Hold a Public Hearing to discuss the outcome of the Community Development Block Grant- Coronavirus Response (CDBG-CV 2020), an Application for Funding to Prevent, Prepare for, and Respond to Coronavirus, and take other necessary action. (Jody King)
BACKGROUND:
The City of Muskogee applied to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce (ODOC) Community Development Block Grant funding program for coronavirus response funding. The State of Oklahoma had funds available to units of local government to provide funding for programs that primarily benefit persons defined as low and moderate income.
The total amount of funding available for the 2020 CDBG-CV program is $8,680,036. The funds will be allocated among the participating eighteen (18) communities that are eligible (based on population), 2020 Units of Local Governments. Muskogee was one of eighteen communities and was awarded $405,749.24
The CDBG-CV grant was a flexible source of assistance for addressing the health and economic challenges brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. These funds were intended to pay costs not covered by other forms of assistance and to specifically benefit persons of low and moderate incomes. The Federal Register further details the rules, waivers and alternative requirements for CDBG-CV (Vol. 85, No.162, 51459).
Under the State's CDBG-CV program, The City of Muskogee chose three eligible activities. The eligible activities were:
Food Assistance Boxes
Green Country Data Plans
Muskogee County Transit Public Transportation Bus Filtration Systems
Food Assistance Boxes The City handed out a total of 5,513 food boxes
64% (3,550) boxes were given out at MHA/Low Income Housing/Elderly Income Based Housing
Served a total of 921 residents
36% (1,963) boxes were given out at Civic Center/Rotary Park/Hatbox Field
77% of people surveyed had been negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic: Lost job, decreased work hours, school/daycare closures, illness, quarantine, other.
66% of people surveyed reported that they were at or below current Section 8 income limits, and the other 34% live in Muskogee Housing Authority sites. (Income based housing)
The City was reimbursed for $203,981 and received the funds on September 26, 2022.
Green Country Data Plans Green Country serves almost exclusively low to moderate income people, and during COVID, telemedicine was a huge necessity for everyone. The grant helped pay for the data plan for clients and staff iPads to have access to telemedicine and other healthcare needs.
GCBHS serves a diverse population in Muskogee, shown in the following racial and ethnic client data in FY2022: Caucasian 57% American Indian 16% African American 13% Biracial 10% Hispanic 4%
The following were the expenses for a total reimbursable of $142,125.92:
$116,148.49, My Care Solutions and ATT First Net expense for iPad data plans from 7/28/2020 through August 31, 2022
$20,640.00, My Care Solutions expense for iPad data plans from September 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
$5,337.43, Admin (for GCBHS staff time for compiling documentation)
Muskogee County Transit Public Transportation Bus Filtration Systems Using the vendor, Creative Bus, we procured air filtration systems for seven buses and purchased enough filters for a year of replacement.
The City is reimbursing this cost, now at $47,623.32, and closing out this grant with the Department of Commerce.
The total grant amount spent will be $405,279.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Open a Public Hearing and receive comments. No action is required.