Title
Review and Approve Minutes of March 28, 2019
Body
City of Alameda, California
SOCIAL SERVICE HUMAN RELATIONS BOARD (SSHRB)
THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019
DRAFT MINUTES
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
• Board President Audrey Hyman called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.
• Roll Call: Boardmembers Audrey Hyman (President), Cheryl Harawitz,
Kale Jenks, Mark Sorensen, and Pravda Wright
Excused: Boardmembers Christine Chilcott (Vice-President) and Claudia
Medina
• President Hyman welcomed Pravda Wright, the newest member of the
Board. Boardmember Wright shared a brief background about her work and career.
• President Hyman read the Season for Nonviolence quote of the day for
Thursday, March 28, 2019.
• First place contest winners of the 2019 Season for Nonviolence Speech
Contest for middle school and high school students that was held on Saturday, March 16 presented their speeches. Brie Ingram, an 8th grader from Encinal Junior Jets and Nathaniel Yee, a 10th grader from Alameda High School, presented their award-winning speeches. Boardmembers commended the students for their excellent speeches.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Boardmember Sorensen made a motion to approve the February 27, 2019 meeting minutes. Boardmember Harawitz seconded. The minutes of February 27, 2019 were unanimously approved as written.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
4. AGENDA ITEMS
4-A Discussion: Alameda Services Collaborative Luncheon
• The event is scheduled on Thursday, June 13, 12:00-1:30, at the Alameda Main Library. The luncheon replaces the Board’s June meeting.
• The Board discussed the event’s possible program format and decided on the following:
o There will be three separate presentations on the following topics:
status of local homeless initiatives, youth mental health campaign, and Census 2020.
o Attendees will be given a chance to talk about their programs and
provide updates about their agencies.
4-B Workgroup Progress Reports
• Assessment and Awareness Workgroup-Chilcott/Jenks
Bagtas and Fonstein provided an update on the local Census 2020 efforts. Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft formally established the Alameda Complete Count Committee and assembled a Steering Committee that met for the first time on April 1, 2019. Several subcommittees will be formed that will work on promoting the census to “hard-to-reach” groups. A communitywide kickoff meeting will be organized to make Alamedans aware of the census and encourage residents to join one or more subcommittees.
• Homeless Action Plan Workgroup-Harawitz /Hyman
Boardmembers Harawitz and Wright reported on the first Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) Ad Hoc Committee meeting that was held on March 13, 2019. They discussed the programs being considered for funding. Notes from the meeting were included in the Board’s March 28, 2019 meeting packet (Item 4-B Exhibit 1: HEAP Progress Report).
Bagtas reported that the City has been notified by the County that the contract for HEAP will be retroactively dated to February 2019, and funds are available now to spend on projects.
Bagtas requested that the Board consider having a representative on the Homeless Outreach Team/Collaboration Advancing Resources, Efforts, and Supports for Alameda’s Homeless who can then report back to the Board on the overall efforts happening in Alameda around the homeless. Boardmember Harawitz will join the team to represent the Board.
5. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
5-A Bagtas reported that the 2019 Season for Nonviolence Speech Contest was a huge success. Twenty-one students participated, and all AUSD high schools sent finalists, including Island High, a first time participant. Boardmember Harawitz shared her experience as one of this year’s judges.
5-B Fonstein reported on the Youth Career and Job Fair held on March 21, 2019 at Encinal High School. There was a high student participation rate this year and there were over 50 vendors offering paid jobs and summer internships.
5-C Bagtas provided updates on the following homeless initiatives:
o Parking Meter for the Homeless Project: Public Works has done the inspection of the proposed locations and will order the parts for installation. The program will be ready to launch in May.
o The monthly Dine and Connect dinners continue to be a great place for homeless residents and people in the community to interact with each other. The dinner averages 50+ homeless attendees each month.
o The Warming Shelter has been a great resource for homeless
individuals this winter. The shelter’s last day is April 15, and there will be a celebration.
o Community town hall meetings are being held to answer questions
and address concerns from residents about the Alameda Health and Wellness Center on McKay Avenue.
6. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS, NON-AGENDA
None
7. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS:
None
8. ADJOURNMENT
Boardmember Sorensen made the motion to adjourn. Boardmember Jenks seconded. The meeting adjourned at 8:09 p.m.