Human Services Advisory Commission

 Meeting Minutes
March 11, 2008
 7:35 - 9:35 PM
Rockville City Hall

Re:  Call Meeting to Order/ Introductions

Sarah Duffy called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.  

Re:  Approve December 11, 2007 and January 8, 2008 Meeting Minutes

Tim Stranges moved that the minutes for December 11, 2007 and January 8, 2008 be approved.  David L’Heureux seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

Re:  Old Business

Debrief February 13 Meeting on Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan (PROS) Plan
Commission members who had attended the February 13 meeting on the PROS Plan reported that the meeting had been very productive.  Members of the Human Services Advisory Commission, the Human Rights Commission, and Community Ministries of Rockville provided ideas for future Recreation and Parks programming.    Some of the ideas discussed were:

• the need for more youth scholarships
• the need for more after school activities
• changing the name of the Department of Recreation and Parks to include human services
• scheduling more drop-in activities which would suit both old and young participants
• making sure there is enough green space as the community ages

Cindy Griffiths said she would like to recommend that the City continue its Summer Playgrounds program longer into the month of August, a time when kids often have nothing to do.  Commission members also asked if accessibility had been discussed and pointed out that people using wheelchairs or walkers are not able to navigate through Town Center due to the pavement. 

Agnes Saenz asked if the planning sessions would include a group of Latino parents.  Mary Lou explained that a session had been set up to piggyback on a regular Richard Montgomery High School parents meeting but was later cancelled.  Instead the Community Services Outreach Worker is now planning to have the Latino boys from her Richard Montgomery and Rockville high school groups meet with the consultant in order to discuss their ideas for the Recreation, Parks and Open Space plan.
 
Tim Stranges asked if everyone could receive a copy of the February 13 meeting summary.  Commission members also requested information as to whether comments are still being accepted.

Community Services Division Monthly Reports for December 2007 and January 2008
Mary Lou Jacobs was asked whether there has been an increase in the number of requests for help with utilities.  She responded that since utility companies do not shut off utilities during the winter months, the Rockville Emergency Assistance Program (REAP) has not seen an increase in these applications.  She added that the Division is starting to see requests related to foreclosures where the amount needed far exceeds the amount that the City is able to provide.  These applicants are referred to the County and the State for assistance.  The Governor’s Office recently completed a study looking at those areas in the state that will be most impacted by the foreclosure crisis.  One is Gaithersburg.  Mary Lou has requested information on foreclosures in Rockville.  Sarah Mahin added that the homeless shelters are also seeing the results of foreclosures.

Councilmember John Britton said that the Council would be interested in seeing the information from the Governor’s Office.  He added that, unfortunately, water rates will be increasing for residents of Rockville, which will add to the financial pressure they are already feeling.  Understanding these different programs would help council members in their deliberations.

Mary Lou asked if any Commission members would be interested in discussing strategies for assisting low-income residents deal with increased water rates.  The challenge is how to help people with issues like utility payments while also promoting energy conservation.  During the past year the Division did some work with the David Scull community, providing funds for weatherizing units.  They found that residents there were not used to conservation measures such as turning down their thermostats.  Councilmember Britton added that the same issues exist with respect to water use.

Re:  Briefing for Mayor Hoffmann and Councilmember Britton

Commission members introduced themselves to Mayor Hoffman and Councilmember Britton.  Sarah Duffy then reviewed the City’s Human Services Policy and summarized the role of the Commission.  She said that Commission activities include:

• Advising the Mayor and Council on issues related to human services
• Assisting with oversight of City-funded service providers specifically through site visits
• Increasing cultural awareness
• Promoting human services and their availability
• Assessing the need for human services in Rockville

She added that the Commission has found that many human services are available but there is insufficient access to services.

Shari Cohen said that the Commission was interested in seeing if the Council could address human services when they compose their next vision statement.  Sarah Duffy agreed, saying that this is an example of the type of recommendation the Commission makes.

Sarah Duffy continued that the Commission also invites many guest speakers to help members understand various issues.  For example, one area of study has been local gang violence.  To help better understand this issue the Commission has invited the County’s Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator, a representative from Identity, and a City police officer to speak at their meetings.

Finally, Sarah Duffy explained that the Commission actively promotes human services by participating in the City’s Salute to Nonprofits, an annual event that took place last summer in the new Town Center plaza, and by contributing to the annual December insert to Rockville Reports entitled “Rockville’s Caregiving Agencies.”

Sarah Mahin then identified and described the homeless shelters funded by the City.  Cindy Griffiths followed with a description of other programs that receive City funding.  A discussion followed of the fees charged by Mobile Medical Care in their partnership with Community Ministries of Rockville known as the Mansfield Kaseman Health Center.  Councilmember Britton asked who sets the income limit for eligibility.  Agnes Saenz responded that each clinic sets its own limit.  Mary Lou Jacobs said that generally as long as the individual is uninsured or underinsured, he/she can access health care.  However, Agnes added, the clinic fee is not waived.  For people with chronic health conditions compounding fees become significant.  Mary Lou said that she inquired of the Primary Care Coalition which administers County funds for health care as to the policy for fees, and was told that it will be some time before this issue is studied.  She thinks the next step is to communicate with the Director of Mobile Medical Care.  She does not think the County intends that people not seek health care.

Sarah Duffy then explained to Mayor Hoffman and Councilmember Britton that this year the Commission has three priority areas:  access to services, employment services and youth.  With respect to the first priority area, the Commission has looked at different ways to market services.  In the area of employment services, the Commission has approached Montgomery Works to locate a kiosk for their services in Rockville.  Montgomery Works requested that the City provide space or some other in-kind match.

Sarah Duffy said that the last item members wanted to mention is the anticipated cut in funding at the county level.  Mayor Hoffman responded that there are some rumblings about giving more of a tax rate cut to our citizens.  Rockville is by and large a fairly comfortable community.  The amount suggested of about $100 per year for each household would not be that significant.  But it would total about $1 million.  If that were to happen, human services programs are where these dollars would come from.  The Commission may wish to point that out in testimony on behalf of the Caregiver agencies.

Regarding testimony at the public hearing, the Mayor also said that she supports the idea of having one client testify on behalf of the Caregiver agencies but not multiple clients.  She thinks the audience empathizes with those who don’t have extended families and, thus, no financial cushion.  Her view is that there will always be people who need services and the job of government is to assist them.

Eric Wang introduced an article from the Rockville High School newspaper on local gang activity that his daughter, a high school student, had given him.  It talks about incidents increasing in Lincoln Park and Twinbrook.  He had attended a Twinbrook Civic Association meeting and was told Twinbrook has no gang problem.  He wondered how this issue should be addressed.  Mayor Hoffman said she would urge the Commission to meet again with Chief Treschuk to discuss gang activity in Rockville.  Her understanding is that Rockville does have a problem but it is not out of control as it is in other areas of the county.  She also thinks that Eric’s daughter’s observations would be helpful.  Sarah Duffy agreed that it would be good to get an update.  Mary Lou said that for years Rockville has been seen as not having a gang problem.  But just within the last two weeks she has learned that the Collaboration Council will make funding available for youth programming targeting students at Wood Middle School and Rockville High School.

Councilmember Britton asked how the Commission plans to increase outreach so that residents learn of available services.  Sarah Duffy said she has considered holding Commission meetings in different parts of the city.  David L’Heureux said that in the past the Commission has used the cable channel, civic associations, and Rockville Reports to get the word out.  Mayor Hoffman said that the Mayor and Council are beginning a series of town hall meetings that they will take to Rockville neighborhoods.  They could add a 15-minute segment on issues such as this.  Perhaps a couple of boards or commissions could get together to plan a presentation.

Cindy then brought up the topic of evictions in Rockville, suggesting that a plan be developed to assist residents before the eviction takes place.  Mayor Hoffman said that she and other Council members would be willing to talk with the sheriff about them.  Mary Lou said that the Community Services Division is working on ways to catch the problem earlier—before the eviction gets to the Sheriff’s office.  Mayor Hoffman asked if there is some way that the City could be flagged when the eviction process first begins.  Mary Lou responded that the resident is required to go to Montgomery County before contacting the City or other sources of assistance.  Councilmember Britton said that he might first consider writing a letter to the landlord.  Mary Lou pointed out that if the process is pushed up so that an eviction notice is not needed, more pressure would be placed on City funds.  David suggested that the landlord could be required to send a copy of the eviction notice to the City as well as the tenant.

The Mayor then asked if there is overlap with the Human Rights Commission.  Are there times when the concerns of both groups are the same?  For example, sometimes a violation of rights leads to a denial of services.  Maybe there needs to be more of a demarcation.  Tim said that in the past members of each commission have attended each other’s meetings.  Sarah suggested that the chairpersons could meet.

David said that the main concern of Commission members has been to understand what the Mayor and Council want from us.  Mayor Hoffman and Councilmember Britton both said it works the other way around as well.  David said he thought it important to have joint meetings.  The Mayor was asked whether commission liaisons will be appointed.  She responded that the Council rarely received reports from the liaisons.  She is inclined to go back to the concept of an annual worksession with each of the boards and commissions.  She also suggested that this Commission continue to use staff to keep in touch.  Councilmember Britton added that the Commission might consider using the citizens’ forum as a means of communicating.  The three minutes allowed is usually enough time to provide background on an issue.  He also suggested that the Commission’s purposes are better served if members deal with the Mayor and Council in a more strategic way.

Re:  Old Business (continued)

Debrief February 7 Meeting with Councilmember Gajewski
Everyone had read the summary of this meeting; no questions were raised.

Re:  New Business

A discussion followed of any overlap between the Human Services Advisory Commission and the Human Rights Commission.  Tim said that as a starting point, each commission should send a representative to the other commission’s meetings.  He volunteered to attend the next Human Rights Commission meeting.  The suggestion was also made that members should review the Human Rights Commission minutes on the City’s website.

Sign-up for Site Visits
Mary Lou asked for volunteers to attend eight site visits, which will need to be scheduled before July 1, 2008.  The site visit for Rainbow Place is scheduled for tomorrow morning so Mary Lou said she could attend alone.  Members volunteered as follows:

CCACC:  Eric
Dorothy Day Place:  Cindy
Healthy Families Montgomery:  Agnes and David
Latino Outreach Program:  Tim
Manna Food Center:  Kim
Men’s Emergency Shelter:  Sarah Duffy
Montgomery Avenue Women’s Center:  Cindy and Kim

Re:  Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 9:37 p.m. 

The next meeting of the Human Services Advisory Commission will be held Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black-Eyed Susan Conference Room in City Hall.