HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 03/26/2014COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING
215 N. MASON STREET, FORT COLLINS
MARCH 26, 2014, 6:56 P.M.
COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT:
Gordon Coombes Holly Carroll
Catherine Costlow Margaret Long
Robert Browning Kristin Stephens
Jamaal Curry
COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Kay Rios, Anita Basham
STAFF PRESENT: Heidi Phelps; Sharon Thomas
OTHERS PRESENT: Janet Freeman; Sue Beck‐Ferkiss; Beth Rosen
The special meeting was called to order by Robert Browning at 6:56 p.m., with a quorum
present.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
FY13 Public Service Change of Use of Funds Request: Education & Life Training Center
(ELTC)
Chair Bob Browning told the Commission the purpose of the meeting was to discuss a
request for repurposed funding by Tracy Mead, Executive Director of the Education &
Life Training Center (ELTC). The request, submitted to the Social Sustainability
Department, was to hire a part‐time, temporary position to develop the implementation
framework to launch JobReady at offsite locations. The grant period is nearly half over
and so far failed to meet contract requirements for FY13.
Browning also informed the Commission a vote would be taken at meeting’s end to
approve or not approve the request for change of use of funds.
Catherine Costlow asked whether or not the Commission’s job was to assess the
program or the whole organization.
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Sharon Thomas said the program and the organization are essentially one in the same.
She also stated that the contract stipulates a variance of more than 10% needs to come
before the board.
Thomas also stated that ELTC had requested $59,000 in funding, and that the
Commission had recommended funding the JobReady program only at $29,310—for
partial salaries of instructors. The Circles coordinator request was not funded.
Thomas also explained that ELTC moved the classes they teach to the Community Life
Center (CLC) and they don’t have tracking mechanism in place to capture AMI
information on class participants, and that they have served somewhere between 2 – 12
students so far in FY13. Per the contract with the City, ELTC is anticipated to serve 100
unduplicated clients.
Holly Carroll said she is somewhat familiar with the classes ELTC offers at the CLC. She
asked if ELTC should’ve been better prepared at the onset of beginning to teach classes
off‐site at the CLC.
Sharon Thomas said that ELTC, in asking for the repurposed funds, predicts a 3‐month
time period in which current systems will be analyzed. Implementation wouldn’t begin
until the organization is nearly finished with FY13’s grant cycle.
Kristin Stephens asked why ELTC is incapable of tracking the income levels of such a
small group of students, and expressed concerned that the inability to do so speaks to
mismanagement issues.
Sharon Thomas explained that ELTC had hoped the move to the Community Life Center
would provide administrative help, but that has turned out not to be the case.
Bob Browning said it’s not within the Commission’s purview to repair organizations, and
said he had concerns about setting a precedent for future grantees.
Sharon Thomas said she’d spoken with City attorneys on the matter, who expressed the
same concern.
Gordon Coombes asked if the program isn’t working, why should ELTC hire someone in
addition to the Executive Director to help fix it?
Heidi Phelps said ELTC’s model crosses socio‐economic lines in the hopes of achieving
solutions together. She explained that although both the JobReady and Circles Programs
are offered at CLC, there is more to the Circles Program than the JobReady component.
Bob Browning asked if the Commission wanted to move for a vote. Gordon Coombes
motioned to deny ELTC’s request for funding change. Jamaal Curry seconded.
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Motion passed unanimously.
Funding change of use request denied.
Chair Browning adjourned the meeting at 7:23 p.m.