MINUTES
CITY OF NORTH LAS VEGAS
CITIZENS’ ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING
January 19, 2021
CALL TO ORDER
6:00 PM, City Hall, Council Chambers, 2250 Las Vegas Boulevard North,
North Las Vegas, Nevada 89030
ROLL CALL
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT
Chairwoman Cato
Vice Chairwoman Peterson
Member Acosta
Member Alpert
Member Koury
Member Toguchi
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT
Member Jackson
STAFF PRESENT
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Neighborhood Services Coordinator Christison City Clerk Raynor Senior Deputy City Attorney Rodriguez |
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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - BY INVITATION Member Alpert |
Chairwoman Cato opened the public forum. City Clerk Raynor stated that her office received four emails in support of the YMCA CDBG programs from Ginnie Haynes, Tiauna Castro, Sylvia Rosales, and Angel Farrell. She added that copies of the emails were provided to the Committee. Having no more written comments or requests to speak, Chairwoman Cato closed the public forum.
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1. |
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ACTION: |
APPROVED |
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MOTION: |
Member Alpert |
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SECOND: |
Member Koury |
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AYES: |
Chairwoman Cato, Vice Chairwoman Peterson, Members Acosta, Alpert, Koury, Toguchi |
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NAYS: |
None |
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ABSTAIN: |
None |
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ABSENT: |
Members Jackson |
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2. |
Approve Citizens' Advisory Committee Regular Meeting Minutes of October 6, 2020. (For Possible Action) |
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ACTION: |
APPROVED |
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MOTION: |
Member Alpert |
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SECOND: |
Chairwoman Cato |
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AYES: |
Chairwoman Cato, Vice Chairwoman Peterson, Members Acosta, Alpert, Koury, Toguchi |
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NAYS: |
None |
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ABSTAIN: |
None |
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ABSENT: |
Members Jackson |
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3. |
YMCA of Southern Nevada - Program: SkyView YMCA Early Childhood Education (CDBG) |
Jordan Sommaggio presented the YMCA's CDBG request for $39,240.00. He discussed advantages of the early childhood education program, stressing it solves a currently unmet need. He stressed that Nevada is the fourth most expensive state for this type of program and that the City has a high number of low-income families that need access to these educational resources. He provided data on the existing programs and how successful students attending these classes can become, stressing it provides a great foundation on which to build for the future educationally. Mr. Sommaggio said the YMCA uses a diverse funding model to ensure long-term sustainability for its programs and students. In response to Member Alpert and Chairwoman Cato's questions, Mr. Sommagio that due to COVID-19 they changed some of the training and since September 2020 all of their students are back into the program and the YMCA will spend all of its grant funding for the current year.
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ACTION: |
ACCEPTED |
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4. |
Volunteers in Medicine - Program: Health Safety Net Program (CDBG) |
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Tabitha Peterson presented Volunteers in Medicine's request for $125,000 in CDBG funding. Ms. Peterson stressed that her organization meets the unmet need for healthcare, providing healthcare to uninsured residents. She stated that this includes free medical services, pharmacy services, lab work, behavioral health, immunizations, dental services, etc. In response to Committee questions, she stated that their goal if funded would be to support 200 City residents a year and that 22% of their budget is for the City.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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5. |
The Shade Tree, Inc. - Program: Emergency Shelter Services for Homeless and Abused Women (CDBG and ESG) |
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Lisa Shelton presented the request from Shade Tree for its requests of $69,917 for CDBG funding and $63,287.00 in ESG funding. She described how some of the funding would be used for staff and for supporting a safe shelter for homeless and abused women and children. She discussed the changes they made during COVID-19 to provide 24/7 services to City clients and how the programs at the shelter assist the victims by providing life skills, basic needs, and workforce resources to get them housed and self-sustaining. In response to Committee questions, she stated that their corporate sponsors in COVID-19 have continued to provide support and that they have seen an increase in those using the shelter because of COVID-19.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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6. |
The Salvation Army - Program: Career Corner (CDBG) and Rapid Re-Housing (ESG) |
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Laverne Lewis from the Salvation Army presented its requests for $120,000 in CDBG funding and $150,000 in ESG funding for the Salvation Army's Career Corner and Reapid Re-Housing programs. She provided background on the organization, their programs, and the overall case management system they use to provide services to their clients. She stressed that both programs were designed to remove barriers to finding employment and towards promoting stability and self-sufficiency.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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7. |
The Just One Project - Program: Pop Up & Give Mobile Market (CDBG) |
Marisa Cervantes presented the Just One Program's request for $2,076 CDBG funding for the Pop-Up & Give Mobile Market. Ms. Cervantes explained that her organization receives in-kind food which the either deliver to or conduct markets to distribute the food to those in need. She noted that they work with the Clark County School District (CCSD) to have safe locations to host pop-up markets using 12 CCSD locations. The added this is in addition to the food that they deliver to shut-ins. She stressed that the service they provide is unique and that by design it provides a pleasing client culture that lets clients keep their dignity.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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8. |
The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas - Program: Bistro Café Expansion (CDBG) |
Everett Dule from the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas presented his organization's request for $60,000 in CDBG funding. In response to Committee questions, he explained that the program request is to provide continuing education and instructors at the Academy. The vision for the program is to prepare individuals interested in employment in a variety of ways (i.e. pre-employment needs, help with communication skills, using online tools, English as a second language (ESL), Vocational English to Speakers of Other Languages (VESOL)). He stated that many of the unemployed need ESL and VESOL classes to prepare them for employment locally and the Academy's program would remove this barrier.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED
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9. |
Nevada Partners, Inc. - Program: Nevada Partners Youth Development Program (CDBG) and Emergency Services (ESG) |
Lizette Guillen, Lamaya Kilgore, and Jasmin Jones, and Sharice Martin presented Nevada Partners request for $75,000 CDBG funding and $82,500 in ESG funding to provide services to homeless and in-need youths. They stressed that their programs are seen as dialogues to provide clients with necessary life skills, develop leadership, provide food, and change their lives. Clients have a wide array of resources, learning opportunities, learn to work as a team, and provides a safe environment in which they can grow and mature.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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10. |
Lutheran Social Services - Program: Family Empowerment Program (ESG) |
Tristan Hightower presented the Lutheran Social Services request for $43,275 in ESG funding. She provided information on their nutritional services, intensive case management, and family empowerment services. She said that they strive to look at the big picture and meet those needs in order to make the client self-sufficent in the long term. She shared that they do conduct follow up visits to ensure things are still good and that they have a wide variety of partners to assist in serving clients well.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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11. |
HopeLink of Southern Nevada - Program: NLV Rental Assistance Program (CDBG) Emergency Homeless Prevention CM (ESG) |
Aaron Sheets from HopeLink of Southern Nevada presented his organization's request for $162,000 in CDBG funding and $62,000 in ESG funding. Mr. Sheets stated their rental assistant program and emergency homeless prevention programs have been successful in other nearby cities and would like to offer those as well in North Las Vegas. He described how it is more economical to assist families in staying in existing housing that it is to rehousing them should they become homeless. He stated that if funded they would open a location in the City with a case manager. He also added that many of their services are available online.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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12. |
HELP of Southern Nevada - Program: Shannon West Homeless Youth Center (CDBG and ESG) |
Fuilala Riley, Shelly Torres, and Kelly Robson from HELP of Southern Nevada presented their request for 423,154 for CDBG funding and $23,859 in ESG funding. Ms. Riley stressed that her organization supports youths in a variety of ways (i.e. housing, identification cards, education, medical needs, safe environment) at its Shannon West Homeless Youth Center. They provide services to those between the ages of 16 and 24 with a goal of gaining self-sufficiency. She provided information on how the facility works during COVID-19 and how they have modified services to meet needs.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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13. |
Foundation for Positively Kids Inc. - Program: Care Coordination Program (CDBG) |
Chairwoman Cato stated she has a conflict and abstained from the discussion of this item. Vice Chairwoman Peterson led this part of the meeting.
Jolie Courtne from Foundation for Positively Kids, Inc. presented her organization's request for $50,000 in CDBG funding. She explained how their healthcare programs assist children in the City, especially those with special needs and those considered at-risk. She described how their staff assist families in taking children to specialists as needed. She stated this dramatically improves the quality of life for their clients and the quality of care received by getting the care as soon as possible.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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14. |
Alison Caliendo presented her organization's request for $15,000 in CDBG funding. She described how their programs help children who cannot stay with their parents and instead live with other family members instead of forced into foster care. She stressed that foster care is good, but that it is much more foreign to children than staying with known and qualified family caregivers. She shared how her organization creates events that lets the children in the program know that there are other children like them living with grandparents, etc. and that it provides the caregivers with peers. She stated that thirteen of those using kinship care are residents of North Las Vegas.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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15. |
Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada - Program: Meals on Wheels (CDBG) |
Nicole Anderson from Catholic Charities presented her organization's request for $35,000 in CDBG funding to support its Meals on Wheels Program. She described the clients that need the program, those that are housebound for a variety of reasons. She stated that a dietician designs the meals to meet the nutritional needs of each client. In addition to prepared meals, the program includes other items like fruits and milk. She added that their services does not stop at delivering a meal. She stressed that when meals are delivered, that this creates an opportunity for them to check in with their clients and determine if other services are needed. If so, they work with partners to assist the client.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED |
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16. |
Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada - Program: Hope and Opportunity (CDBG) |
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Jaime Weller-Lafavor presented her organization's request for $42,640 in CDBG funding. She stressed that they are not a daycare and are instead a program to help youth reach their true potential. She said they provide services for 12 hours a day and it is the most vulnerable part of the children’s' day. Their programs provide the skills needed to become resilient, plan goals for the future, manage money, and teach them how to avoid bad behaviors. She provided information on the clubhouse and changes they made during COVID-19.
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ACTION: |
PRESENTATION ACCEPTED
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STAFF ITEMS & COMMITTEE ITEMS |
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Committee and staff discussed use of the Zoom evaluation tool. City Clerk Raynor noted that minutes approved tonight would be routed electronically to Chairwoman Cato for signature. |
No participation.
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Chairwoman Cato adjourned the meeting at 9:10 PM. |
APPROVED:
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/s/ Jo Cato |
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Jo Cato, Chairwoman
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/s/ Catherine Raynor |
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Catherine Raynor, City Clerk
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