GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES

Friday, February 11, 2005

The Maine Community Development Association held a teleconference meeting on Friday, February 11, 2005 at approximately 10:00 a.m. Present were:

Matthew Eddy, Isaac Wagner, Joella McBreairty, Mary Walton, James Gulnac, Ron Harriman, Don Keiser, Carolee Hallet, Tony Levesque, Dan LaPointe, Jim Brown, Mike Baran, Al Smith, Steve Dyer, Ron Cunio, Paul Bernier, Margaret Langhill

I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by President Matthew Eddy at approximately 10:00 a.m.

II. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: Tabled

III. TREASURER’S REPORT: Ron Harriman provided the following financial information:

Dues collected in January total $1,600 with $95 of expenses recorded for a net income of $1,505. This results in a fund balance of $12,367.

IV. STRATEGIES FOR CDBG LOBBYING EFFORT:

Following a discussion that lasted approximately 1½ hours, the following strategies were set forth:

* Mathew Eddy will contact Sen. Snow and Sen. Collins’ office as well as Rep. Allen and Rep. Michaud’s office. Mat will contact MMA and work with Chris Lockwood to get information out via the Maine Townsman.

* Tony Levesque will contact Diane Taylor at COSCDA (Council of State Community Development Agencies). Get resolution or bulleted letter out to Tony by March 16 so that he can disseminate information to the local media in Aroostook County.

* Al Smith will format a bulleted letter. The bulleted letter will be used as a template by Regional Planning Offices, Councils of Government, County Action Programs, etc. to draft a resolution to be shared amongst all communities in Maine. Mike Baran will e-mail everyone regarding the COSCDA alert. Al can use the information that is contained in this e-mail to help draft the bulleted letter.

* Isaac Wagner will contact all CAP agencies.

* Joella McBreairty will contact all Regional offices, Indian CDBG officials. Joella will work with Mary Walton to draft a resolution for all communities in Aroostook County.

* Ask each municipal official to sign a resolution, provide examples of what CDBG has accomplished in their towns, and provide the impact that the loss of CDBG will mean for their community.

* Post an alert on the MCDA website.

* Ron Harriman, Mathew Eddy, and Al Smith will contact officials of entitlement communities.

* Everyone was asked to contact their local delegation. Information should be streamlined through local offices so that they can forward all information to the Washington DC offices.

The following time schedule was established to get information out to the public:

Friday, February 25 at 10:00 a.m. – Next Teleconference Meeting

Thursday, March 10, 2005 – Have all Resolutions signed and returned to Margaret Langhill at MMA.

Friday, March 11, 2005 – Next MCDA meeting

Prior to March 22, 2005 – Get resolutions, private stories and photos from communities, etc. to DECD in order for them to deliver to the COSCDA group in Washington DC

Friday, April 1, 2005 – Get proclamations from each community in order to present at the CDBG Day at the Legislature in the Hall of Flag

V: DISCUSSION WITH DECD: UPCOMING PROGRAM CHANGES/SCHEDULE: Mike Baran reported that DECD has made the following changes:

* All Economic Development Programs Daniel Stevenson

* All Housing Programs (Rehab., Innovative, Etc.) Debbie Johnson

* Public Infrastructure Programs Margo Fraser

* Downtown, Urgent Needs, Community Enterprise Terry Ann Stevens

* Public Facility, Public Service, CPG, SPMF Tammy Knight

* All Labor Standards questions, requests Terry Ann Stevens

* CDBG Technical Assistance Mike Baran

Additionally, Mike reported that 10 Innovative Housing applications had been received; only 2 applications will be funded. The successful applicants of the Downtown and Community Enterprise grant applications will be presented to the Commissioner on Tuesday with announcements to follow shortly thereafter.

CD Day at the Legislature is scheduled for April 1, 2005. Regional Planning Commissions were urged to get as many proclamations as possible and present photos, posters, etc. of CDBG projects.

VI. DISCUSSION WITH DECD: MTIF PROGRAM FUTURE: Mike Baran reported that Gov. Baldacci has not included the MTIF program in the 2005 budget. This means the loss of approximately $10,000,000 in addition to the proposed elimination of the CDBG program in 2006. The MTIF program could be put back into the budget, but again there is much lobbying to be done. Everyone was urged to contact their local delegation as soon as possible.

VII. ACTIVITY UPDATE: Tabled

VIII. MMA CONTRACT EXTENSION/MEMBERSHIP NOTICE: Tabled

The next teleconference meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 25, 2005 at 10:00 a.m.

Respectfully submitted by,

Joella R. McBreairty
Secretary