Minutes of the Advisory Council meetings
(Agenda for next meeting)

 

 

 

 

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March 7, 2004

Attending – Rhea Nelson, New Leaf; Steve Gulliford, Housing Authority, Island County; Kay Sardo, Executive Director, OC; Dale Zimmerman, Dispute Resolution; Darlene Buss, Habitat for Humanity/Oak Harbor Lutheran Church; Dr. Roger Case, Island County Health Officer; Norm Mc Crae, Whidbey Presbyterian Church/OC Board; Becky Bolte, Regional Manager, Sno-Isle Library; Carol Parbs, DSHS Oak Harbor; Jeannie Mc Elwain, South Whidbey; Raina Girton, New Leaf; Lisa Clark, OC Island County. 

Review and Acceptance of December 6, 2002 meeting minutes. 

Announcements

  1. Dr. Case announced there will be a hearing on March 24 to debate establishing a mosquito control district on Whidbey Island and placing it on a May ballot for voter approval of a levy.  This is in response to the appearance of an equine case of West Nile Virus on the island last summer.  There are currently 15 mosquito control districts in the state.  One of those is on Camano Island.
  2. The League of Women Voters will be hosting a forum entitled “Facing the Future:  Human Services on Whidbey Island” on Thursday, March 13 at the North Whidbey Middle School, 6:30pm. The Island County service center has been invited and will attend.
  3. Rhea updated the council on issues with Dept. of Vocational Rehab and their paypoint contracts that are established on outcome based performance measures. Clients with disabilities are required to be gainfully employed before contracting agencies are reimbursed for services.  Many agencies are dropping contracts because they cannot absorb the cost of providing services. 
  4. Raina Girton has returned from Virginia and resumed her position at New Leaf.  She has also asked Kay if she can rejoin the Opportunity Council Board of Directors. 

Reports

Executive Director- Kay Sardo:  

  1. Kay announced that there will be three representatives from Island County – Tim McDonald; Norman Mc Crae and Raina Girton.  An update was given to the council on current legislative issues, in particular the Washington Telephone Assistance Program/Community Voice Mail measure and the Lead Based Paint Initiative. 
  2. The Community Services Block Grant is the main priority of the Community Action Agencies.  These are core dollars for the agency and an objective is to maintain CSBG as a line item in the state budget. 
  3. Kay reported on the energy assistance programs (LIHEAP and PSE) and how the increase will benefit clients needing assistance. 

  4. The council was updated on the Cornwall building and how it is in line with the agency’s long range goal of sustainability. 

  5. The annual budget was presented to the board of directors by the new finance director.

Island County Service Center: 

 Lisa Clark updated the council on current service center programs and handed out the recently published 2002 Community Report. 

Unfinished Business 

  1. A discussion was held on the state of Child Care Resources, cuts made state wide and the impact on child care providers in the county. 

  2. Steve provided information on the status of the United Way/ Success by Six Lending Library and its future at the Island County Service Center.  The grant is in its final year of funding and an oversight committee will be monitoring progress.  At the appropriate time Steve would like Kay to meet with the committee and discuss the Opportunity Council’s role in sustaining the library.

  3. Steve also updated the council on the progress of the proposed emergency shelter/transitional housing project.  He will be submitting a proposal to the Housing Trust Fund for their April round.  The cost of the project is estimated to be $1.6 million to build a complex providing 8 units of emergency housing and 8 units of transitional.

  4. The Island County Service Center will be participating in the fund raising campaign in May to coincide with Community Action Month.

New Business 

Lisa informed the council that a new case manager had joined the staff in February.  Kelley Reilly has a Masters Degree in Social Work and brings a wealth of experience in social services from Boston and Pensacola, Florida.  She will be involved with Community Jobs and Emergency/Transitional Housing clients.

The next advisory council meeting will be held Friday, June 6th at 10:00am.

For the Record: Lisa Clark