NORTHEAST ALBERTA COMMUNITY BOARD
PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
PUBLIC MEETING
Saturday,
April 16th, 2005 9:00 am to
2:55 pm
PDD Conference
Room, 2nd Floor, Provincial Building
5025-49th Avenue, St. Paul,
Alberta
APPROVED MINUTES
Present:
Don Schultz, Chair, Donna Desjardins, Vice Chair, Ralph Gorrie, Glenn Hennig,
Colleen Marks, Caren Mueller, Floyd Thompson
Administration: Dr. Alex Hillyard, CEO; Lucille Froese,
Recording Secretary
Guests:
Bill Lawrence, President, St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, Donald Rook, President, Positive People Society, Derek Hovelkamp, Vice Chair, SPAN, Sharon Seely, Board Member, SPAN, Randy Jacobson, Board Member, SPAN, Betty Rook, and Judy Perepelecta, St. Paul Community Council
A.
Don Schultz, Chair,
called the meeting to order at 9:00 am, April 16th, 2005.
#05-04-211 MOTION: Colleen Marks moved the Board approve the agenda
as presented. Carried unanimously.
C. Approval of Minutes
#05-04-212 MOTION: Floyd
Thompson moved the Board approve the
minutes as presented. Carried unanimously.
Colleen Marks, Legal
·
I attended the
April 7, 2005 meeting. We had a short meeting this month due to a housing
presentation. They voted to have Paulette McGinnis, a self-advocate, come to
speak to them. Mary-Jo Husby will contact her to make arrangements.
·
Housing: Brian
Finley came to speak to the group regarding housing. This part was open to the
community and sponsored by FCSS and the community council. There were 25 people
present. The education portion of the program will be scheduled for this spring
or the fall.
·
Dale Donnelly,
Candy Sawyer, and Mary-Jo Husby attended the AACL conference in March.
·
Several members
came to the Northeast PDD meeting in Whitecourt on February 12, 2005. They were
pleased to be invited.
·
I attended the
community council meetings in Westlock on February 14 and April 11, 2005. They
had their elections in February and their new Co-Chair is KayLynn Jehn, who
replaces Janis Christenson, and Roseanne Krikke remains as the other co-chair.
·
People First
have had some difficulties getting people to meetings. They are hoping to
improve in this area.
·
There is a
“Song Committee” that is working to get the song “money, money, money” by ABBA
recorded by some community council members. They want to use it to raise
awareness on poverty and the income that they receive from AISH benefits.
·
Poverty
Committee: The council had a speaker from Poverty in Action, Nina Wylie, speak
to them, and the community council voted to have her speak to the whole council
at the May 2005 meeting.
·
Self-Esteem and
Assertiveness Training: Pam Kollkross will be speaking at the June 13, 2005
community council meeting.
·
Roseanne Krikke
spoke to the council about her Kananaskis retreat. They dealt with provincial
issues such as transportation, housing, AISH, and having a voice.
·
Generally, they
wanted to do some lobbying in regard to their AISH benefits and poverty. Bonnie
Soloway and I informed them that we could not lobby for them and gave them some
suggestions, as they wanted Northeast PDD to fund a poverty supper.
·
Some of the
members wanted to know if Northeast PDD had any intern members and I informed
them that we do not. I explained that we invite the communities to our board
meeting and business planning sessions and that board members attended
community council meetings. Also, I advised them that if they had concerns I
would be happy to take them to the Board.
·
I attended the
Provincial Board meeting in Edmonton with Don Schultz on April 14, 2005. I will
be attending the AARC Conference in Kananaskis on May 4-6, 2005.
·
I emailed Don
Pottie from Family Voices in regard to them making a presentation at a CFSA
board meeting. I have also discussed this with the Co-Chairs and they are in
favour of it. Hopefully, we can set this up before summer.
·
VTSS has
purchased a van for $60,000, which was unveiled yesterday.
·
We are working
out a lease agreement whereby it can operate in the community.
·
VTSS received
very good cooperation from the town, which donated $5,000 and from the County
of Minburn, who also donated $5,000.
·
The Northeast
Board gave VTSS a contribution under community capacity to pay for adaptations
to the van.
·
The van will be
operational within the month and will be used to help people get to things like
doctor appointments in Edmonton, etc. The van will be in use seven days a week,
during the day and in off hours. It can take up to three wheelchairs at a time.
·
VTSS has been
very successful with the taxi program in Vegreville – we subsidize 40% of the
fare. Almost one thousand vouchers have been paid back so far. The taxi drivers
are very helpful if there is no attendant.
·
I am now in
charge of organizing one fun activity for each meeting.
·
The Community
Council Chairs and other interested members are starting a People First group.
The first meeting will be this Tuesday, April 19th, at the Bamboo
Chopsticks restaurant.
·
The next Community
Council meeting is scheduled for May 26, 2005.
·
I have been in
close contact with the Fort McMurray community and their planning efforts for
the conference happening this November – it will be quite a conference.
·
The kitchen
helps individuals to plan and have good meals. Products are purchased for the
whole group and they get together on a Saturday and cook.
·
Some meal
examples are honey garlic chicken, meat pies, soups, etc.
·
It is very
inexpensive, at a cost of $25.00 for a family of four to get set up.
·
Each family has
fourteen meals at the end of a community kitchen cooking session.
·
The community
kitchen is planning to do this for an eight-week period, at this time.
·
Athabasca
Community Council
·
A new Co-Chair,
Ms Arlene Brost, was elected in February.
·
The council
normally meets in the school, and the Special Education teacher made a
presentation on changes being made to the school facilities, to make it more
wheel chair accessible.
·
She was also
involved in some PD sessions – received tickets from FCSS for Park Memorial
that did some in-service on grief and mourning.
·
A presentation
was also give on Disabilities and Income Tax Credit.
·
In March,
attended a School Board meeting – went to the Dene Centre and did a tour of the
Human Resource center and library. Rather than the regular meeting, we did a
tour of the facility, hands on through computers on how people can look for
information, employment enhancements, schools, online resources, etc. Made
people aware that they can come to the facility any time during opening hours
to use the computers and do different things.
·
Barb Chaffee
and I gave a brief update on the conference – talked about the proposed
sessions that are going to be happening. Generated a lost of interest.
·
Went into a
discussion on community capacity and found that we had just kind of left it and
never carried on. They want to really get into community capacity – Barb
Chaffee is going to get things ready for the next council meeting.
·
One thing that
had a positive effect for the Lac La Biche area was the dinner they had with
the Chamber of Commerce – new owners came in. From the dinner, one store owner
hired an individual. Looking forward to the next dinner being planned.
·
Special
Olympics will not be sending anyone to Special Olympics Summer Games in
Lethbridge as they are short of coaches. Looked at alternative activities for
people who could not go to Lethbridge
·
Parent Link
groups have been formed in Kikino and one other place. Kikino has an open
invitation to anyone within the region with a developmental disability to come
to the rodeo in August – at no charge. It is wheel chair accessible so they can
see the events.
·
AISH is taking
on a new look. The council invited the AISH worker to give a presentation on
what the changes mean.
Don Schultz, Barrhead
·
Rotary Club may
buy seeds and make certain plots available for people with developmental
disabilities.
·
The Barrhead
Community Council has elected new Co-Chairs – Andrew Dabels and Michelle
Beriault.
·
Some community
capacity money has been given to the library. Community Council meetings are
now being held in the Library instead of the Provincial Building.
·
There will be a
Homecoming in Barrhead on the August long weekend. Looking to have local
agencies and the community council involved with the homecoming as part of the
fundraising.
·
June 3, 2005 is
the date of the Blue Heron Celebrity Golf Tournament.
·
There was no
meeting of the Council in December. The first meeting of the year was held on
January 19, 2005, the second meeting on February 16, 2005 and the third meeting
on March 16, 2005. This month’s meeting will be held on April 20, 2005.
·
In February,
the meeting was held at the Library and a special presentation was made to the
Council about the specialized software available at the library now. It is my
understanding that there are now 37 active users on the computers at the
library, with more coming forth each day.
·
Two families
were selected to go to the AACL Family Conference in March, 2005. As well,
nominees for the Norm McLeod awards were selected and a committee formed to
submit the applications.
·
Formal
recognition of the Conference award recipients was announced in the St. Paul
Journal in the March 22, 2005 edition.
·
The Council is
presently organizing a PLAN/Wills and Estate Planning Workshop on May 7, 2005.
Invitations are being sent to all families/advocates and self-advocates from
PDD as well as Children’s Services. As well, we have invited lawyers from the Town
to attend, with the view that they will be better equipped to serve all members
of the community. Because of the tremendous response that we are having, we
have been forced to limit outside participation to two individuals from each
community council. Invitations with a brochure outlining the day will be
forwarded to you shortly for distribution to your respective Councils. We have
been reassured that further workshops are a possibility in other parts of the
region, if we wish.
·
The Council now
has a co-chair who is a representative from the Positive People Society of St.
Paul.
·
Positive People
Society of St. Paul
·
The Society
held their annual general meeting on January 29, 2005. I was invited as their
guest speaker. There was a lot of discussion about AISH, and how much the
Society enjoys the opportunities that have been given in the past two years
through Leadership Today (more members want to take the courses) and PDD.
·
St. Paul
Abilities Network
·
SPAN has now
received accreditation from AARC.
·
The Board has
indicated concerns with regard to human resources, and the challenge that they
face regarding individuals with high needs.
·
Unfortunately,
the plans for the new mall have been cancelled. SPAN is retaining the parcel of
land that they purchased with the view to residential development. In the
meantime, they are negotiating to purchase a larger building in St. Paul, with
about twice the area that the present facility has.
·
Plans for the
Wellness Camp are underway. It will be held the first week of August, 2005 at
Whitney Lake, and they anticipate about 30 participants for the week.
·
Small Sparks
Committee
·
This committee
has been very active in the community these past months. They have developed a
dynamic power point, and members from the committee have made presentations
throughout the County and Town, to both government organizations and local
organizations, such as the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul Lions, etc. A
number of projects are now underway. On the Family Day weekend, a tremendously
successful Food Fair was held with over 700 participants—and this was organized
by just a few ladies. The committee is planning a celebration of events on May
15, 2005.
·
Special
Olympics St. Paul
·
Bowlers from
St. Paul have attended tournaments in St. Albert, Bonnyville and Barrhead. St.
Paul will be hosting their own bowling tournament on April 30, 2005.
·
Presently, the
athletes are busy playing Chinese baseball two nights a week, in anticipation
of the upcoming ball season.
·
There are plans
for a large contingent to attend the Provincial Games in Lethbridge in July
2005.
·
A committee
comprised of Town, County, SPAN, Chamber and school representatives has been
formed to make a bid for the 2007 Provincial Winter Olympics.
·
St. Paul
Affordable Housing Society
·
As you know, they
have completed their first project and a family is now well settled into the
home. They are looking at starting a second home very shortly.
·
Dick Wirges,
Chair of the Society, has recently retired to the Cold Lake area and reassures
me that he will be approaching folk in the Cold Lake area to initiate a similar
type project. St. Paul will miss Mr. Wirges very, very much.
·
Other functions
that I have attended in the new year –
·
Business
planning session, Westlock, AB – January 8, 2005
·
Many audit
committee meetings
·
Board member
interview with the Auditor General
·
AACL Conference
Bill Lawrence, President, St. Paul and District Chamber of Commerce
· Thanked the Board for the invitation to attend the Board meeting.
· Learned in St. Paul how accepting, caring and well organized this community is. Professionally and on behalf of the Chamber it makes it easier to work here.
Don Schultz, Chair, expressed appreciation for the participation of the Chamber and their open and forward approach to what we are all here for. Their example is being used in other parts of the province.
Derek Hovelkamp and Sharon Seely, St. Paul Abilities Network – following is a presentation from SPAN, which was given to the Board.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Board, Dr. Hillyard, board staff and fellow community members;
I want to welcome you to the community of St. Paul and extend that welcome from the Board of Directors of the St. Paul Abilities Network.
I am Derek Hovelkamp, currently the vice chair of the SPAN Board. I would like to introduce you to Sharon Seely, and Randy Jacobson, Both are members of the Board, and both have joined us this last year.
I have five items of interest to share with you during this brief presentation.
The first is a wonderful opportunity and invitation for the Abilities Network and the Northeast Board to work together to build capacity in our community.
The SPAN Board took a great deal of interest in your Small Sparks Initiative. We saw this project as a way to develop relationships between all citizens in our community. Our Board has taken the initiative to purchase a community BBQ. This BBQ is 12 feet in length; it has griddles, a grill of course, a hog roaster and deep fryer. It can also be separated into two smaller 6-foot trailers.
Our concept is to lend this tool to community events, family gatherings, block parties and outdoor activities where food will bring people together. Combined from time to time with grants from Small Sparks, we hope to foster many community connections.
Out interest is just to recover the ongoing costs of the grill (propane, transportation and maintenance) with a small fee. We have told a few people that this BBQ will soon be in St. Paul (we expect delivery in two weeks). There has already been a very positive community response!
Secondly, we would like to express our appreciation for the work you do to improve the situation for our frontline staff, as they support people with special needs.
It is a perennial problem for rural agencies to find and keep qualified staff. Our Board sees Human Resource issues as our industries top priority. People with developmental challenges, or anyone for that matter, would have difficulty developing trusting relationships with their caregivers if these people are constantly changing. Our recent staff survey indicates that wages are the premier issue that would cause our staff to move. Our staff also indicate their job satisfaction has increased by a whopping 20% over the last year.
We also noted that this 20% is the same increase in the number of our agency employees who have found 2nd jobs. We interpret this to mean that if people had wages they could live on, they would be content to stay in their jobs. In every measurement on our staff survey however, wages by far are the top priority for employees.
Our Board of Directors asks for your continued support, to improve the real wages of people who serve those most vulnerable in our society.
On another matter, it is with pleasure that I bring news of our communities bid for the Provincial 2007 Special Olympics Winter Games. By the end of April, we must complete our call for the games to be held in St. Paul. The Alpine events will be held in Cold Lake.
We are one of only 11 venues to have been invited to bid. Work on our package is moving ahead quickly, and I bring a request for you support of the games in our community. The special Olympics Bid Committee is collecting letters of support that detail in some way specific resources that are committed to the games.
Your support is welcome; however any resources that you can commit to in your letter are also very welcome and would definitely enhance our regions bid.
The St. Paul Abilities Network continues to move forward in the service of people with special support needs. This year we will see two major shifts. The first is responding to the needs of people moving into community employment. People are now choosing employment, and are graduating from facility-based training. At the same time your Board and ours have worked diligently to enhance community capacity. The two initiatives have come together, and now we find the need to devote more time and energy to sustaining the people who are in paying jobs, as well as working with employers to create new opportunities. SPAN has been markedly successful in the employment field, with the majority of people on our nominal roles now receiving minimum wage or better during part or all of their workday.
We are pleased that our employment contract with you this year has been modified to meet the shift I have mentioned, and will proactively address peoples changing needs.
The second shift is the trend to independent living situations being at risk. The costs for maintaining a household for people with challenging needs is prohibitive. Our agency realizes that your Board is sympathetic to the significant challenges of people with a multitude of needs. We are concerned, as you are, that the cost of living will drive people into larger settings. Our agency asks your Board and staff to consider exploring the alternatives to grouping people who are currently independent but are at risk of losing their independence. Our agency has for years topped up the cost of keeping people in their own homes, either by keeping rents artificially low, or providing ongoing funds to cover costs over what these individuals can afford. Cost pressures continue to mount as fees for telephone, utilities, rent and transportation increase. Now is a great time to explore less traditional, but more affordable alternatives.
On one final matter, our Board has been made aware of a clause in the contracts for service we sign with your Department. The clause is 2.8 in the Boilerplate agreement, in which agencies are bound to ‘provide all records needed to carry out these activities (monitoring; evaluation and liaison) including financial and program records of the total activities of the agency.’
Our agency is working to develop financial and program resources outside traditional funding streams. As a non-profit we believe it is our responsibility to reduce our, and our clients dependence on government funding. We find this clause unnecessarily intrusive and punitive.
There should be no reason for government to insert a clause which forces an autonomous agency to expose all agreements and activities with other funders, whether they be private or public; nor do we see the point in giving access to trade and sales activities. We ask for your support to remove this intrusive clause from our governing agreements.
Thank you for the time and opportunity to speak to you today. We hope to have a representative from your Board join us at some point this year at our Board meeting to continue sharing our ideas, hopes and dreams.
Don Schultz, Board Chair
1. Board
Communications & Operations
1.1
Northeast Alberta Community Board Audit Committee:
Terms of Reference
Recommendation: That the Board approve the Terms of Reference for the
Audit Committee of the Northeast Alberta Community Board contained in Appendix I.
Purpose of Report: To obtain approval of the Terms of Reference for the
Audit Committee.
The Board reviewed a draft Terms of Reference at their February 12, 2005 Board meeting and gave input to the Audit Committee for changes.
The Board reviewed and approved the revised Terms of Reference.
#05-04-213 MOTION: Donna Desjardins moved the Board approved
the Terms of
Reference for the Audit Committee as presented.
Carried unanimously.
1.2
Office of the Internal Auditor: Update
Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information.
Purpose of Report: Information and update.
In early Spring 2004, a decision was made by the Provincial Board Executive Director for Finance and IT Services that all PDD Internal Audit Resources would be directed towards Agency Reviews.
The Office of the Internal Auditor developed a two-year audit program to examine 50% of the Service Providers across the province each year receiving IF and contract funding from PDD. A few families who manage their own services were also included in the audit program.
In the Northeast Region for the 2004-05 fiscal year eight agencies who provide services and one family who manages their own services were reviewed by the Office of the Internal Auditor. The reviews resulted in a total of twenty-nine recommendations.
The Board reviewed and discussed the recommendations from the Office of the Internal Auditor. Thirteen recommendations have been implemented and it is anticipated that all recommendations will be resolved prior to June 1, 2005.
#05-04-214 MOTION: Caren Mueller moved the Board accept the
report for
information. Carried
unanimously.
1.3
Seventh Annual Northeast Alberta Conference
In Fort McMurray, November 4,
5, 6, 2005.
Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information.
Purpose of Report: Information and update on planning.
The conference committee has met three times. The meetings occurred on January 19, March 2, and April 14, 2005.
Board members reviewed the invitation list and a draft letter of invitation and gave additions/changes to the administration.
The Board also reviewed and discussed a draft schedule and a list of break out sessions for the conference, which will include sessions on housing, person centered planning, and employment as well as a Small Sparks presentation.
The Board will receive an update on the conference at each Board meeting held prior to the date of the conference.
#05-04-215 MOTION: Colleen Marks moved the Board accept
the report as
information. Carried unanimously.
2. Administration
2.1 Northeast Board Quarterly Report for the period
January 1,
2005 to March 31, 2005 (Fourth Quarter): Draft
Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information.
Purpose of Report: Information and discussion.
The Northeast Board provides a report to the Provincial Board each quarter, which outlines the activities and events undertaken by the Board and the results achieved in relation to the 2004-2005 business plan.
The report highlights the Board’s activities under four key areas addressed under the framework of Second Centuries Communities and summarizes the activities and results associated with the regional strategies for each of the provincial Goals 1 through 5.
The Northeast Board submission will be presented to the Provincial Board administration on April 25th, 2005.
The Board reviewed and discussed the Fourth Quarter Report and Board members will give input to the administration by April 22, 2005.
#05-04-216 MOTION: Glenn
Hennig moved the Board accept the report for
information.
Carried unanimously.
2.2 Government of Alberta Employee Survey: Northeast Board
2004
Results
Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information.
Purpose of Report: Information and discussion.
As part of a Corporate Human Resource Development Strategy for the Alberta Government, an annual Corporate Employee Survey is conducted.
The purpose of the survey is to give an indication of human resource strategies or approaches that the government has, employee’s satisfaction with their work place, and feedback on communication.
The Board reviewed and discussed a summary of highlights from the fall 2004 survey of 17 employees with the Northeast Alberta Community Board. This survey was completed with 9,290 Government of Alberta employees.
The survey noted some enhancements and higher agreement among staff in the area of organizational performance however, there were also areas of lower staff satisfaction in quality aspects of their work.
The results of the survey were shared with staff by the CEO at the March staff meeting. An internal committee has been formed with volunteer staff to review the results of the full survey and make recommendations on ways to improve the results.
#05-04-217 MOTION: Donna
Desjardins moved the Board accept the report for
information.
Carried unanimously.
C.
Communications from Board Chair
·
Colleen Marks
also attended the Provincial Board meeting.
·
Very
interesting meeting – discussion on governance, which is something I am very
interested in.
·
Good
discussions on what is going on in other areas of the province.
·
Community
Boards presented their business plans at this meeting.
·
Would like all
Northeast Board members to attend a Provincial Board meeting, to get some
exposure on a provincial level.
·
AARC Conference
– is being held in Kananaskis on May 4, 5, 6, 2005. Board members to let
administration know as soon as possible if they plan to attend.
·
June 8 and 9,
2005 – a PDD Governance Symposium is being held in Edmonton for all PDD Board
members.
·
Provincially we
are going in a unified direction throughout the regions. All of the regions are
going to take a look at the three-year forecasting and planning – that will
bring about more community involvement in the province.
·
Did one informal
review (before it goes to provincial appeal) and was able to resolve the
situation.
·
Went to the
Progressive Conservative conference – as a PDD person and member. Good exposure
and a good opportunity to spread the PDD message.
H. Communications
from CEO
in Westlock – to discuss Human Resource Challenges in the region.
· We sponsor this Forum every two years.
· Results will frame the next two-year regional strategy for the Human Resource section of our budget.
· Will be sharing results with the Service Providers at the business meeting and with the Board at the next meeting.
and Northeast PDD: Approval of Submission
· This submission has been approved and is going out to tender.
· This initiative is designed to address the employment and job preparation needs of individuals who traditionally have not been successful with the existing community services.
· The communities involved in this initiative are Cold Lake, Bonnyville, and Lac La Biche. The Mayors of these communities as well as the 4 Wing Base have made commitments of involvement.
Regional Advisory Committee Meeting will be held April 28, 2005
of Community Councils to the May 28th, 2005 Board meeting
· Representatives of the Community Council Chairs and Co-Chairs will be coming to the Board meeting in Bonnyville on May 28th, 2005 to discuss a few things with the Board.
· Librarians from across the region will be attending Inclusive Library Development Sessions in Westlock on May 16 and June 20, 2005. They will be hearing about accessible libraries and processes that libraries can take to become more inclusive. Consultants will be coming to talk about accessible libraries.
3:00 pm-6:00 pm at the Recreation Center in St. Paul
· A Wills and Estates Presentation will be held in St. Paul on May 7, 2005.
· Lawyer Jeanne Coutts will be speaking on Wills and Estates and lunch will be provided.
· AARC Conference, May 4, 5, 6, 2005
· I will be presenting at two sessions – as Co-chair of the Workforce 2010 committee and as a panel member, reviewing services for the last twenty years. Have we made a difference? Changes, if any, and what barriers confront us today.
· Met with Ron Benson, CEO, Region 9 Child and Family Services Authority, in Fort McMurray.
· Introduced him to PDD and the conference planning committee.
· He will be attending future Fort McMurray Community Council meetings.
· Person Centered Planning Manuals
· Two copies will be sent to each Library in the region.
I. In-Camera Session
(Review organizational issues)
#05-04-218 MOTION: Colleen Marks moved the Board go In-Camera at 9:00 am to
discuss organizational issues. Carried
unanimously.
#05-04-219 MOTION: Caren Mueller moved the Board come out of Camera at
11:10 am. Carried unanimously.
#05-04-220 MOTION: Colleen Marks moved the Board go In-Camera at 2:20 pm to
discuss an organizational issue. Carried
unanimously.
#05-04-221 MOTION: Caren Mueller moved the Board come out of Camera at
2:55 pm.
Carried unanimously.
J. Notice of
Motion/Request for Information
K. Proposed Meeting Dates
· May 28, 2005 Bonnyville
· June 18, 2005 Fort McMurray
· July 16, 2005 At the call of the Chair
· August 20, 2005 Vegreville
· September 17, 2005 Barrhead
· October 15, 2005 Westlock
· November 6, 2005 Fort McMurray
· December 17, 2005 Lac La Biche
#05-04-222 MOTION: Colleen Marks moved the Board adjourn at 2:55 pm.
Carried unanimously.
______________________________ ______________________________
Don Schultz, Chairman Dr. Alex Hillyard, CEO