[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6231965,"mediaKeyId","3427016-d4e153502f99281c5a85ebab17684ccd","parentId",3427016,"title","Residents challenge Omnia Partners paint contract and consultant spending; urge deeper budget review","audioSeconds",1059,"startMs",698000,"endMs",1757000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3427016-d4e153502f99281c5a85ebab17684ccd&start=698&end=1757","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3427016-d4e153502f99281c5a85ebab17684ccd/thumbnail_698000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6231965/Kane-County/Illinois/Residents-challenge-Omnia-Partners-paint-contract-and-consultant-spending-urge-deeper-budget-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231965-7518aa87ff5098bd874adc321bb1778f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775369089&Signature=ak7C72e5RlrgCvceKEXiksXq5iMjSVlN4pnn9yEDUIMBaLmsvFV6XE42lzafYeBzQ5XKUb43aqtsT~e6IVhBJIbUyhOECh8DlzFwLwMwCMhBUFF2WiLP-LXij5be68dz3oQpgkylilU5PeFUVfLBIKY9e13zLZicLcpaPwmBdPIe2bhTpRk1jnnhAALK7NqBOYSIzlbxidapzv-GZFk1-br1l9DyCgHJmJc17XURg5jh30e2ZlqtcP8QWu4sDWlDcjfKYn8j5vtz12oyvUK1gyYRcvzIe04HQXvD0dPgtFdqkP~6s4bhBNEnaT4v7PZacKkoz7n3-NQHUzbLkCiGwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kane County, IL","date","2025-05-21T17:51:04.747Z","article","Several Kane County residents used public comment time at the May 21 finance committee meeting to criticize proposed purchasing agreements and consultant spending and to press elected officials for sharper budget oversight.

David Young, a resident and frequent commenter, raised concerns about a resolution involving Omnia Partners and Sherwin-Williams paint and supplies. \"Omnia Partners is really a, they bring companies together, and then they go ahead and let their members buy those products,\" Young said. He told the committee that, based on his inquiries with purchasing staff, the county already has a local Sherwin-Williams store in St. Charles that provides a larger discount than the Omnia Partners arrangement. \"So you're gonna spend about $15 more per can of paint by using Omnia Partners than by working with a directly working directly with the local store,\" Young said, asking why the county would enter an agreement that he said would not save taxpayers money.

Other public commenters questioned the use of outside consultants. James Huddington and Katie O'Connor criticized a consultant contract the commenters reported at approximately $127,500 or $128,000 to identify savings. \"Why do you need to hire outside consultants? Isn't that what we have you guys here for?\" Huddington asked. He urged formation of a citizen review panel to scrutinize spending. O'Connor, who said her property taxes rose sharply, pressed the committee to find substantial reductions and asked for clarity on the consultant contract amount.

Brian Anderson, another resident, urged local purchasing and flagged potential technology-contract risks with Tyler Technologies, which the county uses. \"I'd like Roger Fonstad to give a full presentation on why we think we need Omnia Partners, as a provider when it seems to me that we can buy local, shop local, and get it at the speed of light,\" Anderson said.

Michelle Batag, speaking during public comment, described residents' migration out of Kane County because of tax burdens and called on the committee to adopt immediate, not just long-range, savings measures. \"Leadership here is a problem,\" Batag said. \"We need something immediate.\"

Committee members acknowledged the comments and said staff and the ad hoc group would review purchasing arrangements, consultant engagements, and local procurement options as part of the broader budget process. The meeting record does not show a formal vote on the Omnia Partners arrangement during this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","KC Special Finance Committee May 20 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple residents at the Kane County Finance and Budget Special Committee meeting criticized a proposed Omnia Partners agreement for Sherwin-Williams paint pricing and questioned a consultant contract of roughly $127,500, urging the committee to pursue local purchasing and form citizen oversight or line-by-line departmental reviews.","taxTitle","Kane County, Illinois","taxId",12845,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6231970,"County staff urges central-services chargeback, riverboat fund review to protect general fund",790,1866000,2656000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3427016-d4e153502f99281c5a85ebab17684ccd&start=1866&end=2656","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3427016-d4e153502f99281c5a85ebab17684ccd/thumbnail_1866000.jpg","/articles/6231970/Kane-County/Illinois/County-staff-urges-central-services-chargeback-riverboat-fund-review-to-protect-general-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231970-bd9d72ce48def5d3403b74f8efa89bb5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775369089&Signature=Yqg0UepbsKePXAV9vGa~gQHMzfjjCxED6uEMSDaHQbnZRCKnLnLWz4VC2t7oa8qJr7l76TX-FS5KSz3A2gEBn77DphaForLWvj3Z8vGIR3DN2vc4AIwogb~ngHgnJpjRrOJ2z8GampJxXgHDETH~JrcuHXLSaUvfaSduIpAqB~HLcsQLRhMjucebo46gQ8zmLg~M2wNUYgclERfzXQZAaM4e3Dyow6yFYgCxEn6SYr3fYrKl7snp9DOFYho6rTzugpGpVk95~0DAgjaPiTsmk2YeE8xbwDFPSlqpaaS9UiP6vqsC4znF8IwxpP7s3nEXSWjDrdjngcazIUMlO4SFNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff at the Kane County Finance and Budget Special Committee meeting on May 21 outlined a range of operational changes intended to reduce general-fund pressure, including a central-services allocation plan, requiring grant-funded programs to include administrative reimbursements, and exploring reallocation of Grand Victoria riverboat funds.

Mavis Bates, a county budget staffer who compiled feedback from department heads, told the committee department leaders were \"eager to work together\" and that many grant-funded programs rely on general-fund-paid central services such as IT, payroll and human resources. \"Even though these programs are funded through grants, they are relying on services paid for by the general fund,\" Bates said.

Bates described a central-services allocation plan that would more systematically charge departments and grant programs for the general services they use and urged that grants include administrative costs up front so the general fund is reimbursed. She also recommended considering reimbursement-based disbursements for certain grants to prevent unspent surpluses in recipient accounts. \"We don't want our recipients to be building up a piggy bank,\" Bates said, referring to ARPA and other grant processes.

On riverboat funds, Bates asked the riverboat-committee chair to consider whether some of those funds could be applied to internal salaries when the work aligns with the riverboat grant purposes (environmental, economic, educational). \"Maybe we should be doing our funding on a reimbursement basis,\" she said, and suggested taking the proposal to the riverboat committee for discussion.

Committee members debated the proposals' practicality and legality. Several members welcomed the ideas but cautioned about statutory and policy limits. Committee member Cliff (surname not specified) warned that using grant funds for salaries must follow grant conditions and sunset timelines. The state's attorney also cautioned members about informal consensus and procedural requirements when developing policy recommendations.

Bates and members also flagged recurring budget practices that inflate apparent need, including overbudgeting vacant positions and the timing of the audit that reveals unspent funds. Bates recommended listing vacant positions without fully budgeting the line until a position is filled to avoid cushion padding the budget.

The committee asked staff to continue analysis and to bring back details on feasible allocation and reimbursement mechanisms for central services, the legal constraints for reallocating riverboat and interest-earned funds, and practical rules for grant applications so administrative costs are included when allowed by grantors.","County staff presented options to reduce pressure on the general fund, including a central-services allocation plan, requiring grants to include admin costs, and re-evaluating use of Grand Victoria riverboat funds for internal salaries and reimbursements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6231975,"Kane County finance committee directs 10% preliminary cuts, plans ad hoc review group",4722,1819000,6541000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3427016-d4e153502f99281c5a85ebab17684ccd&start=1819&end=6541","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3427016-d4e153502f99281c5a85ebab17684ccd/thumbnail_1819000.jpg","/articles/6231975/Kane-County/Illinois/Kane-County-finance-committee-directs-10-preliminary-cuts-plans-ad-hoc-review-group","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231975-07ef3ed43d4c98d2f68d880708d29012/orig.mp4?Expires=1775369089&Signature=gVlWt15IZQcq~GotjJ0SY9kjBg5J1y-WfQBK8lYwSRFgj5Vj4638~6ajCA1QbcNxJ2R2cr~peoe9lofDNpmNDDhhQqR5wpYWuXlqRKXLIpBhLqm74wDPwluEbe0r7aM-RjimrEaYmS10L9Ic0H7vqMnyhFewlNb3BztmPJB5uGd233S5CYFaPcDu2KVPQjihc12AcJlRCPvllK0tTbVme-asXY71pMb6TztCe8ZvGgMuLvvW8Nz91jQedsOMz9m4niLl59moI2i~BA9Cy3xE52HfFAh~4YAGULWm~4RQSYesf-71SjoBPTslQr~9rgMkx8AUlujtaxxEYxSwK-uc8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kane County Finance and Budget Special Committee on May 21 directed county departments to prepare budgets showing a 10% reduction and discussed forming an ad hoc committee to review those department budgets, committee members said.

Chair Dale, presiding over the special meeting, opened the committee to a detailed budget discussion and asked staff and members to develop options to reduce a preliminary projected deficit. \"We have our plans laid as to when we are going to accomplish each of the things in the budget,\" Chair Dale said during the meeting.

The committee settled, by general consensus rather than a formal vote, on instructing departments to prepare their general-fund budgets assuming a 10% reduction from their prior-year actuals. Committee member Vernon (Verne) Tepe proposed the 10% target as a practical middle path; Bill Leonard and others supported a percentage-based directive to give departments a clear target. \"If we decide upon a number — my suggestion would be 10% — that we decide upon a number and we tell each department that you have to reduce your budget by 10%,\" Tepe said.

Members discussed other targets, including 5% and a steeper 18%, but coalesced around 10% as a starting point for departmental submissions. Several members emphasized that departments should use actuals from the general fund as the baseline and that the committee would not dictate how individual offices implement reductions. \"We're not telling people where to cut,\" said Ms. Juby (committee member). \"My list was just possible ways it could not be people.\" The committee acknowledged that some small or specialized departments might not be able to absorb an across-the-board percentage cut and suggested those exceptions be identified during the review process.

Committee members also proposed an ad hoc work group to meet with department heads and review the line-item budgets before the committee makes formal recommendations. At the meeting, Chair Dale outlined an ad hoc composition that would include committee members and departmental staff; members noted the group would need formal creation or approval at a future meeting to exercise official authority. \"I'm going to form an ad hoc committee with Vern Chepi as the chairman, with Bill Leonard, Kathleen Atkinson, and Jamie Lavelo, and Roger Fonstad,\" Dale said; later staff counsel clarified that an ad hoc or subcommittee requires formal committee action to be official.

Committee members and staff said the 10% direction is intended to give departments a concrete target so the finance committee and elected offices can evaluate and negotiate actual cuts before the full budget is finalized. \"If I'm a department, if I'm an elected, and I need, you know, I'm putting my budget information in now. What the heck do I put in? What's — am I going up? Am I going down?\" asked John (committee member). The committee agreed to use the 10% consensus as guidance while staff and the proposed work group continue analysis.

Next steps discussed at the meeting included having the ad hoc or subcommittee meet with department heads to identify implementable savings and exceptions, and returning to the finance committee for formal approval of any specific reallocations or labor-related changes.","Members of the Kane County Finance and Budget Special Committee agreed by consensus to ask departments to prepare budgets showing a 10% reduction to help close a projected shortfall and proposed forming an ad hoc work group to review department budgets, though the group had not been formally approved at the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents challenge Omnia Partners paint contract and consultant spending; urge deeper budget review

County staff urges central-services chargeback, riverboat fund review to protect general fund

Kane County finance committee directs 10% preliminary cuts, plans ad hoc review group