SECA Commission Meeting Summary: November 15, 2025
SECA Commission Meeting Summary: November 15, 2025
The SECA Commission convened on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. to receive public comments regarding grant eligibility criteria and to hear presentations from 86 applicants seeking SECA funding for calendar year 2026. The commission welcomed new member Linda Kuhn, approved the October 15 minutes, and noted that funding allocation decisions will be made at the subsequent meeting on December 11. No funding recommendations or allocations were determined during this session.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sharon Gurell expressed concern regarding transparency and eligibility criteria, specifically questioning how religious connotations in events and tax-paying public entities (like the Naperville Police Department) qualify for SECA funding.
- Staff Response (Miranda Barfus): Stated that city entities are eligible for funding. Regarding religious content, staff clarified that cultural expression containing religious themes is not disqualifying provided it is not religious worship or proselytizing; however, a formal legal opinion was deemed necessary to fully address the specific criteria.
Discussion Items
- Welcome & Introductions: The commission formally welcomed new commissioner Linda Kuhn.
- Application Review Process: Staff explained that 86 applications were received. Applicants were given three minutes to present. The commission noted they would not allocate funds at this meeting but would review individually before making recommendations.
- Public Art Proposals:
- Art Forum presented three proposals: a rotating mural, the "Light Animis" kinetic sculpture, and "Installation Alley." Commissioners Mr. Gannon and Mr. Myers expressed concern regarding the dependency of the alley project on city alleyway approval and the potential for funds to be returned if projects fail. Mr. Zards pressed for an estimated timeline from the city. Mr. Myers questioned the high shipping costs ($18,000). Art Forum clarified the alley project is not strictly dependent on becoming a pedestrian way, can be scaled back if funding is reduced, and is actively seeking sponsorship.
- Event & Service Requests:
- Lizzie's Fund requested funds for a new spay/neuter clinic serving underserved populations (veterans, seniors, low-income families). Commissioner Prasad questioned if this fit the SECA mission; the applicants clarified it is a community service event rather than a cultural celebration.
- Naper Settlement (Addison Glick) requested funding specifically for rising police and paramedic costs, arguing the per-attendee cost for safety (<$4) is a worthwhile investment compared to the value of world-class entertainment provided.
- Naperville JCs (Last Fling) presented a request for $225,000+ for city services due to skyrocketing security costs associated with alcohol and age restrictions. Commissioner Myers noted the regrettable shift from an open event to one requiring strict controls.
- D Tribals Foundation requested $144,000 for the "Sodesi Mela" trade fair. Commissioner Prasad questioned the necessity of the grant given the scale of the event and potential for sponsorship. Commissioner Sayed expressed concern about crowd management for 30,000 attendees. Commissioner Gannon noted that while a large event, it is a new foundation without an established corporate sponsorship base.
- Indian Nurses Association of Illinois proposed a mental health awareness event including a marathon. Commissioner Gannon and Staff (Jake Fiedler/Miranda Barfus) expressed that the application lacked necessary city service details (route, date, special event application) required for a marathon, noting the separate city special event calendar deadlines.
- Accessibility Concerns: Commissioner Prasad raised concerns about the accessibility of the American Multi-ethnic Commission Gala venue (Yellow Box), noting it is not walking/bike-friendly, though the applicant stated shuttles were used previously.
- DuPage Children's Museum: Commissioners Mr. Myers and Ms. Prasad questioned the request for utilities costs, noting the city no longer holds the building obligation. Staff confirmed that operating costs were not typically reimbursable in the past and may be deducted from the award; the museum agreed to seek other funding if necessary.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes Approved: The SECA Commission minutes from October 15, 2025, were unanimously approved.
- Commissioner Addition: Linda Kuhn was formally welcomed as the new commissioner.
- Process Determination: The commission confirmed that funding allocation decisions and recommendations to the City Council will occur at the next meeting on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
- Discrepancy/Clarification Needed: The commission requested further clarification or legal review regarding the specific definition of "religious content" vs. "religious worship" in grant qualifications and the process for city entities receiving funding.
- Application Deficiency Note: The Indian Nurses Association of Illinois application was flagged for lacking a completed special event application and city services plan for the proposed marathon component.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. I'd like to call the SECA Commission meeting of Saturday, November 15th, 2025, to order at 9 a.m. May I have a roll call, please? Broadhead. Here. Gadden. Kuhn. Myers. Prasad. Sacaria. So here. Sayed. Zards. Student repamato. Student repnagium. We do have a quorum. Thank you. I would also like to introduce our city staff members. We have Jake Fiedler, who is the special events coordinator and staff liaison to the commission. Miranda Barfus, community grants manager, and Melanie Marcordis, Director of Community Services. Our next order of business is public forum. As we start the public forum, I'd like to remind everyone of the citizen participation rules in the city's municipal code for speaking at meetings. Speakers will be called on to speak in the order they signed up on the sign-up sheet. And this is not for not for applicants. This is for people who are not applicants but are here to have something to say. Each speaker will have three minutes to make their comments. Speakers are asked to present their comments in a respectful and courteous manner. Speakers should stay on topic and be cognizant of their words. Personal attacks on board members, staff, or other speakers, or members of the audience are not allowed. If inappropriate language or comments are expressed during this meeting, you will be asked to stop commenting immediately. Also, for audience members, there is no cheering and no jeering. Actions such as applauding, cheering, or booing during or at the conclusion of any remarks made by any speaker are not allowed. And if we could please call the first speaker. But I have been a resident of 32 years in Napravo, but I grew up in the area. I was lived nearby. My kids were raised in the area, and we all had the benefit of the amazing public art and the cultural events in this community. Particularly and selfishly, I want to thank the committee last year for funding our shared home mural, which is right over there on the Naperville Township building. We did get funds last year. Our shared home mural was a community-inspired, community-driven, community created, and community-implemented project. Multiple cultures were represented in the creation of that art. And now we can all celebrate that art. It was an amazing opportunity for us to use that same, the funds you gave us, which created the frame and the mural affixed to it, to now in the future change out the mural and use the existing frame with your previous thing used money and put different murals on that. So I thank you for that amazing opportunity. I commend these groups who put these programs on for free because of the funding, open to all, and they encourage sharing and learning of multiple cultures so we can learn and and that's a pivotal for this community. I I want to stand in particular acknowledgement of the day of the dead um celebration that I understood nothing about. I didn't understand why we're celebrating dead people, but that was well attended, completely apolitical, family-oriented, respectful presentation was very educational. Those are the types of events that enrich this community, well spending our community resources. The more we I feel, and I think many people agree with me. The more we learn about others who don't look like us and pray like us and drive dress like us and speak like us, the more we recognize how similar we are. Um the more we can embrace our shared humanity.
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