SPECIAL
MEETING
May 30, 2000
Mayor Reed called the meeting to order at 7:01PM. Council Members Mr. Britton, Mr. Burgard, Mr. Evangelista, Mrs. Kopczak, Mr. Loparo and Mr. Smith were present. Also in attendance were Clerk Treasurer Butler and Administrator Sample.
Mayor Reed asked Council and
citizens to join him in the Pledge of Allegiance.
At 7:02PM Mr. Burgard
motioned for adjournment to an Executive Session for hiring of additional
personnel. Mrs. Kopczak seconded.
All present were in favor.
Council reconvened at
7:18PM. Mayor Reed opened the
meeting by stating that the purpose of the Special Meeting was to discuss the
following resolution:
RESOLUTION No. 15-2000 was then read by Mayor Reed. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXPANSION TO THE MADISON SENIOR CENTER AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR SAID PROJECT.
All Senior Board Members
were in attendance. Mayor Reed was
the first to speak as Chairman of the Senior Board. Asking for audience participation, he asked if there was
anyone in attendance who did not want the “best” for Madison.
Chairman Reed then asked for a show of hands.
No hands were raised. Chairman
Reed stated that the Senior Board Members all want the “best” for Madison
and therefore, have recommended the expansion of the Senior Center.
The “best” in
Madison includes: Fire Protection
– Madison’s Fire Board, comprised of 3 Village Councilmen and 3 Township
Trustees serving on the Fire Board. These
members have studied and recommended the purchase of new fire engines, rescue
vehicles and most recently the discussion of new fire stations within Madison.
These recommendations are brought to the voters of Madison in the form of
a levy and approved. Action has been taken with new and enhanced products for our
safety.
Safety Protection –
Madison has the “best” equipment that money can buy. Our safety forces are
prepared to defend our lives. This
too represents the “best” for Madison.
Old Fashioned Days –
Each year the festivities continue to be the “best” ever. The OFD Committee is striving for the “best” as well.
Expansion of Madison
Village – Last year Madison Village boundaries grew due to annexation.
This was the “best” way to keep our community and allow it to grow.
Again, the “best” for Madison.
Recreation and Parks –
The Recreation Board of Madison wants the “best” for Madison. A levy was
placed on the ballot a short time ago to enhance the recreational activities of
Madison.
The Senior Board and
Members, through their four year review, recommended the “best” for Madison
in the form of an expansion to its Senior Center. Chairman Reed stated that the
Board has studied funding for opportunities and was requesting approval for an
application to receive a grant for expansion.
It was not a request to place a levy on the ballot, but a request to
receive a grant. The balance of the
funds for construction would be requested of
Lake County Senior’s Levy over the next two years.
Chairman Reed explained that monies received from Lake County Senior’s
Levy Coalition are tax dollars paid which have been approved by all of Lake
County voters. Madison pays an
estimated $61,000 each year into this levy.
Chairman Reed stated that the Senior Board recommended that all of these
tax dollars paid, be brought back to Madison.
He concluded, that an expansion of Madison’s Senior Center would
represent the very “best” for today’s and tomorrow’s seniors.
Mr. Frank Ashton, Senior
Board, distributed information on the proposed Senior Center addition.
Mr. Ashton, a 26-year resident of Madison, stated his support of
senior citizens. His mother,
an 82-year-old senior, is also a Madison resident.
Mr. Ashton told of his eleven-year involvement with the preparation and
providing of the annual Thanksgiving dinner served each year at the Catholic
Church. The dinners were originally
served to local seniors to provide a nutritious meal and encourage fellowship
with other senior citizens. Approximately
300 dinners were served.
Seventeen years ago
approximately 20 seniors met regularly at the Township Service Center on Middle
Ridge Road. After the Township sold
the property to the County, the seniors began meeting at Stratton Place.
Many went there on Wednesdays and Fridays to play cards and others went
for lunch, provided by the Nutrition Center.
In 1992 the two groups merged and the growth continued.
In 1996 Administrator
Sample spearheaded the construction of the Senior Center, along with Mayor Reed,
Rae Jean Burgard and Madison Township. Mr.
Ashton stated that an expansion to the facility is desperately needed and most
certainly to the kitchen area.
Mary Lou McCracken spoke
about the children in Madison and the many facilities available to them. These
facilities include hockey, soccer and baseball fields.
The Recreation District has worked hard at developing programs and parks
for our community. Recent additions to our Recreation District include
basketball, volleyball and tennis courts. New
playground equipment has been purchased for the younger children, as well.
Mrs. McCracken stated that theTownship Park (Stanton Park) is no longer
just a hang out, but a community park for families.
Stanton Park now includes a refurbished pool for the use of the entire
community. Latch Key will soon be meeting at Stanton Park.
Madison offers Theater and Fine Arts Programs to be held not just at the
Fine Arts Center, but also at Stanton Park.
The Latch key program will soon be meeting at Stanton Park.
Our local schools also provide many activities for our children.
Headstart and Scouting are also popular in the community.
Rae Jean Burgard and Mary Lou McCracken are working with Laketran to
develop a transportation plan to bus the local children to Stanton Park for
various activities.
The Key Club at Madison
High School recently sponsored a well-received Senior Prom for local senior
citizens. This event has been filmed along with other activities taking place at
the Senior Center. These films
should be available for viewing at the High School
prior
to the close of school for the summer.
Mrs. McCracken continued
that the seniors do not have nearly as many available opportunities as the young
people. This levy will not cost
money. This money will be given to
other communities if we do not use it. This
facility will not cost taxpayers more tax dollars.
Although the CDBG grants have been available in the past, they have never
been used for seniors. No other community had ever applied for the funding for
seniors until Mayor Reed initiated it. The
current facility was built with grant money.
The Senior Coalition Levy monies were used entirely for construction of
the original site. Between 35 and
70 people use the Senior Center each day.
Reverend Germaine
thanked Council and the community for having the vision to create the center for
the seniors and for making it available. He felt the expansion was necessary not
only to support the many ongoing activities but also to support those in
wheelchairs or using walkers and find it difficult to navigate.
Reverend Germaine
encouraged all in attendance to think in terms of who our seniors are.
They are our mothers and fathers who have paid taxes all their lives and
are still paying taxes to serve all the people of Madison.
They are the ones who fought our wars, bandaged our skinned knees and
bound up our broken hearts. It is a
time for them to retire and enjoy the fruits of their labor by getting together
and socializing with their peers. This socializing adds to the quality of their
lives as well as the quantity of their lives.
In the last 10 years, 45% more seniors have moved into Madison.
This is an opportunity to serve the seniors of Madison and all of our
community in the best way we can.
Jack Ray, local senior
and participant of the Senior Center spoke with regard to the many people
attending the Center functions. The
largest group consisted of 125 people who attended an Amish wedding dinner.
Another event, a spaghetti dinner, had an overflow of seniors who
attended and had to eat outside the building at the picnic tables.
Blood pressures are taken each Thursday while bingo and other activities
continue. It is extremely crowded
and seniors find it difficult to maneuver do to the lack of space.
The physical numbers are growing as well as the number of programs.
Mayor Reed asked if any
others in the audience would like to share their ideas or comments.
Mr. Henry Hilston of Madison Township spoke briefly with regard to the
Senior Center. He requested that
Council please vote for this resolution as the Center is crowded and the
expansion is necessary.
Geraldine Berg spoke as
a senior who had lost her husband and found socializing and comfort at the
Senior Center. Mrs. Berg stated
that she was in attendance to support the Center and to keep it open.
Pete Wayman, 2326
Bennett Road, asked the Board why the Township Trustees were completely
overlooked on this issue. Mayor
Reed responded that the sharing of comments were taking place now and that a
question and answer period would follow. Mr.
Wayman stated there was definitely a need for the Senior Center and that there
was a need for a storage room and possibly another office.
Mr. Wayman also stated that the numbers attending the Center were greatly
exaggerated by the Board. He suggested that a year’s counting be taken by
using sign-in sheets. Mr. Wayman
felt money was being spent unnecessarily, even though it was grant money.
He stated that there might be another community that may need the grant
money more. Mr. Wayman has
personally visited the Center and felt it was not that bad.
Margaret Nash, 7361
South Ridge Road East, stated she was concerned that the seniors are taking and
not giving back to the Community. There
was an active, well-attended senior program long before the Township Center
established the lunch program.
Bill Brotzman, Chairman
of the Board of the Madison Township Trustees, thanked everyone for the
opportunity to speak. Mr. Brotzman
stated that he would in the future, consider a more modest expansion.
He also stated that the Senior Board needed to open communications with
Village Council and the Township Trustees.
If the lack of communication continues, Mr. Brotzman will ask for the
resignation of the appointed member of the Township Trustee on this Senior Board
and will also ask theVillage to do the same.
Mr. Loparo commended Rae
Jean Burgard, Senior Center Director, for an excellent job at the Center.
Mr. Loparo distributed an analysis sheet regarding the senior center
costs. He stated that as a Council
member there were many budget decisions to be made.
Mr. Loparo commented that the CDBG Fund would not be free monies, as the
operational costs would increase. Last
year, operation costs for the Senior Center totaled $42,000 and an additional
$8,000 to maintain the grounds and building.
With less than 3% of the population using the Center, Mr. Loparo felt it
was not feasible to fund an expansion to the Senior Center.
It is not in the best interest of the entire community to provide funding
for the expansion when public safety, paving of roads, providing traffic lights
and providing for the well being of all citizens is necessary at this time.
According to statistics
from the Lake County Board of Elections, Lake County voters approved the Senior
Coalition Levy by a mere 5 percent. That
levy failed in Madison Township by 8 percentage points and 3 percentage points
in Madison Village. This indicates
that the majority of citizens favor a less aggressive plan and a steadier
feeding of the other needs in the community.
Discussion continued.
Mr. Hilston commented that he believed newspaper reporters did not report
accurately with regard to the Senior Center, citing Margaret Nash’s article in
The Messenger.
Mr. Burgard motioned for
passage of Resolution No.15-2000. No
second was made.
Motion
for adjournment was made at 8:45PM by Mr. Loparo.
Mrs. Kopczak seconded. All
present were in favor.