SECA Commission Meeting Summary - December 11, 2025

The Southeast Area Commission (SECA) met on December 11, 2025, to reach a unified funding recommendation for Calendar Year 26 SECA grants. The session involved reviewing 86 applications, addressing concerns regarding late submission of commissioner data, and deliberating on specific high-profile projects. Commissioner Zakaria participated by phone, while student representatives offered input on potential full funding for specific small grants. The commission ultimately agreed on a unified allocation plan, approved the 2026 meeting schedule, and drafted the 2025 annual report.

Consent Calendar

• Motion to approve the November meeting minutes was unanimously passed.
• Motion to approve the 2025 SECA Commission annual report draft was unanimously passed.
• Motion to approve the 2026 meeting schedule was unanimously passed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public submitted comments during the public forum.

Discussion Items

• Late Commissioner Data Submission: Commissioner Zards expressed strong opposition regarding the last-minute addition of an eighth commissioner's allocation data, questioning the validity of the figures and characterizing the late submission as disrespectful to the process. Multiple commissioners, including Gannon and Myers, agreed that a strict "drop dead date" for submissions is necessary to prevent late arrivals and ensure transparency.
• Anonymity and Voting Process: Commissioner Prasad requested a transparent process to understand why specific applicants received zero funding from multiple commissioners, suggesting future open discussions after presentations. Staff clarified that while commissioners can individually contact colleagues to discuss votes, the standard procedure remains anonymous individual recommendation to facilitate unbiased decision-making by a volunteer board.
• Zero Allocation Rule: The commission confirmed that an application receives a zero recommendation if a majority of the commissioners (five out of eight) vote zero. Six applications were zeroed out collectively based on this rule: Illinois Conservatory for the Arts (Application 1), Art Forum Installation Alley (Application 4), Indian Nurses Association (Application 40), Lizzie's Funds (Application 41), American Multi-Ethnic Commission (Application 52), and Indian Community Outreach Organization (Operation Support, Application 61). Commissioner Zards later confirmed a zero for the Tribals Foundation (Application 58) due to majority zeros.
• Re-allocation of Undistributed Funds: Following the zeroing out of multiple applications, the commission discussed the need to reallocate funds previously withheld by commissioners who had recused themselves or assumed recusal would prevent reallocation. Commissioner Myers noted he had withheld $93,000 based on past practices, while Commissioner Zards had already reallocated funds he intended for zeroed-out items. The group agreed to re-examine all allocations to ensure the total recommended amount met the $1,200,737 budget.
• Light Anemones (Application 36): Commissioner Zards advocated for fully funding the $91,400 request for the "Light Anemones" art installation, citing potential for significant tourism press, the unique interactive nature of the data collection for future city planning, and the low cost per expected visitor ($2-$3). In contrast, Commissioner Myers and others expressed concern about the disparity compared to other grants. The commission eventually reached consensus on a $65,000 allocation, stopping short of full funding but significantly increasing from the average.
• India Day Parade (Application 61): Heavy debate occurred regarding the India Community Outreach Organization's request due to lack of communication, perceived inflated budget estimates (specifically $120,000 for fencing), and the organization's failure to attend presentations. Commissioner Myers and Zards expressed a lack of confidence in the organization's ability to manage city services, leading to the consensus to zero out the Operations request and maintain a low allocation for City Services.
• Asian Heritage Fest (Application 59): Commissioner Zards noted this application received zero votes for operations due to the organization's failure to respond to commission inquiries regarding budget details and venue logistics, characterizing this as an "extremely bad mark."
• Public Art Set-Aside: The commission agreed to designate a $15,000 set-aside from the remaining funds for future public art projects. Commissioner Myers proposed a policy whereby funds recovered from cancelled events (due to under-budgeting or cancellations) would be directed into this set-aside rather than returning to the general fund, to be discussed further in January.

Key Outcomes

• Unified Recommendation Approval: The commission unanimously approved the unified funding recommendation for Calendar Year 2026 SECA grants.
• Budget Allocation: The final unified recommendation totals $1,200,737. Key allocations include:
  • Light Anemones: $65,000 (reduced from Zards' full funding request of ~$91,400).
  • Art Set-Aside: $15,000 designated for future public art.
  • Remaining Funds: Approximately $4,000 was allocated to the Last Fling City Services request as a final adjustment.
• Zeroed Applications: Applications 1, 4, 40, 41, 52, 58, and the Operations component of Application 61 were recommended at $0.
• Full Funding Adjustments: The commission agreed to fully fund the "Singing for Seniors" ($4,500), "Summer Place Theater" ($3,000), "Halloween at the Y" ($2,500), and the "Monarch Garden" (increased to $1,500 upon student suggestion). The "Neighbor Lights" and "Last Fling" operations received adjustments based on remaining funds.
• Future Actions: The commission will discuss revising the application review process, implementing a strict submission deadline, and formalizing the policy for handling cancelled event funds (directing them to the set-aside) at a workshop or regular meeting in January 2026.
• Next Meeting: The January 2026 meeting was tentatively scheduled, with a motion proposed to move the date from January 21 to January 28 to accommodate Commissioner Myers.