123 Madison Street

Oak Park, Illinois 60302

www.oak-park.us

Village of Oak Park

Meeting Minutes

President and Board of Trustees

Thursday, February 15, 2024

7:00 PM

Village Hall

I. Call to Order

Village President Vicki Scaman called the Special Meeting to order at

7:03 P.M.

II. Roll Call

Trustee Enyia joined the meeting via remote participation per Village policy

Trustee Straw joined the meeting at 7:15 P.M.

7 -

Present:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village

Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village

Trustee Wesley

Absent:

III. Agenda Approval

It was moved by Trustee Wesley, seconded by Trustee Parakkat, to approve the

Agenda. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

IV. Non-Agenda Public Comment

Monica Lewis: She was sought after regarding the Percy Julian Museum

and Learning Center and hopes this will pass. She said all extended Julian

family members should be involved.

V. Regular Agenda

RES 24-137

A Resolution Approving a Funding Grant and Operating Agreement

between the West Side Service Connector, d/b/a the Oak Park Family

Transitional Shelter and the Village of Oak Park to Fund and Operate a

Shelter Space for Asylum Seekers Residing in the Village and Authorizing its

Execution

President Scaman said all three Agenda Items will be discussed at once

and voted on separately.

Village Manager Kevin Jackson introduced the Item and Assistant Village

Manager/HR Director Kira Tchang presented the Item.

Trustee Buchanan inquired about the three Village employees to provide

oversight. Director Tchang said they would be in a leadership capacity to

ensure the Village has 24/7 direct visibility into and oversight of shelter

operations at the request of our insurance carrier. The would be new

temporary employees. Oak Park Family Transitional Shelter Director Jack

Crowe said the oversight is welcome.

Trustee Buchanan asked what will happen if SMASS does not fund it.

Director Tchang said the Village has been in discussions with the

Archdiocese, the state, and the county and they will approve additional

funding for the direct employment of Village staff if approved by the Village

Board. Trustee Buchanan reiterated her lack of enthusiasm for the

Archdiocese's position on this and wished they had stepped up instead of

putting this back on the Village when they have the wherewithal to play their

role in hosting the migrants.

At the request of Trustee Straw, Director Crowe described the

programmatic offerings at the site. Trustee Straw inquired how the skills of

the migrants will be determined. Director Crowe referenced the

organization Year Up Chicago and said the first step is gaining trust and

then determining skill sets to match with appropriate work. Trustee Straw

asked how the budget will change with the decreasing shelter population.

Director Crowe said we will start with the maximum number of people we

can handle. If we have half the number of residents, we will make the

appropriate adjustments to staff. Trustee Straw noted the likelihood of

staffing needs decreasing over the four months as folks get resettled.

Director Crowe said if the shelter becomes empty, they will shut down.

Trustee Straw inquired about the future of the site and services. Director

Crowe said he thinks we have policy choices to make going forward.

Trustee Straw acknowledged the desire to grow capacity and serve

populations who have been in need for decades. Director Crowe said part

of the consolidation of Catholic parishes included an outreach of social

ministry to the West wide of Chicago providing shelter and services.

Trustee Buchanan inquired if the housing services included in the

wraparound services are the same as the resettlement task force. Director

Crowe responded that they will be working with the task force with the

generous $450K. The Migrant Ministry has its own housing program and

has been doing its own private philanthropy and he said he thinks there is a

way we can collaborate. He said he wants to speak with the Oak Park

Regional Housing Center about sourcing some units.

Trustee Buchanan inquired who will supervise the three new Village

employees. Director Tchang said the Village has not yet identified that and

can follow up with that information. The Village will begin recruitment as

soon as the Village Board approves the grant application. Those hires

would not delay the migrants moving into St. Edmunds.

It was moved by Trustee Buchanan, seconded by Trustee Enyia, that this

Resolution be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was

as follows:

4 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, and

Village Trustee Straw

3 - Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

A Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Grant Application with the

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus for Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker

Services (SMASS) in Partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services

from $1,944,000 to $2,070,750

RES 24-142

It was moved by Trustee Straw, seconded by Trustee Enyia, that this Resolution

be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows:

4 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, and

Village Trustee Straw

3 - Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

RES 24-143

A Resolution Approving a Lease Agreement between the Catholic Bishop of

Chicago and the Village of Oak Park to Provide Shelter Space for Asylum

Seekers Residing in the Village and Authorizing its Execution Subject to the

Village Entering into an Operating Agreement for the Shelter Space

It was moved by Trustee Straw, seconded by Trustee Buchanan, that this

Resolution be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was

as follows:

4 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, and

Village Trustee Straw

3 - Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

VI. Call to Board and Clerk

Clerk Waters announced that Early Voting starts March 4.

VII. Adjourn

It was moved by Trustee Straw, seconded by Trustee Buchanan, to Adjourn. A

voice vote was taken and the motion was approved. Meeting adjourned

Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 7:36 P.M.