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YFS 06/02/09 Minutes
YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES COMMISSION - Draft
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF June 2, 2009

Members present:  
R. Allen, S. Barnes, A. Glorioso (for latter part of meeting), K. Hanratty, B. Ruth,
D. Shearer, P. Viggiano, J. Welsh
Also present:
Director Larry Freundlich, Recording Secretary Linda McCall
Excused:
S. Cummins

I.
Call to Order:  Chairman Barnes called the meeting to order at 5:13 p.m.  
II.
Comments from the Public: none present
III.
Review of Minutes of May 5, 2009:  Reviewed the minutes.  Allen made motion to approve the minutes as typed; seconded by Hanratty.  Vote taken and the minutes were approved with one abstention.
IV.
Chairman’s Comments:
Welcome to new Commission member Dorothy Shearer.  Introductions all around.
V.
Director’s Report:  verbal report
1. The Agency is doing well overall and the staff is achieving a lot and is very enthusiastic about programs, and engaging kids who aren’t otherwise involved in positive activities.  Barnes and Hanratty commented on how beneficial the After School Clubs are.  Great enrollment for the spring session.
2. Passed around the final Summer Community Service Projects flyer.
3. Youth Summer Stock Workshop is tonight with participants reading for the Director so that roles can be assigned.
4. Our 7th grade Wilderness Challenge group is meeting tonight to begin their group initiatives.  It is a diverse group and includes a youth referred by the Juvenile Diversion Board.
5. The Chamber of Commerce has confirmed they are giving us a booth at the Annual Arts and Craft Festival again this year for Youth Art.  Adm. Asst. will coordinate the booth again, with youth helping to man the booth and displaying their artwork.
6. The Memorial Day Main Street Art Show entails a lot of work to put together.  We have decided to display the artwork for a full 2 weeks next year.  The Women’s Club has helped with this project for the last few years.
7. The final project for this year’s Middle School Peers (Youth to Youth Mentoring) is a puppet show on June 17th.  (Passed around a flyer and invited all to attend).  The puppets were designed and created by the 10 pairs of mentors and mentees.
8. We are able to send up to four high school students to attend the MADD Power Camp this summer.  MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) will provide partial scholarships, as will we, with students paying $100 each.  We have sent students in the past to the summer program that focuses on prevention.
9. Two staff will attend a “Crisis Debriefing” workshop and will in turn facilitate a workshop for all guidance personnel and our counselors so that there is a model to follow when our community is faced with a crisis.  (Over the past year or so, we’ve faced two suicides of parents with children in the school system.)
10. The Personal Achievement Award (plaque and check) will be presented to LJ Parkes by Commission Chairman and Ashley Glorioso thisThursday evening during the Awards Ceremony.
11. We have cultivated a relationship with Chuck Lewis of the HKTV Program, who is now working on editing the Hidden Treasures video for broadcasting.
12. The Kate Hepburn Theatre committee will be joining us for Family Day.  They will open the theatre for tours and for brief entertainment slots.
13. The Youth and Family Services Foundation Board will hold a Planning Retreat in July.  They are looking to bring on additional Board members and to develop their mission statement.  The Board will also work on a fundraising plan and a Leave a Legacy plan.  
14. H.E.A.T. raised almost $35,000 for the Foundation; of this approximately $15,000 was used to help residents with heating needs to date.  In addition, a new dentist in town named the Foundation as the beneficiary of his office’s SMILE FOR LIFE campaign this year, expecting to raise $3,000 for the Foundation.
VI.
Local Prevention Council Business:
1. REACH Program: 6th and 7th Grade Assembly/Workshops - Director distributed copies of the Agenda used Tuesday, May 19th.  Discussion and suggestions for next year’s program ensued.  
VII.
Old Business:
1. Budget Updates – Referendum is taking place today for Town budget.  Director reported the Agency’s two United Way grants will be funded at $10,000 each next year – only slight cuts; the Youth Service Bureau grant from the State Dept. of Education is anticipated to receive level funding next year; the Safe & Drug-Free Schools Grant program (approx. $5,000 federal grant paid to the schools which they in turn pay to us for Positive Youth Development programs) is expected to be eliminated.  No cuts have been announced to the federal Drug-Free Communities Grant for next year, which begins October 1st.  We anticipate a surplus of approximately $28,000 in the current Drug-Free Communities Grant due to the First Selectman’s directive to not hire grant personnel.  Planning for use of the surplus may be addressed after the Town budget is finalized.  We have until September 30th to use it unless we have submitted an extension request.
2. Commission Vacancy – Dorothy Shearer was appointed by the Selectmen to fill the vacancy.
3. Selection of Student Representative – Candidates noted last meeting (Towne, Rubano and Vilardi); discussion ensued.  Glorioso reported she had met with Guidance to review candidates.  Director and Glorioso will meet with each candidate to gauge their interest and availability. The student will be selected over the summer and appointed at the September meeting.  
4. Freshman Retreat – Director reported he met with the school system’s Business Manager Julie Pendleton.  (The new principal comes on board July 1st and will also be involved with the planning.)  The Board of Education will contribute approximately $7,000 to support the Retreat.  The cost is $100/student and there are 134 8th grade students in the system.  In addition stipends have been factored in for approximately 16 overnight chaperones.  Student ‘donations’ are expected to contribute about $2,400, leaving $7,000 still needed.  Barnes made motion to put $7,000 from the Drug-Free Communities Grant surplus to support the Freshman Retreat; motion seconded by Welsh.  Discussion ensued.  Welsh asked that part of the planning for the current year include looking forward and planning future years’ funding.  No further discussion; vote taken.  The motion was unanimously approved.
IX.
New Business:
1. HCHY Retreat – Director distributed a draft of the HCHY Advisory Board Retreat.  He invited Commission members to attend the retreat.
2. Youth Asset Team – Director reported he and staff will be working on developing a new structure for the Youth Asset Team over the summer and will report on it in September.
X.
Other Business:   
Director noted Ashley Glorioso’s contributions as a member of the Commission and a leader in many of this year’s programs.  He presented a Certificate of Appreciation and the “coveted Youth and Family Services t-shirt” to Ashley on behalf of the Commission.  A round of applause and warm wishes for Ashley.

There being no further business to discuss Barnes made motion to adjourn.  Viggiano seconded and the meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda B. McCall
Administrative Assistant