04-10-1995 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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£: MINUTES OF THE ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION ON DONffiSTIC ABUSE SHELTERS HELD ON JANUARY 20, 1995 Mabusih. Assistant Planning and Zoning Administrator Micha^Gaffron. and Police Lt. Gar> Cheswick. Citv Councilmeraber JoEllen Hurr was present The applicants were represented by Margaret Webber and Greg Sichender. No members ot the public were in anendance. The work session was called to order by Chairman Schroeder at 7:40 a.m. Mabusth brieny reviewed the January 6th work session, noting that the Commission had concluded there was relatively little bv way of standards for domestic abuse shelters other than the gmdelmes established bv the Association of Battered Women Shelters^ She a so reviewed die fmancol needs noting the likelihood that additional staffing above and beyond the imtial level would b needed if the shelter functions like those in Minnetonka and Plymouth. Mabusth presented an overhead indicating the annual budget needs of the shelter. Webber commented that she had discussions with Home Free Sojourner, and the Depat™«ii of Corrections, who indicated that approximately 95% of the shelter operation was covered by the per diem payments, and at this time Westonka is not proposing to add major education or couSrelina activities to their program such as occur at some of the larpr shelters. She Westonka'would like to get the shelter established and continue using volunteers rather than hiring a large staff at this time. Lindquist asked whether the grants are awarded on a yearly basis. Webber reph^ that grants from the County are awarded annually, and funding from the State is whether the per diem amounts are set or if they vary from shelter to shelter. Webber “^dicated that the State has budget review policies that look at all aspects of the operauon and establish an appropriate funding level based to some degree on occupancy rates and the average costs (ter occupancy day. Any expense incurred by the organization that is directly related to providmg shelter is an eligible cost. The expense of providing counselmg or job traimng is not an eligible cost. Webber noted she had learned much from her discussions with the other shelters. For instance, she learned that the staffing level for a twenty bed residence would be two people on the site from 7 00 a m. to 7:00 p.m., and one person from 7:00 p.m to 7:00 a.m. She also found concerning standards of operation, the Department of Corrections "Application ? a Battered Women Shelter FacUity" contains a four page set of standards wiA whichjh^ s -Iter must certify that they comply (application copies distributed to Planmng (pommiss Members). Webber indicated that no one from the Department of ^ shelters specifically, but shelters are expected to be in compliance with the sta^ards. indicated that likely the only agency which would inspect a shelter would be Hennepin o ty Health Department in regards to food handling and storage. The shelter subject to any inspections required by the City. Mabusth also indicated that th S 1