First Month on the DuPage County Board

The first month on the DuPage County Board has been very busy. There has been several committee meetings as well as board meetings.  Many of the newly elected board members have presided over their committee meetings.  The staff has been very gracious as well as the seasoned board members. Many of us have been on tours of the DuPage Court House and the State Attorney Office and there are  more tours planned over the next few weeks.

We have been busy with meeting other elected officials in our districts.  We have attended the District 2 meeting of the DuPage Mayors and Managers and the Legislative Dinner.  DuPage County held a Legislative Breakfast last week.

I am very fortunate to serve on the Legislative Committee.  The committee recently approved the county's Legislative Agenda.  There are many worthy priorities in our agenda, you can view the Legislative Agenda here, View Agenda.  While the Agenda touches on pension reform by seeking legislation that would allow DuPage County employees the option of enrolling in a 401K the reform does not go far enough. The Agenda does not include salary spiking or double dipping of elected and appointed officials.  I broached the subject of eliminating pensions for Elected County Board Members in the Legislative Committee, you can view the minutes here, View Minutes.

Besides attending meetings,  meeting other elected officials and tours I have been contacted and assisted citizens in my district.  I have also been contacted by folks that are not in my district seeking assistance.  This is really my comfort zone and what I enjoy.  In Downers Grove we have established a citizens group.  This group consists of  well informed and active participants in local government.   I would like to establish a similar group in each of the municipalities that I represent.

Remember, please feel free to contact with any questions or concerns you have.

Phone: 630-518-6740

Email: bchaplin03@comcast.net

Meeting Schedule Week of Jan 14, 2013

Below you will find the meeting schedule and agendas for the week of January 14, 2013.

Committee Schedule:
Committee Schedule Agenda ~1.pdf‎ (360 KB‎)


Public Transit:
http://www.dupageco.org/agendas.aspx?fid=2242

Health and Human Services Committee:
http://www.dupageco.org/County_Board_Committees/Health_and_Human_Services_Committee/2013/Packets/39840/


Legislative Committee:
 click here


Judicial /Public Safety
JPS Agenda 011513.doc‎ (68 KB‎)

DuPage County Meeting Information for 1-7-2013 to 1-11-2013

Below you will find links for the various DuPage County Board meetings for January 7, 2013-13 to
January 11, 2013.

DuPage County Finance Committee Packet - January 8, 2013 - 8:00 a.m. - County Board Room

click here.


DuPage County Board Meeting Packet - January 10, 2013 - 10:00 a.m. County board Room

 click here.


Committee Schedule Agenda for the week of 1-7-13 to 1-11-13

Committee Schedule Agenda ~1.pdf‎ (278 KB‎)

MIssed Quinn Press Conference

Today DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin hosted a meeting with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and state legislators of DuPage.  The purpose of the meeting was to discuss pension reform.

The media and County Board members were invited to attend a post-meeting debriefing.

This would have been an excellent opportunity to meet our legislators and to be reacquainted with the governor, who I met many years ago.

Unfortunately the county board members were notified via an email press release sent last evening at 5:14 p.m.  A revised email was sent this morning at 7:56 a.m. notifying of the correct time of 11:00 a.m.

I am very good about checking emails.  I check my DuPage County email several times each day.
This morning when I went to use my personal home computer there was no internet connection, that almost never happens, but today it did.  I normally check my DuPage County emails from my private sector job, however today we had plans to clean out our 2012 files and make room for the 2013 files.
Most of the day was spent in the warehouse, that almost never happens.  I was gone from my desk most  of the day and therefore did not check my county email.

Today at 10:45 I received a phone call from Barb at DuPage County, who  has been very helpful,  asking if I could attend the debriefing.  I explained that I was at my private sector job.  I was in the warehouse in an old sweatshirt, jeans and gym shoes and there was no way I could get home, change and attend the debriefing or lunch.  Plus, I was in the middle of a huge project.

So today I am slightly frustrated.  I wonder why there was no phone call made last night just to be sure we were aware of this important event.

 I will be sending a letter to Governor Pat Quinn apologizing for not attending the meeting and the reason why.

I have provided a link to the debriefing.  Enjoy!



Video Outline - DuPage County, Illinoisdupage.iqm2.com