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Tackling what one commissioner described as a perceived political perk, members of the Cook County Board debated Wednesday — but delayed until next month — changes to a fee structure for employees who live in forest preserve homes. Sixty-five employees of the Cook County Forest Preserve District live in homes scattered throughout the forest preserves and pay a monthly "rent" of $225 or $450. In exchange for the low-cost housing, the employees are responsible for taking care of the property near the house, serving on-call for fire emergencies and keeping the forest preserves secure, forest preserve officials said. The renters also hold regular jobs with the forest district, such as serving on the police force or working as a laborer. Several commissioners on the board, however, have questioned whether the housing serves as a freebie to political insiders. They say the system needs more accountability to determine what chores, exactly, the employees perform. For example, commissioners said the renters save taxpayer money because they provide security in the forest preserves and serve as 24-hour surveillance. But the forest preserve district already employs 86 sworn police officers. Four commissioners introduced a resolution Wednesday authorizing forest preserve Supt. Steve Bylina to appraise the homes and designate fair market value for each. The end result would be a more realistic fee structure to reflect the diversity of the homes and their locations. But continued tension on the Cook County Board between new and veteran members caused sniping over motivation. Board President John Stroger and his allies expressed displeasure with the resolution's sponsors — Forrest Claypool (D-Chicago), Anthony Peraica (R-Riverside), Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) and Larry Suffredin (D-Evanston) — for raising the issue through a public resolution rather than privately with the superintendent. They said Bylina already has the authority to hire appraisers for the homes. "I don't mind debating issues, but it doesn't mean ... being nutty," Stroger said. "(The public) wants continuity and solidarity. People just don't like what's going on." Claypool said introducing a resolution was the only logical way to address the fee structure, which would require board approval. "This is the public's business, and I think we should do it in public," Claypool said after the meeting. "Should we do it in secret?" Longtime board members emphasized that questions about the rent prices have been addressed many times over the years, and the fees are increased when necessary. "We have not been remiss about additional rent on properties in the forest preserves," Commissioner Bobbie Steele (D-Chicago) said. "This is not just a perk. They have responsibilities on a monthly basis." Sponsors of the resolution said they have tried to get a better accounting of who lives in the homes, what they pay and what duties they perform. That information has not been released by the forest district, fueling the "perk" perception. "I asked for that weeks ago and it was supposed to be on my desk by the end of the day," Claypool said. "Of course, it wasn't." Board members voted to delay action on the fee structure until next month's forest preserve meeting.