Kane adds building management to IT boss’s permanent duties in new position

GENEVA – The Kane County Board approved appointing Roger Fahnestock as executive director of Information Technologies and Building Management in a merging of the two departments, though two board members and one resident objected.

The former executive director of building management Christopher Allen was placed on paid administrative leave from February to September. Fahnestock was named interim executive director of building management in March. The board’s action at a special meeting Nov. 22 made it permanent.

Allen no longer works for the county, according to a separation agreement.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in the role of executive director for the recently merged departments of Information Technologies and Building Management,” Fahnestock said in an email.

“I appreciate the support of the Kane County Board, Administration Committee and County Board Chair Corinne Pierog. Working together with staff and the board, we have accomplished many things during my interim appointment and I look forward to building on those achievements with the guidance of the elected officials and department heads,” Fahnestock’s email said.

The board voted on three separate ordinances to create the position and appoint Fahnestock, to set the annual salary of $189,863 with a budget adjustment for it, and to amend the county code to reflect the change.

The vote was 21-2 with one absent on all three ordinances. Board members Mohammad “Mo” Iqbal, D-Elgin, and Tom Koppie, R-Huntley, were the no votes. Board member Mark Davoust, R-St. Charles, was absent.

Batavia resident Robert McQuillan and Iqbal both objected.

McQuillan, who lost his bid Nov. 8 to be on the county board, based his objection on Fahnestock’s connection to spending almost $60,000 to send one employee in his department to DeVry University, with 15 of the 17 payments made on a county credit card.

“The IRS disagreed with the county of Kane and director of IT and ruled that the payment wasn’t for training and the employee was required to pay taxes on more than $40,000,” McQuillan said. “Even though the county said nothing was done wrong, within three months the tuition, purchase card and training policies were all changed as a direct result of the auditor’s report.”

Iqbal’s objection was based on the difference between the two departments.

“They are two different worlds,” Iqbal said. “One is a brick and mortar world that is buildings. And the other one is a digital world, which is computers. And a person cannot possibly know who has been working in one area, all of a sudden switch to another one.”

Iqbal said the county has a million square feet of facilities that at $250 a square foot would be valued at a quarter of a billion dollars.

“Not putting one employee in one place just to give him some raise. I strongly oppose it. I did it before and I do it now,” Iqbal said.

Board member Drew Frasz, R-Elburn, said he also had opposed combining the positions at first, but changed his mind after the past few months under Fahnestock’s leadership.

“Seeing what has happened over the last few months in building management, we’re in the strongest position we have ever been in,” Frasz said.

“What I realized is that the person that was put in charge of it has to be a good manager. He does not have to know how to fix an air conditioner. … He has to know how to manage people, build an organization and that is what was done,” Frasz said. “I strongly endorse this and again, I couldn’t be happier leaving the board knowing that one of the departments I was intimately involved with is in the strongest position it’s ever been in.”

Frasz said the building management reorganization should not be seen as disparaging former building directors Tim Harbaugh, Donald Biggs, Ricky Sparks and Allen.

“They all did a great job,” Frasz said. “Different pressures put on them and sometimes not clear direction. Politics did come into play with a couple of them. … I’d like to thank them for their service to the county.”

Board member Michelle Gumz, D-Aurora, countered Iqbal about the difference between buildings and technology, saying, “There isn’t a building in Kane County that can run without the expertise of IT.”

Board member John Martin, R-Geneva, said the new position is a recognition of management skills.

“I have never seen that department in such an organized and prepared fashion as in the last few months,” Martin said.

Board member Chris Kious, D-Algonquin, agreed.

“You don’t need an engineer to manage engineers,” Kious said. “You don’t need to be a ditch digger to manage ditch diggers.”

Iqbal also objected to the posting of the new position of information technologies director and building management for 48 hours and then – having one candidate apply – choosing Fahnestock.

“It is my recommendation to this board that Mr. Fahnestock be hired and it’s the board’s decision whether or not to hire him,” Pierog said.

Iqbal asked if it was normal policy for a job to be posted for only 48 hours.

“I think we followed the letter of the law with the county code, yes, sir,” Pierog said.