Board Members Present:  Doug Fraley, Robert Krogman, Eileen Dubin, Jeannette Vaupel, Andrea Gargani,         

                                             Regina Parker, Charles Rose

Board Members -Excused Absence:  Janice Abizaid

Board Members - Absent:  None

Other Persons Present:  Mr. Brian Kerner, Ms. Sue Plote

  Office staff:  Elizabeth Carney, Kathy Ostdick. 

I.  CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by the President, Mr. Fraley at 7:04 p.m.

II.  AGENDA

Mr. Fraley suggested moving two Old Business agenda items, the Gordon Center Roof Project and the Children’s Advocacy Center, to the first item after the approval of the agenda.

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

Mr. Fraley introduced Mr. Brian Kerner, architect with Burnidge Cassell Inc.  Mr. Kerner described the Gordon Center roof bid and bid acceptance procedure.  He also gave an overview of what will be the actual work process.  It was his recommendation to award the contract to the low bidder, Christiansen Roofing out of Rockford, for $129,856.  The Board members asked some questions and thanked him for his work with this project.  Mr. Fraley noted that the Board will vote on the construction contract during consideration of Old Business.

Mr. Fraley introduced Ms. Sue Plote of the Family Service Agency.  She described the agency’s Children’s Advocacy Center program, gave its history, and explained that there was a monetary shortfall for Grant Year 2006 due to service demand that was higher than anticipated.   She noted that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services provides ¾ of the funding for this program.  The mental health services component is not funded by DCFS, but the Mental Health Board provided some funding for this Grant Year.  She asked for an additional $2,220 to fund the remaining GY 2006 billing for services that were provided.  Mr. Fraley noted that the Board will vote on this request during consideration of Old Business. 

III.  COMMUNITY INPUT

None.

IV.  INTRODUCTIONS

Introductions were made above. 

V.  MINUTES  

Mr. Gilbert moved to approve the minutes of the July, 2006 Board meeting; seconded by Ms. Dubin.   The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

VI.  CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ms. Vaupel passed around two announcements.  The first was about a workshop titled “Stopping the Pain” of suicide and self-mutilation.  The second was a flyer about a new support group that Ms. Vaupel has organized for persons who have fibromyalgia.

Mr. Krogman spoke about his continuing concern about the stigma of mental illness and its impact.  He

mentioned some specific examples of this such as the commonly used derogatory term, “schizo.”

Ms. Carney passed out various newspaper articles on RAMP’s open house, Safe Passage needing more volunteers, a Midweek article about the Consumer Advocacy Council of DeKalb County, the importance of community gathering places, children’s discipline, the Gordon Center’s new teen therapy group, and an article on hidden costs of mental illness.  Ms. Carney also passed around the book “Crazy” which the Board had requested be purchased.  It will be available in the Board office for anyone who would like to  read it.

VII.  FINANCE REPORTS 

Ms. Carney presented the monthly revenue and expenditure report.  The expenditures are well within

the expected monthly and year-to-date category percentages.

Ms. Parker moved to approve the August 2006 agency claims in the amount of $122,274.52; seconded by Ms. Vaupel.  The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

Ms. Parker moved to approve the August 2006 office claims in the amount of $2,287.30; seconded by Mr. Rose.  The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

 VIII.  DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Ms. Carney presented the following: 

A.     The office will be closed on Friday, 9/1/06, and Monday, 9/4/06, due to staff vacations and the Labor Day holiday.

B.     Mr. Rich Salazar of the CACDC gave a presentation to Kishwaukee Community Hospital administration about the use of respite beds in the mental health recovery model.  The hospital

      is interested in pursuing providing this service as space becomes available in the current

hospital when the new hospital is opened. 

C.     Ms. Carney discussed the Suicide Prevention Services training for area agency staff that will be held in January, 2007.  The presenter will be Stephanie Weber, Executive Director, Suicide Prevention Services, Batavia, Il.  State funds are available through SPS to cover the cost of the training.  Ms. Carney stated that she will be asking the Board to pay for refreshments for the participants.  She also noted that she and Ms. Weber are working on a multi-year plan to provide

suicide prevention training in the schools and community on an on-going basis. 

D.     Installation recently took place for the Board office’s two new computers.  Ms. Carney thanked the Board for their support of this needed expenditure. 

E.      The Board evaluated what items will need attention in the coming months and their meeting schedule for the remainder of the calendar year.  They decided to not meet in September and discussed the possibility of combining the November and December meetings.  A decision will

made about those meetings in October. 

IX.  COMMITTEE REPORTS 

The Gordon Center Lease Committee report will be given in Old Business. 

X.  OLD BUSINESS 

The Board discussed Mr. Kerner’s recommendation for awarding the Gordon Center roof project bid to Christiansen, Inc. 

Ms. Dubin moved to award the contract for the Ben Gordon Center re-roofing project to the lowest qualifying bidder, that being Christiansen, Inc., 820 7^th Street, Rockford, Illinois 61104 for the bid amount of $129,856, to be paid from the budget line item, Building Modification, line item number 7722; and to be paid according to the stipulations in the Ben Gordon Center Re-roof Project Manual dated July 21,2006, section 01027, Applications for payment.  The motion was seconded by Ms. Gargani.  The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

Mr. Fraley gave a summary of the Office Space Committee’s recommendation that was presented at the July, 2006, meeting.  The Committee had recommended that the Board participate in the new County building, that 1100 square feet be requested, that the Board’s reserve fund be utilized for this cost, that no funds be borrowed for this purpose, and that the cost not exceed $291,500.  The Committee had also recommended that the discussion continue with the County about developing a Memorandum of Understanding to provide for a pro-rated return of the participation cost should the Board chose to move to another location, or the County request this move so the space would become available, during the

first 20 to 25 years. 

The Board had an extensive discussion about the recommendation.  Key issues were the potential impact on future program funding, the unknown long-term availability of the current office space, the cost of commercial office space should the current location no longer be available, and projected utility and upkeep costs in the new building,

Ms. Carney noted that as the Board’s internal reserve fund has historically been used to assist with funding agency capital costs, the projected impact of participation on on-going program funding could be minimal to nonexistent.  Also, she explained why participation in the new building would provide the Board with the best opportunity to exert some level of control over long-term occupancy costs. 

Mr. Fraley moved that the DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board participate in the DeKalb County Community Outreach Building utilizing funds on hand; that the Board President be authorized to sign an agreement with the DeKalb County Public Building Commission for approximately 1,100 square feet of space at a cost not to exceed $291,500.00; and that the agreement contain the stipulation that the space will be available for CMHB use for at least a 20-year period or a pro-rated refund would be received on the cost.  The motion was seconded by Ms. Dubin.  The motion passed on a roll call vote with two abstentions: Krogman and Parker. 

XI.  NEW BUSINESS

Board Vacancy:  Ms. Carney presented Ms. Cynthia Luxton’s request to be serve on the Board.   The

information that she had submitted had been earlier mailed to the members.  The Board discussed its current composition, the importance of Board members reflecting various aspects of the diversity of the county’s population, and the importance of members having a working knowledge of the healthcare and social services system. 

Mr. Krogman moved to recommend to the DeKalb County Board Chairman that Ms. Luxton be appointed to the Community Mental Health Board; seconded by Mr. Fraley.  The motion passed on a voice vote.

The Board requested that new member recruitment be an item on the next meeting’s agenda so that the recruitment procedure and membership criteria can be reviewed in preparation for future vacancies.     

The Board discussed the Family Service Agency Children’s Advocacy Center’s request for additional funding for Grant Year 2006.

Ms. Vaupel moved to approve additional funding to the Family Service Agency for the Children’s Advocacy Center for services provided in May and June 2006, in the amount of $2,220.00, from budget line item 8201, “Contribution to Agencies”, to be paid as a one-time, lump sum allocation; seconded by Ms. Parker.  The motion passed on a roll call vote.

XII.  ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:37 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________________________            ___________________________________

Janice Abizaid, Board Secretary                                              Kathy Ostdick, Recording Secretary

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