DuPage County board pressed to pay vendors; chair schedules undersheriff briefing after jail settlement

At its June 10, 2025, meeting in Wheaton, the DuPage County Board heard a public comment from Brenda Watterson, CEO of Truly Engaging, who said delayed county payments pushed the company into a delinquent status and impaired its borrowing base. Board Chair Deborah A. Conroy said the board would add a July 8 presentation from Under Sheriff Ed Moore about procedures and safeguards in the county jail following a recent settlement.

The issue surfaced during the public-comment period when Watterson, who identified herself as CEO of Truly Engaging, described a county invoice worth “almost $200,000” that she could not include in her company’s borrowing base after the county went into delinquent status. She told the board, “Please pay your bills.”

Why it matters: delayed government payments can strain cash-flow-reliant local businesses and raise oversight questions for county finance processes. The board also cited the jail settlement as a reason to seek additional briefings on departmental procedures and public-safety oversight.

Board discussion and staff response

Chair Deborah A. Conroy said she had pressed the sheriff’s office to attend a meeting and that she received an email from Under Sheriff Ed Moore offering to present. Conroy said, “Therefore, I will add a presentation item to the agenda for July 8 county board meeting.” The presentation was described as covering “any new procedures or safeguards that have been put in place in the jail to protect the health of individuals with mental and physical illnesses,” following a recent settlement paid to a family of a person who died in custody.

Jeff (identified in the meeting as the county Chief Financial Officer) explained procedural limits on issuing payments. “Statutorily, I can’t… I’m the CFO,” he said, adding that invoices require proper documentation and approvals before the auditor’s office can clear payments. Jeff said invoices without required documentation remain “in a queue” while staff seek the missing materials.

Several board members expressed frustration with the delay. Member Kaehl said the problem “lies with our county clerk office” when required documentation or budget-transfer forms are missing. Member Galassi urged that internal controls are the reason invoices are sometimes held: “our internal controls are taking effect and not allowing you to pay a bill,” he said, urging clarity from the clerk’s office. Member Desart urged direct engagement with the clerk for cooperation.

What the board directed

Chair Conroy announced the July 8 briefing by Under Sheriff Ed Moore; the board did not take a formal vote on changing payment processes at the June 10 meeting. Members asked staff and elected officials to provide documentation and status updates to expedite payments where permitted by law and internal controls.

Community impact and next steps

Watterson told the board she employs about 150 people, most living in DuPage County, and said the invoice delay affected her business’s borrowing capacity. Board members said they will press the clerk’s office and the elected officials involved for timely documentation. The undersheriff’s July 8 presentation is intended to address both the jail procedures prompted by the settlement and related oversight questions raised by the board.

No formal policy change was adopted at the June 10 meeting; the audit and payment process will remain subject to existing internal controls and any court-ordered restrictions tied to the ongoing litigation.