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Approved 04/08/09

DeKalb County Community Services Department
Administrative Board

Minutes of February 11, 2009

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Pat LaVigne, Marlene Allen, Ken Mundy, Robert Keil, Brenda Campbell, John Hulseberg, Margaret Phillips, and Jamie Smirz for the Mayor of DeKalb.

OTHERS PRESENT:  Mary Ramp, Jess Collins, and Terri Ward.

CALL TO ORDER:  Robert Keil called the meeting to order at 9:36 a.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:  Pat LaVigne made a motion to approve the minutes of October 9, 2008, seconded by Brenda Campbell.  Motion approved.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:  The agenda was approved as presented.  Introductions were made.

2008 CSBG 4th QUARTER AND END OF YEAR REPORT:  Mary handed out the Fourth Quarter CSBG Program and Outcome Report and discussed the status of the programs.  This report shows the work programs with the targeted number of persons served and the actual year to date number of persons served as well as outcome targets and outcome targets completed.  Two families were served in the Family Development Program.  Both families achieved the targeted outcome.  Due to staff time issues, Terri was unable to serve the five families targeted.  Most of her time was spent seeing Emergency Intervention customers.  The Scholarship Program awarded five scholarships in 2008.  There needs to be at least three recipients each year.  The Emergency Intervention Program served 931 persons that is 281 more than targeted.  It is difficult to anticipate number of persons served because we need to account for all family members.

Mary highlighted the Emergency Intervention Families Served chart.  The families served include all families seen for Emergency Intervention.  DCCS is seeing an increase in families and this has been fairly consistent.  The highest number of families seen was between the months of April and September.  This past January we saw the highest number of families for this month.  We are beginning to see a lot of families not eligible for unemployment and undocumented families.  This chart illustrates all families who came in for Emergency Intervention, not just those we actually provided financial assistance.

The fourth quarter client characteristics and percentages sheet was discussed.  This report is generated by our Tracker system and shows those served using CSBG funds.  This Tracker report shows we have served a total of 1002 unduplicated persons for 2008.  55 % of families are employed within 90 days of their application.  71% of families served fall within 75% of the federal poverty level.  Community Services has served a total of 1160 persons with all programs offered.

Mary handed out the 2008 Annual Report.  The CSBG Administrative Board consists of 15 persons, five each from a private organization, client representative and public sector.  The CSBG Administrative Board approves the programs while the County Board approves the budget.  Community Services served a total of 1160 persons in 2008.  This number does not include walk-ins and phone calls for those just seeking information.  The CSBG allocation has steadily gone down since 2002 while families served has increased.  The Annual Report also illustrates the programs run and funding received by type.

FISCAL YEAR 2009 CSBG FUNDING INCREASE:  Community Services is currently running under a continuing resolution that is level funding.  There is a proposal to increase the base funding after the continuing resolution ends and we get the completed budget.  The stimulus bill being discussed in Washington has the CSBG with an increase in one billion in the House and 200 million in the Senate.  Our lobbyist seems to think the funding will be closer to the house allocation amount.  If we receive additional funding, our department will do more intensive work with housing foreclosure programs.  We’ll know by the next CSBG Administrative Board meeting what type of funding increase we’ll have, if any.

MARY USCIAN FOUNDATION DENTAL CARE PROGRAM:  This program serves grade school age children with emergency dental needs.  Funds are provided through the foundation.  Community Services provides the staff time for this program.  Children in grades K-5 enter the program as a referral by their school nurse.  Community Services then links them to an appropriate dentist to do the work that needs to get done.  Participating dentists do the appropriate service and then they get reimbursed for overhead costs of $100.

EMERGENCY FUND REPORT:  This fund originated in Chicago is funded through a private foundation.  Our allocated dropped from $1,000 a month to $500 a month due to the downturn in funding.  They will re-evaluate the funding amounts at the end of the first quarter.  There is a cap of $300 per family, once a year.  We report on this fund monthly.  This fund can be used for expenses that our other funding cannot help with such as car repairs, car insurance, identification, etc.  We can also use this fund for rent and utilities.

SENIOR TAX:  All agencies are using the funding for FY 2009.  Applications for FY 2010 are out.  They are due to our office no later than February 25.  The Human Services Committee of the County Board will receive these applications at their meeting on March 2.

FEMA EMERGENCY FOOD & SHELTER PROGRAM REPORT:  This program allocates funding to agencies in DeKalb County for emergency shelter, food, meals, rent and utilities.  Applications are due February 17 and allocation decisions will be made on February 25.

HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM REPORT:  Mary handed out the FY 2008 Homeless Prevention Program Year End Fiscal Report.  A total of 204 households were served, 19 single males, 23 single females, 15 couple no child, 45 couple w/ child, 2 male w/child, and 100 female w/child.  All households were followed up with in November –December 2008.  59% were still housed in the same location, 11% were still housed in a different location, 2% were homeless, and 28% were unable to be located.  We still have funding available to assist households in FY ’09.  This money is going fast however and we anticipate running out before the FY ends June 30.

BOARD MEMBERSHIP:  Two seats need to be filled on the Board.  John Hulseburg from the County Board will fill one.  Melissa Searing no longer works for The Salvation Army so her seat will need to be filled.  Mary asked Conexion Communidad to send a representative but this hasn’t been done.  Mary asked if anyone knows of someone who can sit on the board as a client representative, preferably representing the Hispanic community, should contact her.

OLD BUSINESS:  There was no old business to discuss.

NEW BUSINESS:  Mary announced she would send e-mail to the board members when we hear of our funding situation with the stimulus package.
           
NEXT MEETING DATE:  The next meeting date is scheduled for Wednesday, May 13 at 9:30 a.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room, Right Side.

ADJOURN:  Having no further business, Ken Mundy made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Pat LaVigne.  Motion approved and the meeting was adjourned at 10:27 a.m.