Patronage Monitor to Address County Board Today

By Kevin Robinson in News on Apr 9, 2008 1:00PM

Retired Cook County judge Julia Nowicki is set to appear before the Cook County Board of Commissioners today, to discuss illegal hiring and the county's compliance with the Shakman court case agreements.

In a letter (PDF) sent to board president Todd Stroger and county commissioners, she outlined what she identifies as three key issues that continue to plague the county: hiring a new HR Chief, submitting a list of Shakman exempt county employees, and implementing a plan for the county to measure existing patronage, with the end goal being its eventual elimination. She noted in her letter that it has been 17 months since her tenure as the federally appointed hiring monitor began, and no progress has been made.

Nowicki issued a report earlier this year detailing a list of allegations by more than 220 people that illegal patronage practices occurred over two years ending February of last year. And last year U.S. District Judge John Nordberg appointed Earl Dunlap interim director of the county's juvenile detention center. He's still waiting for the county to fill 175 vacancies there, as well.