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Home My WebLink About06-214 Resolution No. 06-214 RESOLUTION APPROVING GRANT RECIPIENTS UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM WHEREAS,the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program has been established to provide financial assistance and incentives for neighborhood groups and organizations in the development and implementation of projects benefitting their respective neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, on June 14, 2006 the City Council of the City of Elgin passed Resolution No. 06-123 approving grant recipients under the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program for five citizen groups for five projects; and WHEREAS,an additional four citizen groups have been solicited to develop four projects in an effort to utilize the funds remaining in the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program; and WHEREAS, said applications have been reviewed and recipients selected by the City Council. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, that grant assistance be provided under the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program to the following organizations: Organization Project Grant Woodbridge North Entryway Improvements at College $15,000 Homeowners Association Green Drive and Randall Road Salvation Army and Northeast Fencing and Entryway Improvements $15,000 Neighborhood Association at Ann Street and Douglas Avenue United Way of Elgin and the Construction of a New Playground at $15,000 Elgin Housing Authority Clifford and Owasco Park Elgin Historical Society and Irrigation System, Retaining Wall and $22,000 City of Elgin Landscape Improvements at the Elgin Historical Society TOTAL $67,000 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the projects shall be in conformance with all applicable codes and ordinances. s/Ed Schock Ed Schock, Mayor Presented: September 13, 2006 Adopted: September 13, 2006 Omnibus Vote: Yeas: 7 Nays: 0 Attest: s/Dolonna Mecum Dolonna Mecum, City Clerk F :c4 EL odotuott.,' Agenda Item No. r I 1 2 City of Elgin 4,0ink annannonnowns August 18, 2006 1 -- - TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council FROM: Olufemi Folarin, City Manager io RuthAnne K. Hall,Neighborho d Services Committee SUBJECT: 2006 Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program—Use of Remaining Funding PURPOSE The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Mayor and members of the City Council with information to consider the use of the remaining funding for the 2006 Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve the four applications for grant requests for the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program in the amount of$67,000 and direct staff to execute the grant agreements. BACKGROUND Funding of$125,000 is set aside annually for the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program. To date, only $55,932 has been committed to both Large and Small Sparks Grant Projects. As a result, staff has been actively soliciting neighborhood groups to develop projects to utilize the remaining funding. As such, staff is recommending that the following four projects totaling $67,000 be recommended for approval: • Woodbridge North Home Owners Association has presented an application to complete an entryway enhancement at their entrance at College Green Drive and Randall Road. The proposal includes a new monument style sign, landscaping of the median, and landscaping and remediation of the existing pond and brick wall. The overall cost of the project, including volunteer labor, is estimated at $33,193, of which the Home Owners Association is requesting assistance of$15,000. Staff has reviewed the proposal in conjunction with the guidelines for the grant program and recommends approval. • Salvation Army and the Northeast Neighborhood Association has partnered together to present an application to remove the existing chain link fence surrounding the Salvation Army playground on the northwest corner of Ann and Douglas. The chain 00**- link fence will be replaced by a four foot wrought iron fence with the entrance realigned to the corner of Ann and Douglas, with two brick pillars identifying the entryway. In addition, the two organizations have partnered with United Way of ow. 2006 Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program—Use of remaining funding August 18, 2006 Page 2 Elgin through the Day of Caring to gather volunteers to construct a new path from the entry to the play area, Neighborhood Housing Services to provide the tools for the volunteers, and School District U-46 to provide the mulch for the walking path and play area. The overall cost of the project, including volunteer labor and in-kind donations, is estimated at $30,000, of which $15,000 is being requested in grant funding. Staff has reviewed the proposal in conjunction with the guidelines for the grant program and recommends approval. • United Way of Elgin is partnering with The Elgin Housing Authority to present an application to construct a new playground to replace the existing structure at Clifford and Owasco Park which will be removed as part of a proposed engineering project to provide comp storage. The Elgin Housing Authority maintains 30 apartment units in the area with approximately 93 children who do not have adequate play equipment. To address this issue United Way of Elgin has received a grant from KaBoom to donate a play structure and assist with the planning of the volunteer-build of the new playground. The overall cost of the project, including volunteer labor and in-kind donations, is estimated at $50,000, of which $15,000 is being requested in grant funding. Staff has reviewed the proposal in conjunction with the guidelines for the grant program and recommends approval. • The final grant request is a partnership with the Elgin Area Historical Society and the City of Elgin to install an irrigation system on the front lawn of the historical society, construct a retaining wall along the sidewalk, and install new landscaping enhancements. The Elgin Area Historical Society is partnering with the Garden Club, Original East Side Neighbors, Gifford Park Association, and Neighborhood Housing Services to provide the volunteer labor and tools for the landscaping. The City will be responsible for the cost of the irrigation system, retaining wall, and landscape materials. The overall cost of the project, including volunteer labor, is estimated at $24,000, of which $22,000 is being requested in grant funding. The project is a departure from the established guidelines for the grant program in that it provides funding to complete a project on City-owned property. However, in lieu of having funds remain unused in the program, staff is recommending that the funding be utilized for this project contingent on the participation of the volunteer support from the partnering organizations. With the approval of the $67,000 in funding for the four projects presented, $122,932 of the $125,000 allocated to the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program will be utilized to complete 14 projects. This is a 63% increase in funding for neighborhood projects and a 27% increase in the number of participants from 2005. 01".. 2006 Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program—Use of remaining funding August 18, 2006 Page 3 COMMUNITY GROUPS/INTERESTED PERSONS CONTACTED Various neighborhood organizations throughout the City. F NANCIAL IMPACT The 2006 budget for the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program is $125,000. Funding for the Large Project Fund is included in the 2006 Riverboat Fund budget ($125,000), account number 275-0000-791.78-99, project number 079852. Sufficient funds are budgeted and available ($69,000) to fund the approved grants totaling $67,000. VIWEGAL IMPACT 'None. ALTERNATIVES 1. Approve the recommended grant proposals for the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program for $67,000. 2. Reject the recommended grant proposals for the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program for$67,000. Respectfully submitted for Council consideration. RICH