Administrative Services Committee Meeting

Administrative Services Committee Commission Chamber- 11/28/2011- 1:05 PM Meeting ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 1. Discuss approval to re-program $503,000.00 of Community Attachments Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the Dyess Park project and transfer $503,000.00 of Dyess Park Project SPLOST funds to an Acquisition/Demolition project to eliminate slum and blight in Laney Walker/Bethlehem Area. 2. Motion to approve extending the existing contract with the Attachments former H. R. Director Rod Powell for three (3) months and/or until a new director is hired. (Requested by Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle) 3. Approve the Director of the Housing and Community Attachments Development Department to authorize staff to have access to the HUD Integrated Disbursement Information System (IDIS) and to be designated as the certifying official for all HUD environmental review matters. 4. Discuss approval of a $200,000.00 grant for the initial planning Attachments and design of the Lucy Craft Laney Wellness Center. Funding will be provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through their Economic Development Initiative (EDI). www.augustaga.gov  Administrative Services Committee Meeting 11/28/2011 1:05 PM Amending the 2009, 2010, and 2011 Action Plans to Reprogram $503,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds for Dyess Park Improvements Department: Housing and Community Development Department Caption: Discuss approval to re-program $503,000.00 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the Dyess Park project and transfer $503,000.00 of Dyess Park Project SPLOST funds to an Acquisition/Demolition project to eliminate slum and blight in Laney Walker/Bethlehem Area. Background: The Acquisition/Demolition project meets the CDBG “national objective” to eliminate slum and blight requirement. However, the eligibility of the “activity” - property acquisition does not meet the CDBG activity requirement. To eliminate the potential of having a regulatory finding, requiring the City to reimburse the CDBG program funds from the General Fund, it is requested that we transfer the CDBG funds to the Dyess Park project which meets both the CDBG requirements; and transfer SPLOST funds to the Historic and Cultural Project to carry out the acquisition/demolition. The approval to reprogram $503,000.00 of CDBG funds to Dyess Park and $503,000.00 of the SPLOST funds for the Acquisition/Demolition project will provide for two vital projects without issues of future findings from HUD. The following property will be purchased and transferred to the Augusta Land Bank Authority for future development: 848,850- 858 Laney Walker Blvd.; 831,841,847 Spruce Street; 1212, 1220 James Brown Blvd. We are proposing that funds be reprogrammed FROM the following projects: For CDBG: 1. Small Business Development – FY2009, 2010 and 2011 CDBG $503,000.00: Justification: Funds were recently transferred to the line item. However, after consulting with HUD Atlanta staff, it is requested we make this change to avoid a future finding on this transaction. For SPLOST FUNDS: 2. Dyess Park Project - $503,000.00 Funds are being transferred to the SPLOST Historic and Cultural Project Account. According to the City’s Citizen Participation Policy, this increase in allocations constitute a substantial change to the Action Plan. Therefore, the revisions must be presented to the public for a 30-day comment period. If comments are received, they will be presented to the Commission Cover Memo for consideration. We are requesting authorization to proceed Item # 1  with the publication of a public notice in the newspapers to solicit comments on the changes. The Public Notice will be published in the Augusta Chronicle on November 29, 2011 and the Metro Courier on August December 1, 2011. The deadline for comments will be December 28, 2011. Any comments received will be presented to Commission on January 3, 2012. Analysis: The transfer of funds will allow the department to proceed with the acquisition/ demolition of the property, and proceed with making improvements to Dyess Park. Financial Impact: CDBG funding for Dyess Park will be available upon commission approval; otherwise SPLOST funding for Dyess Park will not be available until the third quarter of 2012. To expedite the purchase of the property, funds from the Capital Projects fund balance (FUND 272) will be transferred to the SPLOST Project account; when SPLOST funding is received (est. September 2012) the funds will be transferred back to Capital Projects Fund Balance. Alternatives: Recommendation: Accept the Housing and Community Department (HCD) recommendations for use of the reallocation of funds and grant HCD authorization to proceed with the publication of a Public Notice soliciting citizen comments on the proposed reallocations 2009,2010 and 2011 Action Plan. On January 3, 2012, any comments received will be presented to Commission for consideration. Funds are Available Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: CDBG Funding: in the Following Capital Projects fund balance. The Capital Projects fund balance Accounts: will be reimbursed when SPLOST VI funds become available. REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Law. Administrator. Clerk of Commission Cover Memo Item # 1  Attachment number 1 \nPage 1 (1)Finance Committee for Action 11/28/11 Commission for Final Approval 1/3/12 (2)Administration Services for Action 11/28/11 Commission for Final Approval after 30 day Comment Period 1/3/12 CAPTIO: Discuss approval to re-program $503,000.00 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to the Dyess Park project and transfer $503,000.00 of Dyess Park Project SPLOST funds to an Acquisition/Demolition project to eliminate slum and blight in Laney Walker/Bethlehem Area. BACKGROUD: The Acquisition/Demolition project meets the CDBG “national objective” to eliminate slum and blight requirement. However, the eligibility of the “activity” - property acquisition does not meet the CDBG activity requirement. To eliminate the potential of having a regulatory finding, requiring the City to reimburse the CDBG program funds from the General Fund, it is requested that we transfer the CDBG funds to the Dyess Park project which meets both the CDBG requirements; and transfer SPLOST funds to the Historic and Cultural Project to carry out the acquisition/demolition. The approval to reprogram $503,000.00 of CDBG funds to Dyess Park and $503,000.00 of the SPLOST funds for the Acquisition/Demolition project will provide for two vital projects without issues of future findings from HUD. The following property will be purchased and transferred to the Augusta Land Bank Authority for future development: 848,850-858 Laney Walker Blvd. 831,841,847 Spruce Street 1212, 1220 James Brown Blvd. We are proposing that funds be reprogrammed FROM the following projects: For CDBG: 1. Small Business Development – FY2009, 2010 and 2011 CDBG $503,000.00 Justification: Funds were recently transferred to the line item. However, after consulting with HUD Atlanta staff, it is requested we make this change to avoid a future finding on this transaction. For SPLOST FUNDS: 2. Dyess Park Project - $503,000.00 Funds are being transferred to the SPLOST Historic and Cultural Project Account. According to the City’s Citizen Participation Policy, this increase in allocations constitute a substantial change to the Action Plan. Therefore, the revisions must be presented to the public for a 30-day comment period. If comments are received, they will be presented to the Commission for consideration. We are requesting authorization to proceed with the publication of a public notice in the newspapers to solicit comments on the changes. The Public Notice will be published in the Augusta Chronicle on November 29, 2011 and the Metro Courier on August December 1, 2011. The deadline for comments will be December 28, 2011. Any comments received will be presented to Commission on January 3, 2012. AALYSIS: The transfer of funds will allow the department to proceed with the acquisition/ demolition of the property, and proceed with making improvements to Dyess Park. Item # 1 Dyess Park Agenda  Attachment number 1 \nPage 2 FIACIAL IMPACT: CDBG funding for Dyess Park will be available upon commission approval; otherwise SPLOST funding for Dyess Park will not be available until the third quarter of 2012. To expedite the purchase of the property, funds from the Capital Projects fund balance (FUND 272) will be transferred to the SPLOST Project account; when SPLOST funding is received (est. September 2012) the funds will be transferred back to Capital Projects Fund Balance. RECOMMEDATIO: Accept the Housing and Community Department (HCD) recommendations for use of the reallocation of funds and grant HCD authorization to proceed with the publication of a Public Notice soliciting citizen comments on the proposed reallocations 2009,2010 and 2011 Action Plan. On January 3, 2012, any comments received will be presented to Commission for consideration. CDBG FUDS - $ 503,000.00 Small Business Development - $503,000.00 Amount Amount FROM (-) TO (+) Small Business Development –FY2009 $157,308.37 Dyess Park Project $157,308.37 Small Business Development –FY2010 $265,663.49 Dyess Park Project $265,663.49 Small Business Development –FY2011 Dyess Park Project $80,028.14 TOTAL $503,000.00 TOTAL $503,000.00 SPLOTS FUDS - $503,000.00 Amount Amount FROM (-) TO (+) Dyess Park Project –FY2012 $503,000.00 Historic and Cultural Projects $503,000.00 TOTAL $503,000.00 TOTAL $503,000.00 Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: CDBG Funding: Capital Projects fund balance. The Capital Projects fund balance will be reimbursed when SPLOST VI funds become available. Item # 1 Dyess Park Agenda  Administrative Services Committee Meeting 11/28/2011 1:05 PM Contract Extension for Rod Powell Department: Clerk of Commission Caption: Motion to approve extending the existing contract with the former H. R. Director Rod Powell for three (3) months and/or until a new director is hired. (Requested by Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle) Background: Analysis: Financial Impact: Alternatives: Recommendation: Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Cover Memo Item # 2  Administrative Services Committee Meeting 11/28/2011 1:05 PM Delegation Authorization (Integrated Disbursements and Information System & Environmental Review Process) Department: Housing and Community Development Department Caption: Approve the Director of the Housing and Community Development Department to authorize staff to have access to the HUD Integrated Disbursement Information System (IDIS) and to be designated as the certifying official for all HUD environmental review matters. Background: Approval of authorization for IDIS-IDIS is the financial database for all HUD initiated projects. Further due to the large number of projects that this office reviews and approves on a daily/weekly basis, it is in the best interest of the City of Augusta to delegate authority to the Director of the Housing and Community Development Department to approve all IDIS access requests. Approval for delegation as Certifying Official for Environmental Review Matters- The Housing and Community Development Department designated staff perform numerous environmental reviews on a daily/weekly basis as a mandate from HUD for all federally assisted projects. It is in the best interest of the City of Augusta to approve this delegation of authority because of the amount of paperwork involved and the time constraints of each project. The approval of delegation of authority to the Director of Housing and Community Development would ensure that all environmental reviews are done properly and in accordance to federally mandated regulations. Analysis: This approval will allow the department to carry on daily/weekly job related tasks and ensure the office functions efficiently. Financial Impact: NONE Alternatives: NONE Recommendation: Approve both requests for the Director of Housing and Community Development to authorize staff access to the IDISCover Memo System and to sign all Environmental Reviews as the Certifying Item # 3  Official Funds are Available in the Following NONE Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Law. Administrator. Clerk of Commission Cover Memo Item # 3 Attachment number 1 \nPage 1 Item # 3 Attachment number 2 \nPage 1 Item # 3 Attachment number 2 \nPage 2 Item # 3 Attachment number 2 \nPage 3 Item # 3  Administrative Services Committee Meeting 11/28/2011 1:05 PM Paine College/Lucy Laney Welllness Center Department: Housing and Community Development Department Caption: Discuss approval of a $200,000.00 grant for the initial planning and design of the Lucy Craft Laney Wellness Center. Funding will be provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through their Economic Development Initiative (EDI). Background: Paine College proposes to build the Lucy Craft Laney/ Silas X. Floyd Wellness Center (Laney/Floyd) in the new Health Education Activities Learning Complex (HEAL Complex) on the campus in Augusta, Georgia. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will operate in the heart of a residential community surrounding the Paine College campus and will be accessible to the residents in the Laney Walker/Bethlehem Neighborhood Revitalization corridor. The accessibly of the Center will include the Sandhills, Harrisburg, Summerville, Turpin Hill, Highland Park and Albion Acres neighborhoods as well. The new 43,000 square foot HEAL Complex is designed to serve the needs of the growing population of faculty, staff and students and will offer services to the community that will address contemporary health and wellness issues to promote a healthy and stable campus and community. The degree to which the individual has the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information impacts the individual’s access to quality health services. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will focus on current social issues and offer programs and activities administered by a collaborating group of community and college partners. Under the HEAL roof, faculty, students and community partners will engage in stimulating research in the areas of diabetes, HIV/AIDS preventive care, environmental science, biotechnology, and new academic programs will emerge to prepare students for jobs that have not yet been created. Community Partnerships will take form within the HEAL framework to address health literacy, health disparities while offering an infrastructure for holistic health and wellness programs to meet the growing needs of the campus community and the community-at-large. Partnering with Georgia Health Sciences University, the Charlie Norwood Veterans Medical Cover Memo Center, Public Health Department and other local non-profit Item # 4  agencies will help to provide beneficial services to the community. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will focus on contemporary social and health issues and partner with local and regional agencies to disseminate information and offer activities and programs that will impact the quality of health for Augusta residents. Rate of Return on the Investment is expected to far exceed the invested amount of $200,000. It is estimated that the Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will reach approximately 2,500 residents and an equal amount of students and faculty at Paine College. From an economic development perspective, the Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will support several non-profit organizations to provide similar services and programs for the community and the College. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will be named for Lucy Craft Laney and Silas Xavier Floyd, two giants in Augusta’s history. Lucy Craft Laney was dedicated to wellness, education and advocated for the improvement and development for women. Silas Xavier Floyd, a prolific author, served as senior pastor for the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church. In conclusion, the Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will encompass activities and programs that will support the individual’s social, physical, emotional, intellectual, environmental and spiritual health. The Center will work with campus faculty and students to offer activities that will help to promote a healthy campus. More importantly, these services will be accessible to the community in which the Center will be centrally located. Analysis: The Lucy Craft Laney Wellness Center will be centrally located within the Laney Walker Neighborhood so that it will be easily accessible by all residents of the community. The Wellness Center will promote wellness programs to area residents of all ages. These programs will reach out to about 2,500 residents of about a 3,000 person low-income community. Financial Impact: AHCDD will utilize the $200,000 grant to perform the initial planning and design of the Wellness Center. Alternatives: Recommendation: It is recommended that AHCDD be granted approval for a $200,000k grant for the initial planning and design of the Lucy Craft Laney Wellness Center. Funding will be provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) through their Economic Development Initiative (EDI). Funds are Available AHCDD will utilize the $200,000 grant to perform the initial in the Following planning and sign of the Wellness Center. Accounts: Cover Memo Item # 4 REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Law. Administrator. Clerk of Commission Cover Memo Item # 4  Attachment number 1 \nPage 1 Administration Services as information 11 /28/2011 Commission for Final Approval 12/6/ 2011 Department: Housing and Community Development Department CAPTIO: Discuss Approval of a $180,000.00 grant for the initial planning and design of the Lucy Craft Laney Wellness Center. Funding will be provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through their Economic Development Initiative (EDI). BACKGROUD: Paine College proposes to build the Lucy Craft Laney/ Silas X. Floyd Wellness Center (Laney/Floyd) in the new Health Education Activities Learning Complex (HEAL Complex) on the campus in Augusta, Georgia. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will operate in the heart of a residential community surrounding the Paine College campus and will be accessible to the residents in the Laney Walker/Bethlehem Neighborhood Revitalization corridor. The accessibly of the Center will include the Sandhills, Harrisburg, Summerville, Turpin Hill, Highland Park and Albion Acres neighborhoods as well. The new 43,000 square foot HEAL Complex is designed to serve the needs of the growing population of faculty, staff and students and will offer services to the community that will address contemporary health and wellness issues to promote a healthy and stable campus and community. The degree to which the individual has the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information impacts the individual’s access to quality health services. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will focus on current social issues and offer programs and activities administered by a collaborating group of community and college partners. Under the HEAL roof, faculty, students and community partners will engage in stimulating research in the areas of diabetes, HIV/AIDS preventive care, environmental science, biotechnology, and new academic programs will emerge to prepare students for jobs that have not yet been created. Community Partnerships will take form within the HEAL framework to address health literacy, health disparities while offering an infrastructure for holistic health and wellness programs to meet the growing needs of the campus community and the community-at-large. Partnering with Georgia Health Sciences University, the Charlie Norwood Veterans Medical Center, Public Health Department and other local non-profit agencies will help to provide beneficial services to the community. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will focus on contemporary social and health issues and partner with local and regional agencies to disseminate information and offer activities and programs that will impact the quality of health for Augusta residents. Item # 4 Wellness Center 10-18-2011  Attachment number 1 \nPage 2 Rate of Return on the Investment is expected to far exceed the invested amount of $200,000. It is estimated that the Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will reach approximately 2,500 residents and an equal amount of students and faculty at Paine College. From an economic development perspective, the Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will support several non-profit organizations to provide similar services and programs for the community and the College. The Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will be named for Lucy Craft Laney and Silas Xavier Floyd, two giants in Augusta’s history. Lucy Craft Laney was dedicated to wellness, education and advocated for the improvement and development for women. Silas Xavier Floyd, a prolific author, served as senior pastor for the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church. In conclusion, the Laney/Floyd Wellness Center will encompass activities and programs that will support the individual’s social, physical, emotional, intellectual, environmental and spiritual health. The Center will work with campus faculty and students to offer activities that will help to promote a healthy campus. More importantly, these services will be accessible to the community in which the Center will be centrally located. AALYSIS: The Lucy Craft Laney Wellness Center will be centrally located within the Laney Walker Neighborhood so that it will be easily accessible by all residents of the community. The Wellness Center will promote wellness programs to area residents of all ages. These programs will reach out to about 2,500 residents of about a 3,000 person low-income community. FIACIAL IMPACT: AHCDD will utilize the $180,000 grant to perform the initial planning and design of the Wellness Center. RECOMMEDATIO: It is recommended that AHCDD be granted approval for a $200,000k grant for the initial planning and design of the Lucy Craft Laney Wellness Center. Funding will be provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through their Economic Development Initiative (EDI). Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: AHCDD will utilize the $180,000 grant to perform the initial planning and sign of the Wellness Center. Item # 4 Wellness Center 10-18-2011