HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-08-05-HSC-min.pdf Minutes
Human Services Committee
8/5/98
Present: Barbara Ciampa, Co-Chair; Helen Cravis, Co-Chair; Eva Glick; Gregory
Kotonias Payne; Steve Baran, Human Services Coordinator and recorder
Kathleen Palmer liaison, Pre-School PTA, Eva Heney Minuteman reporter
Absent: Roz Gittleman; Lauren MacNeil; and Rick Safford
Minutes of 4/1/98
Correction: The next meeting was shown as April 1 when it should have been
May 6. Otherwise accepted as correct.
Minutes of 5/6/98
Correction: Greg Kotonias Payne was listed as both present and absent. In fact,
he was present. Otherwise accepted as correct.
Committee Composition
It was agreed to write to Lauren MacNeil and Rick Safford stating the importance
to the committee of working with a full complement of members, the difficulty of
working on occasion without a quorum, and how their continuing presence would
be valued. It was hoped that Lauren MacNeil might be interested in preschool
issues and that Rick Safford would continue as liaison to the Enablement
Committee.
Liaisons from and to the Human Services Committee
Members indicated their interests in serving as liaisons. See attached list of
assignments which includes preference noted by Roz Gittleman to Steve Baran
by telephone. Helen Cravis suggested that "liaison" should mean "keeping
informed."
Kathleen Palmer indicated her interest in serving as liaison from the Pre-School
PTA to the Human Services Committee.
Steve Baran was asked to contact Dan Fenn, Selectman, who had agreed to
serve as liaison from the Board of Selectmen to the Human Services Committee.
The meeting should include Barbara Ciampa, Helen Cravis, Steve Baran and
Nancy Freed and tentative times are Monday, August 24 or Tuesday August 25,
late in the afternoon.
2
Community Partnerships for Children
It was understood from Steve Baran that Communities United had budgeted pre-
school funding as learned through his attendance at ,and perusal of ,minutes
from, the Community Partnerships for Children Arlington, Belmont, Burlington,
Lexington Council meeting of June 8, 1998. He noted that questions were raised
in the meeting about the overall proposal process. Committee members were
also concerned about the process. Barbara Ciampa agreed to look into this
further and planned to attend the next meeting of the Council together with Steve
Baran. He was asked to find out when the next Council meeting was taking place
and who were the officers.
Preschool Scholarship Funds
Kathleen Palmer announced that the Preschool PTA had set aside $2,500 to
fund one preschool scholarship for a four-year-old who would attend preschool
three days a week. Steve Baran said that he believed he knew of a family in
need of a scholarship
This led to a discussion of the functions of the Preschool PTA which has a
membership of 400 families. The co-chairs thanked Kathleen Palmer for her
interest.
Committee priorities for FY '99
Helen Cravis thought attention should be given to the need for after-school
programs for middle school children. Gregory Kotonias-Payne suggested there
be an overview of what the town offers to youth, e.g., the need for structured and
non-structured activities. It was suggested that this emphasis should also be of
interest to the Health Prevention Advisor Committee.