Welcome and Minutes Review / Present: Laurie Loisel, Cherry Sullivan, Shannon Hicks, Leah Finch, Albie Park, Officer Rick Rogalski, Stephen Linsky, Kendra Kuhn, Lois Levin, Ruth Ever, Corinne Briggs
Regrets: Nancy Follansbee, Gail Canon, Sue Welson, Julie Anne Levin, Officer Tammy Kaleta
Minutes by: Corinne Briggs
Gail Canon has stepped down from the Executive Committee for the rest of this year, but remains supportive of the Coalition and its work. We will reassess for next year and hope she can have more time to join us again. Her contributions are most appreciated. Thank you Gail! Meantime, we will start searching for a replacement from a community or social service agency or the high school (since Gail represents both community orgs and the high school).
The October and November (Full Coalition) minutes were approved. / Ruth/Corinne: Will present card and small gift to Gail from the EC
Building Capacity and Preventing Underage Drug Use / 1. Debrief about Overdose Awareness Candlelight Vigil andFull Coalition Gathering & next steps
- What went particularly well?
- The Vigil met a need in the community while keeping with the goals and objectives of the Coalition. The Vigil was organized by the Coalition, but it was for the community.
- It was a great opportunity to make new connections within the community, which then brought some new people to the Full Coalition Gathering.
- A number of people who were on the November ballot attended the Vigil which showed their commitment to overdose awareness and prevention/recovery efforts in Easthampton.
- The timing of the Full Coalition Gathering helped attendees become aware of an upcoming Planning Board meeting which discussed the final draft of the marijuana regulations before it was presented to City Council.
- What kind of follow up should there be?
- The EC will do some personal outreach to all Full Coalition Gathering attendees
- It may be beneficial to organize a Parent Café in January or send out an E-Newsletter (with graphic) that focuses on local government and the process by which decisions are made (such as those relating to the newly drafted marijuana regulations).
- Retail marijuana regulations were voted out of the Planning Board and will be read to the City Council meeting on 12/20/17.
- New City Council members will begin in January 2018.
- When finalized, the State regulations will guide the Easthampton regulations.
- Discussions will continue onthe proposed marijuana regulations including, but not limited to:
- A proposed cap of 12 marijuana retailers
- Social (on-site) consumption
- A new marijuana and youth rack card, created in-house which focuses on marijuana and the teen brain with reminders to safely store marijuana in the home, was shared for feedback. It is our hope to have this rack card available in pediatrician offices, CHD, marijuana retail shops and dispensaries. We already have verbal interest from MJ shop owner and the medical MJ dispensary owner.
- In response to some recent incidences with MJ within the schools, the District (through Kendra and Julie Anne) sent an email to all parents/caregivers in the entire school district on 12/5/17 which included our Marijuana and Youth 2-page informational sheet and other related resources that we put together.
- Reportout from meeting with our SPIFFY consultants
- GailGrammarosa, Sue Cairn, Julie Anne and Ruth met to begin working on the grant which is due in March 2018. We are eligible for one more 5-year DFC grant.
- Will need to explore how we may broaden our reach and sustainability. Examples include collaborating with the youth group at Treehouse, the Easthampton Rotary Club, Helping Hands, holding SFP for Parents and Youth 10-14 at local churches, etc.
- Need to take hard look at our strengths and weaknesses and where we want to focus for next 5 years
- Reaching out to sectors (faith, business, youth, new mayor, etc.)
- CIAs (formally known as MOUs) will need to be renewed or completed by the Mayor, Police Chief, Superintendent, area business leaders, so all 12 sectors are on board.
- Priorities for next few months as we write the grant
- Follow-up with community members who have recently attended our events and further involve them in the Coalition’s work.
- Have Coalition members complete a report of their individual contributions
- Identify new co-chairs for the Executive Committee
- Recruit new members to the Finance Committee (all members are stepping off after several years)
- 3 people, meet quarterly
- 1 person from the Executive Committee should sit on this committee
- Hold more Full Coalition Gatherings with break out/working sessions
- Update logic models and strategic plan to inform grant
- Will review and discuss all this at January Strategic Planning Retreat
Talk. They Year You regional campaign; SFP10-14; Social Norms campaign at EHS; Parent Cafes on vaping, data and marijuana; Compliance Checks; PNASdata presentations; attend City Council meetings which discuss marijuana regulations; safe storage materials and campaign
- Parent Café topics: Vaping (presenter: MelindaCalianos), understanding local government and decision making bodies and role community can play;
- Explore how we may further collaborate with Hampshire Regional
- Presentation on PNAS data for newly elected School Committee, City Council, etc.
- Will discuss further at next meeting
- Ruth and Susan L will be doing a poster session at CADCA this year entitled: Talk, they hear you: effectively reaching parents locally and regionally.
- Corinne will also attend for 2 days and we’re working on getting enough funds for Laurie L to attend for the first time.
EC: Will contact Full Coalition attendees
Cherry: Will set up a meeting (end of Dec.) with new Mayor to discuss drug prevention and Tx with Ruth, Lois & Shannon
Cherry: Will speak with MassTap about a presentation on local government and let Ruth know
Corinne: Will re-circulate the rack card for additional feedback
EC: Will coordinate with Corinne/Ruth and meet with community members to explore other ways we can collaborate; also will begin collecting signatures for CIAs
Cherry:Will contact Rotary Club
EC: Will identify EC co-chairs for year long commitment
Ruth: Will circulate a form to be completed by members of the EC and other Coalition members
Stephen: Will keep the EC informed of important meeting dates for the Planning Board, City Council, etc.
Ruth: Will speak to contacts at Hampshire Regional
Next meetings:March 21 at 5:00 pm at EHS(skip January and February EC meetings since we have extended strategic planning retreat coming up and Feb conflicts with winter break week)
The Parent Engagement meeting originally scheduled for January 9th is being changed as this is the same night as the panel on addiction presentation with Dr. Ruth Potee at Hampshire Regional. General discussion about having most of our meetings include educational pieces or speakers to engage participants and not just be about planning.
Strategic Planning Retreat to review and adjust logic models, goals and objectives will be held late January. Date TBD.
- Hope to have Sue Cairn lead retreat