Social Services & Community Development Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Social Services & Community Development Committee met on August 26, 2014, at 11:00 a.m., with Ford presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items, including approval of the Committee Summary, three informational presentations, and one deferred item. The committee took four votes during the meeting and heard six public comments. The approved Committee Summary was the only item to receive a formal vote and approval. Three presentations were delivered on the Lexington Area Workforce Analysis, the Partner Agency Outcomes Process Year-End Report, and an update from the Office of Homelessness Prevention & Intervention. Items referred to the committee were deferred for future consideration.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on August 26, 2014:

• Ford
• Akers
• Ellinger
• Kay
• Lawless
• Stinnett
• Scutchfield
• Myers
• Beard
• Lane

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included four motions, all of which passed.

April 22, 2014 Committee Summary 2:34 A motion to approve the April 22, 2014 committee summary was made by Beard and seconded by Akers. The motion passed by voice vote.

Amendment to Section 5-1-07 of the Code of Ordinances 2:34 A motion to amend section 5-1-07 of the Code of Ordinances to allow excess funds in the Tenant Relocation Fund to be allocated to other relocation assistance programs was made by Myers and seconded by Scutchfield. The motion passed unanimously.

Emergency Temporary Relocation Fund 2:34 A motion to create an Emergency Temporary Relocation Fund was made by Myers and seconded by Scutchfield. The motion passed unanimously.

Bluegrass Workforce Investment Board Fiscal Agent 2:34 A motion to endorse the Bluegrass Workforce Investment Board's attempt to identify a new fiscal agent independent of the Bluegrass Area Development District was made by Ford and seconded by Myers. The motion passed unanimously.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting approved two significant financial commitments:

Workforce Study Funding

The body approved $50,000 in funding for an in-depth workforce study of the Central Kentucky area with a focus on Fayette County. This purchase was authorized under Resolution 0073-26 and directed to Commerce Lexington as the recipient.

Housing First Pilot Project

The body approved $200,000 in grant funding for a Housing First pilot project to be awarded through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. The grant will be distributed to proposed providers selected through the competitive bidding process.

Public Comment

Six speakers addressed the meeting with questions and concerns regarding workforce development and housing initiatives.

Workforce Study Data Collection

Stinnett [0:23:27] asked whether the workforce study would collect income data and emphasized the importance of linking workforce development with quality of life improvements, identifying internet access as a key barrier to employment.

Stakeholder Inclusion in Workforce Study

Akers [0:31:45] inquired about the inclusion of transportation providers such as Lex Tran and human services representatives in the study. Akers also suggested involving university students to support data analysis efforts.

Henson [0:36:17] highlighted the importance of including agencies like the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in workforce development planning. Henson emphasized that employment barriers extend beyond job skills and include mental health issues, substance abuse, and childcare needs.

Housing First Model Implementation

Myers [0:18:59] asked about the feasibility of implementing the Housing First model and requested information about lessons learned from similar programs in Chattanooga and Nashville. Myers also questioned how housing would be sourced under this model.

Clark [1:22:19] asked how housing would be provided under the Housing First approach and stressed the need for coordination between affordable housing initiatives and homelessness services.

Ellinger [1:25:36] requested a timeline for the Housing First pilot project, including when the program would begin and the process for selecting participants.

Appointments

The following appointment was made during this meeting:

• Charlie Lantern was appointed to the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention.

Contested Items

Housing First Model Implementation

The meeting included a split vote on the Housing First model implementation. While there was broad support for the model overall, several concerns emerged during discussion. Participants raised questions about funding mechanisms, the availability of adequate housing stock, and the need for stronger provider accountability measures. A particular point of focus was whether providers should be required to participate in the HMIS (Homeless Management Information System), with this requirement viewed as essential to ensuring accountability across the system.

HMIS System Participation

A heated discussion developed regarding mandatory participation in the HMIS system. The central disagreement centered on whether non-participating agencies should be required to use the system. Participants expressed concerns about unfunded mandates—the potential burden of requiring participation without corresponding financial support—and about privacy controls within the system. Despite the intensity of the debate, consensus ultimately emerged that compliance with HMIS participation was necessary, though the specific mechanisms for implementation and support remained points of contention.

Committee Summary Approval

The committee approved the summary from the April 22, 2014 meeting 2:34.

Council Member Beard made the motion to approve the summary, which was seconded by Council Member Akers. The motion passed with approval.

Lexington Area Workforce Analysis

Billie Peebler of the Business and Education Network presented a proposal for a comprehensive workforce study of Central Kentucky 3:08. The presentation outlined plans for an in-depth analysis examining multiple dimensions of the regional labor market.

The proposed study will focus on three primary areas:

• Supply and demand dynamics in the Central Kentucky workforce
• Career pathways and workforce development opportunities
• Application of the collective impact model to workforce challenges

The research will involve systematic data collection and analysis to develop actionable recommendations for the region. This informational presentation introduced the scope and methodology of the workforce analysis initiative without debate or discussion of concerns.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational, with the presentation serving to inform attendees about the planned workforce study and its objectives.

Partner Agency Outcomes Process – Year-End Report

41:39

Commissioner Beth Mills presented the FY2014 partner agency outcomes report to the board. The presentation highlighted overall program performance across the partner agency network.

Key Findings

According to the report, 66% of programs achieved or exceeded their established goals for the fiscal year. This metric demonstrates the majority of partner agencies successfully met their performance targets.

Fund Reallocation

Two programs did not meet their goals and consequently returned their allocated funds. Rather than allowing these resources to remain unused, the board directed the returned funds toward expanding summer meal access for children. This reallocation prioritized a critical service area and ensured efficient use of available resources.

Outcome

The presentation was informational in nature, providing the board with year-end accountability data on partner agency performance and documenting the decision to redirect unspent funds to increase summer meal programming for children.

Office of Homelessness Prevention & Intervention – Update

Charlie Lantern, Director of the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention, presented a 90-day progress update on the office's initiatives 57:26.

Key Initiatives Presented

The presentation covered three main areas of progress:

• Launch of an RFP (Request for Proposals) for a Housing First pilot project
• Efforts to transition federal continuum of care funding
• Plans for establishing a new governance board

Outcome

This was an informational presentation with no formal action items or debate recorded.

Items Referred to Committee

1:28:20

The committee discussed several items that had been referred for further consideration. The discussion focused on three main areas: workforce training issues, partner agency funding commitments, and a proposed reorganization of the homeless office.

Key Speakers

Myers and Ford led the discussion on these referred items.

Topics Discussed

The committee addressed workforce training issues and examined the level of commitment to partner agency funding. Additionally, the committee considered a proposed reorganization that would place the homeless office under the Department of Social Services.

Outcome

The committee agreed to defer action and keep the workforce and funding items for further review. This decision allowed for continued examination of these matters before final action would be taken.