First Mission Accomplished

In February of 2013 it was brought to my attention that a DuPage County employee was spending approximately 12 hours a month working on DuPage Forest Preserve matters and using DuPage County resources to do this work.  Keep in mind the DuPage Forest Preserve is its own taxing body.   The DuPage County Clerk moonlighted as the secretary for the forest preserve for many years and collected a salary that was pension eligible for those duties. The DuPage County Clerk  had an employee in the clerks office prepare the minutes for him rather than doing this himself or having a forest preserve employee prepare the minutes. The DuPage County employee was not receiving any compensation from the forest preserve for these duties.  There was no intergovernmental agreement.

Although this may seem minor 12 hours per month equals 144 hours per year.  That is almost one month of county employee time and resources spent on matters not related to the county.

DuPage County was storing DuPage Forest Preserve documents.  Again, no intergovernmental agreement and no rent for storage of these documents.

Some board members and the chairman tried to make light of the situation and claimed this was "shared services" and nothing more.

To claim that the situation between the DuPage Forest Preserve and DuPage County is a "shared service" is a stretch.  What is a shared service?  A shared service should be a win/win situation. It should be equitable for all rather than one entity gaining at the expense of others.  When a shared service is established it is important to distinguish responsibilities and share all associated costs. Shared services should be an agreement and as such requires an intergovernmental agreement.  Examples of shared services would be  purchasing in bulk, combined fuel purchases or when fire and police protection between neighboring villages is a shared service.  

The fact that there were no intergovernmental agreements and no sharing of costs the situation was clearly not shared. 

I asked for the duties and documents to be returned to the DuPage Forest Preserve where they belong by April of 2013.  

After making comment at the board meeting I continued to press the matter with the States Attorney's Office asking for an intergovernmental agreement or to return the documents and duties to the forest preserve.

Although it took longer than I would have liked I am happy to report the Forest Preserve District is in possession of the Minutes and Agendas from December 2002 until 2013. They will receive the 2014 files once they are completed.

A new secretary has been appointed to the DuPage County Forest preserve. An administrative assistant that is employed by the forest preserve will be taking over the duties of the secretary.   No longer is the DuPage County Clerk or any employee from DuPage performing these duties, ending years of questionable practices.  

It took many emails, phone calls and gentle reminders to get this mission accomplished.

You can read more about this story here.