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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #14 Approval of Quarterly Community Grant Program - January 2009 Cycle . AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET Meeting Date: March 3, 2009 Item # \~ Reviewed By: ~~' ~ Contact Name: Joy P. Wright, Community 0 rt tOt _ ~ __I Relations Manager epa men irec or: yv - ~.' Contact Number: 407-905-3100 ext. 1530 City Manager: ROb~ _\J Subject: Community Grant Program - January 2009 Cycle I Background Summary: The Community Grant Review Board met on February 9, 2009 to discuss the 11 applications received during the first cycle of the Community Grant Program (formerly the Community Merit Awards Program), The Community Grant Program provides financial grants of up to $500 made to Ocoee non-profit organizations and civic groups outside City limits which benefit residents of Ocoee, The grants are awarded to acknowledge excellence and further the contributions these local organizations bring to the Ocoee community. The Community Grant Review Board voted to award grants to 7 organizations. The Grant Review Board voted to deny awarding grants to four organizations. Three organizations were denied because they did not have a representative present at the meeting. The Board did not approve one organization's grant request because the group did not meet the grant criteria, The following is the organizations that were denied grant funding: American Legion Post 109; Ocoee Sharks Baseball; West Orange High School and Winter Garden Elks, There is $5,000 allotted for this cycle of the Community Grant Program. The total amount requested from the 11 organizations this grant cycle is $5,500. The Community Grant Review Board voted to fund 7 organizations in the amount of $3,500, The next grant cycle begins in July, Issue: Should the Mayor and Commissioners approve the funding recommendations made by the Community Grant Review Board? Recommendations: Staff respectfully requests that the Mayor and City Commission approve the Community Grant Review Board's recommendation, The following organizations are recommended to receive grants: Orl?:anization Requested Recommended Bread of Life Fellowship, Inc. $ 500 $ 500 Christian Service Center $ 500 $ 500 Citrus Elementary School $ 500 $ 500 Ocoee Historical Commission $ 500 $ 500 " Ocoee Middle School I $ 500 $ 500 ST ARS Backpack Program I $ 500 $ 500 Maxey Elementary School $ 500 $ 500 Total $ 3,500 $ 3,500 Type of Item: I I I (please mark with an "x'') Public Hearin Ordinance First Readin Ordinance Second Readin Resolution Commission A roval Discussion & Direction x inal Document/Contract Attached for Execution b Cit Clerk inal Document/Contract Held b De artment for Execution I : Reviewed b I Reviewed b Reviewed b N/A N/A N/A 2 MINUTES OF THE CITY OF OCOEE COMMUNITY GRANT REVIEW BOARD MEETING CALL TO ORDER Chairman Sills called the regular meeting of the Community Grant Review Board to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at City Hall. Chairman Sills led the pledge of allegiance. The roll was called and a quorum declared present. PRESE~T: Chai.rman Sills, Mem?ers Bauske, Butler, an~ Wilser;.., Also present were CommunIty RelatIOns Manager Wnght and Records Coord1PatO't~eley. ABSENT: Member Nickels (excused). ~l U ~ APPROVAL OF MINUTES -r:Q'~g~ 27,2008 Member Wi/sen. seconded bv Me,hoer'Ba;;ke, moved to avvrove the minutes of the Communitv Grant Review Board Meetinf! heldAugust 27, 2008. Motion carried 4-0. I Application No. 1- Ocoee Sharks AAU Baseball Debra Reason-Kerkhoff, 1744 Sparkling Water Circle, Ocoee attended to represent the organization. Member Bauske inquired about why they were creating a new baseball organization when there are already so many great baseball opportunities. Ms. Reason-Kerkhoff explained that this was a traveling team made up of 8-10 year olds from Ocoee Little League (OLL) who play at a higher level. She said the premise for her team was to help develop the boys better for OLL by offering them additional training. Member Butler asked if the AAU schedule conflicted with the games of the OLL. Ms. Reason-Kerkhoff said the schedules never conflict with one another. Member Bauske asked how much it costs for the players to be on the team. Ms. Reason-Kerkhoff said they pay for everything including tournaments, equipment, umpires, etc. She said they do various fundraisers and receive donations, so are beginning to make some headway. Member Butler inquired where they practice and Debra stated they use the Jim Beech Center on Sundays. Member Butler felt that Ocoee had a good baseball league that they already support and was hesitant to grant the funding to the AAU. Ms. Reason-Kerkhoff explained that, without this additional training, most boys would not earn the chance to make the baseball team in high school. Member Bauske agreed with Member Butler, and added that the families of these AAU boys who want their kids to be at that higher level should be responsible for making that investment. Member Butler, seconded bv Member Bauske, moved to recommend to the Citv Commission denial offunds to the Ocoee Sharks AAU Baseball. Motion carried 3-1, with Member Wilsen opvosed. Community Grant Review Board February 12,2009 I Application No.2 - Winter Garden Elks Nobody was in attendance to represent the Winter Garden Elks. It is mandatory that a representative attend the meetings to request grant money. I Application No.3 - West Orange High School Nobody was in attendance to represent the West Orange High School. It is mandatory that a representative attend the meetings to request grant money. I Application No.4 - Bread of Life Fellowship Mark Anthony attended the meeting to represent the Bread of Life Fellowship. He explained that business is better because the need for food is higher. He said two new organizations are coming to them each week and they are distributing more than}OO~OO~...Ibs of food per month, impacting Ocoee citizens and other organizations. He stated thef~e p'uhing up another building to handle the demand and did more work last year with.less\thoner 1 Htwas grateful they received a grant from the Bonus Foundation fOr'r~O'fkliffS':J . D Member Bauske, seconded bv Me(J:"BJJr. mo'~ommend to the Citv Commission approval 0($500 (or the Bread o('Lite~Fellows1iip. Motion carried 3-0, with Member Wilsen abstaining due to her relationship'as'-abusiness associate. I Application No.5 - Citrus Elementary School PTA Pam Ryan attended the meeting to represent the Citrus Elementary School PT A. Member Wilsen, seconded bv Member Sills, moved to recommend to the Citv Commission approval 0($500 to the Citrus Elementarv School PTA. Motion carried 3-1, with Member Bauske opposed. I Application No.6 - American Legion Post 109 Nobody was in attendance to represent the American Legion Post 109. It is mandatory that a representative attend the meetings to request grant money. I Application No.7 - S.T.A.R.S. of West Orange Chesta Hembrooke was in attendance to represent the S.T.A.R.S. of West Orange. She stated that they estimate more children needing supplies this year due to the economy. Member Butler said she like that the application showed the budget including thumb drives for high school students, especially being a mother of high school students. She said they need those drives for school assignments, whether they have a computer at home or not. Chairman Sills, seconded bv Member Butler. moved to recommend to Citv Commission approval 0($500 to the S.T.A.R.S. o(West Orange. Motion carried 3-0. with Member Wilsen abstaininf! due to her relationshiv as a business associate, A lication No.8 - Ocoee Historical Commission 2 Community Grant Review Board February 12,2009 Betty Ervine attended the meeting to represent the Ocoee Historical Commission. Ms. Ervine said they were asking for funding primarily to clean the Withers Maguire House, which had been restored 15 years ago. There is a lot of necessary cleaning required that will need professional help. She explained that there was paint covering various places throughout the house that they believed was burrow wood, and they would like to get that back to its original beauty. Member Bauske inquired if they could give local businesses the first opportunity to perform this work. Ms. Ervine said yes, she has already collected some bids. Member Wilsen agreed that supporting local business would be wonderful. Member Bauske, seconded bv Member Wi/sen. moved to recommend to the Citv Commission approval 0[$500 to the Ocoee Historical Commission. Motion carried 4-0, Betty Ervine announced that the Historical Commission would like to open a museum of all historical things relating to Ocoee that have been donated from residents. She would love to see more people get involved, since so many members are getting up in.agel"they meet the second Thursday of each month in the Withers Maguire House. Ms. Erv"inC:sJid[there was a link for them on the Ocoee website, as well as the West Orange Chamq' r~ ___/'1~ I I ~ I Application No.9 - Christian ServiF'C ~e~ter I r fa.; ....... Ann Walding attended the meeting to representithe Cliristian Service Center. She declared she was preparing meals five days a wee~. S!;tslid C~thleen Bean helps her three days a week and has helped for years. She explained they used to serve in the dining room, but have exceeded capac~ty; therefore, they serve in to-go containers and need to pay more for those and disposable silverware. She stated they served almost 50,000 last year. Member Butler, seconded bv Member Bauske, moved to recommend to the Citv Commission avvroval 0[$500 to the Christian Service Center. Motion carried 3-0, with Member Wilsen abstaininf! due to her relationship as an emplovee. I Application No. 10 - Ocoee Middle School Noreen Hoffman, assistant principal, attended to represent the Ocoee Middle School. She stated the need for nurses is rising and gave the numbers of visits to the nurse so far for this school year. They have plans for another fundraiser for the program to assist with the balance due for the nurse, but they still need help. Member Bauske. seconded bv Member Butler, moved to recommend to the Citv Commission approval 0[$500 to the Ocoee Middle School. Motion carried unanimouslv, I Application No. 11- Maxey Elementary School Belinda Davis, principal, attended to represent the Maxey Elementary School. Member Bauske inquired how many students were Ocoee residents at the Winter Garden location. Ms. Davis announced their population was 288 kids and 242 of those students live in Ocoee. She said they also have a pre-K program that includes Ocoee students. She explained that last year they took a group of students to Washington D.C. to participate in their Black History Program; however, did not request funds from Ocoee. She said that Mayor Vandergrift generously made a personal donation for that purpose last year and encouraged her to apply for a grant for this 3 Community Grant Review Board February 12,2009 year's trip. Ms. Davis said the trip was a learning experience for the children and the major purpose is to broaden their ideas and teach them to give back to their community upon their return. She said every child pays something toward the trip and their goal is to use the grant, if rewarded, to purchase small souvenirs for each child and snacks for the rides so that no child goes without. Member Wilsen, seconded bv Member Butler, moved to recommend to the City Commission avvroval 0($500 to Maxev Elementarv School. Motion carried unanimously, COMMENTS Community Relations Director Joy Wright reminded the applicants that they are only allowed to receive grant funds once per budget year. Member Wilsen explained that organizations could apply again if they are denied funds the first time, but may only receive funds once per cycle. Also, she added that it applied to one entity per year; therefore, organizations should choose wisely as to what group they are asking funding for. For example, i~Q;r.OrtMiddle School receives a grant for the nurse program, then they would not be able to ap~ly f6r the school library in the same budget year. Member Wilsen emphasized the impo~~ce'Of~ding the meeting if you apply; that is a new requirement of being.eligib(o~eeeive funds. Member Wilsen also commented that tU:J.d LLes r'~d~ons to the City .. h h h I I h~ l ",.lI. h . d .. d . h CommISSIOn, w 0 as t e power to overturn1 elr motIOns, so t elr eClSlons ma e tomg t are not set in stone. ~ ADJOURNMENT at 7:52 p.m. Attest: APPROVED: Holly Moseley, Records Coordinator Jim Sills, Chairman 4