421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD

WHEATON, IL 60187

DU PAGE COUNTY

Human Services

www.dupagecounty.gov

Final Summary

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

9:30 AM

Room 3500A

CALL TO ORDER

9:30 AM meeting was called to order by Chair Greg Schwarze at 9:30 AM.

ROLL CALL

Other board members present: Member Lucy Evans, Member Saba Haider, Member Andrew

Honig, and Member Sheila Rutledge

Vice Chair Paula Garcia was present but had to leave the meeting for her 10:00 meeting, after the

presentation but before the voting items were presented.

Staff in attendance: Nick Kottmeyer (Chief Administrative Officer), Joan Olson (Chief

Communications Officer), Renee Zerante (State's Attorney Office), Mary Catherine Wells, Keith

Jorstad, and Katrina Holman (Finance), Donna Weidman (Procurement), Julie Hamlin

(Community Development Administrator), Mary Keating, remote (Community Services

Director), and Janelle Chadwick, remote (DuPage Care Center Administrator).

Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, LaPlante, and Schwarze

Garcia

PRESENT

EXCUSED

PUBLIC COMMENT

No public comments were offered.

CHAIR REMARKS - CHAIR SCHWARZE

Chair Schwarze thanked everyone for attending, noting the additional county board members in

attendance for the presentation.

4.A. Presentation - Northern Illinois Food Bank - Julie Yurko

Chair Schwarze introduced Hester Bury and the Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Food

Bank (NIFB), Julie Yurko. The Chair explained that Julie Yurko will talk about the money

DuPage County has given the NIFB for the prior three years.

Ms. Yurko gave her presentation for the Northern Illinois Food Bank covering the impact in

DuPage County, the list of participating food pantries, the list of produce, and the increased need

in the county. The PowerPoint is attached hereto and made part of the minutes packet.

She answered questions from the committee. They discussed the numbers, demographics,

administrative costs, the quality of the produce, and if the NIFB saw any indication that people

were afraid to attend the pantries. Ms. Yurko replied that 45% are Hispanic or Latinx. Tariffs,

which are expected to increase by $65,000 to $80,000 a month, and inflations are expected to

increase attendance by 80,000 to 100,000 visits across the network. 42% of the households in the

13 counties live under the minimum wage which equates to half a million households within the

13 counties.

The money the food bank received from the federal government is all being passed through the

state. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) and the Farm to Food Bank

Programs are state allocations that make up 30% of our federal funding. The funds are currently

frozen and expected to go away. This may not impact on our budget much this year but will

significantly so next year. The Biden administration increased the SNAP benefits by 20% and

that is one of the largest areas the federal government is looking to cut.

Additional funding should provide 1.6M lbs. of food. On average the food bank is spending

about $100,000 monthly. They could spread out the funds throughout the course of the year,

which would be a little less monthly or at the current level for nine to ten months.

Member LaPlante asked that the county board members receive monthly updates from the NIFB

of the numbers so they can follow the trend with the federal government’s looming budget cuts

and react and respond quickly.

25-0691

Handout - Northern Illinois Food Bank ARPA Funding Impact

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

5.A.

25-0646

Human Services Committee - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, February 18, 2025

APPROVED

RESULT:

Dawn DeSart

MOVER:

Cynthia Cronin Cahill

SECONDER:

COMMUNITY SERVICES - MARY KEATING

DUPAGE CARE CENTER - JANELLE CHADWICK

7.A.

HS-P-0013-25

Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order issued to Novastaff

Healthcare Services, for Supplemental Nursing Staffing Services, for the Care Center, for

the period April 13, 2025 through April 12, 2026, for a total contract amount not to

exceed $650,000; under RFP renewal #24-002-DCC, first of three one-year optional

renewals.

APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE

Dawn DeSart

RESULT:

MOVER:

Kari Galassi

SECONDER:

7.B.

HS-P-0014-25

Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order issued to Brightstar Care

of Central DuPage, for Supplemental Nursing Staffing Services, for the Care Center, for

the period April 13, 2025 through April 12, 2026, for a total contract amount not to

exceed $330,000; under RFP renewal #24-002-DCC, first of three one-year optional

renewals.

APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE

Dawn DeSart

RESULT:

MOVER:

Cynthia Cronin Cahill

SECONDER:

7.C.

HS-P-0015-25

Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order issued to RCM Health

Care Services, for Supplemental Nursing Staffing Services, for the Care Center, for the

period April 13, 2025 through April 12, 2026, for a total contract amount not to exceed

$100,000; under RFP renewal #24-002-DCC, first of three one-year optional renewals.

APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE

Dawn DeSart

RESULT:

MOVER:

Kari Galassi

SECONDER:

CONSENT ITEMS

Motion to Combine Items

Member DeSart moved and Member Galassi seconded a motion to combine items 8.A. through

8.D. The motion was approved on voice vote, all "ayes".

8.A.

8.B.

8.C.

25-0647

Pulmonary Exchange PEL/VIP - Contract 6677-0001 SERV. This purchase order is

decreasing in the amount of $16,390 and closing due to purchase order has expired.

(DuPage Care Center)

25-0648

Symbria Rehab, Inc. - Contract 6746-0001 SERV. This purchase order is decreasing in

the amount of $624,041.75 and closing due to purchase order has expired. (DuPage Care

Center)

25-0649

Sysco Food - Contract 6752-0001 SERV. This purchase order is decreasing in the amount

of $97,882.54 and closing due to purchase order has expired. (DuPage Care Center)

8.D.

25-0650

Valdes Supply - Contract 6676-0001 SERV. This purchase order is decreasing in the

amount of $51,437.88 and closing due to purchase order has expired. (DuPage Care

Center)

APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA

RESULT:

MOVER:

SECONDER:

AYES:

Dawn DeSart

Kari Galassi

Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, LaPlante, and Schwarze

Garcia

EXCUSED:

RESIDENCY WAIVERS - JANELLE CHADWICK

No residency waivers were offered.

10.

DUPAGE CARE CENTER UPDATE - JANELLE CHADWICK

Janelle Chadwick, Administrator of the DuPage Care Center, explained the agency contracts and

costs. Three vendors are kept on contract to assist with staff coverage, mainly for the Certified

Nursing Assistants (CNA’s). The money is moved between the three vendors, based on who is

providing the most staff as necessary. The three contracts total about $1M. In 2024 the budget

for the agencies was $990,000, the actual expense came to $780,000. The total budget for 2025

for the agencies is $895,000, down from 2024. The Care Center is also paying less in bonuses to

their own staff to pick up shifts.

Answering Chair Schwarze’s question regarding the percentage of contract staff versus full time

staff, Ms. Chadwick answered that the Care Center runs about 23 CNA’s on each of the AM and

PM shifts, averaging about five agency staff during the day, and a little less at night. This is

down from the previous number of 10 to 12 agency staff. Staff will need to be added when the

newly remodeled units are open.

The Care Center will struggle with employee retirements. The CNA tenure program pays CNA’s

a stipend with six or more years’ experience, which constitutes 99% or their CNA staff. The Care

Center is having had a good up tick in hiring, more so in dining services and housekeeping.

Nursing hiring is still occurring, but at a slower rate than before.

One person tested positive today for covid, keeping one unit in quarantine.

The Care Center experienced a three-week delay in the inspection for the 3N unit when the

architect waived their inspection which resulted in a lack of communication between the

architect and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to notify the local office. They are

expecting the local IDPH inspector any day, which will allow the 3N unit to open. 3C is going to

be 90% complete this week, which means that the unit is ready for inspection.

11.

COMMUNITY SERVICES UPDATE - MARY KEATING

Mary Keating, Director of Community Services, reported from the NACo conference in

Washington D.C., and stated it has been an interesting week. Ms. Keating met with committee

staff relevant to the Community Services department and stated there was a lot of good

information shared between peers that manage the same funds as she does in Community

Services. They discussed what people are hearing from their local field offices and what

instruction or lack of communication they are getting. All in all, Ms. Keating felt it has been

helpful to have an opportunity to find out what is going on in other areas.

There was no indication what Congress will do come March 14 when the current funding bill

expires; pass a final spending bill, extend the current budget, or face a partial shutdown.

Chair Schwarze asked if the state is having struggles accessing funds that have already been

approved and if there were any related discussions in Washington D.C.? Ms. Keating replied

that she has not been part of any related discussions in Washington D.C. They did get

instructions from the state to request the second quarter CSBG and LIHEAP funds as the state

has received them. The county has not had any difficulty drawing down the funds they were

allocated with one exception. There is funding that came from the bi-partisan infrastructure law

that they have been instructed to hold off on accessing, which is one of the funds from the

Weatherization department.

12.

OLD BUSINESS

Chair Schwarze asked Finance for an update on the Small Human Services Grant, noting the

portal closes in one month. Mary Catherine Wells, the Deputy Chief Financial Officer, replied

there are nine current applications, and staff has taken a lot of questions. Ms. Wells is hoping to

get information out by the end of this week, including a recap of questions answered and the list

of agencies that are ineligible. Staff is trying to do a little more work upfront this year.

Member DeSart commended Mary Catherine Wells for meeting with constituents directly to

address questions. Member Haider added that agencies from District 5 attended the ZOOM

webinar and found it extremely helpful.

Nick Kottmeyer, Chief Administrative Officer, replied that $600,000 in ARPA interest has been

reserved. Chair Conroy allocated $500,00 in the 2025 budget, approved by the county board, also

ARPA interest, with no expiration of when it needs to be spent.

Greg Schwarze noted the committee has a little over $1M towards food insecurity. He

commented that the deadline to provide financial assistance is the end of June when the current

food program agreement ends. Any agency/township can get back into the program. Looking at

the amounts allocated in the last few years, he noted $1M is not a lot, especially considering the

current federal climate. He was seeking a consensus from the committee regarding support of

providing funding to the NIFB.

Mr. Kottmeyer clarified the intent moving forward; this will be an extension of the same

program encapsulated in the agreement they bring forward, that the amount available, $1,025,000

would provide the NIFB as close to the $100,000 per month as possible, and they would retain an

allowance for dairy and protein in the agreement. They discussed the administrative fees, Mary

Catherine stated they are at about 5% with the ARPA grant for administration fees. Mary Keating

surmised the 6% to 7% is an appropriate level to expect.

Mr. Kottmeyer recommended that Mary Keating, the Finance Team, NIFB, Greg Schwarze and

Paula Garcia meet to negotiate the contract. He asked to review the contract before it is brought

to committee and County Board.