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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-04-25 Human Relations Commission Action MinutesADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 1 of 41 HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Tuesday, April 25, 2017 Downtown Library 270 Forest Avenue 7:00 PM SPECIAL MEETING ROLL CALL: Commissioners Present: Alhassani, Chen, Gordon Gray, O’Nan, Stinger, Stone Absent: Savage Staff: Minka van der Zwaag, Mary Constantino I. ROLL CALL Chair Stone: Alright, good evening everybody. Thank you for attending the April 25th meeting of the Human Relations Commission meeting and it is one of the largest crowds that we’ve seen in a while. I’d like to think it’s because tonight’s my last meeting and you all wanted to say goodbye to me so thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Can we start with a roll call? Thank you. III. AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS Chair Stone: Move onto agenda changes, requests or deletions. Ok, wonderful. III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Chair Stone: We’ll move to oral communications. Do we have any oral communications from the audience? Again, on anything that’s not already listed under our business items for the night. Ok, great. IV. BUSINESS 1. Ad hoc Selection Committee recommendation to the HRC for Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) Funding for Fiscal Years 2018-19 Chair Stone: Then we’ll move onto our first item of business which is our AD HOC Selection Committee recommendation to the HRC for Human Services Resource Allocation Process, commonly known as HSRAP, funding for the fiscal year 2018-2019. We’re going to go take this action item up a little differently than usually because most of the time you have public comment to start off an item. We’re going to hold public comments back for a little bit for after we can get moving. Also, just to keep in mind so we can have a more orderly pace to the meeting, I know it’s really tempting to have side conversations or to make little side comments when the HRC is ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 2 of 41 discussing, especially something with regards to your agency. If you have anything that you want to add, please raise your hand and we’d be happy to call on you. If any Commissioner wants to call on you, then you can please take a stand and address us at that time but otherwise, please keep your comments to yourself. Again, what we’re going to do is we’re going to have a brief introduction from Minka. Then we’re going to have a report from Commissioner O’Nan. Then we’re going to have some clarification questions from the HRC and then we’ll move on to public comments from all of you before we take up our entire discussion. So, I just want to give you a little road map to keep you comfortable, and I think we’ll be having drinks coming by in a few minutes. Ok, so, we’ll start with our introduction from Minka. Ms. van der Zwaag: Thank you, Chair Stone. For folks in the audience, Minka van der Zwagg, Human Services Manager. Thank you all for coming here tonight. Thank you, Commissioners, for being here. First of all, I want to thank all the agencies who applied for the HSRAP process. I know that it’s a lot of work and the HRC and Staff are very appreciative of the work that your agencies do in the community. I want to also take the opportunity to thank the Ad hoc Selection Committee. Commissioners O’Nan, Gordon-Gray, and Chen who did a lot of hard work to really carefully and thoughtfully review the applications and come up with a proposed recommendation to propose to the full HRC tonight. You were provided, HRC, with a staff report going over the Selection Committee’s deliberations and in a moment Commissioner O’Nan will give you a report to talk about the Selection Committee’s draft recommendations. Also, in your packet that I provided to you, there’s a priority of needs draft and summary applications from the agencies. Just a couple notes before we go there. The budget sheet, there is a 2.6% proposed CPI increase and proposed – I wanted to clarify. Proposed is that our budget department is proposing that to the City’s Finance Committee so it’s not being proposed by the Ad hoc Selection Committee. That is being proposed by our budget Staff to the Finance Committee when they need to talk about the HSRAP allocations and that increased the total by about $11,200. As far as the funding request that was also in your report, those exceeded available funding by $121,975. For clarification, that does not include the money that is currently being proposed to leave on the table. That was Adolescent Counseling Services’ share of the HSRAP grant for the on-campus counseling program at the secondary campuses for PAUSD so I wanted to add that clarification. The full HSRAP budget is $459,213, so that’s a baseline of $448,013 plus the proposed CPI that I just talked about. Going onward, the HRC is being asked to review and take action on the recommendations listed in the staff report that I’ve prepared for you. The first recommendation is the following; 1)Recommend that the fiscal year 2018-19 HSRAP partial funding recommendation in the amount of $347,654 to fourteen agencies to be forwarded to the City Council for consideration and approval. 2) Recommend that the City Council reopen the HSRAP process to receive applications for consideration of the unallocated HSRAP funding of $111,559. In regards to this last recommendation, which is included in your report and I’m sure Commissioner O’Nan will go over this as well, we had a very usual circumstance this year in that one applicant, Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS), withdrew their application as they decided not to respond to the school district who issued a request for proposals for the on- campus counseling program on the secondary campuses. They had administered that program for over 30-years and we were informed of that withdrawal very late in the process so the Selection Committee met again and deliberated about that very unusual situation. They came up with recommendation number two as you see before you. As far as next steps, the City’s Finance Committee will consider the HSRAP recommended motions on Tuesday, May 9th and tentatively ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 3 of 41 included in the full Community Services Department budget and that’s tentatively going to start at 8:30 PM. As you recall, the last couple cycles, HSRAP has been part of the full Community Service budget and is usually not a separate discussion, just a discussion of the full total amount. Given the current situation and the historic of funding that has been provided for the on-campus counseling program that might change the way in which this discussion will happen when the Finance Committee meets and I anticipate that to be the case. As I get more information from the City’s Budget Department, I will pass it on to the HRC and I will pass is on to the applicants as well. I will wait for those instructions from city leadership and let you know. Before I go forward to Jill to talk about the deliberation, there are two agencies that were not able to be present tonight but asked me to send their gratitude for the proposed recommendations and express their sorrow that they couldn’t be here tonight to due to staffing issues and did not want it reflected upon your recommendations. That was La Comida and Palo Alto Housing Program that were not able to be here tonight. At this point, I will turn it over to Commissioner O’Nan. Commissioner O’Nan: Thank you, Minka and thank you for that introduction. As Minka mentioned, this year there was an Ad hoc Selection Committee that consisted of myself and my colleagues Commissioner Chen and Commissioner Gordon Gray. We worked in tandem with Minka van der Zwaag and Mary Constantino of the Human Services – Office of Human services here at the city. Every funding cycle it’s difficult to come up with fair and equitable HSRAP funding recommendations. Funding available through HSRAP, which is provided by the city, is typically fairly modest and the grants that we’re able to offer are similarly modest but we do our best to try to support existing agencies and where possible, to incorporate applications from new agencies. This year we weren’t sure how much money we were going to have available to allocate at the outset and we had a couple of changes along the way. The first was a happy twist, which was that we’ve been asking the City Council to consider building in some sustainability into HSRAP by providing cost of living increases and this year, the budget office did recommend a 2.5% increase. Our interpretation of that was that was meant to sustain existing agencies that were within the program and so our Committee’s recommendation is that amount be allocated evenly across the current HSRAP grantee population. Another twist that came up was that one long-time agency, which is Community Technology Alliance, dropped out this year. They apparently have been absorbed by the County, Minka? Ms. van der Zwaag: My understanding, to the best of knowledge, is the program that they were overseeing; the County is now overseeing… Commissioner O’Nan: The County took it over. Ms. van der Zwaag: …that program. Commissioner O’Nan: Right, so they dropped out which left an amount of $8,565 unallocated. Again, a very modest amount but something that could be sufficient to what we call a starter grant for perhaps a new agency and we had two new agencies apply to become a part of HSRAP this year. We took a very careful look at both of those, one was KARA, which does grief support and one is the Community Working Group, which supports day services at LifeMoves. We went through those deliberations and then we had a third twist when ACS suddenly dropped out at the last minute. This was very unprecedented and surprising and threw us a bit off because ACS was ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 4 of 41 by far the largest HSRAP grantee so it was a large amount of money and suddenly there was no obvious allocation for it. The Committee had to become agile and pivot and try to make the best decisions possible. As I said, we wanted to distribute the cost of living increase equitably across the existing grantees. In trying to determine the allocation for the $8,565 left on the table by the withdrawal of the Community Technology Alliance, that small starter grant seemed to be most appropriate for KARA. KARA had requested $30,000 but they offer a service model that I think can scale with this small grant and potentially this could grow over the years. In contrast, the amount requested from Community Working Group was much higher. It was $84,000 and it was basically to support the building, the utilities and so forth to keep the lights on in that building, which was also an extremely worthy endeavor but it was quite a bit of money. We felt that HSRAP, with its typically limited funding and modest size grants, may not be the appropriate program to be able to support something like that. We were concerned about long-term sustainability there so we chose KARA. Then, as for the remaining amount left on the table by ACS, we were very reluctant to go ahead and just start reallocating it. We really wanted to check in with the City Finance Committee and perhaps even the full City Council, to see if they might have some input or guidance for us as to what they would like to see. As the city has focused on youth well-being for many years now and so has the HRC in parallel and we wanted to see what agency might step forward to take over some of the responsibilities ACS had. Also, there are a number of youth-oriented programs, Dream Catchers, Stepping Stones from Palo Alto Housing Corp. that also support youth. There may be other opportunities to also reallocate – beyond that, there are many, many worthy agencies in the community. Our recommendation then was to allocate the amount we had minus the ACS amount to do a first round in other words with the existing agencies. So, they would know what their allocations were and they will be getting that CPI increase. We’ve also recommended that KARA goes ahead and join the HSRAP family and be given the amount that was left over by Community Technology Alliance. As to the ACS amount, which is quite large; it’s over $100,000. We would like to keep that kind – what’s a word in purgatory. We’re recalling my Catholic roots now. In purgatory pending some further guidance from our city leadership and then we would like to do a second round later in the summer. We will convene a second Ad hoc Selection Committee and throw it open to other agencies to see what comes out of that. This is a substantial amount of money and so we could go a lot of different directions. I think before we make those decisions we need input from leaders and grantees and city staff and do a really fair process and give everyone a fair shot at that money. It does double the burden for both grantees that have to wait and for us who has to do two cycles of funding allocation but this is an extraordinary circumstance. We do feel that this is the best chance we have to optimize the use of our actual and fairly limited city dollars. So, that’s really my report and I’d be happy to take any questions or comments on that. Chair Stone: Does the 2.5% CPA, is that included in the proposed amount already? Commissioner O’Nan: Yes. Chair Stone: Ok. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Do we know what exact amount is? Commissioner O’Nan: It was $11,000 and something. It was $11,200. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 5 of 41 Ms. van der Zwaag: It was divided prorate, not evenly. Vice Chair Stinger: …Did you have three recommendations for City Council? Commissioner O’Nan: Well, we had the recommendation for the funding for the existing grantees with the CPI increase. We had the recommendation to add KARA as part of that and we had a recommendation for a second round with the unallocated ACS funds. Ms. van der Zwaag: The KARA would be in number one. Commissioner O’Nan: In number one, yes. Commissioner Gordon Gray: So, a second RFP. Ms. van der Zwaag: Is number two. Commissioner Alhassani: Is the $11,200 the 108 plus the 2.5% -- share the 2.5%, correct? Commissioner O’Nan: Yes. Ms. van der Zwaag: That was done that way but a CPI was also given to the on-campus counseling – not the on campus, the LBGTQ program, the Outlet. Commissioner O’Nan: Outlet program. Oh, sorry – oh, let me clarify that. So, ACS actually consisted of two programs. One was on-campus counseling program and that was withdrawn but they had a second program for LBGT – I’m going to mess this up. Commissioner Gordon Gray: LBGTQ. Commissioner O’Nan: LBGTQ Youth Outlet, which was not affected and we very fully support that program so we will continue funding that part of ACS. Chair Stone: Any additional questions? I had a question then for city staff. I know that obviously on CDBG, we have pretty strict timelines of when we need to respond with recommendations. For HSRAP, is there a hard deadline that we’re going to need to… Ms. van der Zwaag: The May 9th Finance Committee meeting. Chair Stone: For these – but – so as far as going forward, if we were to do this, the second recommendation, opening up the process again for later. Ms. van der Zwaag: How I see that going at this point is if it’s the HRC’s recommends passing number two, I will work with our budget staff to present that to the Finance Committee. They will probably have a discussion on that and whatever they decide is part of their budget recommendation that goes to the full Council. That happens on usually the second and the third Monday in June. So, if the Council goes forth with this recommendation or some version of it, it ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 6 of 41 will take effect July 1st. At that point, we would -- Staff would have a direction to issue a new RFP if that’s the direction we’re given. We would probably – because the scale of the application would be identical to the scale of the application that was originally filled out by the applicants. We would probably give people two or three weeks – probably three weeks to fill it out and we’d be looking at them in some time in August. I think we probably wouldn’t have any type of decision until September. Chair Stone: Do you think it would be best to have a Plan A and Plan B, depending on how Council… Ms. van der Zwaag: It depends on what your Plan A and Plan B would be. I think I need a little more detail. Chair Stone: I like the recommendation that the subcommittee proposed. I’m concerned if we bring this to the Council and they go well, we don’t like the idea of breaking it up like this. We want a full recommendation to distribute the funds now. If we could then, at that point, have Plan B. Ms. van der Zwaag: You can certainly go forward that way. That would be the choice of the HRC. I know Council at times likes to have different choices. I think they’d be looking more, in this case, to the rationality behind it. I would think more instead of maybe a spreadsheet if you wanted to fill it out like this. This is – we thought about doing this, we thought about doing this, we thought about doing that. It looked like Commissioner O’Nan wanted to speak. We did talk about some different options – the Selection Committee talked about couple different options when we met so you might want to discuss that. Commissioner O’Nan: I think unknown though, in terms of moving forward right now, would be that we don’t know what on-campus counseling program may be proposed to replace the ACS. We could recommend based on what we have now and they could be completely out of the picture. Ms. van der Zwaag: You can do that when you have your 2-minutes to speak. Commissioner O’Nan: They haven’t had the opportunity to jump into the process so I think in the interest of fairness; we were trying to make sure any and all participants could have a chance to step up. Otherwise, some organizations may get left out. Ms. van der Zwaag: Right and I think the recommendation as it currently has with the backup language that the Selection Committee included in the Staff report is the thoughts of just having it for on-campus counseling, opening it up for current HSRAP grantees or opening for new grantees. So, those are three options that the Finance Committee, within that one recommendation, would be discussing. They could come back and say no, just open it up for on- campus counseling or no, just do it for this or just do it for that. That’s the type of direction that the Selection Committee was really looking for as far as the recommendation as it’s currently worded. That’s what they were looking for and I would think as we’ve done in the past, that if I’m addressing this with the Finance Committee, that we would have a representative either from ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 7 of 41 the HRC or the Selection Committee address Council questions at that time. Chair Stone: Ok. Yes? Commissioner Alhassani: Does the city staff have any two senses or thinking on are there organizations who are CDBG recipients as well. Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes. Commissioner Alhassani: Should that factor into the decision making of the HRC for HSRAP as well? Ms. van der Zwaag: You can talk to the Selection Committee about that. During their deliberations, there were discussions regarding what CDBG was funding and what HSRAP was funding and in all the cases, it’s the same agency but its different programs within that agency. Those two programs have tried to act and work very collaboratively together and it’s just been very historic how CDBG and HSRAP have funded different ends of the same organization. It’s not duplication – it’s duplication for the agency but it’s not a duplication of the service. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes and also, we were very conscious of the fact that CDBG being a federal program and some very strict limitations and guidelines that are very constraining for agencies. They often have to struggle to fit into the different categories and there are certain caps. HSRAP, one of the beauties of it, although it’s not a huge amount of money, is the grants are given with really no strings. I mean we tried to evaluate the application and then build a collaborative relationship with the agency and trust them to do the right thing with the money. We really looked to the agency to tell us what their need is, whereas the government comes in and tells you what your need is and so we want to keep that free reign. Chair Stone: Alright, well then let’s open it up now for public comments. I think we’ll have a better idea of what our discussion going forward after hearing from the agencies. Commissioner O’Nan: If anybody wants to speak, make sure you have a card filled out. Chair Stone: Ok. So, our first speaker is Heather Russo. Ms. Heather Boddie – Russo: Hi, I’m Heather Boddie-Russo with Peninsula Healthcare Care Connection. I just wanted to speak tonight to thank you for the recommendation and the recommendation of continued support. Healthcare and mental health care services are highly impacted in our count y and all over. With uncertainty related to the ACA and where healthcare is going in general in this country, I think that safety net services such as our clinic are more critical now than ever. I can also say that I’m sure that I’m not alone in being surprised about the unallocated funds and hopeful that we might be able to have a chance to apply; all of us. I know I would be grateful for that additional support as well as grateful for the support that we were recommended for. Chair Stone: Thank you. Next is Alice Turner. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 8 of 41 Ms. Alice Turner: Hi, my name is Alice Turner and I’m from Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. We also thank you for your recommendation for our funding. We provide services to individuals who have significant vision loss. A good portion of our population is seniors, people age 55 and older. That population is continuing to age, obviously, but then also has vision loss associated with age-related eye conditions. The services that we provide are life changing. They enable individuals to stay in their homes, to be able to maintain their lifestyle, to be able to either work or support themselves, to not be lonely, not be isolated and to live life fully. We do this through rehabilitation, through a variety of different support services and in additionally, through technology, which is changing the life of individuals who are blind and visually impaired. We thank you for your recommendation. We also would be happy to apply for additional funds and we’re available for questions if need be. Chair Stone: Ok, thank you. Rod Lunhargs. Mr. Rod Lunhargs: Good evening. Most of all, congratulations Commission Stone. That’s why I came here. Chair Stone: I figured, thank you so much. Mr. Lu nhargs: I’m done. Thank you very much. No, my name is Rod Linhargs. I’m with Abilities United and we advance advocacy, inclusions, and independence for children and adults with developmental disabilities. I would like to just second on what was just said previously. I want to thank you on behalf of our participants, our Staff, volunteer, and Board for all of your support. It is really absolutely, extremely beneficial and absolutely vital. You are a key component in our ability to serve those who need and desire what it is that we provide. Your assistance really helps us in two ways. Tangibly, obviously, the services that you provide are extremely significant for the children last year. The money went to early intervention so they could get off to the best start that they possibl y could in life. For the adults, it went to making them vibrant and vital members of the community through job training, employment and even volunteering. They volunteered at a total of about 20 or so organizations throughout our community and totaling about 2,200 hours and that was absolutely a wonderful significant for them in a very personal way; as also in terms of enhancing the community. Then in un- intangibly, just the mere fact that we were able to say that you are supporters of us in a financial way sends a very, very strong and significant signal to our donors, to our friends and really to the whole community about the value that we provide and really the value of those whom we are having the great privilege to serve. I just want to thank you. We have a vision of – that everyone of all abilities can live, work and play together and I want to thank you very, very much for really being a part of that and joining us in partnering in that so thank you very much and again, congratulations. Chair Stone: Thank you. Next is Ashley Peil. Ms. Ashley Peil: Great, thank you. Hi, my name is Ashley Peil and I’m from MayView Community Health. We are a safety net community clinic and we have three locations which are Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. We want to thank you again for your continued support of our program. We use that money to provide care to the uninsured of Palo Alto. To ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 9 of 41 give you some context, I think with our request increase of funding. El Camino Hospital had a free clinic called Rota Care, that served a huge population of Palo Alto’s uninsured and they closed in July of 2016. MayView alone and I am sure the other clinics in the area have seen a huge surge in our uninsured populations. In total for MayView, it’s been 84%, specifically an increase of 30% for our Palo Alto residence so that money is very important to us. We provide full primary care services and lab work. We are also growing our integrated behavioral health program so we have four on staff providers. That’s an MFT, LCSW, a nurse practitioner and then a physiatrist. So again, thank you guys and just wanted to let you know the story behind our dollar increase. We appreciate your support and I have some flyers so if you guys want to check them out, I’ll leave them on that table. Also, we’d love to give anyone a tour for anyone who is interested so thank you. Chair Stone: Thank you. Our next speaker is Jim Santucci, followed by Max McGee. Mr. Jim Santucci: Good evening, my name is Jim Santucci from KARA. I serve as the Executive Director and first I just want to say thank you so much for allowing us to get into the family so to speak and really appreciate it. A little history about KARA… Commissioner O’Nan: And you can never get out. Mr. Santucci: …Yes, that’s what I hope. That’s what I hope. Since 1976 – actually I was looking at the numbers and on December 31st, 1976, cash in the bank was $5, 283. Forty years later we’re a million-dollar organization but it is all donations based. We’re a donation based organization and we serve over 5,000 people. Twenty odd percent – twenty-five percent or so come from Palo Alto. Having been a client myself 8-years ago after coming off a very personal loss, I became a volunteer and I became a client and I understood the value of KARA. I’ve got a peer support counselor; our services are all peer-based and there is a volunteer; 200 volunteers so I can’t say how much enough I appreciate the support. I know it’s a little bit and I hope it will grow over the years and I do recommend to the committee that you do open it up for all of the organizations to get a little bit more because of it really, really, helps. As the gentleman said before me, it really makes a difference when we talk to personal donors to know we’re getting money from the local community and support so thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. Chair Stone: Thank you. Next is Superintendent Max McGee and followed by Heiri Schuppisser. I’m horrible at names, I’m sorry. Mr. Max McGee: Well, great, thank you. Well, one of the lessons of leadership is the importance of delegation but this was too important to delegate to anyone else to come tonight. I wanted to start out by thanking you for the historical support for ACS and the on-campus counseling. The intern model served us well during its time but as I look around the room, Abilities United, Dreamcatchers, YCS, KARA, all these organizations in one time or another have or continue to benefit our students so your generosity is deeply appreciated. Our long term goals are high- quality teaching and learning, equity, and access, wellness and safety. We have really focused on wellness and safety by putting more funding of our own into wellness and safety. Putting parcel tax money into wellness and safety and so when it came time to review our counseling models, we’re really looking now at staffing our secondary schools with full-time licensed professionals. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 10 of 41 ACS did a wonderful job, we were – had a terrific relationship. In fact, we did invite them to apply for the RFP this round but our students and our staff need those licensed therapists and they need the continuity year after year. So, we have three responses to the RFP. We have not made a recommendation. We have a 20-member Review Committee reviewing them, including three students. We thought it was important to hear the student voice in this review process. I was heartened the hear about a plan where we could or there might be a second round. Whether it’s this summer or whether it’s tomorrow morning, we will – it’s been a while since I’d pulled an all-nighter but I still have it in me if I need be to fill this out because we will have on campus counseling and it will be provided by one of the three organizations that responded to our RFP. I’ll be glad to answer any questions. I wanted to assure you that as we come back and do apply for the money, we’ll be directly supporting that goal of student wellness and ideally to support this idea of having a licensed therapist working with our students this year and into the future. Thank you for your time tonight and congratulations and I will stay as long as I can, even if the drinks aren’t served. Thank you. Chair Stone: Thank you. Alright, Heiri, followed by Philip Dah. Mr. Heiri Schuppisser: Well, my name is Heiri Schuppisser and I work for Momentum Mental Health. I’m an Outreach Specialist and I want to the thank the Commission for the funding we’re getting. I’ve been doing it since ’97 so it’s a long time and in that time, we’ve helped a lot of unhoused individuals. My job is to go out and engage with the unhoused population. I go to the meal sites, I sit down and I eat with the unhoused people. That’s how you get to know people and I promise them nothing out there. I help them navigate through the system. I work with a lot of agencies that are up here, New Directions, Life Moves, Downtown Street Team, and we all work together as a team, which allows us to help a lot of people out there and I want to thank you. Oh, P.S, also, PAR. I work with a public defender of Downtown Street Teams, Life Moves, Darcy from Probation, and we work with the unhoused population that is getting tickets throughout Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. We help them get those fines sometimes dismissed but it gives us a window to help them move on and get help and get housing. So, this money has helped changed a lot of people’s lives in a positive way. Thank you. Chair Stone: Thank you. Philip Dah. Mr. Schuppisser: Oh, and this good guy here too. Chair Stone: I know you and followed by Don Barr. Mr. Philip Dah: Hi, my name is Philip Dah and I work with LifeMoves at the Opportunity Center. I want to thank you all. This is once a year that we all get together to come and say our thank you’s but the work that we do is very important and without your support, we probably won’t be able to do it. Like Heiri said, it’s a network of organizations that come together to make this happened because one organization doesn’t have the resources to do it so I want to thank the rest of the group as well. Quickly, the money – the funding that you give us is really playing a key role in what we are doing. Back a few weeks ago, I spoke at CDBG and mentioned that we have housed 47 people and we were throwing a party at the Opportunity Center and we’re very proud of what we were doing. Well, the good news is that from January to March, we have ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 11 of 41 housed 29 people on top of what we did. It’s a bunch of organizations, including the County of Santa Clara, who are getting together to do this because of the new created way. The most vulnerable people get indexed into a funnel and have the opportunity to go into housing. At the Opportunity Center, the four case managers we have there are tasked with making sure that every single one of our clients, including vets, are getting into the system. So that they will be chosen by the County to go into supportive housing and most of those supported housing units – in fact, all of them, come subsidized. We have 40 subsidized or 30% of substantiating and so we have input about 400 clients – homeless people into the system and so every week we get hits after hits after hits and we believe that if the train continues, we’ll probably house 100 people this year so the funding that we get from you, it’s a placeholder. It’s the money that we use to get them some clothing, some food, put them in a shelter until they move into their own homes so I want to thank you all. I also want to add that we – for the first time in a long time, a lot of vets are coming through the Opportunity Center. We are working with them and they are part of the folks who are also getting housed so thank you very much. Just so – by the way, we are doing another celebration on Friday at 11 o’clock to celebrate the 27 folks or I mean the 29 people who got housed. What we do is we try to recognize them. We invite the community folks; we invite our clients – the naysayers that think that it cannot be done because there’s no housing anywhere. For them to see that others are getting housed and it’s possible for them. So, if you have time on Friday, you should come by but I think Don may have another announcement about the Opportunity Center on Saturday. Mr. Don Barr: I’m not going to mention that. Mr. Dah: Well, in that case, I will mention it. So, the Opportunity Center is celebrating 10-years and there is an event happening at 33 Encina on Saturday at 11 o’clock and we’d like to have official supporters and donors and everyone is invited to attend. It’s not a fundraiser so please come. Thank you. Chair Stone: Thank you. Don Barr, followed by Barbara Klausner. Mr. Barr: Good evening, I’m Don Barr. I’m on the Board of Directors of the Community Working Group. I founded the organization and very, very pleased to have Life Moves at – for those of you who do not recall, Life Moves is the successor over a series of agencies to the Urban Ministry of Palo Alto. So, what uses to be UMPA is now Life Moves. I also want to thank the Commission for their policy change to included homeless day services as one of your priority areas. I would like to bring you though back to 1998 when the Urban Ministry lost their only day services center at the Red Cross building. The City of Palo Alto Human Services turned to a few citizens and said, we have no more space to put day services of the homeless. Will you please build us something so we formed the Community Working Group and built the Day Services Center from our own money from donations, CDBG, and other things and so, we did what the City wanted? Here we are in 2006 -- it opened in 2006. Separate ownership, the housing is completely separate ownership and corporate management. This is the Day Services Center that the Community Working Group opened. That’s where Life Moves provides their space and their services. Here we are in 2017, we, the Community Working Group, has been funding the Day Service Center to allow Life Moves and Peninsula Healthcare and the after-school children’s program to operate in this physical space. We, Community Working Group, have been paying all ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 12 of 41 of the fixed costs out of our own endowment that we raised more than 10-years ago but the endowment is going dry; I’m sorry. So, the cost that we have been paying to the City of Palo Alto Utility Department is $42,000 a year to the City of Palo Alto for water, heat, and so on and so forth to provide showers and laundry and so on and the food prep. Rather than have the city come in and clean up afterward, we have been having the janitor come in and clean it up to make it clean every day so that the new services can be offered. We provide the maintenance, we pay for the insurance but the endowment is running dry. We built this for the City of Palo Alto; the physical structure to allow LifeMoves, Peninsula Healthcare Connection, the after-school children’s program to provide this space for rent free so they don’t have to tag on rent to their allocation because the rent is free although actually, Peninsula Healthcare pays us a $1 a year so I take that back. My question for you is that I fully understand the dilemma you face and I’m not complaining at all. I’m simply asking the question that when the Community Working Group’s endowment runs out, who’s going to pay for the space that allows LifeMoves, Peninsula Healthcare Connection and the children’s program to continue if it’s not going to be the City of Palo Alto? Thank you very much. Chair Stone: Thank you. Barbara Klausner, followed by Zia MacWilliams. Ms. Barbara Klausner: Good evening and congratulations, Greer. I’m Barbara Klausner, Executive Director of Dreamcatchers and as you know, thanks to many years of support through HSRAP funding, we run an after-school program for low-income middle school students who attend public schools in Palo Alto. We’ve grown with the money that you’ve given us from a handful of Stanford students tutoring a handful of low-income middle school students to about 70 low-income middle school students this year but I really want to give you a more interesting picture of what your funding has allowed us to do and I would really like to say for the first time this year when low-income families come to Palo Alto and they step foot into this wonderful city and onto these beautiful campuses of our schools, they feel like they have reached the end of the rainbow and they’ve got the pot of gold sitting right there but in fact, it’s there and they can see it but they can’t always reach into it. They can’t always take advantage of it and so what Dreamcatchers has been able to do with funding from HSRAP and other sources, is really take on what I’m starting to think of as a personal trainer role. If you imagine, which I can easily do, deciding that you’re going to spend the money and effort, like our families do, to come to the best gleaming, let’s say gym. You know, it’s got the best, most wonderful exercise equipment and you open the door and you step inside and you think you’re there. Then you realize that I don’t actually know how to use the equipment. I could read the instructions but I’m not really quite sure. I don’t know which ones of these beautiful gleaming new pieces of equipment I should use and it’s a great gym so there are people there who can tell me how to use it but I’m not sure how much weight I should be using and what’s best for my health and wellness. I know I want to get better and stronger and healthier and there is probably more I should do about my health and I don’t really know. What Dreamcatchers tries to do is what we have done this year is really play that personal trainer role with a very small professional staff. What we do is we take advantage of this incredible city and schools that we have. What we can do is we can connect our low-income students with our one on one tutors. As you know they are from Stanford, Pally, and Gun local high schools so we match them with a resource that they didn’t have before like their own personal trainers. We also have professional staff that can help train and supervises the tutors but we do more than that. We also reach out to the families so that the parents within these ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 13 of 41 households can then get involved in their children’s education. We connect them with the teachers and the counselors in the school. So, when we try to figure out what we can do for our kids, just like a personal trainer, we’re not just showing them the equipment. We’re not just showing them the instructions on the equipment. We’re not just letting them know that it will work on this particular muscle but we’re actually looking at the child and saying, from the personal trainer perspective, what diet are you following? What nutrition? What are your goals in life? What’s your work schedule? When can you be here? That’s the mentality we have at Dreamcatchers and how we try to bring everyone together. The last thing that I want to say about it is that when I write the grant proposals, I talk about the 70 low-income students but really, we’re talking about these 70-100 volunteers who are part of the Palo Alto community who also contribute and make the program what it is; in addition to the families of our students so thank you again. We’re always so grateful and I’ll say that last word that I think that everyone wants to say which is the support of the city makes all the difference in the world so thank you. Chair Stone: Thank you, Barbara. Nice analogy. Zia MacWilliams. Ms. Zia MacWilliams: Thank you, Commission, Greer, for your leadership, Minka for your guidance and the Commission as a whole for your recommendation. We are very grateful for your support. Looking around this room, I see so many partners that have joined us in ending homelessness in Palo Alto and we couldn’t do it without their support and without your support so thank you. The money that you have allocated to us will be directed to an outreach worker who has over 30-years’ experience working in homeless outreach. With your support last year, we interacted with over 1,000 individuals on the street and we’re on track to interact with even more this coming. Thank you again. As my colleagues have mentioned, we are looking forward to a chance to reapply for the additional funding that may be available or have our application reconsidered for full funding. Thank you for your support. We’re available for questions. Chair Stone: Ok. Thank you so much. Is there anyone else who hasn’t had an opportunity to speak that didn’t get a chance to turn in a card and who would like to address the Commission? I knew I would make one mistake on my last night. Ok, so yes please, Georgia Bacil. Ms. Georgia Bacil: You got it right, thank you. Thank you. I’m the Directing Attorney of SALA, Georgia Bacil. We’re a non-profit law office and most of you know who we are. We provide free legal services county-wide as well as here in Palo Alto. We target seniors that are very low income at risk of abuse, isolation or loss of independence. We were founded in Palo Alto in 1973. I’ve been the Directing Attorney at SALA since 1983 and I’ve enjoyed every minute and every hour, including all the grant proposals we do have to write. That’s quite a heavy load I have to say. We currently received HSRAP funding and we’re so very grateful. Your funding has enabled us to expand our onsite appointments at Avenidas Senior Center, as well as Stevenson House. That really makes our services accessible locally to many Palo Alto residents that could not travel to San Jose where our central office and our other services are located. We’re requesting HSRAP funding to continue our services again and we do appreciate the HSRAP Subcommittee recommendation. I just wanted to let you know that 67% of the Palo Alto seniors that we served last year were very low income. Over half were 75 or older and over 40% were disabled and these are factors that place them at great economic and social risk. Many of the clients that we see have very limited options given the cost of living. Especially, if their public ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 14 of 41 benefits like social security, SSI, Medicare, and Medical are threatened or being cut. If they need a reasonable accommodation in housing like they are facing eviction or their housing is otherwise in jeopardy, if they are the victims of physical or financial abuse, usually by someone living in their home like an adult child, grandchild, person renting out a room, a caregiver. These are all the kinds of issues that we do provide free legal assistance with. We also do really basic planning for incapacity and end of life through powers of attorneys for healthcare and powers of attorney for financial management. This helps our clients remain in place and remain independent. They cannot afford $500 an hour for an attorney to pay for these services and we do this free of charge. We can’t charge fees for our services; we’re funded by the Older Americans Act and there’s an extreme and explicit prohibition against that and we cannot take fee generating cases. We have no way to generate income other than through grants like HSRAP, the Older Americans Act from the County of Santa Clara so your funding really does help us provide the highest level of service possible. So many other people have said it also serves as an endorsement to others and I can’t emphasize that even more so because you’re saying that our services, for all of us, are important to Palo Alto and that does leverage other funding. So, we do appreciate your support. If there is an opportunity to fully fund our request, we would appreciate that but we are very appreciative for the recommendation. Thank you. Chair Stone: Thank you so much. If more attorneys were like you, we would have a better reputation. Thank you. Ms. Bacil: Don’t give up. Chair Stone: Ok, anyone else then that wanted to say a few words that hadn’t gotten a chance to get a card? Ok, great and thank you. Now, we’re going to move into our discussion right now but thank you so much for being here taking the time out of your night to present to us. I will say that it makes a big difference that the fact that you are here and you’re showing your commitment so thank you. Thank you so much. I will open it up to any Commissioners. Who would like to begin the discussion? If anyone has a question from a representative, if it’s just a simple one-word answer, yes or no. Don’t bother getting up but if you believe that it may require a more extended answer, and then please stand over near the microphone to give it. Ok, so I’ll open up the discussion. Ok. I really think the Selection Committee did a fabulous job so Theresa Chen and Shelly and Jill, well done. Really well done, really – I think it’s fantastic and did what we strive to do year to year, which is to make sure the funding is consistent so that the agencies don’t take a big hit. I’m excited that we’re possible expanding and opening and welcoming a new member to the family. I am very interested in the additional $111,000. I think what I would like to see happen would be I think the committee discussed one of these contingencies but possibly opening it up to condition it on a particular need such as youth well-being? Open it and only allowing it for a similar agency like ACS? Ms. van der Zwaag: You can forward that if that’s the HRC’s will. You can forward that the Finance Committee for their consideration. You can do that. Chair Stone: I would like to see something along those lines. I don’t know whether it’s 100% or 50%. I think 50% is reasonable but given that ACS’s needs required a substantial amount of money to be able to do what they did at our schools. I think there is no question that ACS ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 15 of 41 proudly served the Palo Alto community and the school district for so many years. I think it’s absolutely critical that we keep a robust system such as that in place and have the funding that’s going to be available there for years to come. I would like to see if not the entire $111,559 preserved for that purpose then at least 50% to be left open for one of those agencies. Commissioner O’Nan: Well, I think I would respectfully disagree with you, Chair. My reasoning is that the school district has collaborated with a number of partners to provide counseling services aside from ACS and those were funded without city support. The relationship with ACS was a very, very old relationship; it went back to the 1980s. I think this is a point where the school district is taking a fresh look at their on-campus counseling and perhaps moving towards a different model and maybe multiple providers and this is a chance also for the city to figure out how to best optimize these funds. I mean we have a lot of money tied up in one agency. In fact, currently, we were supporting them more than the school district was so there, as I said other youth programs that might be worth of support. They might be youth that comes from families that may need support so I think we really have to get some guidance from our city leaders and may choose to prioritize funding the new on-campus counseling program but we may choose to fund it at a lower level than we have in the past in order to free up some funds for other types of services that would similarly support youth and families in our community. I would hesitate to put boundaries or quantitative amounts on that now because it’s like a Wild West at the moment. We still don’t know who’s stepping up to take ACS’ place or what that model looks like or how many agencies are going to be involved. I think I would like to just ask a question to Finance and the Council and see how the dust settles on this and find out more about the agency that is coming forward and find out what existing HSRAP grantees may propose to do with the money. There are a lot of agencies in the community that have great ideas for how to better serve our residences but they can’t implement them because they can’t afford to start new programs or pay for staffing. I would to hate to cut anybody off at the knees when we don’t know yet what’s going to happen. Chair Stone: Well, I do agree with that too. I wouldn’t want to tie it specifically to whatever agency the school district may choose. I think you made very good points on that but to tie a portion of it to youth well-being so that there is a sizeable slice of the pie thereof that agency or for similar agencies that continue to serve that population. I would hate to see any type of vacuum within the community because of that. Yes? Vice Chair Stinger: I would like to echo your thanks to the Committee. You just had an incredibly hard job to do. Even hearing about it was taxing. In just trying to match the priority needs against the budget, it looks like you did a really nice job of supporting agencies that we’ve supported in the past and covering the priority of needs. I have two concerns though. One is the Community Working Group and the other is La Comida and I don’t know how we turn straw into gold or nothing into something but I am really concerned that there’s no funding for the Community Working Group. We heard previously that there were three partners, Stanford – I just blanked on it – the Chamber and the City who funded some of the early work and I didn’t see that in the proposal and that concerned me. We can’t be 100% responsible for putting on the lights but I wondered if we just had a small piece of the $110,000 that would be enough to kick start a few months of funding so you could work on your endowment and rebuild that. If there could be some way that we could show support for the Community Working Group. We don’t ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 16 of 41 know where La Comida is going to be but I think we can project that they’ll be coming back to us with a request. Commissioner O’Nan: I think that’s the whole purpose of the second round though. Is that now that there’s a significant pop of money on the table, agencies like Community Working Group and La Comida could come back and compete for it. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I’ll just say that it was difficult for me to make that decision to go along with that decision. I didn’t agree with it but I did feel that we should have allocated some money. Not the whole amount. I didn’t think it was appropriate to fund all of your utilities but I did have some concerns about it. Commissioner Chen: It came up in our discussion before we made the final decision and we… Commissioner Gordon Gray: We voted. Commissioner Chen: …thought about that but the thing is if we say that we funded three months of the bill, what happened after three months? There is still a problem. So, unless, within this time period, that agency were ever to get the funding’s to support it, then there is no point to fund a short period of time. Chair Stone: I will say though that the one thing that we’ve heard it multiple times tonight and so I agreed with what the Subcommittee’s analysis in the staff report about why they didn’t allocate the funds and have it just be a drop in the budget but after hearing what so many agencies said tonight about that and hat could really help Community Working Group with additional funding. Commissioner Gordon Gray: It could be looked at as seed money. Chair Stone: Right, yes. Vice Chair Stinger: I think we need to be clear that we’re not setting a precedent. That we’re going to fund utilities year after year but in this one case, there’s an agency that needs help and I’d like to have a policy that we can reach out and help any agency. I think the basic premises that that the subcommittee had for HSRAP and we had the same premises for CDBG. That we wanted to be consistent and give people a baseline to work with. Mr. Barr: Just to clarify, I didn’t mean to imply that the endowment is exhausted now. Vice Chair Stinger: No, I think you… Mr. Barr: It’s just on a down – it will be exhausted in 6 or 7 years. Vice Chair Stinger: We understand. Yes, I do recall that comment. So, I just would like to put that recommendation or that comment on the table. Commissioner O’Nan: But HSRAP grantees are required to typically have diverse sources of ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 17 of 41 funding. They are not supposed to be entirely dependent on the city and they should have some sort of sustainable model. I think some of that was lacking in the Community Working Groups proposal so conceivably if we grant them a starter grant now, it could eventually become responsible for paying the whole amount. I don’t know that the city, with the limited scope of HSRAP, would be capable with taking that on and it would be unfair to the city and unfair to the Community Working Group if they city could not fulfill that financial obligation. Vice Chair Stinger: I read the application; I would agree with you 100% and I think we ought to make that comment clear. If a number of us saw deficits in the application but that still doesn’t diminish my interest in a new proposal that addresses those concerns. Chair Stone: For clarification, are you thinking of making a motion tonight to allocate funds to Community Working Group on this initial cycle or just urging Community Working Group to come back if we do end up recommending opening up the application process again this summer? Vice Chair Stinger: I guess my recommendation would be that we encourage the Community Working Group to come back with a new proposal but before we ask them to do the work, I think we ought to have a vote or some positive reinforcement that would be worth their while to put the effort into that. If I stand alone then I don’t want to ask the organization to do the work. Commissioner Chen: One thing is that maybe in the future, if we did ask them to send in a new proposal, one item that I think we strongly suggest is come up with a concrete plan on how to solicited other organizations for donations that makes your endowment funds sustainable and that is very important for us to know because I mean like three months of an electric bill doesn’t last very long right? So, we have to have a sustainable plan; A concrete proposal on how to get the funding from different organizations. Vice Chair Stinger: If that was specified, I’d entertain another proposal. Commissioner Chen: That’s what I would suggest. Commissioner Gordon Gray: When looking at the proposals, that was one of the key ways of measuring or scoring, which was how differentiated your funding was, how much you depended on the city for funding and what where your other sources and what where the other ways -- some are pretty dependent on the city and we know that funding is not always reliable so that was important so I agree with Commissioner Chen. That it would be good to have what is the plan? What is your contingency? If we only gave you some money, that wouldn’t solve the problems. Commissioner O’Nan: Well, then would my colleagues agree then to go ahead and approve this round one recommendation, which does not include Community Working Group but similarly, approves our second recommendation that we do the second round for which potentially any and all comers can participate? Commissioner Chen: Yes, I agree. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 18 of 41 Commissioner Gordon Gray: I agree with that and I do also want to say that I recommend that we keep it open. That we don’t focus on a particular group or need. That we – everybody has an equal need so I want to reinforce that I would like to see the second round of funding go to the whole – all applicants. Commissioner Chen: Also, I would like to emphasize that even those who didn’t apply in the first round. We are open to those people or those organizations. They have an opportunity again. Chair Stone: I’d like to ask a question of the Superintendant Max McGee. I don’t know if you are able to at this point to speak about the three applicants that have applied. Superintendent McGee: Sure, we had three applicants. We had Up Lift, CASSY and then another organization that I left in my notes. CASSY at this point is the lowest responsible bidder. CASSY currently supplies the counseling services for eight out of our twelve elementary schools. So, we are very encouraged by their application because this would have a continuity of service from pre-k all the way thru high school. CASSY has a history of providing excellent service, both in terms of counseling but also in terms of prices. I’ve only been here 3-years. My first year was that suicide cluster and we called on them. We called on KARA and other community partners and they came out and stayed as long as we needed them and really filled a great need in our entire community at that time. We will be recommending to the Board probably not until May 23rd just because our next meeting is May 9th and that agenda is filled with all sorts of other exciting topics as you probably read. So, at this point, it looks like CASSY will be the recommendation. Again, we have 20 people on the Review Committee including three students so we intend to continue with licensed counselors at each of the schools and because these are fully licensed, they receive benefits from CASSY, we expect. As we have at our elementary schools, continuity in service year after year and while the intern model served us well. What were we hearing from the students especially is what happen with the guy that I worked with last year? What happens to the young women that I had this relationship with last year? I have to start all over again and so that was one of the reasons we really looked at this new model. We will have a counseling model. I appreciate Mr. Chair, your idea about setting aside some portion of the funds but I want to assure you if it’s an open application, we will be, I hope first in line but we will certainly fill out whatever documents and requirements and meet those enthusiastically and glad to compete with the others Your funds again, fill a great need for our school for years and my understanding of the importance of relationships is that sometimes after 30-years, you do need to relook and figure out what is best for the students. We’ve changed how we teach, we’ve changed how we deliver all kinds of support services and this is one. Again, we had invited ACS to apply as well and we wish them all the best and I think it was an amicable decision. Chair Stone: Do you know already the financial needs of CASSY going forward? Are they going to be totally reliant on the school district for their funding? Are they going to need supplemental funding from other agencies? Superintendent McGee: They will probably need some supplemental funding from other agencies. The RPF was about $460,000 so that is something that we’ll make up what we can but I have not had that conversation so I don’t know the extent of their need but that’s – yeah, we’re ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 19 of 41 looking forward to it and we’ll make the best of it. This is one of our goals and we are committed to our students for this. Chair Stone: Perfect, thank you. Superintendent McGee Thank you again for your support too and I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you tonight. Chair Stone: Thank you. Well, I mean, I still go back to my original thought, that I would like to see a portion of the additional funding reserved for youth well-being. Maybe it’s not specifically reserved for one of those three agencies or CASSY if it ends up being CASSY but to be able to preserve some funding for youth well-being, I think it’s critical not only the funding element of it but the symbolic gesture of the city continuing to support youth well-being and continuing to fight against the ever-existing threat of teen suicides and never going back to that cluster of teen suicides that have truly affected us all. I think we’ve done a very good job as a Commission doing that in the past and I think that’s one of the reasons why we funded ACS so well and one of the reasons why I fought so hard for ACS’s funding in the last cycle. I would hate to see and I’m fighting extra hard because I won’t be here at the next one so I just worry that we come back to this in the summer time and the agencies have reissued their applications, you are all incredible writers and storytellers, it’s nearly impossible to be able to make these very difficult decisions to fund one agency or one need far greater than others. I think often times it gives these minor increases or prorate increase and I don’t know if that little bump is enough to really satisfy these agencies to do anything substantial with that bump or not. I have changed my opinion that the entire funding should be allocated to youth well-being. I think to agree with everything that has been said but at least a portion, I think absolutely should be. Commissioner O’Nan: Well, I don’t necessarily disagree. I just don’t know that we should include it in our recommendation. I think we need too, as I said, get some feedback from Finance and from City Council and then whoever serves on the Ad hoc Selection Committee for the second round, will have to take that guidance into consideration. Perhaps, it’s a partial priority, perhaps it’s half priority, perhaps the entire amount but I mean, I think it’s a little too early in the process and I would just hesitate to put constraints on it at this stage. Now I think we are recommending and I think we need to recommend in a broader outline form, go to our city leaders, get some more feedback and then the Selection Committee is going to have the tough job of actually figuring out how to implement that guidance. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I agree with Commissioner O’Nan. I think it’s the due diligence work for a committee and knowing what it took to do this process. It’s not a cavalier process. It’s not something we do in haste so it’s important. It’s all important and I think it requires a lot of deliberation and study and reflection and conversation. I think we have to have that do that process. Commissioner O’Nan: But if I could just illustrate how murky these waters can become. We’re talking about an on-campus counseling program that’s been a pillar of the community for over three decades and everybody understands that. Community Working Group is holding day services that are attended by families who have children, right? So, what kind of youth well- ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 20 of 41 being can a homeless child have if there’s nowhere to receive services? We could argue that this an example of youth well-being that maybe we should be supporting so that’s where things start to get a little muddy or should we be supporting middle school students who are falling behind or what about Palo Alto Housing Corp. that has a Pre-K programs to help close the achievement gap before the kids even get to kindergarten? Maybe that’s where we support youth well-being. You can make a lot of different arguments for how we can best serve youth and community and again, I would be hesitant to lock it down here at this stage. I think this is where we get some further input and also have the Selection Committee really, really dive deep on this and figure out the best way to achieve our goals as a community. Commissioner Chen: I agree with that because after all, I have a deep impression of what’s going on in this community and we do need to think about other things as well. Chair Stone: Any other thoughts? Commissioner Alhassani: We have an excess demand for funding. I think it’s better not to sort of cook the books in advance. We have a Subcommittee that can dive in and figure out where this money should go too. Chair Stone: Well, good thing the Chair has the ultimate veto pass; just kidding. Well, I am overruled. Commissioner O’Nan: Chair Trump, no. Chair Stone: Alright, well, I’m overruled on this. I think that is fine. Yes, just then hopefully my voice will reign down from the heavens at the next meeting and for everyone to definitely play close attention to the youth well-being issues, which this Commission always does so I’m absolutely confident you will. Ok, perfect. Then are you making a motion to… MOTION Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, I’ll make a motion that the HRC agrees to pass along these funding recommendations from round one as proposed and round two, which will be open to any and all agencies in the community pending further guidance from the Finance Committee and/or the City Council. Who – Oh… Commissioner Gordon Gray: I second. Oh, can I second yet? Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, you can second it. Commissioner O’Nan: I think I’ve said everything. I don’t think I need to speak to that motion. Shelly, do you have anything that you want to speak too? Commissioner Gordon Gray: No, I think you said it clearly. Chair Stone: Ok, wonderful. We have a motion. All in favor of the motion say aye and there are ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 21 of 41 is no one who opposed? So, great that motion passes. Thank you very much, everybody, for the subcommittee for your work and all the agencies for being here tonight. You can stick around. The party is continuing. MOTION PASSES UNIMOUSLY 6-0 WITH SAVAGE ABSENT 2. Discussion of proposed new HRC event - Multi-faith community dinner & convening Chair Stone: Moving onto the discussion of the proposed new HRC event, Multi-faith community dinner, and convening. I believe Commissioner Alhassani is going to be talking about this since this is his baby. Commissioner Alhassani: It says that because I was essentially not going be at this meeting because of travel plans but then I canceled the travel plans so here I am. I would like, on behalf of the HRC, to put on a multi-faith community dinner probably in the second or third week of June. It will coincide with the month of Ramadan, which is the end of May to the end of June. Commissioner O’Nan: So, no one can eat at this dinner? Commissioner Alhassani: It would be… Chair Stone: That’s going to save money. Commissioner Alhassani: It would be on… Commissioner O’Nan: A very inexpensive dinner. Commissioner Alhassani: Cheapest dinner. It will be at sundown. The goal to bring together different groups of people who not necessarily always talking to each other. I think we have a very robust multi-faith community here. That it would be really good to come together. I also think it’s a good thing to do in response to some of the things that we’ve heard or seen in the community over the past year. I think this would be refreshing to do so what I am looking for is 1) I would love to get a vote to support doing this event so we can go ahead and get going. I’ve done some initial planning but to book a room and to really get going, I would love to have the HRC support. 2) I would love some help on it as well. It is a tight timeline. Commissioner Chen: So, what about funding? Commissioner Gordon Gray: Yes, I was going to say the same thing. Commissioner Chen: Yes. Commissioner Gordon Gray: How is this getting funded? Commissioner Chen: Donation? Commissioner Alhassani: We’ve come up with a couple different ideas. We don’t have one yet. I was talking to Minka briefly about this. We have a couple different ideas ranging from a ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 22 of 41 combination of in-kind donations. There is some funding that the City could spend towards this to a potluck style so we have a couple of different ways to do this. Minka was telling me that in the past events we’ve been able to get some food at pretty good prices from the City. Ms. van der Zwaag: I was saying just for the Being Different Together series, thanks to Mary’s impeccable thriftiness, we have spent a lot less than we expected too. I think we also may have some partners with Being Different Together Series that offered to help us pay for items for that series. Since this is really an offshoot, we can approach those partners to see if they would be willing to help… Commissioner Gordon Gray: That’s a great idea. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think this is a jumping off point for this event. It’s a jumping off point for the Understanding Islam series that Supervisor Simitian and I believe the ACLU or the Common Wealth Club has been sponsoring so the discussion has been that this is really an offshoot or continuation of those types of events and that this one is quite celebratory in nature with the theme of just bringing people together and bringing people together over a meal, which is something that we wanted to do for Being Different Together but for just reasons of planning and logistics, that really didn’t work for that event. Commissioner Alhassani: Yes to add to that point. I ran into Supervisor Simitian in passing and he was telling me that when he was doing this Understand Islam series, initially they booked a room for 80 people but they sold out like that so they booked it for 120 people. Then they moved it to a third venue and they were still over capacity with over 400 people for a sitting event so that also gave me a signal that there was like a hunger in the community to have these kinds of events. Commissioner O’Nan: Wow. So, can to whom are you doing outreach? Commissioner Alhassani: I’ve started a list of congregations that I know of but that’s one of the reasons that I also want help because I’m sure some are missing off the list. To be clear, I haven’t done any hours yet because I wanted the HRC to give me the green light before we go through with this because I would like to tell them that this is an HRC-sponsored event. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes. Well, I think I’m struggling with the definition of the event, I guess a little bit. So, I’m thrilled that the people in the community wanted to know more about Islam and totally like standing room only this event that Joe Simitian helped put on but when I see words like multi-faith, as someone who basically is an agnostic or ex-Catholic, who has no faith and who doesn’t belong to a church, I feel left out. I feel like ok, this isn’t for me and frankly, there are a lot of people in the community who don’t identify with any particular religion so do we want to leave all of them out and just focus on people who actively participate in a Mosque, in a Synagogue or in the Church because that’s ok but then I have to admit, that as an HRC Commissioner, that would feel bad to me to do that. Vice Chair Stinger: That is a good observation but when I think when we properly title that, it can be multi-faiths – civic multi-faith. I think they are just different communities within our city ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 23 of 41 and we can approach each of them over the course of a year or several years. I know early on you and I had talked about different parts of events to celebrate the different ethnicities, the different cultures, the different music that exists in our city and to me; this is one really rich opportunity that springs off of Simitian’s panel of a series of three forms. It’s an extension of Being Different Together and on a personal level; I just think it’s a very rich and warm invitation to the community. I think some you know that I did the Peace Core in Morocco and the first thing that people ask me when I got off the plane was are you going too fast for Ramadan and I thought, oh, that sounds fabulous. Really? I didn’t realize what a celebration it was in the community and I think there’s something that we can really share and I’d really like the opportunity to do that. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I don’t know if all the schools in Palo Alto but at least two I know of, had International Day. I was at Hoover Elementary School for another cause but I was actually there and they had International Day and they had 600 people who were parents and student and about 30 different cultures represented. There was food and there was dancing and I mean it was adorable and inspiring so multi-culture comes to mind and multi-culture day. It was just natural; I guess that’s the word that I was looking for. It was just a natural flow of people interacting from different cultures and they spend the day together. These kids spend the day together and I think we forget that our schools are so diverse because I’m doing some other volunteer work at another school; I think for students, they don’t see such a disparity. I think the community does see more so I like the idea of the multi-cultured day versus religion or ethnic. That encompasses it all to me and it’s a natural occurrence. That’s what I got from being there on Saturday. Commissioner Alhassani: I guess I should elaborate a little bit more. So, one, obviously the event is open to everybody and anybody who would like to attend is welcome to attend. Commissioner O’Nan: Including heathens and atheists. Commissioner Alhassani: Including heathens and atheists. Commissioner O’Nan: Cool. Commissioner Alhassani: The real goal is to bring these folks together to see how they can work together to continue to making Palo Alto as inclusive as a community as possible. That’s actually the ultimate goal of it. So, your feedback is taken. We’re also already speaking to the language to make sure that it is inclusive. I would say that I think that there are a lot of channels that you can leverage in Palo Alto to do something productive. You can work with non-profits and there was some intention of trying to bring some very active Synagogues because we have a huge JCC here. Obviously, some of these non-profits are housed in churches or do services in the churches and are obviously very active here. There was some intention of bringing these folks who are working through religious organizations together as well but that’s not to say that it's exclusive and that those are the only folks who are going to be able to attend because we want everybody to attend and feel welcome at the event. For sure, we’ll be mindful of that messaging and work to make sure that folks know they are welcome, no matter if they have never set foot in place of worship. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 24 of 41 Chair Stone: I think one of the things that I really like about it is that it is a multi-faith celebration. I didn’t think it’s important that we include all cultures and nationalities and in everything that we ever do but I think a lot of people who are of faith in Palo Alto sometimes feel as if this isn’t a community that is as religious as some others because a lot of people in the religious community in Palo Alto feel like there’s not many events for them and I think something to celebrate that we are a very faith-based community and that we celebrate that as well and that is an exciting opportunity and one that we haven’t really done before. I love the idea. I think it’s a great idea. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Yes. I like it too. Commissioner Alhassani: Well, hopefully… Commissioner Gordon Gray: Let’s do it. Commissioner Alhassani: … love it to help on it. Minka, is there anything else? Ms. van der Zwaag: No, I think tonight was just a night to have a discussion with the HRC to share your ideas, to get their input. You know, Commissioner Alhassani said that if there is not support from the HRC, he feels committed to doing this event on his own. At this point, he is just looking for your input and your support for this event too – for it to be an HRC event. So, this is the opportunity to say, I love it, I have concerns, I could support it if you did this or I could not support it if you did that. I mean this is really your time to speak together at that and I know that he was looking – if this becomes an HRC event to have some partners in the planning. This is a very short timeline due to Ramadan being at a certain time. Commissioner Gordon Gray: When is Ramadan? Commissioner Alhassani: I think it’s like May 26th or May 27t thru June 26th or 27th. Ms. van der Zwaag: Right so it’s a very short timeline. That’s what the proposals that he’s bringing forward for your consideration tonight. Ms. van der Zwaag: As Staff, we’re here to support. Commissioner O’Nan: ...during Ramadan? Commissioner Alhassani: During Ramadan. Commissioner Chen: Well, I … Ms. van der Zwaag: Go ahead. Commissioner Chen: You want to outreach to different groups and then, have you identified the groups whom which groups you are going to be talking to and invite them over or do you have it ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 25 of 41 open to all the community in Palo Alto? Commissioner Alhassani: It’s open to the entire community of Palo Alto. Commissioner Chen: Right. Commissioner Alhassani: I have identified some religious institutions in Palo Alto that I know of, that I want to reach out to their leadership and say that I would love you r help on this both advisory capacity but also helping to get out the word. Commissioner Chen: I mean in a way, we have to be careful not to omit any specific groups. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think the clarity that Commissioner Alhassani was thinking about for this event is that he can elaborate more and if he’s done some more thinking about that and you can comment on this. Is this event just to bring multi-faith people in the community to meet each other or does it have a real purpose that is a real general event? Let’s come, let's break bread together and let’s have an open and respectful dialog. You know like the food version of the International Day but with a tie to the end of a fasting period or is it looking for having religious groups in particular going away to continue the dialog within their subgroups because I think one may land itself a little bit more to just anybody in the community coming but if someone isn’t a person that’s connected to an organized faith group, if the dialog that night is going back to your temple, go back to your Synagogue and your Mosque or whatever then someone who doesn’t have a faith path, will feel a little bit left out so I think that’s the thought. He has done a lot of great work on this and I think it’s an event that he is committed to but I think he can respond to that and is willing to listen to your feedback on. He really has to decide if his core thought was just bringing people together to have a better understanding of Ramadan or if it’s people having a dialog to go back to that sector of Palo Alto and working on these issues of being different together; to use that phrase again. I think that’s. Commissioner Alhassani: Yes. Ms. van der Zwaag: … when I look at it from the outside, that’s really what you call it and what you do really depends on what you really is at your core, want the outcomes to be and I think the Commission could respond to that. Commissioner Alhassani: Yes, so it’s more the ladder of the idea that you are talking about. What I would caveat is that my hope is that bringing these institutions together and people together, is my thing is that a lot of them are doing already a lot great things in the community but can they find ways to collaborate on it. I think it was you Commissioner Stinger, who was telling me about that you’ve gone to a Sunday morning with about 20 folks from a local church in Menlo Park that does food. They prepare pancakes every Sunday morning. Was that – maybe that was you Minka, who told me that story? Ms. van der Zwaag: No, I think it is Commissioner Stinger. Commissioner O’Nan: What, Menlo Park Presbyterian or what? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 26 of 41 Commissioner Alhassani: They do a pancake breakfast every Sunday morning… Ms. van der Zwaag: For the homeless. Commissioner Alhassani: … for the homeless. Vice Chair Stinger: Oh, I was in that discussion. I don’t think I brought it up. I can’t remember… Commissioner Chen: It’s probably Street Ministry. Vice Chair Stinger: No. Commissioner Alhassani: Regardless, so somebody was talking about that and so this church with about 20 people from the same church do a pancake breakfast for the homeless every Sunday morning. So, imagine if they were to come to this event and they talked to the people from the temple that’s down this way and say oh, that’s a really great thing. We would love to have some volunteers they could probably work with you on that and help make more pancakes. Those kind of collaborations would be the best way to reach out. Pastor Smith is very active and does a lot of great things in the community. Can other folks in here who could be force multipliers and help get the word out to more Palo Altans who know what he is doing, for example? That’s the kind of collaborations can be brought out if their sitting and talking over some good food. Commissioner Chen: There is a church community and I know this Chairman from the church and it’s called First Congregation Church with Rev. Altman I think she came to our meetings. Vice Chair Stinger: She does, yes. Commissioner Chen: Yes, she’s very good and I think she’s the Chairman of that kind of Vice Chair Stinger: Interfaith. Commissioner Chen: …Committee. Yes Interfaith, that’s right. Probably good to contact her. Vice Chair Stinger: I think going back to Pastor Smith, the first meetings that he had were very focused on the interfaith community and I can say I think there’s a component to this too and I think we can combine them very well. There might be some groups that would support the pancake breakfast and there will be other groups that will support a civic project. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I have a question so what is the structure of this besides breaking bread? So, we’re sitting at the table eating, I mean is there some facilitation that is going to happen that you envision or… Commissioner Alhassani: Yes ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 27 of 41 Commissioner Gordon Gray: I’m trying to envision it because besides conversing because people just might make small talk and enjoy food and then go off… Commissioner Alhassani: Yes, so… Commissioner Gordon Gray: …and maybe that’s ok. Commissioner Chen: That’s a good idea. Commissioner Alhassani: I have some dream scenarios for some keynote speakers but then also there would be some activity at the tables in addition to eating food together. That way folks have to engage with each other over something substantive and have sort of taking away as well from each table. I need to refine that idea a little more but there would be some action for each – for the different groups. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Maybe Dr. Brown would like to give some input. Vice Chair Stinger: Yes, I think our whole subcommittee might. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Yes. Vice Chair Stinger: Rabbi Lewis. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I’m thinking, that’s us. Vice Chair Stinger: I had a conversation this morning about the follow-up to Being Different Together. It wasn’t an organized conversation but the comment was made that a vision and some follow-up activities would be really appropriate and I think if we have a vision for Palo Alto, it would be a multi-cultural share. I think we can work on that. Chair Stone: I think that idea is what excites me about the event the symbol of multi-faiths and people sitting around at an even that is well Ramadan, that is such an iconic holiday and well known and everything. The fact that you can have different religions sitting down at the same table in Palo Alto, breaking bread and having conversations during a feast like that. I think that’s a great symbol of what Palo Alto stands for especially with the irreverent around the Country and the world right now. Even if nothing else is accomplished from this event, I think that alone is a worthy cause. MOTION Vice Chair Stinger: I’d like to make a motion that we support your initiative. I think to be left out of it would be a real opportunity lost and I’d like the HRC to vote in support of the event. Commissioner Chen: I second. This is a good thing to do. Chair Stone: Alright, wonderful. Well, we have a second. All in favor of supporting the event say ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 28 of 41 aye. Ms. van der Zwaag: I want to open up just a… Chair Stone: No. Minka, you missed it, sorry, we availed. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think the protocol is that you can have the motion but if they speak to the motions and any other questions or discussion and then you can go to the vote. Chair Stone: Ok. Commissioner O’Nan: Ok, so I’m so sorry because actually part of me actually really loves this idea and I feel like there is so much ignorance in the community about Islam and about Judaism. I’m concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism in our community and elsewhere and so forth. If the event shapes up to be one where it’s mostly representatives from the faith-based community and ideas and there are take away that go back to the churches, mosque, and synagogues. I mean I would feel left out. I think the humanist community would feel left out. The atheist community would feel left out and furthermore, I mean, I don’t know how legalistic to get but we’re an arm of the City Council and we’re part of the city government and should we be supporting a faith- based event? I mean, I feel a little bit uncomfortable. Ms. van der Zwaag: I asked and as long as it’s open to everybody. Commissioner O’Nan: Ok. Yes, I mean I do want to support but I feel like I want some assurance around the inclusiveness of it. AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION Vice Chair Stinger: I can make an amendment to my motion. Commissioner O’Nan: Ok. Vice Chair Stinger: We meet again on May 9th? Commissioner Alhassani: May 11th. Vice Chair Stinger: May 11th? Commissioner Alhassani: For the HRC meeting? Yes, May 11th or that’s what it says here. Vice Chair Stinger: If we came back with a… Vice Chair Stinger: … lets, see, could I move that we formalize the proposal and the action plan and come back for approval on May 11th? Would that be more comfortable? Commissioner Gordon Gray: Is that enough time? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 29 of 41 Chair Stone: What do you think Medhi? Commissioner Gordon Gray: Then you only have three weeks. Chair Stone: You have like a month from now. Commissioner O’Nan: Can you still do the preliminary planning and then come back to us? Commissioner Alhassani: Yes. Commissioner Gordon Gray: That doesn’t seem like enough time to market it. Chair Stone: I think that fact that he has to think this long I think it’s going to put too much… Commissioner Alhassani: I thought the symbolized of Ramadan would be nice but I also care about doing it well more I think. What I could do is come back with a more concrete action plan for approval and if we can’t swing it by the third week of June, then we need to push it out, then it would just be a regular dinner. Frankly, it’s not the worst idea in the world but sundown is pretty late. I think if the HRC would feel more comfortable about me putting together with hopefully one of my colleagues, an action plan for May 11th and then we can figure out if it’s worth it to push it past June. Does that sound more reasonable? Chair Stone: Was it like you were thinking that you don’t have enough time as of right now? Even if the HRC passed the motion. Commissioner Alhassani: No, it would really trying to make it happen. It would be challenging but I think doable but I think if the HRC would prefer to really have this flushed out more before they can fully support it and we want to make it at a later date; which is better. If I wait till May 11th, that’s probably unrealistic so I’m offer that as a Plan B. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Are you determined to have it tied to Ramadan? Commissioner Alhassani: I thought it would be good. Commissioner Gordon Gray: If it was for secularizes, I think but that’s sort of the reason of the idea is to tie it to Ramadan. Commissioner Alhassani: That was part of the impious. Vice Chair Stinger: It’s also an educational event to an outreach that I think is really valuable. Chair Stone: I think it’s a great idea for the city to show their support of multi-faiths and to be supportive of an event like Ramadan especially for a portion of the community who has probably felt quite victimized over this past year. I think that it being held on Ramadan is a great idea and the symbolism of it, outweighs other concerns. So, I’m fully supportive of approving it now ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 30 of 41 Mehdi, so that you can hopefully host on Ramadan. Commissioner Alhassani: I’m sensitive to your comments because I don’t want other people in the community feeling like this is not for me because it’s a multi -faith event. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes and I don’t know what we call ourselves? We don’t even have a name. The non-believers? I think we feel marginalized too because the Constitution of the US does not just guarantee freedom of religion, it guarantees freedom from religion and we’re all supposed to be able to pick our path but you know, people really denigrate atheist and agnostics like we’re the devil, you know because we don’t believe in god or whatever. You know, often we’re the most moral, ethical people around because we don’t have fanatical religious ideas and we’re open minded so I would like to see the non-believers who may identify differently as humanist, universalist, or what have you, just feel like they can be part of this and don’t have to be part of strict religious tradition. I would say this; I would be comfortable taking the vote. I might abstain but I think there’s plenty of support here for it to pass and then you can move forward and then I can come on board once we hear more about what the event is shaping up to be. That way I can be true to my non-believer principles in the here and now but also be open to supporting the event later. I mean, the HRC would still sponsor you; it would just not be unanimous right now. Commissioner Gordon Gray: That’s true. Chair Stone: Yep, let’s take a... Commissioner Alhassani: I think that sounds like a good plan but I would love your input and help me. Commissioner O’Nan: I would be very happy to do… Commissioner Alhassani: Especially with the language and also, you’re a wordsmith. Commissioner O’Nan: True. I would be happy to do that. Chair Stone: So, you’re withdrawing you… AMENDMENT WITHDRAWN Vice Chair Stinger: I withdraw the amendment. Chair Stone: Ok, so we still have the original motion, which has already been seconded as well. Is there anyone else that wanted to speak to it? Ok. Wonderful. Then we will have the vote. All in favor of the motion say aye. Any abstain? Commissioner O’Nan: One abstain. Chair Stone: We never get those so that’s fun. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 31 of 41 Commissioner O’Nan: I know. Chair Stone: And no opposed? Wonderful, then that passes. Mehdi, good luck. MOTION PASSES 5-0-1 WITH SAVAGE ABSENT Chair Stone: I will do all I can to help you along, Palo Alto Commissioner. Ms. van der Zwaag: Where you looking for a subcommittee or helpers? Commissioner Alhassani: Yes. Ms. van der Zwaag: I mean AD HOC… Commissioner Alhassani: Yes. Ms. van der Zwaag: If this is an HRC event, then your helpers would be an AD HOC subcommittee. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Oh, would it? Oh, ok. Commissioner Alhassani: Vice Chair Stinger, I would love your help. Commissioner Gordon Gray: What? Commissioner O’Nan: And I’ll help too. Commissioner Alhassani: Great so I think we have our three partners. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I’ll support you in some way. Ms. van der Zwaag: Can’t be four, it has to be three, so you can help at the event. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Alright, good. Alright good. Ms. van der Zwaag: No, I’m just theoretically – yes, can be three. Commissioner Gordon Gray: There are four people that are already that are on this Committee? Ms. van der Zwaag: Mehdi, Jill, and Valerie. Commissioner Gordon Gray: That’s three and you said there is four. Oh, three. Got it. Ms. van der Zwaag: Three can be an AD HOC Committee. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Ok, no problem. I’m busy. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 32 of 41 3 3. Recognition of service Chair Stone: So item number three, recognition of service. Discussion with Vice Chair Stinger, take it away. Vice Chair Stinger: Turn that over to me. We have two Commissioners leaving, Greer and Daryl and they will be recognized by Council but I’d like to take a minute to say thank you for your service. You’ve served us for two terms, you exhibited leadership, clear thinking, and clarity of thought, held a Veterans homeless conference with Mehdi that was very successful and continues to be important. We heard evidence of that tonight and you are so transparent that you announced your engagement on TV. Clarity, transparency, leadership, it’s all right here and I hope others will chime in… Chair Stone: Thank you. Vice Chair Stinger: …and share some thank you’s for your service. Commissioner O’Nan: Oh, you go ahead. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Oh, please. Commissioner O’Nan: I would just say that I had the honor of meeting Greer when he was just an HRC applicant before he was even appointed. I met him really briefly when he did his first interview and then he was appointed so I think I knew him from sort of day one. He was just our young pup. I think he was 25-years old and a law school student. Chair Stone: Twenty-three and still in diapers. Embarrassingly enough. Commissioner O’Nan: It was just so great to have a young person who, at that tender age, was already willing to become active in the community in a serious way. I know that Ray Bacchetti also really enjoyed mentoring you over the time that he co-served with us. We watched Greer grow up in a way. I mean, he was an adult obviously, but he sort of grew into his role here on the HRC so that was really exciting to see. Then, in this past year he’s run for City Council and has even done more grown up things so I just still sometimes think of him as this student that started and then I have to remind myself, he passed the BAR and he’s getting married. He’s passing all these milestones and it’s just been really wonderful to see that progress. I’m sure that you’ll make even more progress working with the County and with Joe Simitian and he’s lucky to have you. Chair Stone: Well, thank you. If it wasn’t for your mentorship during my first few years on here. That was very helpful. Commissioner O’Nan: Oh, I’m glad. Chair Stone: I had the best teachers; you and Ray. Commissioner O’Nan: The godfather. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 33 of 41 Commissioner Gordon Gray: I want to say a couple of things. One is thanks for making this fun. You bring a lot of spirits and like you did tonight with the HSRAP grantees. I just appreciate your energy and your enthusiasm and your clarity and the way you communicate. I also want to say that Greer and I had a conversation a couple of months ago and I had some concerns and I expressed them and he was so generous and encouraged me to continue to communicate. I was really, really appreciative. That’s not always the case when you have some concerns and you express them to somebody. Not a shred of defensiveness just welcomed my concerns so that is something that’s a gift and you know, keep doing that. Chair Stone: Thank you. Commissioner Gordon Gray: That contributes to the world. Chair Stone: Thank you. Commissioner Alhassani: I’d also like to chime in. Sorry. So, thank you again for everything you’ve done. Besides obviously, what you mentioned, we worked together on probably the thing that I was most proud of while working on the HRC. Greer most of the time gives me a ride home also. You’ve also been a really good friend. Thanks for everything Chair Stone: Same here Mehdi, thank you. Commissioner Chen: Yes, I think what I would have to say has been spoken already. So, it was great to have you with us and congratulations on your new position. Chair Stone: Thank you. Commissioner Alhassani: Greer, I feel like we’ve been here through a lot of your milestones; passing the BAR, engagement. Chair Stone: What am I going to do? Ms. van der Zwaag: So, Greer, Mary and I have also enjoyed working with you on the HRC. I would agree with bringing a sense of youth and vitality and humor to our planning meetings. I think you’re the first Chair that did it remotely at least this last year so we appreciate that. We look forward to our continued connections for when you are on the County HRC. Greer and I had a conversation offline, just to let you know we talked about that in the full HRC about having him really be the eyes and ears of Palo Alto and having heard the lenses in which this Commission has had a desire to be involved more Countywide but the limitations of being in the north of the County when activities are in the south. We look forward to our continued collaboration with you. Again, as Vice Chair Stinger noted, Mary and myself will be working on proclamations for Commissioner Savage. Who we’ve events to come but I’m not sure if she is able to do it due to her new job schedule but come back to a future HRC meeting, at least for a moment, to allow her efforts. She’s been on the Commission since 2005 so that’s a long term… Commissioner Gordon Gray: Wow. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 34 of 41 Ms. van der Zwaag: …commitment. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Oh, my gosh. Ms. van der Zwaag: We will be working on proclamations for you both and we’ll work with you on timing. Chair Stone: Sounds great. Thank you. Vice Chair Stinger: Greer said that he would come back to our retreat this summer if Mary got the scones. Chair Stone: That’s it, only if the scones are there. Vice Chair Stinger: Not us. Commissioner O’Nan: I want to just say that although Daryl is not here, I just want to recognize her for her long-time service as well. Daryl was actually Chair when Theresa and I joined. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, and she had helped guide the HRC through some tough times. They were before my time but there was a lot of uproar in the community about the Police Department at one and Greer was really instrumental… Chair Stone: Yes? Commissioner O’Nan: …Yes. Not Greer, sorry. I’m like all tired and confused now. Daryl was really instrumental in helping to calm that and she was instrumental in getting Dennis Burns appointed as our new Police Chief after a very tough time. As you know, she’s always retained her interest in law enforcement and has really dedicated herself to that area of the HRC but she’s really, really, worked hard, I think, over the years to make sure that the HRC has always had a path to the Police Department and concerns could always be heard and that there’s much more transparency today than there used to be. There are far fewer complaints against the Police than there used to be so I think that’s an example of how one person can make a big change in the community by really dedicating himself or herself to an important issue and sticking with it for a long time. Commissioner Gordon Gray: I didn’t realize that she wasn’t coming back so she’s – that’s it. Commissioner Chen: That’s it. Chair Stone: I agree. I think Daryl is one of the most invisible members of the community who has made such a huge impact but the rest of Palo Alto is not aware of. I think that goes to show just her heart and where her values are, that she does all this work behind the scenes and never seeks any recognition for what she does. She’s just a tireless worker who has done so much and our Police Department and the relationship between the community and the Police Department… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 35 of 41 Chair Stone: Would not be the same without her. Commissioner Alhassani: Not to mention the shot clock. Chair Stone: Yes. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, and shot clock. Chair Stone: That’s a big one. Vice Chair Stinger: The immigrant workshop in January, she just pulled that off really quickly; well, you both did. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes. Commissioner Gordon Gray: That’s right. Commissioner O’Nan: Yes, Immigrants and Allies. Chair Stone: Oh, yes. Vice Chair Stinger: That was brilliant. Ms. van der Zwaag: So, in celebration, my friend and colleague Mary got some cookies to share right now as we’re doing our closing items. Chair Stone: Aw, thank you, Mary. Commissioner O’Nan: Thank you, Mary. Ms. van der Zwaag: Do you want to get them or I’ll get them. Commissioner Gordon Gray: We’d starve if it wasn’t for Mary. Chair Stone: I know. Ms. van der Zwaag: No, I think we can eat while we are doing our last item. We can do that. We can multitask. Commissioner Chen: Oh, my. Chair Stone: I will say thank you, everybody. It’s definitely been a family for the past several years that I’ve been on here. You’re right, you’ve seen me through all these good times and bad times and tough times and I will miss you all. I’ll be coming back. Commissioner O’Nan: You’re coming back. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 36 of 41 Chair Stone: Continuing to be – to serve as a role as a liaison between this Commission and the County. Vice Chair Stinger: Thank you, Mary. Chair Stone: Thank you, Mary. VI. Reports from Officials – Chair Stone 1. Commissioner Reports Chair Stone: Ok, so we’ll move onto our reports from officials. Do we have any Commissioner reports? Commissioner O’Nan: Valerie, Theresa and I did meet with Avenidas. Did one of you want to give a report? Vice Chair Stinger: Go ahead. You’re the Chair so go ahead. Commissioner O’Nan: You’re the Chair now. Commissioner Chen: You’re the person. Vice Chair Stinger: Of the Committee? Commissioner O’Nan: Oh, me? Ok. So, I, Commissioner Chen and Vice Chair Stinger have been continuing to explore the idea of doing a community event around elder abuse. We met with Avenidas a couple of weeks ago and they were very welcoming to us. It turned out that the caregiver conference is not the right venue because caregivers are already well aware of abuse and red flags and signs to look for but in the course of our conversation, John Sink mentioned that they had been toying with the idea, over some time, of having a general event on ageism in Palo Alto. Ageism is a rising concern as the baby boomers age into their senior years and there are a lot of aspects to ageism and elder abuse is actually one of those aspects. We were very interested in this idea but this whole idea of a big conference on ageism is very much in a nebulous stage. We have to really get buy-in from Amy Andonian who’s the CEO of Avenidas and talk to other executives there. Since Avenidas is moving to Cubberley temporarily, while their new facilities are constructed and then moving back this isn’t a great time for them to plan some massive conference so this would probably be something that’s a year or more out and we would have to be ok with delaying the whole elder abuse idea until then. We also are continuing to support the possibility of working with the YMCA at their upcoming community health fair and we have had some communications with one of the Co-Chairs of that event and we are invited to their next planning session, which will be in May. I think we will have further updates but it’s possible that we may want to switch years and focus more on a mental health or mental wellness event in the shorter term and focus maybe on elder abuse in the longer term. When we can better partner with Avenidas so these are the things that are bubbling and that we’re still working on. I hope it will become clear in the next month or so. Vice Chair Stinger or Commissioner Chen have anything? Did I miss anything or did you want to jump in? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 37 of 41 Commissioner Chen: I think you did a good job. Is anyone of us going to this planning meeting for the YMCA? Commissioner O’Nan: We still don’t know when it is I don’t think. Commissioner Chen: I saw the email but I wasn’t sure. Ok. So, in May I’m very busy. I have to visit two sons in one month because of a request for babysitting so anyway, just letting you know. Chair Stone: Well, thank you. Vice Chair Stinger: I’ll talk about two things. One is again, the fourth forum for Being Different Together. It will be our closing forum and that will be on the first Thursday in May so May 4th? Chair Stone: May 4th. Vice Chair Stinger: Is that right? That sounds… Ms. van der Zwaag: May 4th, that’s correct. Vice Chair Stinger: I can’t count from one to four, even with a cookie supplement. Mary and Minka have been brilliant in taking care of the logistic for the program. Dr. Brown has been a wonderful keynote… Commissioner Gordon Gray: Wonderful. Vice Chair Stinger: … very generous but I think it’s really been a successful series. I’d like to think now about how we keep the initiative alive in the community and keep the spirit going. While I’m doing updates, I’d like to just do a shout out to the Palo Alto History Museum for their showing and discussion around A Lesson Plan at the end of March. I think you heard the Superintendent and I just sharing a couple of words. They filled Cubberley auditorium, they did just a tremendous job bringing that story and film into the community. They deserve a lot of credit. Chair Stone: We had our event at Buena Vista Mobile Home Park, an immigration event very similar to the Immigrants and Allies event we had last January. Their Resident Association Stirring Committee reached out to me and asked me if I wouldn’t mind helping them organize that event and it was a pretty short time frame. So, I organized the event and had supervisor Joe Simitian there as one of the panelists and three other panelists on there talking about – it was all in Spanish -speaking to the Buena Vista residences about their legal rights and about immigration issues and concerns that that community has. That was a very well-attended event that was geared for Buena Vista residents only. We had the Police Department write a letter in support and that was read to the Buena Vista residents and passed them out to, I think the entire community after the event really just kind of assuring the residents there that the Palo Alto Police Department does not work with ICE, does not work with federal immigration officers, does not ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 38 of 41 check immigration status, will not make an arrest based on someone’s immigration status so that was a solid event and I think it accomplished what we were hoping for. People walked away feeling more comfortable in their homes so that was nice. Commissioner Gordon Gray: That’s great. Vice Chair Stinger: Nice job. Chair Stone: Thank you. Any other reports? 2. Council Liaison Report Chair Stone: Ok, our Council liaison report. Council Member Kou was not able to make it tonight but she sends her regards. 3. Staff Liaison Report Chair Stone: Moving on to the Staff liaison report. The last time I will hear the sweet, sweet words of Minka. Ms. van der Zwaag: Thank you. Chair Stone: I’m going to miss you. Ms. van der Zwaag: The thing that immediately comes to mind for the HRC is we have three open positions so Commissioner Alhassani, who is reapplying and Chair Stone and Commissioner Savage so those interviews are tomorrow night. I will be there. I may not hear your Commissioner because I believe… Commissioner Alhassani: I got moved to 7:40. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok, 7:40, ok. Commissioner Alhassani: I was at 10 o’clock but I canceled the trip and then a spot opened up earlier. Ms. van der Zwaag: Right so I will be there probably between 6 and 7 so I will listen to your interview later but I can be there between 6 and 7 tomorrow night so I will listen to the other candidates. Commissioner Gordon Gray: How many are there? Ms. van der Zwaag: I think there are 3 or 4. Commissioner Alhassani: About five. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Five? Oh, great. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 39 of 41 Ms. van der Zwaag: There you go. Commissioner Alhassani: There are four others so it’s going to be five total. Not that I was looking at the applications but… Ms. van der Zwaag: They are public records so anybody can look at those. I will be reviewing them tomorrow before I go and listen. Commissioner Gordon Gray: You’re not voting? Ms. van der Zwaag: I’m just there to listen so I – it purely is a Council decision. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Right. That’s what I thought. Ms. van der Zwaag: That’s all that I can think of. I was really absorbed with getting ready for HSRAP. Mary and I’ve been doing a lot of work on that with our great subcommittee so that’s all I have for tonight. Chair Stone: Ok, thank you. VI. TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR NEXT REGULAR MEETING: May 11, 2017 1. Recommendations to Finance Committee for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding for Fiscal Year 2018 - CDBG Ad Hoc Committee – Action (30 minutes) Public Hearing Chair Stone: Tentative agenda for the next regular meeting. I have a recommendation for Finance Committee for the CDBG funding. Anything else that anyone… Commissioner Alhassani: I assume that we can probably… Chair Stone: Have an update on your event? Commissioner O’Nan: Will we have a HSRAP update by then, Minka? Ms. van der Zwaag: It was supposed to be on May 11th so that was going to be a juggling for me going between the two meetings but now it’s… Commissioner Gordon Gray: Our next meeting is May 9th, not May 11th? Commissioner Chen: May 11th. Ms. van der Zwaag: Next meeting is May 11th and the Finance Committee meeting is May 9th. I will be in touch with Vice Chair Stinger to let you know a process. I think it would be appropriate for Vice Chair Stinger and then representatives from the Selection Committee if they wanted to dig deeper into the report. Commissioner Gordon Gray: A wrap up of Being Different Together? Put something on the ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 40 of 41 agenda for that? Vice Chair Stinger: Absolutely. That’s a good idea. Commissioner O’Nan: Should we be holding elections than for Chair and Vice Chair? Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes, thank you. We’d have to see though. I’d have to – let me just – if Mary can write a note. Let me just double check when the first-time new members would actually be here. I have to see when it’s on the Council agenda to vote on. I should have checked that before tonight. I’m sorry I didn’t do so, so we’ll look into that. Traditionally, we’ve moved it to be in May for that very reason so I’m wondering if the Council is late in their schedule to do the interviews. Chair Stone: If they are appointed by the next meeting, I feel like in the past that we’ve decided to push back elections because it was a bit weird for new members to vote immediately that night? Ms. van der Zwaag: We can certainly do so. I mean, we pushed it from April to May because we thought it was odd to elect people before new people came on and then last year we said well, it was odd to elect people at their first meeting when they don’t even know who they are voting for. I think Commissioner Gordon Gray had said, who? I don’t even know these other people. Chair Stone: Well, I paid Gordon-Gray off long before. Ms. van der Zwaag: look at all that timing and I’ll speak with Vice Chair Stinger on that and who is in Trump Chair. Vice Chair Stinger: So, we are a Commission of five until the Council… Ms. van der Zwaag: We are a Commission – you are a Commission of five that is correct, which is sufficient to do business. If we have sufficient attendance and I believe Commissioner Chen… Commissioner Chen: I won’t be here May 11th. Ms. van der Zwaag: Will not be here May 11th so we’re down to four. Commissioner Gordon Gray: So, the new Commissioners don’t start until when? Ms. van der Zwaag: I have to look when they are appointed by Council so you all – the rest of you all will be here next time. Yes CDBG, I can’t stress enough. I think Eloiza really needs to get that through so don’t get sick. Chair Stone: Ok, so it looks like you have a busy agenda. Alright, well, with that, I’m signing off for the last time. We are – aw, thanks, guys. Commissioner Gordon Gray: Now it’s time to say goodbye. M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 41 of 41 Chair Stone: Aw, that was beautiful. We’re adjourned. Thank you, everybody. VII. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 9:19 p.m.