Chambana Sun

City of Urbana City Council met Aug. 5

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

ELECTED OFFICIALS PHYSICALLY PRESENT: Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor; Darcy Sandefur, City Clerk; CM Maryalice Wu, CM Christopher Evans, CM Jaya Kolisetty, CM Chaundra Bishop*, CM Grace Wilken, CM James Quisenberry

*PRESENT AFTER ROLL

ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT: CM Shirese Hursey

STAFF PRESENT: Carol Mitten, Matt Roeschley, Seok Hyun Cho, Bourema Ouedraogo, William Kolschowsky, Breaden Belcher

OTHERS PRESENT:

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

With a quorum present, Mayor Marlin called the meeting of the Urbana City Council to order at 6:30p.m.

2. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

a. 06-24-2024 City Council Minutes

b. 07-01-2024 Committee of the Whole Minutes

c. 07-01-2024 Committee of the Whole Public Hearing Minutes

d. 07-08-2024 City Council Minutes

Corrections were made before the meeting to correct the primary motioner of an amendment and added a dollar amount to the motion in the 06-24-2024 City Council Minutes under item c., motion i. of the Regular Agenda.

Motion to approve by CM Wu, seconded by CM Kolisetty. Questions and discussion followed.

Voice Vote:

AYE: Wu, Evans, Kolisetty, Wilken, Quisenberry

NAY: None.

3. Additions to the Agenda

None.

4. Presentations and Public Input

a. Public Input

Mayor Marlin read public input from Sana Saboowala voicing support for the development of a women’s shelter in the City of Urbana.

5. Council Input and Communications

Mayor Marlin shared that on Wednesday, August 7th the Community Resource Walk in the Dr. Preston Williams Elementary School neighborhood is scheduled to occur from 6:00p.m. to 7:00p.m. congregating at the elementary school before commencing. Reminded the public that the Census Bureau is taking applications to work as a census taker in the 2024 Special Census in Urbana with pay beginning at $18.33 an hour, with potential for higher wages. Stated the link to the application can be found on the City of Urbana’s website. CM Wu asked for clarification on if international residents can work as a census taker. Mayor Marlin clarified that the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, of 18 years of age, and must be able to pass a background check due to federal requirements for the position. CM Evans shared that he attended a meeting at Garden Hills Middle School in Champaign that met to continue discussions on gun violence within the community. Stated Tracy Parsons asked him to inform City Council and the Urbana Police Department staff that they are welcome to attend the meetings as there will be further meetings held to discuss gun violence within the community.

6. Reports of Standing Committees

None.

7. Committee of the Whole (Council Member Maryalice Wu, Ward 1)

1. Consent Agenda

None.

2. Regular Agenda

a. Resolution No. 2024-07-054R: A Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Urbana HOME Consortium Subrecipient Agreement Designating Champaign County Regional Planning Commission as a Subrecipient of HOME Program Funds for Tenant Based Rental Assistance FY24 – CD

This resolution approves and authorizes the execution of Urbana HOME Consortium subrecipient agreements with Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) for $150,000 from FY25 HOME program funds to support a TBRA program for low-income renters.

Motion to approve by CM Wu, seconded by CM Quisenberry.

Roll Call Vote:

AYE: Wu, Evans, Kolisetty, Wilken, Quisenberry

NAY: None.

b. Resolution No. 2024-07-055R: A Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Urbana HOME Consortium Subrecipient Agreement Designating Courage Connection as a Subrecipient of HOME Program Funds for Tenant Based Rental Assistance FY25 – CD

This resolution approves and authorizes the execution of Urbana HOME Consortium subrecipient agreements with Courage Connection for $125,000 from prior year HOME balances to support a TBRA program for low-income households that have experienced domestic violence.

Motion to approve by CM Wu, seconded by CM Kolisetty.

Roll Call Vote:

AYE: Wu, Evans, Kolisetty, Bishop, Wilken, Quisenberry

NAY: None.

8. Reports of Special Committees

None.

9. Reports of Officers

a. Staff Report – Environmental Grant Program – CD

Presented by Breaden Belcher, Grants Division Manager. Spoke on the background and context of the grant program, noting its origin from $100,000 from the general fund set aside in FY24’s budget to both foster “environmental project partnerships and memorandums of understanding with community partners” and to address Mayor/Council Strategic Goal 3.3 (C): “Create a grant program for community environmental projects”. Shared that the development of the grant program was influenced by various resolutions, proclamations, and Mayor/Council Strategic Goals concerning sustainability, climate resilience, and climate action. Announced that the program will be named Sustaining Urbana Neighborhoods (SUN). Stated the SUN grant program aims to provide grant funding for community-based activities that support climate resiliency and sustainability goals for three key areas in Urbana: promoting healthy, sustainable, community living; fostering creativity and collaboration to enhance climate resiliency; and including young people in the process of creating climate related policies and actions. Stated that the targeted funding amount for a project is $10,000 and larger projects will be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Stated that there is a preference for projects and programs that are located in Urbana’s Community Development Target Areas (CDTA), which is further explained in the application packet with a map displaying the areas. Stated the targeted demographics for the grant program are non-profit organizations and individuals or community groups that have a non-profit organization sponsoring them for the purpose of accountability and managing the financial aspects of the grant. Shared the currently proposed application process with an application period from September 1 to November 1, 2024; a standardized application form; and a scoring rubric to use when reviewing applications. Asked Council if there are any other funding or programmatic priorities that Council would like to see addressed, if Council has a preference for increasing/decreasing the per project award, if Council has a preference between a 30 or 60 day application period, and if Council can provide guidance on if the applications should be reviewed by a committee or by staff. Questions and discussion followed.

Council came to a consensus to change the language of the third key area so that it includes diverse communities and multi-generational efforts; accepting the proposed application period of 60 days; and that the applications should be reviewed by a committee.

10. Adjournment

With no further business before the Urbana City Council, Mayor Marlin adjourned the meeting at 7:05p.m.

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