(1) Not later than two weeks after notification to the Municipality by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development of the filing date for a pre-application to the Department, Municipal officials shall schedule a meeting with the Committee to begin the process of applying for funds. Such meeting shall take place within four weeks of such notification. At the meeting, the Municipal officials shall present to the Committee proposed funding levels and preliminary plans and/or suggestions for activities. The Municipality shall also present proposed activities to inform the general populace of the Municipality about the program, its funding levels, eligible activities and important program requirements. The Committee shall respond to these preliminary activity proposals and present to the Municipality any request for additions, deletions or modifications in the proposed action plan. If no response thereto is received by the Municipality from the Committee within thirty days (or such shorter time as the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development application dates may dictate) from the date of presentation, the Municipality shall deem that all proposed actions and programs are accepted and proceed with the pre-application process, including public hearings and the information program. During this period of formulation of programs and activities, the Municipality shall make available, to the Committee, Municipal staff and consultants (if applicable) to assist the Committee in formulating and reviewing programs.
(2) Prior to the submission of the pre-application to Council, the Municipality shall submit the proposed activities to the Committee for approval. If the Committee withholds approval, it must furnish reasons for such action in writing to Council within one week of the submission of the activities to the Committee.
(3) Prior to the submission of the pre-application to the Department, Council shall call and hold two public hearings for the purpose of soliciting public opinion concerning the pre-application. Council shall give sufficient public notice of such meeting, its purpose, funding levels and other pertinent information in the popular media. As used in this section, “popular media” means newspapers of general circulation in the area, radio, television, displays in public places, etc. All these methods need not be used, but the information must be readily noticeable and available to the public.
(4) Subsequent to the receipt from the Department of notice that the pre- application has been received by it and accepted for processing, Council shall publish a notice in the popular media to this effect and informing the public that the pre-application is available for review by citizens. Such notice shall state the location and times that the application is available for review.
(5) Subsequent to the approval of the pre-application by the Department, Council shall inform the Committee of such approval, the activities approved and the timetable for submission of a full application.
Upon completion of the draft of the full application for submission for A-95 review, Council shall submit a copy thereof to the Committee for review and comment. The Committee shall have thirty days for such review and comment. Comments, if any, shall be made in writing to Council and shall be considered thereby prior to the submission of the full application to the Department.
(6) Three months prior to the end of a program year, Council shall submit a report to the Committee detailing progress on activities undertaken during the program year. Such report shall indicate program progress in quantifiable terms and shall provide an evaluation of present and expected results. The Committee shall receive the report and provide comments, if any, to Council on the year's activities. Such comments shall be presented to Council not later than thirty days after the aforementioned report to the Committee.
(b) The policy of the Committee and Council shall be to:
(1) Inform the public, through the popular media and by other means, of yearly funding levels, possible program activities, application procedures, etc.;
(2) Open all Committee meetings to the general public and inform the public as to the time and place of each meeting;
(3) Present to the general public as much information as possible concerning the program;
(4) Hold two formal public hearings prior to the submission of the pre- application for program year funding to the Department; and
(5) Make accessible, to the Committee, Municipal officials, consultants, etc. at reasonable and mutually convenient times, necessary to carry out its functions in an efficient and timely manner.
(Ord. 8-78. Passed 2-20-78.)