| MINUTES: March 10, 2003
6:00 pm
2530 Arnold Drive
The Bay Room
Martinez, CA
 Item 1.0 – Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m. Item 2.0 – Roll Call.
Commissioners in attendance:
Maria Theresa Viramontes-Campbell, Dr. Michael Zwerdling, Cindy Wheeler, Violet Smith, Dr. Paula Moten-Tolson, Supervisor Mark De Saulnier, Dr. William Walker, Tony Colón, John Cullen Alternates in attendance:
Susan Wittenberg, Mary Foran, Pat Stroh Item 3.0 – Consent Items. Item 3.1 – Approve minutes for January 6, 2003 and January 24, 2003 meetings. Item 3.2 – Review, Discuss and Acknowledge Financial Reports for December 2002 and January 2003. Item 3.3 – Executive Committee Report.
Chairwoman Moten-Tolson informed the Commission that the following items were discussed: Executive Committee Report January 24, 2003: - Discussed moving the annual Executive Director evaluation process forward.
- Received an update on the Grand Jury Inquiry.
- Received an update on staffing changes among program staff working on strategy development.
- Discussed and agreed to cancel the February 3, 2003 Commission meeting and to move the March 3, 2003 meeting to March 10, 2003.
Executive Committee Report February 24, 2003: - Received an update on the continued development of the home visiting strategy.
- Received an update on the Grand Jury Inquiry.
- Received an update on the Commission’s annual program report, which has been submitted to the state and is available upon request. The local program information and audit information is included in the State Commission’s annual report which is available to the public through the State Commission and our Commission’s office.
- Discussed the process to appoint new committee chairs. The Commission Chair and Executive Director will develop a list of appointees to be brought back the Committee for consideration.
- Discussed and developed the agenda for the March 10, 2002 meeting.
- The Executive Committee then went into closed session to discuss and develop the evaluation of the Executive Director.
A motion was made and seconded to approve Item 3.0 - Consent Items. The Commission voted and approved the stated motion. Item 4.0 - Executive Director’s Report.
Brenda Blasingame updated the Commission on the following items: - Update on implementation of Commission Strategies
Home Visiting: The strategy continues to move forward and develop. Those involved in implementing the strategy are continuing to make changes in how the work is being done to bring about changes in the system. Two successful meetings have been held with the three major county departments participating. The departments along with the Commission serve as the steering committee for the home visiting strategy. The home visiting steering committee is working on getting policies and procedures in place to support an integrated and collaborative home visiting system. To date a common screening tool has been developed, three trainings for home visiting have taken place and more communication is occurring at the direct service level. Early Childhood Education (ECE): The ECE Think Tank summary is included in the packet. An ad hoc committee of 25 people was formed and has met over the past four months to develop recommendations for the use of the ECE annual strategy allocation of $1.5 million dollars. Staff will present the recommendations at the Program and Evaluation Committee on March 12, 2003. The Program and Evaluation Committee will then bring forward recommendations for consideration by the Commission at the April meeting. School Readiness Initiative: Staff has submitted the application for School Readiness funds to the state and has received a letter that the application has been awarded. Debi Silverman did an excellent job with the development of the program and the application that was submitted. The application received the highest possible rating from the state and will be used as a model for other county commissions. In addition, Debi has been asked to provide technical assistance to other counties to assist them with their applications. The program will become operational in April. The applications for West Contra Costa and Pittsburg school districts will be submitted to the state in June 2003. The Antioch School District is being included in the application for Pittsburg even though the district has chosen not to participate in the school readiness initiative. Staff felt it was very important to provide some type of school readiness activities for these children regardless of school district participation. Staff feels it is important not to leave a whole community of children out of this process and the opportunity for being better prepared to enter school. Family Resource and Learning Centers: Staff has received four applications from the Monument area, far east county, near east county and west county. Staff will review the packets and then the Program and Evaluation Committee will review and make recommendations to the Commission at the April meeting. - Information regarding the Economic Report Impact of the Child Care Industry in Contra Costa County
Kate Ertz-Berger, Director, Child Care Council, handed out the report to the Commission and made a brief presentation highlighting key findings. - Update on Statewide Prop 10 activities
The State Commission voted to continue the matching funds for professional development stipend program for two more years. There is an interest in moving the emphasis to the school readiness initiative areas. The application process will probably take place in April. The statewide conference will be held in April in Garden Grove and is open to Commission members and staff, and selected Commission grantees. Prop 10 was written with a backfill for Prop 99. The Board of Equalization took more in the backfill this year than in the previous year. It is not clear what the net result effect will be on the Commission’s annual budget. General updates: A calendar will no longer be included in the Commission packets. The website, www.firstfivecc.org, has a calendar feature with meeting information. Commissioner members will continue to be notified of committee meetings via email or fax. Also, a folder will be passed around the table during meetings so that Commissioners can review copies of materials that may be of interest to them. Commission members who would like a copy of the materials can indicate on the attached sheet and staff will send a copy. Item 4.1 - Update on county budget process.
Brenda Brenda Blasingame informed the Commission that a copy of a letter from the County Administrator’s Office is included in the packet. This recommendation is for the Commission to approve a letter to be developed by the Executive Committee which will be sent to the County Administrator’s Office stating what the Commission discussed held during its January retreat in regard to a redesign of the current system to create a family support system for children and their families. Consider the following recommendation: To approve and authorize a response letter to be drafted by the Executive Committee to the county administrator regarding the request for budget input from advisory boards and commissions. A motion was made and seconded to approve and authorize a response letter to be drafted by the Executive Committee to the county administrator regarding the request
for budget input from advisory boards and commissions. The Commission voted and approved the stated motion. Item 5.0 - Commissioner F.Y.I. Updates.
Commission members shared information, provided updates and announcements about different issues, meetings, and conferences, pending legislation, and new projects in their organizations. Public Comment.
Kate Ertz-Berger, Director, Child Care Council, informed the Commission that in Kansas City they launched a public education campaign that was the number one question for every major decision they made. They asked themselves this question “Is it good for the children?” The child care constituency took that question to the hill. We also took the head start messages to the legislatures on the hill. The annual early education conference is coming up. Item 6.0 - Committee and Program Updates. Item 6.1 - Program and Evaluation Committee.
Chairwoman Moten-Tolson informed the Commission that the Program and Evaluation Committee discussed the process for Family Friendly Community Grants. The Committee made a recommendation to staff for the next round of Family Friendly Community Grants to hire a consultant to work on the technical assistance component provided to applicants.
Lisa Johnson reviewed with the Commission the funding process chart that was presented to the Program and Evaluation Committee. The chart indicates that the Family Friendly Community Grants process is very staff intensive and time consuming. Commissioner Smith added that the Program and Evaluation Commission felt hiring a consultant would be better for grantees, as well. a. Update on Grantee activities The Commission received an update from Terry McCormick and Laurie Gulutzan of Crossroads High School, a Parent Education and Support grantee working with teen parents. Item 6.2 - Policy Advocacy Committee. a. The Commission received an update from the Committee. Commissioner Colón reviewed the document enclosed in the packet, which covered the purpose, target audience, guiding principles and policy/advocacy issue areas being proposed. He stated that many of the areas had been discussed at the Commissions’ retreat and that the next step is to create a policy platform on the ideas that the Commission agrees with and that empowers the Executive Committee and the Executive Director to be able to act from the platform in regard to advocacy activities. The next committee meeting is March 18, 2003 at 2:00 pm. Consider the following recommendation: To adopt and approve the committee purpose, target audience, guiding principles, and policy/advocacy issue areas. A motion was made and seconded to adopt and approve the committee purpose, target audience, guiding principles, and policy/advocacy issue areas. The Commission voted and approved the stated motion. Item 6.3 - Commission Events Calendar. The Commission received the most recent events calendar. Item 7.0 – Communications.
The Commission acknowledged receipt of communications. Item 8.0 – Adjourn.
The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. |