LaSalle County committee roster revised; Health and Safety to include two board members, two 708 board reappointments approved

LaSalle County Board Chairman Donald Jensen convened the Committee on Employment and Legislation and Rules on Jan. 6, 2025, where members approved a package of board-rule changes that combined several committees, moved some duties into other panels and set the Health and Safety committee to include two county board members.

The changes include folding Oversight and Landfill duties into the Land Use committee, incorporating the Regional Superintendent of Schools functions and scribe services into the Nursing Home and VAC committee, moving TIF (tax increment financing) oversight into the Finance committee and adjusting meeting schedules for the countyhealth-insurance and license committees.

The rule changes were presented by Chairman Donald Jensen. During debate, County board member Ray Grama argued against placing county board members on the Health and Safety committee, saying, “I would not want board member on that. I I don't feel like it's good use of the tax dollars when if there's an issue, it's all interdepartment anyway.” Counsels and staff discussed communication and liability pathways; a staff member identified as Pat said the countywould be responsible for known hazards regardless of which body learned of them: “I guess if you're thinking, is there a difference in liability, whether there are board members there now or not, it's what the county is aware of it, the county would very well be responsible for it.”

After members first voted on a motion to leave the Health and Safety committee without county board members, the committee later voted to place two county board members on the panel. The Jan. 6 recorded roll-call on that motion showed Small, Bright, Burnell, Walsh and the chairman voting in favor and Gata and Ospinski voting against; the chair voted to break the tie in favor of placing two board members on the committee, and the motion carried.

The committee also approved a number of procedural rule changes: setting the license committee to meet quarterly, moving health-insurance meetings to a bimonthly schedule (with flexibility for renewal-cycle meetings), and moving TIF-related oversight into the Finance committee so that treasurer reports and TIF reporting align with finance duties.

The committee approved two resolutions reappointing citizens to the LaSalle County 708 Mental Health Board. Chairman Donald Jensen presented the first resolution reappointing John Kaler as a citizen-at-large board member for a four-year term expiring Nov. 30, 2028; Ms. Wright moved the resolution and Mr. Ossipinski seconded it. The committee approved the resolution by voice vote. A second resolution reappointed Gary Peterland to a four-year term on the same board; that resolution also passed by voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes of previous committee meeting — mover: "Mister Gatz"; second: Ms. Bright; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Combine Oversight and Landfill into Land Use committee — mover/second not specified on the record; outcome: motion carried. - Health and Safety committee composition — motion to have two county board members on the Health and Safety committee; mover/second not specified; recorded roll-call showed Small, Bright, Burnell, Walsh and the chair voting yes; Gata and Ospinski voted no; outcome: approved. - Fold Regional Superintendent of Schools and scribe services into Nursing Home and VAC (rule change) — mover: Mr. Gadsden; second: Mr. Small; outcome: approved. - Change health-insurance meeting schedule to bimonthly (as scheduled) — second: Mr. Wallace; outcome: approved. - Change License committee schedule to quarterly — mover: Mr. Osterpinski; second: Mr. Gadsden; outcome: approved. - Move TIF oversight into Finance committee (rule change) — mover: Mr. Small; second: Mr. Gadsden; outcome: approved. - Resolution reappointing John Kaler to LaSalle County 708 Mental Health Board (4-year term to Nov. 30, 2028) — mover: Ms. Wright; second: Mr. Ossipinski; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Resolution reappointing Gary Peterland to LaSalle County 708 Mental Health Board (4-year term to Nov. 30, 2028) — mover: Mr. Small; second: Mr. Ospinski; outcome: approved (voice vote).

The committee chair said the committee will circulate the updated committee lists and bring rule changes to the full LaSalle County Board for final approval. The committee adjourned following the votes and further brief housekeeping items.