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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 09/13/2012COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING 281 N. COLLEGE AVE., FORT COLLINS MINUTES September 13, 2012, 6:30 p.m. COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Kay Rios, Chair Anita Basham Robert Browning Gordon Coombes Catherine Costlow Margaret Long COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Jamaal Curry Emily Sander Kristin Stephens STAFF PRESENT: Heidi Phelps; Sharon Thomas; Megan Bolin OTHERS PRESENT: Ray Roth, citizen; Kate Jeracki, Note Taker The meeting was called to order by Chair Kay Rios at 6:35 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT None APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Minutes from the July 12, 2012, meeting were discussed. Kay Rios asked Heidi Phelps about follow-up with the consultants responsible for the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing document. Phelps responded that appropriate factual changes were made to the final version. Margaret Long moved that the minutes be accepted as presented. Catherine Costlow seconded. Anita Basham and Robert Browning both abstained from voting because they were not present at that meeting, so approval was tabled until a voting quorum is present. NEW ECONOMIC HEALTH PLAN Megan Bolin, Economic Health Analyst for the City of Fort Collins, presented an overview of the recently adopted Economic Health Strategic Plan, designed to guide the city toward a healthy, resilient economy over the next five years. The Plan includes four Key Objectives: 1) Stronger Support Network: developing support for existing employers and addressing barriers to starting new businesses; 2) Innovation Ecosystem Support: 2 developing tools to provide capital and leadership support to area entrepreneurs; 3) Job Creation and Talent Management: working with those preparing future employees-- from the Larimer County Workforce Center to Front Range Community College and Colorado State University; and 4) Quality of Place: promoting the city nationally as a great place to live and work, and supporting ongoing initiatives that contribute positively to the city. Bolin also presented a chart showing the major partners in creating economic health in Fort Collins. Kay Rios asked why CSU was listed separately but not other educational institutions. Bolin said that decision reflected CSU’s status as the city’s largest employer as well as its educational role. Rios then asked why the arts and culture partners were not listed separately as economic contributors. Bolin said arts organizations were mostly nonprofits, which is a major category. Rios pointed out that cultural nonprofits are very different than human services nonprofits. The teams advising City Council on Economic Health are made up of the heads of organizations in each category --the Leadership Team that sets goals priorities, and the Implementation Team that develops steps to accomplish those goals. Rios said they are missing some important economic players if all nonprofits are combined. She will email names of people who should be considered for the teams to Bolin; Sharon Thomas will send Bolin a list of all human services nonprofits on the Competitive Process contact list. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROGRAM YEAR PROGRESS AND FUNDING EXPENDITURES Chair Kay Rios adjourned the regular Commission meeting and opened the public hearing at 6:50 p.m. There were no public comments. Heidi Phelps reminded the Commission that the purpose of the hearing was to review funding allocations and expenditures year to date. She reported on funds allocated during the Spring and Fall 2012 cycles of the Competitive Process, since Fiscal Year 2011 is now wrapping up. She will have the final quarterly report in October. Phelps said staff tracking shows that most of the public service agencies are spending the money the way they said they would. The Women’s Resource Center’s dental program has been slow to take off, and the Northern Colorado AIDS Project is having continued reporting and reimbursement paperwork issues. Failure to correct the situation within the next program year could result in a staff recommendation of zero funding for future requests. Phelps reported that the funded affordable housing projects are also moving forward. Legacy Senior Housing survived a development review appeal to City Council by the Save the Poudre organization. Habitat for Humanity, which was funded in Fall 2011, has two closings set in October. The $750,000 de-allocated from the Merton Place project has 3 been returned to the money available during the Fall 2012 cycle, when Phelps expects the Fort Collins Housing Authority will be asking for more funding for its supportive housing project. Disabled Resource Services would like to close on the building purchased with CDBG money allocated in the Spring 2012 cycle, pending environmental reviews and filings with the County Assessor’s Office. Sharon Thomas and Heidi Phelps reported on their tour of the new DRS building. Thomas said it was the space DRS deserves for all its work with the community. Phelps added that she was proud of the Commission for making it all happen. Chair Rios adjourned the public hearing and reopened the regular Commission meeting at 7:05 p.m. STAFF PROGRAM UPDATES Sharon Thomas provided a handout outlining the City Manager’s recommended BFO offers for 2013-14, which contains continued funding for affordable housing and human services--as well as incorporating the reorganization of the Advance Planning Department into the Social Sustainability Department. A request for contingency funding for potential federal cuts to CDBG monies in 2014 was not funded. The City Manager has approved the BFO offers and has sent the proposed budget to City Council. Thomas said the full budget can be viewed online, and comments are accepted. Thomas reported that the Affordable Housing and Grants Administration work group, as well as other Social Sustainability Department employees, will be moving to 321 Maple St., north of City Hall, in the middle of October. Future CDBG meetings will be held in the first floor Community Room at 215 N. Mason St. Thomas also reported that Beth Rosen has taken over managing nonprofit housing grantees, and will be meeting with them to finalize contracts for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Thomas will also hold a training and/or technical assistance sessions for applicants planning to make funding requests in this fall’s Competitive Process cycle. She also reported on several upcoming events at grant recipient agencies: events for the Family Center and Women’s Resource Center, and DRS’ Disability Pride Parade. Thomas urged commission members to drop by and see how their recommended allocations are being used for the community. Neighbor to Neighbor is once again looking for an Executive Director, after the one hired two and a half months ago was let go for confidential reasons. The President of the N2N Board of Directors is acting Executive Director. 4 Women’s Resource Center has decided to continue paying for the dental care administrator and the fees for the denture program, and is looking for gap financing for the services. The head of the Save the Poudre organization, Gary Wockner, had emailed Rick Garcia, Regional Administrator for HUD’s Region VIII, to complain that proper procedures had not been followed on the HUD Environmental Review of the Legacy Senior Apartments project. A HUD review found everything in order. Beth Rosen’s independent review found the same thing, and the project is moving forward. Tax credits for the Fort Collins Housing Authority Supportive Housing project were not approved by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, because it does not consider the Mason Corridor’s MAX (bus rapid transit) actual mass transit. Heidi Phelps added that while CHFA staff had approved the credits, the CHFA Board turned it down in favor of two competing applications. She said the money allocated by the CDBG Commission to the project is not in jeopardy. Sharon Thomas said a project site has been selected, at Red Tail Ponds, on the west side of College Avenue south of Harmony Road, just past the future regional terminal for the Mason Transit Corridor. Phelps said a HUD Environmental Review is under way. Sharon Thomas also reported that Bryce Hach is leaving Homeward 2020 because he and his family are moving to Maine. Phelps shared that Chief Planner, Ken Waido, remains on half-time status for health reasons, and has been doing great things with the Student Housing Action Plan and Redevelopment Displacement Strategies. Sharon Thomas said the proposal requests for the Fall Cycle are now available in ZoomGrants. NEXT MEETING The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 27, in the Community Room, 215 N. Mason St., where the CDBG Commission will hear Competitive Process proposal presentations beginning at 6:00 p.m. (dinner at 5:30). The Commission’s deliberations/funding recommendations meeting will be held on Thursday, October 11, in the same location, at 6:00 p.m. (dinner at 5:30). Meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.