Happy Holidays from the Cook County League Board | |
Newsletter Highlights
Voters are asked to update their signature
The MWRD partners with suburbs on stormwater management projects
Forest Preserve Board puts tax increase to good use
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Cook County Clerk Requests Voter Signature Update | |
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Some long-time voters in Cook County may be receiving a request from the Cook County Clerk's office to update their signatures that are on file with the Clerk's office. These signatures are used to verify the identities of voters when they either go to vote in person or when they submit the return envelopes with their completed vote-by-mail ballots. The signature appears on the return envelope in which the ballot is enclosed. Once the signature is verified and the fact that the voter submitted a vote-by-mail ballot is recorded, the ballot is removed from the envelope and placed with other ballots so they can be counted without knowing the identities of the voters.
The letters are being sent to active voters whose official signatures in their voter files are 25 years or older, with the recognition that signatures have likely changed since those voters originally registered to vote.
The letter from the County is on the back of a white mail-in voter registration form. Recipients need to provide name, address, date of birth, and a Signature.
This is NOT an attempt to eliminate anyone from the voter rolls, and a failure to respond will not impact the voter's registration.
With thanks to Peggy Kell, Voter Service Chair of the Oak Park & River Forest League who brought this to our attention, and to Jennifer Manning, LWVIL Voter Service Chair, who verified what was happening with the Cook County Clerk's office.
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Candidates File for Cook County and MWRD Offices
For the March 19, 2024 Ballot
To see a list of those candidates who have filed to be on the ballot, go to the Voter Info page of the Cook County League web site. Offices up for election in 2024 are the Cook County Board of Review 3rd District Commissioner, Clerk of the Court, Cook County Board Commissioner 1st District, and Cook County State’s Attorney. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board has 3 Commissioner seats for six-year terms and 1 Commissioner seat for a remaining two-year term to be filled.
As of the date of this newsletter, all of these offices are contested for the Democratic Party nominations. There are no Primary contests for the nominations for the Green, Libertarian, or Republican Parties for these Cook County and MWRD offices.
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LWVCC Interest Groups report on important news in Cook County Government | |
Cook County and MWRD Governments Interest Group | | |
MWRD Partners with Suburbs for Stormwater Management | |
The MWRD is accepting pre-applications for the Stormwater Management Program. The deadline is Feb. 11, 2024. Through this initiative, it will partner with municipalities throughout Cook County on projects that help prevent local flooding. For more information, visit the MWRD Stormwater Management Program.
Additionally, the deadline for the Green Infrastructure Partnership Program pre-application is Dec. 31, 2023. This program can help local government organizations pay for the construction of green infrastructure that reduces stormwater runoff on public property in Cook County.
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Christmas 'Round the World' at the Treasurer's Office
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If you are downtown during weekday business hours, stop by the Cook County Treasurer's office at 118 N. Clark . You'll get to see lots of different little trees and related items depicting celebrations all around the world. A great illustration of the diversity we have here in Cook County.
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Forest Preserve Interest Group
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The Cook County Commissioners unanimously approved the 2024 Forest Preserves’ budget. With the success of the referendum, the Forest Preserves have paid more money into the pension fund, putting the fund on a sustainable path to meet its obligations. Efforts continue to restore protected land with an additional 1,400 acres added to the 15,000 acres currently being restored. Unused trails in the forest preserves will be decommissioned and $7 million is anticipated to be spent on land acquisition, primarily in the southern suburbs. Five new FTEs in Planning and Development will manage planning design and construction of trails in the forests.
The Botanic Gardens commented that they are happy with stable funding from the referendum that supports operational costs. The Gardens are expanding programs on stewardship in natural areas and working on propagating native seeds, pollinator programming and urban agricultural programs.
The Chicago Zoological Society and the Brookfield Zoo will be addressing aging infrastructure which is important for its accreditation process. The Society and the zoo engage in regional and global conservation work and have collaborated with the Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine to launch a pioneering program that provides early career vets with specialized training in wildlife health and disease. This is the first in the United States.
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Criminal Justice Interest Group | |
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- In December, the group met with Annie McGowan of the Civic Federation to discuss the court watching project focusing on the implementation of the SAFE-T Act.
- The next meeting of the Interest Group will be Jan. 23, 2024.
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The next book discussion will be Feb.16, 2024. The book is This is My Jail by Melanie Newport, a history of Cook County Jail.
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To participate in any of these activities, please contact Jan Goldberg
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LWVCC observes and reports on board and committee meetings of Cook County government entities to provide our members with an understanding of current issues. To read more: LWVCC Observer Reports
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Cook County Budget Hearings Cook County Sheriff
October 25, 2023
Sheriff—Tom Dart
2024 Total: $708,458,429 2023: $674,966,716
2024 FTEs: 5,744 (a decrease) 2023: 5,839
Following are some key items from this meeting:
- Budget increases due to parental leave, salary increases, overtime, COLA
- 1,000 guns taken off the street
- The Sheriff's office acts on revocations of Firearm Owner Identification Cards (“FOIDs”) but doesn’t have the staff (only 8) to do this completely (38,000 revoked FOIDs in Cook County with 30,000 not in compliance)
- Working with FBI on carjackings and car stealing which is the worst in the country; only 20% of carjackers are arrested and 60% of those are juveniles; many repeat offenders
- Currently 4,860 detainees in jail and 1,800 on Electronic Monitoring
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Cook County Health Board of Directors Meeting
October 27, 2023
Human Resources Committee Report
Carrie Pramuk-Volk, now the Interim Chief Human Resources Officer, reported on the continued positive hiring and retention metrics. For fiscal year 2023 there have been 1146 hires who have started. In 2022 there were 497 and in 2021 there were 562. Turnover rate continues to drop from a high of 11.4% in 2022 to the current rate of 8.4%, which is well under the national benchmark. The accelerated nursing hiring program has resulted in 195 job offers with 120 of them being accepted.
Cook County Department of Public Health Report
Amy O’Rourke and Dr Hasbrouk from Cook County Department of Public Health reported on the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP). The GFPP was started to address food disparity in health and wealth. GFPP encourages County-run institutions to shift their food spend toward five core values: local, healthy, humane, sustainable, and equitably-produced food. GFPP implementation is underway and initial investments have been made in local food producers.
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Local League Upcoming Events | |
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2023-2024 Cook County League Board Members
OFFICERS: President: Cynthia Schilsky, LaGrange Area; Vice-Presidents: Pris Mims, Chicago, Kathi Graffam, LaGrange Area; Secretary: Carolyn Cosentino, Homewood/Flossmoor; Treasurer: Trudy Turner, Evanston.
Board members: Laura Davis, Palatine; Diane Edmundson, Chicago; Jan Goldberg, LaGrange Area ; Betty Hayford, Evanston; Karin Hribar, Arlington Heights; Sandra Slayton, Homewood-Flossmoor
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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, political organization whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government; to increase understanding of major policy issues, and to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to anyone regardless of gender, race, or ethnic group.
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League of Women Voters of Cook County
332 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 634, Chicago, IL 60604
312-939-5935 x127
lwvcookcounty.org
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