Present:
Don Schultz, Chair; Donna Desjardins, Vice-Chair; Dr. Douglas Fleming; Ralph Gorrie; Johanne Hassey; Christine Botsford , Laurel Morris-Duncan
Administration: Dr. Alex Hillyard, CEO; Lucille Froese, Recording Secretary.

Guests:
Barb Martini, Office of the Public Guardian; Jason Huish, Co-chair, Westlock Community Council; Dan Ostby, Westlock Community Council; Brent Busch, Independent Counseling Enterprises Inc.; Geneve Fausak, Independent Counseling Enterprises Inc.

For future meetings:

• Agenda Item H. Board Regional Feedback and Future Direction will be moved to become Agenda Item D.
• Each Board meeting will begin with a prayer.

Amend September 22, 2001 minutes to reflect that the Board will clarify the forum for Public Input at Board meetings through a Governance Policy on Delegation and Committee input at Public Board meetings.

4. Delegations/Presentations

Presentation by Barb Martini, North Public Guardian

The Public Guardian Office began restructuring in 1998/99; it went from one public guardian to four in Red Deer, Calgary, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat and one in the North. Public Guardian representatives now reside in both the Northeast and Northwest, in St. Paul, Grande Prairie and Whitecourt.

There are approximately 95 individuals served by the Public Guardian in the North. Of that number, 63 have developmental disabilities.

The Public Guardian is under the department of Alberta Human Resources and Employment, this allows the office to serve all Albertans. Some persons require assistance in such areas as social supports, financial supports, career counselling, etc. The Public Guardian could also be appointed for mental health problems, aging, brain injury or health problems.

Information on the Public Guardian Office is now available online and self-help kits are also available online or from the nearest Public Guardian Office.

5. Reports

1. Board Communications and Operations
   
   1.1 Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Initiative: Reflections on Session II
          October 18^th and 19^th, 2001
                     Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information
                     Purpose of Report: Discussion and observations

The Board members, PDD Staff and Service Provider representatives completed the second of the three two-day sessions with Blue Quills Aboriginal College. The Board discussed the results of the second session and implications and directions for the development of the 2002-2005 business plan.

The third of the three two-day sessions with Blue Quills Aboriginal College will be in St. Paul on November 29^th and 30^th, 2001.

1.2  Northeast Alberta Community Board Annual Operating Budget 2002/02: Approval
                  Recommendation: That the Board approve the revised funding allocation of
                                                 17,853,000 for the April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002 budget
                                                  year.
                  Purpose of Report: Approval

The original budget for the Northeast Board was 17,930,000. The Provincial Board reviewed all the PDD Board budget allocations in light of the governments revised budget targets. At the October 11^th, 2001 public meeting of the Provincial Board revised funding allocations were approved for all the PDD Boards.

The revised funding allocation for the Northeast Board is 17,853,000 which is 77,000 or .42% less than the original budget. This reallocation will not affect the service provided by the Northeast Alberta Community Board.

1.3 Northeast Alberta Community Board Policy on Board Development
                  Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information
                  Purpose of Report: Information and discussion

During the annual review of the Board Governance Policies the Board felt it was important to consider the formation of a policy on Board development. The purpose of this policy would be to ensure that the Board continues to upgrade itself regarding their assigned responsibilities under the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act along with current knowledge related to their Business Plan goals and areas of core business.

Mr. Ralph Gorrie coordinated the development of a draft policy for the Board.

The Board reviewed and discussed the draft policy, including the possibility of establishing a Board development committee and virtual resource library. The policy will be brought back to the Board for final review and approval at a later meeting.

1.4  Northeast Alberta 3^rd Annual Regional Conference, St. Paul,
       November 16^th and 17^th, 2001: Update
                  Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information
                  Purpose of Report: Information and discussion

Planning for the conference is in progress and 38 registrations have been received to date.

The Board reviewed and discussed a preliminary draft of the conference program, including the following:

• role of Board members and assignments for registrations, pre-conference sessions, information mall, internet café and evening social;
• Official opening of the Virtual Learning Community with members of the advisory committee present.
• Review of the Friday evening recognition program and introduction of "hosts" to assist the Board chair.
• Focus of the Saturday sessions "Back to Your Future".
• Considerations given to involvement of conference participants regarding current and future economic trends as it relates to "stability of services."

1.5  Northeast Alberta Community Board Communications Framework: Update
                  Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information
                  Purpose of Report: Discussion of key findings and emerging directions

The administration previously provided the Board with reports regarding a Board Communications and Public Awareness Framework.

• March 17^th, 2001 Board Report Agenda 1.9
  Public Information and Awareness Campaign
• August 18^th, 2001 Board Report Agenda 2.2
  Communications Report: Current Practices and Future Considerations

Further to the Board discussion on this topic, the administration was directed to enlist the firm of Calder Bateman to assist in the development of a communication plan or framework to steer Board related communication and public awareness initiatives.

Catrin Owen has completed a number of interviews with individual Board members; the remainder of Board member interviews will be ongoing. The Board reviewed the information gathered to date and discussed emerging directions.

One emerging theme which is critical to the Board's work and development as Board members is in the area "Public Education and Building Alliances". The Board members role as Board ambassadors on behalf of the individuals they were appointed by the Minister to serve and the community relations they foster is very critical.

There are a number of implications for the development of effective communication tools and strategies which will assist the Board in developing key message for the public at large. The Board will set aside time for a discussion about the role of ambassadors versus that of an advocate within an economic and political environment which challenges "sustainability of our current service trends and costs".

Board members will be arranging to meet with town councils in their communities within the next month to talk about PDD.

2.1  Northeast Alberta Virtual Learning Community for Adults with Developmental
       Disabilities and Their Families
                  Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information
                  Purpose of Report: To present a progress report on the development of the
                                                   Virtual Learning community Project.

A previous progress report was presented to the Northeast Alberta PDD Community Board at their June, 2001 meeting. Since that time, the following activities have been completed:

• An Advisory Committee meeting was held in Edmonton in July, 2001. Although reactions to the prototype web site were positive, there was consensus that the web site should be directed to and designed for adults with developmental disabilities as the primary audience. Moreover, it was recommended that the tone of the site become less formal and more welcoming.
• As a result of the Advisory Committee’s recommendations, the prototype site was redesigned. The site now has a new name – NorthEast Community Online. The style and tone of the site is simple, direct, and friendly (e.g., uses first person "you").
• The pilot site is currently under development by CLR Consultants, the web site development company that has been contracted for this project. The structure of the site (a CGI data base) has been constructed, and information is currently being entered. The site can be found at www.ne-community.com.
• A Communications Plan for NorthEast Community Online has been developed with the assistance of Catrin Owen of Calder Bateman Communications.
• Software (Read&Write by Texthelp) has been selected to foster accessibility of computer workstations in CAPsites. This software will be installed in CAPsites over the next six weeks, and CAPsite supervisors will be trained in its operation.

3^rd Annual Regional PDD Conference Activities

• The formal launch of NorthEast Community Online will be held at the 3^rd Annual Regional Conference in St. Paul on November 16/17.
• A pre-session workshop on the use of adaptive software to promote access to Internet technology will be conducted on Friday afternoon, November 16th from 2-5:00 pm. There will be a demonstration of the Read&Write software package as well as an opportunity for participants to access Internet-based information.
• The Internet Café will offer opportunities for participants to explore the NorthEast Community Online web site and participate in on-line activities.
• A meeting of the Advisory Committee will be held on November 17, 2001 in St Paul, after the conclusion of the conference. Activities to promote participation in the site and foster community building will be discussed at that time. The Northeast Alberta Community Board is invited to suggest areas of concern or issues to be considered by the Advisory Committee at this meeting

Information Dissemination

• A Research Note on this project will be included in the forthcoming issue of the International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning.
• On October 15, Susan Moisey, will be making a presentation to the 2001 North American Web Conference in Fredericton, NB entitled "Web site development: A virtual learning community for adults with developmental disabilities"

2.2  Alberta Teacher's Association Local Professional Development Day
       November 9^th, 2001, St. Paul, Alberta
                  Recommendation: That the Board receive this report for information
                  Purpose of Report: Information

The St. Paul Community Council initiated contact with the St Paul School Jurisdiction to discuss partnership and community education opportunities. The School Jurisdiction encouraged the Community Council in Partnership with the Northeast Board to become involved in their upcoming Teacher Professional Development day on November 9^th, 2001 in St Paul.

As a result of initial planning meetings led by Valerie Ward, the Community Council and the administration will be presenting a session at the professional development day along with having an information booth.

The focus of this session will be transition planning for students with developmental disabilities as they plan to move on from high school. The session will a) address in general the principles and merits of joint transition planning for students by involving school personnel, families and PDD staff to explore options after high school and b) provide a major focus about how to plan for post secondary options and opportunities.

The session is scheduled for eighty minutes and will involve presentations by the administration, representatives from post secondary institutions along with personal stories presented by parents with family members currently in post-secondary educational settings.