Administration & Finance Committee

APPROVED Minutes of a Meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee Village of Northbrook Cook County, Illinois MAY 13, 2014 CALL TO ORDER Trustee Scolaro, Committee Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. On roll call, present were Trustee Scolaro, Ciesla, and Karagianis. A quorum was present. Also attending were Trustees Buehler, Heller, and Israel; Village Manager Richard Nahrstadt; Deputy Village Manager Jeff Rowitz; Village Clerk Debbie Ford; Rob Sabo, Assistant to the Village Manager; James Hutson, Director of Development, The Josselyn Center; Jane McCarthy, Executive Director, Family Service Center; Sue Shimon, Executive Director, New Foundation Center; Sue Vogel, Development Director, New Foundation Center; Judy Hughes, Northbrook Historical Society; Nestor Dyhdalo, General Manager, Northbrook Symphony Orchestra; Mehdi Alister, Northbrook Symphony Orchestra; Howard Schultz, Executive Director, North Suburban YMCA; Salvatore Manso, member, board of directors, Northbrook Citizens for Drug and Alcohol Awareness (NCDAA); Amy O’Leary, Youth Services of Glenview and Northbrook; Jill Gelb, Glenbrook North High School Grad Night Corporate Fundraising Chair; and Kathy Paleczny, Northbrook Woman’s Club Foundation. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE None. DISCUSSION OF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR FY 2014/15 BUDGET Trustee Scolaro invited representatives of the local not-for-profit entities that had requested Village funds to briefly outline their requests. Judy Hughes of the Northbrook Historical Society said that the Historical Society is requesting $11,000 this year (unchanged from last year) to help maintain its museum, which is housed in a 19th-century building. The Society is working to upgrade the building’s energy efficiency. Most local elementary schools offer field trips to the museum. James Hutson, Director of Development for the Josselyn Center, said that his organization is requesting $9,000 this year (an increase of $1,500 from last year) in part because state funding is down. His organization provides mental health services that range from counseling to full-fledged psychiatric care. Fees are based on a sliding scale. More than ten percent of the Josselyn Center’s patients are Northbrook residents, e.g., 137 of 1,100 patients in the most recent year. New Trier Township provides substantial funding ($160,000 per year). Churches and synagogues also donate. Most villages donate approximately $5,000 per year. Jane McCarthy, executive director, Family Service Center, said that her organization has never asked the Village for money before, but that she is doing so now because her organization now takes referrals from Glenbrook North High School for students who exhibit signs of mental or emotional duress, such as substance abuse, cutting, or depression. Her organization works with Youth Services of Glenview and Northbrook to serve Glenbrook North High School and is requesting $8,000. Family Service Center has 20 therapists and often can see a student immediately, which is important because frequently a high school will not allow a troubled student to return to class without an assessment as to his or her emotional or mental health. Family Service Center clients pay on a sliding scale that accommodates lower incomes. Family Service Center has recently lost United Way funding because the United Way has recently decided to concentrate on more poverty-stricken communities. Amy O’Leary of Youth Services of Glenview and Northbrook said that her organization is requesting $80,500 this year (an increase of $10,500). Trustee Scolaro said that because time in the meeting was running short, the presentation regarding Glenbrook North High School Grad Night, which has requested $500 (unchanged from last year), was not necessary. Sue Shimon, executive director, New Foundation Center, said that her organization is requesting $3,000 (unchanged from last year). They have an office in Northfield, but also serve clients who live in Northbrook. Her organization complements the mental health work of the Josselyn Center in that it helps clients find work and live independently if possible. Some of the New Foundation Center’s clients live in permanent supportive housing arranged by the New Foundation Center. Case managers help these residents remain as stable as possible. All told, the New Foundation Center serves 250 people each year, helping them build skills and secure medication if needed. About five percent of New Foundation Center clients are from Northbrook. The Village’s contribution will be used to provide cash assistance where needed for food, medicine, and other needs. Kathy Paleczny, Northbrook Woman’s Club Foundation, said her organization funds scholarships for local students. Her organization is requesting $750 this year, an increase of $250. Trustee Karagianis then recused himself from the discussion and left the room. He serves on the board of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra. Nestor Dyhdalo, General Manager of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, said that his organization is requesting $7,500 this year (an increase of $2,500 from last year). He said that local support is important in securing state funding. The Symphony Orchestra just concluded its 34th year. Forty-two percent of its patrons are from Northbrook. Another 13 percent are from Glenview. Subscription sales are holding steady, but sales of single tickets are at a record high. The Symphony Orchestra gives back to the community by donating tickets to not-for- profits, who give the tickets away at fund raisers and the like. Part of the $2,500 increase requested will be used to re-establish “Northbrook Day at the NSO,” which allowed Northbrook residents who had never attended the symphony before to attend for free. At the end of Mr. Dyhdalo’s remarks, Trustee Karagianis returned to the room.  Howard Schultz, Executive Director of the North Suburban YMCA, said that the YMCA is providing space and other subsidies to Northbrook Citizens for Drug and Alcohol Awareness (NCDAA). NCDAA is requesting $10,000 this year (a decrease of $780). He said that NCDAA this year began to work with the Family Action Network (FAN), an organization that sponsors lectures regarding family issues, including those that may involve drug or alcohol dependence. The Family Action Network replaces Parent University. NCDAA also sponsors a Community Activities Network (CAN), which provides activities for high school students and others. Trustee Ciesla moved seconded by Trustee Karagianis, to recommend to the Village Board that the Village fund the following at the levels requested: Youth Services of Glenview and Northbrook, the Northbrook Historical Society, the Josselyn Center, the New Foundation Center, Glenbrook North High School Grad Night, the Family Service Center, and Northbrook Citizens for Drug and Alcohol Awareness. The motion passed on a voice vote. Trustee Ciesla moved, seconded by Trustee Scolaro, that the requested contributions from the Northbrook Symphony and the Northbrook Women’s Club Foundation be considered by the Board of Trustees as separate items. The motion passed on voice vote. ADJOURN At 7:20 p.m., Trustee Karagianis moved, seconded Trustee Ciesla, to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed on a voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Christine Martin Recorder