Community Development Committee - December 18, 2018 Minutes
The Regular Meeting of the Community Development Committee of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the City Commission Room at City Hall at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 18, 2018.
The Community Development Committee Members present or absent were as follows:
Present: Commissioner John Strand, Jim Johnson, Linda Klebe, Michael Redlinger, Shara Fischer, Matthew Pike, Samantha McDonald, Ken Enockson, Thomas Hill (United Way), Sami Eidenschink (HBA FM)
Absent: Melissa Rademacher (DCP), Mayor Tim Mahoney
Item 1. Welcome
Chairperson Strand welcomed Members to the meeting and introductions were made.
Item 2. Approve or Amend Agenda
Member Johnson moved the Agenda of the December 18, 2018 Community Development Committee meeting be approved as presented. Second by Member Enockson. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 3. Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting of October 16, 2018
Member Johnson moved the minutes of the October 16, 2018 Community Development Committee meeting be approved. Second by Member Fischer. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 4. Public Comment – Citizens to be heard
No public comment was given.
Item 5. CDBG Updates
a. Approve Amendments Proposal
Planning Director Nicole Crutchfield gave a background of the proposal.
Member Redlinger present.
Ms. Crutchfield reviewed the timeline of the amendment process and presented an overview of the cancelled and added projects to the Community Development Block Grant 5-year Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan.
b. Timeliness
Ms. Crutchfield noted that the City is on notice of not meeting the timeliness test and reviewed the details of what that means regarding future and current funds.
Ms. Crutchfield and Senior Planner Kristi Sylskar shared that the City currently working on cleaning up processes for monitoring and reporting of its Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs.
Discussion was held regarding past projects that have been funded.
Member Pike moved to approve the Amendments to the Community Development Block Grant 5-year Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plans as presented. Second by Member Klebe. On call of the roll Members Klebe, McDonald, Johnson, Eidenschink, Hill, Fischer, Pike, Redlinger, Enockson, and Strand voted aye. Absent and not voting: Members Mahoney and Rademacher. The motion was declared carried.
Item 6. CD Committee Schedule for 2019
Ms. Crutchfield presented the 2019 Community Development meeting schedule.
Discussion was held regarding the best time and day to meet for optimal attendance. The schedule was received as presented.
Item 7. Homeless Overflow Update
Ms. Crutchfield provided an update on the sheltering program noting the shelters currently are handling those staying at their sites. She noted that if they were to go into overflow status that the shelters would go into a deficit, but could handle the capacity. It was pointed out that the Moorhead shelters and Fargo shelters work as a coordinated unit.
Discussion was held regarding transportation between the shelters and that the Gladys Ray shelter is the only publically owned shelter.
Item 8. Neighborhood and Code Enforcements (continued to January)
Item 9. Social Service Grant Allocation Report
Additional information was provided to the Board.
Chair Strand noted that Members Klebe, Johnson, and McDonald served on the Subcommittee for Social Service Application Review, and that Member Klebe served as the Chairperson.
Member Klebe provided an overview of the application review and scoring system process.
Member Johnson provided insight on the review guidelines and goals.
Ms. Crutchfield reviewed the spreadsheet distributed to the Board noting the subcommittee recommended items highlighted in green and the City work plan items in yellow. She noted the need for continued conversation to update the guidelines, review process, and scoring system for the subcommittee.
Discussion was held regarding the City work plan items, primarily the Special Assessment Assistance program. Ms. Crutchfield and Senior Planner Kristi Sylskar reviewed the history and process of the program.
Further discussion was held regarding the role of the Social Service funds and their intent and general fund expenditures. The Board shared their intent to use the funds to have the most impact possible, and would like to see the City work plan items come from other areas.
The Board discussed the separation of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) items and Social Service funds applications as a process change from previous years.
Ms. Crutchfield highlighted the Homeless Transportation Assistance program, and stated the intent is to have the Gladys Ray Shelter run this program.
The Board voiced questions as to the proposed increase in the amounts for the two commissions listed as City work plan items.
Discussion ensued to move forward addressing only the Subcommittee’s recommendations of the items in green, and tabling action on the City work plan items in yellow on the spreadsheet.
Member Johnson proposed adding a third category to the spreadsheet of organizations needing start-up and sustainability assistance. The Board discussed the importance of training and building new organizations, but also focusing on what this Committee’s goals are.
Member Johnson moved to recommend to the Mayor and City Commission the approval of an allocation of $170,000 in 2019 Social Service funds as indicated by the green items on the spreadsheet. Second by Member Hill. On call of the roll Members Hill, Enockson, Johnson, McDonald, Eidenschink, Klebe, Pike, Redlinger, Fischer, and Strand voted aye. Absent and not voting: Members Mahoney, and Rademacher. The motion was declared carried.
Item 10. Other Business
Member Hill addressed the Board inquiring about the 2020 Census and the impact of community response. Ms. Crutchfield shared that the work has begun in the Planning Department and the Community Development Committee will be updated throughout the process.
Ms. Crutchfield noted the future intent is to have a joint Planning Commission and Community Development Brown Bag lunch meeting to provide better cross communication.
Commissioner Strand reviewed primary goal items for the Community Development Committee including the Social Service grant process, Community Land Trust wrap-up, Neighborhood Strategic Planning, and the Fargo High Rise.
Item 11. Public Comment – Continued if needed
No public comment was given.
Item 12. Adjourn
The time at adjournment was 3:50 p.m.