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20 <br /> <br />for affordable housing, especially since the owner has <br />responded by making improvements, and recommended that the <br />Charlottesville Housing Foundation explore the possibility of <br />purchasing the house.. <br /> <br /> Ms. Clift stated that the house has been on the market <br />for several months and has only been occupied by short-term <br />renters. <br /> <br /> Ms. Alice Forloines, owner of duplexes on Rives Street, <br />stated that she thought the house had not sold because it <br />needed extensive repairs. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter recommended that staff meet with various <br />neighborhoods to discuss and plan for improvements to the <br />small neighborhood parks. <br /> <br /> Ms. Waters requested that staff also provide Council <br />with information on what improvements have been made in <br />various parks throughout the City. <br /> <br /> Mr~ German noted that improvements have been made to <br />school grounds which have been used as neighborhood parks and <br />added that the structured summer playground program will <br />operate in Rives Park next summer. <br /> <br /> Council took no action on the request pending the <br />outcome of the meeting with the neighborhood and staff. <br /> <br /> Mr. Vandever asked.what the process had been for making <br />improvements to the school grounds and Mr. O'Connell replied <br />that recently one school project per year had been completed <br />with the guidance of the schools. Mr. O'Connell recommended <br />that the neighborhood surrounding the schools be involved <br />more extensively in the future. <br /> <br />STAFF REPORT: STATE SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS <br /> <br /> Mr. Robert Cox, Assistant Director of Social Services, <br />requested Council approval for the following: 1) The <br />Department's participation in a new staff training program <br />being created by the State Department of Social Services and <br />2) An additional social worker position funded by the <br />Virginia Department of Social Services. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox stated that the training program, Virginia <br />Institute for Social Services Training Activities (VISSTA), <br />originated from interest in the General Assembly about the <br />competency of social workers providing child protective <br />services. Six training sites are scheduled to be set up in <br />local agencies throughout the State. Mr. Cox stated that the <br />City would benefit from the project through better qualified <br />staff and delivery of better services and, as the hOst <br />organization, would have direct, immediate and constant <br />access to the program. Mr. Cox stated that the only <br />disadvantage identified was the possibility~of inadequate <br />funding from the State and therefore the recommendation was <br />based on the condition that 100% of the program's direct <br />costs be paid by the State. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Vandever, Mr. Cox <br />stated that the locality would develop the job description, <br />set the pay range and hire the employees, all subject to <br />State approval. <br /> <br /> On motion by Ms. Waters, seconded by Ms. Slaughter, <br />Council unanimously approved the participation of the <br />Department of Social Services in the Virginia Institute for <br />Social Services Training Activities, on the condition that <br />the program be funded by the State. <br /> <br /> Mr. Cox explained that the 1990 General Assembly has <br />provided funding for foster care and child protective <br /> <br /> <br />