DuPage County Human Services Committee met March 3
DuPage County Human Services Committee met March 3
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
1. CALL TO ORDER
9:30 AM meeting was called to order by Chair Greg Schwarze at 9:37 AM.
2. ROLL CALL
Other Board Members present: County Board Chair Deborah Conroy; Members Grant Eckhoff; Lucy Chang Evans; Saba Haider; Brian Krajewski; Melissa Martinez; Sam Tornatore; Yeena Yoo
Staff in Attendance: Nick Kottmeyer (Chief Administrative Officer); Joan Olson (Chief Communications Officer); Renee Zerante (State's Attorney Office); Mary Keating (Director, Community Services); Joan Fox (Administrator of Housing Support and Self-Sufficiency); Natasha Belli (Administrator, Senior Services); Julie Hamlin (Administrator of Community Development - remote); Anita Rajagopal (Assistant Administrator, DuPage Care Center - remote)
PRESENT Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze
ABSENT Cronin Cahill
REMOTE DeSart
MOTION TO ALLOW REMOTE PARTICIPATION
Member Garcia moved and Member Galassi seconded a motion to allow Member DeSart to participate remotely.
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comments were offered.
4. CHAIR REMARKS - CHAIR SCHWARZE
Chair Schwarze thanked all who were present for today's meeting, especially those County Board members who are not sitting members of the Human Services committee. He noted that at the conclusion of the meeting there will be a presentation on Food Insecurity strategies and referred those in attendance to the informational folders they received at the beginning of the meeting.
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
5.A. 26-0832
Human Service Committee - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, February 17, 2026
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Lynn LaPlante
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
6. COMMUNITY SERVICES - MARY KEATING
6.A. FI-R-0050-26
Acceptance and appropriation of additional funding for the IACAA Employment Barrier Reduction Pilot Program PY26, Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 1675, in the amount of $17,250, increasing funding from $40,250 to $57,500. (Community Services)
RESULT: APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
7. DUPAGE CARE CENTER - JANELLE CHADWICK
7.A. HS-P-0017-26
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to Novastaff Healthcare Services, Inc., to provide supplemental nursing staffing services, for the DuPage Care Center, for the period April 13, 2026 through April 12, 2027, for a total contract amount not to exceed $600,000; per renewal of RFP #24-002-DCC, second of three one-year optional renewals.
RESULT: APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
7.B. HS-P-0018-26
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to RCM Technologies, Inc., to provide supplemental nursing staffing services, for the DuPage Care Center, for the period April 13, 2026 through April 12, 2027, for a total contract amount not to exceed $115,000; per renewal of RFP #24-002-DCC, second of three one-year renewals.
RESULT: APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE
MOVER: Lynn LaPlante
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
7.C. HS-P-0019-26
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to Brightstar Care of Central DuPage, to provide supplemental nursing staffing, for the DuPage Care Center, for the period April 13, 2026 through April 12, 2027, for a total contract amount not to exceed $175,000; per renewal of RFP #24-002-DCC, second of three one-year optional renewals.
RESULT: APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
7.D. FI-R-0048-26
Acceptance of an extension of time for the DuPage Care Center Foundation Music Therapy Grant PY25, Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 2120, to extend the grant through February 28, 2026. (DuPage Care Center)
RESULT: APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE
MOVER: Lynn LaPlante
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
7.E. FI-R-0049-26
Acceptance and appropriation of the DuPage Care Center - ILDCEO Equipment Replacement Grant PY25, Inter-Governmental Agreement No. 23-203217, Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 2110, in the amount of $200,000. (DuPage Care Center and Facilities Maintenance Departments)
RESULT: APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
8. TRAVEL
8.A. 26-0833
Weatherization Assessor to attend the National Home Performance Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio from April 12, 2026 through April 16, 2026. Expenses to include registration, transportation, lodging, and per diems for approximate total of $3167. Grant funded (Community Services)
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Lynn LaPlante
8.B. 26-0834
Weatherization Assessor to attend the National Home Performance Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio from April 12, 2026 through April 16, 2026. Expenses to include registration, transportation, lodging, and per diems for approximate total of $3162. Grant funded (Community Services)
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Lynn LaPlante
9. CONSENT ITEMS
Motion to Combine Items
Member Galassi moved and Member Garcia seconded a motion to combine items 9.A. through 9.H. The motion was approved on voice vote, all "ayes".
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Kari Galassi
SECONDER: Paula Garcia
9.A. 26-0835
Healthy Air Heating & Air Inc. Contract 6727-0001-SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $123,359.11 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Community Services)
9.B. 26-0836
Healthy Air Heating & Air Inc. Contract 7423-0001-SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $70,308.81 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Community Services)
9.C. 26-0837
Nortek Environmental, Inc. Contract 6786-0001-SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $198,384.89 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Community Services)
9.D. 26-0838
Nortek Environmental, Inc. Contract 7424-0001-SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $175,942.81 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Community Services)
9.E. 26-0839
Rush Heating and Cooling, Inc. Contract 7457-0001-SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $212,359.42 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Community Services)
9.F. 26-0840
Parliament Builders, Inc. Contract 7425-0001-SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $201,198.22 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Community Services)
9.G. 26-0841
My Green House HVAC, LLC Contract 7427-0001-SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $181,085.49 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Community Services)
9.H. 26-0842
Symbria Rehab, Contract 7351-0001 SERV - This Purchase Order is decreasing in the amount of $270,726.20 and closing due to Purchase Order has expired. (Care Center)
RESULT: APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA
MOVER: Kari Galassi
SECONDER: Paula Garcia
AYES: DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze
ABSENT: Cronin Cahill
10. INFORMATIONAL
MOTION TO RECEIVE AND PLACE ON FILE
RESULT: ACCEPTED AND PLACED ON FILE
MOVER: Paula Garcia
SECONDER: Kari Galassi
10.A. FM-P-0006-26
Recommendation for the approval of a contract to Builders Chicago Corporation, for preventive maintenance and repair services for automatic and manual doors with threshold closers, for Facilities Management, for the period April 10, 2026 through April 9, 2028, for a total contract amount not to exceed $133,966; per renewal of bid #24-032-FM, first and final option to renew. ($67,966 for Facilities Management, $1,000 for Animal Services, $35,000 for Division of Transportation, and $30,000 for Care Center)
11. RESIDENCY WAIVERS - JANELLE CHADWICK
No residency waivers were offered.
12. DUPAGE CARE CENTER UPDATE - JANELLE CHADWICK
Anita Rajagopal, Care Center Assistant Administrator, stated that Care Center Administrator Janelle Chadwick is currently undertaking the nursing survey for the opening up of units 2 North and 2 South following the approval of the architectural survey. She added that there are currently no units under quarantine or isolation. Member Garcia asked if there was a time frame for the Care Center to receive approval of the nursing survey findings. Ms. Rajagopal responded that they should receive a response soon.
13. COMMUNITY SERVICES UPDATE - MARY KEATING
Mary Keating thanked her Community Services Administrators, the Communications Office and the Finance Department for putting together all of the information for today's presentation.
14. OLD BUSINESS
No old business was discussed.
15. NEW BUSINESS
Member Galassi and Chair Schwarze welcomed the visiting students from Hinsdale Central High School who attended today's meeting.
16. FOOD INSECURITY PRESENTATION
Chair Schwarze and Mary Keating introduced the presentation, Proposal to Address Food Insecurity FY2026-2027. A copy is appended to these minutes for reference. The presentation will also go before the County Board at their March 10, 2026 meeting.
To date, $12.6 million has been expended for food and capital improvement grants disbursed through such programs as CARES, ARPA, the DuPage Community Transformation Partnership, the Small Nonprofit grant program, and County Board Member Initiative Program. The funds were used to purchase food (particularly fresh produce), vans for transport, freezers, and other items that would help increase or improve food pantry capacities. Other programs of note were the Conservation Foundation Farm to Pantry Initiative, the Loaves and Fishes Hub 2.0 Project and the DuPage Food Pantry Challenge Grants.
Following the presentation, the floor was opened to comments and questions from County Board members and staff.
26-0936
Proposal to Address Food Insecurity FY2026-2027
17. ADJOURNMENT
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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