The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2003-06-09 HHSCMINUTES OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING City Conference Room 1001 N.Idaho Road,Apache Junction,AZ June 9,2003 -6:30 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: JOYCE PAYNE DAVID C.ROMERO 1.Call to Order/Attendance. STAFF PRESENT: JAN MASON,DEPUTY CITY CLERK ROGER HACKER,GRANTS SPECIALIST MELINDA LARSON,CDBG ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Commissioner Payne called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason called the roll and advised there was not a quorum present. 2.Introductions. Deputy City Clerk Jan Mason introduced Commissioner Payne,acting Vice Chairperson;Commissioner Romero;Grants Specialist Roger Hacker;CDBG Administrative Assistant Melinda Larson and herself.Audience attendees introduced themselves. 3.Overview and discussion of the Community Development Block Grant State Special Program. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)program is a federal program established in 1974 to assist urban/rural communities.It addresses housing,infrastructure improvements,and economic development.The city receives approximately $300,000 every two years during the regular funding cycle through the CDBG program.The Community Development Block Grant State Special Project fund is a pool that the city -k'eligible to apply for and is also available annually in the amount of $300.000.It must benefit low/moderate income residents within:the city.Roger explained this is a competitive (lottery)application process,and the application is due August 1,2003_The city will receive notification by September 15, 2003 if they will receive funding.The.project must be started by HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 9,2003 PAGE lof 5 October 15.2003 and be completed by October 15,2004.Projects must be completed within 12 months.The Environmental Review Record must be completed and submitted with the application. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said there were some special conditions associated with this funding.The environmental review record does not allow new construction with this pool of funding.A public service project allows only the purchase of equipment only.The project has to be "Ready To Go"with the environmental review and all other criteria met.The project must be able to be completed by October 15,2004. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said that eligible projects include public works and safety,community facilities,housing.facilities, barrier removal,public services,housing,economic development,and neighborhood assistance.He stated the project allows for housing rehabilitation,purchase of equipment,citywide projects,low/moderate neighborhoods,and on -shelf projects.The objective of the State Special Projects program is to benefit people with low/moderate income. It focuses on neighborhoods and target groups...-Roger said the Housing and Urban Development (HUD)has a spkific definif -ton of low/moderate income based on income and number,ofr'.0ersons irra family.He also supplied a map representing low/moderate income 'neighborhoods.Target groups represent abused children.,elderly persons,. battered spouses, homeless people,adults with severe disabilities,illiterate people, persons with AIDS,and migraht farm workers. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said that if anyone required technical assistance they could contact him.He said he could help them with basic information and assist in preparation of a 1 -page summary. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker stated there is a grievance procedure for those that feel they were not provided the opportunity to present their ideas for projects.Roger indicated they would have to contact him and put something in writing.The city would have three working days to respond and the complainant would have three working days to appeal the process.The final decision would then be made by the city manager. 4.Identification of housing and community development needs. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said suggestions they have received include housing rehabilitation,purchase Opticon equipment,purchase a mobile command unit for the police department,rehabilitation of an existing building and turning it over to a social service agency,home HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 9,2003 PAGE 2of 5 owner assistance -helping first time homebuyers,septic tank hookups, road grader for public works,mobile stage for parks and recreation,and repave a city street.He added that some of those suggestions have already been eliminated because there was no way they could be done,by October 15,2004,nor could they finish the environmental review process by August 1. CDBG Administrative Assistant Melinda Larson asked the participants to please put their suggestions on a piece of paper so she could post them for discussion.Some of the city staff suggestions were a transport van for possible shuttle transportation and an apartment complex for the mentally ill.Citizen suggestions include the purchase of eight (8) vans for community agencies to serve their low-income clients' transportation needs at a cost of $299,400;rehabilitate and relocate old city offices to other locations for other city services; rehabilitate apartment for low cost housing or convert to entity for first time buyers;and rehabilitate for downtown economic development on Main Street. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker discussed the suggested projects with the group in attendance and it was decided that many projects would need to be delayed until the fall because the environmental review could not be finished prior to the August 1 deadline.He asked the group to vote on the chosen viable projects. 5.Discussion of process to be used. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said criteria used would include whether it was a health and human services suggestion;how it was referenced to city planning;how it benefited the citizens the most:and what seems like the best match.Commissioner Romero asked if a number of organizations were competing for this funding..Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said that in the past multiple organizations had applied for standard CDBG funding.Commissioner Romero asked who looks into the credibility of the organizations applying for funding.' 'Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said that many questions of this sort are included on the application form.He also stated that they could have staff look into the organizations further. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said they are currently in the first step of the public input process.Public hearings are mandatory when dealing with the federal government.He said the Health and Human Services Commission would meet on June 18 to review suggested projects and begin HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 9,2003 PAGE 3of 5 recommendations to the city council.The recommendations will go to the city council on June 30 for review and discussion.A second public hearing will be held on July 1.Display ads will be published July 7-8. The city council will review the staff report on July 14 and adopt the resolution on July 15,which authorizes submittal of the application to the Arizona Department of Housing,which is due on August 1. CDBG Administrative Assistant Melinda Larson stated that Attachment 1 is the actual timeline and she and Grants Specialist Roger Hacker were available to answer any questions regarding it.Commissioner Payne asked if the commission had to meet again on June 16,2003.CDBG Administrative Assistant Melinda Larson said they could change the date if necessary,but they were on a strict timeline for applying for the funding. Grants Specialist Roger Hacker said the commission would receive project ideas for review prior to the June 18,2003 meeting.The commission would then have the opportunity to decide which projects the city should consider.The commission will give direction to Melinda Larson,CDBG Administrative Assistant,to prepare a report to be forwarded to the city council for the June 30,2003 work session.A second public hearing will be scheduled at the July 1.2003 city council meeting.The council will review the commission recommendations and any others presented by the public and will give direction to staff regarding which projects to proceed with.On July 15,2003,a resolution will be presented to the city council for consideration. 6.Comments and questions from Health and Human Services Commission members. There were no questions or comments. 7.Discussion on and selection of future meeting dates. Commissioner Payne said they had decided at the previous meeting that they would meet again Wednesday,June 18,2003 at 6:00 p.m. 8.Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 8:01 p.m.- HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 9,2003 PAGE 4of 5 Ed BarFe-r—'Kathleen Connelly Vice Chairperson City Clerk HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 9,2003 PAGE 5of 5