Guests: Mark Richman, REAP Coordinator, Community Ministries of Rockville
             Robin Sparer, Youth and Family Services Supervisor, City of Rockville

Re: Call Meeting to Order/Introductions

Tim Stranges called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.

Re: Plan Commission Social Event

Mary Lou Jacobs said that she had called the Glenview Mansion and the second Tuesday evening in February was not available.  Darrell Butler moved that the Commission hold a regular business meeting the second Tuesday in February and the social event be scheduled for the second Tuesday in March; Deborah Hopson seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.  Mary Lou said she would investigate the possibility of having the social event at the Glenview Mansion.

Re: Approve Meeting Minutes for December 11, 2004

David L’Heureux moved that the minutes be approved as written.  Tom Lawrey seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.  Tim asked if everyone could receive a copy of the Rockville/Gaithersburg budget comparison that had been handed out at the meeting.  Mary Lou agreed to mail copies to everyone with the next Commission mailing.

Re: Select Topics for Annual Report

In response to the question as to whether the Commission should produce an annual report, David said he thought that the Commission should have a record of issues that have been considered during the year, for example the progress on health issues in the community made by Community Ministries of Rockville (CMR).  Tim agreed that it is important that the Human Services Advisory Commission do an annual report just for the record, i.e., this is what the Commission looked at during the past year and this is what was decided.

Tim then asked if members wanted to deliberate on topics for the annual report.  There was general agreement that it would be good to start listing potential topics immediately.  The following list was proposed:

• The CMR Health Project
  
• A comparison of human services provided by Rockville with those provided by Gaithersburg
  
• A discussion of affordable housing including MPDU’s and senior housing; this discussion could reference the letter sent to the Mayor and Council
  
• Darrell suggested the Commission at least mention that they were looking into the living wage issues; Mary Lou said that, according to articles in The Gazette, the State Legislature is set to override the Governor’s veto on a living wage bill.  She suggested citing that fact which provides more of a reason for the Commission studying the issue.  Tim added that also members don’t know if the Mayor and Council are aware that the City has employees paid below the living wage.
  
• Tom Lawrey suggested including a list of guest speakers
  
• Agnes Saenz suggested including information re the site visits completed during the past year
  
• Agnes also suggested that issues related to immigration and health care should be considered for this annual report as follow-up to the last annual report completed by the Commission

During the discussion of topics for the annual report, Eric Wang asked whether the Commission could consider the issue of after-school programming, which he sees as a need in the community.  Mary Lou responded that the City receives funding for after-school programming so the Commission could choose to look at this issue in the upcoming year.  Tim then asked if the Commission has a work plan for the year.  Members responded that this has varied depending on the chairperson.  There was agreement that the issue of a work plan would need to be addressed by the incoming chair.

Re: Plan Agenda for February Commission Meeting

1. Issue of a new chairperson and vice chairperson needs to be resolved.
   
2. Complete the discussion of topics for the annual report.
   
3. Finalize the logistics for the Commission’s social event.
   
4. Tom said he would ask the Manna Food Center board to recommend a speaker on hunger in Rockville whom he would contact to speak at the next meeting.
   
5. The Commission agreed to invite the new City Manager and to ask for his thoughts on what the Human Services Advisory Commission should be working on.  Tim agreed to write a letter inviting him with David to assist.

Darrell asked if the Commission had discussed the current opening for a consumer representative on the Commission.  David suggested that if Darrell had someone in mind, he ask that person to submit an application to the City Clerk.  Mary Lou also suggested that he might want to invite the applicant to a meeting.  Darrell said he would invite him to the next meeting.

Re: Creation of Foundation to Support City Programs

Robin Sparer, Director of Youth and Family Services for the City of Rockville, said that she has been considering ways on how to bring revenue into the City.  She attended a conference at the University of Maryland where she learned about setting up a 501(c) 3.  She feels there is a desire among residents to support youth programming.  In addition, Youth and Family Services struggles to apply for grants because the division, as part of a municipality, is not eligible for many grants.  She is trying to find a creative way to increase funding for youth programming and thought the Commission might be in a position to help.  Tim asked if Robin saw this entity as a receptacle for all donations, as, for example, the Holiday Drive donations.  Robin said no; she saw it as having specific purposes.  David asked how it would compare with REAP, e.g., why can’t additional contributions be put into a fund similar to the REAP Fund?  Robin said that the real issue is the ability of the City to apply for funding.  David asked about the legal ramifications.  Mary Lou said that she thinks the Senior Center has a separate nonprofit organization, which might serve as a model.

Agnes said that a 501(c)3 such as Robin described would make the Youth and Family Services Division competitive with all the other Caregiver organizations where there is already a lot of competition.  Robin asked with whom the Division would be competing.  Agnes responded that it would be competing with other programs applying for youth-related funding.  Darrell said he could not think of many services for at-risk youth in the County, especially as the issue of gangs emerges.  Robin said that Kensington-Wheaton, Silver Spring, and Bethesda Youth Services are all more able to attract funding than Rockville.  She does not think they would see Rockville as a threat to them.  Tim asked about competition with other Rockville Caregivers.  Darrell said that the MOMS Program is probably the only program that could be affected.  Mary Lou added that Youth and Family Services is the designated Youth Services Bureau for the city of Rockville.

Darrell asked Robin to explain how the Commission might be in a position to help with her plan.  Mark Richman said that he has seen instances where a body such as the Commission disbands its meeting to start another meeting related to a specific issue such as fundraising.  Robin said she was just putting the idea forth as a concept and as a way to meet a need.  Tim asked if the Commission could act in this capacity given its limited charter.  David said the Commission would probably have to form a separate organization with, possibly, different people in each group.  Tim suggested getting more information about Rockville Seniors, Inc. and, perhaps, talking with the City Attorney.  Mary Lou said that a report on forming a Rockville foundation was done a number of years ago in response to a recommendation from the Human Needs and Services Advisory Task Force.  She remembers there being a cost attached.  Tim asked Mary Lou if she would find this earlier report and also research what the City is currently doing.

Re: Update on Rockville Emergency Assistance Program

Mary Lou introduced the discussion of the Rockville Emergency Assistance Program (REAP) by explaining to Commission members that the City had received a request the first week in November 2004 from Mark Richman, REAP Coordinator at Community Ministries of Rockville, for the third quarter REAP disbursement.  This was very early compared with previous years.  For the last two years $71,000 to $76,000 has been distributed.  This amount represents a significant increase over the actual allocation.  In addition to City funding there is some money from community donations to meet this potential deficit.  Mark added that he estimates the program will run out of funds six to eight weeks before the end of the year.  There was $7,765 as of today in the REAP account.  He estimates the average monthly cost for REAP at about $5,000, but it’s impossible to know how many applicants will come in.

Mark explained that in addition to City funds, CMR uses non-city funds to meet the emergency needs of city residents.  Last year this amount totaled approximately $20,000.  He describes the REAP Program as “busy”.  Last year the program used up its carryover allotment from previous years.  It is hard to predict what will happen during the rest of the current year.  He is seeing eviction notices of $3,600, $4,200 and more.  Eviction notices used to be less.

Robin added that she thinks prescriptions are one of the primary reasons more money has been spent.  She said the intention was that REAP would provide a bridge.  But people return for additional grants.  Mark said perhaps grants for prescriptions should be “one time only”.  He tries to assist REAP applicants with Medicaid applications.

Robin said she also thinks there is a correlation between the increased REAP disbursements with the King Farm and Fallsgrove.  It costs clients more to live in these areas, which causes other needs to emerge.  Often, Mark said, he sees people who can afford to move into an apartment in Rockville but can’t pay the security deposit.  Agnes said that rents and housing, generally, have increased significantly.  Mark said he always wishes we had more assistance to offer, for example, case management. 

Tim asked what the primary source of funding is for REAP.  Mark responded that the City is the primary funder.  Half of his clients live within the corporate city limits; half live in the non-incorporated areas of Rockville.  CMR receives other funds for the program from churches, businesses, individuals, FEMA, the Emergency Assistance Coalition, and grants.  Mary Lou added that the City provides $58,000 through the grant application process.  Robin said that if a person is eligible, there is a lot of money from other community resources that can be put together to meet needs.  Mark said that the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Department will help once every twelve months.  This is the largest source of emergency assistance.  The County’s largest grant for a single application is $750 but, occasionally, they will make an exception and fund up to $1,300.

Mark said that he thinks recidivism is about 20%.  A lifetime cap could be considered.  Some clients seem to make REAP part of their annual budget plan.  Agnes said she thinks it’s important to be realistic; the need has increased.  Tim asked if the amount of donations has increased.  Mary Lou said it has not.  Mark asked if a brochure explaining the REAP Program could be mailed with the water bill.  Darrell said at the very least the REAP information needs to be highlighted on the bill so people are reminded to include a donation in their check.  Tim asked if the Commission could see the reformatted bill.  Perhaps a copy could be included in next month’s Commission materials.  In addition, Tim said he pays his bills electronically and wonders if the system is smart enough to know that a part of his payment should be made to REAP.  Agnes commented that she thinks more dollars need to come from the Mayor and Council.

Re: Adjourn 

David moved to adjourn the meeting.  Darrell seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.  The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m.

The next meeting of the Human Services Advisory Commission will be held Tuesday, February 8, 2005, from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., at the Rockville Senior Center.