City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Mayor's Blue Ribbon COVID Response Task Force Committee, 18 Oct 2022

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10.18.2022 COVID Response Task Force

A

So we'll call the meeting to order.

B

um Since janet is not here, I'm wondering if someone can take I'll do it. Thank you. Karen.

B

She may be still be coming.

B

But first we have on the agenda the approval of the minutes from october 4th.

A

I move that we've approved the minutes. Thank you lori. Second, all in favor, hi.

B

B

So we're gonna jump right in and invite superintendent zachary mclaughlin up.

B

um Is this the best place? Where do you guys want me? That's probably anywhere okay, yeah.

B

Thank you for joining us. No, it's nice to join you. So um do you want me to just jump in sure great.

C

So I my uh understanding, I had an opportunity, abby and I had opportunity to talk a little bit.

C

About your work um and um and trying to think about some of the things that would best help.

C

uh In terms of recovery, I I and I told abby I didn't exactly say it this way, but I'm like be.

C

Ready to be disappointed in my what I bring to talk to you about in terms of depth, uh but the.

C

um We are, of course, on our side. We have uh funds also connected with us, with covert recovery. After.

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Funds uh and the focus of a lot of of that work for us um is a combination of two things.

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We're looking at some um anytime, we have one-time money. We very often I think the smart move is to.

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Think about investments that are not ongoing investments, but are things that you can do.

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um That you're able to fund with that one-time money fully and so a lot. Some of our conversation.

C

On our end has been looking at: how can we, um how can we make some improvements in our facilities.

C

That would lessen um the lesson some of the challenges that came forth with covet so for us.

C

That includes, uh potentially a project at dundero that involves uh it's not going to sound like a.

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Covety project, but it's it's replacing a lot of the windows at dundero that allow us to create.

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An envelope within the building that doesn't allows us to do a better job of air filtering.

C

Within the within the facility, we also are having some ongoing conversations about what we can do.

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To add additional social emotional supports to students in our buildings, but the challenge the.

C

Challenge in that conversation is how do you do that in a way with the funds that we have.

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Because they are temporary funds, how do you do that in a way? That's meaningful that doesn't.

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Is not just a matter of checking a box saying great job schools? We took care of social, emotional.

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Issues for our students, but but instead is a thoughtful utilization. That's going to build.

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Beyond the time that those funds are are going to be available, so we're still talking through.

C

Some of that, because the concern is, if you add additional- and you add, additional employees.

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Some of those employees, we would only have for two years max, and so you know a new employee in.

C

Some situations it takes you six months to bring a person on board to get them to understand your.

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Organization then you might have then second half of that first year, where they're now accustomed.

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To your organizational culture and what even their role is, and then you get the next part.

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Of the the first part of the second year, and then, as they know, the grant money is coming to a close.

C

Then they've got six months of them, starting to figure out. What is the next thing? They're.

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Going to be doing, which may or may not, you know be with you so uh so our again, our conversation.

C

Is shifting towards what are non-person personnel means of what we can do with our with our esser.

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Funds that are going to address what we think of those deficiencies that arose out of covet.

C

Now abby and I in relation to of course, kind of the money that's available on the municipal side,.

C

I've had had some conversation about something that would be helpful for us that um that is hard.

C

For us to fund, because of some of the regulatory challenges for us for us to fund in a quick way.

C

Is around transportation? So we have a lot of. We have a lot of uh partners who are willing to work.

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With us to provide additional kind of wraparound services for kids, particularly in after school.

C

Settings, but what we're trying to do right now is we're in the midst of a bus driver shortage.

C

And I wouldn't want the municipality to pay for bus drivers, so I'm coming around.

C

To why this could help we have a bus driver shortage, so we have. We are supposed to have.

C

I think we're supposed to have 12 buses we're at nine right now, so we are covering.

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More than our usual amount with a a small group, so in addition to that, what we had.

C

Is in addition to our normal core runs and our athletic doing our athletic runs uh away.

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Games those types of things we also are have been partnering during covid, with a with peak.

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Who's connected with the seacoast community school to provide after school care a couple.

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Of locations within our district, uh the why we did programming at camp gundalo through the y.

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um And who all leaving off a third, uh we have mc3 at the um franklin at new franklin, exclusive.

C

Exclusively but I'm leaving off another group, but the challenge we've gotten into is that a.

C

Couple of those organizations assumed, because we had done some of the transporting we did some.

C

Work during covid that we were just going to continue. Oh I'm sorry and I'm leaving home. I'm.

C

Leaving out I'm leaving out the rack, uh that's who I'm leaving now please and so so at who.

C

um Who has started more robust services at community campus? So the challenge we're.

C

Getting into is these three different groups who we think provide good services for students. It's.

C

Very helpful for parents, of course, as parents are trying to transition from doing less doing.

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Less at homework than they were doing before, there's more of a need for for after school.

C

Services we're having difficulty getting people everywhere. They need to go right now and we are.

C

Trying our best uh we're being good doobies and trying our best to really stretch it thin. What's.

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Happening is we're. We are consistently late in our in getting kids to schools where we want to.

C

Be getting kids home based on the time schedule we originally published, uh and it's and it's.

C

A combination of those two factors, one is which we're down a certain number of bus drivers, anyways.

C

And two we're trying to provide for first three other entities to get kids to service.

C

So one of the things that abby and I talked about is that todd at the rack is in a position where.

C

It is less, there are less hoops to jump through to do transportations of our students through.

C

um Through getting a van licensing, a person doing those sort of things through a non-school entity.

C

Than there are through the school, so one of the things we talked about in terms of quick, a quick.

C

Thing that could happen that might be useful for us is, and this would not be the long-term solution.

C

But over the short run, is there the ability for um for rec to be able to provide some of.

C

The transportation for some for some students, uh even if it was exclusively just to get the rec.

C

Programming at community campus and- uh and if that was the case, then we would be able to. I think we I.

C

Think it would both have todd in the situation would be a more consistent flow of students to.

C

Community campus and I think, there's an interest beyond this moment of making community campus the.

C

Hub for a lot of this type of stuff anyways, and it would alleviate you know and alleviate the strain.

C

On our on our systems, at the same time, because I don't know when I'm going to be able to put three.

C

Additional buses on the road, I think in the long run I think in the long run we have an interest.

C

In in having a steady flow back and forth to community campus for students to be able to access.

C

That stuff, but in the short run, it's going to be difficult for us to do it for us to ramp it up.

B

So can I ask questions so the essa funds can't be used to fund something. That's not a school entity.

B

So there's some questions about what we could or could not do in that regard, the big, the bigger.

C

um Problem is the ways in which we would ramp up transportation uh take longer than non-us.

C

Entities uh so we have to um it's very specific in terms of state regulations about what once.

C

We start working with a vendor, either us or a vendor to do this stuff. You have to have you.

C

Probably have seen if you drive around the state, you see like small vans with like school bus.

C

um uh Like the domino's thing on the top of their butt they're man, they have a school.

D

Bus yeah and they have to have certain types of um they have to have certain um uh lights.

C

Connected with that, uh even if it's just a common kind of van um so there and we have.

C

To go through, like I said, several different regulatory hoops to get for that to be the case.

C

um uh For us, so it takes longer, so I think that it's not the long-term solution. I don't think you.

C

Know the wreck fleet of vans is where we would want to be, but in the short run it would allow.

C

Students to have access to those types of things in a more robust way than what we can do right now,.

C

So you would have to contract through the city for those services, not necessarily I mean, and I.

C

Don't this is one of those things and karen- and I had this conversation repeatedly- we have this when.

C

So I am the school department I'm coming in in my experience. Prior to here, I've been a standalone.

C

Entity as a school district, and so we caught you know from time to time I will say karen winter.

C

When are we we right and when are we? When are we you and me, uh and that's one of those things that.

C

We're still, you know we're I'm still trying to work through, but my my impression would be that.

C

On the state education, transportation side, at this point it would you know todd would almost.

C

Function as a third party that was just coming to pick up kids right right uh and then that.

C

Would alleviate some of those challenges for me and then um and then yeah. He would just pick up.

C

And we would coordinate but as their funds could not be used for that, so it would be of municipal.

E

Funds, I believe so, and I am I and for sure we don't want to um I'm not looking to double dip.

C

Yeah on the harper funds, and I'm you know- I mean I'm cognizant of that- insensitive to it.

C

um But uh let me jump in here: we could get some guidance on that. It may be easier by.

F

Virtue of the fact that the city is its own approved entity for arpa funding versus a.

F

Third party, who would need to be vetted and go through and have reporting requirements that.

F

They may not want or be eligible to deal with that I don't know so. This would definitely be.

F

Worth exploring of where, where are we two entities or we want entity? How can we do we.

F

Talk about co-mingling funds to make one plus one equal three in this. In this instance, yeah.

F

It's hard to get guidance on this, but we well that's a problem too, is, of course, you've got so.

C

This is, you know, federal guidance, filtering down through the state and then you've got.

C

And then that filtering is happening in two different silos at the same time, so it's sometimes.

C

It's hard to get bend people down on on some of those things, but I think it's worth exploring and.

E

The rack has the capacity to take this on as far as wow. I I do a great job. This is the capacity you.

C

Know does wreck have the capacity to take on the busing. I think, if recreation, I think, if I had a.

C

Recreation here you would say no, uh so if he knew there might be funding toward it and and we could.

F

Identify drivers- maybe maybe it depends on the vehicle- and I was gonna say without your license-.

C

To drive and all this conversation with with abby was very hypothetical, because it was because it's.

C

Like we, you know, you don't need a cdl to drive to drive a van, you know, so you don't have to you.

C

Could have just someone who's a driver who has a typical license, because I was thinking of two.

G

We had at little harbor, I know for a while um st john's church. They had a choir, yes group and so.

G

That he would, the director would just come with a van pick. Kids up, they would go um the new heights.

G

Program- and that was around same thing- they would come with a van and pick kids up and go so it was.

G

Like and it was through that programming where this would be more like city programming, but it.

G

Wasn't the same like you're, saying in terms of all of the like legal pieces of school bus driving so.

G

It seemed like it was easier, so if it could happen, like you, said short term to make this happen and.

G

Not necessarily a long-term solution, but for something like this. Are there any more of those.

B

You know, I know new heights no longer exists, but are there any more of those organizations.

B

That have the transportation pieces for any of the programming for kids like planet rangers. They walk.

G

um For us, kids, they comes to school and then right now, community campus. We are, you know, as zach said.

G

We are sending kids, but it's like the bus now is taking its regular bus load plus the rec.

G

Department on one bus, which makes everybody late and everything, so that's our kind of solution for.

C

Right now, yeah it was the same thing rolling set of late to everything else. We're doing. Are there.

H

um uh After school programs, recreational programs that have already been set up.

H

That students stay, and they is that going on at all of our schools here. So not so at the moment.

C

So and then they have transportation to go home on traditional after school. This is so again. This is.

C

All and I'll apologize and people in the room who have been here longer than me can correct me when.

C

I say things you're like nah. It wasn't true when my kids were there, so um so my understanding is.

C

Our our core partnership with with after school care, is with peak, which is through the seacoast.

C

Community school um who's, uh you know one of their main uh locations is at a community campus. However,.

C

It has satellite programs at each of our schools each of the elementaries. They were unable to fully.

C

Staff at new franklin school this year and as a result, then the the the kind of the backup plan.

C

Was let's bus, kids out to community campus, for this is for seacoast community school programming.

C

um And, of course that was you know, the our preferred model would be to have one of two.

C

Things things happening either right there at your community, your local neighborhood school.

C

Or- and I think that some parents are very much like that, because then it's the end of the day, you.

C

Know I'm right down the street for my kids, I can go get my kids um then, but the other conversation.

C

That I think seacoast community school is having is around their own kind of economies of scale.

C

And over the long run, does it make sense to for all kids to go to community campus connected with.

C

Them that would take you out of your neighborhood schools, but then the question is: could they offer.

C

um Kind of more robust programming and give more options to students if they.

C

Were centralized at community campus, but that is that conversation is very much in its infancy.

C

um And I don't that's, not something that's going to happen in the near future, but they're because.

C

They're already starting to do some baby steps in that direction because of staffing at new.

C

Franklin they're they're, definitely interested in continuing to have that conversation event.

C

And if they know too, that there's a possibility, we're going to have this.

C

You know um this kind of more continuous flow of transportation back and forth. The community.

C

Campus, because of rec programming at the same time that they're also interested in whether.

C

Or not, that makes sense for them as well. That is not a closed conversation at all. This is.

C

Very much at the kind of spitballing phase of people talking, but but it has been a dialogue.

E

I want to put you on a spot, that's a difficult ask a difficult question, and that is that we.

E

Have we're going to make recommendations to city council for use the very limited funds.

E

um As you said, probably uh you know one time use, hopefully sustainable sustainable in some sense.

E

um That they're going to be there are a lot of needs in the community, and so the question is.

E

Is it there? We talked about transportation, but it's it, and I know you have. The esser funds is.

E

There a compelling need that we should take into account as a committee as we think about.

E

um Making recommendations- and you know, hopefully around december january or so.

E

um That would improve the quality of life for your constituents, your students, um beyond what.

E

You're already doing so, I think that we need to get at that yeah and- and I would I think, that.

C

There is, this is part of my like be prepared to be underwhelmed um kind of uh statement, because.

C

I know there's there's an exploration of of, um and I appreciate the opportunity.

C

To even talk to you, um but I I don't know, I'm assuming with the funds that you have available.

C

um That and I'm not weighing the other options you have available to you. I don't know that that are.

C

That our needs are at the top of that list, so I know I want to make sure you have an awareness of.

C

Things that, as you make some considerations, some things that could be helpful to us and could be.

C

Helpful to students, and, by extension, particularly because of the nature of this, this also extends.

C

Out to a lot of families uh in terms of um in terms of both not just care after school, but then.

C

What additional types of programming we do for students who are trying to reconnect post covet.

C

um So but I would, I think, you're, I appreciate the source, your question and that there are.

C

Other needs the school has a pot of money to draw from. That is also connected to coveted.

C

Relief- and I can't really judge that, but I would not um I you know, I I'm not going to push you to.

C

Say this need outweighs all others that you might be considering. What is your process.

B

For spending down the money that you have, are you doing that on a rolling basis, you.

B

Mentioned some things you're looking at sure, so um so one of the so the as we go. We continue to.

C

um We were just having this conversation at the board, the other night, one of the things that we're.

C

Actually, that is part of our dialogue is trying to. um We have to do it, we're about to relocate lister.

C

Academy, which is the former sherburne school, how to community campus uh and as part of that project,.

C

We have a decent amount of fit up of the old space in order to make it workable for lister. So one of.

C

The things that we're trying to to look at are what are projects, what are shovel ready projects.

C

That we might shift some of our user funds towards in order to free up some funds in order to do that.

C

Other work at leicester as well so um so I think that is that is, has um it has us in a little bit.

C

Of a holding pattern on some of on utilizing some of the other funds until we know because it's a.

C

Decent price tag attached to that to doing that, and so once we have a clearer picture of that, then.

C

I think that will then that'll accelerate what we do with some of our other money.

C

So the um my my so I'm so for me, my uh inquiry around the transportation is less about.

C

I think me needing additional funds than it is. If you have the funds, there's an opportunity to.

C

Do something which allows me to sidestep some of the regulatory process that would slow things down.

D

I like that idea, for so many reasons and I feel like it hits on a lot of the themes that we've.

D

Been talking about like the workforce issue like if parents could extend their workday a little.

D

Bit by having their kid in a child care setting in a way, that's kind of wrap around care and.

D

um It kind of hits on the mental health needs, I think too, of students. So it's an interesting.

D

Idea that it kind of spans a lot of different themes, we've been talking about definitely.

G

um Do you have any for um rjl? Are they hopefully going to be there in the fall.

G

Or no idea tba, we know we have a timeline to try to make some determinations. I think the hope was.

C

I mean the hope was that was gonna. Well, there was one conversation a while ago.

C

That was january of this year. Okay, and then it was fall yeah the upcoming year.

C

um And but I think, that's still very fluid okay um and so we're still having conversations about.

C

Making sure that we're in a position to we'd love to be in a position to do that. We hope.

C

That's going to be where we're going to be, but we'll see: okay, okay, well having them at.

G

Community campus just to bring them in as students into the process. If there was something that was.

G

Wreck transitional care, you know using some of those students for internships or different.

G

Things within that program tutors different things yeah, if they're actually growing, I mean there's.

C

An opportunity for a whole bunch of, and I really appreciate what um ms brown's question about about.

C

Maybe there's some value in the neighborhood experience in the neighborhood opportunity.

C

After school um and there's also, there's also a really interesting conversation to be had about.

C

The opportunities for a whole bunch of synergy at community campus around what we can do between a.

C

Variety of different entities and what we can offer to to kids and families through community.

C

Campus- and I think that you know I think we're I mean- that's been the promise of that- of that space.

C

Since there's been that joint kind of move to take over that space yeah um you mentioned earlier, the.

B

Challenges around putting some supports in place the social emotional stuff, with those and being.

B

Thoughtful because it is temporary funding, do you have thoughts? You know we're kind of faced.

B

With the same challenges- and that's something that's rose to, the top of the needs list is the.

B

Mental health needs of children, particularly yeah, I mean so we're. Some of this is some of.

C

The stuff that is cost free that we're doing so we're bringing in outside um outside folks.

C

Who already do that type of work who just like we just we just want? Can you give us space and.

C

um Access students who are already connected with us in some form so we're already working through.

C

Memorandums of understanding with different outside entities and allowing them to come in so.

C

It's so there are things I mean the beauty of this community in a bunch of different ways, whether.

C

It's around mental health or it's around services for kids is more so than other places. I've worked.

C

There's a plethora of of partners who want to work with us and have ideas and have things that.

C

They'd like to do all right, you know us is it's as much about us finding ways to dovetail those.

C

Those kind of efforts together and also how can we you know, how can we kind of be the? How can we.

C

Kind of glue be the glue that holds together these different entities that work around us with kids.

C

um And and in some ways, transportation is a really easy entry point to do. Some.

C

Of that work, but simultaneously we're at a point where we're strained to pull it off so.

B

Anyone else have any questions. Look this way. Are there any other ideas? I feel like in the beginning um that, as we assembled this.

D

Some of us had conversations about like there's a new position at dondero for well in the elementary.

D

School level for outdoor ed, like programs like that that need things that might yeah.

D

And I think those are the types of I mean those types of pro again. This gets back to those. What.

C

I will be honest: we're having some of this conversation at the board the other night, when we.

C

Were talking about this, the challenge of bringing on people with short-time money uh and- uh and I.

C

Was in a in another operation, where we, the era funds coming out of the 2009 collapse, we brought.

C

On a bunch of a bunch of folks, and then you hit a cliff and it was like all of a sudden. You had all.

C

That you had a you, went through a couple years of having services uh that were available for uh for.

C

Students and then overnight or like what happened to those 10 people we used to have well, you know.

C

We never plan around those 10 people, we just let's get them on the ground. Let's go, um and there was a.

C

There was a negative impact of kind of ripping the rug out after after those funds went away. I will.

C

Say, though, we were having some of the dialogue, the school board, the other night, and I had a member.

C

Who was pushing pushing me on like that's fine, but we still have immediate need. Let's just go and do.

C

Go and do some of this anyways, um particularly around around on the mental health side,.

C

um And so so, I think I think we will be taking some steps, despite what I.

C

Said we'll be taking some steps to add some additional mental health capacity.

C

um On the ground and partner with third-party entities, that would be an ongoing thing, which.

C

Would be more of an adjustment of how do we work with how to become more flexible in the way in.

C

Which we work with those folks and more inviting and workout insurance issues and those types of.

C

Those types of things and privacy, rights and uh whatnot, um but um so we are so we will do some. I.

C

Think we'll go and end up with some people, but I again I keep cautioning my guys to like look out.

C

Because there is this, there is, uh there comes a budget crunch on the end of that that people are.

C

Not ready for even though at the moment people say they are um it's just too tempting to keep kicking.

C

The can down the road until you hit that you hit that moment when the money's, not there anymore,.

H

But just a very simple question: how many, overall, how many more workers.

H

um Do you think you would need you know for all school portsmouth school system? You know.

H

To fill in the gaps and the things that you're mentioning the things that are needed, whether.

H

It's transportation or after school programs or just a general number of how many more people.

C

Well, in some cases, some of the apps, so in the case of the after school programs,.

C

um We have this relationship, that's kind of a symbiotic relationship with the seacoast community.

C

Folks, but it's not ours, it's theirs. So what do they need? I mean, I think you know they're in a.

C

Position where they could use, you know another three to four people, probably at new franklin.

C

To be able to to provide that program uh in terms of some of the mental health stuff, it's not just.

C

It's not just a matter of bodies, it's also. Some of this is structural in terms of time, there's only.

C

So much time during a school day when we have kids so um and we have a lot of things, we're trying to.

C

Do you know during that during that period of time, so it's you can also bring in the bodies.

C

And then not have the time or have challenges in trying to make the determination about what things.

C

Are kids not going to do in order to have time with additional mental health counseling? Let's.

C

Say, for example, so I don't know I I don't know how to quantify for you exactly like you know, I'm as a.

C

As a guy, who's worked in a lot of operations where you know every year, I've been nervous about just.

C

Getting the money to have the bare bones not used to portsmouth, uh where people say what do.

C

You, what would you really need and how and how people really want me to answer that question.

C

um And so I don't have an answer for it, so I'm ready so I'm going to grow in my ability.

C

To answer that question over time: well, I think the most concerning thing that I heard you say.

B

Is the nine buses versus the 12 and some I mean third-party entities, aren't going to fix that.

C

Right well that, but this we so we hire out ours. We have. uh We have a vendor.

C

That we use, we use student transportation of america uh for a good chunk of our stuff and.

C

Then we have another group that does our special ed transportation, durham services.

C

um They're all struggling to bring on bring on people. We uh in terms of staffing, we're you.

C

Know we're down more than 10 paraprofessionals across the district. We don't have the number.

C

Of substitutes that we need in order to sustain, sustain our own staff yeah, um so we have people.

C

Who are are now in you know their third year of I'm gonna, tough, it out. I really shouldn't.

C

Go into work today, but I'm gonna do it because I don't want to leave the rest of the team short.

C

And I want to make sure that my that kids are in a position where they don't get what they need.

C

And uh but that there's a cumulative effect over time with our workforce as a result of that, but.

C

Those I don't know that those are our prefixes. You know those are things that are. Those are larger.

C

um Kind of societal things we're going to have to work through and suffer through, and it's.

B

Reaffirming all of the issues that we've been talking about- yes, I mean they're all things and.

C

It's it's amazing. You know it's amazing how, when we receive funds, sometimes it's it's. I.

C

Think people assume um that's gonna be really easy to spend a large dump of money well uh and uh and.

C

The reality is that can be really challenging yeah any other questions for superintendent.

C

For you guys want to make sure, thank you so much again, I appreciate you.

C

Guys giving me the time and again if it was uh underwhelming. I hope I oh yeah. Thank you.

I

And I wish I wish you the best of luck. I appreciate your your.

C

um The pushing me question is it will I appreciate the pushing me questions because.

C

It's a good question uh and uh I would guess that you have some other some other things that don't.

C

Have other sources of money connected with it? That might need it a little bit more than me.

C

um But uh but we are happy to help you spend that money if you need it all right. Thank you. Everybody.

H

B

Agenda we're going to jump back into further conversation. As you know, I haven't been at the.

B

Last two meetings: I have watched the recordings of both of them so that I was aware of what.

B

Happened but I didn't know if there was anything from those that people wanted to start with.

B

In this part of the conversation.

G

I mean, I think we just kind of ended the meeting talking about maybe setting up a real timeline.

G

For what we have left because of what our agenda is going forward now that we've seen.

G

We've met a lot of people collect a lot info. So now, what are our ideas to present yeah, because.

G

I think it's really creeping up on us here I mean it's almost end of october, so I think we.

G

Had I don't know if it's worth just mapping that out, you know what I mean so that we can.

G

And, and how are we going to present and what are we? You know something like that. I don't know.

G

And are we still presenting in december right like that? That was one thing that wasn't clear.

B

What's the date and you know well, I I think we should assume that we'll present in december.

E

um And then ask for an extension if we need to, but.

E

um I I had a conversation with um kim mcnamara this morning. She just wanted to bring me up to.

E

Date on where she was with her process, and she does plan to continue to report come back to this.

E

Committee report, every two weeks to report out on her progress. um She is just getting uh out a.

E

Community health profile.

E

So she is just starting to work with uh the jon snow institute, community health institute to.

E

Begin the community profile a community health profile and they were the same people that did.

E

The community health profile back in 2007, so they they know portsmouth's pretty well. It's.

E

Going to be kind of uh sporadic because they're not going to be able to take on the whole thing.

E

But they're at least able to do some data sets and and look at the the demographics.

E

And begin to provide some some feedback to to kim on what they're, seeing over the next few months.

E

And she will then come back to us and and keep us up, keep us abreast of of her. What she's seen.

E

And what they're, seeing so that that has started to take place? And uh it's primarily based on a.

H

Community health profile community health profile yeah, so that that will help us in terms of our.

E

Conversations but to your point, abby that that we do need to develop that timeline with the idea.

E

That we're probably going to present in december- and hopefully all of this begins to come together.

E

And I I personally, I just think that the community health profile is going to be really important to.

E

um These decisions that that we're going to make to make recommendations to the city.

E

um And uh but you know listening to the superintendent, I I think you know for me.

E

Everything continues to revolve around every I'm, I'm seeing all these different tie-ins.

E

um Obviously, transportation for kids to these services helps parents with their work.

E

Which means that you know kids, hopefully, are in a better place from a mental health perspective.

E

Parents are in a better place from a mental health perspective, so it all ties in and then.

E

You know the workforce, as you said as well, and, and so I think that that we can build a story.

E

At least for when we do our presentation to the city, council and say this is this: is the the story.

E

That we're seeing and it all ties in together and it's up to you to make your decisions. But.

E

Meet mental to me, mental health of the child and mental health of the adult is really core.

E

To everything, um but I think what keeps rising up, though, is that transportation piece, because.

B

We see that even not just with the children, but if the adults can't get access to services and.

B

The pieces that they need or transportation to their jobs or the other pieces that.

A

It is, and we've talked about before about the whole idea of these bands or smaller buses are.

A

Easier to get drivers for because you don't have to have the big, the right, the cdl. So you know a.

A

Pilot program to buy bands and get drivers and have the school take advantage of some of them.

A

But like during the day when the kids are in school, they could be transporting people to.

A

Doctors, appointments or seniors or something right. Well right, could they be so? Are they.

G

City owned yeah, the city-owned buses that can be used for different parts of the city right.

G

Wondering in terms of organizing thoughts, too, is it something where we have those headings.

G

And have ideas under them, because, if we're really thinking of these low cost high impact, somebody.

G

Had mentioned one time about community colleges and talking there about or advertising the idea.

G

Of getting your cdl or you know like, is there money we put towards marketing towards that or.

G

Some, I don't know, and they don't, but is there a way to have like the headings almost with these.

G

Ideas under them because again we're not voting on them, we're just presenting them. We're not.

G

Deciding if it's esser or arpa money, that's there to figure out but they're just ideas.

G

um And so almost is it a way to categorize under their main headings, mental health and some of them.

G

Like you said they're going to cross well right, because if you can solve this, maybe you solve.

G

This, but so that um in all different ways, like adults, kids, everybody that we're talking about.

G

Different populations, I think that makes a lot of sense. Thinking that you know I just.

A

Did an organizational chart for my business and sharding in mindset? You know if we did this, it.

A

Would affect this this and this, and if we did did this, you know yeah all the different things right.

E

Right so we can do what you're talking about the headings and putting uh potential solutions onto.

E

Them um based on what we've heard and then and then also drawing the conclusion to okay. This is.

E

How it's all connected and how it's impacted um so who wants to take that work on well actually.

G

I was going to ask karen in terms of I know their rules around committee sub like is that something.

G

Well it just yeah like in this was at work. I would say: okay I'll, give you guys a google doc and we'll.

G

Start and you put in your ideas, but how does that work does it need? Does the work need to be done as.

G

We sit in this meeting, setting it does okay, so so maybe someone could type something up create.

F

A document bring it to a public setting and you guys could bet it add our ideas into it. Okay, so.

B

We could do it under the categories of yeah, so I mean I can create like something like that to.

G

Start our brainstorming ideas at least, and then it sounds like if we create something like that. Maybe.

G

Then the next step could be to kind of tile. So if you go back to remember the several weeks, we had.

E

The priorities up on the on the screen, yeah, you could use you get to use those yeah. So those are.

E

Identified priorities and then under those yeah we can just transition or mental health or workforce.

E

Or whatever yep begin to fill in the potential ideas yep, are we still agreeing to all those you.

H

Know that we have listed and then those numbers that were posted after that, like child care, food.

H

Insecurity and house how, I think our plan it sounds like, is more to come up with some ideas.

B

Under these different categories, and then we'd be prioritizing in terms of what we would want to.

B

Recommend um because those numbers might not stay the same as what we're saying right, because that.

B

Was just when we went around the room, yeah right, yeah? Okay, are we going so far as to basically.

J

Drawing up a business plan for a city-owned fleet of transportation and how that would look.

J

Staffing wise and um I think so because, basically that's what I'm hearing right so we could just.

E

I think we want to take it that far so who, in the city, though, would be in charge of actually.

J

Rolling this out, that's what I would be really curious to know. I think if in concept the city.

F

Council were to buy into that recommendation, then it would be up to staff to figure out the best way.

F

To implement okay um and then the city would set aside the fun for that funding of that position.

J

The council would support a program with requisite funding and then they'd they'd say to staff. Okay,.

F

This is what we want you to implement. Then we'd have to figure that out. So I don't know if we.

F

Have to get into the weeds of a business plan but more speak to the value benefit. Need that.

F

You're, seeing because that's where your value at is we can our job will be to implement what the.

F

Policy makers want to see happen, but you've got to influence their thinking on what you think should.

F

Happen right because I'm I'm so in other words like putting in there. Let's say we did say the.

G

Fleet of you, but then maybe the use is underneath it right like yeah, who else could use it. Regular.

F

Component, you know, appointments for you know this population that population. So then, maybe if and.

G

That could be something if we do that in a meeting. If we have that as a heading, then we could just go.

G

Around and everyone could say how it would help you right because right, I think that those are.

G

The and the more of us that are doing it then, will realize. Oh that really could help a lot of us. The.

E

One thing I would caution us is uh going back to the fact that this is one-time money uh that.

E

Something like a fleet of vehicles would be fine, but then drivers mechanics would be required to.

E

Sustained his fleet of vehicles is the the question, because then the city would be.

E

Have to figure out okay, how do we sustain this right and implementing this kind of policy.

F

Directive, we would have to plan for the operation and maintenance of the vehicles which we do with.

F

All of our other vehicles, I mean, I feel like there is somewhat of some business implications.

J

Here that we could go and do but not get lost in the weeds like how would sign up happen right, but.

J

Yeah, just so that it is feasible and just to be clear, do we have about 5 million on this? If.

J

We were to reserve three million, I know we're not trying to get into you know numerations, but.

J

Three millions going towards public health right and that's kim, you know, kim's recommendations.

F

Recommendation right and and that's where those 12 or 13 organizations are applying for it's correct.

J

Right, so if we can focus on about how to fund this in about five million dollars, I think it.

J

Would be helpful to think of a num, a number, not 5 million? Is it? Is it the four million? I think.

F

Those are four, I think the value out of this group is identifying the needs yeah. I think, if you get.

F

Into dollar amounts you may talk people into or out of your idea, just by virtue of the dollar. Now.

F

I'm a number you assigned to it. I wouldn't want to get hung with that and maybe there's a way to if.

F

This group thinks of a way and now I'm thinking about legal and and dbw, and can we take this on.

F

Are there ways that we can put arpa funding toward one-time establishment of programs right.

F

In addition to things, we may have that are ongoing and fundable beyond the two-year mark, because this.

A

Would be like a pilot right in some ways, although you're buying vehicles, which is kind of permanent.

A

I suppose um to see what's the effect on the community, if we provide six vans with drivers.

A

But the hope I mean I guess we talked about before, like the hope would be. It would be such a positive.

G

Effect that it might be something that the city school department all decide that we really need.

G

To support this, because it's really working or the legal department will shoot me when I.

F

Go upstairs and say: what did you just offer to do? What are the other or maybe there's a hybrid.

F

Maybe the city stands up a program after after years of running it through the city, there's.

F

Some organizational coordination among the users or the needs, the groups needing the.

F

Transportation and that gets privatized somehow or some entity takes on the fleet management. If.

F

It no longer becomes a city concern or one that we can't adequately support. Yeah, I mean, I think.

B

It's really important to reiterate what you just said about. Our task is really on the needs, because.

B

When you look at the requests that are out there and the recommendations by kim mcnamara.

B

And the other folks, you can really get caught up in the fact that there's no money available.

B

Get creative about some possible solutions. It may not be this funding right, but it.

B

Might be something that then gets identified as something the city.

B

Needs to work on or we need to work on as local organizations and other folks in the community.

G

um I'm just going over and I was sharing this with some different folks, different citizens and stuff.

H

The public health non-profit requests that were made- and you said through mcnamara, right, yeah kim.

E

Mcnamara health, the health put that together, but will these be part of our decision or has.

H

This already been made that they are going to get this money. No, no, no they've been requested.

B

We don't want to, we don't want to get caught up in whatever those requests are okay, but where.

H

Is this money coming from? It isn't necessarily not necessarily approved money said these were.

G

Just people that like came up with ideas back in the spring, that's what I thought and so now.

H

But I said to people who answered questions yeah, okay, but could they be included at all.

H

Because this has been, this is listed. This this work was done well again, if we focus on what.

B

Those needs are, then, it might be that some of the stuff that has been requested meets some.

H

Of those needs it's all this, this whole list is this particular public. You put that aside.

E

Because some of that some of those needs have already been met by other funders right. These.

F

Were articulated back in the springtime nancy, so it was a point uh in time where kim sought.

F

Feedback from individual groups or organizations- okay, I think the task of this body of smart people.

F

Is to identify the needs now that are needs that could support as many folks as possible through as.

F

Many lenses through think of a venn diagram right and you have a bunch of circles and where do they.

F

Connect the most- and this is a unique opportunity to get you all talking about shared services- needs.

F

So that you know the the funding goes, it has its maximum efficiency, we're not funding. One.

F

Thing because they, it was the squeakiest wheel right. We, our this group, is charged with knowing.

F

Where to make these decisions or knowing where, where to recognize and identify, need.

A

To all the people on that list, I know I'm one of them.

A

Somebody I know we can't share out that information, but can somebody? Oh it's on our.

A

Website you can look at the actual applications and see if there is a common thread among the.

A

Applications of what people are looking because that's another voice is what I'm saying kim kim.

F

Gave them to you right kim, gave them to me right and I'm, if they're not on the website.

F

They can be, it may be a matter of checking with each organization. Is this still, your ask? Would.

F

You like it on the website, because when they submitted it, it was not for public information.

F

At the time- and I know she wasn't- it wasn't every organization right, it was just again.

A

This matter so, but I'm just thinking of more more information, that's all just to have somebody look.

A

Through it and say, oh look, they're all asking for right, you know, 50 of them are asking for.

A

The same thing right, maybe what would make sense would be as we map out kind of these.

B

Categories and our ideas, if someone's looking through them with that lens of those categories,.

B

To say right is anybody how much transaction or something to address something within that right.

A

Piece of things as additional information so.

B

um So also- and we need to go to the public comment in a few minutes, but um also the dates were given.

B

For the upcoming meetings, so in terms of mapping, what makes the most sense for the agenda like for.

B

Me I feel like it would be helpful if we limited our focus on what we were looking at. You know.

B

Whether it's transportation or something else under those categories, um each meeting, so that.

B

We really came prepared with the whole gamut of ideas. You know like things that could be small.

B

Things that could be bigger. That's a great idea. um How many I just karen, do you remember or is there.

G

A date that we were, we have remember something. Well, we have one two, three, four more dates that.

F

Were approved by the last group, okay and those would be november 1st november 15th november 29th.

F

And december 13th, okay, that really just follows our every other tuesday cadence. If we thought we.

F

Needed to meet otherwise we could. There are two council meetings in december. One is december 5th.

F

And the next one is december 14th, it's a weird date. We had to move off of hanukkah, okay, so.

E

I'm sorry so the last meeting in december for us would be december 13th 13th and then then the.

E

City council meets on december 14th yeah, but if you wanted to be on the agenda, you'd need.

F

Your material beforehand, so I think you should. I think this group should aim for december 5th.

F

So because the packet of material that goes, that gets prepared for the meeting is giving.

F

Out the thursday prior to the council, so that is the end of november november 30th. I don't know.

E

Okay, I think if this group so you're flying on the december 13th meeting to finalize things.

F

You'd be kind of going in, um you would be looking to go to the december 14th meeting without being.

F

Part of the formal packet gotcha that would have been distributed. Okay, it's not the end of.

F

The world, but I'm just laying it out so you're, basically saying three more meetings until we.

F

And and then at december 5th, assuming that's the meaning you guys land on it could be here's where.

F

We're at here's our work product in progress. We need more time kim's, getting us information.

F

As she's able to get it as part of our community health profile, okay, but maybe it's a way to gauge.

F

Interest of the council at that point point in time: hey, we need an extension, here's what we're.

F

Here's where we are and when you say presenting materials, even I mean so, if we have this document.

G

That we've created kind of with headings ideas, and maybe we've gone as far as connecting the dots.

G

Maybe we're not there yet. Is that? What is that enough? I mean, is that and then speaking to it as.

G

Well, I think okay, what's enough, is what this group is comfortable, putting forth in that snapshot of.

F

Time and I think what you're doing is honoring the deadline. You were given right and it is completely.

F

Reasonable for the council to support and expect that you'll be coming in with an extension given.

F

The delay in in some of this information, so that would be three meetings. Can I just ask.

J

um I originally reached out to seacoast public health network they're slated to be on november.

J

1St agenda, oh great, um do we still want them to come and speak, or do we need that time.

J

It's my understanding they put together like a preliminary survey.

J

Of all their partners in the area- and I think they're presenting on that.

F

What do folks think, I think it'll be helpful yeah. I do too all right. So maybe, if that's.

B

Just the agenda, though, is that presentation and then starting a deeper dive into the mapping yep.

A

Yep and maybe give them a time frame like 20 minutes yeah. Do you have a sense of um I think.

J

They're open to whatever I direct them with, do you think 20 minutes would yeah, including q, a maybe.

F

20 to 25, including q, a and we can literally whiteboard as we work. If that's helpful. Oh.

F

That's great by the way uh um kim, if, if there are um data, sets that uh or data that you would.

E

Like to see added to the the data, the data points that um the community health profile will collect.

E

Data on she's open to adding those. I can forward this document to you and you can look through it.

E

And if you have some thoughts on additional additional things, you'd like to see you can.

E

You can communicate with her so I'll forward this to you guys and okay and look through it.

F

We should allocate five or ten minutes for kim to give that update. She said: she'd come with updates.

B

Yes, yes, oh and the next one too yeah with the next one. I don't know if this group wants to meet.

F

Longer than an hour, if it seems like we, we get going right about the 40 minute mark and then we.

F

Have to wrap it up yeah, I don't know if people have the ability to commit more than that hour.

H

We create the community health.

E

Mcnamara I could squeeze in 90 minutes if we need to at some point, it'd be like 15 more minutes.

G

So do we add another meeting, that's totally whatever this group wants to do.

B

Do we want to add 15 minutes to the next meeting and.

B

Make that decision kind of moving forward if we need another meeting before sure.

E

I don't care about that. Yeah.

H

Okay sure so we would have um seacoast community health partners is that a public health network.

G

He goes to public health, public health network presentation and then we'd also have kim yep. Yes,.

B

But only for yep and then maybe we could start kind of brainstorming. Some ideas and plan on.

G

Doing that as well at the 15th and the 29th and then have whatever we have to send to the council.

G

And we're adding a december 5th meeting council meets on the services. Okay, yes, all right, and so.

F

That we got confusing in there and it might be that we make the decision for that last.

B

Meeting in november to be a little bit longer than an hour, so the 29th could do that. Yeah.

F

Right because good timing, the next day, would be the deadline to submit for the fifth okay, perfect.

G

Okay, and if I know that ahead, I can- and I think it's fair to say I'll- speak for the.

F

Council, you don't need to wrap this up in a bow. You know, I think it's it's good to show where.

F

You're at and and and the pieces you've gotten from kim and her work with the public health.

F

um Needs assessment and what we're still looking for.

B

So we should move into the public comment portion.

B

Up, there's no one virtually there's, no one virtually no. Thank you.

I

um I'm here to listen and um so far I'm very impressed with the work that's being done here.

I

I think this is a big task and you have a lot to consider and the input just keeps.

I

Coming so um all I want to say is, I think, you're doing a great job city manager is.

I

A great advisor on this I'm very impressed. Thank you. Thank you. Well, I think everyone.

F

Has had finding really great ways to contribute, so thanks? What was your name? Thank you. Awesome.

G

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

B

Okay, um anything else before we adjourn.

B

How about a motion to return? Please forget that motion to adjourn who's motioning, to adjourn me.

F

Happy executive lori's second: uh can we go? Can we go way back to when this started and who.

F

um Oh no, we didn't have to do that. Okay! What's that one vote, good all right! Thank you. Everybody.