Board Members Present:  Doug Fraley, Janice Abizaid, Andrea Gargani, Eileen Dubin, Robert Krogman, 

                                             Charles Rose, Jeannette Vaupel, Karen Wilkerson                           

Board Members -Excused Absence:  Cynthia Luxton

Board Members - Absent:  None

Other Persons Present:  Michael Flora, Roger Hopkins (arrived approximately 7:45 p.m.)

   Office staff:  Elizabeth Carney, Kathy Ostdick

I.  CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by the President, Mr. Fraley at 7:08 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

Ms. Wilkerson was introduced to the Board members that she had not met.  Mr. Flora was introduced.

IV.  MINUTES 

Mr. Krogman moved to approve the minutes of the March 2007 Board meeting as amended; seconded by Mr. Rose.  The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

V.  COMMUNITY INPUT

There was no community input.

VI.  CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ms. Carney passed around a letter from Team For Families thanking the Board for past support, a notice of the retirement of Marie Huff, a brochure on the up-coming Bridges-out-of Poverty workshop, and a number of newspaper articles about mental health-related issues.

VII.  FINANCE REPORTS

Ms. Carney presented the March 2007 revenue and expense reports.  Both revenue and expenses are within the expected ranges. 

Ms. Abizaid moved to approve the March 2007 agency claims in the amount of $126,805.00; seconded by Mr. Rose.  The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

Ms. Abizaid moved to approve the March 2007 office claims in the amount of $1,888.58; seconded by Mr. Rose.   The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.

VIII.  DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Ms. Carney presented the following:

·  An update on the new County office building.  Occupancy is anticipated in late summer 2008.

·  A Sexual Harassment Policy that is consistent with the County’s policy.   Recommended adoption

    after review. 

·  Human Services Initiative update.   The funders group that is working on a social services needs

    assessment held a forum for community input.  The resulting suggestions were compiled and the

    resulting document was given to the Board for review.  Ms. Carney noted that the suggestions

    pertaining to behavioral health services would be taken into consideration when the

    Board’s upcoming needs assessment for mental health, developmental disability, and substance abuse

    service is designed.   

·  An update on the current availability of psychiatry services in the county.  She noted that Kishwaukee         

    Hospital is the key supporter of the development of physician services as it offers temporary practice

    support to some physicians new to the community.  

    Given the departure of a psychiatrist from the Gordon Center staff, presently there are two full-time

    psychiatrists (one at the Gordon Center and one in independent practice), and two part-time (one at

    the DeKalb Clinic and one at the outpatient services at the hospital). 

    Two additional psychiatrists will be starting full-time independent practices in the county in

    September.  The Hospital has been covering the cost of temporary psychiatrists who are providing

    after-hours coverage for the Center and the Hospital’s emergency department, as well as some other

    services.

    Over the past several weeks Ms. Carney has participated in a number of discussions with administrative

    staff from the Gordon Center and the Hospital about the current state of psychiatry services.  She   

    affirmed the Board’s on-going commitment to support psychiatry services, as evidenced by the annual

    allocations for a salary subsidy for the Child and Adolescent psychiatrist employed at the Gordon

    Center and also for the low-income client subsidy program for psychiatric evaluations and medication

    monitoring visits.  In these discussions, she has also explained that the Board has limited funds with

    multiple competing community priorities.

    She recommended that the Board carefully craft its allocations for psychiatry to maximize the amount  

    of service that is purchased with those funds.          

IX.  COMMITTEE REPORTS

·  The Executive Committee and the Finance Committee recently held a joint meeting for the purpose

    of discussing Grant Year 2008 allocations.   There was a consensus to vote at the April Board meeting

    on programs for which there was a recommendation for re-funding, as well as a cost-of-living

    adjustment.  And to defer voting on other programs until the May meeting as it would be beneficial

    to have further discussion about them.   

X.  OLD BUSINESS

·  The Annual Plan was tabled for future discussion.

·  The Amendment to the By-laws regarding meeting attendance by telephone was tabled for future  

    discussion.

·  The Executive Director’s performance review will be discussed in Executive Session.

XI.  NEW BUSINESS

·  Grant Year 2008 allocations.  After a review, there was a consensus to continue discussion of the

allocations and to defer voting until the May meeting.

Ms. Wilkerson made a motion to postpone the allocation vote to the May meeting; seconded by Ms. Abizaid.  The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

XII.  EXECUTIVE SESSION

Mr. Rose made a motion to go into Executive Session for a discussion of a previous employee issue and an initial discussion of the Executive Director’s performance review at 8:02 p.m.; seconded by Ms. Gargani.  The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

Ms. Abizaid made a motion to close the Executive Session and return to open meeting at 9:42 p.m.; seconded by Ms. Gargani.  The motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

The Executive Committee will continue the process of the Executive Director’s annual performance

review by meeting with the Director prior to the May Board meeting.

XII.  ADJOURNMENT

Ms. Wilkerson moved to adjourn at 9:42 p.m.; seconded by Ms. Gargani. 

Respectfully submitted,

_____________________________________            ___________________________________

Janice Abizaid, Board Secretary                                              Kathy Ostdick, Recording Secretary

 | Home | Return to top | Subject Index | Return to minutes |