421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Legislative Committee  
Final Summary  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Tuesday, August 13, 2024  
11:30 AM  
Room 3500A  
1.  
CALL TO ORDER  
Meeting was called to order by Chair Dawn DeSart at 12:18 PM.  
2.  
ROLL CALL  
Member Galassi was present after the approval of the minutes.  
Additional Board Members present: Member Deacon Garcia and Member Evans.  
Staff Present: Jeremy Custer (Senior Advisor), Nick Kottmeyer (Chief Administrative Officer),  
Conor McCarthy (State's Attorney's Office), and Mary Keating (Director of Community  
Services).  
Chaplin, Childress, DeSart, Eckhoff, and Galassi  
Zay  
PRESENT  
ABSENT  
3.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
3.A.  
24-1826  
Legislative Minutes - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, June 11, 2024  
ACCEPTED AND PLACED ON FILE  
Dawn DeSart  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Liz Chaplin  
SECONDER:  
4.  
5.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
None received.  
CHAIR'S REMARKS - CHAIR DESART  
Chair DeSart updated the Committee on the DuPage Congressional Delegation's recent actions.  
Representative Ramirez introduced legislation to protect veterans and service members from  
student debt. Representative Sean Casten wrote a letter to the White House Office of  
Management and Budget urging them to harmonize the oil and gas methane reduction rules  
making currently underway at various federal agencies and to provide for an efficient process of  
approving innovative advanced technologies for detecting methane emissions. Representative  
Krishnamoorthi wrote an op-ed to oppose the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertson's grocery  
stores. Senators Duckworth and Durbin announced the reintroduction of the George Floyd  
Justice in Policing Act of 2024. The most comprehensive bill to reform law enforcement and  
strengthen accountability.  
Chair DeSart reminded the members that ISACo is looking for legislative initiatives that they  
would like to support in DuPage County at the State level. She asked members to forward those  
initiatives to Jeremy Custer by Friday, August 16th who will send them on to Joe McCoy at  
ISACo.  
6.  
ACTION ITEMS  
6.A.  
LEG-P-0003-24  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract to Raucci & Sullivan Strategies, LLC, to  
provide Consulting Services as Lobbyists representing DuPage County before the Illinois  
General Assembly and State Executive Branch, for the period of September 1, 2024  
through August 31, 2025, for County Board, for a contract total not to exceed $52,500.  
Other Professional Services not suitable for competitive bid per 55 ILCS 5/5-1022(c).  
Vendor selected pursuant to DuPage County Procurement Ordinance 2-353(1)(b).  
Chair DeSart stated that she is impressed with our lobbyists, specifically how they give  
back to DuPage more than we pay them. Chair DeSart shared Raucci & Sullivan's  
accomplishments.  
This was only the second full legislative session since the global pandemic. In the final  
$53B package RSS was able to protect and reappropriate all DuPage County  
appropriations as well as secure a few new appropriations. Specifically, there were two  
reappropriations regarding wastewater treatment plant upgrades totaling over $20M that  
were successfully reappropriated in this year’s fiscal year budget. In addition, we were  
successful in expanding local roads and streets funding by nearly $450M statewide which  
allows DuPage and others to compete for grants through the Illinois Department of  
Transportation.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Dawn DeSart  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Liz Chaplin  
SECONDER:  
6.B.  
LEG-P-0002-24  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract to Marquardt & Humes, Inc., to provide  
Consulting Services as Lobbyists representing DuPage County before the Illinois General  
Assembly and State Executive Branch, for the period of September 15, 2024 through  
September 14, 2025, for County Board, for a contract total amount not to exceed  
$94,500. Other Professional Services not suitable for competitive bid per 55 ILCS  
5/5-1022(c). Vendor selected pursuant to DuPage County Procurement Ordinance  
2-353(1)(b).  
Chair DeSart shared this year's accomplishments from Marquardt & Humes.  
Reappropriation of funds for all of DuPage County's capital projects as well as the  
addition of new capital funds for the CRC. Successful passage of the DuPage County  
initiative HB 5574 allowing the County to transfer existing funds from its repealed  
transportation capacity impact fee. Successfully advocated in conjunction with the  
DuPage County Public Defender's Office regarding a proposed statewide public defender  
initiative.  
Chair DeSart stated she believes our lobbyists do an amazing job.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
RESULT:  
Dawn DeSart  
Liz Chaplin  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
7.  
8.  
9.  
OLD BUSINESS  
No old business was discussed.  
NEW BUSINESS  
No new business was discussed.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:26 PM.