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Mr. Buck stated that as a matter of preference he did <br />not think the program should be an outright gift. <br /> <br /> The motion to approve option one was defeated by the <br />following vote. Ayes: Mrs. Gleason and Dr. Hall. Noes: <br />Mr. Barnes, Mr. Buck, Mr. Towe. <br /> <br /> Mr. Barnes made a motion to approve option two of the <br />Downpayment and Closing Costs Assistance Program. Mr. <br />Towe seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved <br />by Council. <br /> <br /> Mr. Buck requested that staff move as quickly as <br />possible to implement the program. <br /> <br />APPROPRIATION: ~96,000 - ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT <br />BLOCK GRANT FUNDS <br /> <br /> Mr. Hendrix stated that the Social Development <br />Commission, Planning Commission and Community Development <br />Block Grant Task Force had recommended the following <br />projects: Community Mediation Center - $4,810; <br />Independence Resource Center - $3,710; Minority Enterprise <br />Program - $60,000~ Charlottesville Housing Improvement <br />Program (CHIP) - $5,000; Lights at Tonsler Park Tennis <br />Courts - $17,000; and Engineering of CDBG projects - <br />$2,480. <br /> <br /> Ms. Cynthia Stratton, Chairman of the CDBG Task <br />Force, requested that Council support the recommendations <br />of the Task Force. <br /> <br /> Ms. Lauvonda Young, President of the Board of <br />Directors of the Community Mediation Center, requested <br />Council support for funding the Mediation Center as she <br />felt it would be beneficial to the community. Ms. Young <br />stated that Family Services was providing a telephone, <br />secretarial services and space for the Center. <br /> <br /> Mr. Barnes questioned what the outlook was for the <br />Mediation Center securing funding from private sources, <br />noting that the Harrisonburg Mediation Center was funded <br />by private and church funds. <br /> <br /> Ms. Young stated that there was a possibility of the <br />Center receiving $2,000 from the Charlottesville/Albemarle <br />Trust and funds from IOTA (Interest on Trust Accounts from <br />local attorneys). <br /> <br /> Ms. Becky Bowman, former director of the Mediation <br />Center, stated that the Center was in a dormancy period <br />presently existing mostly through the telephone, but the <br />anticipated structure was for the Board of Directors to <br />pay Family Services to provide administrative services and <br />schedule mediations which would be done by trained <br />volunteers. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question by Dr. Hall concerning the <br />number of clients served by the Center in the previous <br />year, Mso Bowman stated that 96 calls had been received, <br />90 prior to July 1. Of those calls; 10 mediations were <br />completed, 18 had been resolved on their own, one was <br />scheduled and two were pending. Ms. Bowman stated that <br />the local Bar Association felt that the Mediation Center <br />provided a needed service. <br /> <br /> Mr. Towe commented that he felt that the service was <br />expensive, costing approximately $300 per case acted on. <br /> <br /> Ms. Bowman responded that as the caseload is <br />established, the cost becomes less expensive. Ms. Bowman <br />requested funding in order for the Center to have time to <br /> <br /> <br />