The Cook County Board of Commissioners elected Commissioner Ginny Starley chair and approved a slate of organizational items at its annual organizational meeting, where newly sworn officials also took the oath of office.

The swearing-in ceremony, administered by Kim Shepherd of court administration, included the oath for District 2 Commissioner Gary Gamble, a newly seated district 4 commissioner and County Attorney Jean Peterson. After oaths and signing of documents for the county administrative files, the board moved to leadership elections and organizational business for 2025.

The board nominated and approved Ginny Starley as board chair and reappointed a vice chair (Commissioner Mills). Commissioners discussed committee and board assignments for the year and made a number of routine administrative approvals: designation of the Cook County News-Herald as the county’s newspaper for legal publications (no change in the bid price from last year), Grand Marais State Bank as the county’s primary depository, adoption of the regular 2025 meeting schedule, and a resolution formalizing non‑county levies to be collected on the tax rolls.

During discussion of assignments, County Attorney Jean Peterson cautioned that the HRA appointment is a non‑voting role and said “under the statute, the conflict is actually broader than just voting,” noting legal limits on attempts to influence when a conflict exists. Commissioners exchanged preferences for primary and alternate seats on regional boards (including AMC and ARC) and asked staff to revisit assignments in several months to evaluate benefits, meeting frequency and travel costs.

Interim Administrator Rowan Watkins updated the board on the administrator search and related county projects, reporting that 26 applicants had been received to date for the county administrator position and that some facilities remodeling and transfer‑station planning were advancing. Watkins said the search consultant (DDA) expects additional applicants in the coming weeks and that a schematic design for a building remodel was tentatively expected before the board toward the end of February.

Votes at a glance

- Elect Ginny Starley as board chair: motion carried (all in favor).
- Elect Commissioner Mills as vice chair: motion carried (all in favor).
- Approve agenda as presented: motion carried (all in favor).
- Designate Cook County News‑Herald as newspaper for legal publications (bid: $9 per column inch for legals; one bid received): motion carried (all in favor).
- Approve commissioner assignments for 2025: motion carried (all in favor).
- Approve Grand Marais State Bank as primary depository for 2025: motion carried (all in favor).
- Approve regular meeting schedule for 2025: motion carried (all in favor).
- Adopt resolution approving collection of non‑county levies on the tax rolls: motion carried (all in favor).

The meeting closed after a brief administrative update and no public commenters appeared during the public comment period. The board scheduled follow‑up on committee assignments, clarified expectations for alternates attending multiple meetings, and noted that staff would circulate an updated assignments list ahead of the next business meeting.