Supervisor's Report
May 10, 2004
The Supervisor's Office of Normal Township oversees many facets of local government.
I. The Township Supervisor is the Chairman of the Township Board
The Board consists of four Trustees and the Supervisor; the Board Members are as follows:
Trustees
Wallace Norris
Richard Phillips
Ray Ropp
Melvin Schultz
Supervisor
Richard E. Farr
II. General Assistance and Emergency Assistance
The General Assistance Office of Normal Township has seen a leveling off iin the numbers of both applicants and recepients of financial aid. In the year 2004, 647 individuals or families sought financial assistance from Normal Township. There were 212 cases in which General Assistance was disbursed and 148 families received Emergency Assistance. $76,648.00 was spent on financial assistance in Normal Township.
I must add my appreciation to the ten churches in Normal which have pledged $8,100.00 for the year 2005 to help individuals in great need. These individuals or families are applicants, which the Township cannot help. Every month, the Township General Assistance Office turns to several churches to request financial assistance for families. This assistance is greatly appreciated by the families who are so much in need of a financial boost.
Additionally, Normal Township is granting $22,000.00 to the Community Health Care Clinic during the current fiscal year from April 1, 2004 until March 31, 2005. These services are greatly utilized and are so necessary for this population. Many entry-level positions do not provide any medical coverage. If people in entry-level positions can stay healthy, they can stay on the job and can gain experience to become employed in better paying positions.
III. Web Site
Normal Township is "on-line" as has been mentioned. Accessed values are available by address or parcel number at the Assessor's Office section of this web site.
One of the real positives of this service is the accessibility of the programming for the Seniors Program. The program offerings will be updated monthly or as needed. This, almost instant, calendar will provide information to the senior population and to the children of the senior population.
IV. The Senior Citizens' Program
The Senior Citizens' Program has a new name and logo "Seniors' Program".
Normal Township wants all of the senior population to feel welcome at the Community Activity Center, not just the residents of Normal Township. The Community Activity Center is located at One Normal Plaza with a street address of 1110 Douglas Street, Normal.
The Seniors Program has a new director, Delores Ringenberg. Delores comes to the program with over 20 years in Social Work and has a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois. Delores is very positive about this program and it is growing daily. It is worth anyone's time to click on to Senior Services on the Township Web Page to find all of the various activities which are offered through the Seniors Program.
Our Seniors Program and BroMenn have joined together to provide health education at the Community Activity Center. The joint venture is called "BroMenn Seniors for Healthy Living". There are seven programs scheduled from April to December, 2004.
V. Conclusion
In closing, I want to thank many departments at the Town of Normal for their great cooperation with the Township.
Also, I want to thank BroMenn for their cooperation on the new educational series and their continued cooperation, by providing through contract a gerontological nurse for the Seniors Program, two half days per week.
Normal Township is able to function very well because of all of the cooperation from the various agencies in the area.
The Township is running well because of the dedication of the elected officials and the effective work of the employees in all aspects of the township government. This makes it possible for Normal Township to serve its public well.