MINUTES
Moraine Township Board of Trustees
Thursday, August 28, 2008 7:30 PM
Highwood City Council Chambers

MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING
August 28, 2008

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM by Supervisor Barnes and upon roll call the following members were present: Trustees Bryna Gamson, Margoth Moreno, Cynthia Plouché, and Jeff Zaluda. Also Present: Clerk Ellen Gussin.

Approval of Minutes
The Regular Meeting Minutes of July 24, 2008 stand approved as written.

Approval of Bills
Trustee Zaluda moved, seconded by Trustee Plouché, approval of the bills. Upon roll call, motion carried.

Public Comment
None

Township Salaries
Supervisor Barnes explained that this discussion has been ongoing for several months. Salaries must be set prior to the beginning of the new terms of office which will begin in Spring of 2009 for the Supervisor, Clerk and Trustees and January, 2010 for the Assessor. In addition to the proposal received in June from the Assessor to raise that position’s salary, Supervisor Barnes had distributed a written proposal for an increase of the Supervisor’s salary to the Board this month. There had been a built-in annual cost-of-living increase for the Assessor’s salary only, which will bring the Assessor’s salary to slightly over $74,000 for 2009, the last year of the current term.

Following discussion, Trustee Gamson moved, seconded by Trustee Zaluda, to raise the Supervisor’s salary to $70,000 annually for each of the four years in the next term and to cap the Assessor’s salary at $74,000 annually for each of the four years of the next term. Upon roll call, motion carried with four in favor and one vote cast by Trustee Moreno against the motion.

Assessor’s Report
The Assessor was absent. Supervisor Barnes reported that the Assessor’s office has been receiving many calls since the blue, tax assessment cards were received by the public.

Supervisor’s Report
Supervisor Barnes reminded the public about the Emergency Preparedness flyer sent from the County and received in the mail within the past week or so, and she urged citizens to keep it on hand.

The grant request for the Healthcare Foundation of Highland Park is due on October 1, 2008, and the Township will again apply for funding for the Moraine Township Door-to-Door paratransit program. Trustee Gamson will again write the grant application.

Ravinia Festival has designated Sunday, September 7 as Family Day, and asks the public to bring food for the needy in lieu of admission fees. Supervisor Barnes asked for volunteers from 12:00 noon to 4:00 PM to attend and help out at Ravinia to take donations back to the Township Food Pantry.

Committee Reports
The basement of the Township is in good order – both the Food Pantry and Clothing Closet.

Latino Advisory Committee – A few people have called the Township to volunteer for the positions outlined in the draft for the Latino Advisory Committee; no one has been selected yet. The Board likes the idea of the initiative and would like the opportunity to have a public forum. Trustees Moreno and Plouché are interested in participating. Trustee Plouché moved, seconded by Trustee Zaluda, that the draft be accepted as formal Guidelines for the initiative. Motion passed. Trustee Gamson will post this on the website as well as issue a press release. Trustee Zaluda suggested the Guidelines be shared with Churches and Synagogues for publication in newsletters as well as the City Council.

Grant Committee – Trustee Gamson reported on two meetings she has had with individuals from the Welfare Council and the Highland Park Community Foundation in an effort to develop a program on “Writing A Successful Local Proposal.” They hope to include a representative from the Donors Forum, and the intent is to inform local agencies about where to go for further training and wider-ranging fundraising information.

Old Business
None

New Business
Supervisor Barnes suggested moving our 4th Thursday meeting to the Township office. Trustee Zaluda moved, seconded by Trustee Plouché, that we meet in the Township office beginning in September. Motion passed.

Trustee Gamson asked about the Pantry Plants project, and Supervisor Barnes reported that the yield has been a little less than hoped, but efforts continue to grow fresh vegetables to augment the Food Pantry stock.

Adjournment
With no further business to conduct, Trustee Zaluda moved, seconded by Trustee Moreno, the meeting be adjourned at 8:17 PM. Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________
Ellen S. Gussin
Moraine Township Clerk

 

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