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Minutes 03-17-10 MINUTES OF THE YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROJECT MEETING HELD ON MARCH 17, 2010, AT 6:00 P.M. AT THE CAROLYN SIMS CENTER, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA PRESENT: Jose Rodriguez, Chair Mary DeGraffenreidt, Senior Recreation Manager Buck Buchanan, Boynton Chamber of Commerce Vickie Henderson, Teen Project Specialist Sgt. Gladys Cannon Doris Jackson \Nally Majors, Director, Recreation and Parks Doportment ABSENT: Erin McClosky/Robin Johnson, Palm Beach Community College Carly Norsesian, Membership Development, YMCA Kathleen Perry, Palm Beach County School District Laura Elena Santos Jim Kidd, South Tech Academy Steve Waldman, Chair, Education and Youth Advisory Board Vinola Rada Nate Nichols, Deputy Director, Palm Beach Children's Service Council Sgt. Suzanne Gitto, Boynton Beach Police Department Lt. Kelly Harris, Boynton Beach Police Department I. Welcome and Opening Comments - Jose Rodriguez, Chairman Chair Rodriguez thanked the members for their attendance and called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. II. Roll Call Roll Call was taken with the above members noted as present. III. Introduction of Guests None. IV. Approval and/or additions to the Agenda - Jose Rodriguez None. 1 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17, 2010 V. Approval and/or additions to the minutes of January 13, 2010 Motion Mr. Buchanan moved to approve the minutes as presented. Ms. Henderson seconded the motion that unanimously passed. VI. Chairman's Comments Chair Rodriguez commented he received a call from Max Davis, Chairman of the County Youth Violence Prevention Project Steering Committee, requesting a meeting be scheduled with Brenda Oakes of the County Criminal Justice Commission Youth Violence Prevention Program. He was not sure exactly what would be discussed but indicated he would have all the program information with him so he would be prepared for the meeting. He was aware Ms. Henderson and Ms. DeGraffenreidt had recently met with them on Monday. At the meeting, the County indicated they had reservations about the time the youth came to the Center and getting them in earlier for tutoring. Most of the Center programs started about 5:00 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. The Center was opened at 3:30 p.m. and the youth were bused after school at 4:30 p.m. Most youth attended immediately after school because snacks were provided. For a time, the program did not do so. With the recent changes in rules, snacks were now provided which permitted the youth to come to the Center right after school. Staff had a tutoring program at the Center, utilizing volunteers so the youth could receive additional assistance before they went home. However, because the tutors were volunteers, they were not consistent. Staff dedicated a small budget for a professional tutoring program, which they hoped to start before April. This was acceptable to Ms. Oakes. Staff met with personnel from the Juvenile Transition Center regarding funding. All the providers were required to provide measurable outcomes. Earlier on, the program partnered with non-profits to help interested Center provider organizations learn how to create measurable outcomes. The Juvenile Transition Center declined, as did a few others. Accordingly, they were not funded. Ms. Henderson confirmed all the providers had measurable outcomes such as pre- and post-test scores. Ms. Henderson noted students were utilizing computer labs. Since staff was working with all schools levels, it was thought staff should revisit the issue. The other issue was transportation and whether they could send youth from the Hester Center to the Sims Center. The Sims Center was the designated Youth Empowerment Center, so the youth would have to be physically present at there. When the grant became available, it focused on the Heart of Boynton and the gang areas in the City. Ms. DeGraffenreidt had inquired why staff could not offer programs out of both sites because staff had no objections to transporting the youth from the 2 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17,2010 Hester Center. Ms. Oakes had indicated the statistical outcomes were hard to measure because the youth would not want to leave the Hester Center to come to the Sims Center and visa versa. It had been tried in the past, but the outcomes were not good. Ms. Oakes had no objection to registering the youth at the Hester Center. Additionally, the program was for at-risk youth. Eighty percent of the youth in the program were from the target area bounded by Miner Road, Woolbright Road, 1-95 west and Federal Highway East. The majority of the youth were from the Heart of Boynton (HOB). This provided an opportunity to recruit youth from the HOB and promote the program in the schools. Ms. DeGraffenreidt was working on a plan to provide the information to the media. Many people who did not know of the program could read about it or see it on BBTV. It was noted the former Director, Ms. Robinson, was promoting the program in the schools. VII. Old Business None. VIII. New Business None. IX. Update YVPP A. Grant Status Ms. Henderson circulated an email about the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) approval for all the Criminal Justice Commission Youth Violence Prevention Project sites in Palm Beach. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement revised the City's interlocal agreement for the program and added language narrowing it down. An Application for Funding Assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was included with the meeting materials detailing which expenses would be covered. The grant status was approved; however, on April 6, 2010, Palm Beach County would approve or discuss the allocation to the Centers. Ms. Oakes and Mr. Davis would likely make a presentation. B. YVPP Staff Position Transfer Ms. DeGraffenreidt explained staff's recommendation was to not fill the director's position and to change Ms. Henderson's position from Teen Specialist to Teen Coordinator. Ms. DeGraffenreidt explained the responsibilities of the Director's position were overwhelming. With her present responsibilities, there was too much involved requiring full-time attention. Once Ms. Henderson was reassigned, staff recommended 3 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17,2010 taking the former Teen Specialist position and creating two or three part-time positions. The Recreation Department recommended using an existing job classification and adding YVPP duties to it. Once Human Resources received the information, they would advertise it and staff could determine how long they would keep the position open. They would interview as a Board or committee and staff could move forward with it once it was approved by the Board. Ms. Henderson began work at about 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and was working between the two positions, often working 10 and 11 hours per day. The Center did not start seeing the youth until 5 p.m., Chair Rodriguez inquired what staff was doing from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ms. Henderson responded there were meetings and a lot of paperwork. Many of the meetings were County meetings and she worked both on and off site. She often met with the providers. Another responsibility was to go to the schools and churches and speak with youth pastors. Staff also wanted to expand the Center's hours. The Center used to be open on Saturdays and staff proposed to open on Saturdays during the summer because school was out. The hours would be 1 :00 p.m. until 9 p.m. Almost all the classrooms were used and it was anticipated programs would be held in any vacant spaces. The Center registered about 11 youth within the last week and a half. The registrants heard of the program through word of mouth. Ms. Henderson formed a partnership with a new organization called House of Hope, which was an organization for girls. Six girls were registered. The girls were taken from their homes and put into Department of Children and Family services custody. Staff noted a few people were needed to canvas the community because many people still were unaware of the program. There was discussion providers were to recruit participants on their own. Ms. Henderson agreed and clarified some did. One provider worked for the Children's Services Council. It was thought programs should not just be approved if the provider did not have the participants or only brought in two or three youth. The provider should be held accountable. There was agreement the responsibility should be a shared responsibility. In the past, providers had been asked to recruit participants, but no one enforced it. Additionally, the recruiting should not be just for a specific program taught by a provider, it should be for the overall program. The grant provided for marketing expenses but it had to be FDLE approved and have the FDLE disclaimer on it. Everything the FDLE paid for required a pre-approval process. Next month a marketing plan would be presented. Staff had spoken with Virginia Shea about the effort and they were waiting for the program to be finalized. Staff was ready to start marketing and a brochure had been created. Information would be added to the website and the program had been included in the City's Funfare magazine. Staff could also post the information on the marquee and they intended to use all available resources for the program which was not done in the past. 4 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17, 2010 In the past, information about the program and the GED program was sent in the mail with the water bill. Most of the inquiries received were for the GED program. It was noted the new grant did not permit payment for services related to GED programs, internships or apprenticeships and staff was limited in what they did in that arena. Sergeant Cannon's role in the program was highlighted. When Ms. Robinson was the Director, Sergeant Cannon would visit the schools, churches and community to get the word out. Those functions were not in her job description, but she worked closely with the youth. When there was a function, she took the youth to them. She went into the homes of several of the youth and dealt with social type issues since many problems with the youth emanated from home. Her main function was to bridge the gap between the community and the Police Department. She attended symposiums, and also attended the Heritage Fest. Any chance she had to distribute the brochure she did. She integrated into the program and the lives of the youth and attended the meetings at the county level. Sergeant Cannon agreed to generate a report about what she observed and what items there were, based on her experience with the families, such as parenting skills or other related issues that could reinforce the program with the youth. Many of the youth needing service had been involved in the program since its inception. She clarified she had met most of the parents. Sometimes the youth asked her to talk to their parents or the parents approached her. It was her experience many residents did know the program was available. For the families who live across the 14th Street Bridge, the issue was not that they did not want to come to the program, but some families worked at night or did not have transportation and they did not want their children to cross the bridge. The bridge appeared to be a turf divider. It was a mentality, similar to a jurisdictional turf, but not exactly. Another of the larger issues identified were teen girls. Staff found there were more female gangs than male gangs and had heard girls were causing problems. Ms. DeGraffenreidt was contacted and she sat down and talked with the girls. She asked them what they liked to do, and if they knew about the program. They liked to dance, and she signed them up for a class at the Center. Some of the girls crossing the bridge would fight in the parking lots during the summer and at the Hester Center as well. Sergeant Cannon visited the high school often and knew all the administrators and teachers. There were fights at the high school every single day and it was discussed that would be a good place to recruit youth for the program. Sergeant Cannon clarified the issue was there were Haitian, African-Americans, Hispanic and White youth and then there was a neutral Empowerment Center. The Haitians did not want to attend the Center because of what happened at the schools and expected they would encounter those same students at the Center. It acted as a deterrent. It was noted the resistance was coming from the Haitian community. It was known there was Haitian and African American feuding. 5 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17, 2010 It was also suggested the high school be contacted. The administration there could mandate students attend the Center if they were involved in a fight or if they were suspended. Keith Oswald, the current Principal of the high school, was aware the school district already had a program run by the School Board to address those issues. In those instances, the infraction did not have to result in a suspension. Attendance at the Center could be in lieu of a suspension, as long as the student completed a 10-day program at the Center. From a marketing perspective, it was suggested the Youth Violence Prevention Project form a stronger bond with Boynton Beach High School, and Odyssey and Congress Middle School administrators. If a meeting was scheduled, Chair Rodriguez offered to attend. Chair Rodriguez reported he wanted to form minority mayoral councils for the Haitian, Hispanic and African-American communities, comprised of key contacts, or liaisons, in the community. If they could address the issues on a higher level, it would be more successful. He intended to bring the youth issues in the City to light and the leaders would be held accountable. Sergeant Cannon noted there was a large Hispanic population on the north end of the City, and it was a trust issue that needed to be addressed in order for them to attend. Although she was a police officer, she also had to be viewed as an everyday person in order to gain the trust of the youth. It had been very difficult to arrange transportation for youth, even to the Hester Center and for the youth to believe once they were there, they would be fine. Chair Rodriguez hoped some of those perceptions, real or not, would be changed. He wanted the leadership council to be formed and the leaders would be held accountable. He also intended to remain active in the Youth Violence Prevention Project and urged staff to target the schools as well as partner and integrate with them. Motion Chair Rodriguez made a motion or requested a motion to move Vicki (Ms. Henderson) over to the Director's position and they actively pursue teen support since she was reviewing that. Sergeant Cannon seconded the motion that unanimously passed. Ms. Henderson was not sure Boynton Beach had an ecumenical association she could be added to so she could be put on their agenda to talk about the program. The members discussed they were unaware if one existed. In the past, Sgt. Cannon visited every single church and 10 churches attended a Center meeting on a Saturday. Brunch was served and they spoke about the program. They requested, since most churches had a youth night, they come and show the youth what 6 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17,2010 was available and register them. She advised that effort never came to fruition. Chair Rodriguez offered his assistance in any capacity that would benefit the program. Sergeant Cannon noted a male staff member was needed. Additionally, other male volunteers/mentors would be beneficial. It was noted a former police officer was also interested in the program. C. Addition/Deletion of Board members Ms. DeGraffenreidt had a list of individuals who served on the Board or Steering Committee. The members reviewed the list noting who was no longer active. Chair Rodriguez impressed the importance of recruiting new members. It was also noted the Executive Committee and Steering Committee were merged. D. Board Meetings Chair Rodriguez inquired if the members preferred meeting once per month or every other month. The Board was in transition but was getting the job done. It was suggested Ms. DeGraffenreidt send an informal report for items of interest to the members. These items could range from if new members were recruited, if no one was recruited, or anything else pertinent to the program. Email updates would be sent as the need arose. E. Additional Programs, Projects & Updates Ms. Henderson reviewed the current programs. New programs were added, one of which was a female mentoring program called Sister to Sister. Art is Motivation, a freehand drawing and graphic design program and Project Restoration, an automotive restoration program were highlighted. There was discussion the members wanted new providers to come before the Board and there was agreement this item would be put on the agenda for the next meeting. It was noted other new programs had not yet started. One such program, the Success Teen Stepping Out to Step In program, was a fitness and healthy eating and life choices program. The Stepping Out portion of the program dealt with teens leaving their bad choices, and the Stepping In portion was the healthy eating part. Wilmer Rodriguez, Boynton Beach Police Officer, explained the Automotive Restoration program was progressing well. They just registered two more youth bringing the total participants from six to eight. There was some discussion the County was concerned how the City would reimburse itself for the program supplies. The program was the first of its kind. Officer Rodriguez, as a long-term goal, was attempting to obtain federal grant approval, such as the PAL program, to reach out to the community and receive funding. 7 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17, 2010 The program met once a week and the participants were introduced to different phases of the project. The meetings lasted from 1.5 to 2 hours. The participants gained a brief idea of what had been accomplished while they were out and what needed to be accomplished. They are given goals and objectives that needed to be completed before they left, and they were given homework and assignments as well. If the participants did not physically return the homework to him, they did so verbally. The homework was the foundation of the program, which deals with honor, respect, loyalty and teamwork. The participants had to memorize the values. The program was a four-month or until the project was completed program, but under no circumstances would it exceed six months. It would end coinciding with the 90th Anniversary of the Police Department. They were trying to arrange a car show and the youth would be given a certificate of completion. They meet every Wednesday at 905 N. Railroad. So far, payment for the parts was paid from the Recreation Department General Fund. Ms. Henderson explained the program was funded $25K. Officer Rodriguez anticipated a cost of about $15K in parts and the YVPP allocated $9K. Ms. Henderson provided a list of vendor services and what was allocated to each vendor. Staff sought to find a way to address the issue of supplies because FDLE had specific guidelines regarding allowable expenses. The FDLE did not want individuals to benefit from any of the products in the program. Items like tires and lug nuts would be paid for by the YVPP. FDLE would only pay for personnel. The providers used to submit an itemized list of how they would use the funds. The new regulations prohibited trips, mission trips, field trips, camps, summer camp, or purchase of equipment. If equipment was purchased, a grant Notice Adjustment must be submitted. The Commit 2B Fit program which the City adopted was discussed. Chair Rodriguez thought the YVPP could do the same. It was a daily diary or log of exercise and nutrition. The Recreation and Parks Department was involved in the program and Ms. DeGraffenreidt agreed to look at the information and consider it for the youth. It was noted that for some of the youth, the only food they ate was what they received at the Center. Sergeant Cannon took youth to two events. One event was One Million Mentor's Campaign with Michael Baisden in Palm Beach County. The event focused on encouraging adults to serve as youth mentors. The seconded event was a Hunger Walk. Three Center youths entered a Stop the Violence art contest and submitted artwork reflective of the topic. The drawings and slogans could not be computer generated. Copies of the work submitted were included with the meeting materials. There was also a collaborative music program with the life skills program who would be creating a video remix along the theme of the song Pants on the Ground. However, instead of having "pants on the ground", the video was about pulling your pants up. The 8 Meeting Minutes Youth Violence Prevention Project Boynton Beach, FL March 17, 2010 video and taping would take place later in the week. A calendar of what was presented to the youth when they attended the Center was also attached to the meeting materials. A Teen Council meeting would be held on March 25,2010 at 5:30 p.m. Ms. Henderson would send out a reminder and send it to the Executive Board. F. Any updates from Boynton Beach Commission - Jose Rodriguez Chair Rodriguez reported he was sworn in last night. Part of his opening remarks was his announcement he would have mayoral minority councils for African-American Leaders, Haitian-American Leaders and Hispanic Leaders. The goal was to celebrate similarities and understand their differences. He would hold those folks accountable to integrate with the teams. The goal was to have the communities integrate. He spoke about the downtown being an integral part of what he wants to accomplish. Boynton Beach was the third largest City in Palm Beach County and the only one that did not have a downtown. He hoped to bring transparency and ethics to the Commission and have open government. He would listen and do the right thing for the residents. He had requested the City Commission officially terminate negotiations regarding moving the police station. He was looking forward to doing anything he could for the Executive Board or anything outside of the Board. He stressed phone calls and messages would be returned. Chair Rodriguez announced the City has a great City Commission and one of the youngest Commissions in history. He was proud to be the Mayor and hoped to represent the City well. Funding for the Youth Violence Prevention Program was briefly discussed. In the past each Commissioner had discretionary funds. Last year, however, those funds were cut and it was anticipated there would be another 15% decrease in revenues. X. Member Comments None. IX. Adjournment There being no further business to discuss, the meeting properly adjourned at 7:46 p.m. 1~~ Recording Secretary 041210 9