421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Human Services  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Final Summary  
Tuesday, March 3, 2026  
9:30 AM  
Room 3500A  
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)  
Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
PRESENT  
ABSENT  
REMOTE  
Cronin Cahill  
DeSart  
MOTION TO ALLOW REMOTE PARTICIPATION  
Member Garcia moved and Member Galassi seconded a motion to allow Member DeSart to  
participate remotely.  
APPROVED  
Paula Garcia  
Kari Galassi  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
3.  
4.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
No public comments were offered.  
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  
APPROVED  
Lynn LaPlante  
Kari Galassi  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
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)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
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.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
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.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Lynn LaPlante  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
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.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
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)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Lynn LaPlante  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
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)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
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)  
APPROVED  
Paula Garcia  
Lynn LaPlante  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
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)  
APPROVED  
Paula Garcia  
Lynn LaPlante  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
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".  
APPROVED  
Kari Galassi  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
9.A.  
9.B.  
9.C.  
9.D.  
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)  
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)  
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)  
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.  
9.F.  
9.G.  
9.H.  
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)  
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)  
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)  
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)  
APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA  
Kari Galassi  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Paula Garcia  
DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
Cronin Cahill  
ABSENT:  
10.  
INFORMATIONAL  
MOTION TO RECEIVE AND PLACE ON FILE  
ACCEPTED AND PLACED ON FILE  
RESULT:  
Paula Garcia  
Kari Galassi  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
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.  
12.  
RESIDENCY WAIVERS - JANELLE CHADWICK  
No residency waivers were offered.  
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.  
14.  
15.  
16.  
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.  
OLD BUSINESS  
No old business was discussed.  
NEW BUSINESS  
Member Galassi and Chair Schwarze welcomed the visiting students from Hinsdale Central High  
School who attended today's meeting.  
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.