Safe, Healthy, Connected People Commission

5/9/2023 - Minutes I. Call to Order Members Present: Mary Hussmann, Courtney Blasius, Amanda Goldstein, Hannah Kretvix, Meredith Bushey City Staff Present: Ray Coffey, Aurora Hurd (Council Liaison) Guests Present: Connor Bushey Call to Order by: Mary Hussmann Meeting Start Time: 6:36 PM Minutes Recorded by: Amanda Goldstein II. Approve Previous Meeting Minutes Decision: Approved unanimously Motion by: Courtney Blasisus Second: Amanda Goldstein III. Public Comment None IV. City Council and Department Updates Councilor Hurd shared that City Council will meet and prioritize work for Commissions on May 13, 2023. Staffing updates: chiefs send regrets and regards. K9 program has been halted for some personnel reasons. Will continue to look at Comfort Dog program- stay tuned with details to follow in the future. Big effort statewide to recruit firefighters, called May Day. This Sat 9-1 at Winooski Fire Department. Hopefully won’t be competitive statewide but a “rising tide lifts all ships” Community Services Updates: getting ready for summer. Targeting May 15 to have pool up and running, staff up and running and maybe school events. Opening party June 3. Staff all hired with some continuity from last year. Thrive ¾ full at this time. Rec summer camps are maxed out with waitlists similar to enrollment. Free with ESSER funds. Offer made for position to take over Youth Interventionist position- Vandame Ndayisenga, multi- lingual speaker and tuned into the community. Late news from VYDC AmeriCorps program that it will cease to exist. Looking at other options as recruitment is now limited and current positions end in August. More to come as they try to figure out other options.  Offer made for position to take over Youth Interventionist position- Vandame Ndayisenga, multi- lingual speaker and tuned into the community. Late news from VYDC AmeriCorps program that it will cease to exist. Looking at other options as recruitment is now limited and current positions end in August. More to come as they try to figure out other options. Work happening on the Obrien center and figuring out the future, exciting and encouraging. Plans to update the community soon. Narrowing in on budgets and square footage and potential partners. New executive director has been selected for Downtown Winooski. She has already written a significant grant to expand the Winooski Farmers Market, quite competitive. V. Inclusion and Belonging Commission Liaison Updates N/A VI. Community Services Program Need/Interest Plan Review and Focus Group Ray presented the updated survey draft and asked for feedback. All members present took a sample version of the survey on line, and provided feedback which will be incorporated. l Might need a N/A option so that there is a way to support what is happening but might not participate. l Some questions are not performing as they should with multiple choice options only allowing for one. l Advice to allow for multiple users from one IP address such as computer at the library or within the same household. Walk through focus group questions as well. l Last focus group weakness was small numbers and information was not exactly helpful but likely because of the number of participants not the questions. l Questions will be administered verbally by facilitator. l Change verbage from Rec Dept to more broadly community services l Affinity based groups to gauge similar interest. l Want to hone in on barriers especially as funding sources (ESSER are removed). l Discussed wording to be more inclusive and place the onus on rec department. l Request another question for skills to share or programs to offer. Ray will edit and send to Elaine for additional feedback VII. Adjourn Motion by: Meredith Bushey Second: Hannah Kretvix Meeting End Time: 8:02 PM