02/21/1977 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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. funding to be available to people and has not seen evidence of that happening. He felt there was need to look at the priorities for funding, especially in terms of needs for people. He also indicated he had not received any infor- mation concerning public hearings, and wondered if the Council should not make better efforts to see that citizens in the community are informed through better newspaper advertising of such items of interest and public hearings held. He again cited what he felt to be a discrepancy between what is being provided and what is needed. He said the funds should be locally distributed, and that HCDC delegate the power to the neighborhood groups to allocate the money. He asked that priorities be set and have the neighborhood goups distribute the money as they see fit, with much less restriction from HCDC. Al McWayne, 745 West 20th, Executive Board member of the Friendly Area Neighbors, said his group had been working on a park proposal to be located at 22nd and Madison since 1975. He said the plans had been submitted to both the Parks Department and the Planning Commission, and that $60,000 had tentatively been allocated for the park. Later they were informed that the Commission decided not to use the money for that site as there already were too many parks in the area. He said the proposal had been presented at the HCDC hearing two weeks ago, and he felt the funds were put back into a contingency fund. He indicated this was a 2-acre parcel for a park in the neighborhood, and that it was one of few sites which could be used for a park in that area. He said the group was worred that the few remaining parcels would be cut up and sold as small building sites. He requested that Council put the $60,000 back into the budget for its original use as a park site on Madison Street. '- Public hearing was closed, there being no further testimony. Mr. Charles Kupper, tiC De , addressed the concerns. To Mr. Lemert's concerns, Mr. Kupper acknowledged a good point had been made which showed the dilemma faced in advertising. He said HCDC felt an obligation to advertise to all neighborhood groups, and that under regulations they have to advertise in a newspaper of general circulation. To Mr. Carlstrom's concerns, Mr. Kupper indicated there was concern over setting priorities. He said it was true that the application concentrates on physical programs, but that the very nature of the Act points it in that direction as it calls for physical developments in blighted areas of a community. Social services are permitted, but they are not to exceed 10% of the total grant. He said the neighborhoods have to decide which way they want their mon-ey to be spent. In regard to the Friendly Park proposal, he said it was decided to hold the money aside to allow review of whether the site is the best place to put a park. Manager indicated that $62,000 in the proposal is ear-marked for social services. He said this is a substantial change in Council policy, where in the past most social services were funded out of federal revenue sharing monies. The allocation in the grant application provides some effort for social services, although HCDC took the position that these social services are not likely to be funded beyond a year, and therefore has allocated the money in the best way it sees fit to accomplish the most for neighborhood groups for one year only. Manager stated that this Community Development Act money cannot and should not be used to fund social services on a continuing basis and that appeared to be the intent of HCDC. ~ Special Council Meeting 2/21/77 - 2 \35