March 22, 2022 Approved Minutes
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE OAK PARK TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES HELD TUESDAY, March 22, 2022, CONDUCTED ELECTRONICALLY.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Clerk DaToya Burtin-Cox called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and the meeting was conducted electronically. On the call of the roll the following participated: Supervisor Clarmarie Keenan; Trustees Margaret Trybus, Ade Onayemi, Tim Thomas, Eric Davis; Clerk, DaToya Burtin-Cox; Township Manager, Gavin Morgan, and Township Attorney, John Garofalo. Megan Traficano, Youth Services; April Dugal, General Assistance Administrator; Pamela Mahn, Director of Senior Services.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None available
APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA
Trustee T Thomas moved to approve the Township Minutes from March 8, 2022, Board Meeting. Trustee A Onayemi seconded the motion which passed. Trustee E Davis abstained from voting.
Trustee A Onayemi moved to approve the Township Bills for the period of February 26, 2022, through March 11, 2022. Trustee Eric Davis seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
PROCLAMATION
-Older American Month/Celebrating Seniors
- Proclamation held off until next meeting in April
YOUTH SERVICES CONTRACTS
-Spreadsheet of received funding requests is available at the Township Youth Services Department
-Manager Morgan reported that Youth Services made a detailed report on the spreadsheet
- Youth Srvc Director, M Traficano indicated that 10 programs applied for funding
- 2 – River Forest
- 3 – Oak Park/River Forest
- 5 – Oak Park
- All applicants received funding in the past
- Youth Srvc is holding those receiving funding accountable to the terms of the contract
- some applicants did not receive full funding
- all applicants received some funding
- 2 applications from D97
- Committee looked at the funding used for staff
- Concerned about the # of participants in the programs and that not a lot of
programs sought funding
- Supervisor inquired about the number of participants served in programs
- Youth Srvc will disseminate document with contracts outlining the requirements for reporting
- Trustee Trybus inquired whether applicant numbers were down due to COVID
- Trustee Trybus inquired about the impact to prog. That received reduced funding
- Director indicated that funding has been reduced each year thus applicant not shocked by cuts. Considering changing application to be based on fund amounts [i.e., application for $20,00 grant]
- Inquiry regarding I-Search program funding
- River Forest Program, thus River Forest Committee members vote on application
- Library Application
- Reading Program began during COVID
- Promoted to D97 (middle schools)/Community /Families
- Trustee Thomas indicated that they expect growth in the program during the upcoming fiscal year
LEVY LOSS/COST ORDINANCE 2022-02
- Staff recommendation: lower factor to 0% from 2%
- Trustee E Davis motioned to approve the Ordinance.
- Trustee A Onayemi 2nd the motion
- Ordinance passed unanimously
LEVY ABATEMENT ORDINANCE 2022-01
- Recommendation not to abate
o Whether the abatement will be yearly is unknown
- Trustee E Davis motioned to accept the abatement
- Trustee A Onayemi seconded the motion
- Motion did not pass: 4 votes no; 1 vote yes
Annual Township Meeting Agenda
- Meeting date April 12, 2022
- Tim Thomas volunteered to be a nominee for moderator
- Location of the meeting – 130 S Oak Park Ave
- Sample agenda shared with Board
- Trustee E Davis motioned to accept the Annual Meeting Agenda
- Trustee T Thomas seconded
- Motion passed unanimously
BUDGET
Senior Services
- Offset in revenue for increase in budget expenses
o Dept of Aging Grant
§ Amount $355,000
· Will be used to offset some of the current expenses
· Covers hazard pay for Adult Protective Services Care Coordinator
o Age Options Funding
§ Increase meals causes increased costs
o Donations to Senior Services were cut during COVID
o Professional Development Cost increase
§ Training transitioning from virtual; cost increased to cover travel
o Home Repair Program
§ Fantastic response to prog.
§ 130 jobs complete
· 2/3 of jobs in Oak Park
· 1/3 of jobs in River Forest
§ Program funded with outside grants
Youth Services
- Girls on the Rise
o Wrote in full-time employee to deal with demand
o D97 conversations re assisting with Girls on the Rise funding
§ D97 has inquired about other programs
- Intergovernmental Agreement
o Same as in the past
o New Intergovernmental Agreement numbers in the budget
- $30,000 error – GOTR budget is less $30,000 than shown in worksheet
- Some programs no longer exist – not allocating money for those programs
- Trustee Trybus – inquired as to how Youth Services is requesting D97 to contribute
- Trustee Davis requested information for advocating with other Boards for the Youth Engagement Program
General Assistance
- The budget reflects the increase in shelter funds voted by the Board
- Budget includes salary for a part-time employee to assist with CEDA
MANAGER REPORT
- COVID
o Village report shows numbers up over the last week are down
o Township has increased the number of staff working in the 130 Bldg
o Continued talks with AgeOptions regarding congregate meals
o Masks will continue to be required in Township offices
- I-Plan/Need Assessment
o Township continues its work with the Village, CMHB, Rush and River Forest Township
SUPERVISOR KEENAN
- Thank you to women of the OPT staff during International Women’s Month
- There is a possibility of a surge in COVID numbers in the future
- Branding
o Presentation to the public will occur soon
CMHB (Trustee Trybus)
- Community Rec. Center groundbreaking occurred on 5/19
- expected to move in FY23
- Putting out a Substance abuse/Mental Health Survey
- will affect future funding
Youth Services Committee (Trustee Onayemi)
- Decrease in the number of members has made the Committe more efficient
- Oak Park and River Forest still look for 1 Board member each
Senior Services (Trustee Thomas)
- Library meeting
o Programming for seniors
- Applied for AARP Community Challenge
- Working on getting a mural on the Senior Services Bldg [Northside]
- AgeOptions
o OPT may apply for designation as the long-term care ombudsman for Oak Park and River Forest
- 2 potential candidates have applied for the Committee
ADJOURNMENT
- Trustee A Onayemi moved to adjourn at 8:49 p.m., Trustee M Trybus seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Oak Park Township Board of Trustees will be the Annual Township Meeting and Regular Board of Trustees Meeting at 130 S Oak Park Ave. in the Senior Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, 2022.
Respectfully submitted by
and recorded in the office of
/s/ DaToya Burtin-Cox, Township Clerk
Approved: April 12, 2022