February 28, 2008 Minutes (City Commission Room)
|
MEMBERS PRESENT: |
|
Jeanette Collier, Julie Mitchell, Vern Norwood, Aimee Polson, Patti Welty, Quinn Miller, Brenda Nunez |
|
|
|
|
|
MEMBERS ABSENT: |
|
Marci Francisco, Curtis Harris, Susan Mangan, Kirsten Roussel |
|
|
|
|
|
STAFF PRESENT: |
|
Lesley Rigney, Margene Swarts |
|
|
|
|
|
PUBLIC PRESENT: |
|
Elena Ivanov, Jean Rosenthal, Lynne Green, Phil Collison, Loring Henderson, Sarah Smarsh, KT Walsh |
In the absence of Chair Roussel and Vice-Chair Harris, Norwood called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
Introductions
Members, public and staff introduced themselves.
Approval of February 7, 2008 Minutes
Norwood said on page 5 – The Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging has funding for the elderly. She is not sure about specific funding for removing limbs.
Welty moved to approve the February 7, 2008 minutes with Norwood’s correction. Nunez seconded the motion, which passed.
Van Go/ Public Service Information Request - Update
Swarts said at the previous two meetings, the Committee talked about Van Go and sidewalks as potential ways to spend what is currently in contingency for capital improvements.
Norwood asked Lynne Green, with Van Go, to come to the table.
Green asked if the Committee had a chance to read the request and stated that she is here to encourage the Committee to approve what Francisco had recommended – assisting Van Go with sidewalks. Van Go has completed their capital campaign and there is still a $100,000 gap that they intend to fund with a loan. As a small non-profit they would rather not do that – they would rather spend their money on programs for children and youth as opposed to infrastructure.
Consider any Capital Improvement Funding Changes
Norwood asked if enough information was provided to have this discussion.
Swarts said there is just over $39,908 in contingency – what they can determine is whether or not to add money to the sidewalk fund and/or earmark a portion for the Van Go project. $16,400 can do all of Van Go’s sidewalk along 7th Street and NJ; $15,750 can do the remainder of New Jersey extending south to 8th Street; $20,250 can do the Pennsylvania Street project.
Norwood asked Green how soon this work will be done.
Green said exterior work is planned for the summer; the interior is being done first. The entire project will be completed by December 31, 2008.
Collier moved to allocate an additional $16,440 to Public Works to complete the sidewalk that is adjacent to Van Go. Welty seconded the motion, which passed.
Norwood asked if the Committee wants to consider funding anything else with the remaining $23,468.
There was some discussion about the Public Works proposals provided.
Francisco entered the meeting.
Nunez moved to fund the Pennsylvania project for $18,000. Collier seconded the motion.
Polson asked if there is a benefit to leaving sidewalk funding available for potential applicants.
Swarts said it is left for people to apply for and only low-mod homeowners would qualify.
Welty wondered if Pennsylvania would make more sense or the New Jersey south of Van Go.
Walsh asked if bricks will be replaced with bricks.
Swarts said that is what she understands from the proposal.
The motion failed.
Francisco moved to fund the additional 350 feet of sidewalk just south of Van Go for $15,750. Welty seconded the motion, which passed.
Public Service Performance Measures Collected – Update
Staff said that all agencies and neighborhood associations are up to date with the exception of Pinckney Neighborhood Association (PNA).
Swarts read an e-mail from Chair Roussel encouraging the group to take performance measures into account.
Collier said the Committee had decided not to take performance measures into account for funding purposes until the 2009 process.
Francisco said that they agreed not to use the actual measures, but if agencies are not submitting the measures, that is a different story.
Collier said if they are not going to report data, we cannot assess the effectiveness. We never talked about the response if NA’s fail to report.
Swarts said a few times in the past when agencies have failed to provide data, the Committee voted not to fund them and that got their attention.
Norwood asked if the group wants to take drastic steps. Is it appropriate to allot funds to agencies who are not submitting measures?
She asked if the Committee should hear from agencies first.
CDBG Public Service Deliberations
Norwood asked for DCAP representatives to come to the table.
Jean Rosenthal and Elena Ivanov were present. Rosenthal said they wanted to make a personal plea for their funding request. They have requested $6000 and received $4000 in the past. Their work fits well with the mission of the CDBG program. They help people not be homeless by making utility payments and other emergency situations – people who are very ill.
Ivanov said they currently serve 48 people and provide a lot of community outreach and education. Emergency services are so important to help HIV+ clients maintain some stability.
Collier asked how many live in Lawrence since this funding is only available for Lawrence residents.
Ivanov said she would have to check but the majority is in Lawrence. She also said this money is a last resort for clients – they explore all other possibilities first.
Norwood thanked them and asked Henderson for comments.
Loring Henderson, Lawrence Community Shelter (LCS) Director, said he understands this is the most difficult part of the Committee’s job but he is here for two reasons. He is asking that the Committee increase LCS’ allocation to $25,000. There was a comment in the minutes that Salvation Army (SA) serves more people than LCS. It is important to understand all of the things LCS is doing throughout the day and year. The shelter is a 24/7 project – they feed people breakfast five days per week to anyone who comes in. They served 576 different individuals through the shelter in a variety of programs but LCS is the primary place for people to come in the day time if they are homeless. They deal with chronically homeless who are dealing with mental illness and substance abuse. The confusion with SA is maybe due to their larger building – they sleep on average 20 more people per night than LCS. They are comparable agencies. The $20,000 is less than they received last year and their rent has gone up and they have hired additional employees.
Norwood said the Committee does not have the funding they have had in the past – requests outnumber the available funds. They have to make some choices and decisions and some cuts will have to be made. She asked that agencies bear with the Committee as they try to make these decisions.
Henderson understands – he wants the Committee to recognize that LCS is growing and cannot afford a cut.
Mitchell said Lt. Dalberg was at a neighborhood meeting and said Lawrence is rolling out the red carpet for people to come into the community for homeless services.
Henderson said the ones who are here consistently and consistently accessing services are local – at least 2/3. People who are not local usually just pass through. Services in Lawrence are not plush. It is one of those urban myths – that homeless people come to a community because of the services.
Collier asked what an additional $5,000 could do.
Henderson said it could buy breakfast for several months. The evening meal is sometimes provided by volunteers but not always.
Norwood thanked Henderson. Norwood said they have heard from two agencies who are present tonight – going back to Public Service performance measures – do they want to take any action?
Mitchell asked if PNA has a paid coordinator.
Collier said yes.
Mitchell said the application was completed incorrectly and the association has not submitted performance measures, however, they did write a big letter that answers the questions.
Collier clarified that we asked for NA’s to provide the Committee with three simple measures.
Welty said if the decision is made to not fund a NA and it disappears, how is it going to rebuild in the future.
Swarts said with volunteer effort – many neighborhoods are not funded; coordinators have only been funded for a relatively short time.
Norwood moved to zero-fund 5, PNA Operating Expenses. Miller seconded the motion.
Collier said she attended several meetings in the last few years – typically 1-5 people attend. The only time more people showed up was surrounding the hospital development. She has personally discussed these performance measures with the coordinator and the President – she feels awkward about this, but she wants her neighborhood to perform.
Norwood said she is not opposed to changing this in the future – she wants to send them a message.
The motion passed; Nunez opposed; Collier, Francisco and Polson abstained.
Welty moved to fund 6a, DCAP for $4,000. Nunez seconded the motion, which passed; Collier opposed.
Francisco moved to increase 11a, LCS $3,000 to $23,000. Collier seconded the motion, which passed.
Welty handed out her calculations for NA’s using the formula from last year. She also is proposing a more simple formula that takes simple population into account. All neighborhoods have issues that are very important to them – it is difficult to say that one neighborhood’s issue is more important than another’s.
Polson asked where performance measures would come into play.
Welty said at this point we are only considering whether measures have been submitted – not the effectiveness.
Norwood said we would only be looking at the four remaining neighborhoods. How would that impact Welty’s numbers?
Collier said last year the group decided to put some weight on low-mod and on renters.
Welty said she thinks her proposal is more fair. She drew attention to the fact that some neighborhoods get much more per household – it is not equitable.
Norwood clarified that Welty is suggesting leveling the playing field.
Welty said as far as NA’s go, NLIA is a high performer.
Norwood asked if the group wants to table this discussion or extend the meeting.
Collier wanted more data and moved to table the NA discussion. Polson seconded the motion, which passed.
Miscellaneous/Calendar Items
The next meeting is March 13 at 5:30 pm in the CC Room.
Public Comment
There was no further public comment.
Adjourn
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:55 pm.
Attendance Record
|
Member |
01/10 |
01/14 (Study Session) |
01/24 |
02/07 |
02/28 |
|
Jeanette Collier |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
Julie Mitchell |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
Patti Welty |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
Brenda Nunez |
+ |
|
+ |
|
+ |
|
Marci Francisco |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
Quinn Miller |
E |
|
+ |
E |
+ |
|
Curtis Harris |
|
+ |
|
|
|
|
Vern Norwood |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
|
Kirsten Roussel |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
E |
|
Susan Mangan |
+ |
+ |
E |
E |
|
|
Aimee Polson |
+ |
|
+ |
+ |
+ |