City of Lawrence, KS

Community Development Advisory Committee

March 8, 2012 Minutes (City Commission Room)

MEMBERS PRESENT:		Deron Belt, James Minor, Julie Mitchell, Vern Norwood, Brenda Nunez, Aimee Polson, David Teixeira, Patrick Wilbur

MEMBERS ABSENT:		Eric Hethcoat, Quinn Miller, Patti Welty

STAFF PRESENT:		Danelle Dresslar, Margene Swarts

PUBLIC PRESENT:		None

Chair Teixeira called the meeting to order at 5:40pm.

1. Introductions

Members and staff introduced themselves.

2. Approval of the February 23, 2012 Minutes.

Mitchell moved to approve the CDAC meeting minutes from

February 23, 2012. The motion was seconded by Polson and passed 6-0.

Belt entered the meeting at 5:45 pm.

Minor entered the meeting at 5:45 pm.

3. Review of CDBG and HOME Allocations.

Swarts said this agenda item was to give the CDAC a chance to review the allocations for the 2012 grant year one more time prior to the Public Hearing that will be held on April 12.

Teixeira asked if the CDAC will be able to make any changes to the recommendations after the Public Hearing and listening to any comment.

Swarts said that would be the time to make changes based on comments that were heard that evening and prior to the recommendations going to the City Commission on May 8.

Minor asked if all the funds had all been allocated.

Swarts said it was.

Mitchell asked if any additional changes were being made to the Citizen Participation Plan based on the discussion of neighborhood bylaws from the previous meeting.

Belt said the discussion ended with the knowledge that the CDAC did not want to dictate how a neighborhood association was run as long as it was under the program rules, but if there was a question about the practices of the organization then the CDAC will be able to take that into consideration before the allocations are made. The CDAC reserves the right to look at these funding items with a critical eye.

Norwood agreed and said that it was not ideal for the CDAC to get too restrictive with the practices of the neighborhood associations. They are all different and are all run differently. If the CDAC as a Committee sees a practice that they do not agree with then they can step in by looking at next year’s funding request.

Belt said it is appropriate for the CDAC to be specific as to when amended bylaws need to be submitted to staff.

Belt moved to amend the language in the Citizen Participation Plan to include a requirement of submission of amended or updated bylaws to staff within a timeframe of one quarter after approval by the neighborhood association. Norwood seconded the motion. The motion passed 8-0.

4. Recommendation Timeline.

Swarts said the CDAC Public Hearing will be at 6:00 pm on April 12, and the meeting will start at 5:45 pm. On May 8 the City Commission will hear the recommendations for the 2012 program year from the Committee, as well as receive the updated Citizen Participation Plan. The Citizen Participation Plan update will not be part of the Public Hearing portion of the CDAC meeting, but public comment can be taken in the regular public comment agenda item.

Swarts said at the City Commission meeting on May 8 the Chair will need to be in attendance to speak on behalf of the CDAC. Previously, the Committee has established that the Chair is the designated speaker on behalf of the body. The body has acknowledged that any other member of the Committee that attends the City Commission hearing may speak on their own behalf as a member of the public, but not for the Committee as a whole.

5. Miscellaneous/Calendar.

Teixeira asked if the 5:30 pm start time still worked for the Committee members.

Norwood said 5:30 worked well for her, and 5:45 is a good time to continue the beginning of the public hearing meetings.

The CDAC agreed to maintain the 5:30pm start time for the regular meetings.

Swarts said staff recommends cancelling the March 22, 2012 meeting since there is no business, April 12, 2012 will be the Public Hearing, and at that meeting the CDAC can discuss the plan for April and May’s meetings. Swarts said historically the Committee has taken the summer months off and reconvened in the fall to begin the next grant year process.

Polson moved to cancel the March 22, 2012 meeting of the CDAC. Mitchell seconded the motion. The motion passed 8-0.

Belt asked if there were any additional documents for the CDAC to review in the upcoming months.

Swarts said the Committee recently updated the Step Up to Better Housing strategy, but if the body wants to review that or any other document again they can do so. The only documents to review at this time would be the application document, the Citizen Participation Plan, and the Strategy.

Polson asked if it was appropriate to look at narrowing the focus of the funding since there are plummeting allocated amounts to work with.

Swarts said her sense was that generally, the Committee takes direction from the governing body. She said in the absence of specific direction it is up to the CDAC to look at the community and determine what the direction should be. There is language in the Citizen Participation Plan about the ability to call a Study Session with the City Commission. This typically will happen if there is something that needs to be specifically addressed. Staff has not heard that there is anything that the City Commission is requesting at this time.

6. Public Comment.

There was no public comment.

7. Adjourn.

Polson moved to adjourn the March 8, 2012 meeting of the CDAC at 6:20 pm. The motion was seconded by Minor and passed 8-0.

Attendance Record

Members

Jan 12

Jan 26

Feb 9

Feb 23

Mar 8

Mar 22

Apr 12

Apr 26

May 10

May 24

Jun

July

Aug

Sept 13

Sept 27

Oct 11

Oct 25

Nov 8

Dec 13

Deron Belt

Eric Hethcoat

Quinn Miller

Julie Mitchell

Vern Norwood

Brenda Nunez

Aimee Polson

David Teixeira

Patti Welty

Patrick Wilbur

James Minor

E Excused Absence

U Unexcused Absence

X Meeting Cancelled – Weather Conditions

- Meeting Cancelled – Committee Vote/No Business

* First meeting after appointment

** Last Meeting Prior to expired term