M I N U T E S. The meeting of the WIRC Board of Directors was called to order by President Mike Kirby at 5:02 pm at the WIRC office in Macomb.

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1 M I N U T E S WIRC Board of Directors August 22, 2013 *********************************************************************************************** CALL TO ORDER. The meeting of the WIRC Board of Directors was called to order by President Mike Kirby at 5:02 pm at the WIRC office in Macomb. WIRC Board Members Members Absent Staff Dan Asbury Greg Bacon Suzan Nash, Executive Director Curt Eisenmayer Rod Davies Rose Elam, Admin. Assistant Chuck Gilbert Jim Hartford Tracy Camden, Fiscal Director Mike Inman Lowell Lueck Patrick Stout, McDonough Voice Mike Kirby Siyoung Park Penny Lawyer Jim Nightingale Patrick O Brian Lee Trotter Bill Reichow APPROVAL OF MINUTES. The Minutes of the joint WIRC & CAA boards May 30, 2013 meeting were approved as prepared with a motion by Trotter and a second by Reichow. Introductions were made. FISCAL REPORT/MONITORING VISITS. Camden reported a gain for the quarter April-June of $13,389 and for YTD actual, a loss of ($11,830). For comparison, the agency had a loss in the same quarter of $13,000 one year ago, and $24,000 two years ago. The third quarter is when membership dues come in and figures will return to the black with that income. We are where we should be with revenues and expenditures for this quarter. April 1-June 30 Actual YTD actual Total Revenues $291,116 $562,869 Total Expenditures 277, ,699 Excess $ 13,389 ($ 11,830) Camden asked if there were any questions about specific line items. There were none. Nash added that there were three fiscal monitoring visits in May and June. The DCEO LIHEAP visit in May resulted in findings that were rectified. The monitor in June had no findings but resulted in recommendations that staff disagreed with, which were accepted by the monitor. No correspondence has been received from the June CSBG admin. and fiscal visits. Nash made the monitoring result letters available for review. 1

2 BUILDING UPDATE. Nash reported that we are still operating without a lease. In communication with the landlord s attorney, the landlord wishes to raise the rent. We are still in negotiations. Nash does not want to pay more but may have to split the difference. We prefer a one year lease (two year maximum) and the landlord wants a 10 year one. At this time, a 10 year lease is out of the question with uncertain funding and the sequestration. We are still paying the old rent amount. Nash will keep the Board informed. MEMBERSHIP DUES UPDATE. Elam reported on current year dues paid to date which total $47,431. Membership letters went out July 1. A handout was provided with a history of revenues and what the per capita charge was each year Census information is being used multiplied by $0.55 per capita. Fifty communities/counties have paid and staff anticipate 70 to pay. Reminders will be sent out in September. ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION. Gilbert moved and Reichow seconded to go into Executive Session at 5:10 pm, to consider the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of an employee of the public body or legal counsel for the public body pursuant to Section 2C1 o the Open Meetings Act. Motion approved unanimously by roll call vote. EXIT EXECUTIVE SESSION. O Brian moved and Nightingale seconded to leave Executive Session at 5:30 pm. Motion approved unanimously by roll call vote. There was no action taken. PROPOSED EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK AMENDMENTS. The Board received the proposed amendments through earlier this week. In consult with WIRC s attorney and also the HR Department of WIPFLi, Nash is proposing the following changes. 2.5 Substance Abuse Policy. Wording added to address the medical marijuana law scheduled to go into effect. The use of medical marijuana or any other mind altering drug, even if legally prescribed, in office premises, during work time or while conducting agency business or travel is strictly prohibited. Non-compliance with this will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. 4.1 Employment Categories. Eliminates the provision of health insurance to temporary employees. 1.9 Compensatory Leave. Public entity employees can accrue compensatory leave, but private entity employees cannot, dependent upon employee classifications. The WIRC is a public entity but the CAA is a 501(c)(3). Both WIRC and CAA employees overtime needs to be treated the same. Employees who work more than 37.5 hours per week have the potential to earn what was recommended to be called Supplemental Vacation. Nash said Victim Services staff are impacted the most. Many times they are called out in the middle of the night and many times those staff have appointments the following morning, requiring them to start work at the same time they usually do. Nash is trying to make this work and still be in compliance with the law. 3.3 Cafeteria Plan. By referring to both the Cafeteria Plan and the Flexible Spending Plan, the two are more clearly defined and elaborates on the process for participating/seeking reimbursement. 2

3 As there were no questions, Inman moved to approve the Employee Handbook amendments as presented. His motion was seconded by Gilbert. The motion approved unanimously by roll call vote. COMMUNITY ACTION/HOUSING REPORT. Nash briefly reviewed the report prepared by Community Services Director Kevin Wiehardt. This report was presented at the July CAA Board meeting. Housing programs are making good progress. Wiehardt has had requests to write at least seven Housing CDAPs. The Weatherization Program has assisted the Fulton County program due to an ill employee. A contractual agreement was drawn up to specify work to be done and payment. It has been a good working relationship which is coming to a close. Summer Cooling Program. Operated from July households were served at $150 each on their electric bills. Winter heating assistance (LIHEAP) will start September 3 for elderly and disabled households; October 1 for households with children under five; and November 1 begins general public phone calls. Food Pantry. Temporary space is still being used for freezer storage. Requests for Bids for a walk-in freezer have been advertised with bids due September 6. In July, a temporarily rented freezer quit working and spoilage occurred. Staff is most anxious to have a WIRC freezer in place. Housing; Continuum of Care; Transitional Housing; Homeless Prevention; Village at Wheeler. The Board was referred to the written report for details. In July, the CAA Board approved changes to its existing Mission Statement. The examples of before-and-after were given to the WIRC Board. The Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies has a group of about 15 agencies, formed as a consortium of which WIRC is part, to provide outreach to help people get signed up for the Affordable Care Act insurance, anticipated to start October 1. Staff member Wiehardt has been attending trainings. The Federal government has funded entities in addition to the State funding entities. It is not clear how this will work as there are a lot of players involved. Nash will keep the Board posted. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT. Nash presented the report prepared by employees Shannon Duncan, Gary Ziegler, Tim Lobdell and herself. The report contained status reports for the 25 public facility CDAPs currently being administered by WIRC. Nash gave the following highlights: 3

4 Grant writing news - Seven public facility grant applications were submitted in February for the communities of Avon, Bushnell, Colchester, LaHarpe, Macomb, Table Grove and Vermont. Staff are still waiting to hear about funding. Two design applications were submitted in April for Kirkwood and Tennessee, with no notification of funding yet. The four Emergency Public Facility grants submitted in 2012/2013 for the communities of Carthage, Colchester, Joy and Macomb still have no word on funding. Staff person Duncan is calling DCEO weekly. Nash added that DCEO used to have eight grant managers and are now down to two, which probably plays a part in grant decisions. Nightingale added that Carthage s application was submitted 12 months ago. Hancock County Comprehensive Plan - Nash met with the County Board this week to begin the process to establish a planning commission. Two sections of the plan have already been drafted. EDA Staff submitted the completed CEDS annual progress report in July. Staff are working on the upcoming September 18 grant opportunities workshop. A speaker from the Department of Natural Resources is scheduled to speak on the Emerald Ash Borer, as well as Bob Romo from the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation. Save the date cards were just mailed. Illinois Energy Now Grant - Staff continue to work with local governments to participate in energy conservation projects and submit for rebates from the state to support these projects. Illinois Corridor Study the five community visits have been completed, Farmington being the last meeting. There were about 30 people present in Farmington and WIRC staff received applause at the conclusion. The report is being written and is scheduled to be finalized and submitted to IDOT by the end of September. The McDonough County Courthouse clock tower restoration project has begun. Household Well Program four of the five households projects have been completed and the fifth is under contract. This was a pilot program and was deemed very successful. A new grant for all six counties has been submitted and initial funding word from Washington is very positive. Rural Development and Rural Utilities Service questioned why WIRC didn t request more money. The reason is that the program requires a 10% match. Transportation - The Vehicle Maintenance Center has advertised for a Building and Grounds Maintenance Coordinator. HSTP - Region 4 had a meeting today. Region 7 met on August 20. Staff person Tim Lobdell, who had been the Human Services Planning Coordinator, has moved into Chad Braatz s position as Solid Waste Coordinator, managing the Recycling Facility and the solid waste program. Staff person Royal White has assumed the half-time HSTP position and a half-time position at the Recycling Facility. 4

5 Recycling Report - The handout referred to this summer s township cleanups in McDonough, Mercer and Warren counties. Since the Regional Collection Facility opened in 2005, nearly three million pounds of electronics and over one million pounds of paint have been kept from landfills. MCPT SERVICE PROVIDER AGREEMENT. This agreement to consider is to renew the existing arrangement to administer the McDonough County Public Transportation program. It covers Gary Ziegler s position as the Transit Director and also the Hancock County Transportation program. Board members that were aware of the work being done were happy with how things were operating. Inman moved and Gilbert seconded for Nash to sign the contractual agreement. The motion passed unanimously. VICTIM SERVICES REPORT. A written report, prepared by Victim Services Director Diane Mayfield, was presented by Nash. Highlights from the year end report for fiscal year July June 2013 were: Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Total new & ongoing clients* Total counseling hours IDVA advocacy hours Total direct service hours 2, Hotline calls 1, Shelter nights *adults and children DV staff saw an eight percent increase in client numbers for the same time period last fiscal year, and a one percent increase in overall hours of service. The number of hotline calls fell 15% even though more clients were assisted overall. SA staff also saw an increase in client numbers of nine percent, with 66 percent of those clients being under the age of 17. ANNUAL MEETING. At Nash s discretion, November 14 or 21 will be selected for a joint Board meeting as the proposed budget for the next fiscal year will be presented. The meeting will be held at Macomb City Hall with something delicious to eat provided. A save-the-date note will be sent with details. SELECTION OF NOMINATING COMMITTEE. Nightingale and Gilbert agreed to serve on the Nominating Committee. OTHER BUSINESS. Nash announced that Penny Lawyer is retiring October 4 from her position as the Macomb Chamber President/CEO, and this will be her last WIRC meeting. She was presented with a plaque and thanked for her time served on the Board as well as her valuable input. PUBLIC COMMENT. None ADJOURNMENT. As there was no other business to discuss, the meeting was declared adjourned at 5:56 pm with a motion by Gilbert and seconded by Inman. 5