Aprel Prunty, Alderman - Ward 6 | City of Rockford
Aprel Prunty, Alderman - Ward 6 | City of Rockford
City of Rockford Community Relations Commission met Jan. 9.
Here are the minutes provided by the commission:
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Eric Brown, appointed on January 6, 2025 by Mayor Thomas McNamara, called the meeting to order and asked the Clerk to call the role.
| Attendee Name | Organization | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Todd Burton | City of Rockford | Absent | ||
| Eric Brown | City of Rockford | Present | ||
| Jurea Crudup | City of Rockford | Absent | ||
| William Martin | City of Rockford | Late | 5:48 PM | |
| Norma Borrero | City of Rockford | Present | ||
| Mary Kaull | City of Rockford | Present | ||
| James McDowell | City of Rockford | Present | ||
| Joan Velazquez | City of Rockford | Present | ||
| Scott Garwick | City of Rockford | Present |
A. Journal of Proceedings for the Community Relations Committee meeting held on November 11, 2024
Chairman Brown proceeded to the first order of business, the Acceptance of the Journal. He asked for any adjustments. With no response he called for a motion. Commissioner James McDowell moved to accept the Journal of Proceedings for the Community Relations Commission meeting held on November 11, 2024, seconded by Commissioner Mary Kaull. MOTION PREVAILED with a unanimous voice vote.
III. NEW BUSINESS
A. Approval of 2025 Regular Meeting Calendar
Chairman Brown moved to the next order of business, the Approval of the 2025 Regular Meeting Calendar. He asked for any issues with the calendar as presented. There being no response he called for a motion. Commissioner Kaull moved to accept the 2025 Regular Meeting Calendar, seconded by Commissioner McDowell. MOTION PREVAILED with a unanimous voice vote.
B. REGROW Tier 2 Grants
1. Applicant Presentations
2. Discussion and Selection of Applicants for Recommendation
Chairman Brown proceeded to the REGROW Tier 2 Grants. He asked city staff to go over the procedural rules for the presentations.
Sarah Leys, Deputy Director Community and Economic Development, welcomed the applicants and thanked them for coming this evening. She explained the procedure for the presentations.
Chairman Brown informed the commissioners as they were thinking about what's in front of them, they would score their top four for the $50,000 grants and then those scores would be tabulated.
Deputy Director Leys reiterated that the scoring would be live. After the $50,000 grant presentations the top four will be tabulated and it will be known tonight who will be recommended by the commission to City Council, who will then vote on the recommendations.
The $50,000 grant presentations began.
Marlana Dokken, Board Member, presented for Bridges to Prosperity Northern Illinois. Commissioners asked questions.
Reverend Violet Johnicker, Pastor Brooke Road UMC, and Brian Harrington, Lead Trauma Outreach Specialist, presented for Brooke Road United Methodist Church and Community Center. Commissioners asked questions.
William Chatman, Executive Director/CEO, presented for Comprehensive Community Solutions. Commissioners asked questions.
Meredith MacKay, Director of Advancement, presented for Discovery Center Museum. Commissioners asked questions.
Robert “Bo” Chaney, City of Rockford Firefighter, presented for Inclusive Public Service Communities. Commissioners asked questions.
Sister Keishonda Williamson, Executive Director, and Brother Henry, Principal and School Board Chairman, presented for KIKIFER’S Entrepreneurial Academy. Commissioners asked questions.
Laura Eakman, Executive Director, and Xeonnia Brunson, Music Academy Student, presented for Music Academy of Rockford. Commissioners asked questions.
Kerry Knodle presented for Northwest Christian Community Development Corporation. Commissioners asked questions.
Amy Morris, COO/Development Director, and Alex Swedeberg, Youth Services Specialist and Career Pathways Coordinator, presented for Regional Access and Mobilization Project Disability Resources and Services. Commissioners asked questions.
James Hutson, Executive Director, presented for Winnebago County CASA. Commissioners asked questions.
Chairman Brown asked for further commissioner discussion regarding the applications for the $50,000. He then asked the commissioners to select their top four recommendations from the applications presented. He informed the commissioners that city staff would collect and tabulate the selections. The top four will be announced following.
The meeting paused while the commissioner’s selections were tabulated.
Chairman Brown reminded everyone that the selections made are recommendations to City Council for approval. He then announced the recommendations were Bridges to Prosperity Northern Illinois, Brook Road United Methodist Church and Community Center, Comprehensive Community Solutions, Inc., and Music Academy in Rockford. He called for a motion. Commissioner William Martin moved to recommend the selections to City Council, seconded by Commissioner McDowell. MOTION PREVAILED with a unanimous voice vote.
The vote totals for recommendation were as follows: Bridges to Prosperity Northern Illinois received 4 votes. Brook Road United Methodist Church and Community Center received 4 votes. Comprehensive Community Solutions, Inc. received 4 votes. Music Academy in Rockford received 7 votes.
Chairman Brown thanked all applicants and presenters. He proceeded to move to $100,000 grant presentations.
The $100,00 grant presentations began.
Karen Waller, Operations Manager, presented for African American Resource Center at Booker. Commissioners had no questions.
Ashton Lockhart, Founder and Executive Director, presented for CITIED Foundation. Commissioners asked questions.
Reverend Dr. Michael Thomas, Executive Director, presented for Patriot's Gateway Community Center. Commissioners asked questions.
Deepshikha Shukla, Associate Vice President, presented for Rockford University. Commissioners asked questions.
Kamrin Muhammad, Executive Director of College and Career Readiness, presented for YMCA of the Rock River Valley. Commissioners asked questions.
The meeting paused while commissioner’s selections were tabulated.
Chairman Brown announced they had the final 2 recommendations and reminded the room that they were only recommendations to City council. The 2 recommendations were the African American Resource Center at Booker and Patriots Gateway Community Center. Chairman Brown called for a motion. Commissioner Martin moved to recommend the selections to City Council for approval, seconded by Commissioner Kaull. MOTION PREVAILED with a unanimous voice vote.
The vote totals for recommendation were as follows: African American Resource Center at Booker with 5 votes. There was a tie between Patriots Gateway Community Center and CITIED Foundation at 4 votes each. The tie was broken by comparing application intake review scores, which were completed by City Staff and commissioners upon initial receipt of the applications. Patriots Gateway Community Center was given an intake score of 79.36. CITIED Foundation was given an intake score of 78.55. The grant was awarded to Patriots Gateway Community Center as the application with the higher intake review score.
C. 2025 Action Plan Discussion
Chairman Brown moved on to the discussion of the 2025 Action Plan. He announced the commission was going to review the plan in front of them. They were not voting on it.
Commissioner Kaull asked about the three areas listed in the plan: civil rights, diversity, and fair housing.
Chairman Brown replied those are the areas that are identified in the charter for the CRC.
Commissioner Kaull recalled the commission previously had talked about sustainability and asked how it would factor into the Action Plan. She disclosed that she is a member of Sustain Rockford, Inc.
Deputy Director Leys responded the reason for having a draft plan available is so that the commissioners can bring up other items to discuss at the next meeting and sustainability can be added then.
Chairman Brown asked for any other questions or thoughts related to the draft action plan.
Commissioner Kaull stated she loved the REGROW update/report scheduled for June.
Chairman Brown relayed that the Action Plan is trying to lay out a schedule so that REGROW will come to the commission at the same time every year. The commission’s focus can then be on the other items in the action plan the rest of the year.
IV. COMMISSIONER REPORTS
Chairman Brown asked for any Commissioner Reports.
Commissioner Norma Borrero reported The Dream Center has begun to host some soccer teams in the area of Rockford. She also stated she had become involved with Domingos en la Parque, Sundays at the Park, this past summer. They have a big event coming up for 2025. It was really good to see the Hispanic Community this year with so many events mobilizing for family and visibility as well.
Chairman Brown asked for any other commissioner’s reports.
Commissioner Martin stated he is excited for the action plan and that the commission is opening up to the community, listening to the people in the community to able to bring recommendations to City Council to address those issues. In looking at sustainability, the commission can look at how it affects each of the communities and be able to impact change.
Chairman Brown asked for any updates from city staff for the commission.
Michaela Harris, Grant and Compliance Officer, noted that there is also a list of events in the commissioner’s packets. The City will start providing the commission monthly a list of events that align with the commission's mission. The list will be coming from the Mayor's Office.
Commissioners Borrero, Kaull, and McDowell appreciated getting that list.
Chairman Brown said he thought it was a great opportunity for the commissioners to put that information out to the communities that we all live and work in and promoting them to the community.
Commissioner McDowell asked if it was possible for the commissioners to have business cards to give to members to hand out to identify themselves in the community.
Commissioner Kaull suggested a pin or a badge.
Deputy Director Leys replied that cards would be easy to do. The commissioners would need to confirm how they wanted their name to be printed and how they would like to be contacted since they don’t have an official RockfordIL email. Contact from the community would be considered official communication.
Chairman Brown informed staff that the commissioners had, at one time, name.crc@RockfordIL.gov accounts that were tied to whatever e-mail submitted to the City. He didn't know if those are still active.
Deputy Director Leys responded she will look into that and get back to the commissioners.
Commissioner Kaull offered that the Community Relations Commission web page has not been updated when she last looked a few weeks back. That should be done.
Deputy Director Leys will look into that as well.
Deputy Director Leys reported the City has started to give out the checks for the $10,000 REGROW grants. Some recipients inquired about contacting the commissioners. She wanted the commissioners to be aware.
Deputy Director Leys thanked the Commissioners for the work they had accomplished. The Commission is a public body and the meeting is public record. It is a great night and I'm really proud of Rockford and I'm proud to have seen all those individuals that care enough to have done this
V. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to Adjourn.
Chairman Brown asked if there were other commission reports or reports from city staff. With no response, he entertained a motion to adjourn.
Commissioner Martin moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Kaull. MOTION PREVAILED with a unanimous voice vote.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM.
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
AYES: Brown, Martin, Borrero, Kaull, McDowell, Velazquez, Garwick ABSENT: Todd Burton, Jurea Crudup |
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