HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-01-19
Council for Human Services
January 19, 2010
2 Fairgrounds Road
Minutes of the meeting of January 19, 2010 at 8:00 am. The meeting took place in the
town building at 2 Fairgrounds Road Nantucket, MA 02554. Members of the Board
present were: Linda Barrett, Dorothy Hertz, Linda Williams, Rachel Rosen, and Jackie
McGrady. Members of the Interfaith Council present: Sara Jones, president, Terry Anne
Vigil, secretary, Rev. Georgia Ann Snell, Susan Hochwald. Members of the public:
Michael Rosen and Michael Kopko.
Absent: Sue Marques, Maria Pena. Meeting called to order at 8:07 am.
Joint meeting of the Council for Human Services Committee and the Interfaith Council.
Rachel started the meeting by reminding everyone not to speak out until
they are recognized by the chairman. Maryanne asked that this
meeting not be personal but be about the department. How are the
needs going to be met if the Human Services department no longer exists?
People cannot fall through the cracks. The Interfaith Council (IFC) works
collaboratively with agencies with their two programs that provide basic needs
for people, food and shelter; IFC manages the Emergency Food Pantry and the
Rental Assistance Program. The needs are enormous. The food pantry started in
1989 and has grown tremendously; the rental assistance program started with
the proviso that it would be taken over by the town and that never happened.
The NRAP administrator checks the condition of the rental and whether or not it
is a legal unit. So many clients are out of work and a lot of people NRAP is
working with are native Nantucketers. A lot of the people receiving rental
assistance also use the food pantry. The concern now is the elimination of the
Human Services Department. The IFC is not opposed to a collaborative but it is
a huge undertaking to make sure the needs of the community are met. A
collaborative does not need the BOS to be formed; these agencies are private
non-profits. The IFC has a working group already, the IFC works with 18 faith-
based communities. This seems to be about funds and not services; providing
services and raising funds are two different things.
. The HS department works with a lot of agencies on and off the island and when
anyone wants to know who to call for something, they know they can call
Maryanne and she will know who to call. Doing away with the department will be
a complete disservice to the community.
Who will the coordinator of the new collaborative report to? Who will take on the
responsibility of the coordinator? Who is going to be accountable for how town
funds are being spent? Will the coordinator also provide direct services?
The Human Services Collaborative Study Work Group (HSCSWG) meets once or
twice a month to learn what is being done and what services are out there; they
will then make recommendations to the BOS. When is the report due? Not sure.
Looking at the HSCSWG, Michael Kopko is on workgroup and BOS chair, he also
wrote the proposal to the town. Is this a conflict of interest? Should the CHS ask
the BOS to step aside? Tomorrow night at the BOS meeting the BOS will discuss
the elimination of the Humans Services Department. What do we need to do?
The IFC has been working on something to present at BOS meeting.
The Human Services department cannot be done away with without ATM vote.
Do not believe the elimination of a town department has to go to ATM, ATM is
budgetary and then it would go to town administrator to make the decision. The
Council for Human Services (CHS) will go the BOS meeting and object to the
elimination of the HS Department and invites the IFC to come along. A motion
was made and seconded to continue this meeting to tomorrow January 20th at
6:00 at the BOS meeting.
Respectfully submitted by
.Ann :Medina