Gurnee approves 12-member 'Gurnee Cares' commission after questions on residency and funding

The Village of Gurnee on July 21 approved appointments to a new 12-member Care Commission, informally referred to in presentation materials as “Gurnee Cares,” a body charged with screening nonprofits that provide essential services and recommending grant awards to the village board.

The commission will establish criteria to identify local charities and programs that “do what no one else does” and present recommended awards to the trustees for approval, Kevin Woodside, the commission chair, told the board. "The commission will begin by establishing criteria for screening for those types of organizations and those will be presented to the board," Woodside said.

Why it matters: trustees said the commission is intended to focus village resources and volunteer efforts on unmet needs inside the community rather than duplicate county or township services. During the meeting several residents asked for transparency about who serves on the commission, whether members must be Gurnee residents and where any village funding will come from.

Public comments and trustee concerns Several residents used the public-comment periods to raise questions about the commission’s membership and finances. Karen Raswadowski of 1432 Bell Pine Avenue said she had understood commission members “had to be Gurnee residents” and asked why some appointees were not residents. “I’ve been a Gurnee resident for 38 years. I just had some questions on the care commission,” Raswadowski said at the mic.

Debbie Hasselton, another commentator, asked whether the commission’s membership would reflect diverse experiences such as medical hardship and homelessness and whether funding would come from federal sources or local tax dollars. Dave Ulrich raised a related concern about why municipal funds were being used for work at Bittersweet Golf Course (a separate agenda item); officials said they would address those budget questions during the staff presentations and afterward.

Composition, scope and limits Woodside said the selection process prioritized strong connections to the village and its school districts. "Most all of them are residents. There are a couple of exceptions," he said, adding that about 10 of the 12 appointees live in Gurnee and the others live in school-district areas served by the village. The commission’s initial responsibilities include drafting transparent screening criteria for nonprofit applicants and presenting those recommendations to the board for final approval.

Mayor David Hood (identified in remarks) and trustees characterized the commission as a way to encourage volunteerism and support residents with needs that may not be visible. "This group will help make that happen," Mayor Hood said, noting examples of local student needs related to food and clothing.

Board discussion and vote Trustees discussed potential overlap with existing services such as the county 2-1-1 information line and local service clubs. Trustee comments emphasized that the commission will only recommend awards; any funding decision rests with the board. Trustee Ross moved the appointments; Trustee Garner seconded. On roll call the vote was recorded as: Trustee O’Brien — aye; Trustee Baumas — aye; Trustee Thorsonson — yes; Trustee Woodside — abstain; Trustee Ross — aye; Trustee Garner — aye. The motion carried with five ayes and one abstention.

What's next The commission will begin meeting to draft its screening criteria and will return recommendations to the board for review and approval. Woodside said the group intends to keep the process transparent and present each recommended award to the trustees before any funds are disbursed.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are those who spoke on the record at the July 21 meeting; their statements in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript.