[00:00:01]
EVERYONE.[CALL TO ORDER]
A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ON THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2022 AT 3:30 PM.I LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A FARM? WE HAVE A QUORUM COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SIGNED A PROOF OF NOTICE OF THE MEETING INTRODUCTIONS.
[1. 22-00360]
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FUNDING FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AUTHORIZED FOR THE U S DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO ASSIST HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO PAY RENT AND UTILITIES DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AUTHORIZING ADMINISTERING AGENCY AS THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS AND CONNECTION THERE WITH IN ACCORDANCE TO THE LINE ITEM, BUDGET AND AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $100 MILLION BY THEIR OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ITEM.[2. 22-00361]
REDUCTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT THE APPROPRIATE AND ALLOCATE AN INCREASE TO THE SECOND ALLOCATION OF GRANT FUNDING, NOT TO EXCEED 75 MILLION FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO ASSIST HOUSEHOLD AND UNABLE TO PAY RENT AND UTILITIES DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC AUTHORIZED ADMINISTERING AGENCY AND THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS AND CONNECTION.THERE WERE BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCED PUBLIC HEARING ON MY ITEMS HAVE BEEN READ.
IS THERE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE BOTH ITEMS? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DONE SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LINDELL, COLON, AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR THERE'S NO OPPOSITION.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE ITEM FOR PUBLIC
[3. 22-00359]
HEARING.I HAVE NUMBER THREE, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO AMENDED THE EXISTING GRANT AGREEMENTS CONTRACTS FOR THE WORKFORCE GROUP TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT BY 4 MILLION, $187,478 AND 8 CENTS FOR A TOTAL OF 14 MILLION, $192,850 AND 62 CENTS TO DISPERSE ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO PAY RENT AND UTILITIES DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH FUNDS AWARDED UNDER THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY BY THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MOTION TO APPROVE CONTINUED UPON GRANTS AND CONTRACTS REVIEW COMMITTEE APPROVAL.
IS ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON A PUBLIC ITEM? THERE'S NO ONE HERE AT COUNCIL MEMBERS THERE, A MOTION TO APPROVE QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOELLEKEN DO WE HAVE, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
HOW MUCH HAVE WE, HOW MUCH HAVE WE DISPERSED SO FAR AND GIVE YOU THE EXACT FIGURE AS OF THIS MORNING, WE HAVE DISPERSED 36 MILLION, $259,879 AND 73 CENTS.
AND PENDING DISBURSEMENT IS $6,930,971 AND 36 CENTS.
SO THIS ADDS ANOTHER FORT, BASICALLY WHAT THE 4 MILLION INCREASING OF A TOTAL OF 14, 18 AROUND 18 MILLION ADDING TO THIS, THE WORKFORCE GROUP CONTRACT IS ALSO BROKEN DOWN BY, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR PAYMENT DISTRIBUTION, UM, TEAM.
AND SO THEY HAVE A FINANCIAL ANALYST AND A FINANCIAL REVIEWER THAT ACTUALLY REVIEWS ALL OF THE CHECKS BEFORE THEY GET CUT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE STAFF TIME AND SALARY FOR THOSE PERSONS.
UM, THAT IS ABOUT $328,000 ON THEIR CONTRACT.
AND THE REMAINING PORTION OF THEIR CONTRACT IS THE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE REIMBURSING THEM FOR.
SO THEY'RE CUTTING CHECKS FOR RESIDENTS, FOR US TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT AND THEN WE'RE REIMBURSING WORKFORCE GROUP.
UH, JUST, AND IT JUST REAL QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
I MEAN, I'M ALL FOR THIS, BUT UM, HOW, HOW ARE THE APPLICATIONS AS FAR AS STILL COMING IN, THEY SEEM TO BE INCREASING AND HOLDING STEADY, DECREASING AS FAR AS PEOPLE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE.
YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY I'M IN JANUARY, WE DID HAVE TO STOP ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS.
UM, WE WERE OUT OF BUDGETED FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM AND SO WE HAVE CURRENTLY 14,383 APPLICATIONS.
OUR HOPE IS THAT WE WILL GET SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE TREASURY OR THE STATE, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO REOPEN APPLICATIONS SO THAT WE CAN, UM, RECEIVE MORE.
YOU SAID 14,000 APPLICATIONS PENDING.
WE HAVE ABOUT 5,000 PENDING REVIEW.
I JUST WANT IT TO HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, THOUGHTS, IDEAS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE SOME OLD BY MOLT SETTING ABOUT COLIN'S? ANY OPPOSITION ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED? WE'LL BE IN RECESS UNTIL FOUR O'CLOCK COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH US.