City Council Joint Meeting

URBANA CITY COUNCIL CUNNINGHAM TOWNSHIP BOARD SPECIAL JOINT MEETING MINUTES DATE: Monday, January 13, 2020 TIME: 7:00 P.M. PLACE: Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 S. Vine St, Urbana, IL 61801 The Coterminous Cunningham Township and the City Council of the City of Urbana, Illinois, met in special session January 13, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Urbana City Building. ELECTED OFFICIALS PHYSICALLY PRESENT: City Council Members and Trustees (CM) Maryalice Wu (Ward 1), Eric Jakobsson (Ward 2), Shirese Hursey (Ward 3), Bill Brown (Ward 4), Dennis Roberts (Ward 5), Jared Miller (Ward 7), Diane Wolfe Marlin (Mayor/Chair), Charles A. Smyth (City/Town Clerk), Township Supervisor Danielle Chynoweth ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE: ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT: Dean Hazen (Ward 6) STAFF PRESENT: Carol Mitten, Sheila Dodd, Alysa Jaje OTHERS PRESENT: Rev. Dr. Evelyn Underwood A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL There being a quorum present, Mayor Marlin called the special meeting of the Urbana City Council/Cunningham Township Board to order at 8:00 p.m. following a Cunningham Township Meeting. B. PUBLIC INPUT Rev. Dr. Evelyn Underwood corrected the organization name of the Ministerial Alliance of Champaign-Urbana as it appeared incorrectly in the staff memo. C. Consolidated Social Service Funding (CCSF) Allocations Grants Manager Sheila Dodd and Supervisor Danielle Chynoweth reviewed their staff memo and provided an updated plan for the Consolidated Social Service Program for 2020. Ms. Dodd noted that the program began in 1996 and has city, township, and CDBG funding. As with last year, a CSSF committee of themselves, Community Development Specialist Alysa Jaje, and CM Wu met recently to outline the process for the coming year. Ms. Dodd noted evaluation criteria to be carried over into the 2020 program, assessment priorities, but with an emphasis on increased collaboration and generation of matching funds by the applying agencies. Ms. Chynoweth noted the funding level will be a total of $180,000, a decrease from last year as the Township ($100K) needs to cut back as it has been deficit spending. Ms. Chynoweth indicated that she is exploring homeless related issues with a goal of providing a spectrum of services with both the city and Champaign County Regional Planning Commission. Ms. Dodd noted the timeline of the process, backed up a month from last year, so that it is in line with the Consolidated Action Plan process of Grants Management. The outreach program will be similar to last year which was thought to be successful in reaching everyone appropriate. Staff is still working on mechanisms for the Rapid Response program and several ways of moving forward were mentioned. Supervisor Chynoweth also discussed the evaluation criteria and the six priorities specified in the memo. In particular, she spoke to her additional memo concerning changes to work requirements and the Federal SNAP program. She described the new requirements and noted that the change will hurt the General Assistance participants as they fall in the targeted category with some awaiting disability determinations. She noted that 42% of income for GA participants goes for Page 1 of 2  food, and discussed implications of the new rules and issues related to meeting work requirements. She indicated a need for contingency planning so that minimal nutrition and food needs be met. Ms. Dodd asked about youth and pathways to employment as a priority. Discussion of priorities followed. Council members discussed popular Urbana based groups important to support such as the Urbana Neighborhood Connections as well as continuing support for the Youth Assessment Center, and the Boys and Girls Club. Ms. Chynoweth noted that substantial dollars come to the community for pathways to employment and this is administered by CCRPC. This could be an area of lower priority for the council. Ms. Dodd also provided a summary of grant funding received by programs in the community. Ms. Dodd also noted that fee for service is in effect to cover agencies that provide for Urbana residents such as Meals on Wheels and the Don Moyer Boys and Girls club. Mayor Marlin added that she, Ms. Chynoweth, staff, and Champaign Mayor Feinen have been meeting with Representative Ammons to address housing issues such as homelessness, increasing vouchers from the Housing Authority, repairing Homestead and focusing CDBG funds on neighborhood improvements. In response to CM Miller, Ms. Chynoweth noted that covering food costs would double costs to the township. She noted covering and describing efforts currently done for those whose food stamps run out before the end of the month. Emergency funds currently set aside and a triage approach may be needed going forward. Ms. Dodd also noted that the social services agencies annual report is nearly ready and will be emailed to council and posted to the web. She noted that she intends to ask how agencies leverage funds from Urbana going forward. She also described how the report will address the numbers of Urbana residents each agency supports, which can help set priorities. Discussion of support for Food Banks and other food related issues followed. CM Wu noted income tracking issues with food banks and the possibility of waiving some requirements for Urbana based food banks. Ms. Chynoweth noted that federal requirements would not have to be met if assistance comes from Township monies. She noted extensive relationships and awareness of the food banks by the Township and could work on criteria. Mayor Marlin summarized council position on priorities. Funding levels for the past and current year were discussed. Ms. Chynoweth noted where funding could be decreased and Ms. Dodd noted that funding could be revisited as the impact of federal changes is determined. Council agreed that Rapid Response funds would be allowed to carry over and additional funds ($50K) be added to cover impacts of food insecurity. Ms. Chynoweth noted that she will have more information available on impacts as part of the budget conversation. D. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to come before the council, Mayor Marlin adjourned the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Charles A. Smyth City Clerk This meeting was video recorded with website link (viewable on demand): https://www.urbanaillinois.us/node/8363 This meeting was broadcast on cable television (UPTV) and streamed live: http://urbanaillinois.us/uptv Minutes Approved: January 27, 2020 Page 2 of 2