Minutes

Joint Meeting

Putney Selectboard, Putney Town School Board, and Putney Family Services

January 17, 2006

Putney Central School

Present: Peter May, Steve Ingram, John Nopper, Tom Ehrenberg, Anne Fines, Regina Rockefeller, Lyssa Papazian, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Rev. Susan Taroli, Amelia Struthers, Ellen Pratt, Amelia Stone, Leon Cooper, Paul Gustafson, Corey Greenspan, Chris Ryan

The Meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm.

Tom Ehrenberg moderated. He suggested we meet for 90 minutes: 30 minutes to state perception of the unmet needs in Putney; next to suggest a philosophical approach to meeting the needs; and wrapping up, what next steps might be.

Each in attendance introduced themselves.

1. People discussed the question: “What are the needs?”

Some of the responses:

• Significant indications of poverty among Putney Central School families (42% of children participate in free & reduced lunch program, Medicaid/Dr. Dinosaur rate is 55%)
• Need to find out how many Putney families are getting state property tax rebates based on income sensitivity.
• Need for food, shelter, health care, clothing, affordable housing
• Getting help to those in need (e.g. to preclude recent tax sale for back taxes)
• what gets in the way of folks getting help? Cultural? Unable to set practical priorities (e.g. spending food money on big screen TV)…part of generational poverty…literacy issues, mental health issues, Individual? (too proud to ask)

2. People then discussed “The Philosophical Approach.”

Some of the responses:

• What’s the role of government/Town of Putney in people’s lives?
• This is a moral issue, not philosophical…i.e. how can we turn our backs on our neighbors in need?
• The Money Question? How do we ask taxpayers to pay more?
• Perhaps a new kind of collaborative approach can help address the needs in Putney and supplement the systems in place that are broken (e.g. child protection services)
• How do we increase services with limited resources?
• Volunteers have limited application, especially with confidential, sensitive situations.
• Disseminate more info to community
• Problem is those in generational poverty “hide” until they’re in crisis
• Hire social outreach worker? Who, to serve whom, how?
• Pay with new different local taxes?

3. People then discussed the question “What Next?” Some responses:

· Future Search- an established structure for canvassing a community and facilitating enhanced collaborations

· Putney’s a unique, caring community with great talent among the populace – do a needs assessment…Town might be able to access planning grant funds through Windham Regional Commission or directly with CDBG program

· Share info at Town Mtg. (limited effectiveness as Town Mtg isn’t representative of town)

· Committee to creatively find money to address the issues

· Working group look at the issues and bring info back to a group

· Increase the number of those in the conversation…a larger open meeting…tonight’s meeting isn’t representative of the town’s demographics

· Several suggested the most pressing need was affordable housing (It was noted BACLT is already working on beginning to address housing)

· Community development corp.

· Town Human Services Committee

· Community foundation

· Contact Diana Wahle of the Regional Partnership Alliance for Building Community.

THE BIG QUESTION- who can put time into any of this?

4. Mike Mrowicki offered to help organize a next meeting for the greater community. Susan Taroli offered to help - they will meet and get back to the group.

5. The Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.