01-25-2017 CDBG MinutesCDBG Minutes
January 25, 2017
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CITY OF ORANGE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM COMMITTEE
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2017
6:30 P.M.
Weimer Room, Orange City Hall
MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT STAFF PRESENT
Megan Penn Mary-Ellen Manning Mary Ellen Laster
Eva Perez
Fernando Rico
Janice Mickelson-Weilmuenster
David Gillanders (Alternate)
I.CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:36 P.M.
II.ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON
Alternate Committee Member Gillanders nominated Megan Penn to serve
as Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Committee Chair.
Committee Member Rico seconded the motion. Without objection, Megan
Penn was selected as the Community Development Block Grant
Committee Chair for 2017.
Motion carried, 5-0 (absent Committee Member Manning).
Committee Member Rico nominated Janice Mickelson-Weilmuenster to
serve as Community Development Block Grant Committee Vice-Chair.
Alternate Committee Member Gillanders seconded the motion. Without
objection, Janice Mickelson-Weilmuenster was selected as the Community
Development Block Grant Committee Vice-Chair for 2017.
Motion carried, 5-0 (absent Committee Member Manning).
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January 25, 2017
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III.APPROVAL OF MINUTES – MARCH 2, 2016
Committee Member Rico moved, seconded by Alternate Committee
Member Gillanders, to approve the March 2, 2016, Minutes as presented.
Motion carried, 5-0 (absent Committee Member Manning)
IV. REVIEW OF FY 2016-2017 CDBG ACTIVITIES
Ms. Laster handed out the current 2016-2017 CDBG list of allocations,
highlighting the recipients and the projects undertaken and those soon to
be undertaken by Public Works; advised that the Public Works projects
tend to run about a year to a year and a half behind, noting some of the
projects take longer to design; and added that the weather has delayed
some of the Public Works projects. She noted that Public Works will start
the bid process in February for the wheelchair ramps.
Chair Penn asked if the After-School Community Program is contracted
out to The Friendly Center.
Ms. Laster indicated it is; advised that the Department is still applying as
a City project, but that the program is being carried out by The Friendly
Center; and she mentioned that in order to reduce the cost of this
program, City Council directed it be outsourced a couple of years ago.
She added that it has been successfully carried out.
Committee Member Mickelson-Weilmuenster asked if the senior center
ceiling project had been completed.
Ms. Laster stated that it has not yet been done, but stated that it will need
to be completed in the current fiscal year; and advised that a project
walk-through is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on February 1st.
Committee Member Rico stated that he’d like to participate in that walk-
through.
V.REVIEW OF FY 2017-18 CDBG FUNDING REQUESTS
Ms. Laster highlighted this year’s program applicants; and stated that if
nonprofit agencies have facilities that need improvements, she
encourages those agencies to apply for that funding under the Public
Facilities/Improvements/Rehabilitation category because there is no cap
and it is a lot easier to compete for funding under that category. She
highlighted the limited number of nonprofits which have applied this
year for CDBG funding; and stated that all the nonprofits can make their
presentations at the February 1st meeting; that the Committee will not
need to meet on February 8th, therefore cancelling that meeting; that the
City Departments will present their requests at the February 15th
meeting; that the February 22nd meeting will be available if there is a
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January 25, 2017
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need to add a meeting; that the CDBG Committee will make its
recommendations on March 8th; and that those recommendations will be
presented to City Council on April 11th. She advised that she will email a
revised meeting schedule to the Committee members. Ms. Laster stated
that she hopes to know by the March 8th meeting how much money the
City will be receiving.
Alternate Committee Member Gillanders expressed his belief that the list
of applicant agencies this year is because of too little funding for the
large amount of paperwork and time needed to accept CDBG funding. He
stated that a lot of time and effort goes into applying and reporting and
that the agencies typically go after larger pots of money to make it worth
the effort and time; and he added that CDBG requires a lot of reporting.
He advised that most agencies lost a large amount of HUD funding.
Ms. Laster supported Alternate Committee Member Gillanders comment
that a lot of agencies aren’t willing to put in the effort for limited funding
that requires heavy documentation reporting. She stated that new
agencies were added to her long list of potential CDBG applicants; but
noted that these agencies are just not following through with the
application process; added that some agencies don’t have a way to certify
the incomes of their clients, which is a HUD requirement; and she stated
that the required documentation is a labor-intensive task that a lot of
agencies are not willing to undertake. She noted that she has come
across some challenges with agencies’ reporting, advising that this is
being addressed and corrected; and stated that the agencies are aware of
their obligation to make sure their documentation is complete and
correct. Ms. Laster mentioned that a large goal of HUD is to eliminate
homelessness by funding more permanent housing applications.
Ms. Laster briefly reviewed this year’s funding applications; and she
noted that the Committee Members have been invited to visit the Riley
house to see the improvements that were done with last year’s CDBG
funding. She mentioned that if an agency is not able to verify the
household income, then those client numbers are not to be included in
the final recipient count for HUD/CDBG.
Committee Member Rico commended Ms. Laster for the work she is doing
with this program, pointing out that this program used to be run with at
least three City employees.
Ms. Laster stated that she will provide at the next meeting a copy of the
ratings sheet and the 4-Year Funding History.
VI. PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
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January 25, 2017
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VII. ADJOURNMENT
At 7:36 P.M. the meeting was formally adjourned.