Hanover Township
Mental Health Board
Minutes of the
Regular Meeting
05/20/08
The meeting was called to order by Chair
Mary Alice Benoit @ 7:05 PM.
Roll Call: Gabrielle Infusino, Mary Alice Benoit, Ruth Beckner, Rita
Lopienski, Brian Gorcowski (arrived @ 7:25 PM), Melynda Litchfield, Mel RUnzel,
Chris Van Herick. Katy Dolan Baumer was
not present.
In attendance in the audience: Hanover
Township Supervisor Michael Kelly, Hanover Township Clerk Brian McGuire.
Hanover Township Clerk conducted the
swearing in ceremony for newly appointed members of the Hanover Township Mental
Health Board: Melynda Litchfield, Mel Runzel and Chris Van Herik. Hanover Township Supervisor Michael Kelly
and Chair Mary Alice Benoit congratulated and welcomed each member.
Approval of/Additions to Agenda:
Chair Benoit clarified that meeting minutes from April were not prepared and
asked that the agenda be amended to indicate that these minutes would be
approved at the August, 2008 meeting. Mel Runzel made the motion to accept the agenda
as amended. Rita Lopienski seconded the
motion. Motion approved by unanimous vote.
Approval of April , 2008 financials: Rita Lopienski made the motion to
approve the April, 2008 financial statements.
Gabrielle Infusino seconded the motion. The roll call was taken and the
motion was approved.
Brian
Gorcowski Gabrielle
Infusino Aye
Rita
Lopienski yes Ruth
Beckner Aye
Mel
Runzel yes Melynda
Litchfield Aye
Chris
Van Herik yes Katy
Dolan Baumer
Mary
Alice Benoit yes
Executive Director’s Report-April, 2008-Executive
Director Habun presented highlights from the submitted Executive Director’s
report. Reviewed the many community
relations/outreach activities that took place during the month of April. ED Habun answered questions presented by M.
Runzel regarding the change in site for Adult Day Care from Elgin to West
Dundee and clarified that the mileage would be approximately the same with any
anticipated increase in transportation costs.
Report on Outreach Campaign to Faith
Community- The content of the April program was very good. However, the attendance was poor. Executive Director Habun discussed several
possible reasons and reviewed alternate strategies that would be employed for
the May Program. ED Habun also reported
on her outreach to the Coalition of Elgin Religious Leaders and to the
Streamwood Pastoral Alliance. Members
of each group have been invited to attend the May program and the Streamwood
Pastoral Alliance will hold their next meeting at the Hanover Township Community
Resource Center in Streamwood.
Approval of Price Cap for TIDE Ticket to
Ride Vouchers: Chair Benoit
recapped the request for financial relief in relation to the cost of TIDE
vouchers made by a parent of one of the TIDE program participants and clarified
that the motion last month failed and that the ED was directed to come up with
comparisons in cost.
Executive Director Habun presented a spread
sheet comparing the cost to the mental health board if the price to the program
participant was “capped” at $5.00, $7.50 and $10.00 per ride. Current information indicates that the cost
to the Hanover Township Mental Health Board would exceed the budgeted line item
by $2000 if the cost to rider were capped at $5.00 or $7.50.
Ruth Beckner made the motion to
approve “capping” the cost of the
program participants’ share of the TIDE Voucher at $7.50. Rita Lopienski seconded the motion.
Additional discussion ensued regarding the
contract with the cab company and potential rate increases due to escalating gas
prices. ED Habun stated that there is a
strong likelihood that the current rates will increase at some point this
summer. According to the contract, the
cab company will give 60 days notice prior to any increase in costs.
Roll call was taken and the motion carried.
Brian Gorcowski yes Gabrielle
Infusino Aye
Rita
Lopienski yes Ruth
Beckner Aye
Mel
Runzel no Melynda
Litchfield Aye
Chris
Van Herik yes Katy
Dolan Baumer
Mary
Alice Benoit no
Employee Policy and Procedure
Discussion: Chair Benoit recapped the discussion from April’s meeting
regarding consideration of adoption of the personnel policies of Hanover
Township and reminded Board members that they had had the draft policies for
review. Executive Director Habun
presented Board members with letter from HTMHB Attorney Ed King who had
reviewed the draft policies for Hanover Township and made recommendations
regarding the potential outcomes. After
discussion, members of the Hanover Township Mental Health Board agreed to use
the draft policies from Hanover Township as a template for the creation of
personnel policies for the Hanover Township Mental Health Board. Executive Director Habun agreed to bring a
draft policy for HTMHB review at the August, 2008 meeting.
Approval of Contract with Trilogy
Network of Care: Chair Benoit
presented information on the Web Demo regarding the Trilogy Network of Care Web
Based Resource Directory and outlined the potential uses of such a site for
residents of Hanover Township.
Executive Director Habun clarified that information on the site is
automatically translated into 7 languages and offers the hearing impaired user the ability to access a signer should
s/he have limited reading skills. In
addition, the time period to develop and build the site will be 90-120 days
post signing the contract.
Gabrielle Infusino made the motion to
approve the contract between the Hanover Township Mental Health Board and
Trilogy Integrated Resource with development costs of $7500 and maintenance
costs of $750.00/month. Brian Gorcowski
seconded the motion.
Further discussion occurred. Gabrielle Infusino stated that she had
participated in a web demo of the Network of Care site and was impressed by the
capabilities that are built into the web directory. Executive Director Habun
stated that she has asked the Association of Community Mental Health
Authorities of Illinois to underwrite the development costs of a Network of
Care website (or a portion thereof)for any member of the Association. This item has been placed on the agenda for
the June Association meeting. Habun further clarified that as more entities within Illinois develop a
Network of Care site, the less cost there will be on a monthly basis. Also, any information that is brought forth
by additional organizations becoming part of the NOC system will be
incorporated into the earlier web directories.
For organizations who do not have a website, the NOC will offer
templates for website construction at no charge. There is the capability for announcing public awareness and
community awareness projects through the NOC.
Roll call was taken and the motion carried.
Brian Gorcowski yes Gabrielle
Infusino yes
Rita
Lopienski yes Ruth
Beckner yes
Mel
Runzel yes Melynda
Litchfield yes
Chris
Van Herik yes Katy
Dolan Baumer
Mary
Alice Benoit yes
Executive Director Habun thanked the Board
for the approval to go ahead with this project.
Nominations of Officers
Gabrielle Infusino nominated the current
slate of officers to continue in the same capacity during the next year. Rita Lopienski seconded the motion. The current slate of officers is as follows:
Chair Mary
Alice Benoit
Vice
Chair Brian Gorcowski
Secretary Katy Dolan Baumer
Election will occur at the next meeting of
the Hanover Township Mental Health Board
Open Comment: The new board members were welcomed. Chair Benoit clarified that the Mental
Health Board will not meet during June or July unless unexpected issues
arise. She futher stated that the
building committee (comprised of Katy Dolan Baumer, Mary Alice Benoit and
Danise Habun) will meet during the summer
to discuss upcoming building projects and developing timelines to
complete the projects.
Executive Director will contact new board
members to schedule an orientation lunch with herself and the Board Chair. All Board members are welcome to
attend. Public Notice will be posted to
comply with the Open Meetings Act. ED
Habun also clarified that each new board member had been given a manual
prepared by the Association of Community Mental Health Authorities of Illinois,
along with a copy of the Community Mental Health Act.
Rita Lopienski made the motion to adjourn
the meeting. Brian Gorcowski seconded
the motion. The motion carried
unanimously. The meeting adjourned at
8:10 PM.
Respectfully Submitted
Danise Habun
Executive Director
05/27/08