General Government & Information Technology

MEETING MINUTES General Government / IT Committee Remote Participation April 13, 2021 – 9:00 a.m. The General Government / IT Committee meeting was held on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, virtually. The meeting was called to order at 9:05 a.m. by Chairman Niedermaier. Members Present: Chairman Craig Niedermaier Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos IT Director Bill Shaw Resident Jeff David Staff Present: Marlene Victorine, Village Clerk Kathy Thake, Assistant to the Village Manager Joana Ardelean, Sr. HR Manager John Melaniphy, Economic Development Director Evangeline Alpogianis, HR Generalist Katie Schneider, Community Engagement Coordinator Margaret Keating, Executive Assistant / Deputy Village Clerk Approval of Minutes IT Director Bill Shaw made a motion, seconded by Resident Jeff David, to approve the minutes of the March 9, 2021, Meeting; on voice vote all concurred. New Business a. Green Energy Program Presentation by Mark Pruitt, Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos introduced Mark Pruitt of the Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus, who gave a brief presentation on their Green Energy Program and explained how the program might serve the residents of Niles. The  Community Solar Clearinghouse Solution (CS2) Program is sponsored by Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus and helps local governments secure the benefits of community solar for their residential and small commercial ratepayers. The Community solar concept was embedded into State law in 2016, and was enacted, in part, because solar energy does not work for every community due to various reasons. The Community Solar Clearinghouse Solution (CS2) Program gets as many municipalities interested in solar energy, and assigns the output of solar energy farms mainly in rural Illinois. The residents that have opted in to the Solar Program, then receive bill credits. The energy generated from the solar farm goes into the ComEd energy system, but not directly to resident. A portion of the cost savings goes to the resident and to the solar farm. The Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus manages suppliers, budget and mailings, while the Municipality sets the terms, handles outreach and oversight of the program. Nine Northern Illinois municipalities have adopted the program. The Committee discussed and asked questions regarding the cost, benefits, and potential repercussions on the Green Energy Program as presented by Mark Pruitt. The Committee would like to have a decision on if the Village should enter in to an agreement with a Green Energy Program by June 2021. b. Board approval - Renewal of the Village's Microsoft Enterprise License from Dell in the amount of $159,010.19, $53,003.40 per year for three years paid yearly IT Director Bill Shaw presented the proposed Board Approval for the Renewal of the Village's Microsoft Enterprise License from Dell in the Amount of $159,010.19. ($53,003.40 per year for three years paid annually). This is the agreement which allows Niles to use Microsoft products throughout the Village. This agreement has been in place for 9 years. It allows us to use any Microsoft products throughout the year and requires that we perform a True-up once a year to add or remove software licenses based on any changes we made to our Microsoft software licensing. This will renew our licensing and lock in the current pricing for the next three years with less than a 1% increase from the last three years. Dell holds the State Contract. IT Director, Bill Shaw advised that as the Village has been a good and loyal customer we have been offered a very good rate for the agreement. IT Director, Bill Shaw made a motion to bring to the Village Board for approval, seconded by Resident Jeff David. On voice vote, all concurred. YEAS 4 Niedermaier, Skeffington-Vos, Shaw, David NAYS 0 ABSENT 0 ABSTAIN 0 There being 4 affirmative votes, the MOTION CARRIED. General Government / IT Committee April 13, 2021 2  c. Discussion of the expiration of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) benefit on April 30, 2021 presented by Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean and Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos led a discussion on Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) required certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The Village Board of Trustees approved an extension of the pandemic pay through March 31, 2021 at the January 2021 Board meeting, and extended the benefit to April 30, 2021 at the March 2021 Board Meeting. The General Government / IT Committee decided at the March Committee Meeting to evaluate the benefit extension on a month-to-month basis. Many Village employees are currently on track to receive their COVID-19 vaccination. The Committee discussed advantages and repercussions to extending the benefit. More and more neighboring municipalities are deciding not to extend their additional FFCRA Benefits as more people become vaccinated and infection rates subside. Senior HR Manager Joana Ardelean recommends the Committee let the benefit expire at the end of April. The Committee agreed to let the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Benefit expire on April 30, 2021. Comments from the Public IT Director, Bill Shaw announced his upcoming retirement anticipated for September 2021. Trustee and Chairman Craig Niedermaier led the committee in congratulating Bill and thanking him for his years of dedicated service. Hadley Skeffington-Vos added that a resident has reached out to the Village about receiving more information about Solar Energy. Next Meeting May 11, 2021 Adjournment Motion to adjourn was made by Acting Village Manager Hadley Skeffington-Vos, seconded by Resident Jeff David; all concurred and the meeting adjourned at 10:12 a.m. Margaret Rose Keating General Government / IT Committee Secretary General Government / IT Committee April 13, 2021 3