Travis County Commissioners Court
February 2, 2010,
Item 16
>> number 16 provides the language, consider and take appropriate action regarding request to become a financial partner toward a feasibility study to replicate a pittsburgh, pennsylvania humane society program in Austin-Travis County.
>> good morning, sherri fleming, executive manager for health and human services and veteran services.
this project is one that community has been doing a little bit of research on and I think the proposal came over from the city manager's office.
what the project is is a career education training program, and actually the request speaks to a feasibility study for whether or not a project of this sort would be official to our community.
but the career education training program seeks to klein '89 a lot of services that I guess in the social services arena we believe helps people to have a seamless intervention from maybe dropout status or needing additional skills training.
it allows people to be assessed and then move through a seamless transition through the necessary services to be more successful.
so while our community has a lot of these services in place, I don't know that we have a singular place that you would point to to say this is where you start and when you finish you will have completed xy and z.
so programs like this have been cropping up around the country.
they are considered to be best practice in that it allows people an opportunity to establish relationships with the providers as they move through the necessary skill building services.
so that would be my best description of what the feasibility study would be looking at.
it would be looking at whether or not a program of this design would be an asset to the Austin-Travis County community.
>> would the marshal --
>> manchester bidwell?
>> would they have an opportunity to evaluate since they are in that business?
>>
>> I don't know the answer to that question.
the feasibility study will twail be completed by the organization that is responsible for establishing the pennsylvania model.
now, the evaluation -- so I guess the question, Commissioner, if I understand, is if we were to establish that, could we build in an evaluation component similar to what we're doing in some of our programs?
>> that or have them participate up front and make sure that we are putting all of the best practice steps in place as we go along and not have to retrofit.
>> well, I feel confident that were the Commissioner court going to dedicate resources at some point in the future that we could make our participation contingent upon an evaluation component.
whether or not the the ray marshall center, whether or not it would be appropriate for them to be involved at the onset, I would have to have more conversation with the community of people who are coordinating this effort.
so I can get you the answer to that question.
>> but I think we would have the flexibility to get them to do an evaluation for us, however, typically they would want to be compensated.
>> yes.
>> so -- if I can just mention two things.
apparently mike idell and some of his people heard a presentation somewhere else in the united states and became thoroughly convinced that this was a good deal.
and ought to be brought to our community.
so the dell foundation people agreed to put up half of the cost of the feasibility study.
the study costs $150,000.
they said they would fund 75,000.
i was invited for a presentation here in Travis County and michael dell's representatives were there and basically confirmed that contribution.
the city of Austin said it would put up 50,000.
the mayor was at that meeting as well as the city manager was there too.
and they just think it would be a good idea for us to partner with them.
part of the feasibility study is for representatives from this group to come and spend time here with our people.
i can tell you that I know of four or five requests for county assistance in this area for services in this area.
so it seems to me that we ought to get those same people involved in the feasibility study because it looks like we're all trying to help the same individuals, those in need of education, job training, job placement assistance, career development, etcetera.
so that's why this makes sense to me.
>> it does make a lot of sense.
i would agree.
the amount of our investment is a good number to invest.
my only concern was if we had all of the parties to begin with to make sure that we indeed are practicing, putting into practice those best practices that would then -- kind of like with our plan here for the downtown master plan to begin at the very beginning, everybody on board and make sure that we know what product we're going to wind up with.
and then how does this tie into c.a.n.?
how is it going to tie?
>> well, you would want the community action network involved at some stage.
the other thing is the models they told us really involved employer input.
and what they say is they do the training, etcetera, education based on the jobs in the community being looked at.
so it would be jobs here.
>> absolutely.
>> and in terms of it holding up as a best practice, what we know is any time we can reduce the number of times that people have to travel from one place to the next to receive similar services and have to continue to tell their story over and over again, the more we can focus on what is it that is the need that we're trying to address and get those services in place for our residents.
so it is considered a best practice to have sort of that one stop shop regardless of the services.
and then also a continuum of services so that people can enter wherever they are and move forward.
>> sure.
>> I think it's a terrific possibility.
>> I think so.
i looked at this and it's something I think we've been needing for a long time.
we were doing some research in my office at one time on something similar to see who basically offered such a service because if you go back into time when the school system itself, the educational school system itself kind of leaned toward providing career opportunities.
they call it distribute active education of -- things of that nature.
but you could focus in skills that would basically guarantee you -- at least put you in a position where you would be able to retain employment.
i looked at this as far as the manchester bidwell corporation who allow themselves to be a part of the pittsburgh, pennsylvania type experimental as far as implementing.
and in fact, according to the backup, there was a great reduction.
and as far as relief, as far as providing relief to persons who were at risk, and we're saying youth and also adults, we're just not talking about young folks, we're talking about folks on the adult end of this thing.
even so, starting in the middle school age group, focusing on those persons and the success of the model after it being implemented in pittsburgh is phenomenal.
it's a great success story.
i thought about the social services that we offer here in Travis County, the nonprofits right here in Travis County.
of course, after looking at the at-risk type situation, those after school care, we have several type of settings that we have social service funding from the general fund to supply a lot of needs out there, wraparound services.
the list goes on and on.
and I looked at this program where it actually makes persons whole, where they make them productive persons that have jobs and ownership of jobs, whereby they don't have to depend on assistance from Travis County and other groups.
so that -- it pulled up a positive flag in my mind, but then the question came back to me when I said, well, if there were social service needs in pittsburgh where this particular manchester bidwell group was allowed to operate, how did that impact the hhs system in pittsburgh as far as looking at maybe duplication of services?
i'm looking at at-risk situations where this is also probably at-risk, or looking for persons in the community to make sure that they fulfill employment opportunities in the future.
did pittsburgh continue to fund those programs that even though this particular outreach of this particular model was implemented?
and if so, was it a reduction in funding?
i don't really know.
just a lot of questions start floating all over the place.
and I don't know what the answer to that is at this time.
however, if the court decide to approve this today, which I think is a real good thing, when would this particular feasibility study take place?
how long will it take place?
and then when will the folks, if it comes back -- which we know they exist.
they are here.
how long will it take for us to look at and implement?
and then the rurmts of that.
i see they've got measurements in pittsburgh to see how effective these things are.
it appears to be very effective according to the backup in pittsburgh, pennsylvania.
those are just some questions I laid out that I'm wrestling with.
i just wanted to put them on the table.
thank you.
>> I think that staff will have to come back to the court with a time line once we know all the funding is in place.
i think that it will position the community to be able to negotiate those things.
i can imagine that a specific time line has not been -- the time line we've been working right now is the securing of the funding.
so once we have the funding secured, then I can certainly come back to you and talk about what is the time line established for the feasibility study and when we could expect to hear a report and when we expect the group to actually be in our community.
you know, who are the groups think intend to engage with, just the total plan for how they will proceed.
so I feel confident we can bring that back to you.
if I could go back to Commissioner Gomez's question for a minute, I think it's important for me to note that the $150,000 that we are pulling together addresses the feasibility study.
so if we were to engage the ray marshall center, there could be a need for additional resources.
so at this point we can certainly advise the group that that is an interest of the court to have evaluators at the beginning of the process, what the cost will be and if the other partners are interested in sharing that cost with you.
so we would have to bring that piece back because the 150,000 would be totally the budget for the feasibility study.
so I thought it was important for us to distinguish that.
>> Commissioner Eckhardt?
>>
>> this looks very good and I'm very intrigued by it because I agree with you.
if we can figure how to you howe to consolidate thighs programs, because they are interlinking, it would be wonderful.
i have concerns about this proposal and it may be I need to do some more research and spend more time with it, but one thing that concerns me is this is a 150,000-dollar feasibility study to be done by a subsidiary of the very entity that we are looking to replicate.
the national center for arts and technology is a subsidiary of nbc.
so assuming we're giving the -- our part is 25,000, but the total is $150,000 to mcat to see if its parent organizations model works here.
which makes me feel a little --
>> but we have to research the same conclusion.
>> right.
>> and the parent model, the parent organization's model looks great.
what I too would like to know how the ray marshall center might play a meaningful role, how also a.c.c.
and the isd's and the chamber of commerce.
because I see the big bang off of this is the interface with industry so that we can mold our continuing education efforts to the kind of industry we have or are attempting to attract.
and that actually may be a post-feasibility phase portion, those partnerships may be sought after the feasibility is determined.
so I guess what I'm asking is if I could have another week, would that be problematic will this contract if we have another week to look at it?
>> I don't -- I'm not say wear of a time line.
>> no problem.
>> I told the city manager that we have a one week professional courtesy policy, and I would not be surprise fire department a member of the court or more -- surprise fire department a member of the court or more wanted at least a week to look at this.
the other thing is the final financial piece is the $25,000.
so the funding will be in place if we agree to help.
one.
two is we can bring to the table whatever local partners we want to participate in this.
it's our call.
whatever we want to do outside of what they do, we have to basically figure out a way to pay for it.
and so I don't know that we give up anything by participating.
we can add to that whatever we want to.
but my thinking about the feasibility study is really they're helping us, but it's ours.
and if we don't conclude that it's feasible to do it, then we don't do it.
no matter what they conclude, if we don't agree with the conclusion, then we don't do it.
>> I think there's a way, judge, for us to come to some common ground.
if we need to participate in the feasibility study, then each entity is going to consider what they can invest in it, but that's why I think it makes sense for c.a.n.
and the ray marshall institute to participate --
>> and the employers.
>> and their employers, absolutely.
because we do want to make sure that once they go through the training that there's a job waiting for them here.
and it's not just training and it doesn't lead to anywhere.
but I think that yeah, we can later look at the feasibility study and apply it to ourselves and the kinds of things that we're looking for.
so yeah, I think there's a possibility of doing the feasibility study and then we can evaluate for what fits in Travis County.
>> and ties into our economic development policy.
>> absolutely.
>> and judge, you know, part of the concern I think is coming up with diversity.
in my mind it just needs to be things that are diverse as far as employment opportunities are concerned.
right now we have an opportunity I think to look at this, as you look at what's going on.
there is a lot of diverse employment opportunities in some of the examples.
and so my concern is that I recall funding capital i.d.e.a., of course.
we've continued to fund that as much as possible.
but at the end of the day, a lot of things we saw in funding even capital i.d.e.a., I think what we saw as far as funding opportunities were in in my opinion not enough to diverse employment opportunities.
i think we need to lend ourselves to ensure that those persons out there that be seeking employment should have an array of choices that should be presented to them to make sure that they -- their interest is just as wide as the array.
so they have an opportunity to land on something.
>> and Commissioner, I think that was just kind of a model of what this is trying to achieve too.
you research your community and you train people for the jobs that are available, instead of training them for a job that's not going to be there.
>> exactly.
>> or it's not going to pay a good living wage and benefits.
and -- I think that it's still a good beginning for the model that I'm looking for.
to really match people with the jobs that are needed.
>> they are able to do.
exactly.
>>
>> will there be a contract?
>> I'm assuming there will.
>> yes.
i imagine there will be.
if I may, two points, judge.
quickly, the first is we know from the work we've done with the ray marshall center that your investments in this area makes make a difference.
certainly there are investments at the state and federal level in the workforce training area, but we have seen the numbers have proven up that your investments make a difference in the trajectory of your residents when they are able to take advantage of the extra things that you can fund with public money.
so we know that's the case.
the other is a more housekeeping thing if you are looking within the health and human services budget for this funding, there are two sources that I would have you consider with one caveat.
the first is there is some unexpended dollars within what is budgeted for the public health interlocal.
as you know, we pay a fixed price.
we have a true up at the end of the calendar year, so as a result of 2009's true-up, there is unused funding in that line item.
the second place is $450,000 of ongoing funding that you budgeted within health and human services last year.
you make one time awards to certain social services agencies and you also funded some deficit in the emergency assistance line items within the health and human services budget.
health and human services, along with pbo, has been very guarded with those dollars because we are anticipating sort of similar deficits for this upcoming year.
so those are two places where there is I guess what we would call unallocated funding at this point within the health and human services budget, keeping in mind that if those funds are expended we may be back to ask you to replace them at some point in the future because of our expenditures in emergency assistance.
>> so that would be your caution?
>> that would be my caution, yes, sir.
>> [ laughter ]
>> I was just going to say I commit to really expending energy toward this.
i'm soir for the one-week delay.
it looked fabulous.
i just want to understand it.
>> let give ms.
Eckhardt the rest of the backup that the city manager gave me.
>> yes, sir.
>> we'll have this item back on next week.
>> thank you.
>> thank you.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 2:15 PM
