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Home My WebLink About2000-06-28-HSC-min.pdf J Minutes Human Services Committee 6/28/00 Present: Barbara Ciampa, Co-Chair Helen Cravis, Co-Chair; Steve Kelly Khalil Khatri; Steve Baran, Human Services Coordinator Macy DeLong and Robert Dentler candidates for membership on the Human Services Committee Absent: Roz Gittleman; Christine Yedica Minutes of 5/24• accepted. Bob Dentler, candidate for membership on the Human Services Committee: Bob clarified that his mission went beyond gay lesbian movements and that he had been identified more with concerns for racial ethnic equity He had been a teacher for 50 years and was still teaching, was interested in communities beyond academia and known as a practitioner in sociology circles. Although he felt at home in Lexington, he would have had more experience in Lexington but for having worked on racial desegregation in Boston and elsewhere. Bob saw two communities existing side by side in Lexington: those representing the 'sleepy village complex" living alongside of the next generation of younger people accustomed to moving across boundaries in a spirit espoused by the Selectmen. He saw Lexington as an exciting community because intellectually and technologically gifted, talented people were moving into Lexington including Asians and East Asians— Koreans, Japanese, and Pakistanis. Lexington no longer had the cultural homogeneity of Emerson's time. Macy DeLong, candidate for membership on the Human Services Committee: Macy said she was interested in economic and poverty issues which Lexington has and doesn't face. Poor people cannot live in Lexington. She was a former Harvard biologist who felt that non-scientists should be able to participate in scientific decision making. She had experienced homeless and being 'mistreated' at McLean Hospital, as well as living in a car for a while in Lexington. After founding Solutions at Work, a Cambridge-based social agency which finds jobs for homeless people, she gained respect for having been homeless and mentally ill. She had learned what it was like to live in poverty, was still poor, and was currently maintaining a racially and ethnically mixed household. Macy was the founder of the Lexington Food Pantry, knew who the people were behind doors and eating cat food. The Food Pantry had helped to make poor people more visible. Her work had always been centered in Cambridge but she had lived in Lexington since 1974 maintaining an informal residence for homeless people, had been helped by the Human Services Fund. 2 As to Lexington's needs, she was aware of some elderly with housing who were financially limited and young people, including preschool parents, who worked here but could not live here. She had talked with Representative Kaufman on this subject. Vote to recommend (Helen proposed, Steve seconded) Bob Dentler and Macy DeLong to the Selectmen for membership on the Human Services Committee. Current liaison responsibilities were listed as: 1 Council on Aging — Roz Gittleman 2. Central Middlesex Association for Retarded Citizens (CMARC) — Roz Gittleman 3. Health PAC — Khalil Khatri 4. Schools— Steve Kelly 5. Domestic Violence Response Team — Roz Gittleman and Helen Cravis 6. Preschool/Early Childhood Education Committee — Barbara Ciampa Macy and Bob were invited to consider what type of liaison interests they would adopt, perhaps from the realm of"invisible" social issues. What will make Macy's concerns more believable? Issues of sexual orientation were also invisible, but it was felt they were in the hands of capable people. Human Services Committee Annual Report: Steve will inquire of Cathy Abbott when the Human Services Committee might give its Annual Report to the Board of Selectmen. Vision 2020: Barbara Ciampa who had been a member of one of the Vision 2020 committee known as Fostering a Sense of Community reported that more 2020 open meetings were planned. A complete report was on its way to the Town Manager and Board of Selectmen. Social Services Director to be appointed shortly, will staff the Human Services Committee. Gay Lesbian photos: a series of family photos will be on display at the First Parish Church featuring themes of children and domestic relations rather than gay pride Domestic Violence Response Team: had table at LexFest! /Discovery Day with the concept that domestic violence prevention information might be disseminated - including new brochures -without open advertising. Other health prevention literature, and balloons, were given out. Schedule: next meeting is August 16th and further meetings will take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month.