HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-10-24-HSC-min.pdf Human Services Committee Minutes , 10/24/90
Present Renee Cochin and Bob Cushman, Co-Chairmen
Dick Dougherty ; Ann Irving ; Seymour Mandel ;
Dennis Murakami ; Barbara Levine, visitor
Steve Baran, Human Services Coordinator ; Rick
White, Town Manager
Barbara Levine
Barbara Levine was welcomed She is a candidate for the Human
Services Committee The Selectmen will be considering
recommendations at their forthcoming meeting
Minutes 10/ 10/90
The Minutes of 10/ 10/90 were approved
Human Services Coordinator Report
The newly constituted AIDS committee created by Board
of Health is interested in informing public as quickly
as possible that AIDS is bad for your health
Selectmen' s goals were discussed by Department Heads
with emphasis, in view of impending cuts , on all
departmental budgets being interdependent Planning is
proceeding in re day care and long-term disability
benefits for employees Employee Assistance Plan is
going forward
Human service agencies are experiencing cuts CMARC,
transportation ; Community Human Services, Clubhouse
Director ; RePlace, funding from DMH for half of
Director' s position
Special needs group is trying to cope with apparent
total unavailability of State funding while finding a
way of moving children of some of its members into the
new house being built on Waltham St They are
beginning to consider case management and there is a
possibility of creating a support group
The Human Services Coordinator is putting more emphasis
on goal -setting and becoming more available to the
Human Services Committee (while acting more as a
resource person rather than a staff person to the
Enablement and Special Needs Committees )
Human Services Committee Minutes , 10/24/90 2
Town Manager on budget process
Rick White emphasized the need to do early budget planning,
expects to deliver the budget to the Selectmen before Christmas
The report from the Human Services Committee is always viewed as
very comprehensive and useful Budget growth will be contained
within 3 1 /2 to 4% There is concern about the RePlace cut with
possibility of reserve fund transfer and supplemental
appropriation at Town Meeting
Renee expressed need for Committee to have information about the
Council on Aging in order to effect community-wide planning
Rick said he would convey this to the Selectmen
Ann Irving on RePlace
Ann reported that Replace is considering a number of budget-
cutting options It is possible for them to cope with DMH cut
since one of their staff is leaving at this time Judy Zabin' s
leadership was impressive
Meeting with Jacquie Smith Leo McSweeney
Renee and Bob reported on their meeting with Jacquie and Leo
( Steve Baran and Rick White were also present Selectmen want the
Human Services Committee to take the lead in recommending
priorities Special emphasis should be given on bringing
problems of people in need to the attention of the public
Steve reported that Leo and Jacquie were suggesting that by
communicating human needs to the public a climate would be
created that would enable the community to rise to the challenge
Goal Setting
The following goals were adopted by the Committee
1 The Committee will receive updates from the Human
Services Coordinator about need with an emphasis on
needs of individuals
2 The Committee will seek to communicate to the
community, through the media and other means, the
special problems being created by a worsening economy
for individuals and social programs
3 The Committee will recommend to the Board of Selectmen
ways in which the community can respond to local
problems a community foundation; contingency fund as
part of Human Service budget
4 The Committee will review data provided by the
Coordinator concerning the fundraising capabilities of
private agencies funded by the Town
Y
Human Services Committee Action Plan, FY ' 91 Page 3
5 The Committee will promptly invite Town-funded agencies
to report on their financial status, their expectations
for receiving funding from the Town, how they plan to
provide services and how they think the Human Services
Committee can be helpful to them
6 The Committee will shape recommendations as early as
possible regarding the FY ' 92 budget
Invitation to CMARC and RePlace
It was agreed to invite representative from CMARC and RePlace to
the next meeting
Respectfully submitted,
Stephen Baran,
Human Services Coordinator