HomeMy WebLinkAboutVII(C) Approval of the Community Merit Award Grants for the November 2003 Cycle
City Manager
Jim Gleason
Agenda 01/20/2004
Item. VII C
CommissIOners
Danny Howell, District 1
Scott Anderson, District 2
Rusty Johnson, District 3
Nancy J. Parker, District 4
Mayor
S. Scott Vandergrift
STAFF REPORT
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners
FROM:
Janet Shira, Assistant to the City Manager
DATE:
January 6, 2004
RE:
Community Merit Awards - November 2003 Grant Cycle
ISSUE
Should the Mayor and Commissioners approve the recommendations for funding made by the
Community Merit Awards Board?
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City received 13 applications for a total of $6,500 in requests. There is a total of $1 0,000
available in the Community Merit Award grant account. This total is to fund both this current
cycle as well as the April 2004 cycle. The applications are attached for your review. Also
attached are the draft minutes from the Community Merit Awards (CMA) Board meeting.
Based on comments from City Commissioners, the CMA Board members were asked to base
their decisions on the applications rather than requiring the applicants to attend their meeting.
The following table provides a summary of this cycle:
Application No. Applicant Amount CMA Board
(in order rec'd) Requested Recommendation
1 W.O.H.S. Varsity Cheerleaders $500 Approve full amount
2 8th Grade OMS Wash. DC Trip $500 Approve full amount
3 Ocoee Little League $500 Approve full amount
4 City of Ocoee Relay for Life $500 Approve full amount
5 Seniors First, Inc. $500 Approve full amount
6 New Beginnings of Central FL $500 Approve for $100
7 W.O.H.S. Tennis Team $500 Approve full amount
8 West Orange Junior Service League $500 Deny, recommend other
funding source
9 American Legion Post 109 $500 Approve full amount
10 YMCA Safe Start Swim Program $500 Approve full amount
11 Ocoee Elementary Info Breakfast $500 Approve full amount
12 American Legion Post 63 $500 Approve full amount
13 Rotary Club of Ocoee $500 Approve full amount
Page 2
CMA Staff Report
January 6, 2004
On the New Beginnings of Central Florida application, the CMA Board wanted to encourage
them by granting some amount, but felt they would like to see more information once the
program gets up and running. The Board strongly recommended that this group reapply in April.
On the West Orange Junior Service League application, the CMA Board felt it was a worthy
cause that should be funded by the City; however, they do not feel that the CMA grant program
is the appropriate funding mechanism. The CMA Board requests that in the future, requests for
money that are associated with galas, golf tournaments, and similar functions should be given
directly to the City Commission to be considered for funding outside the scope of the $10,000
CMA grant funds.
Lastly, the CMA Board emphasized that they would like to require the applicants to attend their
meetings. They really feel this is important to the program and most applicants attended this
round even though it was not required.
RECOMMENDATION
It is respectfully recommended that the Mayor and Commissioners approve the recommendation
of the CMA Board and authorize checks to be mailed to the recipients.
Secondly, it is respectfully recommended that the Mayor and Commissioners vote on whether to
approve the funding for the West Orange Junior Service League from an alternate source of
funds.
Lastly, the CMA Board respectfully requests that the City Commission approve of the CMA
Board making it mandatory for applicants to attend their meetings.
Cc: Jim Gleason, City Manager
CMA Board members
CMA Grant Applicants - November 2003 Cycle