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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-22 HHSCMINUTES OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION City Council Chambers 300 E. Superstition Blvd., Apache Junction, AZ February 22, 2008 - 4:10 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: ROBERT EVANS, CHAIRPERSON COURTNEY RIDDLE, VICE CHAIRPERSON SUE CLABUESCH OTHERS PRESENT JUDY BOREY, BOYS & GIRLS CLUB KEN BUCHANAN, PINAL COUNTY LISA GARCIA, PINAL COUNTY SANDIE SMITH, PINAL COUNTY SUPERVISOR ARCHIE CARREON, PINAL COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS STAFF PRESENT: KATHLEEN CONNELLY, CITY CLERK JAN MASON, DEPUTY CITY CLERK JANINE SOLLEY, BUSINESS ADVOCATE SAM JARJICE, DEVELOPMENT SVCS. ENGINEER 1.Call to Order/Roll Call. Chairperson Evans called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason called the roll and advised there was a quorum present. 2.Report on applications for city human services funding for FY 2008-2009. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated January 31 was the deadline for next year's human services funding cycle.Eight applications have been received for a total of $131,000.East Valley Senior Services requested another $52,800 in funds that usually have not been human services but they added it to their request. Commissioner Clabuesch asked how much it was. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated the total for the true health and human services funding is $131,000 and East Valley Senior Services is asking for an additional $52,800 for the HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 1 OF 10 transportation, Ride Choice and Coupons for Cabs which come out of other funding sources. Chairperson Evans asked if those were other city funding sources. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated that is correct.They added it to the application in case the other sources are not there this year.If it is a grant that expires this year, they wanted to be in the position to still make that request.She understands they will still be limited to $100,000 this budget year.She asked if they wanted to meet in March or April to start the process. The consensus was to start the process in March. 3.Presentation by and discussion with Pinal County officials and city staff on proposed Pinal County health and human services complex. Chairperson Evans stated he is the CEO of one of the agencies that may move into the complex so he could not participate in the discussion. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated this leaves the commission one short of a quorum, but they are not recommending money.One of their duties is to assist in the development of health care facilities.The city code does not say what that means.The internal recommendation was for them to hear the presentation and then make an unofficial recommendation to the city council. The agenda is structured so they can hear the presentation and think about it or give an unofficial recommendation at this time. Vice Chairperson Riddle asked if they can say yes or no without a quorum. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated the city attorney said since the code does not exactly say what they are supposed to do, it just says assist, he believes they can. Business Advocate Janine Solley stated the project has been an idea for several years; they got a conceptual plan together over HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 2 OF 10 the last few months.Pinal County has the lead role and they will give the briefing on the project. Ken Buchanan, Pinal County Assistant County Manager, Development Services, addressed the commission.He stated he had Lisa Garcia, Assistant County Manager of Health and Human Services was with him.She will explain another facility that is requested to be in this project.He briefed them on the aerial view of the complex.It will be the southeast portion of the property that is developed.The retention area will be in the area of the wash and it can also be utilized by the Boys and Girls Club which will be next to it.Other agencies in the buildings will be Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse, Pinal County Health Department and other potential county services. Lisa Garcia stated currently the public health clinic is housed in the existing county complex.It will be moved to the new site.They will offer the WIC program, immunizations, communicable disease testing, well woman care, housing assessments and home health care.They would like to expand the ability to deliver the services.The clinic hours have been expanded to include evening hours and weekend hours.Other services they would like to provide are eligibility for other types of social service programs along with additional health services. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if the people using these services are in the poverty level or can it be anyone that comes through. She asked how they are assessed. Lisa Garcia stated some services have requirements.They will immunize any child that comes in.If the family has private insurance, the insurance will be billed.They receive a grant from the federal government to immunize those children that are not insured.WIC services have financial services set at the federal level that tell them what families will be eligible to participate in the program.Home health care has clients that are on Medicare or receive services from the county's long term care program.There is a financial eligibility for some of the services.This clinic basically serves all of northern Pinal County.The nearest clinic to here is in Florence.The bulk of the people served live in Apache Junction, but people come from HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 3 OF 10 the entire service area.The clinic in Superior is only open a couple of times a month. Vice Chairperson Riddle asked if they keep track of the Apache Junction residents or is it anonymous. Lisa Garcia stated they have medical records on the people receiving the services.About 80% of them come from within the city limits. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if they stay within the city limits when they treat them.They are expanding the services and facility if they pass this. Lisa Garcia stated that is correct.They also serve the entire county, not just the city. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if they have doctors there. Lisa Garcia stated they do not.They have a nurse practitioner that does the well woman care, nursing staff and nutritionists. They also have medical assistant -type staff but no primaty care services that would be done by a physician. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if this is considered an urgent care facility. Lisa Garcia stated it is not. Vice Chairperson Riddle asked if they own or lease their current offices. Lisa Garcia stated the offices are in the county complex. Ken Buchanan stated it is a 17 acre site with a number of other entities looking at the site as well, including the Boys and Girls Club, Superstition Mountain Mental Health, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse and other county offices.They need to clear the site, construct the building pads, extend the utilities and construct street/site improvements.They also need to construct the park and multi -use area.He described the various buildings and future tenants.The Justice of the Peace is showing stress for space needs and they will need to move all of development services out of its space.They also need to HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 4 OF 10 expand the space for the treasurer, recorder and assessor.The project will cost about $2.1 million to get it to the pad site with utilities.They hope to have the project to fruition by the middle of next year. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if he meant the project would be finished by then. Ken Buchanan stated they would like to have the pads completed by the middle of 2009.They are looking at some other entities participating, such as the tax increment financing monies from the city. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated one of the misconceptions is that the county is asking for portions of the $100,000 used for health and human services funding.They are not asking for any of that.This is a partnership wherein they would use the tax increment financing money from the redevelopment district.The governing entities of the county, city, fire district and school district capped the taxes at $2,000 and any additional taxes paid would go back in for infrastructure.It will go back on the tax rolls at a future date.They would like the city to be a partner through the redevelopment district.The county has the staff and ability to do the grading.They would like the city to bring the utilities to the site, thereby opening up that entire area to development.Someone could come and get all their services taken care of at the one complex; this includes county offices, the state motor vehicle office and the fire district.The city services are across the street along with the multi-gen and the library.The food bank and Project Help are also here.She believes they are doing the public a good service and they are also redeveloping the area.The other non-profit agencies at the complex will be putting their money back into the site; they will be building their own buildings, not the county.They will also be helping with the infrastructure. The partnership will continue the one they had with the food bank, which was built through the community effort of the county and the city. Project Help is a partnership of the school district and the county, along with the volunteer center.They are a group that is consolidating services in one area to be able to serve the same citizens that all of them need to be doing. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 5 OF 10 Commissioner Clabuesch asked if the money given by the individual entities is to build their own buildings. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated that is correct. They will be starting with the Boys and Girls Club.She is on the committee and they are going out on a capital campaign to raise the money to build the building.The buildings will not come out of tax dollars. Commissioner Clabuesch asked where the money is coming from for the Pinal County buildings. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated that money is coming out of the health district and other grants they can get through the regular resources that they bring money into for the health district.It allows them to expand their services; they are really underserved in the health department and they have to take care of that issue. Commissioner Clabuesch agreed. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated they have told the council many times while working through this issue that not one .of them delivers all of the services but together they do.They cannot do it alone.She added they have representatives from the Boys and Girls Club, Superstition Mountain Mental Health and from county staff. Vice Chairperson Riddle commented the county owns the land: Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated they own it through Bureau of Land Management.They are the caretakers.The county complex is on the same Bureau of Land Management land. Vice Chairperson Riddle asked if they are giving the land to them. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated they will lease them the land for one dollar a year.The Bureau of Land Management goal is to give back to public service.They cannot sell it and use the money. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 6 OF 10 Vice Chairperson Riddle commented each organization will come in and build their own building on the land that they are leasing from them. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated that is correct. Vice Chairperson Riddle asked who would be paying for the utilities, grading and other land improvements. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated they will all be partners to bring the utilities over there.Each will be paying their own utility bill.The sewer will probably have to come under Highway 88 and they have to bring the technology needed through the computers and other systems.The privately owned land in the area and over by where the old Superstition Ho Grand Hotel used to be will then have the utilities opened up into those areas.It will be doing them a good service, also, as it will bring economic development to them and the city.They are working with Apache Junction Development Services, what needs to be done and where things should be located.They need to stub up utilities so that they can be continued upon.Their highway department has sewer over there, so the sewer it that close. Vice Chairperson Riddle asked what would happen to the current offices at the county complex that will be vacated. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated the court system is bursting at the seams because of the growth.They are going to take over where the building permits, planning and development and air quality are now housed.Those services will be relocated to the health department once they go into their new building.The clerk of the court, the board of supervisors' office, recorder and treasurer are all bursting at the seams, also.They should be able to expand all of those offices to accommodate the services needing to be delivered. Vice Chairperson Riddle commented it is called growth. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith agreed, adding it is not always a positive, but in this case it is.They can increase the services needed by our mutual citizens. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 7 OF 10 Vice Chairperson Riddle commented she is glad they are planning for growth in the new project.The area will continue to grow and she is glad to see they are anticipating that. Pinal County Supervisor Sandie Smith stated they believe they will be able to co -locate their public works yard somewhere with Apache Junction in the future.They could not do it when they were ready to expand as the city was not sure where they were going on Baseline.They would also like to cooperate with animal control and help the city there.They are always looking at how to maximize the resources in this area. 4.Commission discussion and possible recommendation on proposed Pinal County Health and Human Services Complex. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated they have a couple of options.There is less than a quorum so they could send an unofficial recommendation to the city council that they support this project.It would be the concept they would be supporting, not how it is funded.If they are uncomfortable with a recommendation, they can wait until the March meeting and hopefully get a quorum there.The two other members would not have had the benefit of this discussion then.They have received the packet, however. Vice Chairperson Riddle stated she feels comfortable making a recommendation. Commissioner Clabuesch stated they can always fill the other people in once they are at a meeting. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated there is a third option. They can send forward an unofficial recommendation now and put it on the next agenda and do it officially at that point. Commissioner Clabuesch stated she would like to do that. Vice Chairperson Riddle agreed. Commissioner Clabuesch stated they would go ahead and agree to this project and have a future discussion in March and make a final decision at that time. There was general discussion on when that meeting would be. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 8 OF 10 Commissioner Clabuesch asked if there was anyone else who would like to address the commission. Mr. Bob Lymie, Boys and Girls Club, addressed the commission. He stated he is the campaign consultant for this project.They will try to raise $2.5 million to try to get into a long term relationship with the community.This will be a full service after school and potentially before school facility depending on staffing and funding for children ages 6 to 18.They anticipate hundreds of children accessing the site for as little as $20 a year membership.They offer scholarships to those that cannot afford their fees.There will be a working teen center, food service, gymnasium, technology and computer labs, and other services. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if they would be adding to their staff. Mr. Bob Lymie stated they would.They try to have a ratio of 1 to 15, depending on funding.A minimum of $500,000 has been identified in the $2.5 million as endowment monies for long term expenses from today's costs.It has been factored in. Commissioner Clabuesch stated she knows their staff gets overloaded at times, and with this expansion they would need to add several more staff. Mr. Bob Lymie stated it is their mandate to have paid professional staff on their sites.They may use volunteers, but they are not the core unit of adults working with the children. Many of these children go to the facility because of certain staff members that are running the programs.Their impact is huge. Business Advocate Janine Solley stated they may have noticed on the conceptual drawing there was a park at the facility.There will be a park at the site but they do not know the size, and the city has expressed an interest in having a public facility there, possibly a BMX park. 5.Discussion on future meetings. Chairperson Evans resumed his seat on the dais.He stated they have had a discussion on future meetings. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 9 OF 10 City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated they have decided to have one in March.She asked if they have any particular time frame. There was general discussion on what date to make the meeting. The consensus was to have the meeting on March 20 at 4 p.m. if Vice Chairperson Riddle can make the meeting. Chairperson Evans asked if there was anything the commission wanted to agendize for the next meeting.There was none.He asked if the public wanted to share any matters with the commission.There was no one wishing to speak and he moved on to the next item. 6.Adjournment. Chairperson Evans called for a motion. Commissioner Clabuesch MOVED TO ADJOURN. Vice Chairperson Riddle SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. Chairperson Evans adjourned the meeting at 4:42 p.m. Robert Evans Kathleen Connelly Chairperson City Clerk HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 2008 PAGE 10 OF 10