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West Chicago committee hears $30,000 senior-services request, weighs $20,000 youth workforce pitch and Sister Cities ask
Summary
The Public Affairs Committee reviewed funding requests from DuPage Senior Citizens Council (seeking $30,000), We Go Together for Kids (seeking $20,000, including a $10,000 workforce pilot) and a Sister Cities funding request (estimated $4,000–$5,000). Staff recommended consolidating community partner allocations and members gave direction to match prior funding levels and consider targeted increases if the budget allows.
City staff and community partners presented three community funding requests during the Public Affairs Committee meeting on Aug. 20.
Natasha Samuels, administration development manager for the DuPage Senior Citizens Council, told the committee the organization is celebrating its 50th year and provides Meals on Wheels, well-being checks, minor home repairs and pet-food deliveries to seniors. She said last year the program provided 10,390 meals in West Chicago to about 150 local seniors and asked the city for $30,000 to support local services.
"We're requesting $30,000 to support the services that we provide the city of West Chicago senior residents," Samuels said, laying out details of meal delivery counts, well-being checks and minor-repair work.
Rita McDonough, introduced by staff as a representative of DuPage Senior Citizens Council, described the on-the-ground value of in-person checks and volunteer-driven delivery, and asked the committee to help recruit volunteers and identify a community dining site or funding to outfit a service vehicle.
Daniel Chuba, speaking for the Sister Cities program, described cultural-exchange activities and said the group seeks modest support (he estimated $4,000–$5,000) to cover transportation and hosting expenses when guests visit West Chicago.
Jennifer Rodriguez, who identified herself as the early childhood manager connected to We Go Together for Kids, and a colleague (Hannah) described a coalition of partners and requested $20,000 from the city: $10,000 for general operating expenses and $10,000 to launch a seven-week bilingual first-responder workforce program for high-school students.
City staff summarized a recommended approach: move community-partner allocations into the business and community relations department for transparency and accountability and provided a packet showing prior funding history. Committee members discussed the allocations and gave staff direction: multiple members urged maintaining or increasing support for DuPage Senior Citizens Council (noting prior city funding of about $24,000), and members signaled support to provide $10,000 toward the first-responder program (half of that group's request) if funds can be identified elsewhere in the budget. Views on Sister Cities funding varied; members said the requested $3,000–$3,000 range could be re-evaluated if the city is hosting the event this year.
No final appropriation was adopted at the committee level; staff said they will take the committee's direction into account and bring recommended allocations forward to the City Council for final action.
Next steps: staff will adjust the business-and-community-relations allocation recommendations based on committee guidance and include the revised figures in the council packet for final budget decisions.
