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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 05/04/1995CDBG COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES May 4, 1995 The meeting of the CDBG Commission began at 6:00 p.m. in the Columbine Room of the Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, Colorado. Commission members present at the meeting included Chairman Linda Coxen, Bill Bertschy, Bobbie Guye, Dan MacArthur, Tim Ostic, Holly Sample, William Steffes, and Joe Zimlich. Staff members present included Ken Waido, Jackie Davis, and Mary Hile. PRESENTATIONS Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation - HOPE 3 Home Ownership; $100,000. HA1. Debbie Lapp presentation. Ms. Lapp reviewed the program, which uses a Hope 3 HUD grant to hire a consultant to plan a program for home ownership by people with disabilities. Ten people are targeted in Larimer County. Ms. Lapp noted the qualifications, the fact that Fort Collins has not yet had a closing within the program, and the contributions made by HUD, CHAC, Division for Developmental Disabilities, Foothills Gateway, and the Division for Mental Health. Ms. Lapp further spoke of the program's promotion of independence, along with the difficulty of housing in Fort Collins, particularly people with fixed income. She referred to one quadriplegic client working full-time at CSU who cannot take a raise because she would no longer be Section 8-eligible. Ms. Lapp noted the prices - $60,000 and up - for condominiums that would be available for the program's clients. In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Lapp stated that: A buyer can generally afford $30,000; CHAC will subsidize $17,500 per person for ten people in Fort Collins; and $10,000-15,000 additional per person in Fort Collins is being requested to acquire lower -end housing of $70,000-75,000. CHAC hopes for some people to buy together in order to increase the available money. The CDBG money would be used for additional down payment. Some people in lower -cost housing markets will not need the entire subsidy; that will increase the available funds for other clients. The housing stays affordable for 20 years; if sold previous to 20 years, all CDBG money could be returned. The program has had six closings, has three others set, and a waiting list of 35. Increases in equity go to the purchaser; program funds are returned at time of sale. Elderhaus Adult Day Program, Inc. - Renovate Facility; $75,000. PF1. Rene Clements presentation. Ms. Clements reviewed the expertise of the local volunteers and volunteer companies who have agreed to aid in the project. She enumerated the companies that have been contacted for donated labor. The Boettcher Foundation had been asked for a grant of $25,000 if the CDBG request is approved. CDBG Commission Minu,es May 4, 1995 Page 2 In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Clements stated that: The church has agreed to an addition and expansion of the facility. A provision for an option to buy the land is being developed. If Elderhaus can purchase the buildings, the church can then purchase property on the east side of Shields for parking. The goal is to purchase in the next two years. There is no problem getting a long-term lease. If CDGB funds are not granted, the facility would pursue a line of credit to meet its financing needs. Grounds maintenance is currently provided by the church, as landowner. Other maintenance is a budget item, with program participants performing some of the maintenance as an activity. The $75,000 requested is for purchase of materials to be used in the barn -raising. Costs were estimated by square feet basis, of $80/square foot for new construction and $35/square foot for remodel. Vaught Frye feels that the $75,000 is a realistic figure, given the other donations being requested. The church will be used for services during the construction period, which would begin the first part of July. Timing may be changed if CDBG moneys are not disbursed until October and cannot be used for reimbursement. Drahota and Design Build are sharing project manager duties. Crossroads Safehouse, Inc. - Upgrade and remodel - $155,000. PF2. Gail Cotton presentation. Ms. Cotton reviewed the recent addition and outlined the items contemplated in the proposal, including: lighted exit signs; perimeter fencing; back door overhand; kitchen remodel; shoring up of kitchen floor and ceiling. In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Cotton stated that: The kitchen remodel is listed at $71,000. The kitchen was not part of the recent renovation. A lesser amount could be accepted from CDBG, but the structural problems must be addressed. Ms. Cotton can provide a cost breakdown for the structural aspect of the remodel. Since the kitchen will be torn up for the structural repairs, it would be economical to effect the remodel at the same time. Ms. Cotton did not know if the City would necessarily pay for structural repairs on a City -owned building. Crossroads has a three-month reserve fund. The facility is exploring means of long-term funding. Respite Care, Inc. - Kitchen Renovation and Restoration - $22,204. PF3. Sherry Pelton presentation. Ms. Pelton reviewed the proposed kitchen renovation. She distributed pictures of the current facility. Four children can be seated in the kitchen at one time, and one wheelchair at a time. The six-foot expansion would allow three wheelchairs in at one time. The program serves 64 Larimer County families and provided 30,000 hours of care in 1994. 20 to 25 children are served on any day. Other grant proposals will be written for upgrading appliances and other equipment. The kitchen floor that CDBG funds paid for will be expanded and not tom up in the renovation. CDBG Commission Mies • May 4, 1995 Page 3 In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Pelton stated that: The addition will be six by ten to twelve feet. Brick on the wall will be replaced. The method was chosen as being the quickest and least disruptive to operations. Usually at least three children in wheelchairs are present at dinner. The program's license allows for 15 children at one time. With turnover, 25 children are probably served during the day. There is no waiting list; staff works scheduling to ensure all are served. A second facility in the south is a long-range option. The program also works with in -home services. Food Distribution Center of Larimer County - Cooler Renovation - $51,923. PF4. Wendie Robinson presentation. Ms. Robinson stated that the food supplied by the program saves money for other programs.. She gave an overview of the mission of the program: to receive donated food and distribute it to individuals and other programs in need through various pick-up and distribution methods. Ms. Robinson explained that the cooler in the warehouse was built with drywall construction. The 30-by-40-foot freezer was recently built and is being used to close to capacity. The walls of the cooler are deteriorating due to non effectiveness of the vapor barrier. Because of dampness within the walls, fluid sometimes drips down the wall. A supplier has voiced concerns about the cooler. A working cooler is essential to the proper function of the program. In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Robinson stated that CDBG funds wee used to obtain the original cooler. A local architect oversaw the original construction. The Food Center's board of directors is looking at pursuing liability of the original installer. The new proposed cooler would be the same size as the present one. The time factor of the CDBG application and the possibility of going to court is deterring the board of directors from pursuing liability of the installer now. Product is presently stored in the cooler. A supplier, Second Harvest, has required funding for an alternate cooler within six months, although they will be flexible. The walls are beginning to separate, so it is a problem in need of resolution. If the problem is not resolved, cooler space elsewhere will need to be rented. Although the situation is not yet critical, it is expected that the Health Department will not approve of the present situation. Disabled Resource Services - Supported Youth Employment Project - $10,500. PSI. Patricia Frisbie presentation. Shawn Myers of New Mercer was identified, who spoke of a positive situation for a leaming-disabled employee named Laura. Job -coaching provided Laura the guidance needed to achieve independent work skills at a housekeeping job. It was further noted that job coaching costs approximately $578; disable/handicapped people are 17-18 percent of the community; and that the investment to the taxpayer is small compared to the return. CDBG Commission Mini a May 4, 1995 Page 4 In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Frisbie stated: Loveland CDBG did not award any of the $3,000 requested. The program does not yet have a waiting list. The funds would be applied to the summer program, and other moneys are being requested from other agencies. The program works to prevent hproblems from developing in a population that does not function well without such help. Radio Reading Service of the Rockies, Inc. - Reading Service - $7,000. PS2. David Dawson presentation. Mr. Dawson reviewed the geographic scope of the service. He distributed flyers to the Commission and described the history of the program. Through subcarrier frequencies on public radio stations, materials are read for the benefit of blind and visually impaired people. The listeners are provided with special receives in order to obtain the signal. Mr. Dawson displayed a receiver. A volunteer group of 10 or 12 has been working in Fort Collins for two and a half years. The service provides blind people access to news, magazine - type features, and other printed information such as classified ads. In response to questions by the Commission, Mr. Dawson stated: The service contacts facilities and organizations concerning their needs. The receivers cost approximately $100 each and are supplied free of charge, but a donation is requested to help defray the cost. The $7,000 requested would be used to distribute materials, offset cost of the receivers, and aid service members with mileage expenses. There are presently approximately seven units in Fort Collins, with more being sent out. Funding has been very difficult; the service has just recently begun making CDBG applications. The funds received from various sources would be used to aid the entire program. The service retains ownership of the receivers and repairs them as needed. There is no waiting list; if one developed, the priorities would go to residential situations where the units would do the most good. Catholic Community Services/New Bridges - Continuum of Homeless Services - $45,000. PS3. Emie Jaiman/Ralph Shannon/Helen Somersall presentation. Catholic Community Services Northern serves the homeless. The numbers served have risen from 747 in 1989 to 1500 in 1994. Over 1700 are anticipated for 1995. The reserves were originally allocated for future funding reductions; in 1995, the $50,000 reserve will be exhausted. $50,000 is still set aside, but funding sources of United Way, CDBG, and Federal moneys are thinning out. The joint proposal before the Commission addresses a continuum of service needs. New Bridges provides collaborative but nonduplicative services with CCSN during daytime hours. Hope Job Bank provides the only day labor program in Fort Collins. The services work cooperatively to ensure that the needs of families in the program are addressed. The facility makes use of CSU intems and provides motivation for people within the facility to go out and accomplish CDBG Commission M1 0 tes • May 4, 1995 Page 5 something. Mental health outreach workers also work with some people in the facility. In response to questions by the Commission, the program representatives stated: The programs could accept $38,000 as a minimum. Other funding sources are being explored. Joyce Whidden is the new program director and has brought stability to administration. The lease expires March 1 of 1996, and no problems are anticipated in extending the lease. The funds requested would defray operating costs. Trash pickups are made throughout the neighborhood to help ease tensions with the neighbors. The administration also deals with loitering complaints; however, the facility is small, and some people are necessarily on the street at any given time. The clients are generally cooperative, because it is in their interests for the facility to succeed. Almost 90 percent of revenue raised goes to personnel to operate the facility and its programs. The program is trying to meet the basic needs of a population that presents a wide range of problems. The funds requested would help maintain, not expand, the staff. Senior Employment Service - Job Finding Help - $15,781. PS4. Valerie DiBenedetto presentation. Ms. DiBenedetto introduced Pat Sherwood, the new director of RSVP. Ms. DiBenedetto provided the following statistics to the Commission for 1994: 211 new clients; 1,045 follow-up contacts of persons over age 55; 287 new job offers; involved in placement of 93 clients. She read comments of senior job applicants who expressed frustration with the employment environment. The service works with older workers by teaching job skills and answering the questions that the clients have about employment. In response to questions by the Board, Ms. DiBenedetto stated: The program shares office space with Job Service and receives desk space and the use of the network computer. Job Service will not fund the program. The Office on Aging provides $3500. Loveland CDBG awarded no funds to the program. She enumerated some of the employers who regularly call on the service. The program serves anyone over the age of 55 but asks for present income to know whether to place them in a funded program. The percentages of low- and moderate -income clients are above that of the higher -income clients. Child Care Collaborative Project - Child Care Tuition Assistance - $26,187.60. PS5. Leslie Wells presentation. The application is a collaborative effort of Sunshine School, BASE Camp, and United Way Day Care. Nonprofit agencies and Front Range Community College have joined over the past five years to provide improved, more affordable, and more accessible child care services to Fort Collins. The collaborative works with other child care providers to provide child care and parenting programs. The sliding scale aspect helps provide quality child care to low- and moderate -income Fort Collins families to help them become self- sufficient. The programs are distributed throughout the city. CDBG Commission Minutes May 4, 1995 Page 6 In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Wells stated: 38 children are presently on the sliding scale. The increase in the request from last year represents the program costs as well as an increase in sliding scale attendance. United Day Care has seen a decrease in operation costs since United Way bought the building; the savings went into the sliding scale program. The cost per child to supply the sliding scale services is low compared to the services actually rendered for that child. Some Pioneer residents are clients of the program; therefore, the program is sympathetic to that issue. The program will accept any funds granted. However, the funds are used directly for service, and people who cannot afford the service use less -than -desirable means of meeting their needs, including no child care at all. The different facilities work well together in apportioning the available resources. The demand for services increases every year. In one program, there is a 12-month waiting list for 95 children who would be eligible to start immediately. When licensing capacity is reached, the program must stop taking children. Another program has a waiting list of 120. Healthy Start, Inc. - Children's Clinic - $45,000. PS8. Barbara Hinson presentation. The clinic provides services to families that cannot afford health care. In the last seven months, the clinic directly assisted 5,846 children. The requested funds would pay for a half-time pediatrician. The clinic has lost a $50,000 Federal grant and a $20,000 grant from the Johnson Foundation. United Way funding will probably be reduced. The hospital has stated that its contribution will be reduced, and that the clinic must now pay lab fees that average $1200-1400 per month. The chronic care program has two retired pharmacists that seek donations of supplies from pharmaceutical companies. The clinic costs for medications have increased 24.14 percent. The programs will be difficult to maintain without CDBG support. No waiting list is kept, but some people are told to call back in three weeks. In a recent attempt to log calls, the triage nurse noted that 60 calls were received on a Wednesday morning. Any funds supplied would be an investment in the health of children as opposed to a donation. The clinic accepts Medicaid patients and has a sliding scale fee structure. In response to questions by the Commission, Ms. Hinson stated: The reserve is restricted and dedicated. Interest income is received from that reserve. The funds requested would be used for a half-time pediatrician presently at the facility. The clinic has two half-time pediatricians, a full-time nurse practitioner, and two part- time nurse practitioners. This year, the bike race fund-raiser proceeds will be shared with McKee Healthy Beginning. Ms. Hinson has been in contact with the hospital district. The district has not decided what to do with its funds. The clinic would like to promote a dental program for children, but many dentists are not eager to work with Medicaid. The clinic would like to expand to be a one -stop medical facility for families. Further • • CDBG Commission Minutes May 4, 1995 Page 7 discussion was held on the history of the clinic's building and the trends of hospital billing and funding. Meeting concluded at 8:45 p.m.