By: James Joerke, Cook County Administrator

Over the last 12 months Cook County Government has made good progress on two major initiatives that will position the organization to continue to provide high quality public services as the county continues to grow.

A capital improvement planning process that the County initiated in 2022 was completed this past spring with significant input from the County’s Budget and Facilities Advisory Committee and county residents. The product of that process, the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for county buildings, was approved by the County Board on August 22, 2023. The CIP lays out a five-year schedule for catching up on around $13.4 million of deferred maintenance on the 20+ buildings the County owns. The plan also proposes the development of a Judicial Center at the current site of the Law Enforcement Center (LEC), a project with an estimated total cost of $17.4 million ($5.58 million of which is already included in the deferred maintenance total, making the net cost of the new space around $11.82 million). The combined cost of the deferred maintenance and the construction of a Judicial Center is estimated to be approximately $25.2 million. The County has requested proposals from construction management firms to oversee the deferred maintenance projects.

To minimize impacts to the County levy, the County has requested $8.7 million in state bonding for the Judicial Center project. The County’s request will be considered in the 2024 state legislative session, and the outcome will be known when the session concludes in May. The viability of state bonding applications depends, in part, on how “shovel ready” projects are. The legislature gives preference to those that can proceed with construction quickly after being awarded. For this reason, the County has sought proposals from architectural firms to assist with planning and design work. The Budget and Facilities Advisory Committee will again be tasked with assisting in reviewing and scoring proposals and helping to select a firm.

In order for any of this work to happen, the County must have a financial management plan, or FMP. The County has been working with a municipal finance advisor, Ehlers, to develop that plan. It is important to know that the FMP is subject to County Board review and approval, as are any changes to the plan that may be required over time. On July 11, 2023, the Board accepted a proposed FMP presented by Ehlers. The commissioners did so with the understanding that the plan would need to be updated routinely as new information becomes available, and that any critical steps to put financing in place (e.g., through the issuance of County bonds), would also be subject to public hearings. Financing for projects will be secured in phases, with the first County bond proposal and public hearing expected to occur in the first quarter of 2024. Any hearings that are scheduled will be publicized on the County’s website, in the Cook County News Herald, Boreal, WTIP and on social media, and public feedback on the County’s financing strategy will be welcomed.

The County is also working to create a strategic plan that will include three strategic initiatives and related goals and action steps. The three initiatives are proposed to focus on 1) enhancing organizational efficiency and resilience; 2) investing in a highly trained, high-performing, and engaged workforce; and 3) increasing transparency, accountability, and information accessibility. There are a number of factors that have caused us to focus on these areas. First, the pandemic taught us that flexibility and adaptability are essential to ensure that we can continue providing services to the community in the event of a crisis or emergency. The ongoing challenges of filling positions and retaining staff in the current labor market are another driver behind the first two initiatives. Our employees are our most important resource, and without them, we cannot plow streets, respond to 911 calls, provide assistance to families in need, and perform the myriad other services that the County offers. We have a responsibility to recruit the best people we can find, to make sure they are appropriately trained, and to provide a level of compensation and organizational culture that incentivizes people to stay with us. When these things are in place, our staff can perform at a high level, and that benefits everyone who lives in Cook County. The third initiative focuses on updating process and technology to enable county residents to access information about County activities and spending more easily. One key element of this will be the implementation of new budgeting software that will bring our budget process into the 21st century and provide an online dashboard that residents can use to retrieve information about County services and spending. We are also exploring ways to improve human resources and payroll software that will provide additional, albeit less visible, benefits to our customers.

As mentioned above, hiring and staff retention continue to pose challenges for our organization, reflecting a pattern that is evident across the state and country. The factors driving this are well documented in the media: baby boomers are aging out of the workforce, and the number of young people entering the job market is smaller than that of people who are retiring or leaving the market. There are also fields, such as law enforcement and social services, that have high turnover because of the inherently stressful nature of the work and the shrinking numbers of people pursuing those careers. Here in Cook County, the limited supply of affordable workforce housing has amplified the problem. The wage study that the County conducted last year and resulting pay increases that were implemented this year have made us more competitive for new talent and bolstered retention, but the demographic trends that have shrunk the labor pool are not predicted to reverse anytime soon. For this reason, it is imperative that I and other County leaders contribute to an organizational culture in which people know they are valued and are given the training and other resources to do their jobs at the highest level. You, as a Cook County resident, deserve that.

Later this month, Auditor/Treasurer Braidy Powers will write a column in this space regarding the fiscal year 2024 County budget and levy, new sources of state funding, and the status of our efforts to resolve a dispute with the U.S. Forest Service on its appraisal of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, so I will not address those topics here. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 218-387-3687 if you have questions or concerns. I wish you and yours a peaceful holiday season.

County Connections is a column on timely topics and service information from your Cook County government. Cook County – Supporting Community Through Quality Public Service.