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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04231996 - D5 D.5 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA DATE: April 23, 1996 MATTER OF RECORD SUBJECT: Public Comment The following persons addressed the Board under Public Comment: 1. Greg Willis, 1081 Evans Avenue, Napa, Ca, commented on the Blue Ribbon Child Abuse Task Force members. 2 . Rich Peterson, 4473 Silverberry Court, Concord, Ca, commented on complaints regarding the Blue Ribbon Child Abuse Task Force., - 3 . Donice Davis, 4131 Modoc, Concord, Ca, commented on the Blue Ribbon Child Abuse Task Force membership and her difficulties with that committee. 4 . Al Simmons, AMARCH, 2936 Linden Avenue, Berkeley, Ca, commented on Black children with Black foster care providers. THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY NO BOARD ACTION TARN cow djA, w RECEIVED April 18, 1996 Mark DeSauliner APR 2 3 1996 Supervisor, District N CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2425 Bisso Lane CONTRA COSTA CO. Suite 110 Concord, CA 94520-4817 r_ar Mr. DeSauliner, Two weeks ago I met with you in your office. My concerns and complaints were: 1) There has been intimidation and threats made to parents and NOW to members of the Task Force, when complaints are made by these people against the actions of county personnel. You agreed, that the threats should NOT happen. You offered to attend the next meeting of the Blue Ribbon Panel to WARN THEM,their threats are NOT acceptable, and they violate Civil and Constitutional Rights. You did not attend that meeting, and in the conversations that I have had with members of the Task Force, I have been told they have received no warnings regarding the threats made. 2) I also mentioned that Karen Mitchoff has been making statements to the Task Force, saying that she has been assigned the responsibility to make, "Policy", "Express Concerns" or "offer Philosophical Differences" that she states, "represents those policies, concerns and philosophical differences of the Board of Supervisors". Karen Mitchoff has taken it upon herself, to question and make comments to Task Force Members, and to parents. Karen Mitchoff has been very rude, critical and argumentative with Donice Davis, the Parent Member Representative. Karen Mitchoff will interrupt her, answer her questions, and in general attempt to intimidate and disrupt Donice Davis, when Donice will make comments or ask questions to the Group. Karen Mitchoff is ONLY A STAFF MEMBER. She was NOT appointed to any member position, NOR was she assigned any position of authority! How dare Karen Mitchoff take it upon herself to assume such authority, duties and responsibilities. I am very disappointed in Paul Crissey, the Chairperson of the Task Force in NOT taking it upon himself to put a stop to this, and put Karen Mitchoff in her place. J As a Parent, as a Consumer and a Tax Payor,I am demanding that Karen Mitchoff be removed as a staff person, nor should she be assigned any other responsibility with the Task Force! 3) The problems regarding intimidation have gotten worse! Donice Davis the Parent Representative to the Task Force, has had her life threatened TWICE! and NOW . . . Due to an ANONYMOUS, IRRESPONSIBLE, MALICIOUS, CALLOUS COMPLAINT,Donice's family was threatened, and put through a week of hell by Mr. Adams, an employee of CPS! Donice and her family were accused of every conceivable abusive behavior that could be represented. The subsequent investigation and facts PROVED the charges were TOTALLY UNFOUNDED! However, Mr. Adams, in his ENTHUSIASM, to INVESTIGATE, and THREATEN and "FIND SOMETHING WRONG " with the way Donice and her husband choose to raise their family, this man put this family through a week of hell! This is EXACTLY the type of complaint many other parents are confronted with regularly by employees of the Contra Costa CPS. 4) My greatest concern is, that when Donice brought this irresponsible and irrefutable deliberate attempt to intimidate and damage her family to the attention of the Task Force, Donice's received NO SUPPORT from anyone on the Task Force. Please understand the seriousness of this. Her life was TWICE threatened, and an employee of CPS put this family through a week of hell, and no one seemed to care. Paul Crissey and Karen Mitchoff DID NOT offer any support for Donice, INSTEAD chose to frustrate and interfere with Donice's complaint and concern. What happens to those families that are NOT so innocent, and unable to protect themselves as Donice was able to do? Many families are NOT sophisticated, or may NOT have contacts with local authorities or an attorney! Many families are poor and/or uneducated and therefore cannot protect themselves! What happens to those children and parents??? I am one of the original parents who asked for this Review of Child Abuse Problems. What I have witnessed by county employees and other representatives of the county, has left me totally baffled and not trusting in those persons designated to carry out policy. This threat and intimidation of Donice Davis, a member of the Child Abuse Task Force is ONLY the surface of the problems children and parents are facing by employees of Contra Costa! We are demanding your support and protection of Donice Davis and every other person who come before any county official! • Those members of the Task Force who did not speak up for Donice Davis, or express their concern, should be embarrassed. Mr. Adams is a BULLY, and represents the intimidation of a NAZI Type Government, and his actions CANNOT be condoned! 5) Five times I applied for positions on the Task Force. Five times I have been turned down for the various positions I applied for. Three of the."reasons given" for the denial to me when I applied for a position, was made by Karen Mitchoff. Reasons were given that WERE NOT written in the policy. It is very clear to me that there has been discrimination! I compared my experience to the other Parent Consumers, the At Large Position and even the Chair Position. My experience, interest and background speaks for itself. I should have easily qualified for any one of the positions I applied for. Recently one of the two Parent Representatives quit. Again I applied and interviewed for the position. The position was given to an attorney who has lived in the county for ONLY three years. This person had NEVER attended ANY of the previous Task Force meetings, and yet was assigned a position on the Task Force. I have lived in the county for the past TWENTY YEARS, and I have attended all but ONLY two or three of the Task Force meetings. I have kept current with the problems, goals and interests of this group. I feel the reason that I was NOT appointed to the Task Force is because I have spoken out against county policy! I also felt that it was quite natural that one of the two Parent Consumer positions should be filled by a man! Thank."o off, Rich rson Concerned Parent cc: Board of Supervisors Blue Ribbon Task Force Media