CITY OF REVELSTOKE MINUTES OF THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN CITY OF REVELSTOKE COUNCIL CHAMBERS WEDNESDAY, February 26, 2014 COMMENCING AT 8:30 AM PRESENT: Council: Councillors: Tony Scarcella Committee Members: Susan Knight, Linda Chell, Otti Brown, Jim Cook, Wes Groen, Craig Brown, Mike Hooker, Lisa Longinotto, Rana Nelson and late - John Yakielashek, Melissa Klages, Ann-Marie Gill and Nelli Richardson (Chair), Staff: Jill Zacharias, Social Development Coordinator Alan Mason, Director of Community Economic Development Debra Wozniak, Administrative Assistant REGRETS: Chris Johnston, and Mary Kline GUEST: Tim Palmer, CAO, City of Revelstoke 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 8:35 am by Acting Chair Mike Hooker. Welcome and introductions were made for the two new committee members Rana Nelson and Lisa Longinotto. 2. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Moved by Craig Brown Seconded by Jim Cook THAT the Agenda be adopted. 3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES Moved by Linda Chell Seconded by Otti Brown THAT the Minutes of the Social Development Committee Meeting held January 22, 2014 be adopted. 4. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES Pg 3 Committee Memberships Jill reported that Wes Groen, Linda Chell and John Yakeilashek have submitted their applications for continued membership. Jim Cook will be stepping down as CFDC rep, and a new representative will be appointed. Rana Nelson has been appointed as a citizen large representative to January 2016 and Lisa Longinotto the Chamber representative has been appointed to January 2016. Pg 3 Literacy Advocacy Jill reported that the recommendation has not yet gone to Council. Tim Palmer reported that he is working on a package to be included in the next Council Agenda. Discussion followed regarding the process for making recommendations to Council. Tim Palmer advised that a delegation should approach Council on matters of local issues or to clarify an important issue. Live streaming of Council meetings has not yet been acted upon. 5. COORDINATOR S REPORT February 25, 2014 Jill Zacharias reviewed the report noting the following:
Social Development Committee Meeting Minutes February 26, 2014 Page 2 Jill advised that she is a member of the CBT s Social Grants Selection Committee and that she did declare a conflict of interest during the recent adjudication for all Revelstoke submissions for project funding that were discussed. Professional development she attended a Human Resources webinar as she has been involved in staff or contractor hiring process for a number of social sector non-profits. Youth Drug Survey presentation at RSS last night was not well attended, but she had also spoken with parents about the results at parent teacher interviews, as well as presented to City Council and RSS Staff. Will post the survey results on the Social website. LIRN BC workshop held last weekend went very well. 12 RSS students attended the weekendlong workshop, created videos on anti-bullying, and presented to all Grade 7 classes in the district. CBT sponsorship fed the entire group for the weekend as well as purchased gift cards for teachers who volunteered their time. As well, many thanks to Laura Kanik from Community Connections for being involved throughout the weekend. Financial Literacy committee will be meeting to establish priorities and moving forward. Healthy Community Project Action item: Jill will send out the Final Report to the committee as well as present it to City Council. Jill is meeting next week with Liz Gillis, CBT s new interim Manager of Social Initiatives. CBT asked Jill to be part of a steering committee to oversee the new strategic planning process, but she declined since it would be time-consuming and is not part of her work plan. Moved by: John Yakielashek Seconded by: Melissa Klages THAT the Social Development Coordinator s Report dated February 26, 2014 be received. 6. ROUNDTABLE a. John Yakielashek ICAT presentation last week regarding domestic violence was well attended with approximately 50 participants. To date the process is going very well. b. Mike Hooker Pink Day at schools today to reinforce safe school environments. An RSS student has been nominated and selected to be part of the Provincial Anti-Bullying committee (only 20 students of 120 Districts were selected). c. Linda Chell Spring Fair for children born in 2009 is next week. Birth rate last year was 103 first time over 100 in the last 10 years. Early Childhood Development Committee held a goal setting meeting for a budget of $35,000 and still waiting on funding approvals for the Children First and Success by Six programs. Now have 13 licenced family daycares and 4 non registered daycares. Leap Land had 7,000 children visits and 3,000 adult visits during 2013. There is an increase in residents requiring kidney dialysis and asked what it would take to have this service available in Revelstoke. To be discussed at the next Health Advisory Committee meeting. d. Wes Groen Revelstoke Credit Union has approved funding for their Community Giving Program and the application deadline is March 11, 2014. e. Anne-Marie Gill She will be presenting at the Hospice AGM April 2, 2014, 7 PM at the Community Centre. Long Term Care moving forward with garden projects for residents. f. Tony Scarcella Housing Society presented the Affordable Rental Housing project to Council last night and are very close to finalizing the project plans to proceed with development. g. Alan Mason Funding received from Real Estate Foundation for a Food Security Strategy. Noted that although the City applied for funding, the steering committee is multi-sectoral. Hailey Ross and Fraser Blyth have been contracted to prepare the strategy. The transit system costs are quite high and after one year of the revised transit schedule for more direct routes there has been a very small increase in ridership. Handidart usage has declined. A meeting will be held soon to discuss revival of handidart usage and transit ridership.
Social Development Committee Meeting Minutes February 26, 2014 Page 3 h. Melissa Klages Free low income tax preparation is being offered at the seniors centre during the month of March. The session on family law has been changed to Tuesday, March 4. i. Rana Nelson Rana is new to Revelstoke and is an editor by training and very interested in community building and conflict resolution. A Sustainable Living Committee is being established with Laura Stovel and Fraser Blyth and developing a speaker series. Jill will forward speaker series information via email. Rana is also the liaison between the Francophone PAC and Arrow Heights Elementary PAC. j. Otti Brown Two new staff at the Employment Centre. Working with Community Connections on the LINK project. January saw 900 client visits, currently trying to track non-citizen clients who are not eligible for Case Management services. Also trying to track seasonal worker numbers. k. Craig Brown Community Connections is distressed about recent posting on the Stoke List regarding the Food Bank clientele. Craig re-iterated that clients are screened very carefully and seasonal skiers are not food bank recipients. l. Jim Cook Will be retiring from Community Futures this year. New rep on this week s CFDC meeting agenda. m. Debra Wozniak CBT Community Initiatives Program public presentations will be held at 7 PM on March 4 at the Community Centre. Homecoming planning underway for the event to be held August 15 17, 2014. n. Nelli Richardson Women s Shelter has been at capacity or over capacity for the last two months. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Request from Caledon Institute of Social Policy (based in Toronto) for Revelstoke to participate in their new Poverty Reduction Monitoring tool for municipalities. Revelstoke will be the only BC municipality as well as the smallest community being tracked. This will require Jill s participation in a ½ hour teleconference per month, as well as keeping up to date on community Poverty Reduction initiatives, which she is doing anyhow for the Poverty Reduction Working Group. Moved by: Linda Chell Seconded by: Wes Goan THAT Jill allocate time to participate in the Poverty Reduction Monitoring Tool for Municipalities. b. Embrace BC anti-racism and anti-discrimination project is forming a new subcommittee to address homophobia and the gap in support services for LGBT individuals in the community requested Jill participate on this steering committee. Jill will report back on progress. c. Housing Society update Alan Mason reported that the affordable rental housing project is getting closer to receiving final approvals. The application to CBT Social Grants for an Emergency Shelter Feasibility Study was successful and working on an RFP to hire a consultant to perform the work. d. City Committee update Alan Mason reported that the Economic Development Committee has been focused on taxation rates. 8. NEXT MEETING DATE: April 23, 2014 at Revelstoke City Council Chambers 10. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Jim Cook THAT the meeting adjourn at 9:55 am. Nelli Richardson, Chair
Social Development Committee Meeting Minutes February 26, 2014 Page 4 Revelstoke Community Social Development Committee Coordinator s Report February 26, 2014 1. Communication, support and coordination Regional/provincial contacts: - Tasha Nijjar, Program Director, Leave Out Violence (LOVE) BC (LIRN BC Youth project) - Betty Brown, IH Community Health Facilitator (Healthy Community Project) - Anne Makhoul, Caledon Institute of Social Policy, Toronto (Revelstoke Poverty Reduction initiative) - Lorna Vissar, REACH project (training for non-profits) - Debbie Maclean, Bragg Creek Alberta, Community Development Project - Jim Sands, SPARC BC Project Coordinator (Nelson Poverty Reduction Project) Contacts: - Jan 23 rd BC Healthy Communities, Capacity-Building Grants webinar - Jan 24 th Dinner meeting with Lorna Vissar, REACH - Jan 27 th Multicultural Society hiring committee meeting - Jan 20 th Betty Brown, IH, telephone meeting - Jan 20 th Tim Palmer - Jan 31 st Multicultural Society short-list interview - Jan 31 st Megan Shandro, Youth Liaison & Tasha Nijjar, LOVE BC teleconference - Feb 3 rd Poverty Reduction Working Group - Feb 3 rd Debbie Maclean, Bragg Creek, Community Development project - Feb 3 rd Healthy Community Project Photography exhibit, photo selection - Feb 4 th Youth Drug Survey presentation to RSS Staff - Feb 5 th Lisa Longinotto, Chamber rep - Feb 6 th Laurie Donato, Healthy Community Project - Feb 10 th Healthy Community Project Photography exhibit mounting at Comm Centre - Feb 12 th Healthy Community Project stakeholder workshop - Feb 13 th Laura Stovel, Embrace BC Anti-Discrimination Project - Feb 13 th - Stephanie Melnyk, Community Response Network Coordinator - Feb 17 th Early Childhood Development Committee annual planning session - Feb 18 th Seniors Volunteer Coordinator Steering Committee - Feb 19 th - Megan Shandro, Youth Liaison - Feb 19 th Human Resources roundtable webinar - Feb 19 th Youth Advisory Committee meeting - Feb 20 th Laura Gallager, new Community Connections, Community LINK project coordinator - Feb 24 th Rana Nelson, new member at large - Feb 24 th Tracey Spannier, CBAL, Financial Literacy project - Feb 25 th Youth Drug Survey Community/Parent presentation - 2. Youth Initiative - Continue to provide support for Youth Liaison & Youth Advisory Committee. - LIRN BC Workshop February 21-24 th tracked logistics for this event; organized catering for the weekend., funded by CBT Sponsorship funds. - Youth Mental Health & Substance Use subcommittee presented Youth Drug Survey results to RSS Staff on Feb 4 th, well-received and to parents/community on Feb 25 th at 7 pm (in partnership with RSS PAC). - Assisted with grant-writing for Community Initiatives Program to support YAC projects.
Social Development Committee Meeting Minutes February 26, 2014 Page 5 3. Welcoming Communities - Prepared a proposal for submission to the Tourism Infrastructure Funding committee to consider ongoing funding for Welcome Week. The new settlement services funding at OC will no longer fund special events. 5. Poverty Reduction - Poverty Reduction Working Group has recruited two new members. - Financial Literacy project Social Grants application was successful. This will be a 2 year project in partnership with the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy. - YAC CIP application, in part, is to coordinate an access fund to support lower income youth to access sports, recreation and cultural events and programs in Revelstoke. If funded, we will proceed with this project. - The Housing Society Social Grants application to complete a feasibility analysis and plan to construct an Emergency Shelter in Revelstoke was also successful. - The Parks & Rec department will be looking at ways to improve knowledge and access to the City s Core Program, including providing part-time, on-call staff with more information about the program. - SPARC BC is working through the LIRN BC partnership with the Nelson Social Planning Action Network (SPAN) to organize a day-long workshop on May 1 st, intended to initiate the development of a poverty reduction plan for Nelson. I have been asked to do a presentation and act as a resource person for the workshop. They will be covering my expenses. This will be an excellent opportunity for regional networking around poverty reduction. 6. Healthy Communities - The Revelstoke Healthy Community Project photography exhibit was mounted at the Community Centre on February 10 th. 25 photographs from 10 different photographers were chosen to give a visual interpretation of what makes Revelstoke a healthy community. The exhibit includes information on what we are already doing. The public is being asked to enter to win one of the photos from the exhibit, including a comment on what we could be doing better. - 22 participants from a variety of backgrounds attended the Stakeholder Workshop on February 12 th, facilitated by Betty Brown, IH Healthy Community Regional facilitator. Participants reviewed the draft scan & recommended actions, noting gaps and setting priorities. - Relevant policies and bylaws from the City of Revelstoke, School District #19 and Interior Health will be included in the final report. - Photos and input from the Stakeholder Workshop have been incorporated into a draft document, which has been sent out for review, with a deadline for input Feb 28 th. All public and stakeholder input will be incorporated into the final report. - The final report for this project must be completed prior to submitting an application for Phase 2 funding ($20,000). Deadline for applications for Phase 2 is March 14 th. Intent is to do so. 7. Other - Assisted the Multicultural Society to conclude their hiring process, following due diligence. A coordinator/admin assistance has now been hired and they are moving forward. - At her request, I met with Debbie Maclean, from Bragg Creek Alberta who has been tasked with Community Development work in that area and wanted to consult on the best way to move forward. - Met with both new members appointed to the Social Development Committee.