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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 20, 1991 COW COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 20, 1991 Mayor VanDeVoorde called the public hearing to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers . Councilmembers present: Fox, Gilliam, Moylan, Popple, Walters, Yearman, and Mayor VanDeVoorde. Absent: None. Presentation on Community Development Block Grant Proqram and Eligibility Criteria Pat Andrews stated that the City of Elgin has participated in the Block Grant program since its inception 17 years ago. The allocation for the 1991-1992 program is $720,000, plus approximately $6,000 in program income, for a total of $726,000 . The block grant program has two primary national goals . One is to benefit low and moderate income persons - either directly or indirectly. The second goal is elimination of slums and blighting influences. The types of activities that can be done under these two primary criteria include acquisition, rehabilitation, public facilities improvement, and public services to the community--primarily to low and moderate income persons. Citizen Comments on Past Performance and Community Development Needs Mary Thrun of 120 South State Street, representing the tenants of Central Park Towers, thanked the the Council and City of Elgin for the new stoves they received last year and for the refrigerators they received today. Robert Soderstrom of 104 South State Street stated that in 1977, block grant funds were used to appraise a piece of property he owned. He was told the City wanted to acquire the property and he would have to relocate. After the appraisal, he never heard another thing about it. Mr. Soderstrom said he believed this was a misuse of funds, and that it caused a great physical strain on him. PRESENTATION OF FUNDING PROPOSALS Elgin Area Day Care Initiative Agnes Kovacs, Executive Director, stated that Elgin Area Day Care Center is one of two centers in Elgin which serve low income families . Between the two centers, there are approximately 200 children on the waiting list. The Center would like to relocate from its present facility at 370 East Chicago Street to Elgin Community College Fountain Square Community Block Grant Public Hearing March 20, 1991 Page 2 Campus . This would enable them to more than double the number of low-income clients served. Elgin Area Day Care Center and Elgin Community College would like to work together. They could serve approximately 80 children at Fountain Square. Remodeling is required before the day care center can be licensed, and they would like to move into that facility August 1, 1991 . The sum of $50,900 is requested for the necessary remodeling. Housinq Authority of Elqin Rose Oliver, Deputy Director, and Barry Shealy, Technical Dire ctor, of the Housing Authority of Elgin requested funding for the following. Security/intercom system for Central Park Towers 9,000 Handicap accessible doors for Central Park Towers 34,000 Excavation of dangerous playground equipment 19,800 Tuckpointing/resurfacing brick 10,500 Additional funding for fence at Illinois Court 5,000 Total $78,300 Elqin Community Colleqe and The Coalition for Adequate Shelter, (CASE) Don Waters and Rick Cervantes, of Elgin Community College, and Ronald Barkley, of CASE, submitted a proposal to pilot a Model Housing Rehabilitation Program which would provide: 1) low/moderate income Elgin residents with affordable housing; and 2) training for 40 unemployed and underemployed, low/moderate income residents in building rehabilitation skills, utilizing a "hands on" approach at an actual building site. The sum of $50,000 is requested to purchase a home in the target area, and $45,000 is requested for the project director/ instructor' s salary and benefits, for a total of $95,000 . Planninq Department - Planninq and Manaqement Arlene Kollar, City Planner, stated that since 1978, the City of Elgin has allocated some portion of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the planning and management function. Regulations set a cap of 20 percent of CDBG funds received to be used for planning and management. The Planning Department is proposing that $80,000 be allocated for the continued funding of the Planning and Management function for the CDBG program. Community Block Grant Public Hearing March 20, 1991 • Page 3 Planninq Department - Residential Rehabilitation Rebate Proqram Ms . Kollar presented a proposal for the Elgin Residential Rehabilitation Rebate Program, which has been in existence since 1977, and has assisted in the improvement of over 700 homes . Program participation remains constant, and the Planning Department proposes that the funding level for this program be maintained at $180,000. Fox River Center for Independent Livinq Cindy Ciancio, Chief Executive Officer for the Fox River Center for Independent Living, submitted a proposal to install 40 textured curb cuts in the City of Elgin at a cost of $22,000. Approximately 75 curb cuts have been installed since the center began submitting these proposals in 1988. Parks Department - Channinq Playqround Ross Ricks, Director of Parks and Recreation, submitted a request for $50,000 to design and install a complete modular playground system at Channinq School, which presently has no playground. Parks Department - Walton Islands & East Bank Renovation Proqram Mr. Ricks requested $265,000 to construct and install vehicle bridges from the east bank, near the library, to the north island and between the island and the existing piers . Operation Outreach Joel Perez, on behalf of Operation Outreach, requested funding of $46,000 to purchase exercise and recreational equipment and cover one year's operating expenses for a recreational facility. The facility is designed to provide activities for "at-risk" youth and an alternative to gang and crime involvement. Dick Wenchel, Administrator with the Elgin School District, spoke in support of the the above proposal . Elqin Area Child Care Initiative Agnes Kovacs submitted a request for $50,000 to be used for S.A.F.E. scholarships to provide summer recreation and education activities for low income students . Police officers assigned to and living in the neighborhoods will identify those youths most at risk and susceptible to gang recruitment. Community Block Grant Public Hearing March 20, 1991 i - Page 4 Development Corporation for DuPage/Geneva/Chapel/Chicago Street Block Philip Montgomery submitted a request on behalf of residents in the vicinity of the above block, also known as Block Two of James T. Gifford's Subdivision. The group is requesting that the City form a community redevelopment corporation and fund an initial grant of $250,000 to the corporation to purchase a home for rehabilitation in the subject block. After rehabilitation, the home would be sold, and the monies would be used to buy another home in this block, and so forth. Well Child Conference Agnes Kovacs submitted a request for $32, 100 to be used for remodeling and purchasing equipment and supplies for the Well Child Conference facility. This would provide a play area for the children while they wait for appointments, and it would also be used to assist in developing good parenting skills . Centro de Informacion Gwendolyn Gage submitted a request for $8690, which would be used for administration and supplies to operate a parenting program for Spanish-speaking low income families . The program is recommended by the Illinois Department of Substance and Alcohol Abuse. This grant would service approximately 40 families . Enqineerinq Division Joe Evers, Civil Engineer with the Elgin Public Works Department, presented a request for $700,000 for replacement and/or repair of sidewalks, curb and gutter and the pavement of the Division/Hill Street area. City Manager, Larry Rice, explained that this request for funds is not in competition with the other proposed projects . This is the obligatory application he mentioned at budget time, which enables the City to do some switching of money to simplify the internal bookkeeping. An application must be made for block grant money in order to meet the guidelines . The Salvation Arm V Mark Martsolf, Commanding Officer of The Salvation Army, presented a request for $70,000 for renovation of the playground/parking area located across the street to the north of The Salvation Army property, at the northwest corner of Ann and Douglas Streets . Community Block Grant Public Hearing March 20, 1991 Page 5 Central Elqin Neiqhborhood Council Bob Johnson submitted a request on behalf of the Central Elgin Neighborhood Council for $24,071, which would be a one-time only award, for the purpose of organization and development of the Council. The requested funds would be for director and counselor salaries and supplies. Ecker Center for Mental Health Dan Boehmer submitted a request on behalf of the Ecker Center for $50, 191 for remodeling the house located at 695 South Street, to be used for the Ecker Center's Respite Program, which must move from its current location at the Elgin Mental Health Center. The Respite Program provides short-term supervised care for adults during serious emotional difficulties. Mothers Aqainst Ganqs Judith Digison, representing Mothers Against Gangs, submitted a request for $5,606 to initiate recreational programs for youths between the ages of 8 and 15 years, which they believe is a very vulnerable period. The programs would include open gym nights, camping overnighters, and weekly open bowling. Announcements The next Community Block Grant meeting will be April 17, 1991, at 7 p.m. in the Council Conference room. The Council will discuss the proposed projects and budgeting. The public hearing adjourned at 9 :50 p.m. Do onna Mec6m Ci y Clerk