HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-02-16 Municipal Operations Committee Minutes Municipal Operations Committee
Meeting Minutes
February 16, 1999
� Councilors Attending: John Rohman, Nichi Farnham, Pat Blanchette, Gerry
Palmer, ]oe Baldacci
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Staff Attending: Edward Barrett, Jim Ring, Erik Stumpfel, Mary-Anne
Chalila
Others Attending: Gary Crosby (FrontierVision)
1. Discontinuance of a Portion of Texas Avenue (City Engineer)
The City Engineer explained that tlie portion of Texas between Maine Avenue
and Illinois Avenue is no longer necessary as a public way and discontinuance
has been anticipated in the approved subdivision plan for the Maine business
enterprise Park. This section of street is adjacent to the former FedEx building
being redeveloped by Bangor Savings Bank and is not needed to accommodate
that project. The City Engineer will prepare the appropriate Council Orders and
conduct a public hearing regarding this proposed discontinuance as required by
state statutes. '
� 2. Widening of Haynes Court Right-of-Way (City Engineer) '
Haynes Court is the narrow public way that provides access to lower Abbott
Y Square. The City Engineer presented a plan to widen Haynes Court to include
the former Better Homes lot. This proposed widening would provide sufficient
right-of-way width to allow a wider travel way and creation of new parking
spaces on both sides of the street., The City Engineer will prepare necessary
Council Orders and hold a public hearing on the proposed widening as required
by state statutes.
3. FrontierVision Channel Line-u�
Gary Crosby, Regional Manager for FrontierVision Operating Partners, L.P.,
addressed the Committee in regard to a problem that arose with the
implementation of FrontierVision's new program line-up for Bangor cable
subscribers on February lst '
Mr. Crosby explained that upon implementation of the new program lineup, it
was discovered that a number of Bangor cable subscribers were unable to
receive channels in the higher frequency ranges without use of a converter box.
The source of this problem is that several manufacturers of older "cable-ready"
• television sets did not include channel capacity in the "FM" frequency ranges,
because television sets capable of receiving channels in those ranges sometimes
experienced interference from broadcast FM radio signals, when operated
without being connected to a cable system. The problem occurs primarily in
channels 90 and higher, although a few cable ready sets have reception blocked
in the 60's, 50's and 40's channel ranges.
In order to address the problem for basic cable subscribers, without the
+ necessity of a converter box, FrontierVision proposed to move QVC, EVNTN/TBN,
and the Recover/Ecology channel from their current positions at channels 95-97
to channels 16, 17 and 20, respectively. Channels 95-97 would be occupied by
three premium channels, which require use of a converter box in any event.
Mr. Crosby requested action by the City Council to waive the 30-day notice
period normally required by the cable franchise agreement for programming
changes, so that the problem would be addressed at the earliest possible date.
The Committee voted to recommend that the City Council waive the notice
period.
4. Health and Welfare Proaram Budget
Mary-Anne Chalila explained that the Administrative Division is responsible for
providing general administrative sup'port and supervision to all program divisions
Iocated in the Department of Healtfi and Welfare. This division consolidates all
costs of planning, directing and coordinating all divisions of the department. All
functions directly applicable to the adminstration of the General Assistance
program are also located in this division.
The General Assistance Program is currently assisting 355 households per month.
� Four caseworkers are currently conducting 441 office visits per month. Since •
maximum eligibility has been drastically reduced by the Legislature over the last
few sessions, the households we serve present greater needs and the amount of
time needed for appointments has increased dramatically.
At the current time, there is a workable balance between the number of staff and
caseload. Unless there is a drastic down turn in the economy of the region, this
balance should hold through the next fiscal year. This may change further into
the future when the impact of the five-year lifetime limit on TANF benefits begins
to be felt.
General Relief (General Assistance)
General Assistance may be granted in the form of food, fuel, shelter, or, any
other basic necessities not available',elsewhere. Eligibility is based upon need as
determined through application of an income-based formula. Able-bodied adults
are expected to participate in a workfare program as a condition of continued
eligibility.
The General Assistance program in the City of Bangor has been relatively stable
for the past few years. Unless something unforeseen happens, this stability is
• expected to continue through FY 2000. Further in the future, the picture
becomes clouded by the five-year lifetime limit now placed on recipients of
TANF. In the year 2001, the first households to reach their lifetime limit will find
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themselves disqualified. How many households this will be is subject to debate.
The impact on General Assistance is uncertain. It may/may not be significant.
� Emergency Housing
The emergency housing division provides short term (30 day) transitional
housing to homeless individuals and families. The program is now located in two
fourplex buildings (five units total) in the Park Woods Project. Intensive
casework is done with shelter clients in order to move them into permanent
housing as quickly as possible.
The emergency shelters operated by the City are an integral part of Bangor's
emergency housing network. We house single women, women with children and
single men who are over the age of 18 years and do not suffer from either active
mental illness or active substance abuse. Children under 18 years of age are
referred to Shaw House. Active mental health consumers are referred to Acadia
Recovery Community (aka. Hope House). A per diem payment is made to all
three shelters for eligible general assistanc� clients.
Approximately 100 individuals per year are housed in the City operated shelters.
Workfare
Able-bodied adults who receive general assistance are required to participate in a
workfare program as a condition of continued eligibility. Assignments are made
� to various City departments and local non-profit organizations. The number of
hours assigned is determined by dividing the amount of assistance by minimum '
wage ($5.15).
The City of Bangor has had a workfare program for the past sixteen years. Like
many parts of our operation, the workfare program is cyclical. When the
unemployment rate is high, we serve a larger percentage of able-bodied
individuals who have marketable job skills and are capable of full participation in
the program. When the unemployment rate is low we have fewer participants,
higher turnover and a high percentage of participants with no prior experience or
job skills.
It is the responsibility of the caseworker to develop and coordinate job sites,
match the participants with the job sites and follow up on their participation. In
addition, she works with participants in order to facilitate their entrance into
available education and training programs, which will prepare them for
permanent full time employment.
Currently, twenfiy-nine participants work 1,212 hours per month in various City
departments at a value of $6,214.
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Shelter Plus Care
� Shelter Plus Care is a five year - $1.3 miliion grant received from HUD to house
the most difficult of Bangor's homeless population. This is the fifth year of the
grant, which is being extended through December 1999.
Funding for the program is awarded annually in a competitive process as part of
the McKinney Homeless Act. We will be applying for renewal of the program (3
years) during the 1999 competition.
Currently, 91 individuals are receiving rental assistance under this program.
Park Woods Project
Park Woods Project offers homeless individuals and families safe, affordable,
transitional housing and case management services for up to 24 months.
This project was designed to fill gaps in the existing homeless service delivery
system. Without Park Woods, there is no transitional housing for homeless
people who do not meet the definition of an existing special needs population
(ex. Mental health consumers). The object of the program is to make
participants as self-sufficient as possible within the time allowed and to make
them capable of maintaining permanent housing. By definition (homeless) the
� project serves people who are significantly dysfunctional and have faced eviction
numerous times for various reasons including, but not limited to, nonpayment of �
rent.
Children's Dental Clinic
The Children's Dental Clinic provides total pediatric dental care, including all
forms of restorative treatment, sealants, and preventative dental education to
Bangor's low-income children. Children under care return for continuing oral
hygiene instruction and frequent fluoride applications. Surgical procedures,
endodontics, space maintainers, minor orthodontics and laboratory work are
� done within the office.
The clinic would work more efficiently with the addition of a second operatory for
the dentist and a full time receptionist. This would significantly increase the
number of patients seen and it would maximize the dentist's time.
Currently, the dentist and hygienist are completing 1,552 visits per year.
School Dental Program
� The Children's Dental Clinic operates the second largest school dental program in
Maine, serving approximately 2,200 children in grades K-5. Each school is visited
by the hygienist that provides presentations for students on a variety of dental
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issues. Oral exams are often provided for students who do not have a dentists.
Referrals to the clinic are made by the hygienist when necessary. A weekly
fluoride mouth rinse program is performed by students with parental permission
� and under supervision of a teacher or a volunteer.
The School Dental program is operated a minimum level. With only one staff
person spending less than 10% of her time on this program, expansion is
unlikely. If we had more staff, perhaps the program could be expanded. For
instance, with more staff, more children in more grades could be examined and
referred to a dentist if necessary. At present, staff and staff time is limited.
Maternal and Child Health
Maternal and child health services are the heart of the City's Public Health
Nursing Program. The primary duties of the nurses is health monitoring and
health education to pregnant women and parents with children under the age of
5 years. The emphasis is on prevention rather than hands on nursing. This is
achieved by home visits where assessments, appropriate intervention, referrals
to other providers and/or in-home education programs and monitoring are
provided.
Currently, 2,446 home visits are made each year.
Healthy Families �
� Healthy Families is a voluntary intensive home visiting program for ten first time
parenting families identified to be as risk for child abuse prenatally or at the time
of birth. A trained PHN will visit weekly to offer support and intensive services in �
� � a positive intervention model which addresses needs specific to that family.
This is a pilot program with a five-year commitment of intervention with families
progressing to a less intensive and more self-reliant level over that time. Grant
monies managed by the Parent Child Alliance fund this program. As more
funding becomes available, it is hoped these duties will be assumed by social
workers that will supplement the work already being done by PHN's.
Geriatric Nursina
The Geriatric Public Health Nurse provides health promotion and supervision to
the high-risk low-income geriatric citizens of Bangor. This is achieved by home
visits during which assessments, appropriate intervention through referral to
other providers, in-home education and/or monitoring are provided.
Prior to 1985, all of Bangor's Public Health Nurses carried combined caseloads --
both MCH and geriatric patients. At that time, a decision was made to establish
one position to service only our geriatric population. This is not a "home health"
, type of position. We do not provide "hands on skilled nursing". We provide the
type of health monitoring and health education, which is not reimbursed by
insurance companies.
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Currently, 1,073 home visits a year and made to Bangor's frail and elderly
citizens.
� Health Officer
State law requires municipalities to appoint a health officer. Under Ordinance
Chapter II, Article 21, Section 3.2, these duties are delegated to the Director of
Public Health Nursing. This function is responsible for the prevention of
communicable diseases in the community.
In recent memory, we have been fortunate in experiencing a steep reduction in
the major communicable diseases. As a result, the position of Health Officer in
municipalities around the state has become less important. In spite of some
recent planning, continuing education has been neglected and we are far from
ready -- as a state -- to combat a major outbreak.
Immunizations -- Nursing/Clinics
The Immunization - Nursing Clinic program provides for immunizations of both
children and adults for various vaccine preventable diseases through clinics and
special appointments for foreign travel immunization. Testing for TB is
conducted weekly at designated walk-in times. Health education about vaccine
side effects and interpretation of TB testing is given at the time vaccines are
administered.
� Last year, the Bureau of Health decided that publicly operated immunization
clinics/services were no longer part of the overall immunization plan for the State •
of Maine. Rather than serving people directly, the state would provide vaccines
to private providers for their administration and would put the bulk of the annual
award from CDC into a tri-state computer record keeping system. The result
was that we found our funds cut to a $10,000 grant. As a result, we are
operating a part time program which is attempting to support itself on program
generated fees.
Currently, 115 individuals per month are immunized at the three walk-in clinics;
15 individuals per month are tested for TB; 55 individuals per month are
immunized for diseases specific to their area of foreign travel. Immunization
records for these patients are mailed to their primary health care providers.
Patients receive a new or updated record at each visit.
Immunization - Field
The Maine State Immunization Program has seen cuts in federal funding. The
result is that virtually all screening functions have been pulled back to the central
ofFice is Augusta.
� This program was eliminated by the Bureau of Health effective 12/31/98.
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Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Pro4ram
In 1998, the Bureau of Health received an extensive management letter from the
CDC personnel auditing the CLPPP. Their response was to suspend the program
� for six months as of 12/31/98 while they redesign the program. It is anticipated
the "new" program wiil go out for RFP in the summer of 1999.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic
The Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Division is responsible for the promotion
of health and well being of Maine people through the prevention and control of
sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. Clinical services allow for the
diagnosis, treatment and management of STD's. Community educational
presentations about STD prevention and a gonorrhea screening program offered
to area medical providers also help us reach our goals. The clinic serves as a
training site for many health care providers in the area.
The functions of the STD Clinic are primarily supported by a grant from the
Bureau of Health. The current grant, January 1, 1999 to December 31, 1999, is �
$108,900. The balance of revenues is generated through fees paid by patients
for the specific services they receive. The net cost tot he City of Bangor is $0.
W.I.C.
The W.I.C. Program is a special supplemental nutrition program for women,
� infants, and children designed to address identified nutritionally related
gestational and early childhood disorders within a high risk, limited income, and
population. Specific nutritious foods and nutrition education are provided to all
participants by qualified Nutritionists and Registered Dietitians. Health
assessments are part of the eligibility determination. Anthropomorphic, medical, •
hematological and dietary assessments are completed on all mothers and
children participating.
All expenses for the W.I.C. Program are reimbursed 100% from the Federal
Government, through the State of Maine.
With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned.
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