Official stands by grant process despite rejection
By MARLY KOSINSKI Tribune ChronicleWARREN - Community Development Director Michael Keys said the rejection of a multi-jurisdictional grant for $32.4 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds will not deter him from working on other collaborative projects.
"I would do it again. Absolutely. The HUD scoring system is skewed toward the big guys, and we in the Mahoning Valley need to work together to compete. This application was a learning experience for us and we need to learn from our mistakes and do better next time," Keys said Friday.
He said Youngstown Community Development director Bill D'Avignon took the lead on the grant application on behalf of the nine river communities that would benefit from the funds. The communities included Warren, Niles, Girard, McDonald, Newton Falls, Youngstown, Campbell, Struthers and Lowellville.
D'Avignon said he wrote the grant with input from Keys, Trumbull County Planning Commission grants coordinator Julie Green, the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative and officials from the other communities.
He also had help from two interns in his office, including Sarah Sole, a former correspondent for the Tribune Chronicle who is now an editorial assistant at the newspaper. Sole also is the daughter of his girlfriend, Gemma Sole.
Sarah Sole would not comment for this story, referring all questions about her involvement with the grant to D'Avignon.
D'Avignon said Sole worked in his office from June through September 2009 after she graduated from Youngstown State University with a journalism degree. He said she researched census information, unemployment statistics, foreclosure rates and other information on the nine communities, and also proofread the grant for spelling and grammatical errors.
"She did what any other intern would do. I wrote the grant. But I had a lot of help to do so," D'Avignon said.
He said it was decided during a mayor's association meeting that Youngstown would take the lead on the grant because it was the largest community and had experience working with the Housing and Urban Development agency.
"We knew we were asking for a lot of money and we knew we would have to show we could spend it," D'Avignon said.
He said he is being unfairly criticized for the grant's rejection last week by HUD, noting the draft proposal was available on Youngstown's Web site for a 15-day comment period prior to its submission. He said no one commented on it, and the application could have been altered before final submission.
Youngstown City Councilman DeMaine Kitchen, who was among Valley representatives who met Wednesday with HUD officials in Washington, D.C., said in published reports that D'Avignon should be disciplined for the application's failure. Kitchen did not immediately return a message left Friday.
Also at the HUD meeting was U.S. Rep. Timothy Ryan of Niles. E-mail messages sent to Ryan and his communications director, Heather McMahon, were not immediately returned Friday.
D'Avignon said HUD scored the application deficient in several areas, including management structure and past accomplishments. He said he took it for granted that because Youngstown is an entitlement community that receives HUD funding every year, officials at the federal agency were familiar with Youngs-town and he did not think it was necessary to include some of the information the application sought.
"I didn't realize that if the information was not on the application, it does not exist as far as HUD is concerned," D'Avignon said.
He also said competition for the grant was huge, with only 79 applications getting approved out of 482 received.
Keys also defended D'Avignon.
"The big guys that get the funding spend lots of money to hire expensive grant writers. Youngs-town and Warren have to make due with what we have. I am not ashamed of our effort," Keys said.
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tellindatruf63
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01-24-10 9:44 AM
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Sounds like people in the foundation world don't live by the same standards of success that people in the real world live by. I don't continue to patronize an establishment that gives me bad service or has an unproven track record or who are inconsistent. But when you're trying to accomplish another hidden agenda like Ratner, I guess you don't care what quality of organization you use to do your dirty work. All you care about is having someone do your dirty work for you. And once again, fellow Mah. Valley residents, the powers that be have made decisions for our valley that continue to hurt our valley. Time for some change. Let's not forget this come Nov. Time to send everyone a STRONG msg they'll never forget.
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tellindatruf63
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01-24-10 9:39 AM
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Another little FYI: because MVOC's lack of experience,consistentcy,or proven list of accomplishments,they did not qualify for a grant w/ the fed. Neighbor Works Proj. that J.Wms was looking to come to Yo.There were other agencies in Yo who did, but MVOC wasn't one of them,so how do we know they didn't sway Jay not to go after that grants cuz they couldn't get their hands in it? Remember, they have "relationship" w/ all the leaders in the valley. They weren't qualified for that fed. grant, maybe they weren't qualified to asst or do the editing on the NSP grant?This was too big to leave to chance.Some one needs to investigate just how many staff members they have hired,fired, etc. while working on the NSP grant.Revolving door employee problem was brought to Ratner; his reply "I am aware the MVOC has had some problems maintaining adequate staff". Okay,so why isn't he looking into why or maybe stop funding them until they can prove they're more stable?
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tellindatruf63
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01-24-10 5:27 AM
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Our political leaders are all in bed with them. Especially now with the recent Supreme Court ruling. As long as Wean is dangling their money in the community and now more money to the political campaigns, they will be allowed to do anything they want. It's up to the people. #1 principle in community organizing: POWER is organized money OR organized people. Time for a REAL revolution in this valley. Let's stop talking about change and getting rid of these idiots, let's do it. One of the most powerful forces in the world are the people when they have their backs against a wall and nothing to lose. Well, "big brother Obama" and HUD aren't going to help us. We already know it. Our area has been in a recession for 30 years prior to the current recession. In adversity, hope always rises and from the dust and ashes of the steel mill, this Mah. Valley community needs to rise.
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tellindatruf63
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01-24-10 5:20 AM
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KnowtheFacts: Ratner doesn't care about who he gives Wean's money to in order for him to accomplish his goal. He feels he knows what's best for every in the Mah. Valley. Just another "outsider" playing god with our lives. The question should be why isn't Gordon Wean concerned about where Ratner spends Wean's money? Could it be this is Gordie's way of "milking" his families' trust fund little quicker while still alive? We should start targeting him about all of these questionable decisions being made in the name of Wean. But something tells me he knows and really doesn't object. Our only hope for Gordie: maybe he'll be visited by the ghosts of Wean relatives who all tell him how disappointed they are in him for smearing the Wean family name. We can only hope. I say we launch a verbal news campaign about this to the NY Times, Wash Post, Plain Dealer, Chicago Enq.,etc. Maybe the negative media will get their attention. Can't rely on our political leaders; they're all
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KnowTheFacts
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01-24-10 4:13 AM
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and don't bother crying to the feds about it, either. take one look at eminent domain decisions in our courts. if that isn't enough, look at forest city's web-site: they house our military too.
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KnowTheFacts
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01-24-10 3:53 AM
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we've been set up: a dance instructor running Community Development, an inept mayor, drugs, and Detroit thugs. now along comes a (possible) Forest City Ratner giving Wean's $ to MVOC so they can write grants to HUD to demolish blight. then Forest City can grab all the land it wants on the cheap.
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KnowTheFacts
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01-24-10 3:32 AM
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@ tellindatruf63: the real question hear is why ratner gives a darn where wean's money is going? head of wean fdn. lives in beechwood and very close to all those forect city ratners. i say the hud money was a good way to call a bunch of areas in our town 'blighted' so forest city relatives could come into our town and develop it into another atlantic yards.
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tellindatruf63
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01-24-10 12:07 AM
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JoeC: Thxs for the compliment! And I agree. We need to a revolution in the valley.
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JoeCoolio
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01-23-10 11:58 PM
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tellindatruf...what a welcome addition to the chat boards...time to expose the crap going on behind the scenes. If you look at the boards of trustees of darn near every organizaion in this area, you see the same names. Frankly, that's why I no longer sit on any boards...same stuck up, "good old boy" networks in both Trumbull and Mahoning County. We need a few whistleblowers to spill the beans and help get these royal pukes out!
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tellindatruf63
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01-23-10 11:55 PM
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As far as Ryan not to blame: he fully supports MVOC. 3 of his staff members either worked for MVOC or currently are trainers for MVOC. His asst is a member of MVOC. His support of this group can be blamed.
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tellindatruf63
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01-23-10 11:47 PM
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campaign contributions who owns a mall in W. Va. & the pres of WEAN funded & built a hsg dev. right next to it? Check out the pres of WEAN's track record when he was in the Brooklyn, NY area. Same pattern. AS WEAN is doing their "good" in the valley, it is not without a cost & a hidden agenda. MVOC's power comes from WEAN. But they are NOT willing to listen to the people in the valley who they claim they are doing all of this for. And they refuse to take responsbility for the "monster" they created even though people have pointed this issue out to them repeatedly. Didn't the Frankenstein monster eventually destroy its creator? Mr. President of the Wean Fnd; I think you better learn your lesson from that analogy.
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tellindatruf63
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01-23-10 11:40 PM
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Wean never investigates whether these projects are being performed properly.Once they issue $$ they don't make sure it's actually benefiting the community like it should. Ex Dir of MVOC purposedly gives Wean the image they are progressing,but need more $$.2 yrs& almost 1.5 mil later,we have the problem we have with NSP. They were involved in the "editing" (final) process of app.Will work on 2-3 things at a time,not specializing on anything.Interins are involved in too many projects just for the $$ to keep coming in from labor unions, political parties,Catholic charities,etc.MVOC builds "relationships" w/people of "influence" to intimidate groups to work w/ them (i.e. Lt gov., Princess of the state senate,etc.)It's "lobbying" to change state laws of eminent domain.Blighted neighborhoods can be demo for dev.WEAN is funding 2 new com dev. companies in Wrn&Yo. Why? Could it be cuz of their close ties to a local bus. owner w/questionable camp
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tellindatruf63
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01-23-10 11:05 PM
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Adt'l $$ comes from labor unions,political parties, com dev,for a specific project.MVOC gladly takes $$ whether they have adequate staff or not.Then they hire.Interins are just looking for a job or think it will lead to sthing else.They don't know they may be just filling in 'til Ex. Dir finds someone he can steal from a viable agency. "Wonder Woman" for Ryan use to be grant writing for Wrn City.She WAS involved w/this when with MVOC (hired by them for that reason).Phil Kidd w/MVOC use to be w/Yo. City.MVOC promises the world,produces very little other than they had their hands in the pot for "rehabbing houses" to the cost of $400,000.They were just going to sub it out after they took 20% admin costs. Wean forces people to use them as fiscal agents for their grants,MVOC takes their 20%&takes over projects they didn't start&passes them off like it was their own idea.Have their hands in everything,accomplishing nothing.Wean Pres. defends MVOC adamently.Wean s
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tellindatruf63
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01-23-10 10:54 PM
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Reader:MVOC posts positions on their website. Target young, inexperienced people w/degrees in any field, but no life exp./very little work exp. (for ex: most recent org. hired for Warren-degree in Pan African Studies&recent KSU grad).Nothing wrong with young people,but he who controls the youth rules the world. Young people can be easily empowered in the #1 rule of org.: principle of power is organized money or organized people. WEAN Fnd is providing the $$ to the tune of $500,000 a yr for "operating expenses", organizer's&Exec. Dir's salaries, etc.Once someone gets hired&realizes that MVOC is NOT really focused on improving the conditions of the Mah. Valley,if they disagree of "challenge" the Ex.Dir, they are GONE!Thus the reason for the revolving door on organizers.Projects like NSP grant or safety or blighted hsing gets dropped 'til the next person.Interins are brought in on a grant for voter reg, census,voter mobilization for X period of time.Interi
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JoeCoolio
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01-23-10 10:35 PM
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Hey...why didn't Wonder Woman (Timberly Ryan's $150k salary new hire for growth) have a part in this? Or...is she one of the interns?
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reader
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01-23-10 9:26 PM
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tellindatruf, since you seem to have the inside track, how does the hiring process go for some of these positions? And how does one organization have that much say in that process?
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tellindatruf63
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01-23-10 8:52 PM
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(Con't) 5) MVOC is an affiliate of ACORN? And we are all familiar with how they conduct business.
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tellindatruf63
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01-23-10 8:33 PM
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1) Mike Keyes' background is in media/ broadcasting&ballroom dancing!?!?What qualifies him to be a Dir of Com Dev?? 2)MVOC has had a revolving door of so called interins(10+) who were either fired or quit in a year & a 1/2.Many from outside of Trum Cnty&an Exec. Dir from Ravenna.These are the people "trusted" by Ryan,O'Brien,J. Wms & Reg. Chambr to do the grant. Why? Cuz the Wean Fnd told them to jump. 3)DeMaine Kitchen was racially insulted by Exec Dir of MVOC in an email. Pres of Wean refused to discipline him or even discuss it. Why isn't anyone demanding he be suspended like Lt. Marhulik? Cuz MVOC is being funded by Wean&everyone is afraid to*****Wean off? 4)D'Avignon is hiring the daughter of the woman we're banging?? Was D'Avignon trying to be like David Letterman?
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CouncilmanDrone
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01-23-10 5:48 PM
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"DeMaine Kitchen" lol Joe (-:
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JoeCoolio
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01-23-10 4:47 PM
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Sorry, guys...this is just too dam/n funny... "hmmmmm. I think I have a project for this intern. Take a crack at this here $32.4MM grant. Now, we're not gonna get it anyways, and when we don't, we'll simply blame Bush and Taft." There is soooooooooooooooooooooo much incompetence in our local government. We keep hiring the smartest kid from the stupidest class and wonder why we can't get ahead. But wait...there are green jobs on the horizons...manufacturing is coming back, but not as we know it...
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JoeCoolio
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01-23-10 4:43 PM
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So, then, just curious...did the intern fail this semester?
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JoeCoolio
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01-23-10 4:40 PM
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ROTFLM.AO...Couldn't get enough of Timberly Ryan in pictures, video, and comments UNTIL NOW, when we find out the bulleye was where it SHOULD HAVE been and our feeble little bow and arrow said Nerf on the side!!!
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JoeCoolio
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01-23-10 4:37 PM
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"Where is DeMaine Kitchen?" "Second door on the left"
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JoeCoolio
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01-23-10 4:36 PM
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DeMaine Kitchen...LOL... I love the defeatest attitude in this area. Just imaging the conversation..."Wll, you know, there was only 79 of 482 applications accepted anyways, so, you know, with such competition, probably wouldn't have gotten it anyway, even if we hired a REAL grant writer." Funny how 2 days ago, everyone wanted to hang someone, but now that we know where the fault lies, we start rationalizing...what a bunch of professional victims.
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reader
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01-23-10 3:16 PM
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By the way, thanks to Davis Skolnick, a Vindy Politics Writer at the Vindy for looking into the matter for us and writing that article.
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