The Kane County Board took the next step in implementing a new strategic plan – the first to be created by the county since 2006 – by approving the use of accounting and consulting firm BerryDunn in a split vote at its meeting Tuesday.
In October, the county requested proposals for a firm to assist with developing a five-year strategic plan, according to Tuesday’s meeting agenda. It received proposals from nine vendors and ultimately decided on Berry, Dunn, McNeil and Parker, or BerryDunn, an accounting and consulting firm based in Portland, Maine.
The contract approved Tuesday is for $127,500 for the firm to help the county develop goals and timelines for the strategic plan, according to the board agenda.
BerryDunn Principal Seth Hedstrom presented an overview of their services and work at the meeting, noting that the firm has experience with local government consulting, including in neighboring DuPage County.
District 15 Kane County Board member David Young sought clarification from Hedstrom about BerryDunn’s involvement in a recent class-action lawsuit – a discussion that was first raised at the county’s Executive Committee meeting last week.
Hedstrom explained Tuesday that one of BerryDunn’s third-party vendors was the victim of a data breach, resulting in a class-action lawsuit.
“Currently there’s a settlement, and we expect that all to be processed,” Hedstrom said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “There was no disruption to (BerryDunn’s) operations.”
The idea of a new strategic plan was first approved by the county board over the summer, said the county’s Director of Finance Kathleen Hopkinson at the meeting, but many of the details are still being determined – such as what committee in the county will oversee it. Hopkinson noted that they plan to have a steering committee for the plan, and that the board will be setting the plan’s priorities.
The county intends to seek community input, just as it had for the last strategic plan in 2006. That plan led to projects like the Kane County Adult Justice Center, the construction of a fiber optic network, the protection of over 5,000 acres of farmland and other programs, according to past reporting.
In addition to questions about the choice of consultants, several board members raised questions about the strategic plan going forward, particularly about the extent to which money-saving is a priority within the plan.
“I did not see a plan that is in the best interest of the taxpayers,” Young said about BerryDunn’s presentation.
District 24 Kane County Board member Jarett Sanchez noted that the county and BerryDunn were not far enough along in the strategic planning process to have specific recommendations for cutting costs.
“They’re five- to 10-year plans,” District 14 Kane County Board member Jon Gripe added at the meeting. “This is not going to solve our problems in the short run, in the first year or two.”
Gripe emphasized that the board should be “very specific” with BerryDunn about their interest in money-saving goals.
But the potential benefits are long-term, board members emphasized.
“We need a strategy right now more than ever, as far as moving forward with what’s going to be happening at the federal government,” District 16 Kane County Board member Ted Penesis said at the meeting. “Saving money is going to be the key, ultimately, right now for the next four years. … We can’t be penny wise and pound foolish.”
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