Community Relations Commission

1 DRAFT 2 Minutes of a Meeting of the 3 Community Relations Commission 4 Northbrook, IL 5 Thursday, November 3, 2016 6 7 Present: Chairman Bruce Doughty, Commissioners Christine Beeftink, Elliot 8 Bruckman, Jason Han, Mary Hansen, Sharon Latek, Helena Osorio, 9 Grace Seo, & Dr. Rochelle Singer 10 11 Representatives: Alice Lonoff, Ron Mantegna, Nancy Stoddard & John Martin 12 13 Guests: Dan Petka, Community Service Officer/Northbrook Police Department & 14 Penny Randel/Northbrook Park District 15 16 Others: Village Staff Liaison Erik Jensen & Village Recording Secretary, Gale 17 Cerabona 18 19 Welcome 20 Chairman Doughty called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. in the Civic Room at Northbrook 21 Public Library. 22 23 Hear from the Audience 24 From the audience, Penny Randel advised the Commission that Molly Hamer, the Northbrook 25 Park District’s new Executive Director, has begun work and that the construction at the Sports 26 Center was completed. 27 28 Review & Approval of October 6, 2016, Regular Meeting Minutes 29 Revisions were noted as follows: 30  139: "and" instead of "if” 31  70: "many social services" 32  84: "many social services clients" 33  85: strike the line 34  92/93: "that CARE Options offers geriatric care management." 35  150: "Representative Mantegna asked about student involvement with politics (as with 36 seniors)" 37  52: "Northbrook," 38  56: "Thanksgiving Celebration" 39  48: "Was being completed" 40 41 Commissioner Hansen moved, seconded by Commissioner Latek, to approve the regular 42 meeting minutes of October 6, 2016 as amended. The motion carried unanimously. 43 44 Village Update 45 Staff Liaison Jensen advised the election is in full swing. He noted Village Hall is an early voting 46 location this year through Monday, November 7th. Further information is listed on the Village 47 website. 48  Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Relations Commission November 3, 2016 49 Staff Liaison Jensen stated construction is coming to an end. The underground reservoir at 50 Wescott Park is nearly completed. He noted the Consulting Engineer won an award for the 51 project. The Ribbon Cutting will be on November 15th at 10 a.m. 52 53 Staff Liaison Jensen advised the next few years of capital projects will be forthcoming. 54 55 Representative Mantegna asked about the Amtrak Hiawatha service line project. 56 57 Liaison Jensen noted Amtrak is proposing an increase in daily service on the Hiawatha track 58 (Chicago to Milwaukee line). He discussed how this would impact freight traffic and that 59 additional capital improvements, including a local holding track, were proposed. He stated the 60 Village would be asking for more study and that public comment on the project continues 61 through Wednesday, November 15th. 62 63 Community Presentation 64 Chairman Doughty introduced Dan Petka, Community Service Officer, who provided his 65 background. He began in 1974 as a policeman, then retired, and now is a Community Service 66 Officer and Supervisor of the Community Relations unit at the Northbrook Police Department. 67 68 Officer Petka shared that his staff can move on to being police officers. Various classes, 69 trainings, and staff responsibilities were described. Officer Petka also reviewed the 70 Department’s outreach efforts, including tours for school children, presentations for community 71 groups and public education events (such as this past summer’s Pokemon Go event). Finally, 72 he overviewed the Citizens Police Academy, which is a 10-week event where the community 73 learns about what the Police Department does. He discussed that the Department also offers 74 home and security checks. Officer Petka is also in charge of approximately 30 crossing guards 75 and summarizes weekly crime arrests to the media. Presentations on senior scams, well-being 76 checks, and neighbor disputes are all matters the Police Department handles. 77 78 Commissioner Seo asked if there is siren/volume control between Pfingsten and Dundee to 79 Lake Cook Road. Officer Petka advised there is no regulation. 80 81 Commissioner Han asked how Northbrook could be made a safer community. Officer Petka 82 stated Northbrook is a very safe community; precautions should still be taken. He advised most 83 crimes are property theft. 84 85 Chairman Doughty thanked Officer Petka, and everyone gave him applause. Officer Petka 86 indicated applications for the Police Academy (21 or over) are available at the station. 87 88 Update on Activities 89 1. Northbrook Cares 90 91 Chairman Doughty advised the next meeting is November 16th. He stated that the Text- 92 A-Tip program, which the Subcommittee originally investigated, was also being reviewed 93 by others, and that there was some positive forward momentum for the program. 94 95 Staff Liaison Jensen advised that the Village was currently in negotiations with a vendor 96 to create the website for Northbrook Cares. Chairman Doughty advised students will be 97 involved; social media can be integrated. 98 2  Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Relations Commission November 3, 2016 99 Chairman Doughty noted stakeholders will be notified of updates in the near future. 100 101 2. Celebration of Cultures 102 103 Commissioner Singer stated that the Subcommittee had recently met, and the 104 coordinators are on board. She noted that the coordinator for the Russian, Polish and 105 Ukrainian stations had pulled out but that others would be recruited. She also stated that 106 an Indian station may also be added. 107 108 Commissioner Singer stated that there was some interest from the Northbrook Public 109 Library in offering film showings in advance of the event, and the intent is to grow the 110 concept. Food will also be broadened (and enhanced). 111 112 3. Clergy Luncheon 113 114 Commissioner Hansen advised the luncheon will be December 7th at 11:30 a.m. at 115 Village Hall. She shared the CLergy are interested in hearing from President Frum, the 116 Planning Department, and Affordable Housing. Staff Liaison Jensen stated he will reach 117 out to Departments. 118 119 News from Schools 120  District 30 121 o A master facility plan is being developed (replacing, repairs); an April referendum 122 may be forthcoming 123  St. Norbert’s 124 o A Book Drive is taking place; seeking 3,500 gently-used books for Bernie’s Book 125 Bank, a charity in Lake Bluff 126  District 225: 127 o The sports team (tennis, soccer) are doing well. 128 o The Debate Team continues to excel (over 100 students) 129 o The District was evaluating the “homework” concept and may make revisions. 130 o The District had recently looked into drug and alcohol use and is addressing it 131 among other ways with community education. 132 133 News from Northbrook Clergy Association 134 Commissioner Hansen stated a new Chairperson, Mr. Kamyar Jabbari, will be on board January 135 4, 2017. On November 23, the Thanksgiving Interfaith service will take place at the Islamic 136 Cultural Center. 137 138 Old Business 139 Chairman Doughty reminded everyone of the Village Dinner on November 10th at 6 p.m. 140 141 New Business 142 Commissioner Singer stated Gary Moriello (from the Youth Commission) and his wife are again 143 hosting Operation Santa Claus. She described that books are bought for young students at 144 Goethe & Yeager schools. An email will be distributed on the specifics (cost, where to deliver, 145 etc.). Monetary donations are also welcome. 146 147 It was stated Wood Oaks’ students are going to Washington, D.C. after the election from 148 November 9-12. 3  Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Relations Commission November 3, 2016 149 150 St. Giles and Gloria Dei are having a prayer service the night before the election at St. Giles. 151 152 Eyes & Ears on the Street 153 Representative Lonoff advised the Looking Out/Looking In event takes place on November 9th 154 from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Northbrook United Methodist Church. She reminded the Commission 155 that the group holding the event focuses on LGBT issues. 156 157 Next Meeting 158 The next meeting will be December 1, 2016 in the Pollak Room the Northbrook Public Library. 159 160 Adjournment 161 A motion was made by Commissioner Singer, seconded by Commissioner Hansen, to adjourn 162 the meeting at 8:12 p.m. On a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. 163 164 Respectfully submitted, 165 166 167 168 Gale Cerabona 169 Recording Secretary 4