Panel member proposes adding social worker to panel to boost attendance; July meeting canceled

A staff member said the next meeting would be canceled because it falls near the July 4 holiday, and participants discussed ways to improve attendance, including adding a social worker to the panel.

The discussion began with a check for quorum. A staff member noted the group was waiting for two more people to join and confirmed that “next month's meeting is gonna be canceled” because of the holiday scheduling conflict. Participants then suggested rescheduling, with the first Wednesday in August floated as the next meeting date.

A committee member proposed adding “one of the social workers” to the panel to increase the likelihood that meetings reach quorum and to bring expertise on children and community events. The committee member said the role would likely be a modest time commitment — “once a month, 1 hour, right, roughly?” — and argued that including a social worker could help ensure relevant perspectives are present when youth-related items are discussed.

Speakers clarified that the seat would be determined by department rather than by individual title. As one participant noted, the addition would come from the same department already represented on the panel (referenced in the discussion as HHS or BHS); the transcript does not define those acronyms. Participants pointed to past panel members who served under the same department as precedent for department-based representation.

No formal motion or recorded vote on the staffing suggestion was made during the recorded segments. The only formal decision recorded in the discussion was to cancel the July meeting because of the July 4 holiday; participants tentatively agreed to meet on the first Wednesday in August.

The meeting continued with roll-call and attendance planning after these items were discussed.