AGENDA AND MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2004
DARTMOUTH TOWN HALL, ROOM 314, 7:00 P.M.
Present: Gale Schultz, Lorraine Gagne, Valerie Alves, Alyson Bellora, Jay
Swanson, Kevin Lee, Youth Advocate and Justine Clarke, clerk
Regrets: Debra Brejcha, Tony Martin
Absent: Bonnie Escobar
Gale Schultz called the meeting to order at 7:12 p.m
AGENDA
Approval of Open Session Minutes from December 3, 2003.
Old Business:
Update on Dartmouthyouth.com
Kevin and Valerie will report on donations received for the “Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund.”
Old business from the floor.
Youth Advocate’s Report:
New Business:
Review budget accounts:
Youth Commission budget expenses
Youth Commission gift account
Youth Commission Web site gift account
Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Trust Fund
Begin process of renewing the Youth Advocate’s three-year contract.
Plan to set time aside to evaluate the Youth Advocate’s performance over the past year.
The FY’05 budget process has begun. Please be advised that the Finance Committee will review the Youth Commission’s budget sometime in March. (One or two Commissioners are encouraged to attend.)
Plan next phase of sending letters to area businesses asking them to consider donating to the Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Trust Fund.
Legal review of Glaser Fund documents.
Minutes
New Business from the floor.
Kevin stepped away momentarily to attend a public forum regarding the issue of “Affordable Housing in Dartmouth.”
Approval of Minutes from December 3, 2003. Valerie Alves made a motion to accept the minutes of December 3, 2003. Lorraine Gagne seconded the motion. Voted unanimously.
Old Business:
Report from Valerie Alves regarding the “Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund.”
Valerie stated that she, Kevin and Tony Martin would be meeting in the near future to comprise a mailing list of local corporate businesses.
Update on Dartmouthyouth.com
Kevin reported that he spends approximately two to three hours every other week on DartmouthYouth.com related work.
Gale Schultz asked if each Commissioner should be assigned a specific section on the Web site to review. Kevin stated that it would be helpful if Commissioners occasionally browse the links on the Web site. He suggested going five or six links “deep” to make sure there is nothing inappropriate for us to be linked to.
Kevin stated that the promotional key chains and pens have been great advertisement for the Web site and for the services that our agency provides. He suggested Commissioners think of other ways of marketing Dartmouthyouth.com. Ms. Schultz suggested the Commission discuss ways that these promotional items can be replenished when the balance gets low.
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Kevin informed Commissioners that the National Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) from New York visited our Web site and contacted Kevin regarding the Banana Splits program. They produce an award winning weekly show for teen viewers called “In the Mix.” One of the upcoming program topics will deal with teens coping with separation and divorce within their families. The producer of the show is interested in how our teen interns, who assist Kevin in our Banana Splits program, and most of which also have parents who are divorced, interact with our Banana Splits children. They will be coming to the 4th and 5th grade Banana Splits group on March 3, to film the group and interview specific teen-interns.
· There was no old business at this time.
Youth Advocate’s Report:
· Kevin stated that things have been running smoothly with his groups and clients. Kevin mentioned that his daily calendar is booked and it is sometimes difficult to make himself available for last-minute meetings. Kevin also stated that he feels the growth in Dartmouth’s population is having a slow but steady impact on his ability to meet the needs of residents who seek his services. Kevin theorized that the day might arrive when the Town needs to hire another Youth Advocate just to keep up with the demand for services.
· Gale Schultz asked if there were practical ways to record data to support the eventual hiring of another Youth Advocate. Kevin stated that there are technical devices that record and tabulate daily schedules. This would be ideal for keeping track of hours spent on specific areas of work.
· Gale suggested that this information be gathered and documented to set in motion the demand for hiring an additional youth advocate. Jay Swanson and Gale Schultz volunteered to arrange a meeting with Michael Gagne, Executive Administrator, to find out what the proper steps would be to record this data.
· Kevin stated that the second “Girl Power” group is now in session. There are 11 girls attending.
· Kevin reported that the “Teen Group” has slowed down in attendance recently. Kevin stated this might be due to the fact that the High School is no longer next to the Town Hall making it convenient for students. Kevin noted that two of the girls in attendance are court ordered.
New Business:
Review Budget Accounts: (Not shown here)
- Valerie Alves made a motion to accept the budget account for December 2003 and November 2004. Jay Swanson seconded the motion. Voted unanimously.
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Jay Swanson made a motion to accept the following budget accounts:
Youth Commission Gift Account – December 2003 and January 2004
Youth Commission Web site gift account – December 2003 and January 2004.
Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund.
Lorraine Gagne seconded the motion. Voted unanimously.
Begin process of renewing the Youth Advocate’s performance over the past year.
- Kevin informed Commissioners that his contract expires June 30, 2004. Ideally, it should be completed by June 1st. Gale stated that the Commission should consider meeting monthly to complete Kevin’s contract negotiation.
Kevin stated that due to budget cuts he will talk with Michael Gagne, Executive Administrator, and ask his opinion on what percent, if any, would be a fair pay increase.
Kevin requested that Justine Clarke, clerk, send copies of his contract and Youth Advocate Job Description to Commissioners for their perusal before the next meeting.
Discuss annual Youth Advocate’s Performance Evaluation:
Kevin stated that his past performance evaluations were completed on an assessment form that former Commissioners Christian Broughton and Mike Zeman had designed. Kevin noted that this was a very formal and time-consuming procedure. Kevin suggested that the Commission might want to consider a round-table open form of discussion this year.
Kevin stated to Commissioners that other Town departments utilize a variety of methods to evaluate their department heads and other employees. Kevin would prefer to have an informal assessment, such as a question/answer format. Kevin asked Commissioners to take this into consideration. Commissioners agreed that everyone should come prepared to the next meeting with their ideas/suggestions on ways to evaluate Kevin’s work performance as the Youth Advocate for the previous year.
The FY’05 budget process:
- Kevin stated that there is no scheduled date for the Youth Commission’s budget review by the Finance Committee. (Please Note: Since our meeting, a Finance Committee ’05 Budget review date has set for Thursday, March 11, at 8:30 PM, the day after our next Youth Comm. Meeting.)
Planning of letters to be sent to local businesses requesting donations to the Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund:
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Kevin stated that Valerie Alves, Tony Martin and himself would meet to discuss a mailing list of local businesses.
Legal review of Glaser Fund documents:
Kevin informed Commissioners that the Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund has now been changed to a Trust. This means that the account can collect interest.
Jay Swanson made a motion to transfer the remaining balance of monies from Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Fund into the Alvin Glaser Memorial Family Assistance Trust. Alyson Bellora seconded the motion. Voted unanimously.
A letter to this effect will be submitted to Town Accountant Claire Karvonen.
New business from the floor:
Kevin stated that the Youth Commission currently has eight members. There is one vacancy. If any Commissioner knows of any Dartmouth residents who may be interested in serving, please have him or her write a letter of interest to the Select Board.
The next meeting of the Dartmouth Youth Commission is scheduled for March 11, 2004 in Room 314 of the Dartmouth Town Hall at 7:00 PM.
Valerie Alves made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Jay Swanson seconded the motion. Voted unanimously at 8:45 p.m.
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