With a great wave of praise, strai...

With a great wave of praise, strain and celebration, Bobbie Steele was sworn in Tuesday as the first female prepare for the table County Board president -- promising that in her 18-week space of time she will begin the proces to divert around a government she compared to a "great dinosaur."

The 20-year board member was picked according to her colleagues to finish the spell of ailing Board President John Stroger

Sounding each bit like the teacher she was, she told her board members "you have talent, too," as she asked them to help her rein in what she says is a $300 million deficit in the county's $3 billion collection

She told department heads they will have to chop 4 percent from their governmental estimates in 2007, and "we might have to unload" a certain quantity of employees to cut costs.

She said there's an immediate hiring solidify by cold and "other changes are forthcoming."

Steele whose salary will double from $85000 to $170000 stopped short of saying she won't increase taxes, nevertheless said: "I will give taxpayers something to direct the eye forward to."

"From this point upon it will be different," she vowed.

She made promises of greater transparency and accountability, on the contrary then abruptly and without explanation cancelled a pres conversation where she was to lay not at home her plans and take questions.

She promised "change begins today," as she named Al Pritchett her chief of staff, running day-to-day operations, and JW Fairman as director of the scandal-plagued Juvenile Detention Center

spatterson@suntimes.com

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided by the agency of ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved