Minutes - February 21, 2013

Bilandic Building
160 N. LaSalle St. (10th Floor)
Chicago, IL 60601

DHS Office Building
823 E. Monroe St.
Springfield, IL 62701

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Jane Angelis, Julian Brown, Suzet McKinney (for Choucair), Lorrie Walls (for Diaz), Robert Dwyer, Kathy Engelken, Alvin Goldfarb, Jill Heise, John Hosteny, Marc Lane, Debra Marton, Bob McCammon, Beth Ford (for McCarthy), Jenne Myers, Anne Schuman, Stephen Silberman, Cynthia Sims, Lonnette Stonitsch, Barb Tubekis, Heather Way, Don Baden, Dora Welker (for Koch), Frederick Nettles, Al Riddley, Joseph Rives, Giraldo Rosales, Barb Byrne, Amanda Guinn, Ruth Thompson, Jennifer Witzel

Brandon Bodor, Executive Director; Kim Fornero, Bureau Chief; Scott McFarland, Deputy Director; Lisa Fernandes, AmeriCorps Program Manager; Karla Kunzeman, Volunteer Programs Manager; Mike Stehlin, Training Officer; Lois Barnhart, Inclusion Officer; Lanie Cooper, Government Public Service Intern; Adam Weiner, Dunn Fellow

Chris Dillon, Easter Seals

The meeting was called to order by Jill Heise.

Dwyer moved to approve the October 17, 2012 minutes; Goldfarb seconded. The minutes were approved.

Heise gave the report. Thank you to Commissioners for hard work and progress on all committees.

IEMA Conference- Attended discussion to initiate non-profit collaboration in disaster response. Pressed importance of disaster response programs in AmeriCorps portfolio.

Inclusion PSA- PSA is being broadcasted on several networks. Commissioners urged to contact Serve Illinois staff for PSA file to be used on personal websites, TV channels, etc.

Sequestration and AmeriCorps- The Sequester will likely affect national service; look for more details as time progresses.

New- MLK day a success; looking to fill new VISTA positions; add RSVP awards

Committee has completed “group edit” of strategic plan

Asking other committees to adopt and practice the plan

Strategic Planning Committee to monitor success and failure of plan. Each committee to report progress of adopting strategic plan at Commission meetings

Strategic Plan to be revised each year

Cities of Service

• 22 Cities of Servive
• #1 in nation
• March 8- meeting with all COS mayors in Elgin, IL

Legislative - Commissioners should be advocates of the Serve Illinois Commission to all legislative representatives. Develop an elevator speech!

Volunteer Service Awards

• Record number of nominations in 2013
• In need of more volunteers to review nominations
• Review March 1-15
• Notify winners by March 18
• Awards event- April 18

Further discussion needed to determine background check procedure and unacceptable hits.

Serve Illinois Foundation

• Facing issues with legal hurdles
• Foundation is even more critical now in order to support Commission in budget cuts

McFarland gave the report. Answered questions regarding reductions from 2012 to 2013.

Governor/Mayor Initiative

• Multiple cities and states joining together to compete for AmeriCorps members from CNCS.
• IL/IA MOU
• Needed in order to allow AmeriCorps members to cross border and serve at programs in both states.
• Goldfarb moved to approve MOU; Angelis seconded. Approved via voice vote.

1% administrative cost being withheld from programs’ budgets.

• Will give Commission ~$80,000 per year
• Large impact on programs

Volunteerism Conferences

• Central Illinois Volunteerism Conference - June 13, 2013- Springfield IL
  This conference is the West Central and East Central merged
• Illinois Conference on Volunteer Administration - August 2013- Chicago IL
  This conference needs a chair!
• Southern Illinois Volunteerism Conference - September 2013- Belleville IL
• Northwest Illinois/ MVDOVIA Volunteerism Conference - October 18, 2013- Moline IL

• AmeriCorps training webinars complete
• Facilitator training - Feb 28-Mar 1

• Website hits are up from last year, but not ideal to where they should be
• Please look over website for any out-of-date information and any other updates that need to be made.
• Network for Good-
  Is the amount of hits worth the cost to keep running?
  Other suggestions/ options?

• 1st major purchase for accommodation (Braille computer program)
• Inclusion webinars
• Veterans outreach

Strategic Plan - Goldfarb moved to approve strategic plan; Ford seconded. Approved via voice vote.

By-Law Amendments - Tubekis moved to approve the by-law amendments; Brown seconded. Approved via voice vote.

State Service Plan - Schuman moved to approve state service plan; Dwyer seconded. Approved via voice vote.

Chair and Vice-Chair elections - Frederick Nettles and Don Baden were nominated for chair. After a ballot vote, Frederick Nettles was elected Chair, and Don Baden was elected Vice Chair.

Tubekis moved to adjourn meeting; McCammon seconded. Approved via voice vote

The next meeting of the full Serve Illinois Commission will be held on April 18, 2013.