P.D.D. NORTHEAST COMMUNITY BOARD MEETING

Don Schultz, Chair, Phil Fluet, Vice-Chair, Donna Desjardins, Dr. Douglas Fleming, Carmela Levesque, Laurel Morris-Duncan, Cathy Beer, Johanne Hassey and Christine Botsford; Administration: Dr. Alex Hillyard, C.E.O., Lucille Froese, Recording Secretary.

4. Board Annual Calendar

Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information.

Purpose of Report: Board discussion and direction to the administration.

As directed by the Board, the administration prepared an annual Board Calendar of Events for the Board's consideration. This calendar will be put on the NE Alberta PDD Community Board Internet site.

#00-08-209 MOTION: Doug Fleming moved to accept the annual calendar format as presented. Carried unanimously.

5. Alberta Special Olympics 2001

1. Funding Mechanisms and Impact on Agency Cash Flow: Update

In response to a letter from Donna Pechanic, Chair, Blue Heron Support Services Association, regarding agency cash flow difficulties related to current P.D.D. funding and payment mechanisms, the Board directed the administration to review the current funding and payment schedule for resources provided to the Blue Heron Support Services Association.

The administration convened a working committee to initially address this issue on July 26, 2000. A report will be available for the Board to review in September.

2. First Quarter Financial Statements

• Arbitrated an appeal for the Edmonton Region - unable to settle, it went to formal appeal;
• August 10, 2000 - attended a Provincial Board meeting and presented the NE Board's business plan;
• August 17, 2000 - attended a Provincial Board meeting to discuss the business plans;
• August 18, 2000 - represented the Board at the Athabasca Charity Classic Golf Tournament;
• Appointment of new Board members is not expected for several months.
• Letters
• Letter to Alan Anderton regarding the Audited Financial Statement prepared by the Auditor General.

#00-08-213 MOTION: Don Schultz moved to accept his verbal report. Carried unanimously.

1. Communication from C.E.O.

• July 29-31, 2000 - attended the First International Conference on SD/IF in Seattle, Washington. There was strong representation by individuals and families; discussion of what self-determination means to them. Alberta leads in funding structure and availability of individual funding.
• Three year business plan will have some staffing implications and some office renovations will be required
• Dove Centre - Roger Ouellette may ask that we come to the September Board meeting to talk about how we can work with them and a consultant to help with their governance model.
• Outcomes Based monitoring - reported on ongoing workshop and pilot work with WJS and VALID regarding contracts;
• St. Paul Special Olympics - discussion on Board and CEO involvement;
• 2000 CDDC National Conference in Richmond, Virginia - the Board has been invited to send a Board member to participate in a panel. Their meals and accommodation would be paid by the conference sponsors.

• AACL First National Family Conference- the Chair asked that all Board members have the registrations in by the end of the week for themselves and the families being sponsored from their area.

1. Board Regional Feedback and Future Direction

Carmela Levesque, Bonnyville/Cold Lake

• Met with Janet Marchuk, Bonnyville/Cold Lake Community Council, to discuss planning for a community awareness session in Bonnyville. The community will be polled to find out what people would like to hear about.

Johanne Hassey, Vilna

• June 1-2, 2000 - attended FAS Conference in St. Paul

Laurel Morris-Duncan, Fort McMurray

• Talked to Iris Pasareno from the Fort McMurray Salvation Army - they have received funding for an employment counselor starting in September;
• Housing issues are emerging - there is a need for a wheelchair accessible home;
• Recruitment for support workers an issue - there was no response to either of the last two ads for workers. When workers are trained, they often leave to work for other organizations at higher salaries;
• Edna Olson, Executive Director, Children's Centre
• the FAS provincial partnership with the Children's Centre formally ends on August 31, 2000 and Fort McMurray will no longer be a pilot site;
• $25,000 Community seed funding has been approved by the provincial government for the Northern Lights Regional Working Committee on FAS proposal for the Municipality's FAS Community Capacity Coordinating Committee Initiative. The two primary goals of the initiative are (1) the prevention of FAS/FAE and (2) the enhancement of community capacity for the care and support of individuals affected by FAS. The FAS facilitator position will continue under this funding.
• The Moving Forward FAS 2000 Conference will be held September 22-23 at the Travel Lodge, Fort McMurray.

Donna Desjardins, St. Paul

• SPAN
• has almost completed a wheel chair accessible house;
• has been advertising for staff in Manitoba and recruited four new employees.
• in September, will be starting information sessions in Elk Point and Smoky Lake in conjunction with other Service Providers such as Education, Children's Authority, etc.;
• replacing the 12 passenger van and buying an additional two wheel chair accessible mini vans.
• Now sit on the following committees:
• AACL provincial committee for advanced education;
• Grant McEwan Advisory Committee for Individuals With Special Needs;
• Portage College Rehabilitation Committee;
• AACL Advanced Education Committee would like to do a teleconference in Northeast Alberta on Inclusive Post Secondary Education Alternatives
• Special Olympics:
• 500 ball players will be in St. Paul August 26^th and 27^th, 2000;
• Will be sponsoring a children's carnival that the athletes will be operating, on September 2, 2000, as part of the Lakeland Rodeo Finals being held in St. Paul;
• Equestrian riders will be going to Kansas the second week in September;

Cathy Beer, Vegreville

• There have been no meetings over the summer;
• VALID put a float the Vegreville Annual Fair parade.

Phil Fluet,Cherhill

• Attended a Whitecourt SRV planning conference and gave feedback on a draft of a public plan which was produced at the conference;
• Facilitated a planning session for the Athabasca Community Living Association;
• average rent of a one bedroom apartment is $1,000.00 per month; food costs are higher than elsewhere; staff have to pay their own health care which adds to their costs; people are moving out of Fort McMurray as it is cheaper to commute.

Christine Botsford, Fort McMurray

• Website Committee
• Plans to add an activity page to the website with the intention of making it a fun page; it will be changed weekly or bi-weekly and will include snapshot pictures of things clients are doing
• The committee is looking for Frequently Asked Questions - they can be e-mailed to any member of the Website Committee (Christine Botsford, Phil Fluet, Bill Tidsbury, Helen Litwin, Suzanne Meyer);
• The color of the Website will be changed from blue to the new green;

 I. In-Camera Session (Review of organizational issues)

• September 23, 2000 Fort McMurray
• October 21, 2000 Edmonton (TBC)
• November 19, 2000 Westlock

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Don Schultz, Chair Dr. Alex Hillyard, C.E.O.