2.

(ACTION) Review and approval of February 25, 2004 meeting minutes

The minutes were tabled until another time.
(public comments)
There were none.

3

(DISCUSSION) Chief Probation Officer’s Report

a.    Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative update

G. Bieringer gave a brief update on the work.  Evening Reporting Centers have opened, there is one young person attending. They are going forward with their community mapping of the 94124 zip code area, they have created a new workgroup to address language and appropriate cultural access issues. They are looking at the issue of “unaccompanied minors" -- those who are undocumented and without parental supervision.  And they are crafting a citywide policy statement on juvenile justice reform (using JDAI principles) for the City to adopt.  He mentioned a meeting next Wed. the 31^st, where he will provide an analysis of the first year’s use of the new RAI.

Comm Chuck asked about what the Executive Committee of the JDAI was doing, and Bieringer repeated it was working out a city wide policy statement that will be sent to the Bd of Supervisors, to establish JDAI concepts for the City.  Comm. Queen commented that he participates on the Executive Committee and when he first saw the statement, he said he was going to work on it, but he added that he thought it should definitely come through the Commission for approval since it is the Commission that is the policy body for the Dept. and the Commission should play a pro-active role in juvenile justice matters in the City.  G. Bieringer said that they had a deadline of tomorrow for receiving comments to the statement.

The Chief said they are also making amendments to it so it reflects the W&I code, which is their mandate..

b.    Budget update

M Lui reported that he and the Chief met with the Mayor over aspects of the Dept budget.  The Mayor increased the amount of OT in the budget.  The permanent salaries line is now projected to be in the black and not deficit as was once projected. The controller has released the requisitions for hiring of on-call staff.  There are some openings of 8320 counselors in JH, and they are trying to get them filled.

The City has changed contracting procedures so now the Dept can do contracts without bids, up to $10K.  All payments to the Dept’s CBO contractors are up to date.

The Chief said that DHR has loaned the Dept a person from MUNI, to do the WC work until the Dept has hired its own 1244.  That person will work 2 days a week and stay on for two months even after the hiring.  They want to see results by the end of this fiscal year.

c.    update on maximizing IVE revenue

The Chief said she learned about new regulations on Title IVe reimbursements.  The people who wrote the manual will train them.  She will inform them of when that training is in case commissioners are interested in attending.

4.    Status of possible elimination of Temp Aid to Needy Families funds

The Chief reported basically the same information she shared in the Finance Comm. meeting of March 22.

SB or AB 2947, (Patreco –sic), is a bill to renew the TANF allocation.  She said that the result of losing TANF would be that: “we would have no alternative placements. It would mean that there would be overcrowding in juvenile hall, it would mean that youth could not be diverted when referred to the community, it would mean that recidivism would go up and the crime rate would go up.”  She said that everyone needs to lobby Sacramento to keep TANF.

5.    Update on California Youth Authority

The Chief reported that this Dept has sent 51 youth to CYA over the past years, 14 committed last year, and 18 the year before that.

Comm. Hale said for the record that looking for alternatives to CYA is the right thing to do.

(public comments)                              

Michelle Henry (Ellison?), asked if she could get a copy of the letter that the Chief said was written to the Governor, so that they could use it as a model to write their own.  The Chief agreed to make this available to the public.

James Bryant, SEIU 790, asked for a copy of the budget that was referred to in M. Lui’s report.

4.

Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Juvenile Probation Commission

James Bryant, President of a non-profit in SF, offered to provide literacy services to the youth in the Dept. 

5

  (DISCUSSION) President’s report:

         Union Reps to speak to the Commission, to establish a dialog.

James Bryant, SEIU 790, asked the Dept to honor the spirit of last year’s negotiations and givebacks and rescind the lay-offs. They said that they might have to bring an action against the Dept if this isn’t honored.

·         Personnel Meeting Date

Comm. Hale asked the Chief to look over a possible date in August for a Personnel Committee review of her performance and performance goals.  It was decided that the President and Vice President would set up a date with the Chief.

·         Invite a representative from the Board Of Corrections to attend an upcoming meeting

This was tabled.

(public comments)

there was none.

6

(DISCUSSION) Committee reports

                         Program:  This was cancelled and re set for next Wed.

                         Finance: held, Comm. Bonilla said that the presentation today by M. Lui essentially

was what was presented then.

Facilities: Comm. Chuck reported that there was no quorum but an informational exchange was held. (Notes to that meeting available on the Commission website).

He asked M. Baumgartner to summarize her memo regarding ownership/control and transfer of City property.  She did so.

Ad Hoc Committee: Comm. Hale reviewed that the committee met and divided up

Into workgroups.  Each of them will meet and come up with priorities and they hope a plan and report may be available by the end of April or early May.  He also mentioned that there was a group of ministers from the Bayview Hunter’s Point and Western Addition, interested in exploring the use of Hidden Valley Ranch.

Comm. Bonilla asked if the result of this work would be that the Dept could immediately rent out bed space? Comm. Hale said no, that it would just be the report to the Program Comm. and whatever follows after that.

Retreat Report: Comm. Hale said he was hoping to set up a date for sometime in

April. Comm. Chuck said he would be gone from the 20^th of April for an extended time.

(public comments)
There was none.

7.

Public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Juvenile Probation Commission
NTanya Lee, asked the Commission what position they have on the juvenile justice system and the movement to overhaul it.  She asked that they take some role of leadership, be involved in it, and not carry out business as usual.  She hoped that the discussions about Log Cabin Ranch really questions if it is the best option as an alternative to CYA.  She said it is very important that the $600K projected revenue plan is actually a concrete one which will meet with the approval of the Mayor’s office, otherwise all this talk will be for naught.

8.

(DISCUSSION) Announcements, requests for future agenda items
Comm. Chuck announced that on March 30, the Senate Committee on Public Safety would be holding hearings on SB 1223 and 1151, which will impact on the juvenile justice system. (allow judges to reconsider sentences of minors tried as adults, and to consider more factors in the deciding on trial as adult or minor). 

(public comments)
there was none.

9.

(ACTION)  Adjournment

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:56 pm.