Old Saybrook Youth & Family Services
Commission Meeting
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
5:15 P.M.
Youth and Family Services Offices, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
I. Call to Order: Chairman Sam Barnes called the meeting to order at 5:24 P.M.
II. Pledge to Allegiance
Roll Call
Attendant Members:
Samuel B. Barnes, Chairman
Jennifer R. Welsh, Vice-Chair JT Giegerich, Students
Diane Aldi-DePaola, OSPHNB Rep Juliana Jacoboski, Students
Dorothy Shearer, Member At-Large Catherine Kane, School System
Members absent:
Ray Allen, Secretary Peggy Viggiano, Member At-Large
Also present: Heather McNeil, Director and Sharon Tiezzi, Recording Clerk
III. Comments from the Public – No public in attendance
IV. Approval of Minutes of the October 2, 2012 regular meeting
A motion made by Jen Welsh to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of October 2, 2012. Motion seconded by Diane Aldi-DePaola.
Ayes 6, Nays 0, Abstentions 1. Motion was carried.
V. Chairman’s Comments – Sam thanked Director Heather for all her time she devoted to the shelter during Storm Sandy.
VI. Commission Member Reports – No reports
VII. Director’s Report
Director’s Report for YFS Commission 11/13/2012
The Director reported that she and Chelsea Graham, MSW, assisted in the relief effort at OSHS during Storm Sandy. Ms. McNeil will be writing a blog for the United Way related to how the community comes together during difficult times and how student youth demonstrated their caring for the community through volunteerism during that time..
The Holiday Giving Program is underway. There were 131 families assisted last year. The numbers are anticipated to be much higher this year. The drop off date at Y & F is December 14th and the pick up dates are the 18th and 19th .
There have been Storm Sandy donations of financial and household items.
Warm the Children donations are being coordinated with Sue Consoli’s assistance and Jason Smith at Liberty Bank. Sue has been doing a wonderful job coordinating multiple social service and employment events and encouraging other town social service workers to alternate holding the events in their towns.
The DSS bus will be in Old Saybrook tomorrow. It was originally scheduled for Clinton but had broken down.
A Stress Reduction Workshop is scheduled for tomorrow evening.
A grief workshop is being planned for the community with the OSPS due to the recent incidents in the community as requested by Heston Sutman, the interim Superintendent.
The Drop-In Center at the high school has been opened 3 times a week.
The program scheduled with Tim Duffy has been cancelled as the OSPS needed to rearrange their Professional Devt. Days to accommodate academic school days for students and will be rescheduled, most likely in the Spring.
The Director attended the program called “Inhalants: Nothing to Sniff At” on Thursday November 1, 2012 in Wallingford, CT. The Ct. Inhalant Task Force will be offering an evening presentation in OS after the holidays.
VII. Old Business –
Regarding the Foundation, Jen made a request for some assistance from the Commission. After a discussion about ideas to try, the Commission decided that it needs to write a letter to find out what Foundation has for funds since its inception and where any funding previously donated with donor intent to OSYFS may be, and how to access it for current needs. It was determined through group consensus that a meeting would be requested with M. Cronin and C. Fortuna by Chairman Sam Barnes.
IX . New Business –
HCHY will be having a visioning workshop on Friday, December 7th from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the Media Center at the high school for re-evaluation and clarification of some near-future goals to be working towards.
This Saturday and Sunday the police department will being having their “Give the Police the Bird” fundraiser at Stop & Shop collecting turkeys for Thanksgiving. An effort will be coordinated with YFS and Social Services for distribution.
X. Other Business - Next meeting December 4, 2012 at Youth & Family Services office at 5:15p.m.
XI. Adjournment - Motion made by Jen Welsh to adjourn at 5:55 p.m.; seconded by Catherine Kane. Ayes 7, Nays 0, Abstentions 0. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon Tiezzi, Recording Clerk
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