Board of Commissioners Meeting Summary of October 28, 2009
Board Members Present: Howard Gentry, Patrick Willard, Frank Boehm, Mary Kate Mouser, Barbara Toms and George Price
Board Members Absent: Gwen Harris
Legal Advisor: Christy Feldman, Metro Legal
Mayor Liaison: Hershell Warren, Mayor’s Office
Commissioner Gentry called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone to the Metro Social Services (MSS) October Board of Commissioners Meeting.
Commissioner Gentry then obtained a motion to approve the September 23 meeting summary. Motion was properly made, seconded and accepted.
Directors Report
Renee Pratt began her report by commenting on the Nutrition Program being a recipient of $233,000 of America Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds. The funds will be used to open up a new site at the Riverwood location in Madison, Tennessee. She also provided a list of service agencies that received the Rapid Re-housing stimulus dollars which was requested at last month’s meeting.
Ms. Pratt further stated that she and Dinah Gregory had the opportunity to meet with Diane Lance, Special Assistant in the Mayor’s office who was very interested in learning more about the 2009 Community Needs Evaluation.
Ms. Pratt stated that it is now time to start working on the budget process. We hope to have a possible idea of the proposed cuts around the first or second week in December. It is anticipated that a working session can be held during the December board meeting, so the board will be ready to vote by the January meeting.
The Metro Social Services Newsletter has been sent out and we received positive feedback from this publication. The Board members who had not previously provided a headshot photograph and brief biography were asked to contact Bonnie Campbell. For Board members who do not have headshot photograph, Ms. Campbell can assist with setting up an appointment with the Metro photographer. These headshots will be used for the Metro Social Services Annual Report.
Ms. Pratt discussed the land for the indigent burial program and reported that MSS was recently approved to use the two plus acres of land in Bordeaux
Ms. Pratt then spoke on the release of the Community Needs Evaluation and the Poverty Symposium report, and noted that there was some lack of clarity about the respective roles of Metro Social Services (MSS) and the Metropolitan Action Commission (MAC). She pointed out that each Board packet included a copy of relevant sections of the Metropolitan Code of Laws, along with Mission and Purpose Statements for both MSS and MAC.
Ms. Pratt then reminded the board of the Thanksgiving Basket Giveaways that we work with each year at this time. Commissioner Gentry was instrumental in helping us get TSU as our distribution site. We will be serving 500 families in the Davidson County area. The dates for this event will be Friday, November 20 packing bags and the following day, the bags will be distributed to the families. Demitria Norman stated that a meeting to discuss the times is scheduled for this afternoon and that the information will then be forwarded to the Board.
Renee Pratt ended her report by reminding the board of the November meeting, which would be the day before Thanksgiving, and she asked whether the board would prefer to change the meeting date. It was suggested that the meeting be cancelled for November and we will hold the next meeting on Wednesday, December 16 at from 3-5 pm.
Finance Report
Pam McEwen began her report by stating that we are currently under budget and will remain within budget for the fiscal year. We are $127,000 under budget for the end of September and that is primarily due to personal services. Contracted services are currently over budget and this is because we do not turn people away when they come to us for a service.
There is approximately $24,000 in the Special Donations Fund. Ms. McEwen stated that tomorrow MSS would attend the Pre-proposal Conference on the RFP for the Nutrition Services Grant.
Commissioner Gentry congratulated Joyce Hillman, MSS Quality Assurance Reviewer, who was elected to serve on the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Tennessee Board as the Middle branch chair representing 35 counties.
Community Planning Subcommittee
Commissioner Boehm started his report by requesting feedback from the other Commissioners regarding the next steps for Planning & Coordination. Commissioner Boehm noted that an Evaluation Needs Subcommittee, Chaired by Dan Cornfield, worked with Planning & Coordination to complete the Community Needs Evaluation (on Food & Nutrition, Workforce & Economic Opportunity, Housing & Related Assistance, Home& Community Based Services and Transportation).
It had been anticipated that a Planning Subcommittee would identify priorities with short and long-term goals and strategies, based on the data that had been collected in the needs evaluation. Then that plan would be taken to a third subcommittee, which would address implementation, which would help with the funding. This would include public and private funds and other resources, so that the recommendations from the Planning Committee could be implemented to address the needs identified in the evaluation.
Commissioner Boehm indicated that the Co-Chairs of the Planning Committees are Eric Dewey and Lewis Levine, who have assembled a first class group of leaders to serve on the planning subcommittee. Commissioner Boehm noted that there seems to be a lack of clarity about the purpose of the Poverty Initiative and the process being used by MSS Planning and Coordination.
Commissioner Boehm noted that at the first meeting of the planning subcommittee, there was discussion by members indicating that they need to know a clearer mission for the subcommittee. After the Co-Chairs indicated a broader mission than MSS had requested, Commissioner Boehm clarified to them that the MSS Board of Commissioners cannot vote on anything brought to us that do not deal with the five areas listed above.
Commissioner Boehm then asked Mr. Levine to come back to the subcommittee and come up with long and short-term projects and goals that deal with the five areas mentioned. However, if the committee would like to do more, it will have to be done in another form that does not involve Metro Social Services. The projects and goals they come up with will then be presented to the board for a vote and then taken to the implementation committee and Mr. Levine agreed to do this. Commissioner Boehm indicated that he would provide Mr. Lavine with the information discussed during the Board meeting.
Commissioner Gentry stated that the board might have worked hard to make the plans work together and not enough time in explaining the differences. Commissioner Gentry stated that Dinah Gregory has spent a great deal of time clarifying the differences, and Ms. Pratt had noted the clear differences.
Commissioner Gentry stated that MAC and MSS could work effectively together on areas of mutual concern. Commissioner Gentry indicated that MSS could move forward within the purview of the mission and charter mandate for MSS.
Commissioner Gentry stated that it is important to see where the two documents are in alignment, so that MSS could address the needs identified in its evaluation.
Commissioner Boehm stated that the next Community Planning Subcommittee meeting has not been scheduled, and that he will notify the board when the next meeting has been scheduled.
Ms. Gregory stated that she had provided information in the board folders on “Social/Human Community Planning and Coordination Models in Other Localities”. This document describes how ten other local government agencies have addressed the importance of planning and coordination for social/human services. She pointed out the list of common factors which other localities said were essential for success. She provided a chart demonstrating how a cycle of evaluation, planning and implementation would work. She also noted that the first Planning and Coordination Newsletter was recently distributed.
Julius Witherspoon, Nutrition Program
Julius Witherspoon explained that the purpose of the MSS Nutrition Program is to provide meals that meet ½ RDI, nutrition supplements, nutrition education and socialization products so low income/disabled persons to they can continue independent living.
Mr. Witherspoon provided the board with an overview of the Nutrition program which consists of the following:
- 14 Congregate meal sites
- 14 home delivered meals routes
- 12 delivered by volunteers
- 2 delivered by Van Drivers
- Average of 1300 meals delivered daily
- Primarily funded by GNRC
- Gathering Senior Nutrition – Food Vendor
Commissioner Toms asked if the Nutrition Program currently have people on a waiting list. Mr. Witherspoon stated that we currently do not have a waiting list because the MSS Nutrition Program tries to respond as soon as possible within the agency and through other partnerships. The majority of the clients are referred by doctors along with face-to-face visits. Mr. Witherspoon further noted that the MSS Nutrition Program is the largest provider of home delivered meals in Davidson County, but the trend is that numbers are increasing due to the economic conditions.
Motion for adjournment was then accepted and approved.