[BCNnet] FYI: Groups to call for separation of Cook County boards

[Randi Doeker - Chicago]

FYI - Randi Doeker, Chicago


 


Groups to call for separation of Cook County boards


Watchdogs want forest district apart from county


By Hal Dardick

Chicago Tribune Reporter

March 17, 2008

Two civic watchdog groups Monday will call for breaking off the Cook County
Forest Preserve Board from the rest of county government, arguing that a
separately elected group overseeing nearly 69,000 acres of open space would
do far more to protect, expand and improve the land -- most of which is in
poor shape.

Cook County Board commissioners and President Todd Stroger now wear two
hats, overseeing county government and the Forest Preserve District, the
same as all other Illinois counties except DuPage. That dual role is fraught
with conflict, according to the Civic Federation and Friends of the Forest
Preserves.

"The commissioners have a very difficult time separating the interests of
the forest preserve," Civic Federation President Laurence Msall said. "It's
treated as an afterthought, unfortunately, and the condition of the forest
preserves speaks to that issue."

The joint report cites a 2001 study concluding that 68 percent of forest
preserve land was "poor quality," largely due to inadequate management.
Critics have blasted the high grass, overflowing garbage cans and filthy
restrooms, although the report notes improvement under the current
superintendent.

It also noted past conflicts: shifting millions of dollars between the
county and Forest Preserve District, the sale of 2.4 preserve acres to
Rosemont to expand the village's convention center and allowing preserve
land to be used for a road in Morton Grove.

Though Stroger and the commissioners on Friday had yet to see the report
calling for separation, a pair of unusual political bedfellows reacted
coolly to the idea.

"I am aware of its central premise and do not support separation of the
boards," Stroger said. "On this issue, we simply agree to disagree."

Commissioner Forrest Claypool (D-Chicago), a frequent critic of Stroger,
"patronage-laden" forest preserve operations and the status quo in county
government, also said he did not believe a separation was in order.

"By keeping [the governments] together, there's an opportunity to use the
sister resources of Cook County government, which is much larger, to benefit
the forest preserve," Claypool said.

Benjamin Cox, executive director of Friends of the Forest Preserves,
disagreed. "His good intentions are woefully misdirected," Cox said. A
currently shared human-resources department leads to the hiring of people
"who don't begin to have the specialties that are required for the Forest
Preserve District," Cox said.

He pointed to DuPage as "a great success." In 1996 and 2000, legislation was
passed in Springfield to separate the DuPage County Board from its Forest
Preserve Commission while keeping the same overall number of elected
officials and maintaining the same taxing powers.

The legislation does not apply to Cook, however, so a new state law is
required to make the change.

The report recommends five commissioners be elected countywide in a
non-partisan election for 6-year terms. They, in turn, would elect a
president from among their own ranks.

County Commissioner Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) said the change is needed.

"Cook County is almost parasitic of the smaller branch, and it makes sense
to focus on each government separately," he said, noting the county budget
is $3.2 billion a year and the Forest Preserve District's $175 million.

"There are very few environmentalists on the board," he added. "The forest
preserve is an afterthought to most commissioners."

 

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