Frasz accuses Lauzen of obstructing progress on new coroner office

GENEVA – Kane County Board member Drew Frasz, R-Elburn, said Chairman Chris Lauzen is obstructing the Administration Committee's effort to move forward on addressing the need for a new coroner's building.

The latest volley in Lauzen's opposition was a letter he sent to St. Charles residents in the Harvest Hills subdivision, warning them about "a morgue just south of your neighborhood."

“Chris went out and incited opposition,” Frasz said of the letters to St. Charles residents.

A new coroner’s office and morgue would be part of a multi-use building – if officials decide to situate it there, Frasz said.

As many times as he has asked Administration Committee Chairwoman Deborah Allen, D-Elgin, to put the project on the agenda, it always ends up under “old business” where the committee can talk, but take no action, Frasz said.

Frasz sent Allen an email request Jan. 3: “Deb, I would like to request that two items; 1) the disposition of the Fabyan Parkway property and 2) the relocation of the coroner's office and other county facilities, be put on the next Administration Committee agenda in case the committee wants to take action on either issue.”

The issues was again relegated to "old business" at the Jan. 9 Administration Committee meeting, records show.

“In the last six months, all we’ve gotten is obstruction and obstacles from the chairman and, I believe, from chairwoman of the committee, Deb Allen,” Frasz said. “This is total speculation that the chairman has been meeting with her.”

Allen did not return voicemail messages seeking comment. Though Allen did respond to a text, she did not provide comment about the issue.

Lauzen said he has not met with Allen.

“He [Frasz] should draft a resolution,” Lauzen said.

Frasz said he did offer a resolution, but they could not vote on it under old business.

The coroner's office is in need of replacement. But because of the recession, the county could not spend the money on it, Frasz said.

"We were not rolling in dough and we have not done a capital project in 10 years time,” Frasz said.

It has taken a while to reinvigorate that discussion, Frasz said, only to be stymied by Lauzen’s opposition.

Lauzen had attempted to participate during the Jan. 9 Administration Committee meeting, but Board member Chris Kious, D-Algonquin, silenced him with a parliamentary point of order.

According to a transcript of the meeting, Kious said, “Can we return this to a discussion, not a quiz between ... [a] non-committee member and a committee member?”

“The purpose of parliamentary procedure, the purpose of Roberts Rules of Order is to make sure everyone is heard in an orderly manner,” Kious said. “Restrictive parliamentary procedures were involved because there was no order.”

Kious' reaction to Lauzen sending morgue warning letters to homeowners: "Disbelief, to start with."

“I’ll have to look at more detail into what the letter purports to say,” Kious said. “The coroner absolutely needs a new facility. I don’t know if there is any disagreement on that.”