Committee moves edits renaming county home to Sunny Hill Nursing Home and clarifies executive authority

Will County ordinance drafters and committee members revised chapter 35 to modernize references to the county home and to reflect current facility practice at Sunny Hill Nursing Home.

Philip Mach, the staff drafter, explained the 1946 origin of the chapter and that earlier references to a county poor home and a juvenile facility no longer fit present usage. Mach said he would change instances that still read "county home" to "Sunny Hill Nursing Home," including the chapter title and specific lines that refer to improvements to the county home. Committee members agreed to strike references to a now‑obsolete home‑patient‑care committee and to update the committee name to "quality assurance improvement committee" where relevant.

Member Newquist raised whether the county board retained authority to approve improvements to the facility; members were told that under the County Executive Act building authority rests with the county executive and day‑to‑day facility decisions are exercised by the facility director, "but what you would vote for is to expend funds," Mach said. Mach and members agreed to adjust chapter language so that references to authority and funding were clear: the executive may direct improvements provided funds are available, and the board retains authority when new appropriations are required.

The committee voted to send chapter 35, as amended, to the executive committee. The motion passed unanimously.