Senior Services Commission

APPROVED Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Senior Services Commission Village of Northbrook March 14, 2013 The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Terrace Room at Village Hall. Present were Chairman Wax and Members Ganitopoulos, Rosenberg, Stern, and Abrams. Members Bachrach, Forde, and Louis were absent. Also present were Liaison Kiraly, Realty and Mortgage (R&M) representatives Crane and Jaworski, and Recorder Martin. Dennis Manalo of Allied Care Home Health of Illinois, LLC, attended as part of the audience. Review and Approval of Minutes Member Ganitopoulos, seconded by Member Stern, moved to approve the minutes of the January 10, 2013, meeting with some corrections. On voice vote, the minutes were approved. Chairman’s Report Jolene Moore has been appointed to the Commission. The Commission now has a full complement of members. Manager’s Report Unit C-107 in Crestwood Place has been rented out. The lease begins April 1, 2013. Work to improve the unit is underway. Renovations will be complete before the tenant moves in on April 1. Three residents have left Crestwood Place. New tenants have been secured for the three apartments. Park District Programs Update No report. Budget and Finance 1) Review of December 2012 financial report Chairman Wax said the report shows a positive variance of $32,000. He asked about a $1,800 variance in the line regarding custodial services. Ms. Jaworski said that expenditures from this line vary by month but that the total for the year usually matches the budgeted amount. Chairman Wax said that the balance sheet shows assets of $2.4 million, liabilities of $1.8 million, and a reserve fund of $561,000. Member Stern, seconded by Rosenberg, moved to approve the December 2012 financial report. The motion carried by a voice vote. 2) Review of January 2013 financial report Chairman Wax said that this report shows a positive variance of $23,000 and a reserve fund of $540,000. He asked when debt service payments will be reflected in the financial reports. Liaison Kiraly said they may be reported at the end of the fiscal year. Member Ganitopoulos,  seconded by Member Rosenberg, moved to approve the January 2013 financial report. Motion carried by a voice vote. Old Business 1) Update on Rental Status of C-107 Liaison Kiraly said that Unit C-107 at Crestwood Place has been rented. Open Communities, a not-for-profit based in Winnetka, wrote a letter to the Village President urging that it be rented even though they had already received a communication to that effect from village staff. The village is happy to have rented the unit. Liaison Kiraly said that the village board will approve renovations to Unit C-107 at its April 16 meeting. The renovations will cost approximately $15,600. Reserve funds will be used to pay for them. Manager Crane of R & M said that the improvements include painting, new kitchen cabinets, a bathroom door and heater, and possibly replacing the carpet. All work will be finished by April 1. 2) Update on Building Improvements @ Crestwood Liaison Kiraly referred the Commission to a memo he wrote to the group regarding whether a back-up generator at Crestwood Place should be replaced. He said he met with Public Works staff, who found the generator to be in good working order. Liaison Kiraly said that the generator powers all of Crestwood’s elevators and its common-area lighting. The generator needs to have some minor parts replaced, but can function for a few more years. A new generator will cost approximately $60,000 to $65,000. Liaison Kiraly suggested that a new generator be included in the capital plan for Crestwood Place. He also said that Crestwood’s capital plan should be fleshed out in more detail so it functions more like the village’s capital improvement plan. Ms. Crane said that work has already begun on improvements to Crestwood’s elevator. Chairman Wax said that maintenance expenses have been paid out of the budget in past years, so the current capital plan is a true list of capital projects. Member Stern said that rent at the Crestwood has not increased in eight years and that capital projects should not be delayed simply to avoid rent increases. Chairman Wax said that the Commission’s charge is to give the village a budget for Crestwood that allows it to break even on the facility. He said that R&M should prepare a realistic list of capital needs and the village can decide how and what to fund. Ms. Crane said that improvements have been delayed in the past to avoid rent increases. She said the most recent reserve study was done a number of years ago and covers only through 2016. 3) Update on Senior-Specific Public Information Efforts Liaison Kiraly said that information on “senior resources” is displayed prominently on the village’s website (www.northbrook.il.us). It is part of the website’s “latest news” and also has a clickable button on the right of the home page. He said that after May 1, a brochure will be produced to incorporate much of this information in hard copy. The Senior Services Commission will have an opportunity to review the brochure before it goes to print. Once printed, the brochure will be made available at senior facilities and the North Suburban YMCA, among other places. Kiraly said that seniors have signed up for Northbrook Notify, which alerts residents to emergency situations via telephone calls and that senior-specific information will be featured in the village’s newsletter. Member Ganitopoulos said that the Northbrook Star newspaper recently featured a list of senior housing options. The Commission discussed to what extent Northbrook-based home health care agencies should be listed on the village’s website. Currently, residential facilities in Northbrook are listed, along with a link to an Illinois Department of Public Health website that lists every home health care provider that is licensed by the State of Illinois. Users can search the state website for providers located in Northbrook. Chairman Wax said that the Commission will  ask the village to consider listing home health care providers based in Northbrook and wait for the village to decide if it’s feasible. 4) Report on Tours of Senior Service Facilities/Centers Members of the Commission toured the North Shore Senior Center earlier this year. Ms. Crane said that a social worker from the North Shore Senior Center visits Crestwood once a week and has been very helpful to many of the residents. Members of the Commission will tour the North Suburban YMCA on Friday, March 15 and will visit the Northbrook Park District’s senior center soon. Chairman Wax said that southeast Lake County has an organization, formed in part by houses of worship, that marshals volunteers to help seniors. Perhaps a similar group could be formed in northeast Cook County. Member Abrams said that the North Shore Senior Center has 400 to 500 volunteers, and many are from Northbrook. Member Kiraly inquired with the commission regarding their perspective on the value of scheduling an information fair (or resource fair) for seniors. The commission was positive about the idea. Several possible venues were suggested, including a Northbrook Park District facility. Member Abrams said that federal funding is available to pay for respite care and other senior services through Age Options in Oak Park, and that the village may be able to secure some of this funding and then make it available to eligible residents. Member Stern said that village staff should be given time to investigate this possibility. Liaison Kiraly said that Member Bachrach has expressed interest in conducting a tour of Crestwood for the commission. Such a tour may be scheduled for May 9, to occur immediately before the Commission’s next meeting, which would be held at Crestwood Place. New Business Liaison Kiraly distributed copies of the portion of the village’s proposed FY2014 budget that pertains to the Commission and Crestwood Place. He said that the village board will consider its budget at its April 16 meeting. Hear from the Audience Dennis Manalo, a Northbrook resident affiliated with Allied Care Home Health of Illinois, spoke briefly about his firm’s interest in promoting senior health. Next Regular Meeting Date: May 9, 2013 (meeting may be held at Crestwood Place) Adjourn Member Stern moved, seconded by Member Ganitopoulos, to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 p.m. The motion passed by voice vote. /s/ C. Martin Recorder