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Board Members Present:  Doug Fraley, Janice Abizaid, Andrea Gargani, Robert Krogman, Cynthia Luxton,

                                           Eileen Dubin,

Board Members -Excused Absence:  Charles Rose, Jeannette Vaupel

Board Members - Absent:  None

Other Persons Present:  Regina Parker.  Office staff:  Elizabeth Carney, Kathy Ostdick.

I.  CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by the President, Mr. Fraley at 7:10 p.m.

II.  AGENDA

Ms. Dubin moved to approve the agenda; seconded by Mr. Krogman.  The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote. 

III.  INTRODUCTIONS

Mr. Fraley introduced  Ms. Regina Parker who recently resigned from the Board.  Mr. Fraley thanked Ms. Parker for her ten years of service and presented her with a plaque.  Board members expressed their appreciation also.  

IV.  MINUTES

Mr. Krogman moved to approve the minutes of the December 2006 Board meeting as presented; seconded by Ms. Abizaid.  The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

V.  COMMUNITY INPUT

There was no community input.

VI.  CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Ms. Carney passed around several newspaper articles about mental health issues and two Christmas cards from funded agencies that were sent to the Board office.

VII.  FINANCE REPORTS

Ms. Carney presented the November and December revenue and expense reports.  All revenue and expenses are within the expected ranges. 

Ms. Abizaid moved to approve the December 2006 agency claims in the amount of $117,559.00; seconded by Ms. Gargani.  The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

Ms. Abizaid moved to approve the December 2006 office claims in the amount of $1,723.61; seconded by Ms. Luxton.   The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

VIII.  DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Ms. Carney presented the following:

Ø      The brochure for the Suicide Prevention workshop that will take place on February 22, 2007.  The workshop is being co-sponsored by Suicide Prevention Services, Batavia, Illinois and the CMHB.   SPS has state funding available to cover the cost of the speaker, SPS Executive Director, Stephanie Weber, and the Board is providing publicity, organizational support, and refreshments.  Ms. Carney discussed the possibility of the Board partnering with SPS to provide community-wide suicide prevention training for professionals, community members, and the schools.  She will present more information about this possibility in the future.       

        .  

Ø      As of January 1, 2007, The Illinois Department on Aging’s Elder Abuse Program now includes “self-neglect” as a reportable situation.  Elder Care Services is the designated IDOA Elder Abuse Agency for DeKalb County and their director is concerned about this being an unfunded mandate, as well as persons who would fit into this category frequently having mental health issues that can create a barrier to them accepting services and assistance. 

Mr. Robert Rosemier, Chairman of the County’s Health and Human Services Committee, had asked service providers to attend a HHS Committee meeting in early January to discuss a system-wide response to the new category of Elder Abuse.  The ensuing discussion highlighted that the IDOA has not yet defined “self-neglect,” but that persons who could be considered self-neglectful for various reasons have been identified in the healthcare and social services system for many years.  Appropriate services are available and some funding to meet client needs already exists.  The group of providers decided to have a follow-up meeting to educate themselves about the addition to the Elder Abuse Law and to explore possibilities for improving client linkage to services. 

Ø      Two letters from the Gordon Center that were a response to the Board’s inquiry regarding the Center’s possible use of County tax payer dollars for political campaign donations in both the past and for the recent donation that was documented recently in the Daily Chronicle.  The letters communicated that a Center audit from January 1, 2002 through November 5, 2006, showed that no Community Mental Health Board dollars had been used for political campaign donations.  The Board’s attorney, John Farrell, Assistant State’s Attorney, reviewed the letters and gave his opinion that they fulfilled the Board’s request. 

Ø      A brief report on the Gordon Center’s recent request for Board participation in and Board support for the Center’s application for a federal Juvenile Jail Diversion grant.  The Board noted that it is supportive of this type of endeavor when all significant stakeholders are involved in the planning and grant application process. 

Ø      Ms. Carney met with Herb Holderman, Superintendent, the County Veteran’s Commission, to further explore the mental health needs of returning veterans.  They met with a therapist who has provided local therapy services through a Veteran’s Administration contract for many years.  The discussion centered on the current level of service utilization, evaluation of possible gaps in services, funding for services, and opportunities for “getting the word out.”  The Veteran’s Commission will be sponsoring a job fair next summer and the therapist may do a presentation geared to returning veteran’s needs.  It appears that veteran’s support groups are not generally well attended, for a variety of reasons, and thus one will not be started at this time.  Mr. Holderman and Ms. Carney will be exploring options for identifying returning veterans and the Commission providing early outreach to them to inform them of the services that are available. 

Ø      The Consumer Advocacy Center of DeKalb County implemented a new system in July for evaluating consumers’ “Special Needs” funding requests.   Because of this their utilization of their funding is considerably less than it was last year and they have built up a reserve.  Ms. Carney notified the Board that the CACDC grant amount for February was held and that no additional claims will be submitted until their reserve has been spent down.  She also noted that the CACDC funding for Grant Year 2008 will be changed from a grant-in-aid agreement to a purchase of service contract. 

Ø      Ms. Carney reported that the CMHB Annual Report would be published in the near future.

Ø      Mr. Fraley and Ms. Carney discussed the Executive Director’s annual performance review.  The  Executive Committee will be doing the performance review as the chairman of the Personnel

Committee will be out of state for some time.  

The Board discussed the need for a Finance Committee and that the Personnel Committee had only one member, plus the President as an ex officio member, due to Board resignations.  Ms. Luxton will fill the opening on the Nominations and Personnel committee.  The Finance Committee will be comprised of Ms. Dubin, Ms. Gargani, and Ms. Luxton, with Mr. Fraley, ex officio. 

Ms. Carney noted that agency applications for Grant Year 2008 funding are due by February 9, 2007.  One application has already been returned. 

Mr. Fraley reported that Mr. Rose had notified him that due to an unanticipated conflict with his teaching schedule he will not be able to attend meetings on Mondays through April.  Mr. Fraley said that Mr. Rose will attend the Wednesday evening Funding Hearings and that possibly some other meeting dates will be changed.

IX.  COMMITTEE REPORTS 

The Gordon Center Lease Committee reported that the Gordon Center had sent a revised version of the lease given to them.  The Lease Committee then met with John Farrell of the State’s Attorney’s office to

evaluate the changes requested by the Center.   Utilizing Mr. Farrell’s and Committee Members’ recommendations, a lease was developed that contained the following key stipulations: 

• That the term of the Lease be 10 years with one five-year extension, at the Board’s discretion.

• That an annual Building fund be maintained by the Gordon Center in the amount of $20,000.  The Gordon Center is to pay the first $20,000 of building and equipment repairs and replacements.  If  additional funds are required in the same year, up to an additional $20,000, the cost will be split between the Center and the CMHB.  An annual cost over a total of $40,000, will be negotiated. 

A motion was made to accept the lease as presented by Mr. Fraley; seconded by Ms. Gargani.  The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote. 

X.  OLD BUSINESS

Ø      Gordon Center Roof:  The Board office is waiting for the construction company’s and the

architect’s final paperwork on the Gordon Center roof project.

Ø      Board member recruitment:  Ms. Carney will send out a press release about the opening on the Board.  Mr. Fraley asked the present Board members to be looking for suitable candidates. 

XI.  NEW BUSINESS

Meeting attendance by electronic means:  An amendment to the Board’s By-laws was  presented and discussed that would allow Board members to fully participate in Board meetings by telephone or other electronic devices.  Some changes to the amendment were made.  Ms. Carney will make the recommended changes and send copies of the Bylaws to the Board members two weeks before the next monthly Board meeting.

A motion was made by Ms. Abizaid to go into Executive Session to discuss a personnel issue; seconded by Mr. Krogman.  The motion passed on a voice vote.

Upon returning from Executive Session, the following motion was presented:

A motion was made by Mr. Fraley to increase the Administrative Assistant’s salary by 5.4%, retroactive to December 12, 2006, the anniversary of her hiring date; seconded by Ms. Abizaid.  The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

XII.  ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:32 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________________________            ___________________________________

Janice Abizaid, Board Secretary                                              Kathy Ostdick, Recording Secretary

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