Youth Commission

1 MINUTES OF A MEETING OF A REGULARLY SCHEDULED 2 YOUTH COMMISSION MEETING 3 VILLAGE OF NORTHBROOK 4 COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS 5 March 16, 2016 6 “Lead, Serve, Shine” 7 8 Adult Commissioners Present (6) 9 Carla Slawson-Martens, Chairperson 10 Gary Moriello 11 Kay Ellen Stein 12 David Whitlock 13 Kelli Christenson 14 Jodie Dinelli 15 16 Student Commissioners Present (3) 17 Bianca Osinski 18 Kieley Anderson 19 Cecilia Calise 20 21 Adult/Student Commissioners Absent (8) 22 Danny Martens 23 Ethan Kirschenbaum 24 Grace Elisco 25 Lucia Bosacoma 26 Brandon Mankoff 27 Danny Brodson 28 Jessica Bresler 29 Zainab Ahmed 30 31 Village Staff Present (2) 32 Jason Batalden, Staff Liaison 33 Gale Cerabona, Recorder 34 35 1. Call to Order 36 Chairperson Slawson-Martens enlisted Commissioner Osinski as Student Chairperson this evening. 37 Student Chairperson Osinski called the meeting to order in the Terrace Room of Village Hall, 1225 Cedar 38 Lane, at 7:10 p.m. A quorum was present. 39 40 2. Welcome 41 Everyone was welcomed to tonight’s YC Meeting. 42 43 3. Approval of Meeting Minutes 44 Commissioner Moriello moved, seconded by Commissioner Anderson, to approve the YC meeting 45 minutes of February 17, 2016. On a voice vote, the motion unanimously carried. 46 47 4. Hear from the Audience 48 There was no Hear from the Audience.  Page 2 Minutes of the March 16, 2016 Youth Commission Meeting 1 2 5. Recap of Meeting with GBN Student Advisory Board 3 David Whitlock shared that GBN’s Student Advisory Board is similar to what the YC wishes to do. It 4 appears to be a very good fit; students are willing to participate. 5 6 Chairperson Slawson-Martens advised that the discussion included a potential option for the youth of 7 Northbrook to have a voice and report back to the Trustees. Enlisting a survey through a Gallup poll was 8 discussed. Commissioner Dinelli agreed that the students appear excited about this. 9 10 Chairperson Slawson-Martens noted the GBN Advisory Board is like a conduit, as YC members were 11 asked to return. 12 13 6. 2015/2016 Upcoming Calendar of Events 14 a. 2016 Film Fest 15 Chairperson Slawson-Martens noted this event will be held at the Northbrook Public Library 16 on June 13, 2016, with entries to be submitted by May 31, 2016. 17 18 Commissioner Whitlock advised he has been talking with adults and students who entered 19 previously. Judges are being sought. 20 21 Chairperson Slawson-Martens suggested the YC possibly network with Northwestern’s Cherub 22 Film Summer Camp as well as reach out to Northbrook college students who are studying film. 23 24 7. Old Business 25 Student Commissioners Calise & Anderson advised they heard feedback that the students enjoyed Quiz 26 Bowl. Chairperson Slawson-Martens stated the timing had somewhat of an impact. She stated – overall, 27 the event went relatively smoothly. 28 29 Commissioner Whitlock stated that four students are interested in being a Youth Commissioner next 30 year. 31 32 8. New Business 33 Based on information received, Chairperson Slawson-Martens moved to disband the Northbrook Youth 34 Commission on May 18, 2016, the final meeting of the 2015/16 year, for four primary reasons: 35 36 1. In fall, 2015, Village President Sandy Frum and Village Manager Rich Nahrstadt informed the 37 Youth Commission they would no longer support an event-driven Youth Commission, and 38 requested the YC propose an alternative format. Thus, YC members worked with staff at the 39 Northbrook Village Library to successfully partner and then hand off the YC knowledge, 40 processes and potential improvements for future management of the most popular Youth 41 Commission-created events: The 20th Annual Academic Quiz Bowl and 7th Annual Youth Film 42 Festival. 43 2. YC members have worked for months to develop an alternative format for our Youth 44 Commission - meeting with local leaders, conducting research, attending related meetings. And 45 when asked directly for strategic direction or a general mission the newly-revised YC should use 46 to frame its proposed proposal, President Frum and Manager Nahrstadt provided no direction 47 or mission, other than to “stay away from being an event-driven” Youth Commission.  Page 3 Minutes of the March 16, 2016 Youth Commission Meeting 1 Nonetheless, a thorough mid-year report of research was provided to President Frum and 2 Manager Nahrstadt. No response or feedback, other than “thank you”, was received. YC 3 members continued their research through March, 2016. 4 3. In mid-March, YC Liaison Jason Batalden reported that President Frum and Manager Nahrstadt 5 were discussing the Village budget and asked Jason “in the hallway” about the YC revised format 6 ideas to date. Jason informed the YC that President Frum and Manager Nahrstadt were not 7 excited by what he told them. 8 4. At this same hallway meeting, Jason Batalden was told by President Frum and Manager 9 Nahrstadt that they are considering funding “other youth-related” concepts including the 10 Subcommittee of the Community Relations Commission called “Northbrook Cares” and the 11 Northbrook Police Department for a Youth Policy Training Academy. Neither of these concepts 12 were discussed with anyone from the Youth Commission. 13 14 Collectively, these four points indicate that the highest levels of leadership within the Village of 15 Northbrook are currently not interested in providing the needed leadership, support, 16 communication or direction for any future Youth Commission format. 17 18 As such, the Youth Commission votes to no longer waste its time working on a revised format 19 that has little possibility of being approved, and as such votes to disband the Northbrook Youth 20 Commission as of May 18, 2016. 21 22 Commissioner Moriello seconded the motion. 23 24 Discussion ensued. Commissioner Stein stated she believes every YC member (even those not here 25 tonight) should vote. Discussion took place on the process of everyone’s vote. Commissioner Moriello 26 stated the YC wasn’t create by this group so he wonders how it could be disbanded. Chairperson 27 Slawson-Martens read various Commissioner’s responses (who wrote via email, text). Commissioner 28 Christenson stated Commissioner Bosacoma would vote not to disband the Youth Commission. 29 30 Commissioner Whitlock asked Liaison Batalden for more information. Liaison Batalden explained same 31 and noted funding could be put to other initiatives. Youth Commissioners discussed the timing of 32 various conversations. 33 34 Chairperson Slawson-Martens stated she was shocked and frustrated and believes there is a clear 35 direction to disband. Student Chairperson Osinski concurs due to a lack of support (by the Village). 36 Commissioner Moriello stated if this was the intention, honesty is preferable rather than have the YC 37 review alternatives for its mission. Commissioner Dinelli identified that the YC’s Village Trustee has not 38 been very involved. Chairperson Slawson-Martens believes without direction, any initiatives the YC 39 comes up with may not be well received. 40 41 Commissioner Whitlock agrees the communication is unfortunate. He believes a strong proposal of the 42 YC’s new mission should be submitted rather than to leave and disband on our own. Commissioner 43 Whitlock stressed that the YC is trying to give the youth of Northbrook a voice. It should be told that 44 many strides have been made. He would like to hear directly from the Village Board that it does not 45 want Northbrook youth to have a voice. 46 47 Chairperson Slawson-Martens shared she was told this decision is not a budget issue.  Page 4 Minutes of the March 16, 2016 Youth Commission Meeting 1 2 Student Chairperson Osinski reminded that student participation on the YC is key. Commissioner 3 Whitlock stated the current YC structure may affect student attendance. He noted constraints when 4 requesting support on outside youth events. Commissioner Whitlock reminded that at the recent GBN 5 meeting, students are hungry to have their voices heard. 6 7 Liaison Batalden stated Village feedback is that the YC may not be in effect next year. Commissioner 8 Whitlock reiterated that a meeting should take place with President Frum and Village Manager Rich 9 Nahrstadt and provide a proposal on the concept of the new Youth Commission. Chairperson Slawson- 10 Martens suggested that potentially, representatives from the GBN Advisory Board could be present. 11 Commissioner Stein recommends Chairperson Slawson-Martens and Commissioner Whitlock present 12 the proposal. 13 14 After the above discussion, the motion was withdrawn. Commissioner Whitlock concluded the YC will 15 present a proposal as to the new mission of the YC. Chairperson Slawson-Martens suggested having a 16 meeting with President Frum and Village Manager Rich Nahrstadt, invite them to a YC meeting to learn 17 about a directed mission, or a proposal could be presented at a Village Board Meeting. In any case, the 18 new proposed mission would be presented. 19 20 The current YC mission was discussed. It was decided the proposed mission is for Northbrook youth to 21 have a voice. 22 23 Commissioner Whitlock suggested Village Manager Rich Nahrstadt be informally approached. Student 24 Chairperson Osinski recommends presenting at a Board Meeting. Commissioner Whitlock stated he is in 25 favor of responding via a YC meeting with a proposal to President Frum and Village Manager Rich 26 Nahrstadt. Commissioner Stein reminded that events have been removed from the YC. 27 28 Chairperson Slawson-Martens recommends formulating a Subcommittee to write the proposal. This 29 would then be presented in April. After some discussion, it was decided a presentation will be given at a 30 future Board Meeting in May. Commissioner Whitlock suggested Commissioner Elisco be a presenter. 31 Chairperson Slawson-Martens recommended Student Chairperson Osinski as well as Commissioners 32 Anderson and Calise, as they are new YC members. 33 34 9. Next Meeting 35 The next YC meeting is scheduled for April 20, 2016. 36 37 10. Adjournment 38 Commissioner Moriello moved, seconded by Commissioner Stein, to adjourn the meeting at 8:32 p.m. 39 On a voice vote, the motion unanimously carried. 40 41 42 43 44 45 Respectfully submitted, 46 47  Page 5 Minutes of the March 16, 2016 Youth Commission Meeting 1 2 Gale Cerabona 3 Recorder