Open Communities
Good government means a government that is responsive to residents’ needs through transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery as well as policy and program implementation. OUP strives to achieve operational excellence by being accountable to residents, investing in the County’s workforce by becoming an employer of choice and continuously improving the effectiveness of County services. Importantly, the County strives to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars through sound and innovative fiscal management practices.
Open Communities is led by the Bureau of Administration (BOA), Bureau of Finance (BOF), Bureau of Human Resources (BHR), Bureau of Technology (BOT), and the Office of the President (OOP).
Goal: Ensure Cook County provides responsive, transparent services and develops a thriving, professional workforce that reflects the communities served.
Objective 1:
Improve transparency, accessibility and responsiveness for residents, municipalities, organizations and businesses.
Spotlight:
Updating Public Resources for Non-English Speakers on County’s Immigration Website
Description:
Amid escalated attacks on our immigrant community over the past year, in January 2025, Cook County updated its public resources for non-English speakers to include current, comprehensive resource information for immigrants, refugees and community organizations.
2025 Progress:
• Increased website traffic to the page from approximately 300 hits in 2024, to well over 3,000 hits as of October 2025
• Displayed extensive list of immigrant and refugee-focused organizations serving Cook County, language access resources and information on 211 on webpage
Objective 2:
Attract, support, and retain a diverse, high-quality workforce to improve the delivery of services to residents by positioning Cook County as an employer of choice.
Spotlight:
Implement Job Architecture and Compensation Project
Description:
Cook County Bureau of Human Resources’ (BHR) Job Architecture and Compensation projects modernize and standardize OUP’s job classification and pay structures, ensuring equitable and market-aligned job descriptions and compensation across all job groups.
2025 Progress:
• Aligned Shakman Exempt and Direct Appointment titles with a consistent framework for job titling, leveling and pay progression
• Continued salary progression of 4.5% on average year over year for Cook County employees
• Decreased voluntary resignation rate by 17%
• Enhanced pay transparency, closed pay gaps and clearer pathways for career advancement
Objective 3:
Ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars through sound and innovative fiscal management practices.
Spotlight:
Cook County Bond Ratings
Description:
Bond ratings are assessments used to measure an organization’s credit quality. High bond ratings indicate that an organization has demonstrated fiscal responsibility and is viewed as an attractive investment. In 2025, Cook County received favorable bond ratings, proving that local governments can both invest in communities and remain responsible stewards of residents’ tax dollars.
2025 Progress:
• Demonstrated strong fiscal stewardship through sound accumulation of sound reserves and fiscally responsible pension reform, as reflected in the following credit ratings:
• Sales Tax Bond Ratings
• AAA (Stable Outlook) from Kroll Bond Rating Agency
• AA (Positive Outlook) from Fitch Ratings
• AA- (Stable Outlook) from Standard & Poor’s
• General Obligation Bond Ratings
• Aa3 (Stable Outlook) from Moody’s Investors Service
• AA (Positive Outlook) from Fitch Ratings
• A+ (Stable Outlook) from Standard & Poor’s
Objective 4:
Ensure security and accountability and demonstrate impact by implementing an infrastructure and culture of data-driven decision making.
Spotlight:
Redevelop Annual Performance Plan
Description:
The Department of Research, Operations and Innovation’s (ROI) publicly available Annual Performance Report includes performance management data points for each office to provide a snapshot of how the County is performing.
2025 Progress:
• Created more holistic reporting of County operations and performance
• Improved ability for County teams to make data-informed decisions and identify opportunities for process improvement
Table of Contents
- Executive Summary
- Letter from the President
- Healthy Communities
- Vital Communities
- Safe and Thriving Communities
- Connected Communities
- Sustainable Communities
- Open Communities
- Equity Fund Addendum
- Equity Fund Financial Reporting