Empower Tusc Coalition Meeting
- Zoom Meeting
- Friday, February 4, 2022
Present:
- Kathy Bazaar, OhioGuidestone, Crisis Peer Responder
- Robert Bray, WBTC Radio
- Bridgett Britton, 4-H Extension, Suicide Committee Chair
- Jessica Codd-Sexton, OhioGuidestone, Youth-To-Youth Coordinator, Youth Serving Rep
- Travis Garrett, Citizen Member
- Kiersten Heckel, 4-H Extension Advisor
- Briana Herzog—Tuscarawas Co Public Library
- Bill Houglan, Citizen Member
- Gail Houglan, Citizen Member
- Connie Limbacher, ADC Secretary
- Kristen Macauley, Springvale- AOD Sector
- Mary Marshall, Citizen Member
- Alex McCarthy, Tusc Co EMA Director
- Kerry Metzger, Tuscarawas Co Commissioner, ADC Chairman
- Piper Olson, Youth Representative of Tusc Co Youth to Youth
- Miles Riley, Springvale
- Jodi Salvo, OhioGuidestone, Director of SUD Prevention
- Diana Smith, Springvale & 922 Initiative Coordinator
- Veronica Spidell, ADAMHS Board
- Robin Waltz, Tusc Co United Way Director
- Terry Wilcox—Community Hospice Chaplain
Meeting Summary:
Kerry Metzger called the Zoom meeting to order at 10:01 AM on Friday, February 4, 2022, with 18 members & 3 visitors present. Veronica Spidell made a motion to accept the January 7, 2022 minutes Miles Riley seconded and all voted yes.
Executive: The ADC name and mission statement needs changed & updated in the by-laws from ADC to Empower Tusc. Mary Marshall made the motion and Kristen Macaulay seconded and all members voted yes. It has been proposed that we change the ADC meeting date & time to allow possible key people to attend. After some discussion, Robert Bray made a motion to change the ADC meeting date to the second Friday of each month and the time to 9:00 am to 10:30 am. Mary seconded and all voted yes. Our next meeting in March would be Friday the 11th from 9:00am-10:30am. Kerry has established an Ad Hoc Committee to look into the best way to continue our funding as year 5 of our grant comes up in 2023. We can apply for years 6-10 for the $125,000 funds but this isn’t a guarantee. Kerry has appointed Miles to chair, with Chris Lane and Michaela Madison on that committee.
Steering Committee—Planning for Press Conference to be held February 22 at 1:30 PM at the Teen Center. Would like all committee chairs & anyone wanting to attend, please let Jodi know, as we will have nice shirts to wear to release the new organizational name change from ADC to Empower Tusc. Would like everyone present by 1:15 pm. Orientation for New Members: Jodi explained that we would like to put a training video together with different segments on our website that will be about each aspect of our committees to give new members overview of what functions the ADC perform. We will do the video after our press release when our new name is made public. This way we can wear our new shirts with new logo.
- Youth: Piper Olson-Youth To Youth Representative reported that Central Catholic students are focusing in February on Teen Dating Violence Awareness with posters in the bathrooms & the bulletin board decorations. March has National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week and will have more bulletin board decorating along with a game called “Kahoot” which is a fun question & answer. After Piper’s explanation, it was suggested we play the game during one our regular ADC meetings in the future. Jessica Codd reported that the month of January was filled with a ton of snow days, which had inhibited her from meeting with students for most of the month. She reported that Strasburg went over a newly developed vaping jeopardy learning game. The students liked this learning game and decided that they wanted to teach in to younger students in the school. We hope to use this for NDAFW. TCC met a few times throughout the month. They decided to focus on teen dating violence awareness for February. They also decided what they would like to accomplish throughout the next few months, so when Jess had her baby the students were able to complete the year themselves with the support of their school advisors. Claymont middle school only met once or twice- and we started going through substance use units. We have started with alcohol education and which will then be following be learning about nicotine.
- Alcohol Committee: Veronica reported that there is many things that will need rebranded including the “Parents Who Host, Lose the Most” yard signs, and banners, ASK Video etc. Hopefully the Communities Talk Grant will be released soon so we can secure funding to bring in a speaker for Alcohol Prevention Awareness Month in April.
- Faith Based Committee: Jodi reported that the Pastor’s Briefing was held in December and emails have been sent to all area pastors with info on the marijuana situation and how pastors can encourage their congregation to contact their legislature representatives around marijuana expansion and legalization. Looking for a chairperson for this committee and Jodi suggested consideration of Rick Arredondo. She will meet with Rick and inquire if he would consider this position, which would include attending the various Ministerial Association meetings in the county and acting as a conduit of Empower Tusc with area pastors.
- Marijuana Committee Kerry shared with us several bills. HB60—Autism spectrum being added to list of diseases that the Medical Marijuana card could be used for. Senate Bill 261—Revised Medical Marijuana bill to open it up to almost any type of issue. It has passed in the Senate and is now in the House. No testimony has been given for this bill yet. Ballot Issue—Recreational legalization. Headed by a group called Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol. They have collected signatures needed. Jodi reported that the Ohio Statewide Marijuana Prevention Task force is still working on a tool kit for communities to use to educate and create awareness around the negative impacts of recreational legalization. She also reported that she just returned from Washington, D.C., and attending CADCA forum with Autumn Poland (Tusc Co Health Dept & Tobacco/Vaping Committee Chair) and did not get as much info beneficial to us as the snow storm brought them back early.
- Media Committee: Jodi reported in the absence of Michaela that the Media Committee is working on the Press Conference. Robert reported that he has been using youth to do a Shout Out for the HOPE LINE on the radio station.
- Prescription Drug Committee: Jodi reported in the absence of Jeff that rebranding is a current focus, as there are so many products that need to be changed to reflect name, contact information and website, especially in regards to the April Drug Take Back day. The committee at this time is also in the planning process for 2022.
- Suicide Prevention Committee: Bridget reported that they are just getting started searching for members. She has received a list of possible members that she will be reaching out to in the future but anyone wanting to be a part of this committee needs to contact her. Meetings will be held the 4th Monday of each month at 1:00pm.
- Tobacco/Vaping Committee—Jodi shared in the absence of Autumn that they are working with the Leadership Tusc project team to target workplace cessation in the Dover area. Also, working on the implementation of the Apportis platform to connect Claymont students, parents and staff with community resources and information, with particular focus on tobacco, nicotine and vaping information and cessation resources.
- 922 Initiative—Diana reported that the 922 Initiative will meet the second Tuesday of each month at noon. They are currently working to create a community garden. This is a project to help stop learned behavior by getting involved in something else, such as investing in their community. Four city lots have been donated and this committee would appreciate any other donations such as seeds, fertilizer, etc.
Old Business: Jodi shared that we have received a mini grant to help with rebranding our Rx products from Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Recycling District. Kerry shared the importance of Volunteer Hours being turned in. Jodi’s six-month grant report is due in February. This is for August 1, 2021-January 31, 2022. We are down in volunteer hours and in-kind volunteer match is needed to receive continued funding. Please turn in your hours by February 10th to Connie so she can compile and give Jodi the figures end of next week. Connie will be e-mailing: Committee Meeting Dates & Times; Letter to Legislators; Phone Script to Legislators; New Member Form and Volunteer Sheet to be filled out. Please remember that the Letter to Legislator is JUST a FORM letter. You need to personalize it for it to mean anything. Same thing goes with the Phone Script.
Diana made a motion to adjourn and Miles seconded. All voted yes at 11:26 AM.
Next Board Meeting will be held on Friday, March 11th from 9:00-10:30 as a Hybrid meeting at the Tuscarawas County Convention & Visitors Bureau. NOTE THE NEW DATE & TIME!!
