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191 <br /> <br /> Mr. Paul McWhinney, Administrator of the Community <br />Attention Home Program, presented a staff report to Council <br />which recommended the relocation of the Girls' Attention <br />Home from 506 7th Street, N.E. to 414 4th Street, N.E., <br />because the present site is not adequate. Mr. McWhinney <br />stated that the site on 4th Street, which is owned by the <br />City, is proposed to be renovated and expanded. Mr. <br />McWhinney stated that 14 sites were assessed and 4th Street <br />was felt to be the most appropriate for the following <br />reasons: the new site is in a mixed-use location; the group <br />home would be allowed by right; and the site is accessible <br />to other social service agencies. Mr. McWhinney stated that <br />it was proposed that the present site be returned to <br />residential use. <br /> <br /> Mro Hendrix stated that the City currently allows <br />Offender Aid and Restoration the use of 414 4th Street <br />without charging rent and that the relocation would <br />necessitate an increase to OAR from both the City and <br />County in order to rent private space. Mr. Hendrix <br />recommended that a public hearing on the proposed relocation <br />be held at the next meeting prior to Council action. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Towe, Mr. Hendrix <br />stated that the property at 416 4th Street was proposed to <br />be sold on the open market, with the condition that the site <br />be improved. <br /> <br /> Ms. Pat Smith, Director of OAR, stated that OAR has <br />been in the 4th Street location for 17 years and she wanted <br />to make Council aware that the relocation could present a <br />financial hardship to OAR without an increase in government <br />funding. <br /> <br /> Mr. Blake Caravati, Chairman of the OAR Board, stated <br />that he felt the construction costs for renovation of the <br />4th Street site for the Girls' Attention Home made the site <br />too costly. <br /> <br /> Mr. Gib Akin, President of the North Downtown Residents <br />Association, stated that the NDRA Board had held two <br />sparsely attended neighborhood meetings regarding the <br />proposed relocation of he Girls' Attention Home and that <br />both support and objections were raised by residents. Mr. <br />Akin stated that some residents felt that the North Downtown <br />Neighborhood already houses a large number of social service <br />programs and others felt that the Neighborhood could <br />accommodate the group home with no problems. Mr. Akin <br />stated that two neighbors of the existing Girls' Home <br />reported no problems with the Home. Mr. Akin stated that he <br />felt the North Downtown Neighborhood would support the <br />relocation if the design of the facility was appropriate for <br />the neighborhood, if the neighborhood could be involved in <br />the design of the facility, and if the house next door was <br />improved. · <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Towe about the high <br />cost of renovation, Mr. McWhinney stated that the State <br />standards for such things as fire walls and sprinkler <br />systems contributed to the high cost of renovation and <br />construction. <br /> <br />APPROPRIATION: <br /> <br />(2nd reading) <br /> <br />$3,963 - FEMA - EMERGENCY RENT AND UTILITY FUNDS <br /> <br /> The ~3,963 appropriation of the Emergency Rent and <br />Utility Funds which was offered at the August 15th meeting <br />was approved by the following vote. Ayes: Mr. Buck, Rev. <br />Edwards, Mr. Towe, Mr. Vandever, Ms. Waters. Noes: None. <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the United States Federal Emergency Management <br />Administration (FEMA) has notified the City of a grant in the <br /> <br /> <br />