ADOPTED - OCTOBER 27, 2009
Agenda Item No. 22
Introduced by the Judiciary and Finance Committees of the:
INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE A MICHIGAN COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMISSION AMERICORPS GRANT POSITION PLACEMENT FOR THE FAMILY DIVISION OF CIRCUIT COURT
RESOLUTION #09-368
WHEREAS, the Power of We Consortium successfully competed for a grant from the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) for a Michigan’s AmeriCorps project that will place ten full-time AmeriCorp members within organizations throughout the greater Lansing area to improve resident’s physical activity and nutrition; and
WHEREAS, the ten AmeriCorps members will promote the use of non-motorized transportation on trails, greenways, and city streets, and increase the use of community gardens and farmers’ markets in previous food deserts; and
WHEREAS, on October 6, 2009, the Power of We Consortium notified the MSU Extension Office that they were selected as a host site for an AmeriCorps volunteer; and
WHEREAS, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners established the Ingham County Family Center Advisory Board in Resolution #08-85 to monitor the integrity of the current and future services under the Ingham County Family Center roof, provide advice and recommendations to the County Circuit Court/Family Division and Judiciary Committee, and to develop policies and procedures for the Center; and
WHEREAS, the Ingham County Family Center Advisory Board endorses the green space concept design created by two Michigan State University students; and
WHEREAS, the Ingham County Family Center Advisory Board is recommending to the Board of Commissioners to enter into a contract with MSU Extension to fund an AmeriCorps volunteer position, to be supervised by MSU Extension, funded through the Juvenile Justice Millage; and
WHEREAS, the AmeriCorps volunteer would work directly with youth involved in the Ingham County Family Center programs (see the attached Scope of Services).
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners authorizes entering into a placement agreement with MSU Extension to oversee the AmeriCorps volunteer from November 9, 2009 through September 30, 2010 at a cost of $6,368.00, to be paid from the fund balance of the Juvenile Justice Millage.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners authorizes the Board Chairperson and the County Clerk to sign any necessary contract/placement documents that are consistent with this resolution and approved as to form by the County Attorney.
JUDICIARY: Yeas: Bahar-Cook, McGrain, Bupp, Koenig, Nolan, Schafer
Nays: None Absent: None Approved 10/15/09
FINANCE: Yeas: Grebner, Nolan, Bahar-Cook, Tennis, Davis, Dougan
Nays: None Absent: None Approved 10/21/09
Scope of Service for MSU Extension’s Support for Programs at the
Ingham Family Center
Purpose: MSU Extension will provide on-site programming support to programs at the Ingham Family Center that directly relate to increasing community knowledge of, and accessibility to, healthy lifestyle options for youth and families served by the Ingham Family Center.
Goals: Programming will align with the following goals:
1) Creating, expanding, maintaining community gardens, sustainable food systems, and access to healthy foods;
2) Creating, expanding, and maintaining trails and greenways.
Focus Areas: Direct service will be provided, via an AmeriCorps member, in three focus areas:
1) Recruitment and mobilization of community volunteers (where desirable
and appropriate);
2) Community education (where desirable and appropriate);
3) Training, supporting and modeling direct service work
Duration and Hours Provided: Staff will be provided an average of 32 hours per week from the period of November 9, 2009 through November 8, 2010. Training and development opportunities are included in this average.
Current Situation: In 2009, the garden currently was planted and tended by the PRIDE youth and staff and the produce incorporated into the lunches and dinners served at the Family Center.
Proposed Programming Activities: Programs will be planned collaboratively with Family Center staff and others such as the Ingham Academy, Highfields, etc. 2010 will be the second season of gardening at the Center and there are many ideas of ways to expand the gardening program. Additionally, a walking trail will developed throughout the Family Center site. The trail will allow the youth and staff the opportunity to follow a safe route with educational signage related to biology and fitness. The member will work with the staff to decide on the mapped route for the trail and recruit volunteers to help create the signage and paths.
MSU Extension will assist, again via an AmeriCorps member, with recruitment, training, coordination, and recognition of community volunteers to assist with the trail system development and supporting the garden and market activities. The member will also work alongside volunteers to lead the work and provide support. The member will do presentations for the Family Center Advisory Board, Greater Lansing Youth Gardening Conference, and to other stakeholders for educational purposes and to keep them updated on the progress of the project and to seek their input for future goals.
Educational activities will be provided by the AmeriCorps member by using the “2009 Youth Farm Stand Toolkit” developed by the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at MSU and the “4-H Jump into Food and Fitness” curriculum. These two specific resources and others will be used to educate the youth.
Below is a proposed timeline of some of the activities to be held at the Family Center throughout the year, including in the cold weather months.
|
Months |
Activity |
|
December-January |
- Expand on composting system - Research greenhouse options - Become acquainted with available resources - Begin trail development assessment |
|
February-March |
- Present at Youth Gardening Conference - Begin garden design planning with youth staff - Create a farmer’s market business plan with youth - Seek donations for seed starting - Recruit volunteers for trail and garden activities |
|
April-May |
- Start seeds indoors with youth - Provide volunteer training - Begin trail development work - Schedule garden tilling, layout, and planting days |
|
June-July |
- Plant garden with volunteers and youth -
Provide education to youth and volunteers related to - Maintain garden - Continue trail development - Create farmer’s market display - Begin selling at farmer’s market |
|
August-September |
- Continue selling at farmer’s market -
Plan and host a open house for the garden and trail - Assist with harvesting, preparing, and donation of produce - Continue to maintain garden |
|
October-November |
-
Provide presentation to the Juvenile Justice Committee - Hold volunteer recognition event - Prepare garden for winter months |