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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-07-30 HHSCMINUTES OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING City Conference Room 1001 N.Idaho Road,Apache Junction,AZ July 30,2003 -5:30 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: ED BARKER (ARRIVED AT 6:05 P.M.) JOYCE PAYNE DAVID ROMERO KATHRYN STOCK 1.Call to Order/Attendance. STAFF PRESENT: KATHY CONNELLY,CITY CLERK JAN MASON,DEPUTY CITY CLERK Commissioner Payne called the meeting to order at 5:45 p.m.Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason called the roll and advised there was a quorum present. 2.Discussion on FY 2003-04 funding applications and procedure for reviewing applications. City Clerk Kathy Connelly began by explaining that at the last meeting she had given a summary and review of the applications,who had been contacted,how many responded,and where they were at in regards to available funds versus the dollar amount of the requests.She said that at this time the commission would be looking at a $60,000 difference between the two amounts.She asked if anyone had questions regarding the information they had received at the previous meeting. Commissioner Payne asked if the city funds salaries since that is part of the funding that Arizona Bridge to Independent Living is asking for. City Clerk Kathy Connelly said that ordinarily the commission recommends against salary funding and expects the organization to obtain that funding somewhere else.She said the commission has traditionally funded the hard costs such as materials.Commissioner Payne asked i f the organizations submit their paperwork to the city requesting reimbursement.City Clerk Kathy Connelly confirmed that this is the process for all the organizations on a quarterly basis. Commissioner Payne asked if the East Valley Habitat for Humanity only benefited one family.-City Clerk Kathy Connelly said that is correct and they say that in their: application.Commissioner Payne asked if the HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESCOMMISSIPN MEETING JULY 30,2003 PAGE 1 OF 6 :'. $20,000 would only buy enough property for one house.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said that she believed that amount would only purchase enough property for one house.Commissioner Payne asked if the commission has had many requests that are limited to helping only one family.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said that most organizations requesting funding are using the money to assist the community at large.Commissioner Romero stated that he had spoken to the chief executive officer (CEO)of Habitat for Humanity and felt their criteria for choosing a family and what they give to the community even though it would only benefit one family was important.Commissioner Stock asked if they could grant the funding to them without a guarantee that they could finish the project by June 30,2004.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said they would be required to finish the project by that date.Commissioner Stock asked if they could grant them less than the requested amount.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said yes,they may be able to get the additional funding from another source.Commissioner Romero asked if the city had ever funded them before.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said the commission has never funded this program before. Commissioner Payne asked why the Catholic Community of St.George's funding had been interrupted for a short time.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said that Father Maloney refused to give the commission the required documentation.Commissioner Payne asked why this time would be different.City Clerk Kathy Connelly stated they would have a contract like all the other organizations and if they did not comply with the contract after the first quarter then the funding would be cancelled. Commissioner Payne asked what happened to the funding if the contract was cancelled.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said the commission would need to designate a second recipient in the case of a cancelled contract. City Clerk Kathy Connelly stated that she receives a printout from Information and Referral on a quarterly basis and one of the needs that does not seem to be met in Apache Junction is housing assistance.The Catholic Community of St.George's has this as part of their application so this could be a need that could be addressed through their program. Commissioner Payne asked why this was a problem.City Clerk Kathy Connelly stated that many families may not qualify on financial need, but due to a loss of job or other extenuating circumstances they may need assistance for a month.She said that state assistance may take too long.Commissioner Payne asked how they verify the money is going to the correct person and not being used personally by the applicant. City Clerk Kathy Connelly said the check has to be cut to the mortgage company or the landlord and i f i t is a,rental the owner must hold a current city business licenseand pay rental tax.Commissioner Romero HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION.MEETING JULY 30,2003 • PAGE 2 OF 6 .. stated he felt that a lot of the services the Catholic Community of St George's are proposing are duplicating a lot of the services that the Reach Out Food Bank already offers.He also feels that many of the services they are proposing are unnecessary.He feels that many of these services are available from the state AHCCCS program. Vice Chairperson Barker apologized for being late.City Clerk Kathy Connelly updated him on the status of the meeting. Commissioner Stock said the Reach Out rood Bank has 0 strict rule regarding citizens receiving:foodtoxes every two months.She said there are a couple of churches that give food boxes a couple of days a week but they do not.:..dffer .fobd,boXes.in'the summer.Commissioner .Romero asked if the food box they receive 'is sufficient to last them two months.Commissioner Stock said no:Commissioner Romero said there is always St.Mary's Food Bank.Commissioner Stock said they .require a co- payment,they are only there twice a month,and i t requires transportation to get there.Commissioner Stock said she would like the Reach Out Food Bank to make some changes because she has seen them turn some people away that were in need.She said citizens can use St. George's as a filler or the Salvation Army,although the Salvation Army is not always cooperative.Commissioner Romero said he was not aware that the Reach Out Food Bank had that rule.He asked why they have never been questioned about their mode of operation.City Clerk Kathy Connelly stated that even if they are only giving out food boxes once or twice a month to citizens i t is better than no food boxes at all.She said that is a question the commission has the right to ask them. Vice Chairperson Barker asked which organizations they may want to interview and if there were any they were not interested in interviewing and funding at this time.Commissioner Romero said he would like to decline any further consideration for Arizona Bridge to Independent Living.Vice Chairperson Barker asked if anyone else had any other comments.He said he felt they would have a difficult time meeting the city requirements.Commissioner Romero moved that the Arizona Bridge to Independent Living application be dismissed based on concern with rental property issues,administrative costs,and duplication of services with Community Action Human Resources Agency (CAHRA).Commissioner Stock seconded the motion.The vote was unanimous.The motion carried. Vice Chairperson Barker asked if there were any other organizations they would like to dismiss at this time.Commissioner Romero said he was concerned with the amount Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center was HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JULY 30,2003 PAGE 3 OF 6 requesting to cover staff salaries to provide services.He does not feel that salaries should come from grant money.He feels they receive • state and federal funding and the money the commission grants them could be better served somewhere else.Vice Chairperson Barker said the Health and Human Services Commission has granted funding to Superstition Mountain Mental Health for a number of years.Vice Chairperson Barker said i t is for staff time in the field and not for administrative costs. He -added that they receive matching funds from other sources.Vice Chairperson Barker said he felt if the service were eliminated,and i t may not be eliminated just because the commission decides not to fund it.the community would suffer.He said intervention has been important to the city and police department and additionally the amount the commission grants is met with'matching funds so they get "more bang for their buck".City Clerk Kathy Connelly_stated that last year they requested $20,000 but the commission awarded them $16,000.She said the commission does not have to'grart them what they are asking for.City Clerk Kathy Connelly stated they have been told -in the past that this funding would not be a continuing source of revenue for them.After further discussion the consensus of the commission was that they would retain Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center for further consideration.Commissioner Romero asked if that meant they had to interview them.Vice Chairperson Barker said no.City Clerk Kathy Connelly stated what she did need to know is what organizations they would want to interview before the meeting is over today and she will contact those organizations to set up an interview. Vice Chairperson Barker asked if they wanted to interview the Reach Out Food Bank.After discussion it was decided the commission would like a representative of the Reach Out Food Bank to attend an interview. Vice Chairperson Barker asked if they wanted to interview the Catholic Community of St.George's.The commission decided they would like to interview a representative of the Catholic Community of St.George's. Vice Chairperson Barker asked if the commission was interested in funding Community Action Human Resources Agency (CAHRA)or interviewing them.City Clerk Kathy Connelly stated there had been problems in the past with their record keeping but those have been resolved.She said all of their paperwork has been on time and complete.It was the consensus of the commission that they did not need to interview them but they would consider funding them. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JULY 30,2003 PAGE 4 OF 6 Vice Chairperson Barker asked what the commission would like to do with the East Valley Habitat for Humanity.He said he has two concerns regarding this organization.He said one concern is that they are out of Mesa.They used to have an Apache Junction Board of Directors but the past president of the Apache Junction Board stole money from them so the East Mesa office took over for this area.He said his concerns center around the fact that the organization was less than candid with . the press and police,and they did not press charges against the man. They let him walk away,although he did eventually pay the money back. Vice Chairperson Barker said he was not totally against funding them,he just has some concerns regarding their priorities and how they handle public funds.Commissioner Stock made a motion to eliminate the East Valley Habitat for Humanity from funding con§'ideration.Commissioner Payne seconded the motion.The vote was 3-1 with Commissioner Romero voting in opposition.The motion carried.. Vice Chairperson Barker said Mesa Senior Services is asking for $22,000. He asked how much they had requested last year.Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason said she believed they asked for $20,000 last year but were granted an additional $2,000 that was initially earmarked for the Young Marines.Commissioner Romero asked if the number of meals they served during fiscal year 2001-2002 were served in Mesa.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said the meals were all served at or through the Apache Junction Senior Center.Commissioner Romero asked if all the data was pertinent to Apache Junction.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said yes. Commissioner Romero said he was concerned about the amount of money that goes towards personnel salaries.City Clerk Kathy Connelly said the city pays a per meal cost so Mesa Senior Services is reimbursed based on the meals they serve or deliver.Vice Chairperson Barker asked if the commission felt they needed to interview anyone from the Mesa Senior Services.It was the consensus of the commission that they did not need to interview them but they would consider funding them. 3.Selection of future meeting dates. Vice Chairperson Barker suggested they schedule a meeting with Reach Out Food Bank and the Catholic Community of St.George next Wednesday for interviews at 5:30 p.m.and 5:50 p.m.Commissioner Payne moved they meet on Wednesday,August 6,2003 beginning at 5:30 p.m.Commissioner Romero seconded the motion.The vote was unanimous.The motion carried. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES-COMMISSION MEETING JULY 30,2003 , PAGE 5 OF 6 %,' City Clerk Kathy Connelly said she usually sets the interviews up alphabetically.Vice Chairperson Barker said that would be fine. 4.Commission requests for future agenda items. There were no requests for future agenda items. 5.Adjournment. Vice Chairperson Ba'rker moved that the meeting be adjourned. Commissioner Romero seconded the motion.The vote was unanimous.The motion carried.The meeting was .adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Ed Barker Vice Chairperson Kathleen Connelly City Clerk HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JULY 30,2003 PAGE 6 OF 6