HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_SPCS_01.19.2017Minutes of the Meeting of the
Strategic Partnerships for Community Services Advisory Board
City of Georgetown, Texas
January 19, 2017
The Strategic Partnerships for Community Services Advisory Board of the City of Georgetown, Texas,
met on Thursday, January 19, at 3:30 p.m.
Members Present: Suzy Pukys, Larry Gambone, Barbara Rauch, Alexia Griffin, and George Porter
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Shirley J. Rinn, Executive Assistant to the City Manager
MINUTES
Legislative Regular Agenda
A. Call to Order --Suzy Pukys, SPCS Advisory Board Chair
The Meeting was called to Order at 3:40 p.m.
B. Roll Call --Suzy Pukys, SPCS Advisory Board Chair
All Members were present. Councilmember John Hesser was also present.
C. Consideration and possible action to approve the Minutes from the July 6, 2016 SPCS Advisory Board
Meeting—George Porter, Secretary
Motion by Porter, second by Griffin to approve the Minutes from the June 1, 2016 SPCS Advisory Board
Meeting, as amended. (Approved 5-0)
A. Consideration and possible action to adopt the Second Amended Bylaws for the Strategic
Partnerships for Community Services Advisory Board approved by the City Council on October
11, 2016—Suzy Pukys, Board Chair
Motion by Porter, second by Gambone to adopt the Second Amended Bylaws for the Strategic
Partnerships for Community Services Advisory Board approved by the City Council on October
11, 2016. (Approved 5-0)
B. Discussion and possible action regarding a review and evaluation of all of the relationships that the City
has with local nonprofits to clearly identify which agencies are benefiting from the City of Georgetown's
monetary and/or in-kind resources—John Hesser, Councilmember, District 3
John Hesser provided an overview of how the Strategic Partnerships for Community Services Advisory
Board was established and wanted to circle back around with the Board to see how the process is
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working since we have utilized the Advisory Board for two full grant cycles. He wanted to know if the
process and methodology was working and if not whether there were any recommendations to
improve the process. He also wanted to get the Board's insight as to whether we were accomplishing
what we set out to do.
There was a discussion regarding the board's potential role with regard to vetting in-kind grants for free
rent, land leases and/or utilities and also the need for transparency for the public to be able to disclose
the full impact of the types of grants the City awards, whether they were monetary or in-kind subsidies
of utilities, rent, or land, and which agencies receive those monetary or in-kind subsidies or both. The
Board inquired whether it could receive a comprehensive overview of this type information.
Rinn provided an overview of why the Board referred Williamson Burnet County Opportunities' (WBCO)
Grant Request for utilities and rental of the Madella Hilliard facility back to the City Council for approval
for its FY 2016-17 grant request. There was discussion about the benefit of having a comprehensive
overview of all of this type of information so that the Board could make more informed decisions. They
told Hesser that if Rinn had not been able to fill them in on WBCO's receiving the in-kind benefits they
would have probably provided them additional grant monies a couple of years ago and that it would be
helpful to have this information in advance of the review of the grant applications so that this type of
situation doesn't occur. Rinn and Hesser told the Board know the City recently compiled a listing of all
of the properties that were being leased by non-profit organizations. The Board indicated that they
would like to see a copy of the comprehensive list. Rinn told the Board that it included some property
valuations and estimated rental values for each of the facilities and that this information had been
presented to the City Council in Executive Session and that she would need to get permission to provide
that information to the Board. However, she would be able to provide a comprehensive list of all of the
Lease Agreements and the terms of those agreements to the Board.
There was some discussion whether or not the oversight of the lease agreements and property should
reside with this Advisory Board or another so that each of them could be properly vetted prior to
approval. There was discussion that if that occurred it would mean changing the City Council's Charge
for this Advisory Board.
There was additional discussion regarding the need to include in future lease agreements of this nature
provisions for maintenance responsibility of the city owned facilities so that they don't deteriorate and
to ensure that the properties are sustaining themselves. Hesser also told the Board that one of the
things that the Council wanted to look at was how to approach the renewals of each of these leases as
they come due in the long term to ensure that the city's facilities continued to be maintained over time.
As an example, Hesser described the situation with the Grace Church Lease Agreement. Rinn told the
Advisory Board that we had City staff that were monitoring the Grace Church Lease Agreement.
The Board discussed the potential need to sit down and review all of this information and come up with
some guiding principles with regard to how to award grants to organizations that also receive in-kind
subsidies. The Board discussed the additional need to review the lease agreements each year to vet
whether there were any issues with each of them that needed to be addressed. Rinn told the Board
that she could provide them with a list of the Lease Agreements the City has with various organizations
in the community. It was clarified that the in-kind subsidies were not included in the $400,049 that is
currently allocated for Strategic Partnerships for Community Services grants.
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The Board discussed the current process of recommending and allocating the Strategic Partnerships for
Community Services Grants, and all agreed that the process is working well. Hesser told the Board that
the Council is pleased with the current processes and how the Board has vetted the applications.
C. Discussion and possible action regarding the FY 2015-16 Annual Reports and the future reporting
format for the Annual Reports—Suzy Pukys, Advisory Board Chair
Rinn provided an overview of the Annual Reports that were received for from the Agencies that
received grants for FY 2015-16.
Discussion regarding the need to find a way to standardize the Annual Reports in the future. The Board
discussed adding an exhibit to the Performance Agreements to provide an example of a standardized
reporting format for the Annual Reports. Additional discussion regarding the actual need for all of the
auditing information and whether having a shorter report that specifically shows how they used the
funding they received.
Further discussion about how to get more valuable reporting from the agencies that specifically
addresses how they used the funding they received.
D. Adjourn
Meeting was adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
Attest:
1
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George Porter, Board Secretary
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Suzy Pdys, Boar Chair