City of Oak Creek
Common Council Report
Meeting Date: July 31, 2006
Item No.:
Recommendation: That the Council allocate the City’s 2007 CDBG funds to the projects that are found to be eligible as follows:
|
Proposed 2007 Projects |
Requested Funding |
|
Public Service |
|
|
The Center Elderly Drop- in |
$ 850 |
|
The Salvation Army |
$ 15,000 |
|
Senior Citizen Services |
$ 4,500 |
|
Interfaith Older Adult Programs |
$ 8,850 |
|
Subtotal |
$ 29,200 |
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|
Non Public Service |
|
|
|
|
|
Handicapped accessibility (Miller Park bathrooms) |
$ 37,800[1] |
|
Total |
$ 67,000[2] |
Background: The Council has to review proposed projects that would utilize the City’s
2007 funds, which have yet to be allocated by Milwaukee County. The County has not given us any indication as to our funding level for next year. Past years funding has averaged approximately $67,000.
Prior to tonight’s meeting and utilizing a uniform application format, the following projects have been proposed:
The Center Elderly Drop-in – This would be used to provide additional and upgraded equipment for the Oak Creek “Forever Young” Senior Citizen Program including the purchase of banquet tables and a grill.
The Salvation Army – The Salvation Army has requested funds for their summer day camp program, as well as funds for their food pantry.
Oak Creek Parks, Recreation and Forestry Senior Citizen’s Club – This would be used to:
□ Subsidize a hot meal program
□ Transportation for “field trips”
□ Entertainment /social events
□ Supplies and printing
Interfaith – This money would be used to serve Oak Creek residents who are 60 or over, including salaries, training and transportation assistance.
Handicapped accessibility project – Miller Park bathrooms – The bathrooms at the Miller Park pavilion would be renovated in order to make them handicapped accessible.
Fire Department projects – The Fire Department has suggested several projects or programs for the use of these funds. They include:
□ Station 3 parking lot addition for Veteran’s Park ($86,300)
□ Sidewalks around Station 3 and Veteran’s Park ($41,400[3])/($28,650)[4]
□ Architectural seed money for Station 2 renovation ($42,423)
□ N95 masks for pandemic planning ($2740)
Based on our historical allocation of about $67,000, and the requirement that no more than 15% of the funds be allocated to public service uses (on a Countywide basis), there would be a little more than $10,000 to distribute among those requesting public service funds. Accordingly, it is preferable to allocate the City’s funding to specific projects. If the County’s percentage of public service projects exceeds the 15% threshold, it may be necessary to reallocate money among the groups receiving public service funds through the City. Again our continual goal is for us to achieve a ratio of 1.5 between our annual allocation and our unexpended funds or risk losing funds. To date we have lost no funding.
These proposals are due to Milwaukee County on or before August 10, 2006. Based on the discussion occurring at the public hearing staff is recommending that all of the public service projects be funded for 2007, with the qualification that this funding may be reduced if the County-wide ratio of public service projects exceeds fifteen percent. Provided that all of the public service requests are funded for 2007, a total of $37,800 would remain for non public service projects. The Council has identified the Miller Park bathroom accessibility project as the recipient of these funds for 2007. Note that the estimated project cost exceeds the allocated amount for 2007. Additional funds will need to be reallocated to this project from unexpended project funds from previous years. A separate public hearing must be held to reallocate these funds.
Fiscal Impact: The use of CDBG funds reduces the amount of funding the City has to provide through the annual budget to provide these same levels of service. If the Council decides to pursue projects whose costs exceed our annual allocation, it will be necessary to hold a subsequent public hearing to reallocate unexpended funds (currently estimated at about $140,000) for the desired project(s).
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Prepared by:
Doug Seymour, AICP Director of Community Development |
Respectfully submitted,
Patrick DeGrave City Administrator
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[1] Total project cost is estimated at $97,000. Additional funds will be reallocated from previous years unexpended projects after a future public hearing
[2] This number is approximate. Milwaukee County has not yet provided a figure for 2007
[3] Estimated cost for sidewalk for Veterans Park and Fire Station #3
[4] Estimated cost for sidewalk for Veteran’s Park only