July Board Meeting

Rescheduled regular meeting of the the Board of Trustees. Minutes posted:

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Minutes

STATE OF ILLINOIS )) ss. COUNTY OF LAKE )
Minutes of the Rescheduled Regular Meetingof the Shields Township Board of TrusteesThursday, July 28, 2022
THE TOWN BOARD OF SHIELDS TOWNSHIP held its regular monthly meeting in person and by Zoomon July 28, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
I.
 
Call to Order/Roll Call:
Deputy Supervisor Urso called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
 
Deputy Supervisor Urso noted that Clerk Bryan would not be attending this Board Meeting andnominated Trustee Andersen to serve as Clerk
 Pro Tem
. No other nominations were made. Amotion was made by Trustee Weil and seconded by Trustee Walker-Eich to elect Trustee Andersenas Clerk
 Pro Tem
 for this Board Meeting. Motion carried by voice vote.Trustee Andersen called the roll. Present were Trustees Walker-Eich, Weil, and Andersen andDeputy Supervisor Urso. Others present included Contract Assessor Scott Helton and TownshipAttorney Mark Kimzey.
II.
 
Pledge of Allegiance:
Deputy Supervisor Urso invited everyone to stand and join him in the Pledge of Allegiance.
 III.
 
Appointment of Township Supervisor:
A motion was made by Trustee Walker-Eich and seconded by Trustee Weil to appoint DeputySupervisor Urso as Shields Township Supervisor pursuant to Section 60-5 of the Township Code,with warrant to issue.Deputy Supervisor Urso noted that the Office of Township Supervisor has been vacant for 45 dayssince June 13, 2022, that he is a registered voter in the Township, and that he has been a Townshipresident for over 1 year. In addition, Deputy Supervisor Urso noted that, by virtue of accepting this position, his prior appointment as Deputy Supervisor would automatically terminate and his seatas Township Trustee would be resigned.Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich, Weil, and Andersen and Deputy Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
IV.
 
Oath of Office for Shields Township Supervisor:
Deputy Supervisor took and subscribed the oath of office before Brittany Olis, a Notary Public ofthe State of Illinois.
V.
 
Public Comment:
Mr. Carl Evans, Alderman, City of North Chicago, 2205 Seymour Avenue, North Chicago, Illinois.Mr. Evans said the Township appears to be moving in a good direction. He spoke about recent

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2changes in Township’s officials and personnel. He wishes that future employment opportunitieswith the Township be made known and available to the whole of Shields Township.
 VI.
 
Presentations:
Supervisor Urso noted that Warren L. Dixon III of Accubase Solutions, LLC, was unable to attendthe Board Meeting as planned due to issues with return travel from out-of-state. The Board would be considering approval of a Professional Services Agreement with Accubase for assessment andconsulting services later this evening. Contract Assessor Helton presented to the Board on behalfof Mr. Dixon. Given the emergency staffing shortage in the Assessor’s Office, the Townshipsolicited proposals from firms to perform assessing and consulting services on a contract basis. Thesolicitation was posted to the Township’s website and published in the
 Patch
. Proposals from three(3) firms were received. AccuBase submitted the lowest qualified proposal. Its proposal was thelowest by nearly $20,000.00. With AccuBase, the Assessor’s Office would be able to maintain thesame high standards as in previous years at a significantly reduced cost.
VII.
 
Approval of Bills:a.
 
Town Fund:
A motion was made by Trustee Weil and seconded by Trustee Andersen toapprove payment of Town Fund expenses in the amount of $16,140.90.
 
Roll call: Ayes:Trustees Walker-Eich (abstain), Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None.Motion carried.
 b.
 
General Assistance:
A motion was made by Trustee Weil and seconded by TrusteeAndersen to approve payment of General Assistance expenses in the amount of $475.00.
 
Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich, Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 c.
 
Road & Bridge:
A motion was made by Trustee Walker-Eich and seconded by TrusteeAndersen to approve payment of Road & Bridge expenses in the amount of $18,667.65.Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich, Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 VIII.
 
New Business:a.
 
Special Meeting Minutes of June 21, 2022:
A motion was made by Trustee Andersen andseconded by Trustee Walker-Eich to approve the Special Meeting Minutes of June 21,2022
.
Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich, Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 b.
 
Rescheduled Meeting Minutes of June 30, 2022:
 A motion was made by TrusteeAndersen and seconded by Trustee Weil to approve the Rescheduled Meeting Minutes ofJune 30, 2022
.
Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich (abstain), Weil, and Andersen andSupervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 c.
 
Resolution Authorizing the Appointment of Deputy Clerk:
Supervisor Urso advisedthat Section 75-45 of the Township Code permits the Township Clerk to appoint a deputyclerk when authorized by the Township Board. Clerk Bryan intends to appoint LisetteRothing as Deputy Clerk. Ms. Rothing was recently hired as a receptionist for theTownship and the Assessor’s Offices. As Deputy Clerk, Ms. Rothing will also performduties as assigned by Clerk Bryan, including executing documents on behalf of the Clerk,
 
3attending bid openings; and attending and taking minutes at Township Meetings. She willnot receive additional compensation for her role as Deputy Clerk. A motion was made byTrustee Walker-Eich and seconded by Trustee Andersen to approve the ResolutionAuthorizing the Appointment of a Deputy Clerk, as presented.
 
Roll call: Ayes: TrusteesWalker-Eich, Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 d.
 
Approval of Policy Regarding Committees of the Township Board:
Supervisor Ursoindicated that the purpose of the policy is to provide for committees to undertake specifictasks delegated by the Board, make recommendations to the Board, and enhance Boardefficiency and effectiveness. The policy would establish a standing Community ServiceCommittee and a standing Road & Bridge Committee. It also would provide for thecreation of
 Ad Hoc
Committees as needed. A motion was made by Trustee Walker-Eichand seconded by Trustee Andersen to approve the Policy Regarding Committees of theTownship Board, as presented. Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich, Weil, and Andersenand Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 e.
 
Appointment of Committee Chairs:
 For the Community Service Committee, SupervisorUrso appointed Kathleen Blahunka as the Chair. A motion was made by Trustee Walker-Eich and seconded by Trustee Andersen to approve the appointment of Kathleen Blahunkaas Chair of the Community Service Committee.
 
The membership and activities of theCommunity Service Committee were discussed. Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich,Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
f.
 
Approval of Professional Services Agreement with Accubase Solutions:
SupervisorUrso noted that the Board had heard from Contract Assessor Helton regarding theProfessional Services Agreement with Accubase during Presentations. A motion was made by Trustee Walker-Eich and seconded by Trustee Andersen to approve the ProfessionalServices Agreement with Accubase Solutions, LLC, in the amount of $56,204.37, subjectto review and approval of the Township Attorney. Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich,Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 g.
 
Resolution in Favor of Trustee Walker-Eich:
Supervisor Urso noted that, over the pastseveral months, questions have been raised about complaint alleging sexual harassmentagainst a Township Official. Supervisor Urso stated that the Township’s former legalcounsel, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer of Ancel Glink, P.C., investigated regarding the complaint,which was concluded on or prior to March 3, 2022. Ms. Krafthefer presented her findingsand conclusions to the Board in Executive Session on March 3, 2022, including that thesexual harassment complaint was found to be “unsubstantiated” and that “the facts do notsupport a finding that the Township’s sexual harassment policy was violated.” Thereafter,at the Executive Session on March 3, 2022, former Supervisor Kerr and Trustees Andersen,Urso, and Weil unanimously reached a consensus as to Ms. Krafthefer’s findings andconclusions regarding the sexual harassment complaint, and the investigation regarding thesexual harassment complaint was closed. Pursuant to the Township’s Policy AgainstSexual Harassment, complaints of sexual harassment are considered confidential, and theBoard typically does not make public any information concerning sexual harassmentcomplaints against Township Officials which are found to be unsubstantiated. However,Trustee Walker-Eich has consented to the disclosure of her identity in this case as thesubject of the unsubstantiated sexual harassment complaint because of the public’s interestin full disclosure of information that bears on the public duties of public officials. A motionwas made by Trustee Weil and seconded by Trustee Andersen that (1) the Board approveResolution 072822-02, “A Resolution in Favor of Trustee Walker-Eich,” as presented, (2)
 
4the Board adopt and approve the findings and conclusions of the investigation conducted by Ms. Krafthefer that the sexual harassment complaint against Trustee Walker-Eich isunsubstantiated and that the facts do not support a finding that Trustee Walker-Eichviolated the Township’s sexual harassment policy or any federal or state law, and (3) theunsubstantiated sexual harassment complaint against Trustee Walker-Eich thereby beconsidered closed. Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich (abstain), Weil, and Andersenand Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
h.
 
Authorization to Hire an Office Manager:
Supervisor Urso stated that, due to theresignation of the Township’s Administrator/GA Coordinator without notice on July 22,2022, there was an urgent need to hire an office manager to perform that individual’s duties.A motion was made by Trustee Walker-Eich and seconded by Trustee Andersen toauthorize the Supervisor to hire an office manager in an amount not to exceed $62,000.00 per year and to authorize the Supervisor and Clerk to sign and attest, respectively, anydocuments in connection with the hiring of an office manager. The duties andcompensation of the office manager were discussed. Supervisor Urso and ContractAssessor Helton indicated that the office manager would perform duties in the Township,General Assistance, and Assessor’s Offices. Due to the resignation of employees from theTownship and the Assessor’s Office over the past forty-five (45) days, Supervisor Ursoand Assessor Helton have been the only persons staffing the Township Offices at times.Time was of the essence in hiring staff to maintain services for the residents of Township.Roll call: Ayes: Trustees Walker-Eich, Weil, and Andersen and Supervisor Urso. Nays: None. Motion carried.
 IX.
 
Executive Session:
 None.
X.
 
Other Business:
 None.
XI.
 
Adjournment:
There being
no further business to come before the Board, a motion was made by TrusteeWalker-Eich and seconded by Trustee Andersen to adjourn
.
Motion carried by voice vote and themeeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Brady Andersen
Clerk Pro Tem