County Committees: Animal Services & Economic Development

County Committees: Animal Services & Economic Development

One of the questions I've been asked as I've been knocking on doors is, "What does the county board do?" This is a reasonable query because most people's only substantial interaction with the county is limited to receiving and paying their property taxes each year. County board members are assigned to one or more committees that manage the business of the county. Over the next few weeks, I'll explore the functions of the county committees in more depth to help you and me better understand this level of government.

Animal Services Committee

This Committee shall:

1. Implement all facets and programs necessary to effect the intentions of the Animal Control Act.
2. Supervise all activities of the Animal Services Department.
3. Act as a liaison for the Board and the municipal government affected by this program.
4. Review and approve all budget transfers of the Animal Administrator.

The Animal Control Act is an Illinois Statute: 510 ILCS 5/1. The county has passed the Animal Services Code Chapter 3 of the Code of Ordinances to implement the requirements of the statute.

The responsibility of the County Board is to approve ("advise and consent") the Chairman's appointment of the Animal Services Administrator, to set the salary and expenses of the Administrator and authorize Deputy Administrators, Animal Control Wardens and other personnel (3-2-1). Further, the County Board is required to provide "necessary personnel, equipment, supplies and facilities, and shall provided pounds or contract for their operation as necessary."

In addition to the regular ordinances of taking care of standard pets (cats & dogs), management of rabies, etc., St. Clair County has a list of prohibited non-domesticated animals: "lion, tiger, leopard, ocelot, jaguar, cheetah, margay, mountain lion, canada lynx, bobcat, jaguarundi, hyena or coyote, bear, wolf, or any poisonous reptile" (3-5-1). Despite this list, Article VI of the Animal Service Code provides guidance for keeping and caring for bears (by zoos, state universities, or licensed wildlife rehabilitators).

I would not have expected the keeping of bears to be spelled out in the county code, but apparently there was a need for it at one time (perhaps still ongoing?).

Economic Development Committee

This Committee shall:

1. Receive reports and briefings from the Economic Development Director with respect to the marketing of the County to new and expanding businesses and industry.
2. Receive confidential reports regarding development prospects and leads.
3. Receive summaries of approved business loans approved by the Economic Development Department-Loan Committee.
4. Review and approve industrial revenue bond requests in concert with the Finance Committee.
5. Review and approve future changes to the boundaries of the American Bottoms Enterprise Zone and the St. Clair County MidAmerica Enterprise Zone and incentives offered within those Zones.
6. One member will serve on the Economic Development Department-Loan Committee.

The Economic Development Director's responsibilities are spelled out in section 1-6-14 of the St. Clair County Code. The general description states, "[t]he Director of Economic Development shall work toward community, economic and job development in the County." Other duties involving the county board include advisement of policies, make recommendations, provide an annual budget and forward required reports and documents as required.

Enterprise Zones

The American Bottoms and the MidAmerica Enterprise Zones are a series tax exemptions for companies building and operating businesses within defined locations of the county:

• Sales tax exemptions for the costs of building materials used "for remodeling, rehabilitation or permanent new construction of commercial property" within the Enterprise Zone.
• Investment tax credits towards Illinois income tax for investments in "qualified property which is placed in service" in the Enterprise Zone.
• Property tax incentives for improvements of at least $10,000 constructed within the zone.
• Utility tax exemption for businesses that create 200 new full-time equivalent jobs or retains 1000 full-time jobs in Illinois.
• Natural gas tax exemption for "'wheeled' or open market natural gas transactions."
• Manufacturing machinery and equipment sales tax exemption for business that create 200 FTE jobs or retains 2000 full-time jobs in Illinois.
• Pollution control facilities exemption for businesses that operate pollution control facilities within the zone, allowing sales tax exemptions on tangible personal property used or consumed within the Enterprise Zone

These requirements appear stacked against start-ups who would like to grow to 200+ employees, but can't start there. As a county board member, I will look at finding ways to utilize these Enterprise Zones to attract smaller businesses and start-ups that cannot meet the established requirements.