when I first got on this board in 2018, there was 21, no 211.

And I remember getting like a binder and handouts, and they were like, if you have a constituent with a problem, you could could have look through here and maybe we could find something.

I mean, it was very overwhelming and it was really inefficient.

And then I remember former uh board member Steve Carlson, one of the first conversations I had with him was about 211.

He's like, you know, we need to bring this to Lake County and the whole board.

We were talking that we need to bring this to Lake County.

And it's something I'm really proud of that we do that Lake County funds this for our residents.

Now, when people have questions, I'm I mean, literally, it's like just call 211.

It's with all the different languages, whatever they need.

And I have to say, when we did this in 2019, we did not know COVID was happening.

And many times during COVID, I mean, it was like, what would we have done for all everyone with questions?

It was just call 211.

And I know we were one of the first counties in Illinois to implement 211.

I believe many of them now have followed our lead in this national program.

And um, I just think it's one of those things we need to look at.

This is what government does for our residents is you provide this great service.

And I want to thank everyone who served on this and the youngest board for really supporting it with our with our revenue.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Uh moving on, item number three is a presentation of Lake County's America 250 announcements.

Be read by Deputy County Administrator Matt Myers.

And I really want to thank members Diane Hewitt and Jennifer Clark for really having the leadership to say, hey, Lake County really needs to do something to celebrate this important anniversary.

So thank you both for that.

Thank you, Chair.

It's a great introduction.

Um, Matt Myers, Deputy County Administrator.

Uh, one of the things that we committed to uh to the board is a monthly up leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was coming to you with our announcements and presentations uh related to the events and other fun activities that we're um launching every month.

So today I'm excited to announce the kickoff of our art and essay contest for Lake County students, titled We the People, America Through My Eyes.

This contest uh is open to all students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and it invites our uh young people to explore what America's 250th birthday means to them.

Students are encouraged to share their personal vision of America through their art and writing and their own unique perspectives.

Entries will be judged in four grade level categories kindergarten through second, third through fifth, sixth through eighth, and ninth through twelfth.

The submission deadline will be April 15th.

Winners will be announced by June 1st, and those winners will be recognized back here at our June 9th County Board meeting.

More information is available on our website at Lake County I Lake County IL.gov forward slash 250 contest, and that's 250 contest.

I had a flyer, but I don't think I'm gonna mess with this this morning.

So uh the flyer will be on our website.

Um also this week we're launching a brand new social media campaign series uh called This Moment in Lake County History.

This series will provide information on events that help shape our county and communities throughout this campaign.

We'll be sharing short, engaging stories that educate and spark curiosity about Lake County's past across all of our social media platforms.

These posts are being developed in collaboration with the Lake County Forest Preserves Dunn Museum and the historical societies across our county.

It's a great example of how we're bringing the America 250 celebration to life by partnering with local historians, honoring our shared history, and inviting residents to rediscover the moments that shaped the Lake County that we know today.

That's what I have, Chair.

Thank you.

Any comments on this item?

Thank you, Member Clark.

I know I'm really excited.

I really want to thank this board, Member Hewitt, Chair Hart, everyone for this.

I mean, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it's such an important time in our country's history.

Um, and as a teacher and educator, I'm so excited about these uh opportunities for our young people to get involved with these essay contests and this whole um you know what's going on in Lake County history.

I think it's really important we look to the history of this country in Lake County as we bring um as we for hours recelebrate this important year.

So I do want to thank the board and everyone for supporting this.

And I'm really excited to see those essays and hear what our uh the students have to say.

So thank you.

Great, thank you.

Anyone else?

Okay, thank you.

And again, thank you both for your for your leadership in this great idea.

Uh moving on, we do have public comment for items not on the agenda today.

Yes.

Okay.

Yes, we do.

Um, so for those making public comment, whether here in person or on Zoom, all comments must be related to agenda items or otherwise germane to the business of the county board and must not be redundant.

Each person who makes public comment will have a maximum of three minutes for their comments.

This three minute limit is cumulative, so if a person makes comments on more than one item, they will have a total maximum of three minutes of time.

For those here in person, there will be a three-minute timer at the podium.

Uh, when you have 20 seconds left, the yellow light on the podium will come on.

And when the red light comes on, your time is expired.

For those attending on Zoom, if you are participating by video on the Zoom screen, you will see the timer located here at the podium.

Um, and if you are participating by audio only, we will notify you when you have 20 seconds remaining.

Uh, when appropriate, matters that are raised during public comment may be referred to an appropriate standing committee.

All those making public comment must refrain from commenting about private activities, lifestyles, or beliefs of others, including county employees and elected officials.

If those comments are unrelated to the business of the county board or county government.

Also, comments that are uncivil, rude, vulgar, profane, or otherwise disruptive are not allowed.

Um, neither are comments promoting or supporting a candidate for office, and any candidates uh who are running for off any commenters pardon me who are running for public office must refrain from identifying themselves as a candidate during their comments.

Um, our first uh comment in person today is Dean Barker.

Hi, my name is Dean Barker.

I'm a resident of Winnebago County.

Good morning, and I'm here to share some critical information about regarding our state's voter roles and voter history from the 2024 general election.

This information comes to us from extensive research conducted by a team of data experts from Unite for Freedom, a national nationwide nonpartisan volunteer organization.

Their team metriculously analyzed official election files from both federal and state sources.

While I'm not an official spokesperson for Unite for Freedom, I am a dedicated volunteer who is deeply concerned by the findings.

Findings that are based exclusively on official state election data.

Our analysis of the certified results from both 2022 and 2024 general elections reveal that not all votes counted were valid and accurate under the law.

These findings are substantial and warrant careful consideration.

They have already been shared with state election officials and law enforcement agencies and have been submitted as evidence in federal court as part of ongoing litigation by Unite for Freedom and other parties.

Unite for Freedom is not alone in raising these concerns.

Recent executive actions at the federal level, such as the executive order entitled titled Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.

Underscore the Urgent Need to Enforce and Carify existing election laws.

These directives are intended to guide state compliance and ensure the election crimes are prosecuted.

Because of the integrity of our electoral system is at stake.

Therefore, we are here to seek your awareness, understanding, support, and action.

We are proposing a resolution that highlights key statistics and calls for an end to inaccuracies and uncertainties that compromise our elections.

By adopting this resolution, you will demonstrate your commitment to your constituents' concerns and your dedication to upholding voter civil rights and the integrity of our election here in Lake County.

It's imperative to address these issues now.

If we do not act, the same election system and procedures that led to errors in 2022 and 2024 will likely produce similar results in our upcoming 2026 general election.

At this time, I'll turn it over to a next reader to present the resolution.

Thank you.

Next comment is Brian Jones.

My name is Brian Jones.

I'm a resident of Winnebago County.

To continue, I will read the resolution entitled a resolution for legally valid 2026 general election, whereas free and fair elections form a cornerstone of the Republic of the United States, as stated in Reynolds v.

Sims 377 U.S.

533, 1964.

The right of suffrage can be denied by the debasement or dilution of the weight of a citizen's vote just as effectively as by wholly prohibiting the free exercise of the franchise.

Whereas election officials bear the responsibility to ensure that elections remain accurate and free from manipulation.

Whereas our constitution, constitutional system of representative government relies on four fundamental principles for validity in our elections.

One, accurate voter rolls.

Election officials must maintain voter registration lists that are current and correct, which includes facilitating the registration of eligible citizens as well as preventing the registration of non-citizens' fictitious names ineligible applicants, National Voter Registration Act 1993, number two, eligible voters, excuse me, eligible votes only.

Election officials must only count votes cast by eligible voters.

The U.S.

Constitution 14th Amendment.

Three vote reconciliation.

Election officials must ensure that the number of votes counted matches the number of participating voters for system accuracy.

Voting systems must achieve accuracy standards set by Congress by limiting ballot counting errors to no more than one error per 125,000 ballots under the Help America Vote Act 2002.

Election officials must substantial substantiate assertions of accurate outcomes with transparent records.

Thank you.

Do we have any other public comment?

We do.

By definition, only eligible citizens are voters.

Election officials violate civil rights, undermine public trust, and jeopardize national security when they certify an election that fails to reach the standard.

Whereas the irregularities in the official records of the 2024 general election call into question the validity of the election, threatening the guaranteed protection of our natural rights under a Republican form of government.

This emergency inflicts immeasurable harm upon our families, our way of life, and the fabric of these United States.

It raises the specter of false representation in U.S.

Congress and state governments, an allegation that election officials are currently unable to disprove.

Therefore, be it resolved.

U.S.

citizens before their votes are counted.

If a voter's eligibility is in question, their vote must be held as provisional until legally verified.

Number three, ballot security, enforce all issued and counted ballots to comply with robust chain of custody protocols to secure ballots from forgery, tampering, coercion, destruction, or injection.

Ms.

Pauzus, your time has expired.

Thank you.

The next comment is Jody Zitko.

I'm Jody Zitko, and I am a resident of Kane County, and I'm one of the co-directors for the Illinois chapter of Unite for Freedom.

Ballot Security, enforce all issued and counted ballots to comply with robust chain of custody protocols to secure ballots from forgery, tampering, coercion, destruction of injection.

Accurate counts, ensure all voted ballots are received, and every valid valid ballot is accurately counted with any material questions resolved through lawful adjudication procedures with oversight.

Proven outcomes.

Election officials must investigate and resolve, or if necessary, readminister any elections that cannot be proven.

Accurate and compliant.

In every jurisdiction, officials must provide records substantiating election and initiative results to citizens.

Additionally, officials must securely store all ballots and operational records, including electronic records, to protect them from auditing purposes for auditing purposes and for from tampering or alteration.

Be it further resolved that the Lake County Board calls upon Lee County Board calls upon county, state, and federal legislators, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, judges, and election boards to uphold these principles, ensure legal compliance, and restore public confidence in our electoral system.

Our signature your signatures to the resolution would affirm commitment to protecting the constitutional mandate of legitimate representative government and ensuring that every valid vote is counted accurately and lawfully.

In conclusion, you've just heard a resolution that exposes significant inaccuracies from voter registration through the certification of the 2024 general election.

It calls for immediate substantive action to ensure the integrity of the 2026 general election for all voters.

The resolution is firmly grounded in multiple U.S.

Supreme Court precedents which underscore the necessity of these corrective measures.

Our current election procedures do not fully comply with established laws, and these laws are too often disregarded.

Some citizens, including elected officials, mistakenly believe that these issues can be ignored because the president, the current administration, and other officials may be handling it.

The complacency represents an abdication of civic responsibility.

Benjamin Franklin's warning, it's a republic if you can keep it, applies not only to this generation, but to ours as well.

Your leadership and decisive action are urgently needed.

Our voting system, which should protect our most fundamental right, the right to choose our representative, our representatives is failing to deliver accurate, transparent and verifiable results.

Should we continue to ignore the anomalies within our election system, a system essential to our national security?

The cost of inaction extends far beyond dollars.

Thank you.

Next is Ken Zitko.

My name is Ken Zitko, and I am also an Illinois State Chapter Director for Unite for Freedom.

Our leadership and decisive action are urgently urgently needed.

Our voting system, which should protect our most fundamental right, the right to choose our representatives is failing to deliver accurate, transparent, and verifiable results.

Should we continue to ignore the anomalies within our election system, a system essential to our national security?

The cost of inaction extends far beyond dollars.

It threatens our economy, military, foreign policy, public health, the confidence of our youth, and our national dignity.

The states cannot be higher.

I urge you to demonstrate your commitment to American representative government by passing this resolution.

Let us consider the broader context.

Many Americans, including a significant number of residents in Illinois as well as in Lake County, have concerns about the reliability and transparency of our elections.

While we all wish this were not the case, official government data substantiates these concerns, and the law requires that they be addressed to safeguard our liberty.

Regrettably, government representatives at various levels have not been transparent or responsive to citizen audits of official election data.

The right to choose our representatives through lawful and transparent elections is the cornerstone of our constitutional republic, a right fiercely defended for over two centuries by the sacrifices of our brothers, fathers, mothers, sisters, and for some of us our children.

Today you have the opportunity to uphold that legacy and demonstrate to your constituents that you value American liberty by passing this resolution.

It's worth noting that we've been here before about a year ago, Unite for Freedom.

Some of the same people that presented today presented a resolution for a legally valid 2024 general election.

We presented here and in 50 other counties across the state in Illinois.

A year ago, we presented the scorecard from the 2022 general election.

Today we present the scorecard from the 2024 general election, and it shows that the numbers of apparent violations and number of seemingly invalid votes is increasing.

We've presented a lot of information today.

So let me summarize.

We are here asking the county board to support the work of Unite for Freedom is doing in our effort to hold the state election authority accountable.

Signing our resolution would demonstrate that you stand with us as we demand fair ballot and certifiable elections.

I realize that this issue may need to be on the agenda for the board to discuss and vote on it.

If that's the case, we ask that you invite us back and place this issue on the agenda so we can provide a more detailed presentation and answer any questions that you may have.

Contact information for the state chapter directors is included in the documents I've just provided.

For further information, Unite for Freedom website provides informative videos explaining the anomalies, apparent legal violations, and lawsuits identified in Illinois and other states.

I encourage you to visit UniteforFreedom.com.

That's Unite, the number four freedom.com to learn more about our project and this vital issue.

Thank you for your attention.

Next is Rayan Edwards.

Everybody else.

Let me begin.

I you know got thrown off.

Um let me first say that our county clerk who's doing an absolutely fabulous job.

I don't think anybody giving him enough credit.

You understand what I'm saying?

And I'm saying that to say this.

I've been going to the polls for the last eight years, and since that man has been sitting in that chair, a lot about elections have changed.

The lines have gotten shorter.

People are more professional.

Okay?

So we're talking about votes and we're talking about, you know, fighting for people.

But we got a president in this office that's doing a whole lot of things.

And I don't see these organizations, primarily this one, speaking out about what's going on on the federal level, which is damaging us on the state level.

I think we need to start there.

When we start talking about that, then we can get to the table and have a real conversation.

You know, this is what happens when we play politics.

It's disgusting, y'all.

My babies is watching this and they're confused.

But today I want to talk about DCFS.

I want to know what this county board is gonna do.

Because I was watching, got an eight-year-old that's dead right now.

And we shouldn't be here.

Because if DCFS was doing their job, that baby would have been safe.

That baby would have been safe.

Let me say that again.

The same thing with Pads, a horrible, horrible organization.

The mom of homeless peoples I have out here.

And pass how on their website of all the bees that they're gonna do.

I took four homeless people to go get an ID from the DMB.

Only to find out the past can write a referral and they can get the ID for free.

But I'm gonna unbeknown to the DMB.

We have already written the past.

They look me directly in my face and say we don't give our IDs.

So we steady stuffing them all of this money to do what?

To take pictures?

Because I see the director taking pictures, but I don't see them at what a real help is needed.

I sits in a library daily and homeless people flood through there, and I've beg to create an office in there.

Why be away from the homeless people when you know they are already struggling to get to you?

And then when you go and you make an appointment, if you can't smoke to decide not to show up at work, your appointment is over.

I also want this hospital to talk about this hospital.

We steal quiet about it.

The biggest city in Lake County.

I've got no can come through here for everything else when it's an election.

The biggest city in Lake County don't have an apple hospital.

I got people on my social media right now saying I went to the hospital, they gave me a prescription, I went to go get a field, and it can't be field.

This board needs to do something and do something fast.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My next chair's remarks.

Oh, do we have another one?

We have, yeah.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Excuse me.

Okay, thank you.

Next is Spencer Elliott.

Good morning, counsel.

My name is Spencer Elliott, and I'm a resident in Lake County.

I'm here to request that the county cancel their contract with Flock and remove all flock cameras.

To start, I would like to discuss not just my concern, but my community's concern with the citywide surveillance that has been taking place due to these flock cameras.

Myself and many others have been concerned with the mass data collection and documented misuses of this data all across the United States.

The problem with mass surveillance is that it always expands beyond the uses for which it is initially justified.

The Fourth Amendment states that the people have protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

These AI controlled cameras are constantly taking time-stamped photos of every car that passes through its site, thus creating a timeline of your daily routes.

This invasive use of surveillance is essentially warrantless searches.

Many of us in the community are worried about what this data collection entails.

There's already been documented misuse of this data in our own state in Evanston.

A state audit found that Flock was illegally sharing Illinois citizens' data with federal agencies.

And this will not be the last time this happens.

The judge ruling on this case compared it to placing a GPS tracker on every vehicle.

A practice that the Supreme Court has ruled requires a warrant.

Courts separate isolated instances of police observation and large-scale automated tracking systems.

In the United States versus Jones, 2012, Justice Sonia Sodemeyer's concurrence explained that GPS tracking, quote, generates a precise, comprehensive record of a person's public movements that reflects a wealth of detail about their familial, political, professional, religious, and sexual associations.

These tools are often sold to cities and communities as a beacon of safety.

This is not always the case as AI tools commonly elicit false positives.

All in all, these cameras don't provide a sense of security.

They provide tools for those in power to subjugate, discriminate, and persecute the community.

True safety comes from healthy empowered communities, not automated suspicion.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Morgan Coghill.

And I'm sorry, and I should have done this earlier.

I'm just gonna request that people not applaud just to keep things in alignment.

Thank you.

Morgan Coghill.

Then our final comment is Alexandria Keating Sokiakis, Sophia.

Sorry, if I must mess.

We have a thing about state.

It's more.

Oh, I'm sorry.

My name is Morgan Coghill.

I'm a resident of Lake County in Mundalein, but I have a lot of friends in the Antioch area.

And it has come to our attention that there's a proposed pipeline to be built from the Antioch area to Wisconsin to power a data center that is going up there for Microsoft.

And this is a potential disaster on any number of fronts, from environmental to property damage to explosions to just simply eminent domain for the benefit of most wealthy who get tax abatements, who get advantage, but they put our communities at risk.

The contractor involved, Kinder Morgan has a bad history of their pipelines.

Slow reactions to slow leaks and even explosions.

And even more so in Antioch, there are drain tiles that are over a hundred years old.

So in the case of a slow leak and an explosion, that explosion spreads a lot further than it would if it was just a pipeline built along a road.

It's basically a maze that provides a chimney that is going to blow the debris and the damage all over the area.

And why?

This is to fund AI data centers for the mega rich while they pump up our cost of living, including energy, electricity, water, etc.

They're even threatening older residents of Antioch with eminent domain, saying, well, you know, it'd be a shame what happened to your property if we get the if we get the federal permits we need to run this pipeline into Wisconsin.

So I would ask the board to consider rejecting any plans to extend this pipeline into Wisconsin due to the fact that there's no good reason for it.

We shouldn't have it.

It's a danger to all of us here in Lake County.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Final comment is Alexander.

I'd ask that there be no applause, please.

Thank you.

We have a lot of public comments today.

Alexandria Keating Sofiakis.

Oh no, you'll get it.

Okay.

I gotta go.

Go ahead when you're ready.

All right, I'm Alexander King Sophiakis.

I'm a resident of Lake County.

I've lived in Lake County nearly my entire life.

I am also a former political science major, and I thought it important to get on the public record, uh, just since so many others have commented before me on what, in my humble opinion, is relevant to actually helping our democracy.

There is a lot of things that could help our electoral system.

But from my observation and from my studies, it does not seem to be miscounted votes or anything like that.

The issues are things like ranked choice voting or any partisan gerrymandering or making voting day a national holiday, things like this.

The concept and fear mongering that miscounted votes are the big fraudulent thing, and that this election or that election is stolen.

It's simply just not based in the truth.

And yes, of course, we all want to be every election to be better.

We want every single vote to be perfectly accurate.

But it does upset me that some inauthentic techniques and patterns are used to sort of take advantage of systems to fearmonger about things that aren't necessarily what I think should be our top priority.

I mean, if you look at ranked choice voting, it affects and benefits all people.

It's not a partisan issue.

But saying that certain votes are very concerned and they're fraudulent and stuff sounds unpartisan and unbiased.

But look at how it's implemented every single time.

It always affects certain types of communities.

Sure.

In theory, everybody having a voting ID sounds nice.

But notice how none of those people say we're gonna make those voting IDs free and we're gonna build more places that you could get those IDs.

So that's what I wanted to say.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I would just ask to hold applause.

Thank you so much.

No further comments on non-agenda items actually.

Okay, thank you very much.

Um, so as we all know, the next election is upon us, and I'm giving Clerk Vega some time in my chair's remarks to talk about that.

If we could have you, Chair Hart.

Um March 17th is election day.

I would remind all voters that if you're voting by mail, the post office has made some change operational changes that will impact the timely delivery uh vote by mail ballots.

So please make sure that you do not wait and return your vote by mail ballot as soon as possible, whether it's through the United States Postal Service or at any of our drop boxes across the county.

We have seven external drop boxes, and we have internal drop boxes uh at all early voting locations.

And what I will say uh, you know, is every election authority is committed in ensuring our free and fair election.

Part of our job is to show our work and there are robust checks and balances.

We have odd post-election audits and we have pre-election testing.

Uh I encourage any citizen that is interested in how elections are conducted to become a poll watcher to ask the election authority to get a behind-the-scenes look as to how our elections are run.

Um keeping voter rolls is a very difficult task.

It is up to the voter to keep their voter registration status uh updated.

However, if we're truly concerned about making sure that election authorities have uh are able to do their job, maintaining accurate voter roles, maintaining most up-to-date equipment, then we also must be committed to funding election authorities across the country, which is why I joined a bipartisan group of election authorities in the fall to advocate for increased HAVA funding, which we have accomplished.

We increased uh the Congress has increased HABA funding by over 30 million dollars in fiscal year 26, and we will continue that advocacy.

And I will be remiss if I did not point out that this county board has committed county funds year over year to ensure that our election systems in Lake County are secure and they are up to the to the newest standard, and we will continue to do that every single uh every single year as long as I am clerk, and I thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you, Clerk Vega.

I feel very fortunate to have you here to talk about our upcoming elections and the security of our elections.

I appreciate it very much.

Uh I'll try to be brief.

Uh we had a housing lake meeting, several board members attended.

Uh we also had a legislative breakfast uh with Lake County Municipal League, legislative chair Wasick was there along with Forest Preserve's President Volitzik.

I also want to thank Linda Peterson for arranging a meeting with Tom and Lynn Doolittle regarding the Grubb School Drainage District.

I have consistently said that the elimination or consolidation of drainage districts is made on a case-by-case basis, and I really appreciated the time that the Doolittles gave me to talk to me and Linda about the work they do in their district to reduce flooding.

And after meeting with them and seeing that really the vast majority of the assessments go towards those improvements, I'm absolutely comfortable leaving that district in place, and I'm very grateful to them for their leadership on that district.

Uh last night I read in the New York Times that the Trump administration is cutting federal health care funds in to some states that did not support him in the last election, which includes the state of Illinois.

About two dozen of the grants were aimed at curbing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Congress had already appropriated the funds, so I assume there will be yet more lawsuits to keep this money for the residents of Illinois.

And as a reminder, uh Illinois gives more money to the federal government than we receive back, and that gap is widening under the Trump administration.

These haphazard and chaotic decisions and then rescinded decisions cost time and money and really flies in the face of a government that should be responding to the needs and the science.

I feel very fortunate to have an attorney general who is always stepping up to fight to keep these monies here in Illinois.

So we do have a couple of those items on the agenda.

So I'm sure Chris Hoff is available, and we can ask him if those would be some of those that are scheduled to be cut.

Um and also just want to remind everybody we have the upcoming uh Lake County Coalition for Housing Summit on Wednesday at the ROE's new office in Lake Forest.

Uh we have no unfinished business, new business is consent agenda items four through 29.

May I have a motion, please?

Motion by Member Kenisnik, second by member Kyle.

Um thank you, Member Kasman.

I would like to remove the items, please.

Thank you.

Okay.

So we have a motion and a second for consent agenda items four through 29, but removing items 13 and 14 may have a roll call, please.

Do we have a second?

We did have a second by member Kyle.

Member Altenberg.

Aye.

Member Campos.

Member Kasman.

Aye.

Member Clark.

Aye.

Member Cunningham.

Aye.

Aye.

Member Cunningham is aye.

Thank you, ma'am.

Uh member Danport.

Okay, so hang on.

If somebody could mute uh uh Vice Chair Connor, perfect, thank you.

Member Danport.

Aye.

Member Frank, aye.

Member Hart?

Aye.

Member Hewitt.

Aye.

Member Hunter.

Aye.

Member Knushnick.

Aye.

Member Kyle.

Aye.

Member Maine.

Aye.

Member Perek.

Aye.

Member Peterson.

Aye.

Member Roberts.

Aye.

Member Schlick.

Aye.

Member Volitzick.

Aye.

Member Wasick?

All right.

19 aye.

Thank you.

Motion passes.

Moving to our regular agenda.

We have a board of health report to be read by Member Harek.

Thank you.

Chair.

The Health Department's withdrawal management unit reopened at the end of January.

House.

Treatment program withdrawal management provides a safe, supportive, and treatment focused option for individuals in their substance use recovery journey.

Addictions treatment program services include individual, group, and family counseling, case management, medical and psychiatric services, and peer support.

Eligible individuals are not denied services based on inability to pay or insurance status.

The health department substance abuse program provides continued methadone treatment to jail in jailed inmates with opioid use dependents that are already being treated with methadone prior to incarceration.

The substance abuse program finalized an agreement with the Lake County Jail Sheriff's Office in October 2024 and started delivering methadone guest doses to the jail in January 2025.

Since January 2025, substance abuse program has received 72 referrals from the jail, 72 as of 122, 26, and 67 in last year's calendar year.

Prior to this agreement, inmates of methadone were not able to continue treatment while in jail, and the methadone was discontinued.

Research shows that providing methadone treatment in jail prevents return to substance use upon release, reduces the risk of non-fatal and fatal overdose upon release, and increases the likelihood of continuing methadone and being engaged in treatment post release.

The substance abuse program started to provide evidence-based substance abuse group treatment in January in the jail in January 2026.

Treatment groups are two times a week and for four week sessions.

Providing substance use education and treatment to incarcerated individuals has shown to reduce relapse upon release, reduce recidivism, improve relationships, and improve health and mental health symptoms.

That concludes my report.

Thank you.

Moving on, we have those two consent agenda items that were removed.

So that would be item 13 for health and community services to be read by member Park.

That's okay.

13 and 14.

13 and 14.

Sorry.

Item 13 is a joint resolution approving the second amendment to the Home American Rescue Plan, also known as Home ARP allocation plan.

Can I have a motion?

Thank you.

Motion by Member Park, second by member Maine.

Any discussion on this item?

Member Kasmin.

I have to recuse myself from this vote because of my participation on the board of Pazlake County.

Thank you.

Any other comments on this?

Seeing none, all those in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion passes with one recusal.

Thank you.

Item 14, please.

Yes, item 14 is a joint resolution approving the third amendment to the program year 2025.

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Annual Action Plan.

Can I have a motion?

Thank you.

Motion by Member Parak.

Second by Member Campos.

Any discussion on this item?

Thank you.

Member Camp.

Excuse me, Member Kasman.

I have to reacuse myself for the same reason.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh seeing no other comments.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion passes with one recusal.

Thank you.

And then item 31, please, Member Parrick.

Joint item 31 is a joint resolution approving an emergency appropriation of 2 million, $2 million for fiscal year 2026 and accepting funding for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, also known as DCEO, Healthy Houses Program, and I so move.

Thank you.

Motion by Member Parak.

Second by member Frank.

Any discussion on this item?

Thank you, Member Park.

Yes, um, I'll keep it short, um, Chair, but we we were really excited to receive this uh funding as we discussed in HCS and um we do have a limited window, so it's important that we uh engage all of our community partners and and ask the board as well to um reach out to organizations in their municipalities in helping to get the word out um to help uh our residents with this uh funding.

So thank you.

Great, thank you.

Uh this does require a roll call vote.

May I have a leave for the previous roll call?

Yes, yes, yes, thank you.

Motion passes.

Uh moving on to law and judicial committee, uh, vice chair Roberts, please for item 32.

Item 20.

Um I'm sorry.

That's okay.

Item 32.

32.

I'm in the wrong place.

No worries.

Excuse me.

Uh item 32 is joint resolution authorizing emergency appropriate appropriation with offsetting revenue in the amount of 14,000 to support the 9th judicial circuit court disability accessibility improvement program, and I so move.

Thank you.

Second second by Vice Chair Cunningham.

Any discussion on this item?

Seeing none, this does require a roll call vote.

May I have a leave for the previous roll call?

Yes.

Thank you.

Motion passes.

Moving on to item 33.

Item 33 is board action confirming Lake County support of the responsibility and firearms legislation act, otherwise known as the RIFL Act.

We had good conversation at our legislative committee.

Oh gosh, I just read yours.

Start over, pretend I didn't say anything.

Chair Wasick of Legislative Committee.

Excuse me.

Item number 33 is a board action confirming Lake County support of the Responsibility and Firearm Legislation Act, House Bill 3320, and Senate Bill 2279.

As you know, our legislative program permits any bill acted upon by the legislative committee to be reconsidered by the full county board upon a request from a board member to the county administrator.

I want to thank Member Kniesek for advocating for this measure and bringing this forward.

It's received the support of our state's attorney Eric Reinhardt and majority of the legislative committee this past Tuesday.

Which will be a quantum leap in gun safety education and violence reduction will complement our great gun violence prevention initiative and other successful measures we've taken reduced gun violence and ISO move.

Thank you.

Motion by Member Wasick, second by Member Kanisnik, and I believe we have public comment on this item.

Um why don't I hear from some board members first?

Uh member Hunter.

Thank you, Chair.

Um as a member of the uh legislative committee, I wrote down some notes of what happened the other day uh from my point of view.

And um please bear with me.

Uh at our at our legislative meeting last week, I noticed a larger crowd in attendance.

We were given a presentation under audience comments about the RIFL Act and from multiple people, it was very well coordinated.

Chair opened up the RIFEL Act for committee discussion.

Uh I had to remind myself that this item was nowhere on the agenda, but well coordinated in advance for certain.

I was the only dissenting vote if a vote was to be taken, but no vote was taken.

The chair offered a consensus vote of the committee in the affirmative to add this to the county legislative agenda.

A couple months ago, we as this board voted to allow the legislative committee for which I sit on a special privilege that could advance in a legislative topic with just the committee approval with no time constraints.

This was being taken advantage of, in my opinion, as of we came to find out that the rifle bill was introduced in Springfield February 7th, 2025, exactly one year ago.

So there was no time constraint that was between our two board meetings that this couldn't have been brought to the board.

This is an important topic, and this and it needs to be talked about at a full level, not at committee level.

These actions displayed that this voting provision was being taken advantage of with an item that wasn't even on our agenda.

Once I received the meeting minutes detailing the S to officially put the item on our legislative agenda, I objected as to the topic was was larger than a four-person consensus vote out of committee.

Yes, I wanted this whole committee to be able to talk about it and put yourselves on the put yourselves on the record.

My request was accepted to be put on today's agenda for full board discussion, but the perversion of this bill coming out for us to support one year after it was introduced in Springfield by using time privilege in order to do it, it was just wrong.

I aim to remove this provision from the legislative committee.

It has now shown me it can be real, it could be abused.

Back to item number 33, because that's what this is all about.

I will not support another tax on law abiding gun owners.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Member Schlick.

Thank you, Chair.

I won't bemoan too much of what Member Hunter said, but I was under the same guys.

I was a little disappointed that there seemed to be more board members that were informed and aware of a conversation upcoming at legislative uh than the rest of us.

Umfortunately, I had to miss legislative due to uh an issue at my house.

I I would certainly would have made accommodations if I knew some type of uh larger scale conversation gonna take place on a what's a pretty important topic.

Um so just disappointed.

I know this board is is fairly transparent.

I and I applaud everyone.

I just think sometimes when we get one of those little special interest items, sometimes transparency goes out the window.

And I just I'm just disappointed in that.

Uh speaking to the bill, I would have really liked to have been involved in the conversation, especially sounded like uh one of the presenters was a very you know knowledgeable person, it's not like he was a doctor.

Um I would have liked to you know dig into some of the facts that I think have been presented.

The the statistics, the the dollar amount, uh they look shocking on the uh on the presentation, and I I think those numbers bear looking into.

Um I'm also concerned about the bill, you know.

As Member Hunter said, um, I consider myself a second amendment proponent.

Um that doesn't mean I don't back common sense gun laws.

I think just last year, you know, when Member Kenisney brought up the safe store check.

I was I was an advocate with her.

I think it is smart to be a reasonable gun over to store your gun safely.

But when I see something I think starts infringing on the second amendment, I really want to pause, take a better look.

And being at this bill is a year old, I don't know what the the rush timeline was for.

I think I think this bill could be studied in a lot more.

And I would have loved to see a better, a more involved conversation at committee in a future.

I'm not gonna make any amendments.

We'll let this vote as it is, but I will not be uh I will not be supporting it today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I I just want to comment a little bit sort of on process.

Um, this is a process that the legislative committee approved, uh and I believe it came to the full board for their approval.

And in terms of timing, um my understanding is that it is not the timing of when the bill first surfaced in Springfield, but rather timing of perhaps when the bill um might be heard, or when board members hear about it or decide to advocate for it after learning more about it.

And I can assure you that uh while I understood somebody would be coming to public comment uh to discuss something they wanted the board to know about, there was no uh orchestrated uh work to somehow bypass things.

So I just really wanted to make sure um from you know my point of view, and we could maybe clarify those rules in the legislative committee, but that's the timing, not really when it's in Springfield, but um perhaps when it's going to be moving in Springfield.

Uh I have member Roberts, followed by Member Dan Forth.

Thank you, sir.

Um, as a member of the legislative committee, I just want to make it clear.

I did not receive anything except for the night before the meeting.

So there was no conversations before our committee meeting.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Member Danforth.

Thank you, Chair.

I mean, I find this all very troublesome.

I uh I went back uh had a couple members' requests, and I watched the entire legislative meeting that took place last week, and I was absolutely appalled.

Um, the fact that there seemed to be a court of people who were well aware of what was going to be discussed on the agenda, who are there loaded for bear, ready to go, was disgusting to me.

The fact I in fact, I think the whole thing violates the open meetings act because there was legislation that was going to be talked about.

There was no motion, there was no specificity at all in the agenda of what was going to be discussed.

Yet everybody and their brother that had an interest on passing the RIFL Act were there with their facts and their statistics and ready to have an argument.

Had I known that this was going to take place, and probably the only real expert in this entire industry that sits on this board is me.

I would have been happy to be there.

But I did my homework, thankfully, last night, and I am ready to go.

And I'm ready to explain exactly how Dr.

Douglas, who I sure hope he is a better surgeon than he is a politician, because I went through all his facts and figures, and he didn't tell us the truth.

One of the things that he started out is saying that Illinois uh that the cost for firearm injure injuries in this state is between 18 and 20 billion dollars a year.

That's what he stated.

I listened to it three times.

That's just not true, folks.

And then he went on to state that the number one cause of injury and death for pregnant women in Illinois is firearms.

That's just not true either.

It's actually 60 to 70 percent of deaths and injury caused to pregnant women is the fact that giving birth to a child is high risk and it's medical related, it's not firearms related.

In fact, the number two reason what women uh that are pregnant die or injure is drug related.

That's like 11.4%.

Firearms is like five percent, and knives, I think is another like five percent.

Not saying it's not in is insignificant, but it's not how Dr.

Douglas was selling it.

And then the other thing that I found very interesting about Dr.

Douglas is he seemed like how firearm manufacturers were going to be approached in charge for this licensing fee.

Almost seemed like, hey, look, we're the host or we're the parasite, we don't want to kill the host.

And so we didn't include other things like ammunition and everything else.

We were very calculated.

And how we came up with how we're going to fund the special rifle fund.

And so I dug into that as well.

And you know, the doctor claims, you know, as I said, that we've got 20 billion dollars in annual costs, and that firearms manufacturers need to pay that.

I just want to clear you up or clue you up, folks.

I don't know if you think that the firearm industry is a high profit industry, because I can assure you that it is not.

If you were looking to make money for injury of folks, you would go after the alcohol industry for drunk drivers using alcohol.

Because that's a 1.8 trillion dollar a year industry.

The fire, the total revenue, not the profit, the total revenue of small arms firearms in the world every year is $8 billion.

Their profit is about $800 million a year worldwide, small arms.

Yet the fund that is set up in Illinois that firearm manufacturers are going to have to be responsible for paying every year is get this.

$866 million a year.

So all your manufacturers are gonna say, you know what, we're not gonna do any business whatsoever in Illinois anymore.

And that's why this is really nothing more than a backdoor prohibition of having any firearms sold in the state of Illinois any longer.

Who is going to be compensated for this special rifle fund?

It's interesting.

Almost everybody and their brother, quite literally.

Aunts, uncles.

If you get a child that is killed, you can for up to three years, and if it's a permanent disability, receive child care, receive medical care.

Um if you were the perpetrator of the crime using a firearm and you shot yourself, or you yourself were shot by a police officer and you were injured or killed, you're gonna get paid.

It's all in the bill.

Read it.

I suggest you do.

Because if you haven't, it's not that long.

In fact, most of it, you can read in about a minute and a half because most of the really good stuff or bad stuff is in the synopsis of the bill.

If you haven't read it, please read it.

Um again.

Uh if you look again at who this is designed to compensate.

It's criminals and their family is really what it's gonna boil down to.

And firearms manufacturers cannot afford to pay this.

It's not a high profit business.

Trust me, I was in it for 25 years, and I know that you cannot get this kind of money to member Dan Forrest to leave the state.

And again, Member Dan Ford, just you're over your five minutes.

Okay.

Uh give me 10 more seconds and 10 more seconds.

That's probably why Jennifer Pritzker, the sister of Governor Pitsker, moved her firearms museum and established a brand new huge, beautiful facility right over the border in Wisconsin.

Thank you.

Member, uh let me see, who don't I have?

Oh, I have Member Hewitt, followed by Member Kenisnik.

Thank you, Member Chair.

I just wanted to say I'm not against this bell.

I'm not for this bell.

I just want to say I would have liked to have had more time to investigate and come up with a conclusion myself.

I'm very uncomfortable with where we sit today with answering a question on this bill.

Uh I'm not gonna repeat what everybody has said, but I think a lot of things that were said were very valid and and should be considered.

So therefore, I will not be voting for this bill.

Thank you.

Um, member Kenisnik.

Oh, Fab and Member Main, then Peterson, then Frank.

Thank you.

Uh, I would just like to go on record um correcting some of the inaccuracies.

That we've heard in the last few minutes.

First of all, I'd like to make clear I am not on the legislative committee.

I am not the chair of the legislative committee.

The evening before um last week's legislative committee, I realized that there was no information on the agenda about the rifle act.

Uh so I reached out to every member of the legislative committee, and I offered to give them a heads up and a discussion and answer any questions that they might have about the bill.

I asked them to contact me, the ones who did contact me, I shared the documents that were going to be shared the following day at the legislative committee.

That's the fact sheet about the bill and a PowerPoint presentation.

So anyone who appeared to know about the bill in committee last Tuesday, it's because they responded to my request or my offer to talk with them the night before.

Before that day, I had never discussed with any member of this board ever anything about the RIFEL Act.

The other inaccuracy I would like to clear up, or one thing I would like to clarify, if Member Dan Forth, I appreciate his comments, but as I was listening to them, what I realized is that he was reading the language of the bill that is currently listed on the ILGA website.

That was the original version of the bill.

If he or any other member of this committee had read the documents that were shared in the legislative committee last week, he would have realized that the language of this bill has been changed.

LRB simply has not yet updated it.

If you if you or anyone else, um member Dan Forth uh would like to read for through the documents that I shared with you a little over 48 hours ago, you would see that um many of the comments you made uh regarding issue uh pieces of this bill that are bothering you uh are not in the current version of the bill.

Uh so thank you for allowing me to sort of set the record straight on that.

Um I uh will would like to repeat as clearly as I can, not one member of this board, all 19, ever had a conversation with me about the RIFL Act before Monday, February 2nd.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh, Member Mainfob and Member Peterson.

Thank you.

Um, I'd like to start with a question to the parliamentarian, if I may, and I don't know if this is the parliamentarian.

So my understanding of the how this process unfolded, it was brought up under public comment.

There was, is that for me?

Excuse me, I just thought I was just telling Deputy County Administrator Matt Myers that he might need to come up and talk about process.

Thank you.

I I didn't know.

Um, that there was conversation, and then there was a consensus, and that the plan then was that based on our rules, not saying anything was violated, we can talk about the rules later.

The rules allow a consensus of that committee to take a position for or against the bill.

The reason it came to us is that member Hunter requested that it came to us.

Is that is my understanding of that correct?

That is correct, unless Matt, you want to okay.

That's correct.

So my question to the parliamentarian is since that item was not on the agenda of the legislative committee, and taking a position on the bill for any bill for or against would be considered final action.

Isn't that a violation of our open meetings act because it wasn't on the agenda?

Can you address it?

Yes, please.

Um, so the open meetings act does require that an ordinance or resolution be on an agenda in order for final action to be taken.

So this is not in the form of an ordinance or a resolution, and the process by which the legislative committee can express support is not set forth in the county board rules themselves, but in the separate legislative agenda program that has been adopted by the board.

Um, and so that was the process that was followed.

And since it's not final action on an ordinance or resolution, it does not trigger the open meetings act agenda requirement, but you may wish to speak process.

That was that was very helpful to me.

I think at another time we can talk about rules.

So that's very helpful.

Thank you.

Um my friend and colleague uh member Hewitt, I agree with her opening statements about.

I actually have not read the full bill, and I stopped on purpose because I realized the content of the bill was um immaterial to me because the process is is what of cons is of concern to me.

So we've talked, we've heard for almost a decade now about transparency.

There was clearly people knew, some people knew there was a plan to bring this totally legally to the committee in advance.

Okay.

So, but that wasn't on the agenda.

So the public did not know.

Because our staff did not go through the materials, did not create anything.

There was nothing on this agenda for the public to understand what would we would be discussing and what we would be voting on it.

And that's how I came to find out about this.

I was gone, I got home Sunday night, started going through the agenda.

I'm like, oh, what's this?

Click, nothing there.

I wrote to county administrators, assistant county administrators, and they explain those materials that were provided, those are materials from a public person.

Just as we get public comments here, and people can hand out materials.

Okay.

But the point is is that the things that we have linked in our agenda have gone through our staff process.

And because following the rules, this did not staff couldn't in good conscience put any of that there.

So the public had no understanding.

I think the fact very illuminating that member Kanisnik just shared that it was an old version of the bill really means a lot.

That means if I went in, or the public goes in, uses this agenda, clicks on it, files it, they think we're voting on one thing, and yet we hear we're voting on something else.

I mean, wow, if I wasn't going to support it because of process before, I'm sure not going to support it now with this mixed message as to what the actual bill is.

So that's concerning to me.

Sent me some materials.

It was it was late, I had been out of town, I didn't have a time to get to it.

Um in her message to me, she said she realized there were no docs and docs on the agenda, and she contacted all the committee members and asked them to call her, um, and she said none replied.

It sounds like maybe some replied after she sent me that email.

That's that's unclear to me.

But it just doesn't seem for a large professional organization that we are that we want to be voting on things in which the link in our agenda is going to a bill, which we're now hearing.

Well, that's not the language on the bill now.

So um I I can't support this process.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And before I turn to Member Peterson, I just want to be clear again, and and I'll take a look and send it to everybody about how the vote went when we approved this process.

You might recall we put in this additional process because how it had stood, I think prior to me becoming chair, was that the legislative committee could just add things on, and it would never come to the full board.

So we put in something that would enable board members to uh to say, hey, I'd really like this to be to be discussed.

So if there's concerns with people about transparency, we're actually making it better than it had been in the past, and um the reason why those documents weren't included on the agenda is because they were not created by staff.

So and I just um you know, repeating the same thing does not make it true.

So uh, but so people accusing board members accusing people that other people knew.

I'm the chair of the board.

I did not know that this act would come before this board, period.

I I think I probably would have known.

So I just want to be very clear about that.

Thank you.

Member Peterson Fob and Member Frank.

Thank you.

Um my issue is not the bill itself, my issue is the process, as everyone has spoken prior to me.

I realized that we passed this new rule a few months ago, and I understand that.

But on the other hand, this is was really a very important topic.

I mean, it really was to everybody sitting here, whether you're in favor of it or not, it was a very important topic.

Therefore, I I think we all should have known about it.

Now, I did watch the meeting because I was not I wasn't there, and and I will give um member Kenisnik, I apologize.

I apologize.

But anyway, I give her a lot of credit because she did reach out to me, and we have been playing phone tag for the last three, four days.

And um, I must have called her two, three times.

She must have called me five or six times.

I've never had the opportunity to speak.

But she reached out to me many times, and I give her credit for that.

But that all being said, um, I don't I don't have the answer, but I wonder if we should re-look at that rule because I mean I feel this was really an important topic that we all should have been aware of.

And I you know, and until we look into this, I I can't vote for it today.

But I I don't really truly have a problem with the bill itself.

It's just the way it was handled.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Member Frank, followed by Vice Chair Cunningham.

Yeah, thank you, Chair.

Uh I want to thank Member Knishnik for bringing the topic forward to committee last week.

I also want to thank all the members who've already commented and weighed in.

I think every single person who's spoken has come from a uh a good place.

They have uh good intentions and they're making good points and asking good questions.

I I don't have an issue really substantially with anything that's been said.

Um also want to remind our colleagues that as a county board and as every other local government in the state of Illinois, we have no authority to regulate or tax firearms, firearms dealers in any way.

That that authority rests solely with the state.

What we're doing here is simply saying we think this is a good idea.

That's when we put things on our legislative agenda, we're just telling our legislators we think this is something that the state should enact.

We we cannot enact this law.

We don't have that authority.

We are a creature of the state.

We could drive our authority and our powers from the state.

Um I think that um during his remarks, member Dan Forth referenced um, you know, I think maybe he referenced or maybe you didn't alcohol as a comparison in terms of how things are regulated.

Um, and I I think it's a particularly useful illustration when a bar or establishment overserves someone and they injure themselves or others, that bar, that bartender faces liability and consequences, and um for good or for bad, it does incentivize better behavior.

Alcohol uh can be used responsibly, just like firearms, but there are also risks involved because it also can cause uh uh you know injuries and fatalities when abused.

It can contribute just like firearms.

The liability question is relevant because firearms manufacturers are immune from liability in this country due to an act of Congress.

I think it's fundamentally unfair that that they don't have to uh think about the downstream impacts, uh, injuries and deaths that result from the product that they manufacture and sell and distribute across the country.

And uh we we do have a problem with that in this country, and and I think the uh absolute immunity that Congress enacted is a part of it.

So I think this act uh as proposed to be amended, you know, uh takes a step to looking at what are the health care and impacts and other impacts on the people who are impacted by gun violence in our state.

Um again, back to our authority.

It's not something we can do, but I do think it's a good idea, and I support putting in our agenda.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Vice Chair Cunningham, followed by Member Wasick Thank you.

Uh Chair Hart.

Um I was in the hospital.

I know nothing about this bill.

Uh Melma Kenisha called me a day after I got home, and she told me that about this bill.

I know nothing about it.

I seen no write-up about it.

Um, I think they um then when I looked at my phone after I got home, I see whether David Administrator Matt Miles has sent out an email on this, but I was too sick to uh uh thank you.

Thank this.

I I I never you know, at this point, I'm not gonna be long.

I'm gonna be up front and straight about it.

I don't vote on nothing that I don't know about.

I want to know what I'm voting on.

So on this bill, I know nothing.

I wish I did because I like to support my colleagues, but I can't.

I I have to pass on this bill because I know nothing.

I'm still sick.

Thank you.

Thank you, Vice Chair.

I have member Wasick Five by Member Main.

Thank you, Chair.

I just want to state for the record that there was no concerted conspiracy behind this.

In fact, I did not know who is going to be speaking on the morning of the legislative committee until I got a text message literally before the meeting from state's attorney Reinhardt.

I didn't know about the other people presenting.

So there wasn't really this organized thing that some members are claiming happened.

It didn't happen.

It was just, it's just the reality of the legislative schedule.

We spend uh most of the summer consulting with staff and asking our various department heads, you know, what are our priorities, and we we make every attempt to focus on county business.

Um, and then you know, we have to pretty much nail down the agenda by October, and we vote on it in November.

However, just the political reality is that the actual General Assembly session doesn't start until you know mid to late January.

So there's this huge gap between when we vote on what we think are our priorities and things that might surface that have not been presented to the committee.

We have this just this you know, area where we we're we're trying to reach out to all our legislators and and make contacts with them and to kind of review what we're doing on the committee.

But there is just it was just one of those things that came up later, and it would be my preference to have everything heard at committee and to discuss it in terms of legislative agenda, but that wasn't possible with this particular legislation, and it was um you know thing that came up because we have the flexibility in our rules to to deal with things that come before us, not during our regular uh legislative uh agenda sessions.

So, you know, we followed all the rules.

We all know that we voted on the the flexibility that gave us some wiggle room on when to consider things that come up, not during our regular sessions, but you know, say after we've already voted on the legislative agenda.

So I think we did everything right there.

Um I think we had a really um substantial discussion at committee about this, and it fell under the the umbrella of something that we could have a consensus or not on, and and that's how we did it.

And again, that's within our rules.

So um I believe we we followed uh our process as well as we could.

Personally, I always love to have more discussion on everything, especially if there's some dissent, but this is just the way it kind of fell into our normal process.

So I am still very much in support of this.

It is true that we do need some support for victims of gun violence.

This integrates very well with our gun violence prevention initiative, which we've all supported here.

Um, and I also want to note that you know some of the speakers that again I didn't know who are going to be speaking um last Tuesday.

Uh one was a mother of a young man who was uh wounded in the July 4th uh mass shooting in Highland Park.

And of course, um Dr.

Douglas had treated many victims of gun violence uh in the University of Chicago hospital.

So this is the reality.

We we we need to um support gun violence uh prevention and education um a much broader level, and I think this bill will do it.

Like all legislation is not perfect, and the way legislation works is that there's a thousand or more bills dumped in the into the big hopper in the General Assembly this time of year, and we don't know what's going to emerge out of this, but we we need to support this in terms of the overall health of Lake County, so it is germane to what we do here, and I will be supporting this.

Thank you.

Member Main, followed by Member Volitzik, and then Member Clark.

Thank you.

I I just want to make clear that I I just needed a clarification of our rules and process in in no way do I think that our rules weren't followed.

Um, I think rules like zoning, sometimes you don't understand the consequences until things play out.

And I I think that's that's very common.

So I think some things have played out that might require at a later time thinking, is this what our intent was?

It's it's very hard to always know what how rules are gonna actually be enacted.

If my words suggested that I thought there was a conspiracy, I it certainly was not my intent.

I was just hearing multiple different things and saying that it was confusing to me.

In the end, the transparency is not related to here, the transparency is related to our public.

Our agendas are public documents.

This board agenda is a public document, and it's very difficult for the public to understand what we're voting on.

And now I learned that the link here is not what the actual bill is.

And so that is it.

Our rules were followed.

My concern is transparency for the public.

And I want to say in 24 years, I don't think anyone ever really envisioned that someone could come to public comment to a legislative committee, and based on public comment, get a consensus and get a change.

That's all.

Thank you.

Member Volitzik, followed by Member Clark.

Thank you.

I I share that sentiment.

I think it is not, it was not clear to the public because it certainly wasn't clear to those of us, some of us on the committee, what we were going to discuss, the material was not widely available.

And so I agree that that process, though we have made it more transparent than in the past, needs to be looked at and fixed as as we saw that circumstance play out, it exposed issues, and we should fix that.

Um so I am I supportive of uh member hunter's motion or um request to have this placed on the full board agenda so that you know for the last whatever five days it has been on the public agenda, the public has had a chance to review, board members have had a chance to review and think about and discuss.

Um so I was tempted to make a motion to send it back to legislative so that those who felt like they haven't had the time could discuss, but I'm I've actually changed my mind because I've heard some of the other opinions.

I'm not sure that that you know, there's been five days for board members to to read more, ask more about this issue.

Um, I'm supportive of it as I was in the legislative committee.

I think um gun manufacturers have had the um option, opportunities to make guns safer with technology that is available, and they have chosen not to do that.

Um that would you know be like you know, car manufacturers deciding not to put seat belts in their cars when they're relatively readily available just because they didn't want to spend the money to put that seatbelt technology in their cars?

It's absurd that um you know that the public is paying for those choices by gun manufacturers that victims and their families are paying for gun manufacturers' choices not to make their guns safer when they could.

Um, and so I I don't think it's a tax on law-abiding gun owners.

I mean, unless the money manufacturers understand, you know, obviously they could pass that cost on, but again, that's the gun manufacturer's decision.

That is not our decision, and I think they need to start taking um a part of the responsibility for what their goods result in.

Um so I'm supportive.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh member Clark, followed by member Frank.

Yeah, I want to think I want to think everyone in the legislative committee.

You know, obviously, I but I want to be clear the the process we have was followed.

I heard about this on Tuesday a week ago, and so I watched the meeting, I've had a week to make my due research, and so and the transparency is this discussion.

I mean, this is the the checks.

So we've having this discussion, we all had a week, people, and I did some research, and I don't know if anyone looked at the sponsors of this bill, but the sponsors include many of our Clay County legislators, including Senator Adrian Johnson, Adrian Johnson, Senator Mary Edley Allen, Senator uh State Senator Julie Morrison, State Rep Rita Mayfield, State Rep Joyce Mason, State Rep Laura Favor Diaz, State Rep Nabila Sayed, State Rep Dan Diddich, State Rep Tracy Katz Mural.

And those are just the people from Lake County.

So if you look at the bill, it has obviously a lot of local support.

The people that we've elected to represent us support it.

And if you look at it on the face, there's an epidemic of gun violence.

And when we look at other uh products in this country, um, we don't say, oh, you just have a pass, whatever your products do.

If a Coke bottle, there's a famous case where a Coke bottle exploded and hurt somebody, that person ends the Coca-Cola manufacturing company was held liable.

And you know what Coca-Cola did?

They stopped making dangerous bottles.

And so when you look at tort law, is someone in the legal thing.

If you look at our system by incur by having people be more liable for their products, it makes them more innovative.

It makes products safer and can bring good ideas.

And so that I find it a little bit disarming that people, you know, it's process.

But we had a week, we've had time to do not research.

I did my research.

I'm very comfortable with this bill.

I want to thank the legislative committee and everyone who came and represent um and our board member Sarah Kenizik for bringing this to our attention with all the information we have.

I find it very I I feel like we should be able to make a decision today very clearly.

So I am supporting this.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Member Frank, Fab and Member Altenberg.

Thank you, Chair.

I just want to clarify something that legislative committee chair Wasick said.

You referenced the comments we heard from Miss Beasley at committee.

Her and her family member were not actually physically wounded in the shooting on July 4th.

They she's very effectively, very passionately talked a lot about the ongoing psychological and emotional impact that being there has on people.

They were there, as was Member Parek and his family.

As was I and my family.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Member Altenberg.

Thank you, Chair.

So I want to echo, I don't want to be repetitive of what Member Vlitzik just talked about, and Member Clark.

I'm in total agreement in terms of why I would support this bill, why we why I feel the county should support this bill.

All of our legislators in the county were on the same page with them.

I do feel that you know there is some responsibility by the manufacturer and the product they're creating and the damage it can do.

And um, you know, and this is breakthrough kind of thinking we would be the first state that's gonna have legislation like this.

Um so I am supportive of supporting this bill.

Um as far as the process goes, I think listening to everybody, and and I think it's great that we had this discussion because everybody should be able to talk about what their issues were so we can do better the next time, and everybody's not gonna have an issue with our process in the future.

I think maybe in this case, had this discussion been on the agenda, like clearly on the agenda as an item, then I think people wouldn't have had this problem.

So maybe in the future that's something to think about that if we know you're there's something like this that is a kind of a touchy discussion, we want to make sure to get it on the agenda and not bring it up at the last minute.

So people feel like they were prepared, they had thought that they knew what's coming up, and I know that there was no really pre-thought about how this was done.

I think people didn't know that it was coming.

And um, I didn't know until I came there that day that it was that they were gonna talk about that.

Um so but I think in the future, if somebody has a big issue like that, let's think about maybe trying to get it on the agenda so people know it's coming and they feel prepared.

And um, you know, they didn't feel like they were blindsided by something like that.

But I don't think it was anybody's malicious intent to blindside people.

I don't feel like there was an intent here.

Um, I think a member Kenizhnik, you know, she just is her work, this is her what she does.

She works very closely with all these gun violence bills, and this bill happened to come up, it was just the timing, and she wanted to get it on the agenda that day.

But I think in the future, let's be like a little more thoughtful of how we're how we're getting things done.

Thank you.

I just want to be clear, it's not about a thoughtfulness.

So to be clear, we have a process.

So if anybody wants something brought to legislative agenda, they can talk about things at uh at committee, but to add a bunch of things on the agenda is not something that we have for the process.

If we want to change the process and give people time to discuss a particular item, we can actually do that.

You can also call, um, excuse me, have a special call meeting, if you will, for the legislative committee, and then that can go on agenda, but you would need, I believe it's still seven signatures in order to do that.

But I just I I just want to be really clear that um there's a lot of thoughtfulness that goes into following the process and the due diligence.

I know I just really mistake thank you.

Yeah, I so we can have a process conversation, I think later.

Thank you.

I have member Kasmin, followed by Member Dan Forth, followed by Member Velitzek.

Thank you.

First, I want to commend um Member Knishnik and State's Attorney Reinhardt for your extraordinary leadership on the gun violence prevention issue and safe storage issue.

I speak for many people in my district.

Um, when I say we all appreciate your efforts to toward making Lake County a safer place to be.

Um I think this process how as a former member of the legislative committee, I can tell you it's it's it's uh it's a delicate balance because we want to make sure, um, as it says in our legislative agenda that we are nimble and we can address legislation as it comes up.

I think the fact that this bill was introduced last year and is now coming coming forward is a great example of why we don't bring things up in advance necessarily.

That was a previous iteration of the bill, it has changed significantly and now it's moving forward.

We could not have known that before.

I mean, a lot of times the state reps themselves don't know.

I mean, until a week or two before, whether it's going to actually come forward and be heard in committee and that process is going to start.

Um, there are times when things happen within a couple of days.

So I think it's important if we want for the legislative committee to be relevant and to um take on things as they come up, that we have a tool that is flexible like this.

Maybe it is um a case of putting an item on the agenda that is just recently surfacing legislation, and and and then the public will understand that a number of different items can come up.

We don't necessarily know in advance what they're going to be, and then but there will be that spot so that people will know hey, maybe I want to check that out and see what's happening in Springfield.

Um I think the process is a great uh right now compromise between being so rigid because the legislative committee meets once a month, and that leg the agenda comes out several days in advance by law.

Um if things come up, we want to have the ability to address them and either support them or not support them as Lake County.

Because when a county signs on to a piece of legislation, it can be impactful in Springfield.

So and our and our lobbyists know they need to engage on this issue, and it's very important for our voices to be heard there.

So I I understand uh the the well-meaning comments of my um colleagues at the same time.

If we want this committee to actually make a difference in Springfield, we need to have this ability to engage on issues right as they come up because that's that's kind of the way Springfield works.

So thanks.

Thank you.

I have member Dan Forth, followed by Member Volitzick.

Yeah, thank you, Chair.

Um I I think um Member Kenetzik when when she stated the fact that you know this this bill has been changed.

In fact, she just sent out a notice a couple of days ago.

So what was discussed over a week ago before the committee wasn't exactly what you think you're getting ready to vote on now because it has by its very nature changed.

Now you may be in support of the underlying tenor in the uh in everything that's set forth, which you think is set forth in that bill, but you really don't know because most of you haven't even read.

So whether it's the wrong version or the new right version, uh, which will probably get changed some more, but at the end of the day, I I do have some issues with the whole public notice.

And I do have some issues that you know, Chair Wasik, and I you know, didn't know that any of this was going to be brought up, and it just begs the question.

I I think Member Kenitsik was prepared to discuss what she thought was going to come up uh before the committee.

I know that um state's attorney Reinhardt was there and spoke out on it.

Um I know there was lots of members of the public that spoke out on it.

There was nobody that spoke uh against it to say this is this is a bad idea, and why?

So I feel that there were some the man behind the curtain was pulling some strings, and so that bothers me.

But to get into some of the meat of it, and I know that um I know that uh member uh Volitsek brought up the whole design of guns and and the issue with that.

Well, firearm manufacturer, we we try to design firearms to be as safe as possible for the user of the firearm, not for the individual that unfortunately might be on the receiving end of what that firearm is going to do.

We don't make bullets safer for the purposes of the person that may be shot.

We make it safer and bullet safer so it doesn't go through the individual that was just shot, so it doesn't hurt an innocent bystander.

These are things that we do.

But guns by their very nature, and that's the reason why Congress has allowed firearm manufacturers to not be liable in tort for the misuse of their firearm.

Is because they are by their very design inherently in danger dangerous.

That's what they are for.

Cars, you want cars to get you to point A to point B safely.

Your toaster oven, you don't want it to shock you when you put your bread in it in it.

I mean, these are all things that's the reason why we have uh recalls under the National Recall Act.

Firearms is like the only thing that isn't part of that act and is for a good reason.

Do we recall firearms?

Well, yeah, but member Dan Forth, I'm gonna ask that we just stick to the RIFL Act just because we've been talking for a long time.

Well, this is all part and parcel of the well, not really.

I'll move on.

Thank you.

I'll move on.

Thank you.

Um so to understand what this is gonna wind up costing Illinois taxpayers, because the person that pays this tax isn't going to be the firearm manufacturer.

They may they'll probably leave and not do business here.

But the person that will pay this tax is the purchaser of the firearm.

Chief Justice John Marshall said that the power tax is the power to destroy.

In 1964, the state of Illinois had what we call a poll tax.

You had to pay a dollar to vote.

And that was changed by the 24th amendment.

It says you can't charge a poll tax for somebody exercising their constitutional right to vote.

That was a dollar.

Okay.

This tax will be $1,600 per firearm.

Average cost of a firearm is between four and six hundred dollars.

So you can add a $1,600 tax.

Nobody's gonna pay that.

So people will go and have their firearms purchased out of state and eventually the one back right in the state of Illinois where there will be no tax at all.

So I think you need to think long and hard what the overall cost is going to be, that it's not going to do what you think that this law is designed to do, and all it will do is run law-abiding gun owners and manufacturers and sellers of firearms and ammunition out of the state of Illinois.

And trust me, folks, that's exactly what this law is designed to do.

That's why it was designed, and that's what it will do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Member Hunter, or pardon me, Member Kenizing, just if I may, I just wanted to make sure people were aware.

Our legislative agenda, which passed unanimously, by the way, uh in November, has something in here, state or federal initiative to support firearm regulation.

Lake County recognizes that changes are necessary in state or federal regulation as it relates to firearm safety and control due to the prevalence of gun violence in our nation.

Lake County supports legislation that bans the sale or possession of assault rifles, mandates firearm safe storage, reforms the Foy card process, mandates training related to the sale or possession of firearms.

And number five, provides funding for gun violence prevention initiatives, which I believe some of this, some of the money that uh comes from this bill, will do just that.

So I just want to be really clear that this board has already passed unanimously this agenda, which includes that.

So as of today, or even last week or last month or whenever we could be advocating for this bill.

So I just want to be clear on that.

So I have uh member can uh Jessica Member Volitzik said she was good, so I have uh Member Kenisnik, followed by Member Hunter.

Thank you.

Uh I would just wonder um in my earlier comments, it's probably been 25 minutes ago or more now.

It's possible that Member Dan Forth either misunderstood what I was saying or wasn't listening clearly.

Uh what I said was the language currently on the ILGA website is the original version of the bill.

No one involved in this conversation, no one involved in Lake County, nobody that we heard from the legislative committee, none of us have any control over when LRB updates the language.

It was many weeks ago that the request for that update was put in.

It has not yet happened.

Member Dan Forth and possibly other members of this board, understandably did what I would have done if I were them.

They went to the ILG website, looked up the bill number, and read the bill.

Member Dan Forth is a very experienced and I have no doubt uh excellent attorney, so I'm sure he could read that bill.

And what I'm tried to communicate earlier is that the what is on the website now, through no fault of anyone involved in this discussion or last week's discussion, is not the current version of the bill.

The information that was provided to the legislative committee meetings about 17 hours before it met, because that's when I became aware that members of the committee didn't have it.

That information reflects the new version of the bill.

And that is exactly the same information that I shared with Member Dan Forth and every other member of this board over 48 hours ago.

Also, uh as Member Clark said, uh, it has been this all of this information has been available to everyone on this board for over a week, and anybody who does a 10-minute Google search will find an enormous amount of information in the press in the media about this bill.

Uh the press has been reporting on it for over six months.

And finally, I would like to say there are several people who took time out of their day in order to make public comment about this bill today, and they haven't been given a chance to do that.

I would like to personally thank them for making that sacrifice of their time and their effort.

And I would like to point out that Dr.

Anthony Douglas, who is in a time zone seven hours away right now, it is nearly midnight in Paris where he is, has been waiting all this time, and he has not been given a chance to respond to the accusation that was made by member Dan Forth that he was being deliberately dishonest in his comments during legislative committee.

If it is possible, and if it he is still able to join us, I would like to give him that opportunity to do so.

I don't know if it is or not.

And I now will make my very last comment, and in the interest of time and out of respect for everyone who's been very patient today, I will just say this.

Every concern that has been raised about this bill is addressed in the PowerPoint that has been available to everyone on this committee on this board for over a week.

Second, what the question before us is today, do we believe that the legislators in Springfield, the House and Senate, do we believe do we want them to vote in favor of a bill that will require firearm manufacturers to share with the taxpayers in the public cost of gun violence?

Do we want that or not?

If we want that, please vote yes.

If you don't want that, if you want taxpayers to continue to bear the full cost of gun violence, including this governing board, which has done so much to support the work of the gun violence prevention initiative, which has resulted under the leadership of Director Tierra Lemon, in a 74% decrease in firearm homicides in Lake County since 2022.

If you feel that the taxpayers alone should bear that cost, please vote no.

If you believe fire manufacturers should share in that cost, please vote yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I have member Hunter, Fab and Member Roberts.

Thanks, Chair.

I promise I'll keep this short.

First of all, Mr.

Cow.

We're on the agenda, we've had a good discussion about it.

Um this is directed, and and this is my no, this I'm very professional about this.

Um, Member Kenesha, you had indicated that you had contacted everybody on the committee prior to the uh committee's agenda.

Um I was never contacted.

This leaves cookies everywhere you go, we know where you go, what you do, and how you do it.

I'd be more than happy to show you.

I never received a phone call.

Um and I just want to clear that up.

But mission accomplished, I'm glad we all had a chance to have this discussion.

I thought it was important when I when I reached out to the chair and um the county administration.

So thank you very much.

Thank you.

Uh, member Roberts, and then we'll start public comment.

Thank you.

Um, after listening to to Commissioner Member Canadian again, her she she's so eloquent.

I kind of I just feel like this is not about the process, it's about the subject.

And I'm gonna leave it at that, and I'm going to support this.

Thank you.

Um, Member Wasick, is it quick because I'd like to go to public comment.

Thank you.

And I just want to support the idea of we need to have a discussion on whether the rules address this issue.

I'm completely in favor of having that discussion and to have more transparency if that's what we need.

Uh, and also I echo what member Roberts just said.

And this was on our legislative agenda, so it does address a prior sort of placeholder we have regarding the subject.

So I I think we've addressed, I think we need to focus on what this bill is about and less about the process, which we will discuss at a future time.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

And just to reiterate, again, the legislative agenda, even if we hadn't had this conversation, we would have the authority to direct our lobbyists to work in support of this.

But I always welcome the opportunity for good conversation and want to be clear as far as transparency to the public.

You know, it's on our agenda.

So okay, as we get ready to start public comment, our county board rules do state that the total cumulative time of all public comment shall be limited to 30 minutes unless determined otherwise by the chair.

We've had a lot of really good conversation here.

Uh we had 23 minutes and three seconds of public comment earlier.

So I want to give another 12 minutes of public comment.

That would get us to 35 minutes and three seconds.

So that will enable you know, four people to speak at at the max of three million minutes, but if people are short, that allows more people to speak.

Uh so first public comment, please.

Yes, uh, first public comment is very open.

Thank you, board members.

That was an interesting discussion you had.

In December 2013, 20 school children and six of their teachers were shot and murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The nation was shocked, stunned, angry, shaken, mortified, horrified, and depressed.

It's sorrow knew no bounds.

How could this happen?

The nation asked.

Something must be done, it cried.

It must not happen again, a grieving nation said.

But wait, the savants said, we must not act in haste.

We must let passions cool so we can calmly and deliberately choose the best course of action.

Thirteen years later, we're still waiting for that best course of action, with nothing being done of significance.

Let Lake County take a small step for Sandy Hook and a big step for the welfare and safety of Lake County residents and the people of Illinois, and strongly endorse and support the RIFL Act.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning.

My name is Lauren Harper, and I am the one of the lead court coordinators for the RIFL Coalition as well as the legislative director for the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Gun Violence.

Um I've been working in this space of gun violence prevention in Illinois for about eight years, and I am more excited about this piece of legislation than anything else I've worked on prior for two reasons.

The first of which is that the gun industry knows very well how to reduce the harm that it does in our state, right?

They've just never had a financial incentive to do any of those things.

So they understand perfectly well that if they stopped marketing to veterans, we would reduce veteran suicide in our state.

They know very well that if they put a biometric trigger on a firearm, they would reduce teen suicide.

They would reduce accidental uh shootings by toddlers.

Um there are so many things like this that we all know are very functional, and yet they don't do them.

Um this allows the gun industry to be in control of which of those levers they decide to pull.

And I hope that they will pull all of them because they will all reduce harm in our state.

Umber Dan Forth, uh, you are correct, they are not incredibly profitable, which is why we specifically did a whole economic analysis on the gun industry itself to make sure that that $821 million fund, as the um the number was originally filed, is not where the fund will end up.

In the amended legislation that should be filed tomorrow.

The total fund will be about 50 million dollars.

And we were very intentional about that number because it is the number that the gun industry can afford.

It is the number that the gun industry can afford and still operate in our state of Illinois.

And the whole intention is we actually want them to do commerce in our state because if they leave our state, then we don't get the upside of things like biometric triggers, then we don't see the improvements on the part of the gun industry themselves.

So we were very intentional about that 50 million dollar number because they can afford it.

The second reason I'm really excited about this bill, and this is something we haven't really talked about yet today, is where the money actually goes.

It goes to community violence intervention programs, the very same programs that are the ones that just handed us a 60-year low in homicides in our state.

Let's remember this is a bill that's about saving lives and saving taxpayers' money.

So when we did the return on investment on that $50 million that we would be putting into CBI over the course of the next three years, we think that that will save taxpayers in our state almost a half a billion dollars.

That's with a B.

Um, this Lenin time has expired.

Okay, thank you very much.

Thank you.

I'm sorry.

Tierra Levin is our next speaker.

Good morning.

My name is Tiara Lemon, and I serve as the director of the gun violence prevention initiative within the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

Before having the privilege of serving in this role, I began my career in the gun violence prevention space in a healthcare setting, specifically in a level one trauma center on the south side of Chicago, where I worked directly with victims and survivors of gun violence during their most vulnerable and critical moments.

I witnessed a great deal during that time and carried much of it home with me, but never nearly as much as the patients themselves.

The fathers, the brothers, the sisters, mothers, and loved ones whose lives were forever altered by violence.

Alongside the gratitude I felt every day for being able to serve, there was also an unsettling realize.

Imagine being shot multiple times, undergoing several life-saving surgeries, and lying in a hospital bed, not focused on healing, but worried about how soon you need to be discharged because of the hospital bills that you're accumulating.

This leaves little to no room for recovery or restoration.

Yet this was the reality of many of the patients I sat with daily.

In all of my years doing this work, I have yet to meet a single person who acts to be shot.

So why are victims forced to carry the lifelong burden of tens of thousands of dollars in debt for care that saved their lives and care that they were entitled to receive.

This is why the RIFL Act is so critical.

Not only does it remove these unjust burdens from victims, but it also helps fund the very programs like the work to prevent violence in the first place.

Programs like the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative and the Lake County Peacemakers.

The RIFL Act will help sustain the very declines we've been able to track here in Lake County consecutively.

And in doing so, it reduces costs to both the victims and taxpayers while investing in evidence-based preventative solutions that saves lives.

I want to extend a sincere thank you to the Dr.

Douglas and the RIFL Coalition for not only identifying a long-standing gap in care, but taking meaningful action to close it.

This is what justice, compassion, and public safety working together truly look like.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Eric Reinhardt.

Good morning.

I'll be brief.

I rise to strongly advocate for the RIFA Act on behalf of the on behalf of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

Our office has advocated for this bill from its uh earliest versions.

Um regarding procedure, I heard words like appalled, troubled, and disgusting.

I mean, literally.

You guys were talking about your procedure, and some of you were appalled, troubled and disgusting.

I actually wrote it down.

I'm appalled by gun violence.

I am disgusted by the fact that the United States of America is one of the only countries where this happened.

And I am deeply troubled that we continue to not support victims in this country.

Those are the things that I'm appalled, troubled and disgusted by.

As opposed to procedure.

Regarding the 20 billion dollars, that's from Johns Hopkins University.

Google it.

This is on the Google device.

We can have debates about how much things cost.

We should do a cost of violence study.

We should really do a cost of violence study for Lake County.

As a matter of fact, we're gonna do that in the GBPI.

But when it comes to the national cost of gun violence, it's 20 billion dollars.

The cost in Illinois is 20 billion dollars, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

There can certainly be debates about statistics, even good faith debates about statistics, but sometimes groups engage in good faith debates about statistics, and sometimes other groups uh do not.

I'm proud broadly to be associated with groups that care about statistics and not conspiracy theories.

Mass shootings devastate birthday parties, school days, and parades.

We cannot continue to say that these things cannot be prevented.

They are prevented in most countries.

We must act now.

We have to act now.

Gun violence is not in our DNA.

It is not in our destiny.

It is our decision.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm gonna ask that people hold their applause, please.

Thank you.

We have more public comment.

Um we do for um members of the public who are joining online.

So I will go through the sign-in sheet.

So Gail Nottenberg.

Hi, can people hear me?

Yes.

Okay.

Um there are a lot of avenues that I can approach this from, but I chose to take it from the standpoint of taxes.

I pay my taxes.

I'd like to say I do it without grumbling, but that would probably be a lie.

However, I do it expecting that my tax dollars will benefit the people of Illinois and sustain the safety net that's there for all of us when the need arises.

I don't expect those tax dollars, my tax dollars, to go toward costs for which gun manufacturers are responsible.

If we spend all that money so gun companies can socialize their costs without jeopardizing their profits, we are essentially subsidizing their those companies who I'm pretty sure have more money than us.

They certainly have more money than I do.

And maybe this is why we can't have nice things.

As to member Dan Forth's assertion that this tax will be paid by gun owners, I say better that the tax be paid by gun owners than by me and other people like me who want nothing to do with guns.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Jacqueline Rodriguez.

Finally.

No.

Yes.

Okay.

Hello.

My name is Jacqueline Rodriguez.

I am a mother of two.

I am a nurse, specifically a forensic nurse, who has spent over 23 years of my career working in emergency rooms throughout Lake County and Chicago.

And I'm here to speak in support of this rifle act, especially as a mother of a child who is going to be disproportionately affected by the high risk of death by gun violence.

I am raising a black son.

And to me, anything that we can do to help put the accountability in the individuals who are manufacturing these weapons that harm and kill our children, I am fully in support of.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Susan Erickson.

Oops.

There we go.

Can you hear me now?

Yes.

Hi.

Good morning.

My name is Susan Erickson.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

I'm here today to express my support for the RIFL Act.

I'm speaking not only as a community member, but as a mental health professional who has seen up close how firearm injuries ripple far beyond the moment of violence.

The trauma doesn't end in the emergency room.

It shows up in families, in children, in long-term medical and emotional care, and in systems that are already stretched thin.

The RIFL Act is grounded in a straightforward principle.

When an industry contributes to a public health crisis, it should share responsibility for the cost that crisis creates.

In Illinois, the financial burden of firearm injuries, emergency care, rehab, lost income, trauma services, to name just a few, they're largely borne by victims, families, and taxpayers.

That is neither fair nor sustainable.

Let me be clear about what this bill does not do.

It does not ban firearms, it does not restrict lawful gun ownership.

It does not target responsible individuals.

What it does do is require firearm manufacturers operating in Illinois to be licensed and to contribute to a dedicated fund that supports victims of firearm injury and their families.

It introduces accountability where there is currently a gap.

This is not about ideology or politics it's about fairness, public health, and responsibility.

We already asked other industries to help offset the real public costs associated with their products.

Firearm related harm should not be exempt from that expectation.

Supporting the RIFEL Act means standing with victims, strengthening our communities, and taking a measured responsible step towards shared accountability.

So I urge this board to support the RIFEL Act.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you very much.

That is our last public comment because we have reached 35 minutes.

I allowed an additional five minutes.

So let me see.

Seeing nothing further, why don't I have a roll call, please?

Um this is board action confirming Lake County support of the responsibility and firearm legislation acting member Eltonberg.

Aye Member Campos.

Aye.

Member Kasman.

Aye.

Member Clark.

Aye.

Member Cunningham.

Aye.

Member Danforth.

No.

Member Frank?

Aye.

Member Hart.

Aye.

Member Hewitt.

No.

Member Hunter.

No.

Member Kanishnik.

Aye.

Member Kyle.

Aye.

Member Main.

No.

Member Perek.

Aye.

Member Peterson.

No.

Member Roberts.

Aye.

Member Schlick.

No.

Member Volitzick.

Aye.

Member Wasick.

Aye.

13 and aye.

Okay.

Thank you.

What did you say?

13.

Thank you.

Motion passes.

Uh, thank you for that good discussion.

Moving on to public works and transportation committee, Chair Clark.

Item 34, please.

Thank you.

Item 34 is a joint resolution authorizing an agreement with Stanley Consultants Inc.

Chicago, Illinois for phase one professional engineering services for intersection improvements at Rollins Road and Wilson Road at a maximum cost of 1,773,869.

And appropriating $2,130,000 of the quarter percent sales tax for transportation funds.

This is a phase one engineering project that's really looking at an intersection that needs could use a lot of improvements.

It's kind of near Grant Woods, Gene of Lakes.

It's also going to look at really an important bike motorized uh connection there.

And so I so move.

Thank you.

Motion by Member Clark, second by Member Hunter.

Any discussion on this item.

Seeing none, this does require a roll call vote.

May have a roll call, please, Clerk Vega.

Member Altenberg.

Aye.

Member Campos.

Member Kasman.

Aye.

Member Clark.

Aye.

Member Cunningham.

I member Danforth.

Aye.

Member Frank.

Aye.

Member Hart.

Aye.

Member Hewitt.

Aye.

Member Hunter.

Member Knishnik.

Aye.

Member Kyle.

Member Maine.

Aye.

Member Park.

Aye.

Member.

I member Roberts.

Aye.

Member Schlick.

Aye.

Member Belitzik.

Aye.

Member Wasick.

All right.

I think 99.

Thank you.

Motion passes.

Moving to Finance Administrative Committee Chair Frank, please for item 35.

Thank you, Chair.

I'm 35 is an ordinance for the naming of Lake County owned property, including land, parks, and structures.

I really want to thank the members of the FNA Committee and other members who attended and participated.

We had, I would say no less than three conversations about this ordinance and topic over the past 12 months.

Want to thank the county administration team, including uh deputy administrator Myers.

Um, we put a lot of work and thought into this.

Um previously there was no policy, and the county had named buildings and facilities after individuals uh in the past, and you know, we really started this conversation after a request came in to name something after a former chair.

And um, you know, I think we we agree that number one, we wanted to have a policy, and we landed on some parameters for it.

It may not be the end all be all, we may choose to amend it in the future, but first and foremost, I think it's important that people recognize that in the future nothing will be named unless this board agrees on it.

It will require board action in the future for something to be named, and I think it's an important step because that wasn't it in our policies in the past.

I again thanks to all the members of the committee.

Great discussion to get us to this point, and I move to approve.

Thank you.

Motion by member Frank, second by member Clark.

Any further discussion on this member Clark?

I just want to um thank uh Chair for bringing this topic up that we really didn't have a policy.

And so, and I really want to thank everyone on the committee and everyone that came for the discussions.

The discussions were very thoughtful.

We this was a very well-thought out policy.

Um I know Member Mean had a really good audition there.

And I know, and we really it brought in a lot of people's different arguments, and I think this is so important because now there's a policy in place that is clear on our program, and so I'm really uh pleased to support it.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Seeing nothing further, uh, all those in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Motion passes.

Item 36, please.

Item 36 is a resolution approving the sale of two county owned properties located at 29278, Route 83, and 21010 West Illinois Route 60 in Mundaline for 135,000, consisting of approximately 5.6 acres, formerly used as the old animal care and control facility for the Lake County Health Department, and declaring the parcel as excess property.

I move to approve.

Thank you.

Motion by member Frank, second by member uh Kyle.

Any discussion on this item?

Seeing none, this does require a roll call vote.

May have a leave for the previous roll call.

Yes, thank you.

Motion passes.

Moving on, do we have any petitions, correspondence is miscellaneous business?

Actually, I can tell you that we don't.

Moving on.

It's member remarks and requests.

Anybody have any members' remarks or requests?

Thank you, Member Wasick.

Is that when we have public comment, we have very specific rules regarding that?

But do the commenders have to be talking about something that's germane to county business?

I I don't remember what we said in our rules, but I just have that question.

Thank you.

So uh if if I may, I well, do you want to answer that one?

Okay.

Um we do have uh a portion of our county board rules that govern public comment, include a number of restrictions on it, including that members of the public will be afforded time to comment on agenda items and other matters germane to the business of the county board in accordance with the rules.

Okay.

I I'm sorry, didn't hear the last part of this either items on the agenda or other matters germane to the business of the county board.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Member Danforth.

Thank you, you know.

I I wonder if our state legislature, if and when they pass, and they probably will pass the RIFL Act.

I wonder if they're gonna have the same courage to then go after the alcohol industry for the damage that's caused by drunk drivers and the you and the incredible health care costs of alcoholism in our country.

We'll see if they have that courage.

Thank you.

Seeing uh nobody else, uh I so adjourned.

Oh, pardon me.

Did somebody else have their hand up?

No.

Okay.

Thank you.

I so adjourn this regular September 2025 session of the County Board of Lake County until March 10, 2026.

And hopefully I'll see you guys at the housing summit.

Thank you.