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WARREN -- City council's legislative committee met Tuesday to discuss proposed American Rescue Plan funding programs in the 6th Ward.
The committee, chaired by 6th Ward Councilwoman Honeya Price, heard from representatives of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership regarding two potential ARP fund-based programs that could benefit residents of her ward.
Price proposed distributing $100,000 in ARP dollars through the CFMV to establish the "6th Ward Neighborhood Improvement Fund."
The fund would be established to "offer an equitable process managed by a third party for eligible nonprofits, or those with a fiscal sponsor, to apply for funding, (between $1,000 and $5,000) to improve the 6th ward."
Casey Krell, incoming president of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, said Price approached the foundation seeking an open and transparent grant process.
"So for organizations based in her ward and serving residents of her ward, (they) can apply using one of our grant applications. We work with (Price) to structure grants up to $5,000," Krell said.
According to draft documents, the CFMV would provide individual grant applications for the 6th Ward Neighborhood Improvement fund on its online grant software platform and available to the public on its website; application technical support led by the foundation's staff for prospective applicants; recommendation of grant recipients based on guidelines set forth by 6th ward and city officials if desired; grant processing; and a summary of grants provided to the fund advisers.
"It would just be for nonprofits and organizations that are working with a fiscal sponsor, so we'd have to really work with individuals to make sure that they're eligible to apply," Krell said.
Price said the fund through the CMFV will be for any improvements or programming. One example Price provided is that if a church located in the 6th Ward is looking to improve its signage, it could potentially apply for grant dollars through the CFMV fund.
"If you do get accepted for this program, it has to be something that is beneficial to the community," Price said.
SECOND PROPOSAL
The other proposed program discussed at the committee meeting was the "6th Ward Residential Security Improvement Program," through TNP.
Price said she is looking to provide $50,000 ARP dollars, administered through TNP, to enhance the safety and security of 6th Ward residents. The program would provide residents with new front doors, storm doors and exterior lighting on a first-come, first-served basis.
"We would manage it in a very similar manner to the way we've managed the emergency home repair program," TNP Executive Director Matt Martin said. "The difference here is that the scope would be defined by replacement doors, storm doors and security lighting."
Martin said the security improvement program would be available to all residential properties in the 6th Ward.
"Every resident would be eligible for this -- renters, homeowners, anybody that can provide a letter of permission from the property owner and go through the application process, regardless of income, would be eligible throughout the 6th Ward," Martin said.
Martin said if a resident requested one of each of the repair options available, TNP would be able to assist roughly 33 homes with the proposed funding. He said most houses will not want all of the materials.
Price said if there is high demand for the TNP program, she could consider allocating additional money.
Price said she is working fast to meet city deadlines when it comes to ARP funds.
Safety / Service Director Eddie Colbert said council will have to discuss in the near future ARP funding timelines.
"We're going to probably have a public conversation that if you do not have your monies appropriated by the end of June, we're going to ask for you to give it back," Colbert said. "If you don't have this money appropriated by the end of the second quarter, we would have to ask for that money to go back and for us to be able to reallocate that to larger city projects so we don't end up giving that money back to the federal government."
If Price's proposals come to fruition, she said she still will have roughly $200,000 in ARP dollars remaining. Price said the ideas proposed at the legislative committee meeting would be beneficial to the residents of her ward.
"Because we get left out on a lot of things in the 6th Ward, I just want to make sure that they are included in this ARP funding," Price said.
Each council member was allocated $500,000 from the city's ARP funds to use as they see fit. However, they cannot allocate the money without the approval of their fellow council members.