Senior Services Commission

Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Senior Services Commission Village of Northbrook September 11, 2014 The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Terrace Room at the Village of Northbrook Village Hall. Present were Chairman Wax and Members Bachrach, Ganitopoulos, Louis, Moore (Arrived at 7:03pm), and Rosenberg. Members Forde, Nevin and Stern were absent. Also present were Village Trustee Israel, CFO/Deputy Village Manager Rowitz, Liaison Sabo, Assistant Public Works Director Morrison, and Realty and Mortgage (R&M) representatives Crane and Rider. Review and Approval of Minutes Chairman Wax asked if there were any comments on the July 10, 2014 Senior Services Commission meeting minutes. There were none. Member Ganitopoulos, seconded by Member Louis, moved to approve the minutes of the July 10, 2014 meeting. On a voice vote, the minutes were approved. Chairman’s Report Chairman Wax spoke about an article in the Northbrook Star regarding computer companions, a program in which individuals provide assistance with computer usage to seniors. Manager Crane explained that boy scouts as well as other organizations have provided free computer lessons at Crestwood for seniors in the past. Manager’s Report Manager Crane presented information on the Crestwood laundry room contract which is up for renewal. She explained that there are two options for the contract. Option one would provide for new high efficiency washing machines and new electric driers as well as a new vinyl, no-wax floor with the cost per use remaining at $.50. Option two would include everything from option one but also includes new ceiling tiles with the cost per use increasing to $.75. The contract would be a five year contract with a two year extension option. Manager Crane asked for Commission direction on which option to pursue. CFO/Deputy Village Manager Rowitz asked if the building maintenance employee could replace the ceiling tiles. Manager Crane explained that the ceiling tiles would need to be done by a company that handles installation. The ceiling tiles are discolored due to past leaks. Member Moore asked if the leaks have since been fixed. Manager Crane stated that all the leaks have been fixed. She stated that another option for the ceiling tiles would be to paint them instead of replacement. Member Louis commented that there seemed to be a considerable cost to Crestwood residents with the change of ceiling tiles in option two. Member Louis, seconded by Member Rosenberg, moved to direct Realty and Mortgage to approve option one for the laundry room contract. On a voice vote, the motion was approved. Manager Crane explained that three quotes were obtained for the tuckpointing of Crestwood Place. She explained that the quotes were apples to apples and B. Allendorfer was the low bid at $3,000. B. Allendorfer has done tuckpointing at Crestwood Place in the past. Chairman Wax explained that the Village was made aware of the quotes and concurred with the information. 1 Manager Crane explained that the walk-in shower conversions are underway. Two tenants moved out of Crestwood Place since the previous Senior Services Commission meeting. Leases have been signed for both vacated apartments and there are currently no vacancies at Crestwood Place. Budget and Finance 1) Review of June 2014 Financial Report Chairman Wax provided a review of the June 2014 financial reports and asked what the miscellaneous charge was for. Realty and Mortgage representative Rider explained that the miscellaneous fee was for payroll processing and property management software. Member Ganitopoulos, seconded by Member Bachrach moved to approve the June 2014 financial report. On a voice vote, the motion passed. 2) Review of July 2014 Financial Report Chairman Wax provided a review of the July 2014 financial reports and asked about a legal fee which was in the July 2014 report. CFO/Deputy Village Manager Rowitz commented that the legal fee was for attorney review of the walk-in shower conversion contract. Member Rosenberg, seconded by Member Bachrach, moved to approve the July 2014 financial report. On a voice vote, the motion passed. Old Business 1) Update on the Generator at Crestwood Liaison Sabo explained that the generator continues to be routinely maintained and functioned as intended during the most recent power outage at Crestwood Place on September 5, 2014. The generator provides emergency backup power to the common area lights and the elevators, as well as the building’s sump pumps and fire pumps. Staff is reviewing the elevator setup as it ties into the generator and will provide an update at the next Senior Services Commission meeting. Member Ganitopoulos asked if anyone pressed the elevator buttons in the building at the same time during the most recent power outage. Liaison Sabo stated that he is unsure if the buttons were simultaneously pressed during the last power outage. Member Bachrach explained that the hallway lights, elevators and fire doors worked as intended during the last power outage when the building switched over to generator power. Chairman Wax stated the discussion of the item will be continued to the next Senior Services Commission meeting. 2) Capital Maintenance Plan Chairman Wax explained that the Senior Services Commission will be reviewing the report provided by Thornton Tomasetti and will review staff’s suggested changes. Trustee Israel commented that the Thornton Tomasetti report states that it is a subjective opinion of the condition of the building and allows the opportunity to solicit staff’s opinions on the items in the report as Village staff oversees the building’s maintenance. In addition, a recommendation of the report to the Board does not guarantee occurrence as the yearly budget needs to be approved by the Board. CFO/Deputy Village Manager Rowitz explained that the recommended changes made by the Senior Services Commission will be sent back to Thornton Tomasetti and a final version of the report will be generated. Chairman Wax asked for a motion to add the staff recommendations submitted to the Commission to the Thornton Tomasetti report. Member Louis, seconded by Chairman Wax, moved to accept the staff recommended changes to the Thornton Tomasetti report and to amend the report as recommended by staff. On a voice vote, the motion passed. 2  Manager Crane commented that with respect to the Thornton Tomasetti report section on brick masonry, management has been conducting routine tuckpointing and preventative maintenance on the exterior of the building. She also explained that there is money in the current fiscal year budget to conduct lobby renovations which may offset some of the anticipated costs included within the Thornton Tomasetti report. Trustee Israel commented that the numbers included in the report will be revisited in future years by the Commission to assess needs and completed work. Chairman Wax stated that it should be noted that the Thornton Tomasetti report is a capital maintenance plan and is a guiding document. As a guiding document, it does not guarantee that funds will be budgeted or that the work will be done. It will serve as a guiding tool for the Commission to use and will be revisited as annual budgets are developed. Member Ganitopoulos asked about the condition of the electric transformer pad. Assistant Public Works Director Morrison explained that the pad is leaning but not affecting the operations of the transformer. Should the pad be raised, the conduit would need to be inspected and potentially replaced. Manager Crane commented that she believes Crestwood is on a ComEd list for pad and transformer replacement. Assistant Public Works Director Morrison explained that a transformer replacement would require a road closure on Waukegan Road and also a crane would need to be utilized to replace the transformer. The transformer is ComEd’s responsibility to replace however the pad and conduit are the Village’s responsibility. ComEd has inspected the pad to see if there were any safety risks and they stated there were not any safety risks. Chairman Wax asked to confirm that the sidewalks along the roadways abutting Crestwood were the Village’s responsibility to maintain as part of the general maintenance of Village sidewalks. Liaison Sabo confirmed that the sidewalks located along the public roadways around Crestwood are maintained by the Village and are not made part of the Thornton Tomasetti report. Any sidewalks within the report relate to those located on Crestwood’s property. Chairman Wax asked if the masonry sign at Crestwood was to be maintained by the Village. Liaison Sabo stated the Village would handle the maintenance of the sign. Chairman Wax stated that with the changes to the report made by the Senior Services Commission, the total capital expenditures in the report amounts to $6.2 million for the time period of 2014 through 2033. Member Louis, seconded by Member Bachrach, moved to accept the Thornton Tomasetti report as amended. On a voice vote, the motion carried. Liaison Sabo explained the changes would be sent to Thornton Tomasetti and a final version of the report will be provided to the Commission at the next Senior Services Commission meeting. 3) Update on the Village of Northbrook Premise Alert Program Liaison Sabo explained that information on the Premise Alert Program has been included in the Village newsletter, a slide has been created to play on the Village’s government access television channel, and information was mailed to the Village’s houses of worship and to senior housing facilities as well as area senior centers. The Village website section on senior resources was also updated with information on the program. Staff made sure the Premise Alert applications were made available at Village Hall, the Police Department and the Fire Department. He also explained that the State of Illinois statute creating the Premise Alert Program stipulates that participants must resubmit their information to the Village every two years. Chairman Wax commented that this program assists the Village’s first responders with emergency responses for seniors and residents with disabilities who participate in the program by providing health related information to dispatch centers that would be relayed to responding units during a call for service. 3  4) Discussion of Grass Roots Villages Chairman Wax explained that at the July Senior Services Commission meeting, he asked Commissioners to review the Grass Roots Villages article which was included with the agenda packets and to provide direction at the September meeting. These Villages help to keep seniors living in their homes for longer and provide assistance to seniors. The Commission has a few options which include joining the North Shore Village, creating a Village for Northbrook, or to do nothing. He asked for comments or suggestions. Member Louis stated that it may be helpful to have a representative of another grass roots Village come to speak to the Commission on the topic. Chairman Wax stated that if Northbrook were to join another grass roots Village, a representative of that organization would be asked to speak to the Commission. Member Rosenberg commented that a presentation from another Village would assist Commissioners to decide how to proceed with a grass roots Village. Member Ganitopoulos stated that she feels the Commission should do nothing. The services provided by the grass roots villages are the same services already provided by churches and other non-profit organizations in the community. She feels this would be an overlap of services. Member Bachrach stated that many people in Crestwood provided assistance to one another on various things. Member Ganitopoulos, seconded by Member Bachrach, moved to not pursue the grass roots villages. On roll call, Member Louis abstained and voting aye were Members Ganitopoulos, Bachrach and Moore. The motion passed 3-2-1. 5) Update on Recycling Opportunities at Crestwood Liaison Sabo explained that Manager Crane, Advanced Disposal Area Manager Ben Dykstra and he met at Crestwood Place to discuss opportunities to expand recycling offerings for Crestwood residents. Advanced Disposal has offered to provide recycling containers with instructions in order to instruct residents not to dump refuse in the recycling containers, increase the number of weekly pickups, and increase the number of containers at no additional charge. Commissioner Bachrach asked where the recycling containers would be kept and suggested they be kept in the basement where the electronics waste collection area currently is. People would be able to take their recyclables to that location. He suggested starting the program in the basement and tracking how the program is going. Liaison Sabo stated that it would be difficult to place a recycling container in each trash room as the building’s maintenance employee would need to move all of the recycling containers from the trash rooms to the front of the building and back twice a week. Member Louis, seconded by member Bachrach, moved to place a recycling container in the basement and accept the proposal provided by Advanced Disposal. By a voice vote, the motion carried. New Business 1) Discussion of Toilet Replacement Program at Crestwood Chairman Wax stated that ADA toilets are 4” higher than standard toilets. In the past, if Crestwood residents wanted an ADA toilet installed, they would pay for it themselves. In the past, it was said there was insufficient funds to replace toilets in the building. The Commission currently conducts an annual walk-in shower replacement program for Crestwood units. He stated there are residents who have requested ADA toilets and the issue the Commission faces is whether or not to pursue a toilet replacement program similar to the walk-in shower program. Liaison Sabo explained that he had contacted two plumbing companies to get cost estimates to remove and dispose of an existing toilet and install a new 4  toilet. He also reviewed costs of ADA toilets. He presented a cost estimate of $130 per new toilet plus $275 per toilet installation for a grand total of $405 per toilet. Member Bachrach asked if the project would be put out to bid. Liaison Sabo said the project would be bid out. Member Ganitopoulos stated that there are raised toilet seats which could be used which are much more cost effective. New toilets would provide for water usage savings as newer toilets provide for lower water usage. Member Bachrach mentioned that when he asked for this item to be placed on the agenda for discussion, he did not envision putting in the ADA toilets for all units. Member Ganitopoulos asked if everybody needed a new ADA toilet. CFO/Deputy Village Manager Rowitz commented that if there are residents who are requesting new toilets, Crestwood management can start a list of those residents. Manager Crane said that at the moment, if a resident would like a new toilet, they are paying the cost of the toilet themselves. Member Rosenberg stated that the toilet replacement program can be an as needed program for those residents who request an ADA compliant toilet. Member Louis asked what happens if a tenant wants a new toilet but does not have the money to pay for the replacement. CFO/Deputy Village Manager Rowitz commented that budgeting for the toilets can be discussed at the November meeting and a formal request can be made in January for a toilet replacement program during next fiscal year. Hear From the Audience Member Louis stated that this meeting will be her last meeting with the Senior Services Commission as she is moving out of Northbrook. She stateded that she will submit a formal letter of resignation to Village President Frum. The Commission thanked Member Louis for her service. Liaison Sabo stated that staff and Realty and Mortgage have found that an insurance policy which was budgeted for in the Senior Housing Fund is not necessary as it would be redundant to a policy already in place through the Village. Next Regular Meeting Date: November 13, 2014 to be held at the Northbrook Village Hall. Adjourn Member Ganitopoulos moved, seconded by Member Louis to adjourn the meeting at 8:44 p.m. The motion passed by voice vote. /s/R. Sabo Recorder 5