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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Development Block Grant Commission - Minutes - 09/13/2018P 1 - 4 CDBG – September 13, 2018 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES 215 North Mason - Fort Collins, CO September 13, 2018 – 6:00 PM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Taylor Dunn – Chair Amy Dondale Olga Duvall Sara Maranowicz - (Attended telephonically @ 6:31PM) Serena (Robb) Thomas – Co-Chair Margaret Long Steve Backsen Anita Basham Stacia Ryder COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Adam Molzer – Staff Liaison, CP Funding Manager/Grant Administer – City of Fort Collins, CO At 6:10 PM the meeting was called to order by CDBG Chair Taylor Dunn. At 6:31 PM Sara Maranowicz was telephonically present (via speakerphone) for the meeting. I. PUBLIC COMMENT: There were no members of the public present; thus, the Community Development Block Grant Commission (“CDBG”) received no comments. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: There are two sets of minutes to approve. The first was for the Regular meeting of the CDBG in May 2018; the second was for the sub-committee meeting. The sub-committee included three CDBG Commission members: Serena (Robb) Thomas, Sara Maranowicz and Olga Duvall. A summary of the activities of the sub-committee is included infra at Agenda Item #4. Anita Basham requested that the summer subcommittee non-participating Commission members not be listed in the minutes and notes as ‘absent’, since the subcommittee was a voluntary commitment. Adam Molzer will confirm with the Clerk’s office how to reflect this information. Margaret Long made a motion to approve the May 2018 regular committee meeting minutes, seconded by Amy Dondale. The motion passed unanimously 8-0. Sara Maranowicz was not present (telephonically) for this vote. Serena (Robb) Thomas made a motion to approve the sub-committee August 29,2018 minutes, seconded by Olga Duvall. The motion passed unanimously 3-0. Sara Maranowicz was present (telephonically) for this vote. III. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDED BUDGET: Adam Molzer introduced this Agenda item. He gave an overview of the “recommended budget” process and explained the meeting materials provided to the CDBG members re same. The Budgeting for Outcomes (“BFO”) process began in the spring of 2018 with over 400 “offers” (proposals/requests) for funding by the various departments of the City of Fort Collins. During the summer of 2018, top level executives reviewed the offers and thereupon emerged determinations for “above the line” (funded) and “below the line” (unfunded) offers. The process produced a preliminary recommended budget draft in August of 2018. During the month of September, budgetary analysis continues and includes a Public Commentary opportunity on September 18, 2018 - during the regular City Council meeting. On September 28, 2018, all written commentary regarding budgetary line items is due to David Young, Public P 2 - 4 CDBG – September 13, 2018 Relations Coordinator - City of Fort Collins. October of 2018 includes final hearings and work sessions with the ultimate budget announced and approval scheduled for November 2018. After the synopsis of the budgetary process, Serena (Robb) Thomas reviewed several line items and noted that the “Human Services Strategic Plan” had not received funding. Steve Backsen added that the $400,000 included with the Human Services Program funding at the request of Directing Change did not receive funding. Reviewing other line items, Adam Molzer was asked and explained that the line item funding for Homeless Programs are directly administered by Beth Sowder, Director of Social Sustainability - City of Fort Collins and those items are ongoing programs. Thereafter ensued a wide-ranging, general discussion that, among other topics, compared the current and prior year number of applications and final funding levels. Ultimately, the discussion centered on a drop of $100K in the current budget. Steve Backsen petitioned the CDBG members to make an appeal to the City Council regarding the $100K funding drop. Adam reminded the CDBG members that the written commentary due date is September 28, 2019. Margaret Long added that a CDBG member effort would provide the characteristic of Commission unification in the appeal. Anita Basham said that the CDBG had been successful in past years with this tactic. She also wanted to impress upon the group that the CDBG’s very purpose is to advocate strongly for human services funding. Some members also discussed the advantages of the public commentary opportunity for appeal. After additional discussion, the CDBG members decided that an initial informatory meeting with Kristen Stephens, City Council member liaison would be appropriate. Sara Maranowicz encouraged tempering any public commentary and added that she was appreciative of the revenue realities and competing demands on the city’s budget. She also noted that the $100K was not, in her view, specifically tied to an unmet need or neglected priority. Margaret Long replied that the $100K reduction is concerning as an overall drop regardless of whether we can identify any specific need. Several CDBG members discussed, then agreed that the appeal was essential because the city’s population is growing and any drop in human services funding is objectionable. Margaret Long said that conscientious stewardship requires strong advocacy due to the increasing needs of the city. She added that there was no room for anything insubstantial in the approved funding and there is diligent administration and oversight. Stacia Ryder was acutely troubled about the impact on an already vulnerable population. While discussing what criteria is considered when funding analysis and determinations are made, Sara Maranowicz and Stacia Ryder characterized “ranking” for funding as tethered to “strategic objectives and related outcomes”. Along those lines, Steve Backsen observed that some agencies receive robust funding and can employ grant writers. His concern is that applications from modestly funded agencies do not receive as much visibility although they provide a highly valued service. Taylor Dunn mentioned that individual CDBG members could use the public comment period to record their concerns and Serena (Robb) Thomas added that this type of advocacy could be more effective in “numbers”. Amy Dondale and Steve Backsen volunteered to compose a draft letter for circulation, review and commentary by the CDBG members. Stacia Ryder offered to meet with liaison and Councilmember Kristin Stephens. After the earnest and deliberative discussion concluded, CDBG members formally advanced two motions: Stacia Ryder moved that the CDBG compose a “position letter” addressed to the City Council and David Young, Public Relations Coordinator - City of Fort Collins. The letter shall advocate a $100K funding increase to the human service line items in the proposed city budget. Seconded by Anita Basham. The Vote passed 8 for and 1 opposed (Sara Maranowicz). P 3 - 4 CDBG – September 13, 2018 Stacia Ryder moved correspondingly that CDBG members meet initially with Councilmember Kristin Stephens – CDBG liaison to rally support and procure guidance on moving forward with the proposed “position letter”. Seconded by Steve Backsen. The Vote passed 8 for and 1 opposed (Sara Maranowicz). IV. GRANT PROCESS IMPROVEMENT SUBCOMMITTEE RESULTS: Adam Molzer thanked Olga Duvall, Serena Thomas and Sara Maranowicz for their participation in five (5) sub-committee meetings over the summer. The purpose of the sub-committee was to review the grant application process from initial applicant contact through final funding and administration. Adam gave an overview of the content of the meetings and reported significant progress in the process. He also provided the CDBG members with a summary of the discussions, critiques, and some proposed solutions. One recommendation that Adam mentioned was the desire to provide the CDBG members with additional knowledge and expertise from various community organizations such as the Poudre School District. He also suggested a “ranking” system as an instrumental tool during the funding process – similar to the system used in 2018 but improved. Combining his past experience with the sub-committee meetings over the summer, he will be developing an improved framework for the value-added processes. Olga Duvall liked the sub-committee discussions about objectivity and thought there were worthy suggestions on a more systemized process. She was interested in a further defined decision-making process. She advocates for robust and objective standards for individual applications before the group negotiation and ultimate award. Steve Backsen raised questions about the consequences of CDBG members not being able to consider past and historical funding levels. Adam Molzer and Anita Basham agreed that the final funding negotiations are difficult even with objective standards. Sara Maranowicz appreciated that the sub-committee was encompassing and thorough in its process assessments. The next phase is review and commentary by the department staff along with an assessment of the lessons learned through the past year. Adam referred to enhancement of the funding process adding value and simplicity. A final grant process plan will emerge before the holidays. Thereafter, implementation of the modifications should commence with a phased approach beginning in the 2019 funding period. As a reminder, Adam told the CDBG members that there is no funding application activity this autumn. Through consolidation, all applications processes now occur only in the spring. V. TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE PILOT PROJECT: Earlier this year, Sam Solt (Chair, Economic Advisory Commission) and Ted Settle (Economic Advisory Commission member) presented the CDBG members with an overview of their Proposal to Enhance the Effectiveness of Boards and Commissions. Thereafter, Steve Backsen volunteered to keep the CDBG abreast on the developments with this initiative. Steve Backsen explained that the effort has been nebulous and there has not been a definite structure or parameters articulated for the initiative. Serena (Robb) Thomas said that she and Steve Backsen attended the Super Board meeting and gave a brief overview of the occasion. VI. STAFF REPORTS: Adam Molzer gave an update on some of the City of Fort Collins partner community organizations. • Lisa Poppaw moved from ChildSafe to Crossroads Safehouse as the new Executive Director. • “Alliance for Suicide Prevention” is actively recruiting additional staff members at all levels. • Joanne Vande Walle is retired from Elderhouse Adult Day Programs as Executive Director. P 4 - 4 CDBG – September 13, 2018 • SAVA (Sexual Assault Victim Advocate) has a new Executive Director, Dorothy Farrell. Adam cited a community listening session with several local nonprofit agencies together with Fort Collins Mayor Wade Troxell and City Manager Darin Atteberry. Steve Backsen, Taylor Dunn and Sara Maranowicz will need to re-apply to the CDBG Commission because their terms expire at the end of 2018. Stacia Ryder announced that this was her last meeting with the CDBG because she will be relocating to Milan, Italy in October 2018. She will be there for three years. Adam Molzer inquired among the CDBG members whether moving the 2019 CDBG meetings to the second Wednesday of each month at 5:30 pm would cause any hardships. There was general agreement that this would be acceptable. VII. OTHER: There no additional items for discussion. Meeting adjourned at 8:06 PM.