Consumer Affairs Commission

Consumer Affairs Commission Minutes February 8, 2023 In attendance: Trustee Khoeun, Joanne Haeberlin, Jerry Kirkpatrick, Ted Lavine, Howard Meyer, Leslie Murphy, Johanna Nyden Phone: Gary Merrill, Sam Pratap Excused: Regina Kinyui, Biju Krishnan, George Matthew, Anil Pillai Absent: Meeting called to order at 6:39 Intro topic: Do you play a musical instrument? Minutes: Moved by Jerry and seconded by Ted to accept minutes. Accepted. Sustainability Project: Leslie presented information on the Skokie Environmental Sustainability Plan and furnished an action time line. GET Force (Green Energy Task) is being established with members from three commissions including Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Sustainability Environmental Advisory Commission to help define the steps to be taken in order to implement the Plan. Leslie asked if there were any interested members. Joanne to send e-mail to all CAC members. Task force should be formed in March. Farmers Market: No market report. Lengthy discussion on logistics and impact of the Loyalty card program. Should CAC or Market handle the program and the week to week support? Discussion about ability to have loyalty card on phone with a QR code to show attendance. Should downtown merchants be offered the opportunity to donate gifts or gift cards as loyalty card rewards with an “open ask”? Should CAC still have a weekly presence at the market? Should the “commissions booth” be offered to other commissions? To support the Village sustainability plan, should an alternative to vendors using plastic bags was discussed. Howard offered to identify businesses that would donate reusable shopping bags. Joanne suggested that the ILFMA also be contacted regarding the use of plastic bags question. Should the library be asked if there is an interest in interaction with the market? Leslie said Jennifer Engel, Market Manager, to attend next meeting. Commission to prepare a list of questions to help with the support of the market. Joanne to send e-mail to CAC members and forward questions before the meeting. Scams: Joanne reported she had been in contact with Janet McIntyre at the Glenview Library who presented a program from the Illinois Attorney General’s office on scams. How to avoid and what to do if you think you have been scammed. Howard reminded us that Skokie Police Department and Chamber of Commerce do an annual program such as this. Howard and Joanne to discuss if CAC should partner with them or space two slightly different programs six months apart. Consumer complaints: Nothing to bring to CAC attention. Miscellaneous: Discussed about potential updating the 10-year-old brochure on the Consumer Affairs Commission. Could be distributed at the Market. Back contains a list of contacts for identifying scams and possible remediation. But as Trustee Khoeun reminded that it’s paper. Gary to develop article on Skokie’s requirement that door to door solicitors need a Village permit and to remind residents to ask to see the permit and that stickers are available from the Village “No solicitors”. Leslie handed out Facebook posting from Indigo Remodeling reminded homeowners to be aware of remodeling scams. Question was raised by Leslie if there should be more than one category of winner in the Business of the Year. And, to add an item to the questionnaire about the steps the business is taking with regard to the Sustainability Plan. Joanne shared an article about previous CAC member Irv Abramson. He was recently awarded Portraits of Honor for his service in the 2nd WW. Leslie Murphy attended as CAC new staff liaison BUT also her last meeting as she has resigned the Village by the end of February. New staff liaison will be Len Becker, Economic Development Manager. Next meeting, Wednesday, March 8. Meeting adjourned at 8:17 pm Joanne Haeberlin, Chair ,