Title
Recognizing and thanking Kay Wittgenstein for 34 Years of exemplary service to the people of Saint Paul.
Body
WHEREAS, Kay Wittgenstein joined the City as a Social Worker in the City's Department of Public Health in April of 1981 earning a $7.66 an hour; and
WHEREAS, Kay was integral in the development of an innovative partnership in the 1980s between the Saint Paul Public Health Department's social workers and code enforcement inspectors which came to be known as the House Calls Program; and
WHEREAS, this partnership enabled her to enter people's lives at a point when they were in a housing crisis, and she helped them find the services they need for themselves and their families to improve their lives; and
WHEREAS, the House Calls partnership model later extended, for several years, to the Police Department's Focusing Our Resources on Community Empowerment (FORCE) Unit where Kay was able to help children in the households affected by the enforcement activities undertaken; and
WHEREAS, Kay is a leader in the movement to work with hoarders to improve, and sometimes save, their lives; and
WHEREAS, in these efforts Kay developed partnerships to provide for the most basic, yet innovative, service need of roll-off dumpsters for those who must shed their possessions; and
WHEREAS, in keeping with Kay's commitment to those in housing crises, one of her last career efforts was to develop a grant for those who have recently become homeless and face a 30 to 90-day wait before basic emergency shelter is available to them; and
WHEREAS, Kay was the 2003 recipient of the Karl Neid Award affirming her well-earned a reputation of being a hard-working and creative, resilient and caring servant to the City's residents; and
WHEREAS, her City staff colleagues know, respect and love her for the compassion and professionalism she brings to those who face housing crisis resulting from the enforcement of health, safety and welfare codes; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, the City of Saint Paul does hereby express its gratitude and acknowledges its indebtedness to one of her own daughters, (Mary) Kay Wittgenstein, for her life of service to its residents; and be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council declares Monday June 29th, 2015 to be Kay Wittgenstein Day in the City of Saint Paul.