Steering Committee Meeting Minutes – June 3, 2010
Attendance: Father Stan Aksamit, Our Lady’s Parish, Dave Christopolis, Berkshire Community Action Council, Joanne Glier, Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Erica Johnson, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Peg Keller, City of Northampton, Jay Levy, Elliott- CHS Homeless Services, Gerry McCafferty, City of Springfield, Andrea Miller, Center for Human Development, Pamela Schwartz, Network, Suzanne Smith, Network, Lynne Wallace, Dietz & Co. Architects
Fiscal Agent update:
On 5/14, a small group of LC members met with director and other staff at Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to discuss whether and how their role would continue as a fiscal agent following the end of the ICHH grant on 9/30/10. PVPC made clear that they are interested in continuing as the role of fiscal agent but also expressed their understanding of the Network’s obligation to serve its best interest and explore the terms set forth by other options as well.
Scope of Services:
Committee reviewed draft scope of services and offered minor edits. Click here for the final version. Lynne will distribute this to prospective fiscal agents by June 14, asking for their responses by June 28, so we can have responses in hand in time for our next Steering Committee meeting on July 1.
Budget:
The Committee reviewed the Network’s draft budget for the next year and agreed that we need to have two budgets in terms of expenses: (1) the bare minimum; (2) wish list, e.g., office, data system support, etc. Lynne will revise to make the “bare minimum” budget.
Leadership Council recruitment
The Committee reviewed and discussed the recommendations of the Community Engagement Committee for new recruits to the Leadership Council. We brainstormed some additions and agreed on an initial list. Community Engagement members will extend invitations and report back at the next Steering Committee. The aim is to welcome new members by our next quarterly Leadership Council meeting on July 22, 2010.
Data Review
Families living in motels Western Mass. down to 213 as of June 2. We agreed we would do a media release on this (note: since this meeting, we decided to delay the media push until the end of July, after new flex funds are distributed and the motel numbers will presumably be even lower)
Draft “Report Card “ review: Suzanne and Andrea distributed a draft of a “report card” that the Network would issue annually, with quarterly mini-updates, to summarize and present progress and challenges on addressing homelessness. Committee members engaged in a hearty debate about the audiences, purposes, and presentation of the data. We agreed we have to sort out the distinction between data analyst needs and Leadership Council/media/community needs. Conversation to be continued (note: a follow-up, smaller meeting has already been scheduled).
Next Steering Committee meeting: Thursday, 7/1, 3-5 pm, DMH Haskell Building, Northampton
