HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/21/2008 04B Minutes 10-08-2008 Council Neighborhood Development Committee City of Yakima
Neighborhood Development
City Council Committee
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Council Members Present: Bill Lover, Kathy Coffey, and Neil McClure
Staff Present: Bill Cook, Michael Morales, Chris Waarvick, Archie Matthews
Guests: Esther Huey of Southeast Community Center, Henry Beauchamp of OIC, Luz
Gutierrez of RCDR, and Lynn Kittleson.
1. HUD Complaint Letter
Mr. Jackie Brown recently submitted a complaint letter to HUD regarding the
Southeast Community Center (SECC). HUD forwarded the letter to. the City of
_ Yakima for follow up.. _ -
Henry Beauchamp gave a brief history of the SECC. Currently OIC is managing
the SECC under a five year contract with the City of Yakima. Also, the City
Parks and Recreation Department has a three year contract with the Americorp
Program which operates out of the center.
• Ester Huey gave an explanation of the services available at the center. The
services are related to health, education, and employment issues. The services
have changed over the years. The changes are due in part to the entry of the
Farmer Workers Clinic and Yakima Neighborhood Health Services to the
southeast Yakima community. Ms. Huey has drafted a letter of response that
further explains all of this (attached).
Chris Waarvick explained the contract with the Americorp Program and SECC.
Parks and Recreation manages the fiscal portion of the program and SECC
operates the service portion of the program. The funding received from the City
of Yakima is through a grant. Approximately $75,500 is from the grant and the
SECC is required to generate the same dollar amount.
Office of Neighborhood Development provides reimbursement of the cost of
maintenance at SECC.
In the contract with OIC, the SECC is required to have an advisory committee.
The City Council Nominating Committee has reviewed the applications and is
going to interview the applicants. The SECC Advisory Committee will be made
up of seven community members and will serve in an advisory capacity to
Council, staff and the operators of the SECC. The Council may also appoint ex
officio members as the Council deems necessary to act in an advisory capacity to
the committee.
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Other Business
Office of Neighborhood Development purchased the property at 201 S 8th Street
in 2005 with HOME funding. HOME regulations state that when starting a
project, which in this case would start with the purchase of the property, work
must commence within one year and completion of the project within five years.
The project is within a year and a half of the five year deadline. A draft outline
will be brought to the committee at the November meeting so that final decisions
on the project can be made.
A request was made to have a public input meeting in Spanish for the Hispanic
community in. Yakima. There will be a meeting to inform the Hispanic
community on October 22, 2008 at 6:00 pm at the Ramirez Child Center. This
meeting is not a public input meeting required by HUD.
In -fill housing designs are still in the process of being selected by OIC, Habitat
for Humanity, and Maud Scott (SENIC).
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Bill Lover, Chair