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Archived Minutes

The Metropolitan Social Services Board of Commissioners met on Wednesday, September 17, 2003. Chair Luvenia Butler called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. The minutes for the meeting held on August 27, 2003, were approved as presented.

Executive Director’s Report
Ms. Berry reminded everyone of the Madison Senior and Community Awareness Day that will be held on Friday, September 19, 2003, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Madison Community Center. She urged everyone to come and help make the event a success.

Ms. Berry reported that the Policies and Procedures are almost ready to forward to the Legal Department for them to look at and review. We will then send them to Board members to review prior to our next meeting. We have been working on them for some time and Ms. Berry commended staff for the time they have spent on them. It was a tremendous undertaking and the staff has done an excellent job.

The Performance Audit should be completed within the next two weeks. They will write up a report and we will pass along information when it is received. We are on target for the Program Audit. The RFP has gone out and should be closed by the end of the month. We looked at the RFP and made a few changes before it was sent out. She will get a copy of the RFP from Mr. Dawson and forward to the board members. Ms. Berry would like to get the Program Audit completed and any changes in the Department to be as smooth as possible.

Financial Report
Ms. Berry explained that Ms. McEwen is out-of-town but she prepared a very detailed report for the Board to review. She will answer any questions you may have at our meeting next month.

There have been many questions as to why we have not spent the money that we have budgeted for the renovations at the Knowles Home. Ms. Berry introduced Wenford Barnes, Assistant Director at the Knowles Home, to bring us up-to-date on the project.

Mr. Barnes reported we are up and running. Workers and materials, including roofing material for a new roof for the Knowles Home, are on site. Mr. Barnes has met with the general contractor and was assured there is a time frame schedule. The project has three phases and an engineer had to be called to address a problem at the old Library. Mr. Barnes wants to assure everyone the work has started.

Board Vacancies
Ms. Berry reported that Mr. Glenn Carter is scheduled to go before the Metro Council on October 7 to be considered for appointment to fill one of the two vacancies on this Board. She has not received any word on the other vacancy. After the October meeting, Ms. Berry would like to set up a retreat to up-date our newest Commissioners, Mr. Holliday and Mr. Carter, as well as other Commissioners on what the Department is doing.

Community Up-date
Ms. Polk explained she would give a very informal report on what is going on in the community. The latest information we have on the Hope VI Project is the residents have not been given a date they have to move. They were told they could apply for Section 8 and if they were eligible, receive a certificate that is good for 60 days but it would be very hard to get an extension if the money does not become available during these 60 days. One option they were given was to submit an application to be held until the money is available at which time they can up-date their application. People are choosing different options and some have come to us. We do not have money in our budget to help everyone but we are looking at each case individually. We will try to get more information on when these funds will be available by the next Board meeting.

The Family Resource Center at Woodbine is now about a year and a half old. We have a social worker assigned there to work particularly with the Spanish population. The position was vacant for a while but we now have someone who transferred from the Health Department and has connections with a network of services for the Spanish clientele. The Community has senior issues and has invited some of our staff to meet with their Advisory Council.

We mentioned last month the school liaison position at the Casey Resource Center. This person is working at Kirkpatrick School, where President Bush recently visited. This
school has really struggled but resources are being pooled to go into the school and we are a part of this effort. Ms. Polk noted she and Mr. Witherspoon have had numerous conversations around having a Community Service staff person to be located and involved in this area.

Another area where we have had no presence is North Nashville. There is a Family Resource Center in the old John Early School on 25th Avenue. The School System has agreed to renovate and maintain the building and fund one person to be an outreach leader. We will put a staff member there on a part time basis.

We have been working with the principal of Bordeaux School, where a Family Resource Center is located, on their becoming a part of our service network. Mr. Witherspoon is looking to see how Richland Village can be involved.

The principal at the New John Early Magnet School is interested in what services we can provide and being involved in the service network of the North Nashville area.

It was noted staff are being stretched to cover these new areas. We have asked and will continue asking for funds to be included in our budget for more staff.

Commissioner Dobbins asked about the Camilla Caldwell Fund being used for the Hope VI Project. Ms. Polk will talk to Ms. McEwen to have a procedure in place on how to use this fund.

Currently, the homeless population is very visible. A lot of the Family Services budget goes to housing and utility costs, thus helping to prevent being homeless. A portion of one of our social worker’s time goes toward addressing the homeless issue in the downtown area. We have staff that participates in the Homeless Task Force and Suzie Tolmie, Metro Development and Housing, is working to formalize the Gaps Group that will be working on homeless issues. Ms. Harris suggested using the Salvation Army as a resource for housing.

Other
Ms. Berry shared she has enjoyed working in this Department and being part of an agency who makes a difference.

Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 4:05 p.m.