DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
COMMISSION
MINUTES
Wednesday,
March 9,
Commissioners Present:
D.A.
Bob Lee Francesca
Raphael Donna Lind
Charles
Molnar Michelle Finch Mary Simoni
Lynn
Harrison Steve Robbins Judge Thomas Kelly
Dee
O'Brien Melissa Berrenge Larry Biggam
Jewell
Roberts
Commissioners
Excused:
Linda Starn Gillian Greensite JoAnne Allen
Celia
Organista
Others Present:
1.
Call to Order.
Chair Lee called the
meeting to order at
2.
Introduction of Members.
Each Commissioner
introduced him/herself and welcomed Jewell Roberts, Department of Children's
Services, as a newly appointed commissioner.
3. Introduction of Guest Speakers.
4. Consideration and Approval of Previous
Minutes.
The February Minutes were
approved with the changes listed below:
7.B Funding for Report to the Community 2004
Change:
To read:
8.A. Review of "At-Large" Representative Positions
Change: Donna Lind
and Francesca Raphael contributed to the discussion as well.
To read: Francesca
Raphael strongly took exception to the discussion of the Survivor membership.
8.B. Domestic Violence Reporting
Change: The Memorandum
includes a newly established questionnaire to help guide law enforcement
officers and their clerks to acquire accurate and consistent statistical
information. This questionnaire has been
reviewed and approved by the Commanders.
To read: The Memorandum
includes newly established criteria to standardize reporting by law enforcement
officers and their clerks to acquire accurate and consistent statistical
information. This memorandum has been
reviewed and approved by the Commanders.
The January Minutes were
approved with the changes listed below:
7.A. DV Commission Membership Update
Change: A motion
was passed to approach the Board of Supervisors to recommend reducing the
commission membership.
To read: A motion
was passed to approach the Board of Supervisors to recommend examining the
membership roster.
Change: A motion
was passed to reduce the Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center representative
position to clinic status.
To read: A motion
was passed to examine the Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center representative
position to clinic status.
5.
Additions and deletions to Agenda.
+ Item E, under 7. Old Business, DV Statistics
+
Item F, under 7. Old Business, Financing Annual Report
+
Item G, under 7. Old Business, Annual Report
6.
Oral Communications from the Community.
No communications by the
community were made.
7.
Old Business For Further Discussion.
A. DV Commission Membership Update
Chair Lee presented the
commission members with a list of the current and vacant commission memberships
and then recapped that statutory authority by stating the following:
The commission consists of
the following twenty-seven memberships:
3 At-Large representatives (one from the
Latino community; one from the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual community and a Survivor of
domestic violence);
7 Terms of Office representatives (a
member appointed as long as such member continues to hold that office);
16 Board appointed representatives; and
1 Remaining member from the County
Administrative Office.
The following is a list of
the eight Board appointed vacancies:
Defensa de
Mujeres (upon Celia Organista's retirement);
Community
Clinic Coalition;
Watsonville
Hospital;
Sutter
Hospital;
Women's Crisis
Support;
Women's
Commission;
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual
community; and
Latino
community.
A quorum consists of one person more than
one-half of the appointed members (i.e. fourteen members). Since March 2004, a quorum has been met
twice.
Chair Lee recapped the
topic of the At-Large positions.
At-Large positions are a four-year term.
Linda Byrom was appointed in 2004 and will continue in her Survivor
representation until April 1, 2007.
Before discussing how to
reorganize the commission, Chair Lee asked if any other members intend to
resign. Lynn Harrison, representative
for the Health Services Agency, stated that she has submitted her resignation
to the Board of Supervisors. Dr. Kathi
Loughlin will be her replacement effective April 1. Donna Lind, SCCLECA representative, will
resign and Celia Organista will also.
Dee O'brien, representative for Walnut Avenue Women's Center, has
reapplied.
Chair Lee readdressed the
discussion to consolidate and/or reorganize the following vacancies:
Merge the two Women's Crisis
Support representative positions into one and have that position filled by
Joanne De Los Reyes;
Combine the hospital
representative positions into one position;
Fill the Latino Community
vacancy;
Fill the Community Clinic
Coalition vacancy;
Add a position for a
business community member;
Add a religious leader
position and an interest in rotating a possible commission position;
Add a representative from
Family Matters;
Add a representative from
UCSC; and
Examine the Sutter
Maternity and Surgery Center representative position to clinic status.
Heidi Simonson recommended
a merge with the Defensa de Mujeres position and the Women's Crisis
position. A motion was made,
seconded, and passed to merge the
Defensa de Mujeres position and the Women's Crisis position.
Sutter Hospital was not
interested in consolidating their position.
Linda Starn will check with Watsonville Hospital.
Heidi Simonson made a
motion to consolidate Sutter Hospital with the Community Clinic Coalition and
to add another small clinic to fill a seat. The motion was seconded by
Franchesa Raphael and passed.
Mary Simoni felt there were
too many victim representative positions and recommended adding a batterer's
treatment representative. Donna
Lind reported that Patricia Gilbertson is not interested in the Advocacy
position. Jody Harvey from Simply Your
Best will be approached. Chair Lee agreed that having Jody Harvey
aboard would be beneficial, however, he felt it is easier to add a position
than it is to get a representative to attend the meetings.
Discussions were then held
with regard to adding a south county batterer's treatment position. Suggestions included adding PVPSA, which
would include teen batterer's,
Heidi Simonson recommended
that a motion be made to add positions for two batterer's treatment facilities
and recommend to the Board that there be one representative from each end of
the county. Mary Simoni suggested that
south county agencies be contacted to see if there is even an interest. Chair Lee suggested that a south county
position be added and name Mary Simoni, representative for Batterer's Treatment,
the north county representative. A
motion was made to expand to two batterer's treatment program positions and to
reflect diversity of the county as best we can.
The motion did not pass.
Discussions continued with
regard to membership expansion. Dee
O'brien acknowledged that there is no representative for the
After a lengthy discussion,
a motion was made to recommend to the Board to add
Chair Lee raised the issue
of adding a business / service club to the commission and felt that this could
bring new positive energy to the commission.
Judge Kelley agreed and suggested the Soroptomists. This is a powerful women's group and would
embrace an opportunity, such as this and they have business leaders all over
the community. A suggestion to add an
At-Large service club rejected. A motion
to add a service club representative to the membership was made. Heidi Simonson, Larry Biggam and Melissa
Berrenge abstained, Dee O'Brien voted no.
The motion to add a service club did not pass. A motion to change the membership, not add,
was passed.
Franchesca Raphael
re-raised the issue of rotating religious leaders. No motion was made to add a religious leader
representative or to add a UCSC representative.
Chair Lee began taking
suggestions for individuals to fill the GLBT position. Dee O'Brien spoke with the GLBT Task Force
and is waiting for a return call. Heidi
Simonson stated that he would contact his Church and ask them to put an article in their Newsletter. Chair Lee stated that Celia Rowland is in the
Triangles Group now and she will try to recruit.
Heidi Simonson contacted Ed
Nielson, president of Defensa, for contact names to help fill the Latino
representative position. Chair Lee
stated that he would follow up with Linda Starn in April with regard to the
Community Clinic Coalition. Andrea Toleo
from Planned Parenthood may be interested in assuming that position. Heidi Simonson will check with
B. Celia Organista's Resignation
Discussions were held on
how to acknowledge Celia Organista's dedication and hard work while on the DV
Commission. A motion was made to
present Celia with a Gift Certificate to Caress Day Spa for $200. The motion
was seconded and passed.
C. Kid Power Endorsement
Heidi Simonson reported that he researched what an
endorsement would look like and presented each member with a handout from the
Kidpower, Teenpower, Fullpower International website.
D. Review of At-Large Representative Positions
This topic was previously
discussed.
E. Financing Annual Report
F. DV Statistics
G. Annual Report
8.
New Business.
A. Public Announcement
Franchesca Raphael expressed her concern with not
seeing the posted announcement for the commission meetings in the
Sentinel. She indicated that her
schedule full and would be unable to contact them herself. Chair Lee stated that the Sentinel has
received notification of the commission meetings but we have no control over
whether or not they post the announcement.
B. Celia Organista
This topic was previously
discussed.
C. Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter
Melissa Berrenge provided
each member with a copy of the newsletter prepared by the Santa Clara County
Domestic Violence Council as a consideration for this commission.
9.
Announcement from Commissioners.
Julie Schneider presented
each member with a handout for the April 7 free training on Fathering After
Violence.
10.
Adjournment.
The meeting was adjourned at