Joint Committee

Hismen Hinnu
December 9, 2004 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Meeting Notes

NEXT MEETING – Joint Committee Meeting – Jan. 13, 12-2 PM

DECISIONS/NEXT STEPS:

• Fred will distribute a copy of his job description to the Joint Committee
• The Transition to Local Ownership Document will be distributed as well
• The decision making tool will be piloted in the Networking Group
• The LSAC results will be distributed
• The first draft of the Work Plans are due Friday, December 17 th
• Funding timeline from AECF will be needed to help guide the work group planning for 2005
  

Attendees:

Fred Blackwell, Making Connections Oakland – MCO Director
Sandra Chapin, Making Connections Oakland – Program Assistant/Small Grants
Don Davenport, San Antonio Community Development Corporation – Newspaper
Kerry Forbord, Oakland Ready to Learn – ECE
Quyen Ha, Albertson’s Public Affairs
Francelle Haskins, Alameda County Public Health Department
Jerry Henderson, EBALDC – 23rd Avenue
Dmitri Jeziorski, San Antonio Community Development Corporation, Newspaper
Beth Leeson, AECF - TARC Liaison
Brendan Leung, FES Coach
Deb Montesinos, TARC Liaison
Jennie Mollica, Lao Family Community Development – Housing/ECE
Carl Pascual, EBALDC – 23rd Avenue
Lisa Prigozen, Real Estate Coordinator, EBALDC - Housing
Elena Serrano, East Side Arts Alliance – Arts & Culture
Sonya Shah, KQED - MCMOI
Karen Stevenson, Core Communications – Communications
Debra Whittle, Self-Evaluation Representative

I. Introductions and brief presentations by two guests

• Quyen Ha, a Public Relations person for Albertson’s, gave a brief presentation about the grand opening of the newly remodeled Albertson’s grocery store on E. 18 th street scheduled for February 15 th. They would like to bring the community together for the grand opening and have a table set aside for groups to provide information about events and services in the neighborhood. The store also plans to have a variety of ethnic foods prepared so residents can enjoy sampling delicacies from other cultures. The focus of the store will be on “neighborhood marketing” making sure that there are products available that various ethnic groups living in the neighborhood would want to buy. They will also be giving out two donations to community groups in the amount of $500 and Karen wanted to make sure we coordinate with the Small Grants committee so as not to duplicate efforts. Brendan asked for information about the hiring process so we can make sure that our residents can ensure that the local community becomes employed at the new store. Don Denson asked if they would be open to having a Native American ceremonial blessing of the new space and if there would be entertainment as well. Quyen said that they may do some sort of street fair with vendors for the grand opening and that she would like people to contact her to help plan the event.

• Debra Whittle, a colleague of Ben Bowser who did the first self-evaluation, gave a brief presentation and would like to meet with each of the work groups to design a self-evaluation that would help the groups make decisions internally. This process will begin after the work plans are submitted.
  

II. Site Team Update

• Fred gave an update about his upcoming departure from the foundation and wanted the group to know about some of the early discussions about the transition. Deb Montessinos will assume most of his responsibilities as Acting Director for the next three to six months. The rest of the site team will also take on increased responsibilities for the remainder of the work in addition to Deb’s new role. He stressed that he would like the Joint Committee members to spend the next three to six months making sure that the groups is able to negotiate with the Foundation to determine the leadership role for the future. Fred assured the group that he will make sure that all of the pending grant requests, and 2005 grant requests, will be through the pipeline by the end of 2004.
  
• Jennie requested seeing a job description of Fred’s role to help the group decide who might be the best fit for the leadership role. Elena and Don expressed their gratitude to Fred for all of the great work he has done over the past four years.
  
• Fred said that he would make sure to get a document to group members from the Foundation about the Transition to Local Ownership. It was also distributed at the July Expanded Joint Ops meeting.
  

• Fred gave the group an overview of the gradients of agreement model. He said that yes and no are not adequate enough terms to move a group toward decision making and that this tool is used for getting a feel for a mood that exists in a group setting. We then went through the checklist item by item.
  
• Carl asked what type of decisions the tool would be used for and Fred responded by saying that it could be used to develop work plans by informing recommendations for investments and technical assistance. In January and February the Joint Committee will be taking on these responsibilities as a single entity, as well as other responsibilities. He also suggested that we write out the proposal or idea on chart paper so that people know what they will be deciding and/or voting on and that you have to be able to discuss why you voted a certain way.
  
• He suggested piloting this decision making tool with the Networking group to use as a prototype to see how we might use it in the future. Francelle suggested creating a document of “pointers” to see how the decision discussion fits into the larger collaborative. Deb added that this tool is especially helpful when it comes to making a decision about something when there is a conflict of ideas or differing approaches to solving an issue.
  

• Fred began by highlighting that:
  1) The work plans are being used as a road map for the work groups for the upcoming year, a sort of blue print for the near future.
  2) The work plans will help us sharpen the framework for results, strategies and indicators.
  3) It will help the groups put investment strategies on the ground and within the work plans as well.
  4) It will help us get a comprehensive view of the strategies on the ground, even beyond the Foundation.
  5) It will also help us get a sense of the TA priorities for the 2005 year, to get a concrete idea of the need for general supports and such.
  6) The work plans will also help us get a sense of how each of the work groups is engaging residents with regard to the larger strategies and also get a clearer sense of the evaluation of needs for Debra Whittle as she and Ben move forward with the self-evaluation.

Deb walked us through the work plan template item by item.

There was a discussion afterward about whether or not to attach the previous year’s work plan if there have not been any changes to the new work plan. It was suggested that the work groups attempt to consolidate the old and new plans into one single comprehensive document, but that it would also be acceptable to attach the old work plans, as long as the new template clearly states which specific section the reader will be referring back to on the old template. She said that she understands the need to take each work plan on a case by case basis since some groups clearly are working within five year goals, or even two to three year goals, while others are operating year to year. Fred stated that while he agrees with Deb, that the groups need to understand that having a five year goal is much different from operating on a one-year plan and that groups should try to use this model as much as possible.

Deb continued the discussion saying that nothing in the work plans is carved in stone, but that each year we have an opportunity to refine the work and to strive to evaluate how we are doing the work. The process is ever evolving.

Fred stressed that the purpose of the work plans is for greater transparency within the collaboration. He wants to get rid of the “black box” way of reporting back to the foundation. Until now, the site team gets the work plans and refines them before reporting back to the foundation and he would like it if the plans were developed in such a way that they could be sent directly so the foundation gets an authentic view of the work plans and the strategies of the various work groups.

Karen asked for a list of results as she is confused if there are six or nine results that we are targeting, and Fred said that we would be getting that to her.

Deb said that while the baselines may not have changed, that the story behind the baselines may have changed and for groups to be aware of those changes and report them. She said that groups should not have to make up baselines because USC has all of the information we might need, and there is also information from last years plans as well.

Regarding Performance Measures, for each activity groups need to think about what they would like to see come out the other end. Groups need to figure out what the impact might be when considering the performance measures.

Regarding Resident Engagement: We will need to make sure that eventually residents are serving on some of the boards and work groups and would like to work groups to report back on how they intend to engage residents and how people might be encouraged to become more involved in the work of the collaborative.

Fred asked that groups also consider all of the partners involved, beyond the LSAC members, such as political leaders and partners outside of the LSAC. Also, consider what partners you will need outside of the LSAC to work with to get the results accomplished as well.

The deadline for the first draft is December 17 th and then groups will be engaging in some feedback and revisions as necessary. The final 2005 Work Plans are due on January 14 th.

Jennie asked for some guidance about when the AECF deadlines and timelines for grants are so that groups can better plan for the upcoming year and what relationship do the work plans have with the solicitation for proposals from the Foundation. She would like the information so that their group can better sense of what seed funding, fundraising, and how to proceed for the upcoming year.

Fred suggested that groups not wait and begin developing their proposals now for the work they would like to do and that we can always revise them as we go along depending on the timeline from the foundation. He warned against waiting for ratification of the work plans to begin writing proposal for the various activities being considered for the following year.

Carl pointed out that given the work plan development structure and the need for transparency among all of the work groups, that the Joint Committee should be prepared for rigorous meetings to discuss and decide where our priorities are. He also said that the JC would need to rely on the consultants to help with this process. There will be a need for collective decision making if this is indeed the level of communication that we want in terms of developing an overall strategy for the LSAC.

Next Meeting

• Second Thursday of the month – Thursday January 13th, 2004, 12-2pm at Hismen Hinnu