Hudson and CDBG 2019
This afternoon at 5:00 p.m., there was a public hearing on Hudson's applications this year in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. In the past, this public hearing was conducted by Sheena Salvino, executive director of the Hudson Development Corporation, and representatives from TGW Consulting, the firm the City and HDC retained for the purpose of securing grant funding. Today, Council president Tom DePietro informed those who showed up for the hearing--aldermen Rob Bujan (First Ward), Eileen Halloran (Fifth Ward), Dewan Sarowar (Second Ward), and Dominic Merante (Fifth Ward) and the only member of the public, Gossips--that the previous practice had been in error. The Common Council was to conduct the public hearing. And so, with no more information than what was available on the city website, the public hearing began.
Early on, essentially in conversation among members of the Council, it was revealed that the City was applying for funding for two things: an infrastructure project that would continue the effort to separate storm water runoff from the sanitary sewer and a five-year facility plan for the Youth Department.
When Nick Zachos arrived to talk more about the application for the Youth Department, it was revealed that there were three CDBG categories--Infrastructure, Facilities, Planning--and Planning was the category for which there were the fewest applications. Given that information, I--the only member of the public present for the public hearing--suggested that the City should apply for funding to create a master plan for the restoration of the Public Square, a.k.a. Seventh Street Park, that would envision the goal of restoration and phase how the goal would be achieved. That, I argued, would benefit low- and moderate-income residents of Hudson (the goal of CDBG), as well as every other resident of Hudson and visitors to our city.
The suggestion got a favorable response and the assurance that it will be taken up at the next Public Works and Parks Committee meeting, which happens on July 17. The applications are due eleven days later, on July 28.
COPYRIGHT 2019 CAROLE OSTERINK
Parks are nice, public transportation and city supplied garbage cans would be more beneficial to low and moderate income families. Come on Hudson get with the program of providing essentials that real Cities provide. You pour the foundation before you build the roof.
ReplyDeleteI've done a lot a lot of research into the CFAs and, in the end, decided not to apply for Oakdale funding this year because in truth, the CDBG is not the best fit for park funding; there's an entirely separate funding stream that also comes under the same application, with the same deadline, that is for parks. There is planning money there, too. But the only thing not eligible for that money is a master plan. You have to already have a master plan and then you can get a planning grant. I looked closely at Parks and CDBP, along with experienced grantwriters and fundraisers, and the fit was clear. In past years, the parks funding has funded master plans. And it may again. It just doesn't this year. Another question might be whether a master plan for all of the parks might be a fit under CDBG, given the number of our existing parks in close proximity to our lowest income wards. I'd be down to look at that idea for the next cycle. But I don't think a single park, not super close to our lowest income areas, really has a shot under this particular piece of the CFA. But I'm glad you're thinking about it. We need to have a CFA public meeting in May next year, with the grantwriters there, to establish the community's priorities in public. Then the grantwriters our taxes pay for can work on those priorities.
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