M I N U T E S. WIRC Board of Directors Meeting and March 8, 2018 WIRC-CAA Board of Directors Meeting

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1 M I N U T E S WIRC Board of Directors Meeting and March 8, 2018 WIRC-CAA Board of Directors Meeting The joint meeting of the Boards was called to order at 5:06 pm by WIRC Board Chair Chad Sperry in the Spoon River College Community Outreach Center. WIRC Board Present CAA Board Present Others Present Joe Clark Rick Barnhill Shaun Pritchard, ED Chuck Gilbert Patsy Davis Tracy Camden, Fiscal Director Garry Hensley Jennie Hemingway Rose Elam, Admin. Assistant Lowell Lueck Gregg Huston Diane Mayfield, VS Director Chad Sperry Nancy Jameson Jeff Cozadd, Housing Mgr. Nancy Mowen Carla Teslicka Patty Weston Don Wynn ROLL CALL & DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM. It was determined that quorums were present. CHANGES TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. Gilbert moved to approve the agenda as presented; Mowen seconded his motion. The motion was approved unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENT. None MINUTES. The December 7, 2017 Joint Board Meeting Minutes were approved with a motion by Hensley and a second by Lueck. The motion passed unanimously. FISCAL REPORTS. Camden began with the WIRC Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for the 4th quarter, October 1 through December 31, 2017, showing the following figures. Jan. 1-Dec. 31 Quarter Actual YTD Actual Total revenues $ 285,493 $1,219,815 Total expenditures 305,000 1,195,762 Excess (deficit) (19,506) 24,053 Camden reminded the Boards that these are unaudited figures. The YTD actual is close to YTD budgeted. Tracy has been working on audit preparations. The audit is scheduled for the week of April 30. She asked if there were any questions. Hearing no questions, Camden turned to the CAA Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for the 4th quarter, showing the following figures: Jan. 1-Dec. 31 Quarter Actual YTD Actual Total revenues $1,108,865 $ 3,533,392 Total expenditures 1,298,903 3,510,419 Excess (deficit) (190,038) 22,973 1

2 Camden explained the ($190,038) figure mostly being the result of the Macomb Blight Reduction Program (BRP). She s had conversations with our auditors as how to record correctly in our financial documents. Eleven homes have been purchased and demolished by WIRC. The remaining empty lots are now worth less than when the houses were standing. She has to record them as impairment losses. We can t carry the properties on our books for more than what they are worth. The entries reduce the value down to what the lot is worth. WIRC received the revenue from IHDA when the properties were purchased. Camden explained that the $22,973 YTD gain is a result of the agency purchasing a Weatherization vehicle. The purchase price was $29,000. The asset has to be expensed to the grant, then it has to be credited back to depreciate it. She had to make another entry dealing with the BRP properties. The properties are sitting on our balance sheet as an asset, not as an expense. Using assessed values, results in a total of $34,000 of property. That $34,000 was spent, but it can t be listed as an expense yet. In reality, the CAA should be showing a $41,000 loss for the year but because of those year-end accounting entries Camden has to do at the end of the year, it looks like a $22,973 gain. The agency also had $22,000 remodeling expenses on a CHDO house, as well as spending down donations and asset funds. WIRC will own the properties for three years and then they revert back to the City of Macomb. While we have an artificial gain now, at the end of three years, it will be a wash. Why three years? Jeff Cozadd said it was an IHDA rule. We don t understand it. There is a provision that allows a neighbor to buy the lot during that three year period. If the lot sells, the money goes back to IHDA and the property would come off the agency s books. Sperry asked if the city has an interest in purchasing any of the properties. Cozadd responded that they aren t overly desirable locations; the thought being an empty lot is better than a deteriorating house. Camden asked if there were any other questions? There were none. COMMUNITY ACTION REPORT. Pritchard referred the Board to the written report. Knox County LIHEAP program. As mentioned at the December meeting, WIRC-CAA was given the Knox County program with very little notice. He is so proud of the staff for getting the program up and running. The feedback we have gotten is all positive. The future of the Knox County program is uncertain. The WIRC is considered a temporary provider. We have been in close contact with the state. It is in everyone s best interests to make sure the residents of Knox County are served. Project Santa served 132 families and 385 children. Hunters Helping the Hungry had 7,500 pounds donated with some going to area food pantries. The McDonough County United Way application was recently submitted. Victim Services and WIRC s Food Pantry receives this much appreciated, long-running funding. REALL Simulation enrichment and life lessons program. See handout in Board packets. This program is offered in Missouri. Pritchard would like to give this program a trial run in our counties in an effort to break the cycle of poverty. Weston asked if this program is similar to the 4H poverty simulation? Pritchard thought so. Teslicka asked how many hours does this program require? Pritchard replied it can be a one day event. He added that we already have in-roads into schools through Victim Services, although schools are hard pressed for free time. Mowen suggested using summer feeding programs as in-roads. HOUSING REPORT. Cozadd referred to the written housing status report, indicating what communities have active programs, some funded by DCEO s Community Development Block Grant 2

3 Program and others by IHDA (Illinois Housing Development Authority). Public meetings are in the process of being scheduled for the 2016 funded communities. Staff are still waiting to hear if Cuba or Carthage applications, submitted last December, have been funded. Macomb s Blight Reduction Program is scheduled to end in June but staff hope to get an extension to the end of the year to allow time to purchase and demo more homes. Transitional Housing. Both houses are occupied at this time with both occupants working, but seeking better employment. Homeless Prevention. Assistance has been provided in a few situations where individuals/families have met eligibility requirements. The FY 19 application will be submitted this month. Village at Wheeler. Residents meetings continue to be held every other month with the Health Department presenting to 15 attendees in January. March s meeting will be a discussion on future homeownership of the units. While still a few years away from being able to be purchased, it is not too early to start discussions. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT. Pritchard referred to the written CD report, prepared by Principal Planner Josh Mercer, which details progress being made on each project. WIRC is currently administering 22 public facility projects. Staff are still waiting to hear funding announcements on the six applications they submitted in December. Staff have prepared Rural Development applications for the communities of Avon, Industry, Marietta and Vermont for various needs snow plow, police vehicle, and storm sirens. VICTIM SERVICES REPORT. Mayfield, Victim Services Director, presented the FY 18 second quarter report, July 1-December 31, 2017, reflecting the following statistics: Total new & ongoing Domestic Violence Domestic Violence Domestic Violence First & Second Quarter clients (adults& children) 195 Counseling hours 399 Hotline calls 875 Shelter nights 4 Third Quarter Fourth Quarter Total new & ongoing Sexual Assault Sexual Assault Sexual Assault First & Second Quarter Third Quarter clients (adults& children) 61 Counseling hours 116 Hotline calls Shelter nights Fourth Quarter 3

4 In comparison to this time last year, the numbers reflecting clients is about the same. Victim Services has a new Data Entry person and the 36 hours reflected in Volunteer Training Hours is wrong. Volunteer hours have not been entered for pager/hotline coverage. Those hours are being reported to WIRC s Fiscal department but Mayfield needs them to reported in this report as well, which would make that number much higher. These hours help meet the personnel match for DHS. Another noteworthy statistic is the DV adult group counseling service hours, which is up 96%, partly due to the adult DV counselor going from part-time to full-time status. Victim Services has also added multiple support groups, including a 12 week parenting program (not approved by the courts yet), but ours is the only 12 week program. The parenting class is held on Wednesdays and has been well attended. The 28 th Annual Take Back the Night March and Rally with WIU was successful. We are proud of being one of the oldest and biggest rallies in the state. Counseling hours decreased in Sexual Assault due to having no adult counselor in place. The DV Counselor stepped in to help until we got an SA Counselor hired. Three new staff began in January a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Medical/Legal Advocate, an SA Adult Counselor, and a DV Children s Advocate. We have two positions yet to fill. There is a concern regarding law enforcement training. Victim Services staff cannot do the training. There is a new forensic interview process with victims. The two-three day training is evidence-based, trauma-informed and victim-centered. The Attorney General (AG) has applied for funds to pay for the training. WIU s OPS has three staff who have completed the training before the AG required it. Macomb s Police Department had one staff person trained but she is leaving the department. No other departments in our four counties have someone trained. Mayfield has talked to all three of the McDonough County Sheriff s candidates about it. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT. Pritchard referred the Boards to the Recycling Report (prepared by Tim Lobdell) and the Public Transportation Report (prepared by Nathan Cobb). We have had an acceptance of the Public Relations Manager position. She will begin duties on April 2. This person has great experience with new media. We want to work toward a unified message. The Weatherization Program has a new initiative through the utilities which will eventually double its budget. We had similar funding and experience several years ago with the ARRA Program funding. It may be a permanent source of funding for the agency. We did a minor retooling of our web site, needed because our web site didn t scale down to personal devices. It is still fairly basic, but with our new PR person starting, the site will become a better resource and tool to use. We used to farm out the web site management but now should be able to be done in-house, a cost savings to the agency. And information will be added more quickly. Pritchard referred to a handout detailing the latest national budget, which calls for most of our programs to be zeroed out. Historically though, the programs get bi-partisan support. Board members as well as employees need to do our part to advocate for these programs. 4

5 EXECUTIVE SESSION. At 5:44 pm, it was moved by Hemingway and seconded by Wynn to go into Executive Session. The motion was approved unanimously by roll call vote. At 6:42 pm, it was moved by Gilbert and seconded by Mowen to leave Executive Session. The motion was approved unanimously. Hensley made a motion to attach the progress report to the ED s evaluation with the Board recommended changes. The motion passed unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS. None. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. Jameson praised the McDonough County Public Transportation system for getting her to work after she broke her ankle and could not drive. She knew of the system but didn t realize it provided rides to working individuals. It got her back to work far sooner than she could have on her own. It is a tremendous service and so are its staff. ADJOURNMENT. As there was no other business and no public comments, the meeting was declared adjourned at 6:45 pm with a motion by Gilbert and a second by Lueck. 5