MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING OF
THE MIDLAND CITY HOUSING COMMISSION
WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 27, 2013, 3:00 P.M.
333
CITY COUNCIL
CHAMBERS OVERFLOW CONFERENCE ROOM
MIDLAND, MICHIGAN
I. Roll Call
PRESENT: Bob Burgess, Bill Garchow, Rick Loose, Sharon Mortensen and Steve Rapanos
ABSENT: None
STAFF: Brad Kaye, Director of Planning and Community Development, Jeff Burdick, Community Development Planner
II. Approval
of Minutes
a.)
Regular
Meeting – December 3, 2012
Motion by Sharon Mortensen, seconded by Steve Rapanos, to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 3, 2012, as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
b.)
Special
Meeting – February 4, 2013
Motion by Steve Rapanos, seconded by Sharon Mortensen, to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting of February 4, 2013, as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
III. Public
Comments
None
IV. New Business
a.) Review
of CDBG sub-recipient funding applications for the 2013-2014 fiscal year
Jeff Burdick advised the Housing Commission
on how the revenue amounts in the 2013-2014 CDBG budget were calculated. Discussion
ensued regarding the merits of each funding proposal and how to best tackle the
task of choosing which agencies would receive funding and by what amount. Commissioner Burgess presented a draft budget
that he put together prior to the meeting to start the discussion.
The Commission decided to first determine the
funding amounts for the Planning/Administration, Housing Rehabilitation,
Affordable Housing and Contingency categories.
The Planning/Administration and Contingency categories were recommended
to be funded at the same level as the 2012-2013 approved CDBG budget. The Housing Rehabilitation and Affordable
Housing categories were recommended for lower levels of funding than last year
as some of the activities within these two categories have been overfunded
during the past few years.
A budget was then determined for the Public
Service category requests. During the
Public Services category review, questions arose concerning the funding level
of Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (LSEM).
The Commission expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of work
produced by LSEM and questioned whether this agency should be funded this
year. It was determined that LSEM should
be funding at a lower level for the 2013-2014 CDBG year and that the agency
should be informed of the Commission’s dissatisfaction with its work.
The Commission decided not to fund certain
Public Service requests due to replication of services in the community, questions
concerning the sustainability of certain agencies, and limited funding
available due to the 15% cap on Public Service funding. Among the Public Services requests, full
funding was recommended for Community Mental Health Dial-a-Ride tickets,
Educational and Training Connection, Reece Endeavor Dial-a-Ride Tickets, and
Safe Haven Dial-a-Ride tickets. Partial
funding was recommended for Habitat for Humanity, Legal Services of Eastern
Michigan, the Legacy Center for Community Success, and the West Midland Family
Center. Burdick stated that he would
contact the West Midland Family Center to determine if partial funding of their
request would render the project undoable.
The Commission next reviewed the requests for
Public Facilities Improvements. Burdick
informed the Commission of a discussion he had with a HUD Department of Labor
Relations representative regarding the use of volunteers to exempt the Midland
County Education Service Agency (MCESA) from Davis Bacon regulations. He stated that HUD does not look favorably
upon the volunteer exemption to David Bacon and that the process of obtaining
HUD approval for this exemption is cumbersome.
The Commission decided that the MCESA project is needed and that is
should be funded in full if this exemption is granted by HUD. Burdick stated that he would contact HUD to
determine the likelihood of this exemption being granted. The Commission decided not to fund certain
Public Facilities Improvements requests due to Davis Bacon’s impact on the cost
effectiveness of these requests and questions concerning the sustainability of
certain agencies. Among the Public
Facilities Improvements requests, full funding was recommended for MCESA, Open
Door, Shelterhouse, the two proposals of Washington Woods, and Windover High
School. Partial funding was recommended
for Safe and Sound Child Advocacy.
Burdick stated that he would contact Safe and Sound Child Advocacy to
determine if partial funding of their request would deem the project undoable.
Under the Architectural Barrier Removal
category, the Commission recommended full funding of the Midland Area Homes –
Ramps, and Washington Woods – Tub cut-outs projects and partial funding of the
Cleveland Manor elevator project.
V. Future Meeting Date
a)
March 4,
2013
VI. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 4:39 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeffrey Burdick, Community Development Planner
MINUTES ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL APPROVED BY THE
MIDLAND CITY HOUSING COMMISSION.