HAP Seeks Shared Services Program

A proposal for a shared services partnership with the Housing Authority of Plainfield lacked details, City Council members said Monday as they asked Executive Director Randall Wood to return in February with exact parameters of the plan.

Councilman Cory Storch called the plan “very vague” and said he couldn’t tell what was being proposed. Councilman William Reid agreed that it was not clear what the city and HAP were each doing and questioned the $60,000 cost.

Wood introduced Eric Graham as coordinator of the program and said, “He is doing a phenomenal job doing outreach.”

Wood mentioned a coat drive and other assistance that was being given not just to HAP residents, but to any city resident.

“I would like to share my guy with the city of Plainfield,” Wood said, although he conceded that the information provided in the council packet was very vague

“Basically, it was a PowerPoint presentation,” Wood said.

Wood added that HAP had received 14 national awards for its work.

The council asked City Administrator Eric Berry for information and Berry called on Finance Director Al Restaino to explain.

“We recognize the current economic climate,” Restaino said, noting the program would have office space in City Hall Annex.

When Councilwoman Annie McWilliams asked how officials arrived at the $60,000 figure, Restaino said it represented “our share” and in-kind use of the office space. Wood further explained it would go toward Graham’s salary. When McWilliams asked how much the whole salary was, Wood said it was about $69,000 for the salary and benefits, but if it was done through shared services, there would be a new title and it would also include an assistant, he said.

Wood said he hd received 10 letters in support of the plan “from stakeholders” and there would be no duplication of services with city programs already in place.

Storch said the documentation did not explain the services, but Graham said they would include employability and senior needs, among other things.

“We want to take on the youth,” he said.

Reid said he wanted to see the shared services agreement “reduced to writing.” Councilwoman Rebecca Williams said she had the same questions and was “not sure what it was.” She questioned a component labeled “spirituality” and said the city’s Senior Center does senior services.

“We need something concrete,” she said.

Storch asked for examples of what the proposed program would do differently from existing services and suggested that Wood and Graham return in February with eligibility criteria and other details. McWilliams asked them to identify gaps in service that the program would fill.

Although shared services have been named as a priority for 2012, council members in the past two years have sought a reduction in city-based social services. A longtime substance abuse prevention program was successfully handed off to an agency with experience in operating such programs and the Bilingual Day Care Center was also scrutinized for change. The city also has a program that assists the needy and those experiencing emergencies. .

--Bernice