MINUTES
Moraine Township Board of Trustees
Thursday, January 11, 2007 5:00 PM
Township Office

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING
January 11, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 5:10 PM, and upon roll call the following members were present: Trustees Bryna Gamson, Margoth Moreno, and Cynthia Plouché; Supervisor Mari Barnes. Trustee Jeff Zaluda was absent. Also Present: Assessor Peter Koukos; Clerk Ellen Gussin; Director General Assistance Tracy Coleman; and Janet Freed, community member.

Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 14, 2006 stand approved as written.

Approval of Bills
Trustee Gamson moved, seconded by Trustee Plouché, approval of the bills for December. Upon roll call, motion carried.

Public Comment
None

Assessor’s Report
Assessor Koukos reported that two employees were paid for vacation days not taken at the end of the 2006 calendar year. This will not be repeated in the future, as the Employee Manual adopted in June requires all vacation days to be taken in the year they are earned. Interviews have been conducted for a new employee, and an offer is expected to be made shortly to one of the candidates.

Supervisor’s Report
There was a meeting at Green Bay School called by the Highland Park Mayor to discuss the Community Family Center. No decisions have yet been made but further investigation and planning continues.

The Township donated approximately 100 toys to the South Side Sanctuary Church immediately before Christmas.

Committee Reports
Grant Committee – The first meeting will take place this evening. New members to the committee include John Sirotti, former mayor of Highwood, Harry Crane of Highland Park and an executive at Kraft Foods, and Nancy Rotering, a long-time community member. Last year’s members Wendi Ezgur, Gerald Burke and Helen Dombrow will continue with the committee. Trustee Gamson shared that she has been trying to develop a recommendation for simplifying the procedures for grant applications, especially for repeat grantee organizations. The Board expressed consensus not to allow multi-year grants, but encouraged the Grant committee to consider ways in which the system can be improved and come back to the Board with any appropriate recommendations.

Food Pantry and Clothing Closet – Currently, both are exceedingly well organized. Trustee Moreno reported on how important it is to have a supervisor present when volunteers are stocking and sorting. The Board discussed the idea of an annual Volunteer Appreciation Day or some type of event to honor the Township volunteers and provide additional incentives for clients to give back. Supervisor Barnes reported that she will be calling a meeting, inviting the volunteers from the Phyllis Santullano Fund to further discuss ways to build community spirit together with the Township through giving and receiving with dignity and appropriate responsibility.

Transportation – There are two Lake County-wide meetings next week, on transportation and senior services, that Trustee Gamson received notice of and will try to attend.

Human Relations Commission – Trustee Plouché reported that the Commission is sponsoring with the Highland Park Library next Monday, January 15, a program on Tolerance entitled, “The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Old Business
None

New Business
None

Adjournment
With no further business to conduct, Trustee Moreno moved, seconded by Trustee Plouché, the meeting be adjourned at 6:26 PM. Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________
Ellen S. Gussin, Moraine Township Clerk

 

 

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