January 28, 2025 Regular Board Approved Minutes

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE OAK PARK TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES HELD TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2025, CONDUCTED IN-PERSON AND ELECTRONICALLY.

Call To Order

-6:39pm

Roll Call

In person-Manager Evan Michel; Supervisor, Tim Thomas, Trustee Eric Davis, Trustee Ade Onayemi [late], Trustee Juan Munoz, Clerk DaToya Burtin-Cox [late]. 

Also in attendance was Director Megan Traficano. 

Public Comments

NONE

Consent Agenda

Approval of Minutes: January 7, 2025

Approval of Bills

a motion to approve the consent agenda was made by Trustee Davis and seconded by Trustee Munoz. The board voted unanimously to approve. 

Business Items

  • Resolution Adopting a Revised Intergovernmental Agreement with River Forest Township for Emergency Assistance  
    • The new IGA agreement with River Forest moves from a flat fee model to a utilization based model.
    • Payments are to be made quarterly.  
    • Trustee Munoz asked about whether the IGA and whether it is a 2 year agreement and about the current term of the agreement.  
    • Manager Michel indicated that the agreement was consistent with other IGA between River Forest and Oak Park agreements.
    • Trustee Munoz made a motion to accept the IGA and move forward. The motion was seconded by Trustee Davis. The board unanimously approved. 
  • Appointment of a Deputy Clerk
    • The position of deputy clerk was advertised and the Township received applications.
    • Clerk Burtin-Cox interviewed those individuals that requested an interview.
    • Lou Anne Johannesson was selected to be the deputy clerk.
    • Supervisor Thomas administered the oath of office.

Discussion Items

Brief Reports:

  • Township Manager
    • The Township has a listening session scheduled at the library tonight, January the 28th.
    • The staff is monitoring the federal executive orders and their impact on the office. They will keep the board abreast. Staff is attending meetings this evening regarding the impact across other government agencies in the area. They are expecting to have significant impact and that timeline is optimistic.
    • Deputy Clerk Johannesson acts who attends the meetings regarding the construction of the old Park Ave.
      • Informed that the Manager and the Office Operations Manager attend.  
  • Township Supervisor
    • Lyft account established to transfer clients rather than having staff drive. 
    • Deputy Clerk Johannesson asked about staff monitoring federal impacts.
      • Manager Michel l gave an overview. 
    • Supervisor Thomas noted that TOI has staff monitoring federal impacts for all townships and that they are in contact with state senator. 

Trustee Liaison Committee Members 

Youth and Family Services (Trustee Trybus)

  • Director Traficano said that the committee has a meeting on February 5th.  
  • The first portion of the RFP work It's complete.
  • There were 16 total programs.
  • For the second year in a row there are more joint programs with River Forests.
  • There are multiple intergenerational programs.
  • The March meeting will be a joint meeting with Senior Services.

Senior Services Committee (Trustee Davis)

  • A meeting was held on January 15th, it was the annual dinner/meeting that Salernos.
  • There is concern regarding the old Park Ave. construction. The committee Has asked for a report. 

Community Mental Health Board 

  • Held a meeting on January 21st
  • Reviewed audit product process and began site visits Oak Park Township Senior Services is a grantee.
    • It has some modifications to do but otherwise very positive
  • Strategic plan community needs assessment survey is being worked on.
    • it will be electronic and also paper [in English and in Spanish] 
    • The goal is to have 700 responses [consistent with iplan survey]
  • Members of the committee are visiting applicants for grants.
  • Davis and Potts are visiting Yemba on January 30th
  • NAMI Is working on creating an Oak Park living room 
    • A funding request is coming soon

I-GOV (Trustee Onayemi)

  • met on January 11th 
  • guest was Peggy Kell, from the League of Women Voters 
    • There was discussion around getting people to participate in the election and in the governing bodies
    • discussed wanting to have qualified candidates for all boards
  • Discuss the Imagine Fo[D200] foundation

Adjournment of General Meeting

  • There was a motion to adjourn the meeting by Trustee Onayemi, which was seconded by Trustee Davis. The board voted unanimously to adjourn.
  • Adjourn at 7:45 pm

Next Meeting: Tuesday, February 11th, 2025, 7:00 p.m. 

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