2.

(ACTION) Review minutes of Nov 25, 2003.
Minutes were tabled.

3.

(DISCUSSION) Public Comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Juvenile Probation Commission.
Bruce Fisher, Huckleberry, asked whether the proposed cuts to CBOs were for the entire contract year or just the remaining half?  And also, if CBOs who haven’t been paid for their 02-03 contract services would be paid that immediately upon acceptance of this year’s balanced budget.

Stephen LaFrance, recommended against cutting the PrIDE program.  He projected that within 18 months the work would transfer totally to in-house staff.  He said it is on the verge of reaping the benefits from the data.

Thi-Bay Miradoli, Instituto, summarized what she saw:  the CBOs are being cut 5%  compensation for work that’s already been done. The PrIDE contractors are given close to a million to do a survey, but that has caused a great amount of extra work for the CBOs for which they aren’t paid. She also said the CBOs shouldn’t be made to pay for the problem of WC and OT since it wasn’t their doing.

Joanna Hernandez, Mission Neighborhood Centers, expressed her disappointment with the situation.  One contract they have is the first year with the Dept, serving 22 girls, 16 of whom are probation youth, but has not been paid, yet.  There are 40 youth on Home Detention but that also has not been paid yet.  The Dept talks about lowering detention, but if it cuts CBO contracts, this will reduce the services that keep them out of the hall and populations will rise.

Kristen Atkinson, BHNC, repeated her points made in Nov.  the underserved youth in the Bernal, Excelsior, and surrounding neighborhoods will suffer.  She also supported CBOs who were asking for their prior year contract payments.

Alfredo Bojorquez, Instituto, said that the minutes of the last meeting cut off his remarks.  Regarding PrIDE, he wanted to repeat, that the survey instrument was labor and time intensive, that the question items were inappropriate and injurious to developing a rapport between staff and youth.  And the usefulness of the survey info is totally dependent upon the honesty of the respondent, which he said honestly is suspect.  He said if it were he who was asked to answer those questions, he wouldn’t have the least care to be honest. He also mentioned that the contractor asked them to help edit the survey and review the accuracy of translations.  This was totally not their responsibility.  He said that if TANF requires evaluation, then it should be held to TANF funded programs (if they want to use PrIDE).  There are many other ways to measure outcomes that the Dept already uses.  He further criticized the way they’ve been tossed back and forth by people not taking responsibility for the situation of non-payment.  He questioned why contractors should continue to work with and support the JDAI initiative when they are treated this way.  He asked what the Commission was doing to make the Dept solve the problems we are facing.  He asked what the objective of tomorrow’s meeting was going to be between the Dept, the Mayor’s office, and the Controller.  He finally said it was shameful to axe the Parents Helping Parents program, after working for 6 mos without payment.

Maurice James, Morrisania West; said it was appalling to have this situation happening in the Dept.  He said that the new administration should investigate this “body” (the Dept).. how it contracts, and where it spends its money. 

Ntanya Lee, reported that 20 some CBOs had a meeting and agreed to support each other in their demands to get payment for their contracted services, and to refuse the 5%$ proposed cut to their contracts, on top of not paying for the first 6 mos of service.  She said that having studied the Dept’s budget for several years, she sees a significant and increasing problem of financial management, especially with OT, and feels it is a crime that the Dept’s failure to properly manage its OT (upwards of $1 mil/yr) leaves CBOs in the situation they face now.  This fiscal crisis is not a new thing so cannot be blamed on current financial conditions.  OT has been a longstanding problem.

Additionally, there should be no cuts to CBOs, which are on the frontline of the work with the Dept’s kids, and will be the key to the success or failure of JDAI.

Finally she said the PrIDE program was scandalous from the very beginning, and that we don’t need to have some high price external evaluations when those being evaluated are being cut.

Kent Eagleson, Boys & Girls Home. Recounted how this experience is the same they saw 10 yrs ago with Transition House, where they were not paid to the point they had to close the program.  It is very likely that many CBOs can be ruined by this situation.

Theresa Rey, Edgewood Kinship Program, said that the 5% cut would impact their staff, families, and community.  She also needed to know if the cuts were for Jan. 04.

4.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION) Review of options for the FY ‘03-’04 mid-year budget balance plan, with possible recommendations to full Commission.
The Chief said the enemy is not the Dept, but the state budget.  She said, “We are all here because the State budget and the deficit in the State, and the State budget deficit in turn makes the City have a budget deficit.  Point in fact, right now there are many things a budget deficit that will increase because of the –VLF that is going to present to every city.  This is a situation that is not happening just in San Francisco, it is happening throughout California.  The VLF  which had been rescinded will make a $92 million deficit to every city in San Francisco.  That breaks down to about a million dollars a day for city government. Again, I’m going to stress that we are all in this together.  Juvenile Probation Dept is not the enemy. JPD has been dealing for the last 3 fiscal years, fiscal year 2001- 2002 we took a reduction of 2.1 in this Dept. Fiscal year 2002-03, we took a 6.6 reduction in our budget. For fiscal year 2003-04, we’ve taken a 12% reduction. This reduction in our budget represents over a 20-21% reduction to our budget. At this time, on all of the fiscal years, of the last 3 fiscal years, we have protected, been very very protective of the community-based organizations. We realize that the community based organizations work from a different base than civil service. We did not create the civil service foundation, we are bound by the rules and regulations of the unions, the MOUs, the civil service regulations. Yes, civil service has different standards of employment.  When we talk about the fact that we do have OT, yes we do have OT. We have OT because there are mandated coverage of POST positions in detention centers and in(inaudible) those mandates are set up by the Board of Corrections. Not only are they set up, the training requirement for those employees, are set by the Bd of Corrections, our regulatory agency. We have no choice but to meet those requirements, or the detention center would not be able to function. It is a requirement that we do these things. We have also an issue with WC, everyone here knows, and everyone throughout the state has this problem, and that is due to WC laws, the way they are designed in Calif.  That does not happen in other states. We are currently in this Dept addressing that issue. We have a working a project, we have been working for the past 3 months on a project with the Controller’s office, initiated by this Dept, to look at the problem of WC and control it differently. We have just gotten the findings and we will be initiating a program the beginning of next month and that’s been in cooperation with the Controller. We expect to see our WC expenses reduced by half. In terms of OT, that fluctuates depending on what the population is and what our requirements are, in terms of our POST positions. And if you’re questioning what POST positions are, POST positions are positions that must be filled in order to care for youth that are under our custody. And that means the detention center and Log Cabin Ranch."

"The cuts that are predicated on the State deficit that is driving the City deficit, I think everybody here knows that throughout the nation the economy is not that good, we cannot be myopic in our look at how we’re looking at this situation. We all are affected by the same thing. I also want to share that this Dept in the staffing as absorbed a 30 to 40, depending on which division we’re talking about, staff reduction. Those staff reductions also contribute to OT. In the last Bd of Supervisors meeting we advocated for no cuts in POST positions. Those were counselors in juvenile hall.  The Bd cut 4 of the 5 positions, and therefore, those positions that were cut had created OT because we didn’t have those people to work in those slots. We also were cut 3 POs. So, this Dept has continually sustained cuts without cutting CBOs, because we are fully, fully committed to the fact that community based are our partners and we can’t do this alone, they are on the frontline. But we too are on the frontline and we too are being affected by this.  So then we get budget instructions from the Mayor’s office, that we have to have a balanced budget in the mid, beginning of Jan.  That was defined to us on what we must do. We submitted a plan and the plan is the one you see before you. And it was recommended across the board a 5% cut. The cuts originally were greater, much greater. However, I went directly to the Mayor and explained to him the critical nature of the need for community-based organizations. The fact that we are mandated by the W&I code and the Bd of Corrections on how we do business around certain, around the detention center and around probation services. Without the functioning of the juvenile probation department, there would be no community based organizations, folks.  We are mandated to be the folks that process the wards of the courts so we can get them out to you.  So without the juvenile probation department, there are no community based organizations functioning.  We have been extremely protective of the community-based organizations and will continue to do that because your work is valuable and we understand that.  The issue we have here now is an issue of budget that stems from the state’s shortfall. The recommendation, as I went to talk to the Mayor and explained the situation, what the Mayor suggested, was the Mayor’s budget office find some alternative funding to give the CBO so that our budget would be cut less. That was where we got a work order for $55K to our budget, to help us balance our budget.  So the other thing that put us in this situation was not only the reduction the state took off, but the fact that natural gas has gone up. there’s a great increase in the cost of natural gas, and of course we’ve already addressed the concerns about WC and the need to manage that differently. We’ll  implement the program in Jan.  and that will be an aggressive program we will implement to reduce and monitor the WC cases that we have in this Dept. now there was a question about whether we were talking about 5% annually.  The answer is yes, we are talking about the contracts, your annual contracts.  I remember Alfredo’s response regarding the lack of transparency in this process. This Dept has tried to be very transparent in what we’re doing, and how we’re doing and what the numbers are. We’ve issued, and you will find on the website a full packet of information on what the contracts announced are, what the projected modified amounts will be, the letter that was sent out to everyone, to the contractors, the proposed budget cuts, and also the list of cuts this Dept has taken over the last 3 fiscal years. We’ve tried to be more transparent to put this cut into perspective.  CBOs have not been aware of this because we have not cut them before. So understandably you would not know the impact these cuts have had since 2001 on this Dept. so it is only now that you’re at the table, that you understand how this Dept’s budget has been cut. We have been cut over $5 mil. budgetarily. And the fact that we continue to be in State shortfall, we do not know what the impact of the changes in the state budget are going to be.  We will be subject once again at looking at budget cuts. This Dept is funded 70% by City budget. So I appreciate the fact that people feel they don’t understand what the situation is.  It is this Dept’s wish to be as transparent as possible in answering questions, in providing documentation, to help us understand the situation. So if there’s other information we can provide, we’ll be glad to provide that. And I’m sure the Commissioners would be willing to do the same thing. I know that this can be déjà vu for a lot of people. Those of us who have been in this industry for years, know that funding for corrections, funding for services, in this field is cyclical.  Unfortunately, we are on the down cycle when it comes to funding. So, yes, ten years ago, we were at the same place. We were cut.  I was not located in San Francisco, but this is not the first time we’ve been through doing more with less.  Or having to cut budgets.  We have to understand that money for corrections comes from the legislature.  So whenever the economy changes it directly affects corrections. So I just hoped that I have qualified and clarified the fact that this Dept is committed to the concept of JDAI.  We are looking at, and actively looking at reorganizing this entire Dept so we can do business with the 30-40% less staff that we currently have and must do business according to and meet the mandates of the Bd of Corrections and the W&I code, and meet the needs of the courts. We have to respond. Yes, it means we all have to do more with less. You’re not by yourselves, contractors. But I don’t want you to think (inaudible)  We’re not sitting on gravy. We’re all in this together, and the separation that we’re against you.. this is not true. We’re trying to work with you to get what we deserve."

"I want to clarify that a part of our problem is …the fact that we are under construction  but the construction budget is entirely separate from our operating budget.  The impact from the construction is that we have less space, fewer units, and therefore, with fewer units and the different populations we are serving, everyone of you sitting here knowing those individuals we’re serving are more serious offenders. 80% of individuals in the detention center right now are in for serious felonies; gun charges, murder, I’m talking about serious. So we have 5 units to segregate those individuals, to deliver services.  I’m not telling you anything you don’t know.  You know the difficulty we’re having with these individuals. We’re sending them out to you. So they are here too.  We are dealing with exactly what you’re dealing with.  Only we’re dealing with those that you can’t handle.  So within that framework, we also have to take these individuals to court, in this facility, not a secure facility, a public facility.  Therefore we have had to create additional POST positions to safely transport these individuals to court. We have no way of knowing that perhaps there’s a gang member that is trying to retaliate against that individual when we take him to court, so we have to have added security.  That’s the impact that construction has had.  So I just want to qualify and clarify that that budget is entirely separate and we are going to re organize this organization to meet the priorities of JDAI, the priorities of getting those individuals out into the community, the priorities of staffing the evening report centers, because that’s a priority.  The priority of getting the kids to court. So we are all in this together.  We are going to do everything we can to find all kinds of ways to function so we all can survive this."

Comm Hale had a concern about the process.  He thinks they need to take any action necessary to get the CBOs paid. He doesn’t know how we got to this point, and wants to make sure it isn’t revisited again. He was also concerned about the level of discussions taking place.  He  took issue with the Dept discussing with the Mayor’s office different scenarios without giving the condition that it is ultimately up to the Commission to review and decide it. 

Comm Hale said he’ll be looking into issues of conflict of interest of individuals within the Controller’s office and Mayor’s office.

He said he wanted to know what the Dept felt was the level of staffing necessary to deal with the projected populations they will serve in the future.

Comm Bonilla said he had thought up a proposal, which he thought would satisfy the need. He commented that initial inquiries with the faith based community has indicated a willingness to look into providing spiritual services to the youth in the Dept on a pro bono, volunteer basis.  He commented that perhaps the Dept will not need a “system” come January 8, so that the LaFrance contract may be unnecessary.  We could go back to a more basic evaluation tool. And from initial inquiries there is evidence that there are more affordable, and limited evaluation tools available.  The final contract for cutting would be the Performing Arts Workshop, which is serving 17 kids.  From his previous discussions with the Dept, he feels there is a great disproportionality between the amount of money and the numbers served.  He believes that cutting these contracts will get the Dept to the necessary balance without cutting CBOs and laying off staff.

Comm Hale said he doesn’t agree with wholesale cutting of programs. He said that the PrIDE program was necessary for the JDAI, which is data driven. PrIDE is “our” data program, and is needed to assure that JDAI is implemented.  He had no problem with looking at the way dollars are spent but couldn’t see how they could cut entirely the data system they have invested in “as a city”.

He also was against cuts o the Chaplaincy program but was willing to look at a reduction to the PAW.

Comm Ricci  raised questions about the way the Ark of Refuge contract was let out, and also the extended work of the organization that took it outside of the realm of offering spiritual services. She said that if they were going to become a larger social service, then how did they get that contract (was it competitive?).

She asked Comm Bonilla what his thoughts were about the LaFrance contract.  He said that his thoughts were to find some other operations that could offer the service we need at less.  Comm Bonilla said it was to consider getting a less complicated process, which would still satisfy funders. 

Comm Ricci asked about Parents Helping Parents.  L. Jackson-Simpson said that they are working within the JDAI, but she hasn’t seen a report on the work they are doing.  The Chief said that several months ago there was a proposal made to the previous Chief, to work with the young folk to find out what the need was of parents that have youth in the system.  There were meetings throughout the city, in almost every community, talking to parents and youth, gathering data and information relative to what the needs were for the kids in the community.  That project is matched by the Casey Foundation.  She said she didn’t have the figures and this would need to be provided by the Executive Director.  She didn’t have a status of that match.  She said she, the Chief (Williams), even Bill and some other staff were a part of those meetings.  One thing that has come out of that is “what’s called, it’s like, it’s tutoring kind of that is set up for kids, to…I think it’s called a 4-O club, no it’s a 2-O club I think it is where these kids get tutored so that they can meet the 2-O needs and pass in 4, one of the things that was identified, but Ms Jones would have to give you more of the information. And my suggestion here would have to be, in your recommendation, my recommendation would be, it would be important that these individuals be, these directors are available to explain to you the full scope of the program; the accomplishments and what’s been done. Because I know that the Performing Arts Workshop services, a high end, high need population that are not serviced in the schools, that are not serviced by the detention center, that cannot be serviced, the mental health services. These are kids with mental health problems, learning disabilities, drug problems. The high end. And they are the ones that everybody says we can’t do anything for.  This is the reason we run this, because there are populations in this system that nobody can serve.”

She went further to say, “..my concern would be that in your suggestion that these individual programs be cut, that we in fact invite these directors here to tell you their accomplishments and give you that information.   …. One of the things that happens with the Juvenile Justice Coordinating division…. Council..   we had a circle of services, and that circle of services indicated those types of services that need to be provided in the juvenile justice system. And it started with those in detention to those in…. (L. Jackson-Simpson added  “prevention all the way around…”)… Tucker, “Now, the Spirit Life is a service that is provided to kids in detention. Counseling, and critical services, and at night, I’d like to say something about that.. the need of an ongoing person that the kids can identify with and counsel with when there are suicide attempts, when there are deaths in the family.  This Spirit Life service are the ones that are there on a regular basis. We’re talking about counseling and dealing with those kinds of…”

Comm Ricci reminded the Chief that she had asked about the Parents Helping Parents program.

She asked Comm Hale regarding his opinions on Huckleberry and Comm Hale repeated what he previously has said about wanting others to fund it.

(public comments)
Stephen LaFrance commented that their situation is the same as all other CBOs who have worked half a year and not gotten paid.  He was concerned about the idea to cut them entirely (leaving no payment for work already done).  He said he was prepared to scale down the scope of the program to make it less than its current allocated cost.  He said that he and his staff are committed to youth issues and want to do this to make them better.  He said he didn’t want the project to be seen as extraneous because it shouldn’t be.  This is a big program (lots of CBOs to review) and he didn’t think there would be a cheaper way to go.

He said that PrIDE was not an external evaluation system.  It is an internal departmental evaluation system.

Toni Dunbar, Spirit Life Center, spoke in support of the PrIDE program.  She also said that she could live with the 5% cut.

Thi-Bay Miradoli: spoke against keep PrIDE, saying it is not cost effective.  She also took offense to Chief Tucker’s comments that without the Juvenile Probation Dept there would be no CBOs.  This is not true as CBOs existed prior to their contracts with the Dept. She said that only in the way the Dept handles the contracts, are the CBOs made dependent on the Dept.  She commented that the non-payment of CBO contracts makes it hard on all their employees. She also disagreed with Chief Tucker that the State’s budget deficit was the cause of this Dept’s budget woes.  She said it was a case of mismanagement of the Dept’s funds.

Joanna Hernandez, MNC, complained about the payments in arrears.

Alfredo Bojorquez, said that it is unfair to expect them to continue working without knowing when they will get paid, so they are not accepting any more referrals.  He wanted an answer as to the payment issue.

Maurice James asked for clarity about the 5%..  if it was retroactive?  And if so, how would they deal with the fact that they have already paid their staffs according to the contract terms.

Bruce Fisher; stated that the priority should be to pay those contractors who have worked and not gotten paid, last year and this.  Then everybody needs to get together and agree to solve this problem because it isn’t going to happen by fighting it.  There are more cuts to come.  He said that when they face cuts, they cut admin first. He hoped the Dept would show the same example.

Kent Eagleson; commented that this situation isn’t so different from times past when the Dept was seriously delinquent in their payments for contract work.  He mentioned the Transition House which was closed down due to the Dept’s total delinquency of payment, and he said that since, over the years, it isn’t unusual to have delinquencies as long as 18 months.  Until Lonnie Holmes came on board to make sure things were acted on in a more timely fashion.  He was seriously concerned for those services, which the court orders youth into directly.  It’s a double whammy where you put the service at risk, and when you’ve killed it, you come back later and ask it to return to doing the service.  He said he wasn’t confident that they would get paid, until they actually see payment.

The Chief said that she didn’t meant to insult CBOs. She said that the work that they do is “absolutely important.” She said she knows what it means to borrow on the payroll. She’s been there and done that.

NTanya Lee; commented that the Dept’s deficit can’t be blamed on the State’s deficit. And you can’t blame the youth because they are more difficult. She said the numbers of serious offenders are not increasing.  If anything, it’s because juvenile hall is now keeping a greater proportion of those serious offenders, and ideally it should ONLY keep serious offenders.  That would mean that the others are back out in the community being served, and that’s the goal. She further stated that the CBOs should not be punished for the Dept’s lack of planning around the construction project.  The Dept promised that there would be no additional operational costs coming out of the Dept’s budget due to this project, but now the claim is that they need an additional 4 positions.   And the Dept further lies when it says there have been no cuts to CBOs. There was a 10% cut during the June budget talks. Approved by the Dept/Commission and only eliminated by the Bd of Supes.  She criticized the Dept/Commission for being willing to put up with waste in WC and OT, and the unnecessary housing of non-serious youth in the hall.

She said she was excited by the Chief’s statement that they have a program that will cut WC in half this next year (starting Jan), and hoped that maybe this could lead to even a doubling of that savings, to total half a million. 

She asked the Commission what it would be doing to try to expedite the payment of CBOs, and also called for a complete accounting of the TANF spending plan, as she hadn’t heard that there would be any reductions or re allocations demanded by this budget deficit.

Comm Ricci: asked about the management salary standardization process being undertaken in the city, and asked if those adjustments have been factored into this newest budget.  The Chief was not clear.  After seeing the document, she said that this was the new classification system that DHR was recommending (called  MCCP).  She said,  “this is, any kind of, what we have been instructed about is that any kind of increases in anybody’s salary, because the union has negotiated, they have negotiated, everybody in the city has step raises, you know. They get, they’re on step one or two, etc.  Every employee gets those same kinds of things. What we have been advised is that the Dept, in the budget, we have to absorb that. So in the past what has been happening with that is the city would allocate us additional monies.  They will no longer allocate additional monies for absorbing in the budget, so we will have to change the budget accordingly, so it may mean that we’ll spend less for supplies or something like that. Along with that, for instance, the thing that we’ve been dealing with, the same question comes when it comes to overtime, overtime is higher, we’ll have to absorb that.

Comm Ricci asked again for the documents she had emailed a request for, which she hadn’t received yet.

Comm Ricci moved that the reduction proposal submitted on Nov. 17, except for the CBO contracts which would be amended to include the Ark of Refuge, $90K; LaFrance Associates; Performing Arts Workshop; Center for Strategic Planning ($21k);

The Chief said that the Center for Strategic Planning had already been cut totally.

Comm Ricci continued:  moved to cut Ark of Refuge $90K, LaFrance Assoc. $225K, Performing Arts Workshop.  This total amount would be in lieu of those proposed on the Nov. 17 document (both contracts and position cuts).  Comm. Bonilla 2^nd.  However, he asked the Dept to sit down with LaFrance to see if they could hammer out a lower cost program.

Comm Hale said he was concerned because there had not been an intelligent presentation of a justification for the proposed recommendations in the motion.  He repeated, “nothing intelligent.”

He said that he hadn’t seen any of them (the committee) in Bayview, or with the families that have had children that have died or been murdered, or families that are struggling. The rest of his comments implied that this was a “fate accompli”…

Comm. Ricci responded that she was offended by Comm. Hale’s suggestion that this was a pre-meditated act.  She asked earlier to hold up the start of the meeting so that Comm. Hale could arrive and have full participation in this process.  If there was any desire to undermine his role, they could have proceeded without him being here.  She said for the record that she gave everyone an opportunity to speak on this issue before she made her decision.  She felt insulted that he implied that her decision was influenced by anyone. She made it clear that she had nothing personal to gain from this vote—she is not an attorney needing to work with juveniles, or get contracts from the Dept, and that her decision is guided by allegiance to her oath, and what she felt is best for the youth.

Comm Hale commented that the motion does not give the option for the Dept and LaFrance to strike a better deal.  He also wasn’t convinced that the administration couldn’t take an additional 1% or 2% cut.  He said they could still look at the staff/youth complement.

He said his understanding was that once this budget was submitted and approved, then there could be no further cuts of CBO contracts for this FY.

He asked the Chief to go back and see if they can come up with another 1-2% cut in admin and probation, not counseling.

The Chief said that she would go back and see about that.

She repeated where some of the reductions in admin have been.

Comm Hale said he had no problem with moving the action to the full Commission for consideration.

There was no public comment.

The question was called and upon voice vote, the motion carried, 2-1, Comm. Hale dissenting.

Comm Hale continued to recount how the personnel division of the Dept was expanded to try and get a good on-call list of counselors.  But even so, there is still no viable on-call list.

So the question is whether they “got their bang for their bucks” – whether the funds were effectively used to solve this problem.  Maybe that’s an area where staff reductions can be had.

The Chief said they would be looking at reorganizing the Dept.  “the reason being is that, even though in your particular case, what you’re talking about is personnel, I need to remind you that we have never been full staffed and administratively, along the administration line, for instance, there is no director of probation services, every one of the executive team are doing two jobs.  So, I’m saying that our answer absolutely is we do need to reorganize because we must do more with less.  And I’m certainly open to that, in fact we’re going to be working on that very shortly.  So, given that information, we are going to do all we can . I need to caution you that at this point, there are not many avenues, in that we have already cut the fat.. It is a flat administration. I’m doing two jobs, the assistant chief is doing two jobs. The Finance Director is doing two jobs. The Director of Community Programs is doing two jobs. Even the community programs individuals are doing way more than they started. So I appreciate what you’re saying but it is a day with ---inaudible---   we look at how we can do business.  There are [prop?] positions that we must fill. We are bound by union agreements.” 

Comm Hale cut her off and said it is understood that mandated positions are not considered for this.

He said that even if it means that they (the Dept) has to take another cut, if it just means bettering their relationship, if it somehow allows them to continue their communication, then its worth it.

The Chief said they need to be cognizant that the different youth in the hall demand staffing differently for public safety issues.

Comm Hale clarified that he wanted the Dept to come back Friday with their results of reviewing the budget.  He said that the recommendation of the Finance Comm. is separate from the Dept’s original recommendations, which will go to the Commission intact. He said his understand was that the Committee is forwarding the Dept’s original recommendations, which it cannot change, to the full Commission, with the changes approved by this Committee.

He asked the Chief to get an answer from the City Attorney regarding the contract language which would allow it to be stated,  a cut in the amount of, up to 4%.  He wanted to make sure that the language was enforceable. The Chief agreed to get this.

5.

(DISCUSSION/ACTION)  Requests for future agenda items

Comm Hale asked to have a full review of LCRS on a Finance Comm. agenda, and to set up regular Finance Comm. meeting times.
(public comments)
There was none.

6.

Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:51pm.