Last summer the County began collecting data on County buildings to assess deferred maintenance needs and develop a plan for addressing those needs. Data collection concluded in the fall, and the County hosted open house sessions – three on December 1, 2022, and another three on February 16, 2023 – to share information with residents about the work to date.... READ MORE >
2022 has been a year of continued change within Cook County Government. Consistent with trends across the state and country, the organization continues to see high rates of staff turnover. In 2019 and 2020, the numbers of people leaving employment with the County were 14 and 16 respectively. In 2021, the number of departures shot up to 23 people, and... READ MORE >
Over the last several months, the County has been working to update its Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the document that will guide future investments in County facilities. Why have a CIP? There are two key reasons: it’s a tool that can help us reduce long-term costs associated with building operations and maintenance, and it creates predictability in budgeting for and... READ MORE >
On Tuesday, September 13, 2022, the Cook County Board of Commissioners set the Fiscal Year 2023 preliminary levy at 5.5 percent. The preliminary levy establishes a budget ceiling for the fiscal year that begins January 1, 2023 and ends December 31, 2023. The County Board is scheduled to set the final budget and levy for 2023 at its December 13,... READ MORE >
Payments in lieu of taxes, or PILT, is funding that local governments receive from the federal and/or state government for public lands within the local jurisdiction. Privately owned land is taxed by the county, and tax revenues go to pay for local services. The county cannot collect taxes on publicly owned land, so the U.S. government and State of Minnesota... READ MORE >
County government provides many programs and services that support healthy communities. Road construction and maintenance, public health and human services, public safety and emergency preparedness are just a few of the areas in which counties serve their residents. Minnesotans depend on counties to provide the services that build, maintain, and protect their homes, schools and neighborhoods. Counties are also a... READ MORE >
It’s hard to believe that it has been over a year since I started serving you as County Administrator. I want to start by thanking all of you who have made me feel welcomed, shared your insights about our community, and recommended your favorite hikes and fishing spots. With each passing day I feel more connected to this magical place... READ MORE >
On August 24, 2021, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to create a Housing and Redevelopment Authority, or HRA. This marks a big leap forward in the county’s efforts to address its housing challenges. An HRA is a statutory body whose purpose is to identify housing needs, develop plans for meeting those needs, securing funding for projects,... READ MORE >
Try to have a conversation about anything in Cook County these days, and it won’t be long before you find yourself talking about housing. It seems to be front-of-mind for everyone: the lack of available housing, record-high real estate prices, the housing cost burden that local workers are experiencing, the conversion of long-term rental housing to shortterm vacation rentals and... READ MORE >
Since starting as your new county administrator on October 12, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to meet many people in the community, and I want to start by thanking all of you who have introduced yourselves and made me feel so welcomed. When I interviewed for this position in September, I told the board of commissioners and department leaders... READ MORE >
