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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #18 Community Grant Program July 2009 Cycle ,. AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET Meeting Date: September 15, 2009 Item # 1 B Contact Name: Contact Number: Joy P. Wright, Community Relations Manager 407 -905-3100 ext. 1530 Subject: Community Grant Program - July 2009 Cycle I Background Summary: The Community Grant Review Board met on August 13 , 2009 to discuss the 9 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 all 9 organizations. There is $5,000 allotted for this cycle of the Community Grant Program. The total amount requested from the 9 organizations this grant cycle is $4,500. The Community Grant Review Board voted to fund the 9 organizations in the amount of $4,500. 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: Or anization Alliance Support Corps. American Le ion Post 109 Autism & Related Disablities G Boy Scout Troo 198 The Gift of Swimming Health Central Nurse Pro ram Ocoee Elementary Beautification Ocoee Lions Club Savin Young Hearts Total Re uested $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 4,500 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Recommended 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 4,500 OW' Type of Item: (please mark with an "x") Public Hearing I For Clerk's DeDt Use: I Ordinance First Readina Consent Agenda Ordinance Second Readina Public Hearina Resolution Regular Agenda X Commission Approval Discussion & Direction I Original Document/Contract Attached for Execution by City Clerk I I Original Document/Contract Held by Department for Execution Reviewed by City Attorney I N/A Reviewed by Finance Dept. I N/A Reviewed by I ( ) I N/A 2 " , '. .. MINUTES OF THE CITY OF OCOEE COMMUNITY GRANT REVIEW BOARD MEETING HELD AUGUST 13,2009 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. PRESENT: Chairman Sills, Members Bauske, Butler, Carrington and Nickels. Also present were Community Relations Manager Wright and Records Coordinator Moseley. ABSENT: None. Application No.1 - Ocoee Lions Clu Mike Everest and Robert Godek, Oc e organization. Club Members, attended to represent the Member Nickels inquired ifthey planned to do more than one eye or hearing exam. Mr. Everest said they do several each year, as well as applications for eye operations, and the money would be used for Ocoee residents only. Chairman Sills added that the Lions Club recently completed an application for a seeing-eye dog and that does not cost the recipient anything. He said the Lions Club is 100% responsible for cost and transportation, etc. Member Bauske, seconded bv Member Butler, moved to recommend that Citv Commission award the Ocoee Lions Club $500. Motion carried 4-0, with Chairman Sills abstaining. Application No.2 - Alliance Supports Corp Brad Jenkins attended to represent the organization. Chairman Sills clarified that they were seeking funds to assist an Ocoee man currently on a waiting list to receive medical waiver services. Mr. Jenkins concurred and explained that it is an 83 year old man raising a developmentally disabled son alone and in very poor financial condition. His agency has picked up the son a few days per week to train him for community work. Member Nickels inquired about their day programs and classes. Mr. Jenkins said they have a unique program whereas they take about 15 people a day out and start by encourage social skills as part of the Mall Walkers Club. They then deliver Meals on Wheels or help sort food at the Second Harvest Food Bank and various thrift stores in the area. He added that two " . Community Grant R\:vi\:\V Board August 13,2009 people have recently started full-time jobs with companies such as Macaroni Grill and Stein Mart recently. Discussion ensued regarding the skills trained and how that is monitored by the state through audits, as well as the waiting lists building for Medicaid waivers. Member Carrington inquired as to, if the waiver is eventually granted, is the pay made retro back to the application date of the medical waiver. Mr. Jenkins said it is paid from the award date. Member Nickels. seconded by Member Carrillf!toll, moved to recommend that City Commission award the Alliance Supports Com $500. Motion carried 5-0. I Application No.3 - American Legion Post 109 J. Lester Dabbs Jr. represented the American Legion Post 109 as their Chaplain and service officer. A/ember Carrin tOil seconded b Member Nickels moved to recomm award the American Ie Tion Post 109 $500. Motion carried Commission Application No.4 - Autism Relat is Joanne Howers attended as repres nay, Ii r :t' sm Related Disabilities, and explained that they were requesting funds to assis it swimming lessons and BBQ's for the families. Member Nickels. seconded by Member Butler. moved to recommend that City Commission award the Autism Related Disabilities $500. Motion carried 5-0. I Application No.5 - Boy Scout Troop 198 Nancy Cox was present to speak on behalf of Boy Scout Troop 198 and said they were requesting funds for flags and stands for their new meeting location, as well as replacing camping supplies. Member Carrington inquired as to what civil projects the troop did in the community during the past year. Mrs. Cox explained that they have assisted Pack 217 with the Pinewood Derby for the cub scouts of the Central Florida District, helped with Founder's Day, the Christmas Parade, and the Gcoee Lions Club turkey shoot. Chairmall Sills. seconded by Member Ballske. moved to recommend that City Commission award the Boy Seoul Troop 1985500. Motion carried 5-0. I Application No.6 - Gift of Swimming Kathy Baldwin, Executive Director of The Gift of Swimming, was present and explained they were requesting funds to support swim lessons at Southwest Aquatics. Member Bauske asked if the money would be used to sponsor an Gcoee resident, since Southwest Aquatics is out of Windermere. Ms. Baldwin said yes and the Christian Service Center in Gcoee has brought 18 Gcoee children to the center in their van. She currently has two Gcoee residents who qualify by their participation in W.I.c. and the reduced lunch program, and their mother is close enough to get the kids to the center for the free lessons. Member Carrington asked how much the cost of 2 ~ Community Grant Review Board August 13,2009 lessons was. Ms. Baldwin said the cost is approximately $375/child for 25 one-on-one private lessons, Member Butler. seconded by Member Carrington. moved to recommend that City Commission award the Gift of'Swimming $500. Motion carried 5-0. Application No.7 - Health Central Foundation Wendy Proctor, Director of Development at Health Central Foundation, attended the meeting. Chairman Sills asked her if they had met budget last year for the School Nurse Program. She said they did and had received a generous donation from a local couple. Member Bauske asked why Health Central hadn't used the city's application form. Ms. Proctor stated she was not the person who submitted the application, so was not sure and thought she was there about a cardiac cath lab and not the School Nurse Program. The board members explained to her that the application they received was for the School Nurse Program. Ms. Proctor apologized for the confusion and did her best to answer the board's questions. She assured the board that the funds, if received, would be used for the schools in Ocoee. Commission A lication No.8 - Ocoee Element Alicia Arnold, the art teacher at the c n heryl Johnson, long time teacher, were present to represent the Ocoee Elementary School Clean-up Club. Chairman Sills inquired about the program. Ms. Arnold explained their plan to decorate the hallways of the school to make an interactive wall experience to compliment the students and give them a sense of pride. They want to use paint, poetry, and artwork, rather than buying bulletin boards and frames, etc. Member Carrington asked if the commission awarded the funds to Ocoee Elementary School, would the check go directly to the school or to OCPS. Staff Liaison Wright said it would go directly to the contact person on the grant application. The board commented on how nice their application was. Member Bauske. seconded by Member Butler. moved to recommend that City Commission award the ()coee Elementary School $500. Motion carried 5-0. Application No.9 - Saving Young Hearts Martha and Andy Anderson were present to represent their organization and gave details of what they do and the benefits of the program. They announced the next heart screening event would be held September 11 th from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. and Iih from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. She said they allow a maximum of 240 children to be screened and focus on their own backyard. To date they have screened 444 children, and over half were from Gcoee. ft1ember Carrington. seconded by Member Butler. moved to recommend that City Commission amiI'd the Savin)! Young Hearts 5500. Motion carried 5-0. 3 . Community (irant Review Board August 13,2009 Martha Lopez-Anderson was proud to announce that they are trying something a little different this year. She said members of the Ocoee Fire Department, that are trained EMTs, are undergoing training for the Heart Screening American protocol, and will be performing the screenings at the next event. COMMENTS Chairman Sills announced that they had received an application from the Christian Service Center; however, they had already received a grant in February, so were not eligible for another grant this cycle. Member Bauske commented that at the last commission meeting there was a question about the AAU traveling team being denied grant money. She explained that the AAU kids pay a lot of money to be a part of that team, but they also are a very small percentage of Ocoee residents from the Little League. She said, fortunately, Commissioner Hood had already dealt with those types of teams when he was a member of the board and set precedence not to award grant money to those types of organizations. Member Butler said the AAU Team is by invitation only and kids are not able to apply or try out on their own. Chairman Sills stated the AAU applicant said he was treate. d rudely 0-t.....~.h Grant Review Board. Member Bauske said she did not think t..h at...a..n y.o.........n..e... was...diSCof'. 0 S-.tlO..': n applicant but sometimes people are unhappy with their decision d t t a JeIlSlso . times. Member Carrington thanked the mem~~. r a~t n . ~.. i his 'le1 stions at his first ~~~tii~~'an Sills said he attended the bu gQ: o'.~;: ~~d does not yet know what will be budgeted for this board next fiscal year. . recommended they all watch the budget meetings. ADJOURNMENT at 7:47 p.m. Attest: APPROVED: Holly Moseley, Records Coordinator Jim Sills, Chairman 4