Minutes 05-13-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Colleen Bridger said she has had some informal conversations, but she did not want to discuss this too much prior to the adoption of the budget. She said there has been a lot of interest from organizations wanting to be part of this project. Commissioner Price asked where the Harlem project got its funding, and where Orange County would get its funding. Colleen Bridger said the Harlem project founder raised funds from private businesses, and he built his own schools. She said there are already high quality schools in Orange County that are interested in working with staff on this, and the education spending per student is not that far off. She thinks the biggest problem will be coordination of services, not the funding. She said there is only about a $700 gap per student between the Harlem project and the school systems in Orange County. She is hopeful that the United Way might bring some private dollars to the funding, and perhaps there will be some money available in the social justice fund to fill in the gaps. Commissioner Price asked if the program will take place in the schools. Colleen Bridger said staff envisions this program having one main hub in the schools, with smaller services rotating around this hub. She said this will be up to the neighborhoods. Commissioner Pelissier said she feels there is a lot of support from community members that want to be involved. She said she sees somewhat of an analogy between this proposed advisory group and the Partnership to End Homelessness. She said there would be a coordinator who leverages the community, governmental and non-profit resources. Commissioner Pelissier said she is personally very excited about this, since this was an issue the Board of County Commissioners discussed at their retreat. She hopes that the Board will vote in June to form an advisory board with a coordinator, and to fund this position. Chair Jacobs said this would most likely be formally proposed as a part of the budget process. Chair Jacobs noted that the Towns are not listed as potential representatives on this advisory group. He asked if they will be asked to participate. Colleen Bridger said the towns will be invited once staff decides which two zones are selected. Chair Jacobs suggested that the towns be listed as potential partners now. He asked Colleen Bridger to talk more about the composition of these boards. Colleen Bridger said there will be one overarching advisory board of 15 to 20 people; then there will be two neighborhoods chosen that would have working groups meeting on a regular basis and reporting their progress to the advisory board. Chair Jacobs said not all neighborhoods are self conscious, and he asked how this will be dealt with. Colleen Bridger said staff has tried to limit it to a three mile zone. She said some neighborhoods have a lot of structure, and some will need some technical assistance from the coordinator. She said this will be some of the first work done by the coordinator. Commissioner Price asked about the high level board and said she has found it best to have some secondary members from the neighborhood serving on this oversight board. Commissioner Price said this is a great project, but she would like further explanation of how a child will be followed for 15 years and how this will all work. Colleen Bridger said staff is identifying neighborhoods, not individuals, and anyone in that neighborhood can participate as needed. She said some children will go all the way through the project with few touch points, while others will need more assistance. Commissioner Price asked if this will run through the schools or through a neighborhood organization. Colleen Bridger said she is not sure how this will work at this point. She said the neighborhoods will determine what will work best in their given area.