09/13/1976 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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---- Assistant Manager continued that arrangement for staffing the commdssion on e Aging with a parks department person has not worked out as well as hoped - it!has developed into a two- to five-days-per-month function whereas it was expected originally to take from two to five hours a week. As a result, the commission on Aging is experiencing frustration in getting its program to function as smoothly as desired. Assistant Manager thought the initial time spent with a commission was critical - defining roles and objectives, setting goals, etc., a high staff demand time. He suggested these options: Use of existing human rights staff, which would dilute their work with existingcommissionsi providing no staff, which could probably create problems with the open-meeting law; or add another full-time human rights staff person, which would cost between $20,000 and $23,000 per year. Cost for the balance of the current fiscal year would amount to about $15,100, he said, if the position was filled beginning in October. A~sistant Manager continued that the only funds available - giving no considera- tion to overall budget priorities - were in the operating contingencies fund ($220,000 balance). He urged strong staff support if the commission was created, saying it would be less frustrating for the new commission and for existing staff and other commissions, as well as being more effective for both the Council and the youth. He noted the hard decision in budget priorities because of the cqrrent rollback in personnel with no data to indicate other than dropping another 60 to 80 positions in the next fiscal year. At Mayor Anderson's request, it was understood staff would prepare in writing a e proposal for staffing the entire human rights program. This, he felt, would give a better overall picture rather than allocating a certain amount of,money '_.~ for one comrndssion without at the same time considering allocations to the other - commissions. Councilman Murray asked whether the parks department person now working with the Commission on Aging would continue to handle that assignment should a new human rights person be hired. He hoped to avoid hiring a staff person for each com- mission. Assistant Manager noted that there were now two human rights special- ists, both expected to have a working knowledge of all the commissions. Another person would be added as a third human rights specialist, probably with the idea of having a lead position in that area. Jim williams, member of the ad hoc youth committee, said that those working with the comrndttee, recognizing there would be staffing problems, had a sort of in- formal agreement with various youth agencies in the community for them to provide general orientation for the youth commission and even some intermittent staff assistance, especially with agendas, etc. He felt that if the city could handle the clerical work, the commission could function ~ntil the staffing was worked out. It was understood that staff would prepare in writing alternative proposals for staffing the human rights program, this to be dis- tributed to Council members at the next oommittee-of-the-whole meeting. Mr. Haws moved second by Mr. Williams to give tentative approval to the proposed ordinance creating a youth commission, incorporating the changes tit agreed to in this discussion, and to set a public hearing for the September 13 Council meeting. Motion carried unanimously. LfLftt Hinutes 9/13/76 -- 14