Legislation that could lead to a scaled-down Du Page County Board and the election of separate county forest preserve commissioners has been given tentative approval by an Illinois House panel.
But the sponsor, Rep. Mary Lou Cowlishaw (R-Naperville), said her proposal would only advance in the legislature if a majority of the 24 County Board members can agree on a proposal that would eliminate their dual role as forest preserve commissioners.
That’s a big if.
Last month, the forest preserve’s Legislative Committee went on record opposing the legislation, although opinion was divided. But it did offer to submit information to Cowlishaw’s office to amend the legislation.
Cowlishaw’s proposal advanced last week from the House Counties and Townships Committee on a 9-0 vote. But she said she would wait to see if an agreement could be reached by the County Board on the plan.
A forest preserve ad hoc committee was formed last week to get a reading from all board members about the direction of a potential split.
Forest preserve committee member Sam Tenuto, who favors a split, said all members will be asked how deeply the County Board should be cut, how both forest preserve commissioners and the commission president should be elected and what kind of salary should be received by board members and forest preserve commissioners.
Currently the forest preserve president is elected from among the membership.
“I’m going to try to build a consensus of the other 23 members through the survey, then come back to the full board with the analysis,” Tenuto said.
Tenuto said suggestions for a legislative amendment should be in Cowlishaw’s hands by April 30 to allow plenty of time for amended legislation to advance during the General Assembly’s spring session.
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Cowlishaw said her measure was an attempt to end the conflicts-of-interest facing County Board members who consider land-use and transportation issues, then sit as forest preserve commissioners to discuss environment and green-space issues.
“They’re just as aware as I am that there is not a single environmental or conservation group that doesn’t support this legislation,” she said. “They are my constituents as well as their constituents.”
Cowlishaw said one plan being considered by a County Board subcommittee would reduce the size of the board by one member in each of its six districts. That plan also would call for one forest-preserve commissioner being elected from each of the County Board districts. Another proposal would allow for two 12-member bodies. The Forest Preserve president would be elected at-large by voters, similar to the method of selecting the County Board chairman.
“If nothing else, it might get them to think about all the potential conflicts-of-interest when we ask them to play these dual roles that do not always coincide,” Cowlishaw said.
Last year, commissioners narrowly voted against a split but several of the nine new members who were elected to the county panels in November favor a division.
Senate President James “Pate” Philip of Wood Dale, the Du Page County GOP chairman, said he would support efforts to reduce the size of county government. But, he said, he had not yet taken a position on the bill.