I. Call to Order/Roll Call SOUTH SUBURBAN SPECIAL RECREATION ASSOCIATION September 24, 2015 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Sandy Chevalier called the South Suburban Special Recreation Association s Board of Directors meeting for September 24, 2015 to order at 9:12 a.m. Members present: Dwone Ross, Sr., Country Club Hills Park District Audrey Marcquenski, Frankfort Square Park District Joseph Bertrand, Hazel Crest Park District Stephanie Simpson, Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Lisa Hill, Matteson Recreational Division (in at 9:21) Cindy Grannan, Oak Forest Park District Geneen Robinson, Richton Park Parks & Recreation Department Sandy Chevalier, Tinley Park-Park District Members absent: Others Present : John Wilson, Lan-Oak Park District Denise Will, Olympia Fields Park District Anna Soloff, Park Forest Recreation & Parks Department Janet Porter, SSSRA Executive Director Lisa Drzewiecki, SSSRA Superintendent Regina Ross Ellison, SSSRA Finance & Office Coordinator Heather Specht, SSSRA Program Coordinator Tammy McMahon, SSSRA Program Coordinator Robert Hentschel, SSSRA Recreation Specialist II. Approval of Agenda Cindy Grannan made the Motion to approve the Agenda. Joseph Bertrand seconded the Motion and the Agenda was approved unanimously. III. Approval of Minutes A. July 23, 2015 Cindy Grannan made the Motion to approve the regular Board Minutes for July. Stephanie Simpson seconded the Motion and the Minutes were approved unanimously. B. June 25, 2015 Executive Session Cindy Grannan made the Motion to approve the Executive Session Minutes for June. Dwone Ross Sr. seconded the Motion. Joseph Bertrand abstained and the Minutes were approved unanimously by those present.
Page 2 III. Approval of Minutes (continued) C. July 23, 2015 Executive Session Cindy Grannan made the Motion to approve the Execution Session Minutes for July. Joseph Bertrand seconded the Motion and the Minutes were approved unanimously. IV. Correspondence A. Letter to Operation T.A.L.K., Inc. SSSRA thanked Operation T.A.L.K. for their financial contribution in the amount of $3,650 for the HMHB program. Operation T.A.L.K. is located in Tinley Park and is an agency that supports Veterans. Porter shared with the Board that last year, the agency received a grant from the Fischer Foundation that covered all the expenses for the HMHB program. V. Public Comment None VI. Community Announcements SSSRA: Drzewiecki thanked the Board members for attending the 9 th Annual Ricky s Ride Fundraiser Event. VII. Unfinished Business None VIII. New Business A. Recommendation on Position Changes Enclosures Porter asked the Board to consider a recommendation on changing a couple of the agency s positions. Porter mentioned that this is not an addition of a full time employee, it s a shift with one of the positions and is centered on the agency s desire to split the Inclusion responsibilities from part time staff. The proposed changes have no impact on the association s Budget for the 15-16 fiscal year, nor the following year. Porter mentioned that the savings from having a vacant Recreation Specialist position from June 1 through September 18 is outlined for the Board in the recommendations. Porter shared with the Board that there are two recommendations. The first recommendation is to split the Program Coordinator Position that manages Inclusion and Part Time staff. The second recommendation is to change the association s position titles from Program Coordinator to Program Managers. Porter mentioned to the Board that there are no pay increases tied to the position changes; it is the same salary range. Porter mentioned that the manager titles are more reflective of the duties of the position and to mirror peers in other special recreation associations. Porter provided the Board with an Organizational Chart, which includes a shift to four Manager level positions and two Recreation Specialist Positions, and updated titles for 6 positions from Coordinator to Manager.
Page 3 VIII. New Business A. Recommendation on Position Changes Enclosures (continued) Dwone Ross Sr. raised a question asking is the agency going to take the Program Coordinator position as it s known and eliminate the position? Porter explained to the Board that no, the agency does not want to eliminate the position. SSSRA has three Program Coordinators, and wants to split the responsibilities of the one Program Coordinator that handles Inclusion and Part Time staff. The agency wants to move a Recreation Specialist into the position of a Program Coordinator. Chevalier asked for a Motion to approve the Proposed Organizational Chart with shifting the positions and adding the fourth Manager position to the chart. Cindy Grannan made the Motion to approve the Proposed Organizational Chart. Joseph Bertrand seconded the Motion. A roll call vote was taken. Country Club Hills Yes Lan-Oak absent Park Forest absent Frankfort Square Yes Matteson Yes Richton Park Yes Hazel Crest Yes Oak Forest Yes Tinley Park Yes Homewood-Flossmoor Yes Olympia Fields absent The Motion was approved unanimously by those present. IX. Staff Report A. Program 1. Outreach Report July & August, 2015 Drzewiecki highlighted that SSSRA sent flyers on fall programs and events for adults with physical disabilities to Veterans enrolled in the HMHB program. 2. Kirby School District #140 Year End Celebration On July 15, SSSRA provided a special event for the students at Millennium School in Tinley Park. There were 114 students who attended the event. Drzewiecki shared with the Board that out of 114 students, 79 of those students resident in Tinley Park. 3. Special Olympics Golf On July 15, SSSRA Special Olympics Golfers competed in the Area 7 Special Olympics Golf Tournament held at the Chicago Heights Park District. The team consisted of 4 unified Golf partners and 5 individual golfers. Athletes competed in Decatur at the Illinois Special Olympics Outdoor Festival held on September 12-13, 2015. The individual golfers took 2 nd place, 2 unified partners took gold and 1 took 4 th.
Page 4 IX. Staff Report A. Program (continued) 4. Special Olympics Softball The SSSRA softball program had 18 athletes registered from 7 of its 11 member districts. The Rockers earned a Silver medal at the Illinois Special Olympics District Tournament on August 2, 2015. In July, the Rockers competed in the ITRS Softball Tournament hosted by SSSRA and placed 4 th in the tournament in their division. 5. Special Olympics Bowling On August 11, SSSRA had 7 bowlers who competed in the Area 7 Bowling Tournament held at Orland Bowl. All bowlers earned medals or ribbons. 6. YMCA Camp Duncan A total of 10 SSSRA participants and 4 staff members traveled to Camp Duncan in Ingleside on August 14, 2015. The participants experienced boating, archery, rock climbing, softball, crafts and campfires. 7. Summer, 2015 Inclusion Summary Heather Specht, SSSRA Program Coordinator, gave a detailed report on the Summer 2015 Inclusion Services. SSSRA supported a total of 49 individuals through the Inclusion process at their home park districts and recreation departments. The individuals participated in 51 different programs including Day Camp, Soccer, Basketball Camp, Swim Lessons, Art Camp and Nature Camp. In June, a total of 2 trainings were held for the following park districts and recreation parks departments: Frankfort Square and Olympia Fields. Individual trainings were also provided to accommodate staff for the following park districts and recreation parks departments: Tinley Park-Park District and Country Club Hills Park District. The training sessions consisted of staff discussions and the importance of communication, adaptations for games, arts & crafts and behavior management. There were two charts included in the Board packet showing the Inclusion Services & Supports 2015 and a Five Year Summary. 8. Day Camp Summary Tammy McMahon, SSSRA Program Coordinator, gave a report on the SSSRA day camp. There was a total of 96 registrations from 47 individuals this summer. This summer, day camp started one-week later than usual to accommodate campers who received their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) later in the school year. A chart was included in the Board packet showing the number of individuals from each community and in each session. The day camp locations were as follows:
Page 5 IX. Staff Report A. Program 8. Day Camp Summary (continued) Shooting Stars, ages 3-8, Matteson Community Center Matteson Avenue and Oakwood Adventurers, ages 9-13, Frankfort Square School, Frankfort Trailblazers, ages 14-22, Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center, Tinley Park New this summer, SSSRA worked with the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) to provide free lunch for campers at two day camp locations. The Program Coordinator and Day Camp staff experienced several challenges with the process such as, inconsistent communication and inedible meals begin delivered. Due to these challenges, SSSRA staff has decided not to participate in the program next year. The campers experienced local field trips to Tinley Park Bowl, Fort Frankfort, Chuck E Cheese, and McCarthy Park. On August 6, campers welcomed family members at the Parent Day/All Camp Day special event. The campers enjoyed a variety of activities and a talent show added to the excitement. There was a total of 13 part-time staff and 1 volunteer that assisted SSSRA this summer, 8 which were returning staff. Due to 8 returning staff members, campers recognized familiar faces which helped in the transition process from school to camp. SSSRA would like to thank Frankfort Square Park District, Matteson Recreational Division, the Park Forest Recreation and Parks Department, and the Tinley Park - Park District for the use of facilities and pools. Chevalier raised a question asking is there any alternative to the food depository (GCFD)? McMahon explained that the program is run through the Illinois State Board of Education and the only other possible way is to find another provider. McMahon mentioned that SSSRA would look to see if there is another provider and will keep the Board posted. Porter asked the Board Members if any of their districts use any other food services and how is their success with that? Dwone Ross Sr. shared with the Board that Country Club Hills Park District uses a company called Preferred Meals. Joseph Bertrand shared that Hazel Crest Park District uses Food Service Providers (FSP) and there has been no problems. 9. Summer Program Summary Drzewiecki provided the Board with a summary of the success rate of summer programs and special events. Six programs and three special events reached or exceeded the maximum limit. Six programs and three special events for early childhood & youth populations were offered free and/or discounted due to the support of The Peder Hedberg Foundation. Seven programs were offered free and/or discounted due to the support of Ricky s Ride.
Page 6 IX. Staff Report A. Program (continued) 10. Recreation Specialist Position Filled SSSRA welcomed Robert Hentschel, Recreation Specialist, as our newest team member. Hentschel completed his Undergraduate work at Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Parks Administration. Hentschel completed his internship at the Normal Parks and Recreation Department and the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal. He has been a part-time staff at SSSRA since May, 2010 and a Recreation Leader at the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District since September, 2009. SSSRA is excited to have Rob as part of the team. 11. Fall, 2015 Fees SSSRA s objective is to continue to cover 50 65% of direct costs such as transportation, admissions, food, recreation supplies and clothing. Drzewiecki mentioned to the Board that the fee for most programs and special events stayed the same or increased between 3% - 21% for the season. Programs and special events that required larger fee increases due to staff costs and/or admission fees include: Teen Basketball (19%) Scarecrow Festival (16%) Pilgrim Rock Dance (19%) Bengston s Pumpkin Farm (21%) Drzewiecki informed the Board that there will be 5 new weekly programs, 11 new special events and a weekend long away camp, YMCA Camp Pinewood Twin Lake Michigan, for teen and adults. 12. Fall, 2015 Program Locations Drzewiecki shared with the Board that the program locations list the community, facility locations, programs, days and if a facility is confirmed. All sites for Fall, 2015 have been confirmed with the exception of S.O. Basketball at Frankfort Square School/Indian Trail School. The program locations list shows the Board what programs are being offered in their community. Porter added that the program locations report is a very important report. This report is given to the Board quarterly before the next season begins. Porter mentioned to the Board that this is each member district s opportunity to look and see what SSSRA is offering in their community. Porter asked the Board to please speak up if there is a program on the list that is not offered in their district and they would like to offer the program.
Page 7 IX. Staff Report B. Administrative 1. Staff Professional Involvement, Activities & Training July & August, 2015 Porter reviewed staff activities, highlighting the TR Leadership Summit Meeting that Heather Specht attended on August 6, in Addison. Porter mentioned that Ms. Specht served on the TR Leadership Summit Committee and helped to put on the workshop on September 10, 2015. 2. Golf Outing Summary Porter thanked the Board members for their support at the 25 th Annual Golf Outing Fundraiser and provided the Board with a list of new hole sponsors and prize donors. Porter mentioned to the Board that the agency had 9 more hole sponsors this year compared to last year. This year at the golf outing there were new attractions such as, Granite City Food & Brewery giving out samples and a new Beat the Pro contest on the course. Financial results should be available next month. X. Financial Report A. Claims List 1. Additional July, 2015 Cindy Grannan made the Motion to approve the Additional Claims List for July, 2015. Stephanie Simpson seconded the Motion. Chevalier asked if there was any discussion. A roll call vote was taken: Country Club Hills Yes Lan-Oak absent Park Forest absent Frankfort Square Yes Matteson Yes Richton Park Yes Hazel Crest Yes Oak Forest Yes Tinley Park Yes Homewood-Flossmoor Yes Olympia Fields absent The Motion was approved unanimously by those present. 2. August, 2015 Stephanie Simpson made the Motion to approve the Claims List for August, 2015. Cindy Grannan seconded the Motion. Chevalier asked if there was any discussion. A roll call vote was taken: Country Club Hills Yes Lan-Oak absent Park Forest absent Frankfort Square Yes Matteson Yes Richton Park Yes Hazel Crest Yes Oak Forest Yes Tinley Park Yes Homewood-Flossmoor Yes Olympia Fields absent The Motion was approved unanimously by those present.
Page 8 X. Financial Report A. Claims List (continued) 3. September, 2015 Joseph Bertrand made the Motion to approve the Claims List for September, 2015. Geneen Robinson seconded the Motion. Chevalier asked if there was any discussion. A roll call vote was taken: Country Club Hills Yes Lan-Oak absent Park Forest absent Frankfort Square Yes Matteson Yes Richton Park Yes Hazel Crest Yes Oak Forest Yes Tinley Park Yes Homewood-Flossmoor Yes Olympia Fields absent The Motion was approved unanimously by those present. B. Financial Statement 1. July, 2015 Joseph Bertrand made the Motion to approve the July Financial Statement. Dwone Ross Sr. seconded the Motion and the Motion was approved unanimously. 2. August, 2015 Cindy Grannan made the Motion to approve the August Financial Statement. Joseph Bertrand seconded the Motion and the Motion was approved unanimously. XI. Executive Session None XII. Adjournment Joseph Bertrand made a Motion to adjourn the meeting. Stephanie Simpson seconded the Motion, and the meeting adjourned at 10:02 a.m. Next Meeting: Thursday, October 22, 2015