MINUTES: Special Meeting January 24, 2003
9:00 am
Hilton Concord
1970 Diamond Blvd
Seminar IV
Concord, CA

Item 1.0 – Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order at 9:27 a.m.

Item 2.0 – Roll Call.
Commissioners in attendance:
Commissioners in attendance:
Maria Theresa Viramontes-Campbell, Dr. Michael Zwerdling, Cindy Wheeler, Violet Smith, Dr. Paula Moten-Tolson, Dr. William Walker, Tony Colón, John Cullen

Alternates in attendance:
Ronda Garcia, Mary Foran

Item 3.0 – Public Comment.
Kathy Linquist, Local Planning Council, stated that the Professional Development Pilot Program is preparing again for the application process. The third round will begin in April 2003.

Item 4.0 – Working Assumptions and Possible Roles.
Chairwoman Moten-Tolson welcomed the Commission to the retreat and introduced David Barkan, facilitator of the meeting. She stated the Program and Evaluation Committee developed some basic assumptions and possible roles for the Commission to discuss.

David Barkan stated that the retreat would end at approximately 2:30 p.m. David reviewed the structure of the day.

Alternate Garcia reviewed with the Commission the Working Assumptions for the Retreat. The Commission agreed to the revised working assumptions as stated below:

• Health and human services budgets are going to be severely affected by the current budget crisis
• A new alignment of services may occur
• The services/funding landscape will get worse (3-5 years)
• Money may not return to its current locations when there is economic recovery
• We (service providers) will have to think and behave in new ways
• The county remains the primary provider of safety net services (the net of services may get smaller, but the primary provider does not change)
• Regardless of how severe budget cuts eventually turn out to be, the effects will be hardest on the communities and families at highest risk
• We need to think in terms of long-term and short-term flexible tactics/approaches
• At this point we assume our revenue will remain fairly constant as projected

The Commission agreed to the following Role Statement:

The role of the Commission is to be a leader and partner in creating systems change for very young children and their families, based on best and promising practices. We fulfill our role by being a Funder, Facilitator, Advocate and Public Educator.

Item 5.0 – Strategy Status Check Sheets.
Commissioner Smith began the review of the strategy status check sheets. She stated that the Program and Evaluation Committee categorized strategies into Minor and Major strategies. The distinction is that the minor strategies combined total is 1 million dollars and are relatively immune to the budget shortfall. She then reviewed the minor strategy status check sheets with the Commission. The Program and Evaluation Committee is recommending the minor strategies not be changed and for the Commission to continue funding as is.

Commissioner Viramontes-Campbell requested that they be referred to as Countywide
Strategies instead of minor strategies.

Lisa Johnson stated that total funding for Countywide Strategies is actually $1,025,000.

Chairwoman Moten-Tolson informed the Commission that Program and Evaluation Committee categorized the remaining as major strategies since they are especially targeted to at risk children and families and will be highly impacted by the economic downturn. She then reviewed the major strategy status check sheets with the Commission.

The Commission requested that the strategy status check sheets be more specific in reflecting the desired impact and/or systems change the Commission is seeking.

Item 6.0 – Discussion of Possible Strategy Adjustments.
Chairwoman Moten-Tolson reviewed the Program and Evaluation Committee’s recommendations for the concept of countywide (minor) and major strategies.

The Commission then held a discussion regarding the recommendation.

Chairwoman Moten-Tolson requested the Commission review the five major strategies and discuss how to move forward. Given the economic climate, given the Commission’s desire to help make a difference in this county, and given the Commission’s resources, how does the Commission move forward?

The Commission then held a discussion regarding the possibility of adjusting strategies.

• The role of the Commission is to be a leader and partner in creating systems change for very young children and their families, based on best and promising practices. We fulfill our role by being a Funder, Facilitator, Advocate and Public Educator
• The concept of countywide (minor) strategies and five (5) major targeted strategies
• Leave the strategies as they are structured and funded through fiscal year 2003-04
• Re -define and restructure strategies into a child centered family support system
• Direct the Program and Evaluation Committee and Finance and Investment Committee to jointly meet to discuss and develop a recommended framework for the use of the 6 million dollars of additional funding
• The Program and Evaluation Committee will discuss budget information as it becomes available and the impact on strategies known; begin to look at a process for restructuring strategies into a family support system

Liz Callahan, Contractors Alliance, commented that what the Commission is discussing is taking an organizational structure and completely changing it. That process needs to be driven by what the customers needs are.

Item 7.0 - Finance and Investment Committee.

a. Financial Recommendation

Consider the following recommendation: To approve the allocation of additional funds for two years (up to $3 million per year/$6 million over the two year period) to support the strategies chosen for funding by the Commission and the stated desired outcomes.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the allocation of additional funds for two years (up to $3 million per year/$6 million over the two year period) to support the strategies chosen for funding by the Commission and the stated desired outcomes.

The Commission voted and approved the stated motion.

Item 8.0 - Commission Events Calendar.
The Commission received the most recent events calendar.

Item 9.0 – Adjourn.
The meeting adjourned at 7:56 p.m.