1982-01-04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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RESULT OF THE CITY RECENTLY BECOMING PART OF THE STANDARD METROPOLI- TAN STATISTICAL AREA (SMSA). MR. HENDRIX STATED THAT THE PROGRAM IS AN ENTITLEMENT AND NOT A GRANT THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO COMPETE FOR WITH OTHER CITIES, HE INDICATED THAT THE CITY HAS PARTICIPATED IN CDBG PROGRAMS BEFORE UNDER ANOTHER VERSION OF THE PROGRAM ENTITLED THE SMALL CITIES COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDED FUDNS FOR THE STARR HILL PROGRAM. MR. HENDRIX GAVE THE FOLLOWING BASIC REGULATIOI~S SET FORTH' AS CRITERIA FOR RECEIVING CDBG: i) THE ACTIVITY AIDS LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES; 2) THE ACTIVITY AIDS IN THE PREVENTION OR ELIMINATION DF SLUMS OR BLIGHT AND 3) THE ACTIVITY ADDRESSES A SERIOUS AND IMMEDIATE THREAT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH OR WELFARE. AT LEAST ONE OF THE CRITERIA MUST BE USED IN THE IMPLEMEN- TATION OF ANY PROGRAM DESIGNED TO USE THE FUNDS. MR. HENDRIX STATED THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES WHICH COULD BE USED TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS, SUCH AS: 1) SELECTING ONE SPECI- FIC AREA OR NEIGHBORHOOD TO FOCUS ALL CBBG ACTIVITIES (SUCH AS STARR HILL)~ 2) SELECTING TWO NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS TO FOCUS CDBG ACTIVITIES; 3) CONCENTRATING ALL ACTIVITIES IN LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS~ 4) DE- VISING PROGRAMS ~O APPLY CITY WIDE~ 5) USING ALL FUNDS FOR ONE ACTI- VITY~ 5) IMPLEMENTING ONE ACTIVITY IN SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS OR 6) IMPLEMENTING ONE ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY. MR. HENDRIX STATED THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING'S PURPOSE WAS TO GIVE CITY COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF THE COM- MUNITY AS TO HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEIR MONEY SPENT AND WHAT KIND OF STRATEGIES THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE. THE COUNCIL WILL DECIDE THE DIRECTION THEY WOULD LIKE THE STAFF TO TAKE IN DESIGNATING PROGRAMS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION INITIALLY AND THEN TO THE COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL, MR. R.J. BALTIMORE OF 1603 EAST MARKET STREET, PRESIDENT OF THE WOOLEN MILLS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ADDRESSED COUNCIL SAYING THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE RESTRICTIONS ATTACHED TO THE CDBG FUNDS. MR. BALTIMORE INDICATED HE HAD INTERVIEWED PEOPLE IN THE WOOLEN MILLS NEIGHBORHOOD TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PRIMARY PROBLEMS ARE. HE FOUND THE OVERALL CONCERNS TO BE CURTAILING VANDALISM AND EXCESSIVE SPEED, HE REQUESTED THAT PART OF THE FUNDS BE SPENT FOR INCREASED POLICE PROTECTION, NOT JUST IN THE WOOLEN MILLS AREA, BUT IN THE ENTIRE CITY.. HE INDICATED THAT PEOPLE IN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD HAD EXPERIENCED QUITE A BIT OF VANDALISM; SOME REPORTED, SOME NOT. MR. THOMAS JOHNSON, SR. OF 632 RIDGE STREET AND MEMBER OF THE RIDGE STREET NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, URGED CONCIL TO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE OF COMMUNITY PEOPLE TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING A PLAN CONCERNING EXPENDITURES OF THE FUNDS. HE STATED THAT CITIZEN INPUT IS ESSENTIAL THROUGH THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS. MR, JOHNSON ALSO ADDRESSED THE PROBLEMS OF HIGH SPEED RACERS AND LACK OF CROSS WALKS AND CAUTION LIGHTS IN THE RIDGE STREET AREA,