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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-24 HHSCMINUTES OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION City Clerk Conference Center 300 E. Superstition Blvd., Apache Junction, AZ September 24, 2008 - 3:30 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: JODENE WEETER, VICE CHAIRPERSON SUE CLABUESCH ANDREW WHITENECK STAFF PRESENT: KATHLEEN CONNELLY, CITY CLERK JAN MASON, DEPUTY CITY CLERK 1.Call to Order/Roll Call. Vice Chairperson Weeter called the meeting to order at 3:40 p.m. Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason called the roll and advised there was a quorum present. 2.Consideration and action on recommendations for human services funding for FY 2008-09 to include direction on unfunded agencies. Commissioner Whiteneck commented he and Chairperson Evans had discussed this and come to a strong agreement on what were necessities for the city. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if they had interviewed anyone. Commissioner Whiteneck stated they interviewed all the primary candidates. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated the only ones they did not interview were Junior Achievement and the United Food Bank. Commissioner Whiteneck stated Chairperson Evans feels that Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center is very important and he agrees with him as it provides mental health care.It affects the people here in the city and is a definite asset. Another is the Community Alliance Against Family Abuse; they always have their beds full and as soon as one is free it is HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 1 OF 10 filled up again.We have not given them too much money for the need and the services they provide.They are really important. Commissioner Clabuesch stated they funded them last year because of the program in the high school.She asked if it is for the same program again. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated it is.By providing the funding for that program, it frees up dollars for the actual onsite facility. Commissioner Whiteneck stated another that is extremely important is the food bank which supplies food for those people that are in extreme needs.They had to tap into the reserve food but they have had some people donate funds so that they could get those reserves back.However, we do not know what the future is going to hold for them.The last one he feels is important is the Community Action Human Resource Agency.They help people get heating and cooling systems plus do critical repairs for their homes.It would be inhumane to have people endure the heat in the summer without air conditioning.The others, such as the Boys and Girls Club, while they are putting up a new facility, he would not recommend 100% funding because their books are showing substantial income from investors, parents and such.He feels that the East Valley Senior Services is a good program, but he just does not feel it is as vital as the others.They cater to a lot of snowbirds. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated they do not.The city funding goes to city residents.They may not live here year round, but they have to be city residents. Commissioner Whiteneck stated he is sure they are, but if they have the resources to travel and do other things, they are not in as desperate a need as other people like the battered women. Their needs are legit. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated she does not believe the commission has ever funded them 100% in the past. Commissioner Whiteneck stated he feels they should follow that tradition.He asked if he could write his recommendations up on the board. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 2 OF 10 City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated he could.She requested Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason to correct the amount for East Valley Senior Services to $35,000 because the additional $8,000 has been funded by the Local Transportation Assistance Fund. Commissioner Clabuesch asked if they had $120,000 to work with. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated they have $100,000. Commissioner Whiteneck wrote his recommendations on the board. They were:Food Bank, $18,000; Boys and Girls Club, $16,000; Community Action Human Resources Agency, $8,000; Community Alliance Against Family Abuse, $12,000; Senior Center, $30,000; and Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center, $16,000. Vice Chairperson Weeter asked who monitors the multi- generational center's website. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated it is a city website and the city has a contract with East Valley Senior Services to provide the senior component of it, which is the senior programs that take place all week long. Vice Chairperson Weeter asked if the Boys and Girls Club really needs funding when one looks at what is available for the youth at the multi -generational center. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated she does not know. Commissioner Clabuesch commented she would think that the Boys and Girls Club has more funds coming than what the city gives them.They have other means. Vice Chairperson Weeter commented the multi -generational programs are doing a lot of what the Boys and Girls Club would be doing from what she was reading. Commissioner Clabuesch stated the multi -generational center adheres more to the seniors around here than it does the younger people. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated a lot of the daytime programs are youth -based.The seniors' formal program is Monday through Friday provided by East Valley Senior Center.They HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 3 OF 10 lease the space from the city.She believes the programs over there are 50/50 for seniors and the youth. Commissioner Clabuesch stated she has always felt that the services were geared more towards the older people than the youth.She has always kept them separate. Commissioner Whiteneck commented he took a guess on what he saw in the numbers in the books, what he felt their needs were and how he felt they would impact the city. Vice Chairperson Weeter commented if they took the Boys and Girls Club totally out of there and looked at what was being done for the senior center before it was changed to $35,000, she had $97,000 for what she has now.That is why she was looking at the multi -generational center for its services.They have several after school programs for the children that seem to fit as much as the Boys and Girls Club. Commissioner Whiteneck agreed.He has seen just that.They have many good programs, teaching martial arts and tai chi and other stuff. Vice Chairperson Weeter stated she is there 2 days a week and there are all ages there:young people, kids, middle-aged and senior seniors.The ones that take advantage of the food and transportation programs are people who are probably in their late 80's and 90's.There are a lot of younger people playing basketball.She asked them to think about it. There was general discussion on what monies the commission wanted to fund to each program. Commissioner Clabuesch stated she keeps the senior programs separate at the multi -generational center and feels that the Boys and Girls Club program is very important because they have been around for awhile and are so well -established.Even though they get a lot of donations and support from other organizations, she believes they need the city's support as well. Commissioner Whiteneck asked if she thought they should move some from the East Valley Senior Services to the Boys and Girls Club.They do have a lot of support; his subdivision supports HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 4 OF 10 them. Commissioner Clabuesch stated East Valley Senior Services receives a lot of support from other organizations. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated she is not sure what they can spend here. Commissioner Clabuesch stated that is because it is just a branch here. Commissioner Whiteneck stated the senior services supports a larger bunch of people and provides more necessity stuff.It is the only outlet for certain people.He figures it is a higher priority. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated $15,000 of what the East Valley Senior Services asked for the home -delivered meals, with the remainder for the congregate meals. Commissioner Clabuesch stated she believes the home -delivered meals is one of the most important programs they could have. Vice Chairperson Weeter commented the food bank has asked for $18,000.With what is happening to the economy right now, and knowing that the lower income workers will be the first ones to lose their jobs, she would like to give them more than some of these others that are well -funded. Commissioner Clabuesch agreed with her. Vice Chairperson Weeter commented they will get kicked in the fanny. Commissioner Clabuesch stated especially with the holidays coming up. Vice Chairperson Weeter stated her church gives them a lot of money and so do other people, but they barely made it last year and they are already telling people that they do not have food. Commissioner Whiteneck commented that is why he is suggesting the food bank be fully funded. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 5 OF 10 Vice Chairperson Weeter asked if they got the information on the food bank and the working poor in our area. Commissioner Clabuesch commented he would do the full request for the food bank. Commissioner Whiteneck stated that is as much as we can give them.We cannot give them more than they ask for. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated it would be unusual to give them more than they ask for. Vice Chairperson Weeter commented it does not mean we cannot. They are budgeting as close as they can on what happened last year.Last year they ran short at the end of the year. Commissioner Whiteneck commented they had to dip into their reserves last year.The good news is those have been refurbished. Vice Chairperson Weeter agreed with that, but asked that if it happens again this next year and they dip into the reserves, will anyone step forward to help them again.They do not have that guarantee. Commissioner Whiteneck stated they could also request more because their need is greater due to the diminished supply.The need was so great this year that they will need more funding so that they can go forward.Next year they can make those allocations to meet their needs.They are a priority and they should try to stick to their funding requests so that they do not set a precedence for going over.He believes the council would be more inclined to raise an eyebrow to funding more than was requested. Commissioner Clabuesch stated she would like to leave his recommendations the way they are. Commissioner Whiteneck MOVED THAT WE ACCEPT THE BUDGET. Vice Chairperson Weeter SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 6 OF 10 The motion carried. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated they have two agencies they decided not to fund.She needs direction on sending them a letter telling them that they have not been funded.She would like the motion to include their reasons for not funding them. The agencies are United Food Bank and Junior Achievement. Commissioner Whiteneck commented they felt there were other organizations that had a more critical need and had a greater impact in the community. Commissioner Clabuesch stated she did not think Junior Achievement was adhering to our guidelines that have been established for them to be eligible for the grant. Vice Chairperson Weeter stated she thought there was some question as to whether there was some overlapping between the Boys and Girls Club and Junior Achievement. Commissioner Clabuesch commented on the other one that we already have a food bank that we are funding. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated it would be duplication. Vice Chairperson Weeter closed the discussion and called for a motion. Commissioner Whiteneck MOVED THAT THERE WAS A FEELING THAT THERE WAS A MORE CRITICAL NEED AND THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAD A GREATER IMPACT ON THE AREA FOR JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, THERE WAS A QUESTION ON THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES, AND OVERLAP OF SERVICES WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB; AND WITH UNITED FOOD BANK THERE WOULD BE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES AS WELL WITH THE REACH OUT FOOD BANK. Commissioner Clabuesch SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 7 OF 10 4.Discussion on City Code Section 2-11-8 Removal of Members; possible recommendation to the city council to remove a member for excessive absences. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated behind their agenda is a letter that was sent last week to Kimberly Brossman.The letter lists the meetings she has missed over roughly a year.She had been asked to contact the city clerk's office by the beginning of this week if she wished to continue.She has not done so. Commissioner Whiteneck stated that is a definite indicator.The quantity of absences in that timeframe also goes beyond our guidelines for what is acceptable.He MOVED TO HAVE KIMBERLY DISMISSED. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated she would let the council know that they are recommending that she be replaced.It is convenient as we are currently in the cycle of filling vacancies. Commissioner Clabuesch SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. 3.Discussion on schedule for presenting recommendations to the city council. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated it is too late for the next meeting, which is October 6 and 7.They will be looking at the October 20 work session for the commission to present their recommendation and she will have the contracts ready for the October 21 meeting for signature if the recommendations are accepted.They have never gone against the recommendations. There was one year where they threw in more money but that is not going to happen this year. Commissioner Clabuesch asked what happened. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated one year the commission offered two levels of recommendation, one for $100,000 and one for $120,000.The council opted for the higher one that year but it will not happen this year. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 8 OF 10 Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason stated there was also one year where the council added money for the Boys and Girls Club. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly asked that if they would want to reconvene if by any chance this group of applicants fails to give their reports and things go wrong.The contract is canceled if they fail to perform.The money would go back into the pool and the commission can reconvene to disburse it. Commissioner Whiteneck stated it would be fine to reconvene to disburse it or they can agree to disburse it proportionately. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated they can do that now. Commissioner Whiteneck MOVED TO AGREE NOW TO REDISTRIBUTE IT PROPORTIONATELY IF ONE OF THEM SHOULD FAIL. The consensus was they would like to do so. Commissioner Clabuesch stated someone did give the money back one year. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated that was the Salvation Army. It was years ago. Commissioner Whiteneck commented that way they might be able to give more money to the food bank than they had asked for. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly stated she has worked with the organizations for years.They have never been a problem as far as reporting goes.She would be shocked if something went wrong. Commissioner Clabuesch SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. City Clerk Kathleen Connelly suggested they mark their calendars for the October 20 work session.It would be helpful if one or more of them could be present.As soon as the memo for the council is ready it will be provided to them. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 9 OF 10 Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason stated Vice Chairperson Weeter and Commissioner Whiteneck should be at the work session as they are up for reappointment to the commission and the interviews are that night. 6.Adjournment. Commissioner Whiteneck MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. Commissioner Clabuesch SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried Vice Chairperson Weeter adjourned the meeting at 4:05 p.m. Robert Evans 2 d 0X -e/L/L.,1(.,g7v.-70f..--4 Kathleen Connelly Chairperson City Clerk HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 PAGE 10 OF 10