Dorie said: There might have been more if our NRP money was not allocated to hire police at time and a half for the Phillips neighborhood. Just how much taxpayer's money was given to Ventura Village? How about all the money that dissappeared! That could have kept our library open for about 15 years. Sounds like a solid little group that might be a little self serving!
Me: I would like to take this opportunity to clear up some of the misunderstandings Dorie has regarding the use of NRP funds. The Mayoral and City Council initiative that took $1M from NRP to fill a gap in the 2004 police budget pays officers at regular time not time and a half. Of the $1M dollars, $117,150 was allocated for use in Ventura Village, East Phillips, Midtown Phillips and Phillips West. That represents about 11.7% of the total. 54 other neighborhoods were also funded through this initiative. The Nokomis East neighborhoods submitted a proposal but were not funded from this initiative. You can find the information at www.nrp.org. NRP funds spent in Phillips: Here is the real story. To begin with, the "problems" that occurred with the People of Phillips and it's decertification as the official citizen participation group by the MCDA and subsequent loss of NRP Planning and Implementation Activity contracts represents a very small portion of the total NRP funds that are allocated to the Phillips neighborhood. You may obtain a copy of the State Auditors report defining the financial issues with reference to the People of Phillips by requesting a copy of the audit in writing. I have access to other financial information for NRP expenditures in Phillips and Ventura Village. The funds listed below were contracted to a variety of government agencies and private non-profits as directed by the volunteer residents in Phillips and Ventura Village. Copies of spreadsheets and contracts are available by requesting them in writing to my office or e-mailing me directly at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Housing: $5,174,100.42. An additional $1,587,705.18 is allocated but has not been expended. These activities include: razing dilapidated housing, rehabbing existing housing, building new houses, condos and apartment buildings, carriage houses, removing hazardous lead from older houses and a tenant/rental property manager training program. Economic Development: $2,999,323.73. An additional $414,867.01 is allocated but has not been expended. The activities in this category include: The Green Institute, the Mercado Central, the Re-Use Center, a credit union, Franklin Av. Streetscape, job training programs, youth employment and other programs, Business incubators and child care centers. Arts,Culture and Ethnicity: $1,311,548.21. About $7,000 remains unexpended. Activities in this category include: $750K for Franklin Artworks rehab, the media center in the Franklin Library, The Heart of the Beast Development project, the Phillips Gateway at Peavey Park and some cultural programs. Crime and Safety $334,004. $81,643.16 remains unexpended. The activities include: Mobile safety center, the Franklin Safety Center, block club organizing, security equipment for businesses and home-owners, off-duty police services and additional street lights along Bloomington Av. Lifespan: $1,007,437.40. $112,478.92 remains allocated but unexpended. Activities include: The neighborhood early learning center, programs for youth and elders, funding to Anderson Family Resource Center, a service directory and other programs. Environment/Parks/Transportation: $1,409,630.00. $68,332.80 remains allocated but unexpended. Activities include: renovating the play area at Stewart Park, closing Snyder's Liquor Store at Franklin/Chicago, planting trees and a variety of other environmental and park programs. American Indian NRP Plan: $4,569,418,77. $53,003.63 remains allocated but unexpended. The American Indian community received a separate allocation in the Phillips NRP Plan. Activities in the Amer. Indian Plan include: Housing, Economic Development, Job Training, Youth activities and a variety of other initiatives. Plan Administration: $973,192.75. $58,206.92 remains allocated but unexpended. Activities include: staffing expense, office rent, copying, postage, printing, etc. This amount represents a little under 6% of the total plan dollars spent on administrative expenses over a 9 year period of time in Phillips and Ventura Village. Nokomis East Neighborhood recieved $4,171,641.44 in NRP funds and has $611,802.10 allocated but unexpended. At present, NENA has just allocated 21,607 to expand summer hours for the Nokomis Library. Barb Lickness Whittier NRP Staff to Ventura Village, Phillips and Nokomis East ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? 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