June 27, 2023 Approved Minutes

MINUTES OF THE GENERAL BOARD MEETING OF THE OAK PARK TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES HELD TUESDAY, JUNE 27 2023, CONDUCTED IN-PERSON and ELECTRONICALLY.

CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

Clerk DaToya Burtin-Cox called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. and the meeting was conducted in-person and electronically. On the call of the roll the following participated: in-person: Trustee Margaret Trybus, Trustee Ade Onayemi, Trustee Tim Thomas, Trustee Eric Davis; Township Manager, Gavin Morgan, Township Supervisor, Clarmarie Keenan, and Township Attorney, John Garofalo. Also in attendance: Ashley Elane, Communication Coordinator, Kim Henry, Township Operations Manager, and April Dugal, General Assistance Manager.

Clerk, DaToya Burtin-Cox participated electronically.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

None available.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA

Trustee Trybus moved to approve the Township Minutes from May 23, 2023. Trustee Davis seconded the motion. Board Trustee approved with the following corrections: 1) add the full name of approved candidates for the Decennial Committee; 2) add that Attorney Garofalo was present.

Trustee Onayemi abstained from the vote on the minutes.

Trustee Trybus motioned to accept the Township Bills. Trustee Davis seconded the motion. The Board voted unanimously to approve the motion.

BUSINESS ITEMS

  • Budget – Fiscal Year ‘24
    • Clerk Burtin-Cox opened the hearing for the FY24 budget
    • Manager Morgan made the following statements:
      • Town Fund $300,000 solely because Capital expenditures and one time expenses
        • capital improvements will explain the spend down
      • Fund Balance
        • 2 million
        • the amount is withing the allowable range
      • General Assistance
        • spend down to the negative territory
        • Township can transfer money from the Township fund to General Assistance if necessary.
      • Township is in the process of the Audit. Once complete there may be a slight change to the budget
      • FY22 GA up $400,000
        • Budgeted to spend down
        • GA not included in the levy because the fund balance was up
    • Trustee Davis inquired about how to respond to questions regarding GA fund
      • Manager Morgan indicate that the fund is allocated from the Town Fund or levy
    • Trustee Davis inquired whether the deficit in all three funds is due to not levying as much as Township could
      • Trustee Trybus inquired whether there is a cap on expenditures for the FY
      • Manager Morgan indicated that money can come from Town Funds to cover gaps for one-time expenses

Trustee Onayemi moved to approve the budget

Trustee Davis seconded the motion

The Board unanimously approved the motion

DISCUSSION ITEMS

  • Strategic Planning 
    • Manager Morgan and Supervisor Keenan will work to come up with plan to move planning forward
    • Will work on outlining community needs
      • Retreat scheduled for July 15, 2023 is postponed

Decennial Committee

  • Trustees Trybus and Thomas attended breakout session in Oak Brook TOCC meeting
  • Trustee Trybus indicated that the session discussed setting Agendas for the first meeting; report should look at future forecasting for the Township [this topic ties into strategic planning]
  • Trustee Thomas indicated that the Attorney at the session worked for a Township; recommends 6 meetings to discuss policies, awards, and programming
  • Trustee Davis indicated that the report is an opportunity to highlight Township’s work and strategic plan
  • Trustee Thomas congratulated OPT for participating in the sessions
  • Manager Morgan indicated that the first step is calendaring the meetings
  • The meeting/report needs to be done by December ‘24
    • Meetings should be every other month [August through February]
    • Draft agenda will be available at the July meeting

MANAGER REPORT

  • Manager Morgan tendered his resignation
    • Last day July 14th
  • 105 Location build out
    • A few remaining punch list items
    • OPT dealing with surplus in the conference room

SUPERVISOR REPORT

  • Thank you Board
  • made comments on the quality leadership by Manager Morgan
    • requested that the transition be kept quiet
  • Trustee Davis asked for guidance when information about transition is released
  • Trustee Onayemi requested an official OPT state re: transition sooner than later
  • Thank you Trustee Thomas for participation in Day In Our Village
  • Trustee Thomas indicated that the Senior Services representative did a great job speaking about OPT

CMHB (Trustee Thomas)

  • CRC staff moved in
  • 80 people attended the Anniversary
  • Trustee Trybus mentioned a grant that is being pursued re mental health

Youth and Family Services Committee (Trustee Trybus)

    • Meeting with Director 6/28
    • Trustee Onayemi indicated that he interviewed committee candidate before the switch 

Senior Services (Pam Mahn)

  • Director to attend "Matter Where You Live" Conference
  • Attended lunch program with discussion on Veteran Affairs

General Assistance

  • Currently processing 55 cases
    • Cases have been steady [at plateau]
    • Numbers are higher than 2021

I-GOV

  • Next meeting 7/21 at Brooks Middle School
  • Topic - "Did You Know Oak Park: Government 101"
    • Township Manager, Dir. Potts (CMHB) and Trustee E. Davis will participate in presentation

ASSESSOR

  • Showed presentation on Assessor's appeal period

ADJOURNMENT

Trustee Thomas moved to adjourn at 8:55 pm; Trustee Davis seconded the motion which passed unanimously. 

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Oak Park Township Board of Trustees will be a Regular Board of Trustees Meeting conducted in-person and/or electronically among Board members at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at 7 pm at the Township Office locate at 105 S. Oak Park, Ave, Oak Park, IL.

Respectfully submitted by
and recorded in the office of

/s/ DaToya Burtin-Cox
DaToya Burtin-Cox, Clerk

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