Participatory Budgeting Committee

DRAFT – For Approval at 02/27/2023 Meeting Minutes 1/30/23 Attendees: Danielle, Mary Estelle, Tim, Jeff, Norah, Heather, Samantha Notes: Committee plans for 2023: Request for new members; send any identified candidates to Heather. If we keep committee at 9, need 2; if we change to 11 members, can add up to 4. 2023 Schedule: Meetings for 2023: will be 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 6pm Program Updates: Rec Dept – funding is in progress; DPW – need line items to finalize; non-profits pending minutes from city council to approve and then move to payment. Cannot assign money for 2023 until sufficient funds from 2022 are allocated. Target is to have approx. $147k in funds for 2023. Heather is working on documentation requirements for non-profits (to show use of funds post- implementation); shared to committee to review In order to provide time to complete financial approvals, project acceptance start date targeted for March 1. (Motion to approve March 1 – May 1 submission window; Danielle motion, Jeff second; all in favor). Corresponding project reviews would occur March 1 – June 1. Specific project updates: Curling pilot planned and starting Feb 3 Ice skating pending freezing temperatures CREATE program scheduled Community garden – need to identify entity to receive funds; cannot distribute to an individual Urban tree planting – in review with DPW to validate location options, confirming approach in conjunction with Sustainable Saratoga (submitter). Dog park – DPW is evaluating options for alternatives that need to be reviewed with project submitter. Discussion of changes to project criteria: - Feasibility studies would NOT be supported (do not meet the criteria for project proposals, specifically provides benefit to the public in year); - Should we accept non-profit submissions? There are alternate sources of city funding for some non-profits. There are many small non- profits that are looking for ways to add benefit to city/general public. Some other areas have different rules about level of engagement by non-profits. Suggestion from Danielle: add to project submissions questions regarding if non-profit has submitted project to other city areas previously, or has received funding from city in past 12 months. Adds criteria for us to evaluate without excluding. Agreement is to add some small criteria to the application but to encourage all submissions by organizations or individuals. Vetting process by committee with city advisors will be spot for defining project feasibility and alternate paths if necessary. Outreach plans: Will coordinate schedules and availability in Feb/March for committee members to volunteer to lead outreach efforts (presentations and workshops). Send email to participants in cycle 1 regarding project submission dates and to ask for interest in joining the committee. Other topics: Need to define what the project assignment looks like. Need to understand what DPW staffing and effort will be to support initiatives. Next meeting: Wednesday Feb 8, 6pm