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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06042013 - SD.1RECOMMENDATION(S): A. ADOPT Resolution Number 2013/243 to close Head Start centers/classrooms, modify the Center Based and Home Based Program Options effective July 1, 2013; abolish positions and lay off employees in the Employment and Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau, effective close of business June 28, 2013. B. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to close the Crescent Park, Lake, and Martinez Head Start preschool centers and a preschool classroom at the George Miller III Center, effective June 28, 2013. C. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to eliminate the Early Head Start Home Based program options, effective close of business June 28, 2013. D. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to reduce the part day, part year Head Start Center Based and Home Based program options from 39 to 30 weeks, effective close of business June 28, 2013. E. ABOLISH Teacher-Project positions (represented) as specified in Attachment A-1, effective June 28, 2013. F. ABOLISH Associate Teacher-Project positions (represented) APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 06/04/2013 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Reni Radeva (925) 313-1718 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: June 4, 2013 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: June McHuen, Deputy cc: Community Services Bureau, EHSD, Human Resources SD. 1 To:Board of Supervisors From:Kathy Gallagher, Employment & Human Services Director Date:June 4, 2013 Contra Costa County Subject:Closing Head Start Centers, Abolishing Positions and Laying off Employees in the Employment and Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D) as specified in Attachment A-2, effective June 28, 2013. G. ABOLISH a Master Teacher-Project position (represented) as specified in Attachment A-3, effective June 28, 2013. H. ABOLISH a Site Supervisor III (represented) and a Site Supervisor II (represented) positions as specified in Attachment A-4, effective June 28, 2013. I. ABOLISH an Assistant Director-Project (non-represented) position as specified in Attachment A-5, effective June 28, 2013. FISCAL IMPACT: Due to a new grant award process known as DRS (Designation Renewal System), Employment and Human Services Department/Community Services Bureau (CSB) had to re-compete for Federal Head Start and Early Head Start grants. In April of 2013, the Bureau was notified that it was one of two successful bidders to provide services in Contra Costa County. The Administration for Children and Families, the Federal agency administering the Head Start and Early Head Start grants, notified CSB that the new grant would be close to 15% less than its previous grant, approximately a $3 million reduction and 276 less childcare slots. Additionally, the Bureau was notified that a 5.27% reduction will be applied to its new budget (approximately $1 million) due to sequestration. Thus, Community Services Bureau is anticipating a reduction in grant funding of approximately $4 million. These reductions come directly following a series of State budget reductions totaling $5.7 million since 2009/10. The Community Services Bureau will adjust the lost revenue in its basic grant (approximately $3 million) by: • Closing Crescent Park, Lake and Martinez centers; closing a classroom at the George Miller III Center; relocating a pre-school classroom from the Balboa to the Brookside Center; relocating two Special Day classrooms from Crescent Park to George Miller III and Balboa centers; reductions in supply purchasing, and food cost reduction (Net Savings: $295,297); • Eliminating Partner and Education contracts (Net Savings: $756, 785); • Work Force Reduction - Eliminating non-supervisory and supervisory staff (Net Savings: $2,738,414). The reduction of grant due to the Federal sequester (approximately $1 million) will be mitigated by: • Reduction of part time Center Based services and Home Based services from 39 to 30 weeks per program year, and other direct expenses (Net Savings: $732,602); The proposed reductions, if approved by the Board, will maintain the fiscal viability of the Community Services Bureau and will not impair its ability to meet the funders’ programmatic mandates. Additionally, the Bureau will realize some savings (approximately $500,000) above the identified reduction in budget that will allow the Community Services Bureau to meet unexpected financial demands such as a COLA increase for staff, increased benefit payments, facility maintenance costs, closing and moving costs associated with center closures, etc. BACKGROUND: In the Fall of 2011, the Office of Head Start established the Head Start Designation Renewal System (DRS) which required grantees to re-compete for grants. In January 2012, Community Services Bureau (CSB) was identified as one of 132 grantees nationwide that would be required to re-compete for grant. On April 2, 2013, CSB was notified that it was one of two grantees in Contra Costa County. A portion of the grant was to be awarded to The Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County, grantee to provide services in Concord’s “Monument Corridor." CSB has been notified that approximately 15% of its grant will be reduced effective July 1, 2013. The reduction in base grant funding, equates to a $3 million total reduction to the Bureau’s Head Start and Early Head Start grants. Furthermore, effective July 1, 2013, the Bureau’s Head Start and Early Head Start grants will be impacted by a 5.27% sequester, resulting in an additional budget reduction of approximately $1 million. This reduction follows a series of State budget cuts impacting the Bureau since 2009/10, totaling $5.7 million. The allocation of funding between CSB and the Spanish Speaking Unity Council results in a reduction of CSB’s funded enrollment by 276 slots (186 Head Start slots and 90 Early Head Start slots), including Early Head Start Home Based services. CSB proposes significant programmatic modifications in order to accommodate the latest reductions steaming from re-competition and sequestration. CSB proposes to realize the funding reductions to its base grant (due to the Re-Competition) by: Closure of Crescent Park, Lake and Martinez Centers Closure of two classrooms at George Miller III and Balboa (two special day classrooms to be relocated from Crescent Park). Partner Reductions: Concord Child Care and Cambridge Children’s Center – located in Monument Corridor and outside CSB’s new service area; West Contra Costa Unified School District Lincoln Center, Richmond College Prep and YMCA Richmond High partnerships' to be reducted; Personnel Reductions (resulting of reduction in slots and funding): Administration and Program Management reduction: elimination of one Assistant Director-Project position, one Children’s Services Manager-Project position, one Comprehensive Services Assistant Manager-Project position, and two Intermediate Clerk –Project; Teaching Staff reduction (staff associated with the centers & classrooms scheduled to close) : elimination of one Site Supervisor III and one Site Supervisor II, one Master Teacher-Project, eight teacher-Project and fifteen Associate Teacher-Project positions; and elimination of 2 Teacher-Project and 14 Associate Teacher-Project positions used as floaters in place of substitutes and staff on leave of absence. CSB recommends the following five strategies for realizing the $853,258 reduction to the Bureau’s budget due to the 5.27% Sequester: Reduction of all part day, part year Head Start program services from 39 weeks to 30 weeks; Reduction of 84 Head Start Home Base program services from 39 weeks to 30 weeks; Elimination of 5 Head Start and 56 Early Head Start Home Based slots; Elimination of 1 Teacher-Project and 1 Associate Teacher-Project positions used as floaters in place of substitutes and staff on leave of absence. Elimination of Partner and Education Contracts The recommended program changes are proposed to be effective July 1, 2013. The program changes take the following into consideration: minimizing the impact to children and their families; minimizing impact to CSB staff; reducing services in communities where there are other subsidized programs nearby, and retaining services in priority areas without other subsidized programs nearby. Programmatic Changes and Funding Reduction Due to Re-Competition: Closing Crescent Park, Lake, and Martinez Child Care Centers,the last day of operation will be Friday, June 28, 2013. Martinez Centers is located in an area that is saturated with subsidized child care options. Additionally, the Martinez Child Care Center is located on the premises of a property owned by the Martinez Unified School District. CSB operates the two classrooms Martinez Center on a month-to-month lease agreement. In March of 2013, the Martinez Unified School District notified CSB that the District will cease the lease to the Bureau. CSB was notified that if it is interested to continue the operation of a center out of the School District building, the Bureau needs to sign a new lease agreement and relocate its classrooms. The new classrooms offered to CSB are located in an undesirable area of the building. Furthermore, Martinez Center is very difficult to fill due to the fact that there are several subsidized child care centers in the area with longer presence in the community. Crescent Park Child Care Center, locate on the border of the Richmond Annex is located in an older facility. Maintaining the center up to the safety codes required by Community Care Licensing and the Federal/Head Star Regulations is becoming more expensive and challenging to CSB. The neighboring community is drastically changing from a low-income housing area to a moderate income community with families not qualifying for Head Start services. The center has experienced significant difficulties with reaching full enrollment which in turn may impact CSB ability to maintain 100% enrollment at all times as required by federal and state regulations. Difficulty with filling the 4 classrooms has led CSB to allow the School District to operate 2 special day classes in the facility. Lake Child Care Center is located on the premises of the Lake Elementary School in San Pablo, West Contra Costa County. For 30 years the center has occupied a modular with an expected useful life of 10 years. The maintenance of the modular, which is deteriorating rapidly, is expensive and challenging for CSB. The administration of Lake Elementary School recently notified CSB that there are plans for rebuilding the school; however, a facility for pre-school is not a consideration. Any future center at the renovated school will require full funding to build and maintain a childcare center. Additionally, CSB directly operates other centers and partners with community based child care agencies in close proximity to the Lake Elementary School. Head Start regulations require that at least 10% of the children served by each Head Start and Early Head Start program are children with disabilities. To meet this requirement, CSB collaborates with Cameron School, a program through West Contra Costa School District for children with disabilities, and operates two Special Day classrooms at Crescent Park Center. Due to the closure of the center, the Special Day classrooms will relocate to George Miller III and Balboa Centers. The relocation of the two Special Day classrooms will result in closure of a pre-school classroom at the George Miller Center III and re-location of a pre-school classroom from the Balboa to the Brookside Center. CSB will work with each impacted individual family to ensure that all children are smoothly transitioned to other centers operated by CSB. Additional childcare options will be provided through alternative payment programs and other subsidized childcare in the area. Additionally, the closure of directly operated child care centers and classrooms, CSB will eliminate its contracts with West Contra Costa Unified School District Lincoln Center, Richmond Community Foundation and YMCA Richmond High. Both agencies are located in West County, in areas saturated with subsidized child care services. Additionally, the CSB’s Community Needs Assessment shows that the need for low-income child care in West Contra Costa County has been reduced due to population shifts to East Contra Costa. Therefore, the elimination of the contracts with the above agencies will not have a negative impact on the community. CSB will eliminate its contract also with Concord Child Care and Cambridge Children’s Center – located in Monument Corridor. These centers are located outside CSB service area, which has been awarded and will be served by the Spanish Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County. During the program years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, reduction in CSB’s State funding resulted in closure of child care centers, reorganization and change of services, as well as displacement of teaching staff (3 Teacher-Project and 15 Associate Teacher-Project). CSB was committed to continuing the employment of the displaced staff and used them as floaters to substitute for employees on leave. With the latest reduction of the Bureau’s budget due to re-competition and sequestration, CSB cannot continue to maintain floater positions. Therefore, the Bureau will eliminate the three Teacher - Project and fifteen Associate Teachers-Project positions used as floaters. Furthermore, in order to keep expenditures within available funding or keep staffing at the level necessary for efficient operation of the program, it is necessary to abolish the positions described above and lay off staff listed on the following Attachments A-1 - A-5) effective on June 28, 2013. Programmatic Changes and Funding Reduction due to sequestration:To meet the challenge of the 5.27% ($853,258) reduction to the Bureau’s budget due to Sequestration, CSB will: Reduce the program year for the part day, part year Center Based and Home Based programs from 39 to 30 weeks. Reduction in direct services will be mitigated with the provision of resources and home activities to support parents in enhancing their knowledge and understanding of Early Childhood Development and Education, allowing them to become more self-sufficient and stronger advocates for their children. Staff providing services through part day, part year Center Based and Home Based Program Options will be employed for 35 weeks. Eliminate 5 Head Start and 56 Early Head Start Home Based slots. The reduction of Early Head Start slots will not have a significant impact on the community. Currently the Nurse-Family Partnership Program operated by the County’s Public Health Department provides services to pregnant women and families of infants and toddlers very similar to the comprehensive services provided by early head start programs. Recently, the First Five Commission awarded the Nurse-Family Partnership Program a grant of over $1 million to expand services to families in Contra Costa County. The reduction of Home Based and Early Home Based slot will result in elimination of three County temporary employees- Early Childhood Home Educator – Project. As a result of Federal sequester, reduction of federal Head Start and Early Head Start grants, and loss of State funding for the past two fiscal years, CSB's closures and modifications of directly operated centers/classrooms will result in the following positions to be eliminated, employees to be laid off and temporary employees county contracts that will not be renewed after June 30, 2013: • 11 Teacher-Project positions (8 lay offs; due to closure of classrooms and 3 floaters) • 1 Master Teacher-Project position (1 lay off) • 30 Associate Teacher-Project positions (lay offs) • 1 Site Supervisor III - Project (lay off) • 1 Site Supervisor II Project (lay off) • 1 Assistant Director-Project (lay off) • 1 Comprehensive Services Assistant Manager-Project (County temp; contract expires June 30, 2013) • 1 Children’s Services Manager-Project (County temp; contract expires June 30, 2013) • 2 Intermediate Clerk – Project (County temps; contracts expire June 30, 2013) - 3 Early Childhood Home Educator - Project (County temps; contracts expire June 30, 2013) CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: The Department will be required to maintain staff and provide services for which there is no available funding. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: Community Services Bureau supports all five outcomes establish by the Children’s Report Card: (1) Children Ready for and Succeeding in School; (2) Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood; (3) Families that are Economically Self Sufficient; (4) Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing; and (5) Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families. These outcomes are achieved by offering comprehensive services, including high quality early childhood education, nutrition, and health services for eligible children and their families. Recommended changes will not impact the Bureau's ability to continue to support these outcomes. Community Services Bureau will work with each impacted family to offer services through the Bureau's directly operated programs and/or will provide referrals to partner operated programs. Furthermore, Community Services Bureau will collaborate and coordinate with the new Grant agency, Spanish Speaking Unity Counsel, the transition of services to minimize the impact on children and families in the County. CLERK'S ADDENDUM Speaker: Rollie Katz, Public Employees' Union Local One. ATTACHMENTS Resolution No. 2013/243 Fiscal Assessment A1-A5 Attachments - Positions to be Abolished