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1y " .I,_�6.,. Richard Schlitt advised that he is past president of Youth Manor. He was in favor of Children's Services Network. He believed we need to be for kids and take a stand for them. He stressed that good kids are affected by one kid who does not receive proper care. Bill Koolage did not hear anything about the school's role in this program. He would like to see it administered by the school system. He encouraged the Board not to set up another board, but use what is already in place. Don Dixon, District Administrator for the Department of Children and Families, District 15, spoke in support of the proposal because it represents a way to think about organizing services for children in a community. He hoped that the people would not think of it as a way of spending more and more dollars. He emphasized that taxpayers' dollars will be spent wisely and there will be an accounting for those dollars. The system currently in place in communities does not spend the dollars wisely. He related a study done in Miami by people appointed by the Court. One thing it showed is that the efforts are not maximized for children between the ages of 5-13. He felt this was an opportunity to turn the tide on juvenile and adult crime, and produce healthy, contributing taxpayers. He commended the Commission for considering this critical issue. It is not a substitute for parents, but there are parents out there who need the organized support of a community. Arlene Fletcher, Director of Indian River County Council on Aging, spoke at length as an advocate for the aging and pointed out that the $240,000 annual grant from the Board of County Commissioners goes totally for transportation, none goes to senior citizen services in Indian River County. She stated that the Junior League is starting a new child care project. She gave statistics on United Way's and other organizations' allocations for children in Indian River County. She questioned why the Council on Aging had to pay rent for a community building in Gifford to serve the congregate Meals on Wheels. Chairman Eggert explained that all users of the building had to pay for its use in order to help toward the maintenance of the building. Commissioner Adams found it offensive that an organization the County has funded generously had concern. It seemed to her that there was an obvious hostility of senior citizens versus children, which she felt was counter-productive. The comments were budget -related, and not appropriate to the subject at hand. Commissioner Macht added that he sits on the community advisory board of the Junior League and they are in full support of the Children's Services Network and they have not committed to building a childcare center. He suggested that Ms. Fletcher be careful about whom she was speaking. Ms. Fletcher continued by saying that she supports the coordination of the effort for children. What she was trying to say is that she is not against services for children, but her point was that the money the Council on Aging receives goes towards mass transit. She felt that perhaps the system might need to be revised. Guy Barber, 503 7a' Place, spoke against the program as being another bureaucracy and another layer of fat and another promise to do good. He quoted statistics on infant mortality stemming from forced immunization. He predicted that the Board of County Commissioners will become the "mother organization" and will put the Board in the position that the School Board is in now with lawsuits against it. He remarked that a child can call 9-1-1, to avoid discipline by parents, by saying they are being abused. Dr. Hulda Grobman stated she was speaking primarily as a citizen, but also an educator, former teacher of public administration at the University of Florida, and as a County Commission appointee to District 15 Children and Families. She spoke strongly in support of Children's Services Network, calling it an urgent need if we are to spend time and money appropriately for the children of our county. She called two items to the Board's attention. She urged more leeway in measuring success and failure in 103.21 (2) e) on page 46, relating to standards for measurable outcomes. She was very aware that we do not know how to measure and that the most significant changes might not be immediately 38 MAY 13, 1997