No-shows at Kane Co. board committee cause 'embarrassment'

It appeared Friday was an unofficial holiday for some Kane County elected officials since so many of them failed to show up for a county board committee meeting that basic business will be delayed until next week.

The county board's Judicial and Public Safety Committee oversees the operations of the county's law enforcement and court system. The committee had a number of tasks to complete, including coordinating finances so the security team slated to work next week's Solheim Cup can get paid.

Three of the seven-member committee were present Friday: Chairman Mike Kenyon, of South Elgin; and county board members John Fahy, of West Dundee, and Ron Ford, of Aurora. Four members are required to take a binding vote. The absent committee members were Jackie Tredup and Debbie Allan, both of Elgin; Mark Davoust, of St. Charles; and Arlene Shoemaker, of Aurora.

"I'm embarrassed to see that these things are held up because somebody from this end of the building didn't show up," Kenyon told the county employees who showed up to deliver reports. "I guess I can't count on anybody, not even myself."

In addition to the absent board members, no one showed up to deliver reports on the operations of the county jail, public defender's office, circuit court clerk's office or coroner's office.

Kenyon found himself repeatedly asking the county board's attorney, Ken Shepro, what actions the committee could take to move business along. When Shepro said the committee could, essentially, do nothing because of all the absences, Kenyon called for a special meeting Tuesday to complete the business.