DuPage County Strategic Planning Committee met May 22.
Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:
1. Call To Order
9:30 am meeting was called to order by Chair Janice Anderson at 9:30 am.
2. Roll Call
Present: Anderson, Chaplin, Eckhoff, Hart, Puchalski, Wiley
Absent:
3. Chairman's Remarks
The 2018 mid-year strategic initiative implementation report is now available. Copies were distributed to committee members. The report summarizes departmental progress in the implementation of the County’s strategic plan over the past six months of Fiscal Year 2018. Each department under County Board jurisdiction developed up to five strategic initiatives to pursue in FY2018 for a total of fifty-seven strategic initiatives. Each of these initiatives is aligned to one of the five core strategic imperatives in the strategic plan that serve to guide DuPage County government (Quality of Life, Financial Planning, Customer Service, ACT Initiative, and Economic Growth). The implementation report summarizes the progress made by each department working in coordination with their parent committees as they continue to implement each initiative.
4. Public Comment
None
5. Approval Of Minutes
A. Strategic Planning Committee - Regular Meeting - Feb 27, 2018 9:30 am
Result: Accepted [Unanimous]
Mover: Kevin Wiley, Vice Chairman
Seconder: Elizabeth Chaplin, District 2
Ayes: Anderson, Chaplin, Eckhoff, Hart, Puchalski, Wiley
6. Mid-Year Strategic Initiative Implementation Report
7. Strategic Initative Update - Highland Hills Sanitary District
Nick Kottmeyer, Director of Public Works and Operations, updated the committee on the status of the Highland Hills Sanitary District (HHSD) ACT initiative. Highland Hills is a small sanitary district located in York Township that provides water and/or sewer services to approximately 450 customers. Financial and operational reviews of the District previously undertaken by Crowe Horwath and Christopher Burke Engineering revealed several areas of needed improvement which have been addressed under the direction of DuPage County Department of Public Works, but there were continuing issues with water quality and the overall level of service. In November 2016 a public meeting was held for the residents of the HHSD service area at which they were given the opportunity to choose between two water/sewer service options: (i) continue with HHSD as the water/sewer provider; or (ii) have DuPage County Public Works provide water (from Lake Michigan) and Flagg Creek Water Reclamation District provide sewer service, with the eventual dissolution of HHSD. The majority of respondents chose the second option (295 vs. 54 votes for option (i)). On September 12, 2017, the DuPage County Board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement between the three parties (DuPage County, Highland Hills Sanitary District and Flagg Creek Water Reclamation District) which will allow for the eventual dissolution of HHSD.
During this transitional time, DuPage County Public Works is handling much of the billing operations for HHSD as well as emergency response operations. All the water meters within the HHSD service area have been replaced, which will ensure more accurate meter readings and billing. Lake Michigan water is anticipated to be turned on beginning June 5, but initial flushing of the lines will take about a month or two, because of sediment in the wells. Residents are fully aware of what to expect during the transition between water sources, and there will be no hookup costs for them.
The next stage of the process will focus on the sanitary system - rehabilitating the sewer lines and taking over billing activities. Formal dissolution of the Highland Hills Sanitary District will begin late this year.
8. Supervisor Of Assessments Certificate Of Error (Coe) Kaizan Event Project Update
Chair Anderson introduced Supervisor of Assessments Craig Dovel, who will update the committee on the partnership with the Treasurer’s office to optimize the certificate of error function via process mapping which aims to enhance customer service and aid in the effort to modernize the real estate tax system.
Mr. Dovel explained that the Certificate of Error process is a codified procedure created by the Illinois General Assembly and is the only way the SOA is empowered to alter a property tax bill after it has been issued by the DuPage County Treasurer’s office. The process requires the cooperation of the local township assessors, the Board of Review, the Treasurer’s office, the State’s Attorney’s office and the Supervisor of Assessments office. Currently, all these entities are supported by a legacy computer system developed by DuPage County information technology. The inherent complexities of the existing system and workflow led to the decision to explore areas of process improvement utilizing a LEAN methodology known as a kaizen event - a short-term improvement project.
During a series of kaizen events taking place over the past two months, DuPage County Treasurer Gwen Henry, Patrick Goodwin from IT, and Helen Krengel, Kim Samuelson and Cindy Cruz from the Supervisor of Assessments office were able to identify areas of waste within the current process; identify opportunities to streamline and optimize the current system; and develop a benchmark future-state process map. Two particular areas of improvement were examined: non-data processing system dependent areas and areas which could be supported by a new property tax system. The non-data processing dependent improvements will be implemented for the current tax year.
9. Old Business
Member Wiley mentioned that at Finance Committee today it was noted that we did not have a policy about cutting the size, scope and cost of our government. Under the ACT initiative and our Strategic Plan that is exactly what we are chartered to do, and it would therefore be helpful to review the Strategic Plan to determine that it includes a set policy on reducing the size and cost of our government.
10. New Business
None
11. Adjournment
With no further business before the Committee, and without objection, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 am.
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