Kane eyes measures to toughen ethics ordinance

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Updated: March 24, 2012 11:24PM

GENEVA — The Kane County Board’s Human Services Committee has moved the proposed ethics ordinance on to the board Executive Committee for more discussion in March.

The ordinance was considered again by the Human Services Committee Wednesday after board member Jim Mitchell, R-North Aurora, voiced some concern about how proactive the ordinance was.

“We have really tried to put teeth into this thing,” said Philip Lewis, R-St. Charles, chairman of the Human Services Committee.

Lewis noted that potential violations are now eligible for $5,000 fines instead of $500.

Committee member John Hoscheit, R-St. Charles, noted that giving the state’s attorney’s office more authority to prevent ethics violations would be a violation of state statutes on the matter. So Human Services Committee members said that they would be willing to work with the board’s Legislative Committee to urge the state to allow for a more proactive ethics ordinance.