Community Relations Commission

1 Minutes of a Meeting of the 2 Community Relations Commission 3 Northbrook, IL 4 Thursday, April 3, 2014 5 6 7 Present: Chair, Ray Wehr; Members: Elliot Bruckman, Nafisa Choudhury, Bruce Doughty, 8 Dale Duda, Scott Gertz, Linda Goldsher, Lou Gross, Safa Hamed, Mary Hansen, 9 Sue Huang, Chris Kosla, Alice Lonoff, Robert Lozaro, Ron Mantegna, Dr. 10 Rochelle Singer, Nancy Stoddard, and Susan Weil 11 12 Absent: Chris Greulich 13 14 Others: Liaison Jason Batalden, Village Department Head Tom Poupard, and Recording 15 Secretary Julie Weldon 16 17 18 Call to Order 19 The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm at the Northbrook Police Department, Training 20 Classroom by Chair Ray Wehr. 21 22 Approval of February 27 AACH Sub-Committee Minutes 23 Motion: (Bruce Doughty – Rochelle Singer) Approve the February 27, 2014 minutes of the 24 Asian American Heritage Committee with the following amendments: 25  On the second page, third paragraph correct spelling of recoding to recording. 26 - Carried. 27 28 Approval of March 6 Community Relations Commission Minutes 29 Motion: (Bruce Doughty– Dale Duda) Approve the minutes of the March 6, 2014 Community 30 Relations Commission with the following amendments: 31 - Line 63 – add the word ‘of’ at end of sentence… more of the facilities. 32 - Line 74 – change the word ‘they’ to ‘attendees’ 33 - Line 78 – insert the word ‘are’ …. so they are looking into… 34 - Line 113 – correct spelling of Hamad to Hamed 35 - Line 136 – remove the word ‘over’ 36 - Carried. 37 38 Welcome New Member 39 Lou Gross, Representative from District 28 was welcomed as a new member. 40 41 Hear from Audience 42 There were no comments from the audience. 43 44 Asian Heritage Planning 45 Member Huang reported that the program has been finalized with 11 performers and 18 vendor 46 companies. Both the flyers and posters have been printed and were distributed by Member 47 Huang who asked the Members to take some and post. Member Huang also reported that the 48 press release is done and will go out in a few days. Huang also noted that maps, fortune 49 cookies and raffle tickets will be given out. 50  Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Relations Commission April 3, 2014 51 Member Weil said that volunteers were needed and passed out a sign-up sheet asking 52 members to sign-up if they were available. The times were in one hour and 45 minute 53 increments. Volunteers will be given badges. 54 55 Some of the volunteer tasks include: 56  Set-up and decorating in the morning. 57  Clean up after the event between 4:00-5:00 pm. 58  Front door greeters and hospitality. 59  Handing out program, maps, fortune cookies and raffle tickets. 60  Serve as event staff at the gym entrances, conference room, children’s room, martial 61 arts room, kindergarten room for Chinese art painting to greet attendees and explain the 62 activities. 63 64 Member Huang explained that the budget was $1,000 more than last year. The reason that the 65 expenses at the YMCA are higher is because this year the YMCA asked for reimbursement and 66 the program is expanded from last year. The proposed budget for the event is $3,000 which 67 includes the following: 68  Stage, tables and chairs $1,000 69  Programs $1,400 70  YMCA expense $300 71  Banners (3 @ $100 each) $300 72 Total $3,000 73 74 The commission discussed asking Member Huang to see if there was any way to trim some of 75 the budget, such as ordering fewer flowers, maybe one less banner, etc. Others expressed the 76 sentiment that Member Huang has done an excellent job and gotten the budget to the most 77 reasonable and lowest she could. 78 79 Chair Wehr explained that the Village fiscal year ends April 30th and the budget for the year was 80 $5,000 of which the YTD expenditures are at $3,500. The $1,500 left in the budget cannot be 81 carried into the next fiscal year, however they could apply it to the Taste of Asia which occurs in 82 the next fiscal year as long as items were invoiced and dated before April 30th within the current 83 fiscal year. 84 85 Motion: (Dale Duda – Linda Goldsher) – Approve a $3,000 budget for the 2014 Taste of Asia. 86 87 Amendment to the Motion: (Rochelle Singer - Bruce Dougherty) Make sure that the next 88 year’s budget does not exceed $3,000 and that all of the events for this year’s Asian Heritage 89 program be looked at to make sure there aren’t still some ways to trim the budget. 90 91 Discussion on the Amendment: In addition to looking at ways to cut back, should we be 92 looking at other sources of funding? 93 94 Chair Wehr called for a voice vote on the Amendment. Since it was not unanimous, a roll call 95 vote by the commissioners was called. 96 1. Commissioner Wehr - No 97 2. Commissioner Kosla - No 98 3. Commission Singer -Yes 99 4. Commissioner Hamed - Yes 100 5. Commissioner Doughty - Yes 2  Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Relations Commission April 3, 2014 101 6. Commissioner Huang - No 102 7. Commissioner Gertz - Yes 103 8. Commissioner Goldsher – No 104 9. Commissioner Duda – Abstained 105 106 Amendment Failed 107 108 Motion: (Linda Goldsher – Bruce Doughty) Approve the $3,000 budget as amended. 109 - Carried. 110 111 Northbrook Cares Update 112 Chair Wehr reported that he is still trying to find web developer. 113 114 Sister Cities Update 115 Member Doughty reported that they have been in touch with the town of Palatine which has a 116 Sister Cities program. Member Hamed met with the Palatine program director for two hours and 117 said that the meeting was extremely helpful. The Palatine director provided information on 118 logistics and funding on their program with their Sister City in France. Palatine is willing to 119 continue to help Northbrook with developing a program. They will be looking to find another city 120 that is similar in size to Northbrook. Members Doughty and Hamed are also planning to meet 121 with someone from Iowa that also has a Sister City program. They will be asking what do people 122 want, what has worked, etc. and then they will bring a proposal to the Board. Member Doughty 123 also stated that they would like to add 2-3 people to the subcommittee and asked if anyone on 124 the commission is interested to let them know. They would also welcome others from the 125 community who are interested in volunteering. It was suggested they reach out to the 126 Russian/Eastern European community for volunteers. 127 128 Flamingo Friday/Welcome to Northbrook Planning 129 Members Gertz and Duda reported that invitations are out. They have ordered 100 dilly bars 130 and the popcorn wagon from Sunset Foods. They still need someone to sit in the popcorn 131 wagon and serve popcorn. They also still need to get postcards sent out. 132 133 The press release announced that Park District is doing games again. The date is May 16th from 134 5:30 – 7:00 pm. 135 136 Member Duda said that they need some money for the flamingos they have 5 left from last year, 137 but will need $100 to purchase more. 138 139 Motion: (Linda Goldsher – Rochelle Singer) Approve a budget of $200 for Flamingo Friday 140 - Carried. 141 142 News from Clergy Association and Houses of Worship 143 Member Kosla reported that they have two counselors who go to Glenbrook North High School 144 twice a week and have assisted 60-70 families so far. They held a concert to help with funding 145 last year and will do it again this year. 146 147 The YMCA is doing a domestic violence seminar on April 17th. 148 3  Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Relations Commission April 3, 2014 149 Member Kosla again reported that Father Tom from Our Lady of the Brook is retiring and Father 150 Hines will service both churches. The Clergy President will be Melissa Earley and the VP is 151 TBD. The change will occur in May. 152 153 News from Schools 154 Member Doughty reported that District 225 just had dance concerts. He also reported that the 155 Group Interpretation team came in 3rd in the state and the Hockey team came in 2nd against 156 New Trier. The juniors are looking at Prairie State testing. The musical Legally Blonde is 157 opening April 30th. 158 159 The biggest issue the Board is dealing with is the enrollment at GBS and GBN. They are having 160 some demographers looking at the two schools. Glenbrook South will have about 3,000 student 161 enrollment and Glenbrook North will be about 2,000. They will be looking at the student to 162 teacher ratios and making sure all students have appropriate opportunities. 163 164 Member Gross reported April 12th is the spring ground breaking for community garden at the 165 District 28 Junior High School. 166 167 Old Business 168 N/A 169 170 New Business 171 Chair Wehr said that there will be Commissioner positions open and it is commissioner 172 reappointment. Wehr has been asked and agreed to stay on for another term. Member Doughty 173 has also agreed to stay for another term. Member Gertz has declined a reappointment but has 174 agreed to stay on until the Welcome to Northbrook event is over. Gertz expressed how the past 175 10 years have gone quickly and thanked the commission. The third position will need to be 176 filled. There is a form on the website for those interested. Then there will be a vetting process. 177 178 Eyes and Ears on the Street 179  Member Lonoff reported on May 2nd the Northbrook United Methodist Church will be 180 sponsoring an event showing the movie “Fish out of Water” a documentary that explores 181 societal views of homosexuality. 182  Member Lozaro reported that this Sunday is the prom fashion show to raise money for 183 drug and alcohol awareness at the YMCA from 2:00-3:30. There will be raffle prizes 184 given away. 185  Member Lozaro also reported that there will be a referendum for Northbrook residents 186 on the selling of the Five Seasons Club to the Northbrook Park District. He noted that the 187 Park District would not be paying taxes so the Village will lose that tax base if the Park 188 District takes over. The referendum will ask residents their interest in a new recreation 189 center, walking track and indoor pool. 190 191 Next Meeting 192 The next meeting will be held May 1, 2014 at the Northbrook Police Station in the training room. 193 194 Adjournment 195 Motion: (Scott Gertz – Sue Huang) Move to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 pm – Carried. 4