421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Human Services  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Final Summary  
Tuesday, September 2, 2025  
9:30 AM  
Room 3500A  
1.  
CALL TO ORDER  
9:30 AM meeting was called to order by Chair Greg Schwarze at 9:30 AM.  
2.  
ROLL CALL  
Staff in attendance: Nick Kottmeyer (Chief Administrative Officer), Joan Olson (Chief  
Communications Officer), Keith Jorstad (Finance), Henry Kocker (Procurement), Natasha Belli  
(Community Services), Mary Keating ( Director of Community Services), and Janelle Chadwick,  
remote (Administrator of the DuPage Care Center).  
Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
PRESENT  
3.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
All online submissions for public comment from the September 2, 2025, DuPage County  
Regular Meeting of the Human Services Committee are included for the record in the entirety.  
They are found in the minutes packet and at the link below.  
Member Galassi asked if the person that submitted the electronic public comment received a  
response. Chair Schwarze replied he will respond to the individual that Human Services cannot  
help with this particular concern.  
25-2148  
Online Public Comment  
4.  
CHAIR REMARKS - CHAIR SCHWARZE  
Chair Schwarze stated the West Suburban Philanthropic Network (WSPN) held their annual  
awards on August 28, 2025. DuPage County, along with the DuPage Foundation, were jointly  
nominated for the work that they did forming the DuPage Community Transformational  
Partnership. The Partnership was a five-year grant program that awarded over $10M in  
immediate intervention and transformational grants throughout DuPage County. The grants were  
able to touch thousands of lives in the areas of food insecurity, housing instability, and mental  
health and addiction, which are still being utilized today. Member Garcia, Mary Keating, and I  
still sit on the transformational grant board. All grants have been handed out, but we need to  
make sure the organizations are doing what is needed to complete their grant requirements,  
which will end next year.  
In 2021, the Human Services Chair Julie Renehan, Mary Keating, and I as the Vice Chair met for  
hours figuring out the best way to use the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to create this  
program for those that need assistance. With the thousands of charitable organizations out there,  
Mary Keating was the one that stated we need to focus on food insecurity, mental health and  
addiction issues, and housing instability. I just wanted to thank Ms. Keating for masterminding  
the direction and doing all the good work that she does, thank you.  
5.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
5.A.  
25-2103  
Human Services Committee - Regular Meeting - August 19, 2025  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
Paula Garcia  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
6.  
COMMUNITY SERVICES - MARY KEATING  
6.A.  
25-2104  
HS-P-0040B -24 - Amendment to County Contract 7431-0001 SERV, issued to Healthy  
Air Heating & Air, Inc., to provide mechanical (HVAC) and architectural weatherization  
labor and materials for the Weatherization Department, to increase encumbrance in the  
amount of $40,000, for a new contract total not to exceed $956,434. Grant funded.  
(Community Services)  
Member DeSart asked if we accept a low bid only to have to increase later. Ms. Keating  
responded that the Weatherization unit selects multiple contractors for their program. The  
work is based on catalog pricing; all contractors make the same amount of money for the  
work they do. As some contractors may have a lot of callbacks, aren’t available, or may  
be late completing their work, the contractor that provides the most satisfactory work will  
get more of the business.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Dawn DeSart  
SECONDER:  
6.B.  
25-2105  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to Meghan Butcher, to  
enter into an Independent Contractor Agreement to provide case management assistance  
to Senior Services, for the period of September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026, for a  
contract total amount not to exceed $22,000. Other Professional Services not subject to  
competitive bidding per 55 ILCS 5/5-1022(c). Vendor selected pursuant to DuPage  
County Procurement Ordinance 2-353(1)(b). Grant Funded. (Senior Services)  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Paula Garcia  
Kari Galassi  
Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
6.C.  
25-2106  
Amendment to County Contract 7751-0001 SERV, issued to Crowley Engineering, LLC,  
to provide engineering services to multi-family homes for the Weatherization Program, to  
increase the encumbrance by $4,086.72, for a new contract total not to exceed  
$19,085.72. Grant funded. (Community Services)  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Dawn DeSart  
Paula Garcia  
Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
7.  
DUPAGE CARE CENTER - JANELLE CHADWICK  
7.A.  
HS-P-0045-25  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to Prescription Supply,  
Inc., for secondary pharmaceuticals, for the DuPage Care Center Pharmacy, for the period  
September 10, 2025 through September 9, 2026, for a contract total amount not to exceed  
$30,000; per bid #25-103-DCC.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Dawn DeSart  
SECONDER:  
7.B.  
25-2107  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to ARxIUM, Inc., for  
supplies for the FastPak Elite Medication Dispensing Machine, for the Pharmacy at the  
DuPage Care Center, for the period of September 2, 2025 through September 1, 2026, for  
a contract total not to exceed $26,000. Per 55 ILCS 5/5-1022(c) not suitable for  
competitive bids. (Sole Source - supplies compatible with existing equipment.)  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
Kari Galassi  
Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
8.  
BUDGET TRANSFERS  
8.A.  
25-2108  
Transfer of funds from account no. 5000-1420-54107 (software) to account no.  
5000-1420-53807 (subscription IT arrangements) in the amount of $1,031 to cover  
payment of invoices for Carahsoft client satisfaction and assessment software for the  
LIHEAP Program. (Community Services)  
APPROVED  
Paula Garcia  
Kari Galassi  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
9.  
RESIDENCY WAIVERS - JANELLE CHADWICK  
Two out of county residency waivers were presented for approval. Janelle Chadwick stated there  
are five male and nine female beds available. No county residents will be displaced by the  
approval of the two individuals.  
Residency Waiver One  
APPROVED  
Dawn DeSart  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
Residency Waiver Two  
APPROVED  
Lynn LaPlante  
Dawn DeSart  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
10.  
DUPAGE CARE CENTER UPDATE - JANELLE CHADWICK  
Janelle Chadwick, Administrator of the DuPage Care Center, stated the Care Center is  
experiencing a round of covid in three units and persisting ten days. Fourteen residents and seven  
staff members have tested positive. When a resident is positive, the roommate is considered a  
person under investigation, called a PUI. They are also removed off the unit into another location  
for observation. The strategy of moving residents off the unit into a covid unit has been  
successfully limiting the spread of covid. The residents’ systems consist of sore throats, sinus  
symptoms or a cough and there have not been any severe cases. Many of the staff are  
asymptomatic or experiencing mild symptoms. One of the units affected was the dementia unit.  
One North has had the most impact with cases.  
Member Garcia asked if the staff are up to date on vaccines. Ms. Chadwick replied they have not  
recently had a vaccine offered for the staff. The Care Center does see more staff opting out of  
vaccines due to the negative news reports. There has not been any official guidance from the  
Center for Disease Control (CDC) regarding vaccines.  
Three to four people from the Department of Justice and a couple of people from Civil Rights  
visited the Care Center to complete a survey regarding how the Care Center admits residents  
with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, how they are coded, and if they are  
inappropriately placed within the facility. This visit was part of an investigation to facilities in  
the State of Illinois and not directed at the Care Center specifically. The visit was a scheduled  
visit, originally requested via the DuPage Care Center general email. Assistant State’s Attorney,  
Renee Zerante, confirmed the validity of the request as the Care Center has not had this type of  
survey completed before.  
Based on comments from the visitors, Ms. Chadwick surmised that some facilities would accept  
the individual as a generally skilled nursing person and not provide the appropriate level of care  
they should have. All the Care Center residents are screened and deemed whether it is  
appropriate for skilled nursing or not. This has been in place for a long time.  
11.  
COMMUNITY SERVICES UPDATE - MARY KEATING  
Mary Keating, Director of Community Services, commented on the WSPN award, stating the  
actual award was the philanthropic organization of the year. WSPN is made up of executive  
directors and development directors from nonprofits across DuPage and western Cook Counties.  
Ms. Keating was told there were 37 organizations that signed onto that nomination for the  
County and the DuPage Foundation. She praised Barbara Szczepaniak, the Vice President for  
Programs, her colleague from the DuPage Foundation, stating they work hand in hand. It is nice  
to be recognized.  
Ms. Keating concluded by stating it is September and Congress will be back in session soon.  
Most people assume there will be a continuing resolution sometime in September. She will keep  
the committee informed with any news of federal budget updates.  
12.  
13.  
14.  
OLD BUSINESS  
No old business was discussed.  
NEW BUSINESS  
No new business was discussed.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:47 AM.