REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION,

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND VETERANS RELATIONS

 

May 13, 2008

 

The Honorable,

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County

 

ATTENDANCE

 

Present:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Claypool, Collins, Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Maldonado, Moreno, Murphy, Peraica, Quigley, Schneider and Sims (16)

 

Absent:

Commissioner Steele (1)

 

Also Present:

Patrick T. Driscoll, Jr. – Deputy State’s Attorney, Chief, Civil Actions Bureau;  Elizabeth Reidy – Deputy Chief, Civil Actions Bureau; David Small – Chief Operating Officer, Bureau of Heath Services; Daniel Cantrell - 7th Congressional District Director, Office of Congressman Danny Davis;  David Carvalho, JD - Deputy Director of Policy, Planning, and Statistics, Illinois Department of Public Health;  Quin R. Golden - Associate Vice President of Strategic Affiliations and Urban Health Initiative, University of Chicago Medical Center; Benn Greenspan, PhD, MPH, FACHE - MHA Program Director and Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health;  Barbara J. Hillman - Partner and Associate, Cornfield and Feldman;  Heather E. O'Donnell, JD, LLM - Policy Director for Health Care and Human Services, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability;  Jorge Ramirez - Secretary Treasurer, Chicago Federation of Labor;  Andrea Zopp - Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Exelon Corporation

 

Court Reporter:     Anthony W. Lisanti, C.S.R.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

        Your Committee on Legislation, Intergovernmental and Veterans Relations of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County met pursuant to notice on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at the hour of 10:00 A.M. in the Board Room, Room 569, County Building, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois.

 

        Your Committee has considered the following item and upon adoption of this report, the recommendations are as follows:

 

293931

CANDIDATES FOR THE INTERIM BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COOK COUNTY BUREAU OF HEALTH (APPOINTMENTS).  Transmitting a Communication from Todd H. Stroger, President, Cook County Board of Commissioners, dated May 2, 2008.

 

I would like to thank the members of the Nominating Committee for the work they have done and most importantly for putting together a list of 20 excellent candidates.  This has been a difficult process, in that, all of the candidates offered have certain skills that make them viable candidates to enhance this Independent Board.  In putting together this list, I have attempted to look at the following two key factors:

 

(1)   I want a balanced board with diverse skill sets needed to address the problems we face in a large complex public health network such as ours; and

 

(2)   I want a board that reflects the cultural, gender and racial diversity of our County.

 

Additionally, I attempted to the best of my abilities, to be certain that there were no potential conflicts of interest in the members I have selected.

 

As stated above, I feel all of the candidates provided are excellent; thus, I will not address any questions that relate to why I did not select a particular individual.  Instead, I would recommend to any person that wishes to offer someone else to consider, who they would remove from the list I have put forth.

 

Before I give you the names I recommend, I call upon the Cook County Board of Commissioners to improve the ordinance drafted on the night of the budget meeting because such language fails to address critical issues such as Procurement, how Human Resources will function as it relates to this new board and the County, what occurs when there is a vacancy on the board or whether the Inspector General will have jurisdiction over the new board.

 

Provided for below are my recommendations that I will offer to the Board of Commissioners for their approval:

 

Recommended List

 

  1. Daniel Cantrell
  2. David Carvalho
  3. Jorge Ramirez
  4. Heather O’Donnell
  5. Norman Bobins
  6. Andrea Zopp
  7. Barbara Hillman
  8. Quin Golden
  9. Benn Greenspan

 

*  Referred to the Committee on Legislation, Intergovernmental and Veterans Relations on May 7, 2008.

 

Chairman Suffredin explained the procedures that would be used for the meeting.  First, testimony from the public would be taken on all proposed nominees.  Next, each proposed nominee would provide a brief presentation of their qualifications, after which committee members would be given the opportunity to ask questions of the proposed nominee.  Finally, the committee members would take a roll call vote on each proposed nominee after all had presented to the Committee. 

 

The proposed nominees presented in the following order:

 

    1. Andrea Zopp
    2. Heather O’Donnell
    3. Barbara Hillman
    4. Jorge Ramirez
    5. Quin Golden
    6. Benn Greenspan
    7. David Carvalho
    8. Daniel Cantrell

 

Chairman Suffredin noted that the ninth proposed nominee, Norman Bobins, had written a letter to President Stroger withdrawing his name from consideration.  He would therefore not be presenting to the Committee.

 

Chairman Suffredin asked the Secretary to the Board to call upon the registered public speakers, in accordance with Cook County Code, Sec. 2-108(dd):

 

1.         Patrick Keenan-Devlin            Legislative Director, Citizen Action Illinois

2.         Lester Crown                          Chairman, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago

                                                            (written statement provided – Attachment #1)

3.         Eden Martin                             President, The Commercial Club of Chicago

                                                            (written statement provided – Attachment #2)

4.         Laurence Msall                        President, Civic Federation

5.         George Blakemore                  Concerned Citizen

6.         Margie Schaps                        Executive Director, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group

7.         Lynne Johnson                        Director of Advocacy, Chicago Foundation for Women

8.         Gary Fritz                                Midwest Director, National Nurses Organizing Committee

 

Vice Chairman Silvestri requested that two communications received from the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club be made a part of the record.  (See Attachment #3.)

 

Andrea Zopp provided a brief overview of her qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 

Heather O’Donnell provided a brief overview of her qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 

During Ms. O’Donnell’s presentation and question and answer session, Commissioner Butler requested leave to ask a question of David Small, Chief Operating Officer of the Bureau of Health Services, pertaining to a statement made by Ms. O’Donnell that the County does not collect for Medicaid. 

 

Chairman Suffredin ruled Commissioner Butler’s request out of order.

 

Commissioner Butler challenged the ruling of the Chair and requested a Roll Call.

 

 

On the question of whether to sustain the ruling of the Chair, a roll call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL TO SUSTAIN RULING OF THE CHAIR

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin and Commissioners Daley, Maldonado and Peraica (4)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Goslin, Moreno, Murphy, Schneider and Sims (7)

 

Absent:

Vice Chairman Silvestri, Commissioners Claypool, Collins, Gorman, Quigley and Steele (6)

 

The motion to sustain the ruling of the Chair FAILED.

 

 

David Small, Chief Operating Officer of the Bureau of Health Services, responded that, yes, the Bureau does collect for Medicaid.  He stated that the Bureau, under its current set of staffing and systems, does make every attempt to bill for every patient for which Medicaid eligibility is determined.  He added that the Bureau has made improvements within the past eighteen months, by reducing the number of rejections and getting the bills out the doors much quicker.

 

The proposed nominees resumed their presentations to the Committee.

 

Barbara Hillman provided a brief overview of her qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 

Jorge Ramirez provided a brief overview of his qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 

Quin Golden provided a brief overview of her qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 

Benn Greenspan provided a brief overview of his qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 

David Carvalho provided a brief overview of his qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 

Daniel Cantrell provided a brief overview of his qualifications, which was followed by a question and answer session with the committee members.

 


Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Moreno, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Heather O’Donnell to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of HEATHER O’DONNELL to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin and Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Daley, Moreno, Peraica and Sims (7)

 

Nays:

Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Claypool, Gorman, Goslin, Murphy, Quigley and Schneider (7)

 

Present:

Commissioner Collins (1)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm FAILED.

 

 

Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Sims, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Andrea Zopp to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of andrea zopp to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Murphy, Schneider and Sims (8)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Butler, Claypool, Moreno, Peraica and Quigley (5)

 

Present:

Commissioners Beavers and Collins (2)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm CARRIED.

 


Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Butler, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Barbara Hillman to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of BARBARA HILLMAN to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin and Commissioners Butler and Murphy (3)

 

Nays:

Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Claypool, Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Moreno, Peraica, Quigley and Schneider (9)

 

Present:

Commissioners Beavers, Collins and Sims (3)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm FAILED.

 

 

Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Moreno, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Jorge Ramirez to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of Jorge RAMIREZ to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Moreno, Murphy, Schneider and Sims (11)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Claypool, Peraica and Quigley (3)

 

Present:

Commissioner Collins (1)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm CARRIED.

 

 


 

Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Butler, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Quin Golden to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of Quin golden to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Moreno, Murphy, Schneider and Sims (11)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Claypool, Peraica and Quigley (3)

 

Present:

Commissioner Collins (1)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm CARRIED.

 

 

Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Butler, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Benn Greenspan to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of BENN GREENSPAN to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Murphy, Schneider and Sims (10)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Claypool, Moreno, Peraica and Quigley (4)

 

Present:

Commissioner Collins (1)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm CARRIED.

 

 

 

Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Moreno, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of David Carvalho to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of DAVID CARVALHO to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Butler, Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Moreno, Murphy, Peraica, Schneider and Sims (11)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Claypool and Quigley (2)

 

Present:

Commissioners Beavers and Collins (2)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm CARRIED.

 

 

Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Beavers, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Daniel Cantrell to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of DANIEL CANTRELL to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Commissioners Beavers, Butler and Moreno (3)

 

Nays:

Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Claypool, Daley, Gorman, Goslin, Murphy, Peraica, Quigley, Schneider (9)

 

Present:

Chairman Suffredin and Commissioners Collins and Sims (3)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm FAILED.


 

 

Having voted on the prevailing side, Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Peraica, moved to reconsider the vote by which the nomination of Heather O’Donnell was rejected.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to RECONSIDER THE VOTE BY WHICH THE NOMINATION

OF HEATHER O’DONNELL to the interim board of directors

of the cook county bureau of health WAS REJECTED

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Daley, Moreno, Peraica and Sims (8)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Claypool, Gorman, Goslin, Murphy, Quigley and Schneider (6)

 

Present:

Commissioner Collins (1)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to reconsider CARRIED.

 

 

Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Peraica, moved to concur with the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) and to confirm the nomination of Heather O’Donnell to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health.  A Roll Call was taken, the vote of yeas and nays being as follows:

 

 

ROLL CALL to concur with the recommendation of the president

and to confirm the nomination of HEATHER O’DONNELL to the interim

board of directors of the cook county bureau of health

(COMMUNICATION NUMBER 293931)

 

 

Yeas:

Chairman Suffredin, Vice Chairman Silvestri and Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Daley, Gorman, Moreno, Murphy, Peraica, Schneider and Sims (11)

 

Nays:

Commissioners Claypool, Goslin and Quigley (3)

 

Present:

Commissioner Collins (1)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Maldonado and Steele (2)

 

The motion to concur and confirm CARRIED.


Vice Chairman Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Murphy, moved to receive and file the recommendation of the President (Communication Number 293931) with regard to the nomination of Norman Bobins to the Interim Board of Directors of the Cook County Bureau of Health. The motion carried.

 

Commissioner Daley, seconded by Vice Chairman Silvestri, moved to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned.

 

 

YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS

WITH REGARD TO THE MATTERS NAMED HEREIN:

 

Communication Number 293931       Andrea Zopp              Nomination Confirmed

Communication Number 293931       Heather O’Donnell    Nomination Confirmed

Communication Number 293931       Barbara Hillman        Nomination Rejected

Communication Number 293931       Jorge Ramirez          Nomination Confirmed

Communication Number 293931       Quin Golden              Nomination Confirmed

Communication Number 293931       Benn Greenspan       Nomination Confirmed

Communication Number 293931       David Carvalho         Nomination Confirmed

Communication Number 293931       Daniel Cantrell          Nomination Rejected

Communication Number 293931       Norman Bobins         Nomination Received and Filed

 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Committee on Legislation, Intergovernmental and Veterans Relations

 

 

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Larry Suffredin, Chairman

 

Attest:

 

 

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

** The transcript and audio recording for this meeting is available from the Office of the Secretary to the Board, 118 North Clark Street, Room 567, Chicago, IL 60602.