The Cook County commissioners voted Feb. 11, 2014 to spend up to $10,000 for outside legal assistance in the county attorney’s office.
The request was made by Assistant County Attorney Molly Hicken, who has been overseeing the department since last fall, when County Attorney Tim Scannell gave notice in October that he was leaving the office indefinitely on medical leave.
Hicken told the county board that since then, the office has been functioning at only a 75 percent level of staffing, and she and her assistants have been forced to practice in areas that they’re not used to, and therefore they’re not as time-efficient. She also said there has been a more active court schedule, with three trials held in recent months and another felony trial upcoming.
Asked about the low staffing level, Hicken explained that there is a vacancy because there is no Victim-Witness Program coordinator. She said the office advertised and tried to fill the 20-hour per week position last year, but all of the qualified candidates took other jobs before the county could make an offer. Since then, Hicken said, she has been told not to pursue other candidates because the county attorney doesn’t support the position.
Commissioner Sue Hakes asked for clarification for the reason for not trying to re-advertise for the Victim-Witness Program coordinator. Hicken repeated that the county attorney asked that they not repost the position.
Hakes asked what County Attorney Scannell’s reasoning was and Hicken replied, “He doesn’t support it. That’s what he says right now. In the past, after he went on medical leave, he said we could handle it at 75 percent.”
But on the positive side, Hicken said, the money budgeted for that position is still available.
There was a brief discussion about allocating the additional $10,000 for outside help, but the board reached consensus that there was little choice, with Commissioner Garry Gamble summing up the board’s dilemma.
“We have to continue to wrestle with what the reality is…and the motion comes under duress,” he said. “We want to be respectful of our staff and the public….It’s very unfortunate.”
Before voting on the request, Commissioner Sue Hakes asked Hicken if $10,000 was enough.
Hicken replied, “I can’t tell you that. I’d like it to stay at $10,000 or less, but until I figure out what issues we can push off to outside legal help, I’m not sure of the scope of those services. I’m kind of basing the amount on what was used in the past, in 2013.”
Commissioner Bruce Martinson noted that $10,000 could be used up rather quickly in legal fees, but said he would support the request anyway.
The board then voted unanimously to approve the expenditure of up to $10,000 for outside legal help.
Hicken also asked the board for its input on a request from the Arrowhead Coalition for Multiple Use that the county send a letter to the chief judge and local legislators regarding federal litigation in the South Fowl Lake snowmobile trail situation. The organization wants county support to move the matter along and spare any further county expense (the county is an intervenor in the case).
While the board agreed with Hicken that it would be inappropriate for the county to contact the judge, there was consensus that it couldn’t hurt to contact local Congress members to remind them of the status of the case and keep them informed. Commissioner Bruce Martinson pointed out that most of the lawmakers as well as Forest Service personnel involved in the matter are “new players” in the ongoing suit, and thus an informative letter may do some good. The letters will be sent.
In other news:
. The board authorized Highway Engineer David Betts to solicit bids for two State Aid projects to be undertaken this summer: Pavement rehab of 4.8 miles of the Gunflint Trail (between 200 feet west of Forest Road 1347 and 650 feet east of Fox Ridge Road) and installation of a sidewalk along County Road 7 from the intersection of the old Gunflint Trail 992 feet west toward the apartment complex. However, the board instructed Betts to advertise the projects separately – rather than under one contract, as was proposed – in an effort to encourage local contractors to bid on the sidewalk work.
. The board approved a special event permit for the annual Mush for a Cure festivities to be held March 8. Organizers requested crossings at two locations along the Gunflint Trail, and one on North Gunflint Lake Road. As the event is a charitable endeavor, the permit fee was waived.
. Wade Cole of ORB Management presented a “close-out letter” detailing the firm’s work on the YMCA project and a list of remaining issues that are being dealt with by contractors. Items on the list include installation of window tinting film at the pool; adjustment or replacement of shower heads and arms; floor mat placement in the locker rooms; replacement of sauna lights; installation and certification of pool slide railings; adjustment of HVAC controls; and removal of brown streaks on the walls at the pool which Cole said are “a bit of a mystery.” In addition, Cole said there is a problem with concrete flaking at the ice rink which can only be solved after the dasher boards are removed, presumably in the spring.
The board thanked Cole for all of his work and dedication to the project and voted to pay ORB $75,000 from the unallocated 1 percent funds to make up for a $32,253 shortage in the contingency fund and pay unbilled hours which date back to 2012. The payment leaves just under $400,000 of uncommitted funds remaining from the $20 million total.
. Commissioners denied a request from the Cook County Tennis Association to use approximately $200,000 of the remaining 1 percent funds to reconstruct the two south tennis courts. Commissioner Gamble said he would meet with Community Center Director Diane Booth to explore other potential sources of funding for the tennis courts project.
. At the request of Howard Hedstrom, president of Hedstrom Lumber Company, the board will send a letter to the state Department of Agriculture requesting a 30-day extension of the public comment period for the proposed gypsy moth quarantine for Lake and Cook counties. It was also noted that the local public hearing on the matter has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Feb. 25 as part of the commissioners’ meeting at the courthouse. The deadline for comments on the proposed quarantine has been extended to Wednesday, March 12.
Leave a Reply