City of Lawrence, KS

Community Development Advisory Committee

October 11, 2012 Minutes (City Commission Room)

MEMBERS PRESENT:		Quinn Miller, James Minor, Julie Mitchell, Vern Norwood, Aimee Polson, Patrick Wilbur

MEMBERS ABSENT:		Deron Belt, Eric Hethcoat, David Teixeira

STAFF PRESENT:		Danelle Dresslar, Margene Swarts

PUBLIC PRESENT:		Katherine Harris (ELNA), Pat Miller (PNA), Rob Farha (ONA)

Vice-Chair Polson called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

1. Introductions

Members and staff introduced themselves.

2. Approval of the September 27, 2012 Minutes.

Norwood noted that there were five members of the public present for the public hearing and the location of the minutes showed the meeting was incorrectly held in the City Commission Room when it was in fact held at Fire Station #5.

Norwood moved to approve the CDAC meeting minutes from

September 27, 2012 with noted corrections above. The motion was seconded by Minor and passed 6-0.

3. Neigborhood Forum

Polson said this item was to give the neighborhood associations a chance to ask questions of the Committee or to talk about things that are challenges with the grant application process.

Rob Farha, President of the Oread Neighborhood Association, said he thanked staff for their help in the grant process. He said ONA has been focusing on items of safety in the neighborhood. They submitted and were approved for the 11^th and Vermont and 14^th and Tennessee crosswalk projects, and there are more potential projects this year. He said the neighborhood did submit an application for tree trimming last year that was denied. ONA has had difficulty in getting assistance from Westar and these are very large trees that are causing problems.

Swarts said part of the reason for denial of the tree trimming application was that tree trimming activities that occur in the right-of-way are not eligible for CDBG funding. There is specific statutory language that prohibits the use of CDBG funds for general government use. The right-of-way project falls under this guideline and cannot be supplanted with CDBG funds. Trees in the alleyways that are not dedicated right-of-way alleys may be eligible, as well as the case of the tree being on the homeowner’s property. That can be a discussion.

Farha said he understood and indicated that the ONA is also working on lighting issues as well as benefit districts.

Swarts said in the past the Committee has recommended funding for lighting in the neighborhood, but had also decided they did not want to be responsible for the ongoing funding of the use of the lighting. There needs to be a structure in place where someone is responsible for paying for the electricity.

Farha said in terms of the KU Lighted Pathway project, ONA would love to see Phase II happen. He said Ohio Street from 14^th to 12^th is the Phase II location.

Swarts said that would be a question for Mark Thiel in Public Works. The CDAC recommended funding for the Lighted Pathway in the past, and Thiel would be the one who would know if there is any movement that might result in an application this year or in the future. Public Works worked with the neighborhood in an informative way and were the applicants in the past for the CDBG funding.

Farha said he would talk to Thiel. He asked if ONA could submit the Pathway project application.

Swarts said they needed to be careful with such a project application that might or not be funded from other sources. Historically the Committee has been unwilling to set aside CDBG funding for a project that would go forward only if other funding sources were approved because there is no guarantee the project will actually happen and the CDBG funds will have been allocated and then idle.

Farha said he would talk to Thiel and see where Phase II stands.

Polson asked if staff has an estimate on 2013 funding.

Swarts said right now Congress has passed a six-month continuing resolution everyone seems to be waiting on the election outcome. One issue is that of “sequestration”. In 2009 Congress passed legislation to try to work through some of the budget problems and it called for automatic budget cuts across the board in both domestic and military programs if budget issues had not been addressed in the meantime. The deadline for that is upcoming and there appears to be no budget resolution. People are starting to realize what issues the cuts will cause in some of these programs. This may not be how Congress really wants to make the cuts but so far there have been no changes to prevent it. This is a very real issue and resolution is likely dependant on the election outcome. The domestic programs area looking in that case at a 10.8% cut across the board. Affordable housing activities come out of the domestic program budget.

Polson explained that most recently, the focus of the CDAC allocation decisions begin with homelessness and step down from there. Neighborhood safety is important and is part of the underlying neighborhood revitalization piece.

Pat Miller from PNA said Pinckney has been working hard to revive itself. That being said they have some concerns to raise to the CDAC regarding last year’s funding. She said PNA has come back from a near death experience and they have been growing and expanding things in the neighborhood. They did a lot of work towards crafting a budget that was appropriate and would allow for growth of the neighborhood association. The neighborhood felt very letdown in that all the work they put into the budget and application was disregarded and the neighborhood associations were funded across the board at the previous year amounts. It was disconcerting when that happened. PNA was a small, struggling neighborhood who was, and still is, in the process of growing and getting the residents involved in the growth. The neighborhood is at the standpoint of going from a not well developed organization to a beneficial organization. The jump from one to the other has been a huge challenge. There was money left on the table from PNA last year because of the City’s shift in how they reimburse funds by not paying vendors directly.

Swarts noted that was not accurate and said the City does pay vendors directly and the department has never stated that otherwise.

Miller said there was clearly a misunderstanding regarding that information. They had a coordinator for four months. The revitalized PNA was new and the coordinator was new and she was not used as she could have been. There was always a stretch to pay her based on their understanding of the payment system. Some other neighborhood association budgets have large percentages going towards coordinators, and having an experienced coordinator would be highly beneficial to the neighborhood. There are more funds in the budget this year for that aspect. This year there will not be a coordinator brought on board because of the limited funds. The residents of the neighborhood are contributing their time and efforts into the neighborhood association work. Well paid coordinators who can spend time and energy on behalf of the neighborhoods are great. Miller said PNA does not want anyone else to lose funds, but asked that the Committee really look at the individual neighborhood association requests and make independent decisions on each. There is an understanding based on finances that there may be cuts, but the CDAC should look at each case as a stand-alone activity.

Swarts said with regard to reimbursement, previously some neighborhood association coordinators were reimbursed directly rather than through the neighborhood associations. One coordinator tried to file an unemployment claim against the City because they indicated since the City reimbursed them for their coordinator salary expenses, they would be considered a city employee. The City prevailed in that instance but the payment structure was changed so that the neighborhood associations must pay the coordinator directly. The City will reimburse for the coordinator through the neighborhood association and will work with them on timing for those neighborhoods who cannot afford to front the coordinator money. However, the City will not “prepay” a request.

Miller said because of the misunderstanding the neighborhood has been paying for their newsletters out of pocket and then requesting reimbursement.

Swarts apologized for that misunderstanding and noted that each year staff tries to talk to every neighborhood president, treasurer, coordinator, etc. to discuss reimbursement structures and how the process works. Every year there are likely neighborhood staffing changes of some sort, so staff is more than willing to discuss this on a one-on-one basis.

Mitchell asked what the reasoning was for the exclusion of LAN dues from the CDBG allowance.

Swarts said the Committee decided it was along the same lines of the Secretary of State dues and it is a voluntary item to pay by the neighborhood association.

Mitchell said she just could not remember why that decision was made but that reason makes sense. She said ONA paid their dues this year but they would be reimbursing them.

Katherine Harris, ELNA Treasurer, said she was learning as she was going as she is new to the process. She said as she was reading through the grant she saw that CDBG is used for low-moderate income housing needs. She said she has been focusing on community education regarding clotheslines. 20% of a household’s electric bill is the dryer, and drying outside can save low-moderate households significant money. She is looking at a donation program for clotheslines and just wrote a grant to see if that can be done for families in the community. She asked if this type of activity could be eligible for CDBG funding.

Polson said in the past work days and such had been funded. The focus has been anything that can help to keep people in their homes.

Swarts said there was a project along those lines in the past in ELNA that was for trash enclosures. The key to the activity is if it is helping low-moderate income people. Putting clotheslines in people’s yards will be a direct benefit to those homeowners. Anyone who received a clothesline that was tied to CDBG funding would have to income qualify, but there is a process for that in place. It would be eligible under CDBG regulations, but it would be up to the Committee to determine if it was an appropriate activity. Swarts suggested Harris speak to Eileen Horn, the City-County Sustainability Coordinator.

Harris said it was surprising just how many days of the year you can line dry clothes. It can be upwards of $200-$300 in savings a year.

4. Miscellaneous/Calendar.

Swarts reminded the Committee that City Manager David Corliss will be attending the November 8 meeting to provide a presentation and have a question and answer session with the CDAC regarding city goals for the next year.

5. Public Comment.

Harris said she wanted to thank the Committee for inviting the neighborhoods to this meeting and providing the opportunity for comment.

6. Adjourn.

Wilbur moved to adjourn the October 11, 2012 meeting of the CDAC at 6:10 pm. The motion was seconded by Minor and passed 6-0.

Attendance Record

Members

Jan 12

Jan 26

Feb 9

Feb 23

Mar 8

Mar 22

Apr 12

Apr 26

May

Jun

July

Aug 9

Aug 30

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

E**

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