 Are we ready? I think we're ready. Do you want to go first, Nate? Or do you want me to go? Oh, you can go. I'm just here to control the zoom piece. Okay. Well, welcome everybody. It's good to see you. We're still remote, obviously. And the state has allowed us to still. Meet remotely, which is a good thing. So. Because this is a public hearing, I think the first thing. We should do is introduce ourselves. And we'll take it from there. So I'm Gail Lansky. And I am going to help chair this meeting along with me. I'm Lucas Anscombe. Next committee. That he Michaels. Paul Goulson. Andrew Green Thomas. Rika Clement. Yeah. Hold on. We get two at the same time. I cut Andrew off again. Yeah. Go ahead, Andrew. Yes. Andrew Grant Thomas. Okay. And I think. And that. That Larson. So we have Nat and Nate. And so I just would at this point, I would like to acknowledge Andrew for all his contributions to this committee during our many deliberations and thank him for his service. This is his last meeting. He's got other things going on in his life, which unfortunately for us is going to draw him away from his work on this committee, but they'll, he'll always have a seat at the table. So Andrew, thank you. And I've learned a lot from you. And you will be missed, but no, you're always welcome back. Thank you, Gail. This is a part where, you know, following our national politicians, I say, I'm with joined to spend more time with my family. You know, we will know more of the scandal. Thank you. It's been a lot. It's been a lot of fun. I've learned a ton. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Scott Merz back, right? Something up kind of, you know, just, just to, for the intrigue of it all. You could replicate yourself. We'll take another one of you who doesn't have family obligations. Something about texting and, you know, it's all kind of seedy. It's seedy, whatever it is. All right. So I'm going to hand it over to. Go ahead. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. I'll give you a review. I'm going activities from the cares grant. Sure. Yeah. Thanks, everyone. So we have, you know, nine people in attendance and then the committee. The. I think we, you know, we're, as Gail said, we're still allowed to meet through zoom because the state still suspended the. Open meeting law for now, and they may extend it through September 1st. The, this is a public hearing is required by the state to have an update on current activities and currently the only grant that's ongoing is our block grant our cares money that we awarded last summer fall. So our 2019 grant and 18 grant all those activities are closed out, which is really nice. Sometimes we have three grants going on at the same time which means we have, you know, like a dozen activities so we only have four for four activities right now. That's the first part of the hearing the second part of the hearing is to receive comments on the 2021 application process so you know just quickly for everyone in the audience and the committee you know the state wasn't going to have a round well first they thought they were going to have a 21 grant process you know which we went through in the fall and winter. And then they postponed it a number of months and then they at first thought they were not going to have a 21 round they, you know they propose canceling it and merging it with next year's grant application process and I think they were met with a lot of pushback and so then they came in just a few weeks ago and said well we'll do a 21 round it's somewhat abbreviated and they'll have it you know this summer from June, starting in June and applications are due in early September so. So you know we can hear prior you know comments for priorities for the 21 process, you know we had public meetings and hearings in the fall and winter so we still could use some of those comments that were heard then. But all the proposals that were submitted has to be you know they have to be resubmitted. So you know even if you know even if an organization is using this you know isn't changing much except for budget or timeline or something. They have to resubmit it, you know during this time so the state has said that their application round is open when they put out their one year plan which was I think a week and a half ago so within this timeframe from like you know mid May to mid September. That's when we have to hold our whole application process so we can't do it beforehand. So that's the two parts to the hearing tonight, and then afterward you know there's a public meeting just to discuss the comments and set out a schedule. I sent some draft dates it doesn't give us a lot of time usually we have, you know, six to eight months to do this and so you know now we're only have three months so. The work in the fall can be fruitful since we've you know updated the RFP and did receive comments so I think we're still in a good position for this application round. And you just go down the list if everyone's here if not then we can skip around a little bit but I'm not sure I see anyone from Valley CDC. So we could go to the food pantry and live will. I don't know if there's anyone else here. Should I be on camera as well or just, I don't see a video. Yeah I don't think as a we set this up as a webinar so even if you're speaking I think we can't see, unless. I just wasn't sure if I would have done something wrong. No problem. I don't think so. Sorry, hold on a minute Ben we can't she doesn't even if she's speaking her video unless we promoted a panelist. Yeah, yeah that would be the only way. Sorry that I think you're all set to go I just want to make sure we weren't missing something either but. Okay. Great. Um, so yeah thank you so much to the committee for the support through the CDBG cares funds. We set out with some very ambitious goals around providing monthly groceries to 3000 low and moderate income immerse residents that was a 50% increase than we had served in the past. And then we also set out to increase our food allocation to between 10 to 14 days of food monthly. This was double what it had been in the past. And then we also set out to increase our food allocation to between 10 to 14 days of food monthly. This was double what it had been in the past. In the past, as well as offering emergency box mid month supplements for families who needed more food expanding our evening weekend hours. And just the other costs of operation encoded. And so, at this point, we are around 60% of our way to the our goal of serving 3000 immerse residents. We have had a significant increase from the past but not to the level that we were originally anticipating at the beginning of COVID. At the time that we were initially applying for these funds we were seeing 400% increases in new enrollments in the food pantry week over week, and that has really leveled out. The thing that we have seen really significant increases that have sustained is the consistency with which families are coming to the food pantry so rather than coming every couple of months etc. People are really or just a few times a year people are really consistently coming every month and indicating that they need more food so that's really a place that we have focused. We have reached the goal of increasing our food to at least 10 days per household and are working still working to further increase that to get to that 10 to 14 days. So that's been a really significant increase and that's come directly in response to feedback we've received from families who are accessing the groceries. Additionally, the both the delivery program and the curbside pickup program have been just enormous successes. And I, again, I'm really appreciative to this committee for their support and helping us get those to the scale that they are. The curbside pickup is something that we were just tested out as this grant first started and what that allows is for people to pre schedule ahead a time to pick up their groceries there's a simple online form the folks can use and someone without computer access can call us and we do it for them. They select a 10 minute window out of the times available every day that we are open. And they have a space in that form to indicate any preferences that they have for the types of groceries that they're getting what kinds of that are different than their regular monthly preferences that we have on file. And any other special notes and then we fully assemble that grocery they pull into our parking lot and we load it into their trunk at the designated time. And just a couple of days ago actually I, we got a comment from someone afterwards that indicated wrote it was so awesome thank you so much. I had missed a couple of months of picking up food because I had to take a half day off of work to make sure it would happen. And I learned about this curbside option from the bookmark that came with my books from the library. It took less than 10 minutes start to finish and I will definitely do it again next month. And similarly we've just gotten really amazing feedback, especially with families with kids in the car just being able to schedule something pull in and get their groceries that way has been a huge access improvement for people so really glad to have that available and the distribution of the curbside has really increased. And then the delivery is the other huge access project that we were working on. We have delivered groceries to. To around 850 Amherst residents at 21 different coordinated sites and individual household roots and Amherst so we are reaching a large percentage of our Amherst residents with the food pantry through delivery options. And again the feedback around it I think we this was a part of the program that was really born out of necessity early on in COVID. So it's no longer had transportation or based on health risks couldn't come in. And what we're really seeing is just the amount of access that it increases in terms of helping people to get the food that they need without having to take multiple buses to the center or borrow a car or pay for an Uber to get them to the food pantry so we've been really pleased to sustain that. We have added back in our evening and weekend hours. We have maintained the emergency box as indicated. So the project is going really well with those increases and I think now as we look ahead to the future it's really a question for us around integrating the best of what the center's food pantry has always offered which certainly we're looking forward to being able to return to a full choice grocery shop on site, but really continuing these efforts such as curbside pickups and delivery that have so significantly increased access for area residents. So that is the update that I specifically wanted to share. Unless there are any questions from the committee. I raised my hand can do I need to get called on Nate. You're the chair gal. So just to do you have any idea when you like I like to follow protocol Nate, do you have any idea when you might be able to open up the food pantry in person that's part a of the question and be when that happens. Will you can still continue curbside and delivery. Part B first, which is that that is our hope. We will not likely be able to continue them quite at the scale that they are but we also trust that once we have the full choice pantry again open on site that there will that for folks who do have some transportation access that that will be a preference and so there's no transition there of people off of delivery towards that. We do not have a date yet for for that transition but are certainly, you know, definitely looking to do that in this upcoming our fiscal year starts on July so I think about things in fiscal year so in this fiscal year but we do not have a specific date set yet. Thanks. Anybody else have a question. But just, I want to say congratulations to love and the team it's just amazing what the survival center has done throughout all of this and will continue to do so it's just amazing to hear about all the work you've done so thank you very much. Thank you so much. It has been the most colossal team effort. Truly, it's just been absolutely unbelievable the way is that so many different members of our community have stepped forward from residents connecting with their neighbors and helping people know to people offering to drive food to their neighbors doorsteps and you know volunteering to do delivery routes to all the folks that have been at the center throughout this entire year so I appreciate it and I echo those sentiments of just thinking the broader community for everyone but everything that they have contributed. Any other questions. Nate, do you have any other final business with lab. No, no we had a site visit. It went well and I think the, I was going to say to that the state, you know, they think that we're doing a good job with this cares grant so they, you know they, you know, they're keeping track of it as well and so they, you know they haven't. I think at this point if there is an issue with spending down money, you know, or something right if they thought there was a concern about how things are progressing they might might say something but they, they are really positive with our activity so I think that's a good sign to. Yeah, so thanks. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, great. And then the next level let's see us will just take a minute. Okay. Laura, there's housing support and stabilization that's family outreach and I know Laura's here. Laura, let, let us know if there's anyone else here to speak as well. Yeah, the, the case worker who is funded through this. Grant is here her name is Maria Cabanas. Maria you should. I think you should be all set to speak as well. And so, you know, I will sort of report on what we've been doing and then if folks have questions you may want to ask, I asked Maria to come, because if it's specific to services. It's nice to hear from her. And I guess I also just want to open it up by saying a big thank you to love because so many of our families so many of our clients, you know, have stayed alive through this last year because of the survival center and we work with a very large population of undocumented immigrants who was, they were not able to get unemployment they were not able to get any, any type of support government support so their food there the way they fed their children was through much through the survival center. So I just have to get a shout out to that to them. Thank you. And that's what you know family outreach. We have a lot of different services we provide a lot of different support to families in Amherst as well as individuals. And from the CDBG COVID funded a support and stabilization that specifically funded a case worker to work with folks who had been affected by COVID and making sure their housing was was stable. And as you all I think probably know that means a whole plethora of stuff it means helping folks apply for unemployment benefits, so they can pay their rent. So they can stay housed to helping them with resources for their kids, so they can actually go to work. So they can pay their rent as they can stay housed. And folks that have a subsidy, their rent was adjusted but for a lot of folks that we work with. They did not get it they don't have a subsidy or for whatever reason, their rent was not adjusted to a point of not having to pay any rent and they so they did. Of course, once the, as you probably all know there's an eviction moratorium right now. And what one of the things that we've been trying to do is help families and a big job of what Maria has been doing is helping families apply for the emergency funds through the town of Amherst or through different, different funds. So they don't get too far behind. You know, if you, if you have lost your job if your children are home so you cannot go back to work, if you can get work. But you can't go back, and you pay full market rent, you could be tens of thousands of dollars in debt by the end of this. And so what we're trying to do is keep that from happening by helping folks apply throughout the time. And also apply for the folks who are eligible applying for unemployment for the folks who are not, but can find jobs, helping to find jobs. Those are some of the main things that Maria has been doing. She's also been doing things like just helping folks find winter coats winter clothes because of course their income they don't have any income. And so love has been really focusing on, although they did distribute warm clothes but they've been focusing on food of course because I don't keep you alive, but we've distributed lots and lots of warm, warm, cold weather clothing to folks. And then there were some folks. One of the things that happened at when the pandemic hit is that families who kind of looked families and individuals I should say individuals because we did work with more than we've ever worked this past year, and families who were living and doubled up living in not a perfect housing situation but it was working out when the pandemic hit and folks were worried about the number of people in their home, or all the kids home all the time. All of a sudden people who are welcome weren't so welcome. And so one of the things the case worker also did is help folks families like that are sleeping on the couch sleeping on the floor the kids were in a two bedroom with their sister who had four kids that kind of thing. All of a sudden people were out staying there welcome because of, you know, everybody was in the house, and the kids were always home and managing the zooms of the school and all that. So one of the things that a case worker has been doing it, or has done is help families get into homeless shelters, which leads them to the journey of finding a home of their own. So, sometimes that feels lousy but actually in this case it's not the worst thing. You move into a shelter, you move down the path of finding your own home, which is a good thing. And with more individuals than we've worked with in the past, one of part of this proposal and what was asked of us was to also work with individuals and we've worked with a lot of those Maria has been had hours at not bread alone the soup kitchen that I also oversee. She's kind of present there she's built relationships with chronically homeless folks and help them. She saved the housing of one very tough situation from a zoom, a zoom court situation. We've been working very much closer than we ever have with. Mary Beth Ogolinsky from the senior center. So, you know, crisis brings opportunity right that's like the kind of the oldest cliche in the book and yet for us it's been a little bit true. We have created partnerships with folks that we had, you know, some partnerships with but now we are, we have much more of that kind of wrap around service. And that's really good I don't think I hopefully that won't go away. You know there's lots of things we want to go away, but there's some things that have, you know, some good things that have come of this right. And I think that maybe one of them is that we are more, we found better ways. We are Maria has been going to not bread alone not bread alone has never missed a day and so, while they've been serving outside they are seeing people face to face and Maria has been working with folks face to face right along. I think our case workers at family outreach. We didn't get you know we never got the funding for the CDB G funding that doesn't mean we didn't do the work, we were doing the work we just didn't get paid for it. But we had a lot of case workers who are actually seeing clients and takes a lot of courage, and I feel very proud of them. And so we are starting to do home visits as much as foot families feel okay we're, every one of our staff is fully vaccinated and let's, let's hope it stays that way. Let's hope we're on the road to opening up our world. Yeah. So I can answer questions or if you want to direct something to Maria about her families that's whatever you have questions anyone. I do have one, I do have one question, Laura, you mentioned that moving into a shelter helps them get on the path to their own home. Can you talk a little bit more about that that was, that was interesting to me. Yeah. The way the shelter system works these days is that often when you go into a shelter you either become a candidate for something called rapid read rehousing, where you go into a system where the the subsidy on a unit that lasts for a few years, and you get put on other lists you also get prior, you know you get moved up on certain lists as priority, because you're in a shelter. It also is sometimes it's a good thing to have more supports right there in your home for whatever reason whatever's going on. And so if there are underlying issues that have made stable housing tough, sometimes an outreach worker can only do so much and having on site staff is a good thing. And so there's a number of different reasons why, you know, it's not fun. I used to do relief at a shelter, folks do the best they can but it's not fun living in a shelter but sometimes it's a it's the next it's it's a step in the right direction. Thank you. All right, and thank you Maria for taking your evening and coming, even though there was no questions I appreciate it. Yeah you're welcome thank you while I think I finally figured out how to on you so thank you. It's kind of funny but it's not over my wife doesn't hear but she started a new job and she had a zoom meeting with like, you know, 20 team members over this weekend or camera wouldn't work. So she was, she was hidden for 20 minutes until they could figure out how to make it work and I think that was kind of funny because it's just only over zoom would you not be able to see your coworkers and an introductory meeting. So Laura and Maria, the. Yeah, so the, you mentioned the other block grant money but you know so the town, the 2020 grant I think since Laura brought it up you know we, that was delayed to so we did, you know apply and usually we receive that funding in the fall, but we didn't start those contracts until March. So, you know, everything's been delayed quite a bit this past year with with the grant cycle. I think the money's available now. Well if there's no questions thank you I think we'll, it was a good segue because then Craig's doors is here so we can just move on to the questions about sheltering. Hi Denise and Kevin you're, you're able to unmute yourselves and. How are you folks. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you. And I'm Kevin in and from Craig's doors and Denise Barbara is our director of administration and finance. And anyway, it's been a crazy long year as everyone with coven. It's the opposite of what what the norm was during coven we opened our doors wider and expanded our programs rather than shrink them. Because, despite the fact that told it was a horrible nightmare and so many people over 3 million people were white have died. And if we had more government federal government money available to do things with, then there was I give it all back for the three and a half million lives but I don't get that choice. So, we were able to bounce back from leaving the Baptist church and we were able to get the Unitarian Universalists to take us in, because they were not using their site. And that's been working out real well we have 14 beds there where it's called our congregate shelter. And then, simultaneously, we were able to broker a deal with the University Motor Lodge Hampshire hospitality group. And we were able to use 20 rooms there and some people are couples or son and daughter son and mother and father and son so we had about 24 people at one point there. And the same owner of the University Motor Lodge was pleased with what we did, and the way it worked so the opportunity came up in February for us to open the economy lodge, which had been close since April. So we rented 19 rooms on the ground floor of the economy lodge, which was a blessing because we were able to all told like today for example we have 58 people, whereas last year at the Baptist church. We were only able to do 28, provide for 28 people. And that was only between 930 at night and eight in the morning, whereas now it's 24 hours a day. And thanks to the support from this committee we were able to have a part time case manager to supplement the case management team that we have in the housing search workers. So, they've seen at least 50, 50 people since this started. And our unduplicated account we estimate somewhere around 158 maybe 160 people. And the problem that we're facing right now though is the economy lodge will be returned on the 17th of June. And the governor is ending the state of emergency on the 15th of June. So any of the FEMA reimbursement that we were so glad to receive will all go away on the 15th of June, we won't be able to build FEMA for anything. And that's, that's unfortunate because that's that's what opened the door of these motels. It's also just as an aside, it's also was fascinating to me even never been in the motel business or hotel business never really wanted to. But here we were running a motel than to the fascinating part to me having worked with people who are homeless for many, many years, over 30 was the difference, the agency, the dignity that a door, and that's what we named Craig stores for, provided to the very same people who would be in the congregate shelter. So I was likening it to the brown eyes blue eyes experiment of the 70s. 60s actually, in Iowa when Martin Luther King was assassinated. I'm sure many of you are familiar with that. But the same people who behave a certain way in the congregate shelter behaved so much differently. When they had a room. They had agency as they said they had a door to close to control. They had the ability to smoke or even drink in their room. That wasn't an issue in a private room whereas in the congregate shelter it's not allowed. So, yeah, it worked out well, and it is still working out well the problem we have now with this June 15 deadline coming. And we have to close the, the econologist we're going to have more people than we have spaces. And that's going to be very difficult to be able to whittle it down we're now working with people trying to get them into housing trying to get them to some kind of program. But that's, that's difficult to do in such a short period of time. But generally speaking the money that was funded from this committee for the case management enable people to get, you know, forms of, it's amazing, you know, there's all this, all this talk about voters and ID and stuff like that people keep sort of guffawing if you will about well how hard is it to get an ID, you know, it's very hard to get an ID, especially if you've lost yours and you don't have your birth certificate you don't have your social security card. And this, you know, post 911 era, it is very hard to get these things, you know, and the government agencies that aren't open you can't go down there and kind of negotiate this with them so you have to do it all over the phone. It's very difficult, but that's what the case managers are doing to helping people get social security cards they get birth certificates, social security benefits, drivers licenses, state identification cards, all those things that that seem like just easy to do, but they're not and especially in the post COVID world it's everything is harder. We help them get cell phones. We help them with writing up their resumes and applying for jobs. We help them with making appointments for their PCP or, or their mental health counselors who help them with tax preparation assistance and getting their stimulus checks. Another thing that's not that easy to do when you don't have an address or you haven't filed taxes in recent years, this all becomes much much more complicated. In any case, we, we're plotting along and we are hoping that going forward we will be able to rebuild on this case management component because it's a very important piece. And we also want to thank the survival center for providing lunches during this period of time because they're, they're walking ability for people who are homeless where they have a second seat to, to the, the increased production of food, but they didn't forget to send us some lunches so because they knew the people that would normally be going there couldn't. So Monday through Friday or not Wednesday, but Monday through Friday we do have access to the food at through the lunch at the survival center, and then not bread alone on weekends, we want to thank them because that that helps people. We provide a meal in the morning and at night but during the day during the middle part of the day we, we asked people to either receive the food from the survival center or go to the not bread alone kitchen. So we want to thank them and also Kevin Smith, who many of you may know for her work at the survival center but she's, I don't know if she's still working there but she set up a clothing alternative through Grace Episcopal church, which was fantastic. And so that we could actually, we could actually send her an order of things that people and sizes and things that people needed, and, and they would fill it and bring it and whatever the guests didn't want, and they would be able to return it. It's a phenomenal system that created one which I hope can continue. And also going forward we're trying to put together a coalition to possibly purchase one or the other of the motels, so that we can develop them into permanent affordable housing, or both if we get lucky, but these are deals that would require, you know, multiple companies were, you know, presently talking with Valley CDC and way finders to see, because, you know, we're such a small organization it's not likely we'd be able to borrow the money from a bank to purchase these places but, but motel conversion is a growing trend in America these days, especially since some of these motels are distressed. If thanks to COVID no one was traveling so much. So if we can convert one or both of these motels into permanent supportive housing, that would go a long way to helping the people who are homeless in our community. So we're optimistic about that it's a bit of a Hail Mary throw, as they say, but it is still something that we keep our eye on in terms of keeping an eye on the prize. I can't I'm not embarrassed to tell you it's been a marathon, you know, like we started in November of 2019 and then by the spring COVID hit and then we've been running ever since nonstop so it's been very difficult but we are really appreciative of the support folks give us and particularly this committee as well. I'll stop here and let Denise and whatever she thinks is that I might have missed and also if you folks have questions will be happy to answer those as well. Well, I think one of the most important things that our case workers have done have has been that they have been there to help people and to encourage them. To give them the support that they need, because if people had to do this on their own, they would just give up. I deal with a lot of the same type of stuff. And it just takes you forever to get through on the internet you can't talk to people you try and upload things. You just have to keep trying and sometimes do a lot of swearing. But if people just had to do this on their own they might not have the technological skills. They might just say, I just can't get through here. And this is never going to work so I'm just going to give up. So I really think that the case workers have provided this human element and this human support that people really really need to keep going, especially now. Is there anyone else who's still there. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. I have a question for either of you I'm just curious. So some people stay in the church and some people stay in the two different motels. Who makes the determination as to who will stay at which facility. And once you're in a facility, are you allowed to stay there until you get housing or do you have to kind of like rotate people through so that it becomes sort of fair that you know people can have a chance to stay at the motel and then they have to go back to the church. Well it started out as a very logical and methodical process when we had the opportunity to just the one motel. We focused on women. Elderly and those with special needs. When the opportunity came to to operate the the economy. Well then we didn't have enough staff to do both so we ended up closing the UU for 12 days. And then we took all the staff from the UU over to Hadley and brought all the guests that were staying at the UU to Hadley. So then our system went right out the window because then anybody and everybody got a room in the hotel. And then within 12 days we were able to hire enough people to reopen the the Unitarian Meeting House. So then we went back to our criteria but we didn't eject anybody from the motels that was already there. People who did have to leave were those who couldn't follow basic rules like don't smoke in the room, you know, no I'm not smoking, oh how come it smells like you're smoking in the room. And in one case at the University of Lodge that that's an old place that was grandfathered in so it didn't have it doesn't have sprinklers so it's a rule we have to hold take very seriously and hold very fast too but but and some people, you know when they're in a braided forget those rules and they think it's no big deal it's just me and I'm just doing one cigarette and then you know. But so for things like that we didn't have to put people out or if there was an excessive fighting or something like that which didn't happen that often but sometimes did. And now we're going and we're using that same criteria to repopulate the University Motor Lodge and close down the the Econolodge it's just going to be a real dreadful thing. Thankfully though it's it's in June, you know not in May or eight or or March or anything like that so we're grateful for that it's so you know if we had it all to do over and if we had all kinds of time we would have probably been able to handle it better but we did the best we could with the opportunities that came our way when they came up and we just danced around whatever obstacles were there and got it done so we're pleased with the result but it's it is a little chaotic and it will be a little bit hard for people and you probably hear some people saying well it should have been me that you know. One of the things they joke with the staff about is that they're 58 people so every one of them has an agenda and that's their primary interest and as they should that's their job. But for us, we're dealing with all 58 of them at the same time trying to be fair and people who don't get what they think someone else got always seem to think it's not there so it's it's open a new door also in how to manage congregate shelters are not the wave of the future we hope. The problem is that as the as everyone relaxes and I'm one of those people that doesn't understand the haste to relax these COVID restrictions but anyway, that's just me, especially with variants in India that no one understands, and other places, but presumably when when the COVID scares gone, they'll the federal government will go back to not providing that many resources that much in terms of resources. So we'll go, we'll have to go back to congregate shelters which is not a good plan because we've proven that this other model can work. It's not just us, people have proven this all across the country that it's the first step to permanent affordable housing in a town like Amherst and thank you, Nate, and then for your work on that that inclusionary zoning. That's fantastic, we think that's great. Because the last three or four housing projects for five housing projects and Amherst didn't include any affordable housing. It makes it almost an insurmountable to rent a room with the fair market rates that are available for the rapid rehousing housing program around here. So then you have to look out beyond Amherst, it's very challenging and that's, that's what we're hoping to step up as we come around the corner to June 15 and have to close the economy launch. Thank you. Any question. I have a question. Hi Kevin, I was interested in what you were saying about the, the note noting the agency and dignity and what that what having a room can give to people and I was curious, whether there was any thought if you are able to put together a collaborative to tell in keeping that as a shelter rather than converting it to housing, or whether you see the housing as a sort of a bigger and I don't want to say a bigger issue but sort of looking more long term versus helping people. We would want to make it into permanent affordable housing because to us, housing is a human right and we would want to not settle for shelter. Yes, we need a shelter that's another problem that we have. We're homeless ourselves that's at the end of July, because you you did extend that we were originally, we had an agreement to do to work from their space until April 30, and they graciously agreed to let us continue until July 31, but they're hoping to reopen. There isn't enough space for two of us, you know, for our program and their congregation. So, so, at the end of July, we don't have a shelter basically, and we've already got at least 58 people that showed up this year and there's more than that like probably close to 108. We've already proven that they're there. So we have a problem that we're working on actually a meeting tomorrow with Paul Bachman has set up a committee to look into this very issue to try and identify a site. But in terms of the motels we would be looking to convert those in the permanent supportive housing. That would be our choice and it would also be the preference of the funding sources. If you drive this wheel, you have to have subsidies that are project based, you know what I mean. So, someone's got to pay the rent and they would pay and the guests would pay 30% of their income. So it could be a little as low as $5 or it might be 230 or whatever it is, but that makes it affordable for them and and also there's no reason for them to not have a tendency and be a kitchen, you know that they can prepare their own food. One of the experiences that we had this year, which is a real heartbreaker to is dealing with people who are hoarders in that setting, you know that they just collect food. And we don't put them out for that reason but it's very hard to work with people and and to kind of place a trail through the fruit flies that accumulate behind the food you know it's, I'm actually not kidding. So, so that's something that we've been really challenged by this year, because we're not going to put them out for having a mental illness but at the same time, we have a public health issue that we have to be careful about. So, so we definitely want to get permanent affordable housing, but that issue is going to come back into play because you know when you establish tenancy then getting someone out of a building for that reason becomes a lot more complicated. And now with all the eviction see the moratorium in Massachusetts on eviction ended in October ended in October at the end of October, then the FEMA, sorry the CDC moratorium is still in effect but doesn't have some as much teeth to it. So we're anticipating that there's going to be a sort of groundswell of people because there's already at least 1500 evictions in Western Mass in the pipeline. So those, yeah, so those, the reason that was not happening so fast was first the moratorium than the CDC moratorium, but also the Cates, the courts weren't open. So, so everything had to be done by zoom and things were moving at a snail's place, thank God. Thank God if you're a tenant, if you're a landlord you're probably pulling your hair out saying, Why is the bank not forgetting about my monthly payment when I'm not getting anything coming in so it's a dilemma. But, yeah, so that that's that's that's a challenge that we're all going to have to work with. I spoke with an economist from high school who's who's the contact person liaison with the church. He feels that we're looking at generations of financial distress. Going forward, this is not something that we're just going to come out of and say a team. It's over. It's not going to be over for a long time. We're going to feel the effects of this for many, many years. Yeah, and if people think that you're going to solve the problem by simply putting people out of their houses, because they haven't paid their rent, they're forgetting completely about the social instability that this is going to cause, you know, for everyone, including the children. You know that that is going to be a cost that lasts with those kids for the rest of their life and then it is going to go down to their children. So it's, it's not just money. It's also the social cost that people seem to be forgetting about in some in some cases. Any other questions for Kat. I'm sorry I'm looking for my charger for Kevin. I thought you're doing yoga. It's time for you to get up and do the dog down and sunrise sun, sun salute and I hope you find your charger to any of the questions. Thank you both. Well thank you all. I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you. Thanks Kevin thanks. Welcome. No, I'll ask if there's someone here from Valley CDC, you could raise your hand. If not I can, the town's been working partnering with Valley to administer the micro enterprise assistance. I don't think there is anyone. So I can say that you know we, the town had $140,000 in micro enterprise assistance. I think 20 that was to have Valley administer help administer it, you know, provide income verification, you know, there's a lot of documentation for, for, so micro enterprise is five or fewer employees that's also including the owner and it's not full time equivalents. So if you have five part time people that only work 10 hours a week that's, that's as many as you can have so it really is for micro enterprise it's very a very small business and so, the goal is to help 12 to 15 businesses with grants above the $10,000. There's been some delay and administering and getting those out we've approved six so far. It's a pretty big process there's an online portal, everything's online, you can mail in hard copies but you know the state required a number of things you know a profit loss statement, taxes, income verification, a list of eligible expenses that a business would need to show to qualify. You know we asked for viability of the business so a projection for the next year, and then you know doc you have to document, you know, through their profit loss and numerically what they're what they're eligible for for the block grant so you know through our grant so they can only document $8,000 and impact then they can only apply for $8,000. And so, I think just the amount of paperwork and documentation that's required of this through the state. You know I don't think there's been as many completed applications as we thought, you know also there's other state programs as a federal programs that don't require as much that offer more money. You know what the state you know in other communities have found this to there's been roundtable discussions that probably a number of businesses actually applied to state funding and programs rather than the local program just because it wasn't as arduous and they could get more money. So, you know we're still confident that we can award grants that you know 12 or so businesses, like I said we have six or seven that have been already awarded and we have about six that are in their final steps of review. You know the state has now. I think they realize that communities are having a hard time so they've actually increased the amount from 10,000 to 25,000 per business. You know the town we're not going to make that adjustment because that would involve the whole program shift you know we have to then ask the businesses that were already approved and it just, you know, it's almost too late in our process to make in my mind to make that that adjustment because we already are, you know, looking at 12 businesses, but some communities as of you know a few weeks ago have had an even given one award yet. You know so they've been, you know working on it for months and they still hadn't issued a grant or you can do it as a loan but they hadn't issued any award yet just because it's been pretty complicated. The states made a few pretty big adjustments in their, in their program guidelines and so that delayed it a bit. So in terms of what's eligible, you know reimbursements duplication of benefits so it's been a lot to to decipher, you know the state hadn't really done a micro enterprise program and a number of years, a few only a few communities do it annually. And so the state kind of stopped doing it I think probably about 1012 years ago so this was a whole new program, honestly for many of the state reps and for towns and so it was a learning curve. You know, I think we're doing pretty good. It is disappointing that it takes so long. You know, and we're given grants out to businesses so they don't have to there's no worry about being paid back or anything they just have to send in receipts so that we can document that they spend it on eligible expenses but I think just that whole the whole process of documentation. So I'm eligible and then have the loss and then show what's eligible in terms of COVID expenses is a lot for businesses so you know I know some of them have to create their you know they don't have a proper law statement for instance they can file taxes you can do it depending on how big your business is just with a form you don't have to do a whole, you know, a bunch of accounting but to apply for this grant essentially you have to do almost more work than you do for taxes. I think that's been a turn. And so I can take any questions if there's any from the committee. That's a question about the. So you said the state is recommending $25,000 grants but we're doing the $10,000. Is that right. Yeah, I think what happened was about two weeks ago, the state sent out a survey asking any and all the communities doing micro enterprise grants, you know how's it going. And it must have been that most of the community said they weren't going it wasn't going very well. So then the state responded and said well, instead of capping the grants at 10,000 we can go to 25,000, because I think the state wants the towns to spend the money. I think they're worried that you know come the end of this calendar year, there's going to be a lot of leftover money, and they expected the code with money that carries money to be spent this calendar year. So, you know, we, you know, Valley in the town we've agreed that through this calendar year, even if we keep it at 10,000 will be able to spend, you know, we'll be able to give them any grants out. So, you know, to do a program revision and be at a local level. Right now I think the 25,000 is a lot of money. And so, you know, because we've already given out six or seven grants those grantees essentially could absorb the rest of the money. Yeah, that's a bad thing but like I said because we already have a pipeline of six or seven applicants who are now in the final review phases or just seem unfair to just cancel their applications. You know just because we could. So, yeah. Yeah, I mean the state was even allowing communities they haven't yet but there's been discussion about allowing communities to take money away from the micro program and put it into another program, which is not what they said at first to, I think they've realized that it's a difficult program to implement. Topic Nate how much assistance is available for people if they're kind of fill out all these forms and get all the documentation together are they. Is there a lot available to them or. Yeah, I mean I think you know I'll thank the bid in the chamber you know they've been really helpful the staff there is helping businesses, you know valley helps the businesses but I do think that, you know, like valley was saying they almost are providing technical assistance. With respect and then also doing the income verification, where income verification so you know they're doing probably more than they anticipated when we were envisioning this program. And so I do think that, except a bit in the chamber have been really helpful. You know to do that as well so you know even like, you know the the profit loss statement or listing of eligible expenses is just something that you know how do you put a dollar figure and you know some people may not you know really have all that. And it's all online to so you know just having someone sit in front of the computer for a number of hours and upload documents can be, you know like we've heard from tonight can be really difficult. And we just have a great process and that's why we were able to be awarding these grants in ways that other communities were not. Is that right. I think I don't know if it's a great process. I see clock Claudia is here from the chamber. They may not think it's that great but I think Valley's been diligent you know so they follow up with the businesses quite a bit. Sometimes I will. And so it's just a matter of, you know, you know, at one point we thought okay well if someone if a business applies will have one follow up phone call and one email follow up, but in the end it might be you know dozens of follow up phone calls emails and so it's not, you know and I think even you know I'm helping with administering a rental assistance program and we're finding the same thing. You know instead of spending maybe an hour on an application it's hours, many phone calls and so I think that's what's made it, you know successful. I think it is challenging the play has required a lot I think they're, they were being conservative I think because a program like this for a number of years they were worried that communities might not do the right thing and then when the states audited but they were I think worried that they could be in trouble. And so they've been really conservative, like really strict about clients and so. And then other communities are just saying well, especially if it's you know, a business owned by an immigrant or people who aren't familiar with anything they're like, they're not they don't, they don't even complete an application and they're not interested you know, especially if they're under the radar right now, all of a sudden we're asking them to give us like their tax identification number they have to register with the federal database to record income and grants received and it's asking a business to put themselves out a lot which maybe you know they don't, you know that maybe they're really uncomfortable doing that they, you know, you know, we just, we did complete the survey and said we can, you know, we're going to, we'll try to wrap it up by December, I think we'll be done actually we're hoping to be done by July actually, you know have issued all our grants by July. But I'm off the hot seat. The there are still members of the public here so we can take comments as well if there's any public comments on the activities and what we've heard so far tonight. If people just want to raise their hands we can acknowledge them to speak. If a fair number of people raised their hands, is it possible to give them a time limit so we can. Yeah, I don't see anyone jumping at it. So, but we can I haven't installed that I know that you know the town council and others they have like a clock that they show in zoom so you can like show the countdown clock. I have yet to install that I just, you know, I've been, I haven't got around to it. I don't see any hand raised I think we get, I think there's one now, Claudia, you can unmute yourself and. Hi, hi Nate hi everyone. So I guess I just wanted to speak on, I just wanted to comment if that's okay since you mentioned me. Since the Chamber of the bid we're supporting the Pioneer Valley, the CDC. I would say that that has been an enormous undertaking businesses that love to cut your hair love to prepare you a beautiful meal may not necessarily be very computer savvy. So a lot of folks needed every single thing scanned every single thing, you know, and then if it were questioned, it had to go back through email. Not everyone loves email it would then we'd have to track people down through phone, and then start a process over just for one form or one number on a form. An example would be a lot of people don't have formal leases and so, and especially during COVID so getting a letter what does that letter look like the state was, and you're right. Nate, the CDC was very specific on very, you know, every word, everything had to be exact and so it's just, it was quite a process to assist our businesses until levels we never really understood either until we were all in it. I know I want to thank everyone but it's really been a challenge. I'm actually really here to talk about big brothers big sisters but I haven't heard them come up yet. I'm on there. I'm the president of their advisory board. I think, you know, I think we were done with comments on the current activity so we can move to the priorities for the 2021 process so I think, you know, let us that as well in the, in the question and answer section. So I think yeah we can move on to comments there so people raise their hands we can. We can just call on individuals to hear comments. So I can get my comment now on big brothers big sisters. All right, all right terrific. So CHD is big brothers big sisters of Hampshire County I've been on their advisory board for over four years I'm serving in my going into my third year as board advisory board president and one of the things that has. Firstly, I want to say that everyone here is not just doing colossal work it is Herculean work. It's just amazing and we all partner with one another. We have worked with Laura we've actually co. We've moved and we co located with Laura. And, you know, working with survival center to get meals to our families that we serve that of course are served by the survival center so we're all deeply deeply interconnected and I had the good fortune of working with some folks through the back to get some meals to through senior center and through through some other programs so that we could get food to some of our neighbors while supporting restaurants so it's just been an incredible undertaking and I'm so humbled by all the work that everyone has done. But I'm going to give a pitch for big brothers big sisters because I know that children are really at risk right now and I think in terms of isolation. I think we know that in terms of what's coming down the road where is is the unknown and in terms of this year the worry of you know we are matches are probably needed more now than ever. And I was trust listening to Dan carry representative and had the, and he was on the Student Opportunities Act and did a lot in education and you know meals. And one of the things that he was touching upon was that when we talk about this pandemic being over that the new pandemic is going to be this mental health crisis and that is really going to be touching those kids and those are the kids that come to the mentorship program so you know we're feeling like this is going to be the most critical having a mentor in your life has proven for kids to be more successful in school, more successful as leaders. And really proving that mentorship one on one that we have been really just sort of, it's just the highlight of what we do is we really honor that relationship and really support it so I'm just really very nervous about next year and I know a lot of folks are really worried about funding, you know there's been so much grant about grant funding available this year. Everyone's worried about, you know the coming year as well so as the need increases that the, that the sum of the grant funding might be decreasing. So I just want to say that I'm, this, this staff has worked incredible hours and it's just been monumental to try to keep the kids going on zoom, you know trying to keep those one on one relationships really about human connection. And this is all been about isolation so again what's going to happen as we all come back and come back to school. So that's really where I feel like this program is more critical than ever. So I just want to thank that staff to for everything they've done and how they've really held those matches together despite it all and those kids are absolutely grateful and those parents to still have that kid touch point even if it's been zoom, and there have been so many creative ways that they've reached out so what I love about this program is, it was able to pivot just like all the other programs that spoke kids doing cooking together over zoom, right doing projects together over zoom. So really came together in unique ways and so it just shows their versatility and their ability to just make them matches their priority so that's it. Thank you so much. I have a question. If that's okay. Sure. Great. Hi Claudia. Do you have any sense of when you might go back to in person. Conversations or whatever. I think that we are following BB SA of America standards, and I don't believe that that's before July. So I Jesse could possibly clarify. I'm seeing if she can text me. She's not texting me, but we do have some standard guide standards that we do follow. So we do follow theirs. So it's probably going to be a little later, but it won't be before July. Yeah, she's she's in the audience, so she'll probably answer that one. She will get perfect. She'll clarify perfect. Thanks for the question. All right, well, the next hand raises Laura, you can unmute yourself. All right, I will keep it short and sweet because you've got lots of people and I bet everybody wants their dinner. So I will just say we need, you know, housing support, of course, of course we need housing support. That is what's going to be going on for this next year. And I will say that from all the families and individuals we work with, not, it's not just helping folks apply for emergency funds, it's advocacy. And so I will leave it at that because I think you all know that. Thanks Laura. The next person is see is Judith. You can unmute yourself. I'm Judith Roberts from the literacy project. And first of all, I want to thank the committee for your past support. And I want to thank the shelters and also Amherst survival center, because our students utilize those places and you guys have been great through this in fact we have a gentleman who got his GED with us while living in the congregate shelter in Amherst so I think it was Craig stores. It's a great way. People are carrying on so what we do is provide access to education for folks who didn't graduate high school, and it gives them the tools to work their way out of poverty. I think we were going to I have a student who made a short video on her phone. Nate, and we were going to possibly try to put her video on the screen is that. You talked about it. Yeah, you, you have the video right. Right. It's only to promote you to panelists Judith and I think now you can share your screen if, if, if you have it. Okay, I'll put it up if you share your screen you have to open the video first and then share your screen. Okay. Okay. Right. It's soft. We're not seeing the video yet. So how do I share my screen I don't know on the bottom of the screen there's a little, like a menu bar and just there's a share screen button you could click on. Okay, hold on a sec. Let's see. No. Share content. I think so. Yeah. I'd have to. Oh yeah. Okay. All right. Just hopefully it'll work now. Apologize for this. Can you guys see it now. No. Okay. All right. I don't want to take up the committee's time. If you email, if you email me Judith, if it's a file that can be emailed, I can always put up in a minute. Oh, okay, great. That'll be good. Okay. In the meantime. Is Yael. Rosenboom here in the audience because she is a volunteer. Six year volunteer with the literacy project and resident of Amherst and she was going to speak on behalf of the literacy project. So I'll give her. Hi, my name is Yael and Rosenboom. And I volunteered for six years now at the literacy project. And every year is astounding. The students gain so much, not just in their reading and writing and math skills, but in terms of their futures. They gain so much one on one attention given by both teachers, as well as additional support and helping them think about their goals, help them think about what their next steps are what their strengths are, and then get them into programs both in the literacy project so they can build their capacities in their areas of interest so they can move forward in their life goals and career goals. This year though has been astounding to see students who had never been on technology had never had a computer had an iPad. They're literate their technology literacy growth. And that's something that is enabling them to have greater success in all areas of their life because we've all become so dependent on it. And I have seen people who didn't have that before. And now, because it became part of the program by necessity, they're able to fill out forms more independently. And that is going to give them access into their this day and age that we live in. So, along with all the learning that happens, both in typical years, the literacy project gave students the devices they needed this year, and that's going to have long term effects and I think would be a wonderful place for them to get additional learning so they can continue to do that because it's necessary today for people to make it is to know how to get on zoom meetings how to fill out forms. I also see and I think that doesn't get seen because I've been there for so long how teachers make sure students get small group support. If a student has a desire, let's say one student this year, wanted to get become a certified nursing assistant and wanted to get into a program for that. So the school found a tutor who worked with him, one on one during class time and then also a volunteer who worked with him outside of class time. So that he could then apply to the program and actually get into the program, and soon he'll be graduating from the program we got to see all this happen over the course of this past academic year. And we have other students to who, you know, are getting trained to do factory work and need mass skills that are way above and they're training that really having tutors work one on one, getting them up to speed so they can get into the programs that GCC or Holy Oak. So they provide a great community the class bonding is really amazing and people are learning so much about those from other countries and what our history is that they're learning but we're also learning so much about their countries. So, yeah, I just have to say it's a blessing to get to work with the students and with the teachers, the commitment is, you know, extremely extremely strong. And the community is just beautiful and these without this community, it would be really hard for people to thrive and move forward and get into programs that will give them the employment and passion and gifts to the world and to our local area. Thanks, Judith. I was going to share the screen of the video. Okay. If that's that visible for everyone. Hello, my name is Rohan, I'm a student at the project and I joined this program in 2019 in order to become ready for college. This program has helped me to improve my English, my math skills, as well as my knowledge in other areas. The literacy project is not only about college preparation. Here you will have also the opportunity to join a great and supportive community. Thank you very much the literacy project for making it possible for us to achieve our educational goals. Thanks, Nithi and Neil. Sure. Thanks, Judith. All right, if there's, if there are any questions or comments we'll move on to the next speaker. Thanks. Thanks Judith. Love your. You can speak. Great. Thank you so much. I've been thinking about priorities moving forward. I just really can't say enough about the other folks who are also speaking tonight and I think that's one of the kind of consistent messages that the committee is hearing is the combined impact that becomes possible through effective coordination through a variety of organizations and supporting individuals and families on the different levels that they need that help. And so we've already heard a little bit of the ways that organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters are healthy. I'm sure I've stepped up to delivery groceries. The level of support that family outreach has provided certainly connecting people with the ever survival center but all of their other support to other essential services that they're providing. Craig's doors around the clock, shelter access and support services. I think about this kind of set of combined priorities moving forward I really encourage the committee to consider this need for temporary housing and shelter and supports for people in experiencing homelessness. This really significant need around case management youth development and family support. I think for my role I voice a strong advocacy for food and nutrition to continue to be a top priority for the upcoming CDBG application process. And I think it's essential that all of this has a focus on accessibility for our diverse communities across immersed quality and impact. Speaking specifically to food insecurity. Unfortunately, what we know is that the economic fallout of this process will continue long after we have the physical health risks under control. Food insecurity has risen rapidly, roughly 50% in Hampshire County this year which comes out to one in eight county residents. But poverty and food insecurity are more than twice as high in Amherst than the county as a whole so potentially as many as 25 to 30%. And so there are both more people that are struggling and the challenges that are faced or deeper. So this economic fallout continues even kind of once this immediate public health threat is over where as we've seen in previous recessions as low wage workers people of color folks who are undocumented people with less formal education English language learners that they will be hit the hardest and for the longest. I won't reiterate any of the ways we've talked to as well in the committee is aware of actions that the Amherst survival center has taken. But I really appreciated what Kevin was sharing earlier about the viability and improved impact of housing people in motels. And I would echo that learning that has happened through the pandemic, we have also built a new model for the food pantry that is serving more people that is serving them much better, much more effectively with more access and increased food. So, sorry. And so, really believe that now is an important time for a continued investment in the food security of Amherst, as opposed to letting up on that when all of these other funding sources are going to dissipate, because I fear creating conditions where we really further the divide in this recovery process. I wanted to share an anecdote. We got a call a couple months ago from a mother who was new to Amherst and she had just received her first delivery from the food pantry. And it included all of the regular food and included diapers and wipes and extra kid friendly groceries and snacks. And the next day after the delivery she called us and they just said that her the shelves in her kitchen pantry had more on them than they had had in years. And that she was so touched that there was an organization like this here in Amherst that was supported by the community that the community created this support, and that made her feel really welcome in a new town. And I just, that sentiment was so touching to me and I just think it's really beautiful to get to work in this coordinated fashion to welcome families like this indoor community and make sure that people are taking care of. And so I really want to encourage the committees or appreciate your consideration of food security as a high CDBG priority for this upcoming year, because unfortunately I think the needs will continue to be really great. Thank you, love. Thank you. All right, the next speaker is Jesse. Thanks, love. Hi everyone, I'm Jesse Cooley from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County so good to be with you all and I echo love sentiments and what others have shared tonight about the importance of all of these programs it's always so powerful to hear from you. And this year has shown us more than ever the amazing dedication and power in this community and the innovation that everyone has shown and continuing to serve our, our clients and many of us work with the same families and the same children and community. It's really meaningful to us that Big Brothers Big Sisters that we can work together and collaborate with all of these great programs and thank you to the committee for your support. We are always honored to be grantees. Thank you Andrew for all your work on the committee best wishes to you. We had a great site visit recently with Nate and Ben. So, and I know that you all have heard from me a lot so I won't go on and on, but just to advocate for youth services to continue being a priority in the next round of CDBG funding. As Claudia mentioned, we're just releasing the impact on young people and their families from all of the remote learning, or just all different kinds of hybrid learning. It's really had a traumatic effect on so many young people. I was just at a meeting before this one where a lot of young folks were sharing that story with some of youth programs in the area and it's something that we continue to hear from our colleagues in the school had a meeting earlier this week with our partners at the ARPS Family Center they're the ones that we typically apply for grant funding in collaboration with so our wait list is growing of young people who are hoping to be matched with mentors in the coming year. And we know that even though we can't reverse the impact of what happened this year. As with all trauma, the research shows that a mitigating factor for the impact of trauma is one of the mitigating factors is the presence of a caring support of adult and someone's life that it actually lessens the overall long term negative impact of trauma and that's something that's so powerful and we really hold on to that when we're working to match more kids with great mentors. Our staff has worked incredibly hard this year as Claudia said and it's taken longer to support each match and really take things case by case, and see how people feel safe so Rika just to answer your question from earlier. You know as the weather improves and CDC regulations change and all of this we're certainly following all of the public safety guidelines and also speaking with with each family with each child with each volunteer to make sure that we can come up with a good plan for them to get back to in person visits because everybody misses that there are some people who don't feel comfortable yet. Of course, most of the children can't be vaccinated yet so that's a factor. But we're just taking it case by case and supporting them and hoping that they can get outside for lots of outdoor safe activities which some of them have been starting to do which is awesome. And we're waiting to see what all the, you know what the colleges and the university decide that will determine some of our programming in the coming year but we have learned to be patient and wait for information. That's our plan so thank you all for your time. Thank you Jesse needs, and you're here are you with us. Yeah, sorry I was just slow on the shades. So, you know, everyone walking on the street can't look into my bedroom and see me. You're dressed. I am. Waste up. Yeah, I have shorts on I don't have my nice pants on anymore but so short time. Thanks Jesse. Yeah, you know about reopening at the town halls and is reopening just because of the government orders in June but there's still, you know, a lot of caution there so, you know, I think it's, you know, we had planned on a fall opening and I think probably many organizations are planning something similar so, you know, even though some restrictions are easing I think it's going to be a few months of transition and so I don't. I think at most organizations have made it work they pivoted. And so we're, you know, I think it's a good question I think that, you know, the block grant program hasn't, you know, doesn't ask that so it's funny in their 21 paperwork they really don't mention the pandemic it's almost like back to business as usual they have the same one year plan and they haven't changed priorities or said anything you know whereas with the cares money they're pretty clear. And they had priorities, they outlined some on their own you know they have this kind of standard priorities with a 21 process so it is kind of interesting to see that Jesse out I'm going to there's one more speaker so have you just go back to the audience. Caitlin, you can unmute yourself. Thank you so much, Nate. This is Caitlin marquee from healthy Hampshire and I'm so thrilled to be able to speak after love who just spoke so much to definitely what's on my heart and in my mind about priorities. I'm here representing the Amherst mobile market which is one of our projects and we did submit an application in the last round of CDBG funding and we're the current round I guess as the case maybe. And I just want to point to and appreciate all of the questions in the RFP about the extent to which the community is engaged in decision making about the programs that are applying for CDBG funding, because I really think that is what sets the mobile market apart. We are so thrilled to partner with organizations like the survival center and family outreach and I wholeheartedly agree with everybody here that it takes all of these programs and it's really hard to suss out priorities because it is such an interlocking as sort of constellation of wonderful programs that support people in Amherst. And you know the survival center we help as love mentioned with the monthly pantry deliveries, which is I think a tremendous support to people and at the same time, you know, people need access more often than that more frequently than that. I think one of the really special things about the Amherst mobile market which visits for different communities and Amherst all of which have high rates of factors that point to food insecurity, high rates of families that don't have access to vehicles. You know we operate during the summer months when the bus system in Amherst is actually not as robust as it is during the school year even so it's even harder for people to get to the grocery stores so we're really focused on bringing that fresh healthy produce to people where they are once a week and where they can use their federal benefits and state benefits like the SNAP program and the HIP program to access really affordable produce and the really beautiful thing about it is all of the folks who are employed by the market are, you know, they sort of started out just in a planning process with us representing the voices of themselves and their community as food insecure residents or residents experiencing food insecurity. I also have a video that I would love to share but it is a little bit long at six minutes and I know that you're tight on time so I won't monopolize your time with that but I would encourage you to check out our website www.amherstmobilemarket.com And the video I just love so much because it features the voices of the folks who are employed by the market and really getting to experience the market as an opportunity to develop themselves and their leadership and their voices and their ability to support their own communities. So I really encourage you to check that out. I think it really speaks to some of the values that were communicated through the RFP and I just want to definitely lift up food insecurity as a priority. And just thank you so much for your time and for listening and happy to answer any questions. Thanks, Caitlin. I don't see any any questions from the committee. So if there's, you know, just we can put a call for one last some last comments then we'll close the public hearing and we'll move on to the public meeting. There is a question in the audience from the question and answer function asking when when proposals will be due for the 21 process that's something the committee's talking about next but you know the town's grant is due to the state September 10 and so you know I've already suggested that we have a schedule in that the proposals to the committee would be due at the end of July or early August and so that's something we're going to talk about next but you know we try to get the public meeting available in a month they'd have, you know, four weeks to be completed and then do and then the usual, you know, review and public meeting public hearing. Like I said we're not given a huge timeline but I think that's something, you know, it'll be on the committee web page to be finalized days will be on the committee web page tomorrow and I can email out everyone this week or next week, you know with all the timeline and everything. I think I think we're done with comments I think we will need a motion to close the hearing and then we can move to the public meeting piece. I'll make the motion. Everybody want a second second. All right so just to be clear, we do have to have a roll call folks it's on through through zoom so just everyone wants to get you can just call the members out and they can just say yes or no that they want to close the hearing. Andrew, would you like to close the hearing. Yes. Matt, would you like to close the hearing. Okay. Paul. Yes. And Becky was she the second she. Oh yes, I'll say yes anyway. Okay and Rika. Yes. Thank you. All right. Great so the public hearings closed. So for the public meeting, you know we had on the agenda just discuss the comments we heard and then lay out a schedule. You know I'm going to share the my screen, you know these are the social service priorities we had from the fall, you know household and fit you know household family and individual stabilization support services for those experiencing homelessness. Youth development, economic self-sufficiency. Food and nutrition health services and insurance navigation support services for seniors and then other. So we had a pretty, pretty wide list. You know there was some discussion of you know I think every year we talk about, you know, ranking these are having weight to these but I think we've usually decided not to that they, you know they all have you know they all have a priority and so some of it is the way then the committee members review the proposals. And then I think you know we also discussed you know do we we've also discussed that from each year do we reduce someone's ability to apply if they've received funding in consecutive years, you know so that's something that's been discussed and so you know as a many, I say as a many entitlement community the state has already predetermined Amherst having the need in the community, you know we have being a many they say we have you know unemployment poverty and certain statistics that warrant needs so they don't you know they don't require us to do that it'd be a local decision. The state themselves have certain requirements but you know Amherst we don't so I think those are things that can be discussed tonight or you know we could go to the meeting schedule but I think you know these are the the social service priorities. Let's do a new share in terms of this is the we also required a target our non social service priorities and so last year we had this is what we had three target areas one being the town center in red the east village center in orange and then the Pomeroy village East Howley Road area and that's what what color that looks like to you maybe purple and so we can't have probably more than three target areas you know the state probably like us only have two but I think you can get away with three you know all the rules as in the past apply we we can't fund more than five social services activities in the grant and then this year they're going to be a little stricter with not allowing the town to fund more than three non social service activities outside the social services so you know so for instance if the town applies with a few projects and then Valley CDC has something and housing authority and you know however many we receive we can only recommend or fund three non social service activities so that'll be you know I think it'll be competitive for both non social service and social services year so I think you know for the committee my thought is you know we have to you know we could keep the priorities we developed in the fall based on comments tonight we could tweak them a little bit we could tweak the target areas so I think you know as a kind of a fluid conversation I guess my next thought would be just to schedule the I think scheduling the meetings the next few months would be helpful and so just because you know it's getting kind of late tonight my thought is we'd have another meeting in June to review these priorities and the request for proposal document you know I was suggesting sometime in mid June and then having those proposals be ready to be issued in late June early July and then if we want applicants to have four weeks to respond you know that puts the due date you know end of July early August and then my thought was you know the committee could hold the public meeting to prioritize proposals like August 12 and then hold the public hearing the following week we're required to hold the public hearing to allow the public to comment on the recommended activities in the grant and then you know that gives us three weeks to get the application going so you know we could probably hold the hearing a little later and push the 12th and the 19th back a bit but it does take about two two weeks to get an application ready for myself and Ben to actually prepare an application so there isn't you know I don't say there isn't any wiggle room but this is I don't like the schedule and unfortunately the states they might keep it this way I think doing this over the summer is kind of tough August you know people are away on the way in late June and late August so I don't know about everyone else's vacation schedule but you know we have with the exception of Andrew we have six members so we only need four to have a quorum not that I want you know to advocate for you know members missing meetings but if they're recorded you know we can attend them remotely and then if they're recorded we can always view if a member views them before the next meeting they can participate if it needs to have a vote or some recommendation so I don't know what people think first if we want to discuss the comments or try to set out a schedule and then discuss comments just so we know if we need another meeting and committee members you can just probably unmute yourself and you can just have a conversation it's hard to raise hands all the time but well it seems to me that the scheduling is probably paramount because it's so tight and so I think the summer is going to probably be pretty rough for everybody I mean I I'm not going anywhere but I have one day that I cannot do in late June which is the 23rd so I don't know how everybody else feels but that's where I'm at Nate well we're having this conversation can you stop chairing because I my zoom isn't working so I can only see one person at a time thank you I'm fine moving to scheduling also I'm fine moving to scheduling but I do think we need to have a conversation about priorities at some point so but that's we're planning on that being one of the dates correct yeah my thought is if we have another meeting in June we can talk about priorities and review the RFP document to so I forgot what I said in my email exactly what date I think it was June I think we could June 14 there's something I suggested I don't know if there's a good day for anyone you know we don't have to meet I think given the schedule I mean you know sometimes we used to meet like on a Thursday evening but if Monday or Wednesday I mean I would just be I think we can be flexible as long as members do you think it's easier if going forward we just have one weeknight that becomes a designated night for all the meetings to the end of the process so that people just have it in their brain or that doesn't not work for you and me I think just given the schedule I think you know I would I don't mind moving them around we post it online I can let everyone know but we could try to say one night but I think it's hard you know I mean myself included I am usually meeting every Wednesday night with something else I have baseball practice few times a week with my kids and so I feel like I would just you know if we can nail down a date that week of June 14 then we can just you know I would say okay that let's dedicate that meeting to this purpose and then we can just go to the next one and see how that works and then we can just go feel about you know that week it's mid June I'd like to put out there June 17 that's a Thursday the second half of the month I'm having surgery on June 1 getting a new shoulder so I'll be home probably feeling better by the second week and after so the 14th 17th that's good for me that works for me I'm going on vacation the following week so I'm sorry it's my husband's birthday we have to talk about priorities Gail it's a big one too I can't say the age but it's a big one 35 the second time almost that week I'm free I have a board meeting on Monday so I could do Tuesday or Wednesday of that week that works for anybody Tuesday's my birthday we can we can all celebrate together oh that's fun for you okay are we going to do Wednesday I think I'm going to meeting on Wednesday that I can't miss Wednesday evening I can't be there Tuesday but it sounds like we can't have everyone so and Gail's the chair so what about Wednesday does that work better for people Wednesday the isn't that the day that you have a meeting you can't miss well you know it gives you enough time to talk with staff our meeting's always at seven they don't they don't have to be I mean they could be at like 630 or 6 I think you know seven usually we'd have in the evenings just you know if everyone was working if people aren't remote it's just you know seven will give people enough time to get there after work or are we thinking this will be in person um no I think it's been extended until September so I think originally they thought by June 15th it would be in person but I I read something I thought this week that said the governor is extending it or proposed legislation to extend it to September 1 won't anybody be opposed to six o'clock on the 16th I'm just throwing it out there I prefer I would prefer seven I prefer seven okay and I was gonna say what about the 9th is that too soon after the surgery yeah that would be too soon I think I mean I'm not sure hopefully it won't it wouldn't be but you know I don't want to schedule something that then I can't be it but we said June 16 which is Wednesday at seven I think that's I think that's all right so you know my thought is for that evening we would have to finalize priorities the target areas and then also the RFPs and you know we I think the committee we looked at those those documents the RFP documents last fall so I don't know how much you know tweaking we need to do I think we made some good changes but we think that's possible in one night then we can you know we can schedule just the June 16th great so finalize priorities and the other two items were priorities target areas and then just the actual you know the request for proposal document itself okay all right and I mean given that we did this like six months ago I can't imagine that there'd be too too much change necessary I mean but you talked about priorities yeah and I can just say right now the one priority that I'm just thinking about just because it's so much what it seems like everybody is talking about all the time are racial equity issues and I don't know what whether that is something that I don't know if that's ever been a priority issue for it like in the list of priorities or anything like that but that certainly seems to be where so much of the focus in Amherst right now certainly is in talking about it okay good suggestion okay I'm sorry there were three finalized priorities review RFP what was the third thing target areas and then a fourth one I came up with was the review criteria so you know within the RFP we have how the committee will review proposals and we have kind of a list of things and so I think we modified a few last time in terms of what we're asking for in terms of like financial statements and then a few things but you know we always wanted I just want to make sure we just hit the review criteria again so yeah I mean I think that that would be a full evening you know the benefit if we can if we wrap all that up in one evening then we could issue the request for proposals you know I mean we could probably get them out on the 18th of June then so it's pretty early which actually is nice because then we could actually you know maybe we have a little more time at the end right if we say okay let's shoot for June 18th on Friday to get them publicized and we have a four week or five week turnaround we could I was just looking at a calendar one because I think what we did what we've started doing is we did it last year I think it was the second time is you know we'd have proposals we do I get them that we get them to the committee that same day if you want paper copies let us know Ben was happy to drive around last time but I appreciated it or I appreciate it I appreciate it being on the computer so much but that's just the way it is right now but then you know the committee was we allow time for the committee to generate questions of the applicants and then we would send those to the applicants and then they would respond and that was part of the review process before the meeting where the committee prioritized and ranked proposals I think that's a really good step it's something that we hadn't done I think it helps you know with verifying proposals and helping the committee with the recommendations so you know that being said if if we can get the proposals out in June 18 you know they could be due you know like the week of July 19th or something like we you know I don't know how many weeks we want to give people to respond we think four is enough or I think because of the fourth of July that's a big holiday vacation if you give five well if we did if we gave them the 23rd is four weeks but right with the holiday if we said like Tuesday the 27th that gives them another weekend I'm just trying to give you committee then enough time you know if we said okay if they're due on the 27th committee have your questions to me by Tuesday the 3rd August 3rd and then if we asked applicants to get the comments back by Monday the 9th we had a meeting on the 12th that would you know that would give you enough time to see the responses from the applicants we think that's a good schedule tight but I think we could do it that works great for a nice summer schedule yeah yeah works very well yeah I'm away the last week of July so it'll be kind of tight for me but I'll do my best I'm in the same position but I think it will work for me yeah so I forgot what I said proposals due the 27th meeting on the 12th and we would meet the 12th sorry our questions are 8 by the 3rd responses by the 9th and we meet on the 12th yeah I think okay we can we can always just you know touch on again at the next meeting so you know if people are away that last week in July we could we could say that I mean we don't have to if we had a meeting on August Tuesday the 17th and that could give everyone you know maybe you know I don't have to have committee comments until like the 6th or something or you know a little later just giving everyone a few more days does that make it really tight I always ask this question does it make really tight for you in the end though well let's see if we actually let's see well let's just say yeah I mean if we if we met on the 17th and we the committee could recommend everything in one evening we still could have we could hold a public hearing on August 26 or so or something like that Thursday and I think that would work and that gives us one you know two it's like a little over two weeks get it done but if Ben and I are both working on it I think we can do it so the RFPs will still be due on the July 27 and if that would be maybe committee members don't have to provide me comments until we can say like Friday August 6th is that better for people is that still a week and a half it's a little bit more right we could say Monday the 9th the 6th is fine I think I think it gets too long then I think it's fine okay so committee questions by the 6th applicants respond by we said like the 12th by August 12th and then we have the meeting on the 17th and you get us the responses before the 17th correct right so I would ask that they all respond by like noon on the 12th the responses would be sent to you or we could you know we need to drive them or something and then on the 17th is the date we would make the recommendations that would be our deliberation meeting yes and then August 26 I think I said was the public hearing on the recommended activities and I think that's yeah public meeting 26 is a Thursday yeah so I think that I mean if that works for everyone that's probably as good you know I think that's alright for me I think school actually starts on the 26th this year it starts early this year so I won't be I don't think it starts that early I think well I just I know that volleyball tryout started on the 25th and then usually is the week before they usually have sports tryouts the week before school starts so I think school might start the 30th alright yeah well yeah things are happening in school usually we try to take the last few days of summer off and do something but you know so I think that's the schedule if we can always move things a day or two you know but I think a good general layout that's great great yeah I can email that out and put it online and then Ben will be helping out too so you know if I'm not here Ben can be here vice versa this we can have the process moving forward we just can't be away on the same day or you know a zoom I could like Andrew did it I could be on vacation and yeah it's true you know we can talk about the comments tonight too I think we can talk about the schedule I think that's really nice to have have something laid out you know and I think I said we can only find you know we fund five maximum five social services and three non-social services so it makes it easy and hard at the same time because we then have to you know decide between recommend proposals but and Becky I hear your comment about priorities I think the yeah I think it's good to talk about it I think it's good to talk about you know the priorities for social service and the priorities for non-social service so for non-social service we've said in the past few years you know to implement the master plan and in these village centers you know to increase accessibility and other things and it's been it's been fine I don't you know if we wanted to refine that we could we could do that and like I said I shared what the social services were we had about seven kind of broad categories and you know if it's worth narrowing that down at one point it was a discussion about you know would we with a committee have fewer prior social service priorities and then rotate funding based on those priorities so it's like you know the next year we'd rotate the priorities somehow and you know I think it becomes a you know we're going to have two priorities this year and then that is ways you know that's a that's a you know would give those proposals you know in that category more you know a higher ranking and you know I think sometimes I can get hard to do you know we're not necessarily I don't you know I don't necessarily want to preclude an applicant from submitting something so I don't know if there's any thoughts on that I think that when we do that it may make the decision making process easier because we're limiting we're having a limited number of applications but it's so hard to say well this year we're going to do two and then what if the next year we go to do two but the need is still greater in the two we did the year before so I think that that's a tough part of limiting anybody else feels like a really big decision for us to make to say that we were going to limit you know and I don't know how you I don't even know after hearing those just a few presentations tonight how you would even make those kinds of decisions without hearing more from the community really about what their priorities would be I also think it's less inclined to do that sorry Becky I think I mean I know I knew doing this but it feels I think I'd rather limit it by the see everything that comes in and go from there rather than limit really who would be applying yeah I think there might be enough stress on the situation as it is you know they all seem to be working together you know I mean I had to say but I see this as sort of a functionality of making sure people are vetting and crossing the T's but they seem to know what they seem to know what they're doing and they seem to work well together and they seem to have everything pretty well under control in the area so I don't know if we really want to throw a wrench in it this year yeah I would add that I think it just cuts down our flexibility as to what things are current are happening at the time if we've made a decision so far in advance about particular priorities the point Rika raised some questions as far as how we did it if we what are we going to do tell some people they can't apply but they didn't get approved and they're going to appeal that I mean it gets well if we try to prioritize based on who's gotten money in the past that's all yeah I'm not advocating for it one way or the other I just think it's something to discuss just because I know it can help shape how we prioritize proposals are what we put out there so it's going to be never bad yeah I mean some communities will be very clear about that surprisingly and yes I that's fine with me you know I don't you know Becky you brought up the racial equity I don't know if we want to have that as a priority if we want to add that let me just share my screen to show what we did have Rika hopefully your computer you can see it so yeah here here are the what we have you know what we had for the fall you know household and you know we have the we have seven with the ability to add other so Nate isn't this what we were discussing at our next meeting it can be I mean we could talk about it tonight it's nine o'clock I don't know how committee members feel if we want to you know have to give ourselves like ten more minutes or and then we can always finish it up if there's any other questions we could have just to be thinking about for the next meeting you know I think it's you know these act you know this type of thing these categories like I said those target areas and I can email out the these documents to just so we have them all the one other and I'm not necessarily advocating for any of these I think I'm just saying that we should talk about them but after hearing what what a lot of people are talking about tonight that sort of mental health is going to be the next pandemic I wonder if that would be another thing to consider having as a specific activity mental health services oh man that's a big one yeah I mean I see it as youth development you know that's that's the one I see is sort of that that's what that's sort of the stopgap in there right I mean I think it certainly can be assumed to be part of a lot of these it would just be whether it makes sense to have one you know on its own and I guess I think of adding things more just to give people the idea of applying people maybe organizations that haven't thought of applying before or are newly created yeah I think the other I think it's probably we've always left the other in there just so that you know it does show the ability to say you know it's fine this reminds me of like a question you get and you're like choose the one that best fits and you're like well geez I think I could do two of these but you really only supposed to do one so but yeah I think we yeah it's interesting it's it's an idea that you know if we say it if we say say mental health does it right does it allow other agencies to consider what you know how they frame their proposal or how they categorize it yeah that's I wondered that that's the way you could approach it right if you want to come in on mental health how are what you doing how is that impacting that so it isn't that you're necessarily a mental health agency but you do things the other thing I was going to say about racial equity or racial justices we're also going to talk about review criteria which it seems like that would be a place that could fit as well or at least we could talk more about that I think that's a great point I think it's important to name the two priorities that Becky suggested suggested just to show that we're as a committee aware of what's coming down the pike and not just to stick to the priorities that we've more or less had in the past I think it supports organizations that are doing work in this realm and it would be nice to see some new applicants to I we can only see a little bit of this form but I'm curious are the review criteria is something that is an internal to us or is that also having some notes the it's it's it can be local that it's also there's also the state level so in the state asked that every activity meet a national objective you know essentially it serves lower moderate income, it has to be consistent with community priorities and then they asked for you know some agency information a project budget and you know they want a product description that has a number of bullet points you know product need community involvement and support product feasibility again with a number of sub points product impact and so some of these are local and some of these are state and I was just one of my notes was just to go compare what the state some last year maybe this year they're going to update some of their what they want to see in a proposal. So then we were just kind of tweak you know some of these but you know for instance locally we could say okay let's we want to see more in terms of impact or you know what you know if we want to see something else in here we could add a bullet or so as that's you know for next meeting I can send these out and we're documents and we can look at them to see if we have that review kind of table we use so you know there's like the, these are put in a table format with proposals, you know the activities and we can. It becomes a comparative review table so that that can be sent out. Yeah that'd be helpful. Yeah the state hasn't, I can stop the share the state you know, they're big on product feasibility last year I think they were finding that many activities were taking longer than the 12 to 18 months they initially said so they were putting an emphasis on you know capacity and feasibility, I think they're going to carry that over to this year so they want to see that, you know, especially for the capital projects or non social services that everyone has already started permitting or knows what the permitting steps are or has you know an architect or plans and you know for social services they just want to I think see that they have they have experience doing it and they have like you know a clear outline of you know staff or methodology to implement the program. But you know I went through their one year plan and everything and I haven't seen any big changes so I mean I guess I that was my note to myself well you guys are talking I think it was a good point to see okay are there something the state's throwing in there this year that we need to be aware of. So I think you know it's 908 I don't know if there's any other. Two other comments but I think you know I can send a number of things out, and we better not can update the website. So everyone knows the schedule tentative schedule. And Andrew will send you a cupcake through the mail. And now back by one last time by popular demand. I promise to give her the pass on the cupcake okay. Nice. And Paul, good luck with your shoulder surgery. Thanks. It's a little weird it's a total shoulder. Oh wow. So, hopefully you won't be calling me lefty. I know the joint technology is amazing now. I'm a general. So good luck to you and gale to your twice 35 hubby. Not really just close to. Really miss your equanimity on this committee and your insight and your strategic your insight in your abilities. Think strategically so. Well, to you with everything going on. Thank you your leadership and yours Nate much appreciated. Learned a ton Paul and Matt my. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. I think we'll always have, we'll always have some of your DNA in this committee. I think I'll still be kind of hearing your voice in my, in my ear as I'm looking at something. Andrew say about this. I'm so sorry about the voice in the air. Troubling. Take Carol. Yeah. Yeah. Take Carol. Stop recording. From COVID ties. We finally got some vacation. And let's hope it to the partial release becomes fuller over time. Do we need to make a motion to dismiss this meeting or no. Yeah, I guess just to be formal. We could. Somebody else want to take a shot at it. Okay. Thanks everyone. There's a few people in attendance. We'll, we'll end the meeting. Thanks committee. I'll send an email out, you know, probably tomorrow just with every summarizing everything. Yeah. And just, you know, if someone realizes those dates, you know, a date doesn't work. Like I said, we can move it a day or two, but not like a week. So I think kind of the schedule we came up with is probably as quickly as possible. Final as we can get right now. And I don't think the state's going to make any big changes. You know, I don't think, you know, I think this is kind of an expedited round for them. I think they had a lot of pushback when they said they were going to. Not have a 21 grant process. And so they do this together pretty quickly. So I think. You know, I think, you know, a few communities I've spoken with, they're kind of worried just because it is so quick. And I think it's going to be a good idea to have an application process as it would have been if it was, you know, a full six months or longer. So things going to make people really busy. So thanks everyone for meeting. Again, thanks, Andrew. And yeah, I think good night. All right. Night night.