HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-84-0983U
TO: Howard V. Gary
City Manager
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CM OF MIAM1. FLORIDA
Dina Spiel an, Director
Department of Community Development
oArt: August 31, 1984 FILS:
susutcT: Evaluation of Request for
Additional Funds from the
Biscayne Wynwood Chamber
of Commerce/Casa Integra
RtrcRcnccs:
City Commission Agenda
cHCLosuR=s:
September 13, 1984
At the July 30, 1984 City Commission meeting, the Commission passed
Motion #84-767, which expressed the Commission's intent to allocate
an additional $15,000 to the Biscayne Wynwood Chamber of Commerce for
the Wynwood Job Training Project. The allocation is conditioned upon
the results of the audit conducted by the Office of Internal Audit and
an evaluation of the project. It should be noted that the Chamber has
submitted a revised proposal which reduces the funds requested to
$10,000.
Staff has evaluated the request and we do not recorromend additional
funds be allocated for this project. Following is this Department's
evaluation of the project.
The Biscayne Wynwood Chamber of Commerce received $160,000 of Community
Development Jobs Bill funds to operate the Wynwood Job Training project
from October 1, 1983 through September 30, 1984. The project is imple-
mented through a subcontract with Casa Integra, Inc.
The goals of the project are to provide training in construction related
fields to at least 60 Wynwood residents, provide at least 792 weeks of
employment (312 by project staff and 480 by project trainees), and im-
prove commercial and residential buildings located in the Wynwood area,
by using these buildings as training sites. The project was conceived
as a public/private venture with substantial private financial support,
which was to have been provided with funds raised by the Chamber of
Coerce. City funds were primarily for administrative expenses and
materials, while the private funds were to cover trainee stipends and
other expenses. Unfortunately, the private support has not been at the
extent planned and, therefore, has created problems throughout the
course of the project.
The Chamber's proposal for additional funds is primarily to offset
deficits and to create line items which were not included in the City
budget. Scare of these items can be addressed through the existing
$160,000 allocation by effecting several line item changes that have
been approved and/or recommended by staff. Without the additional
funds, the project would and on September 15, 1984.
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toward V . Gary
Page two
August 31, 1984
It is our understanding that while the final audit report.has not
been completed, there are findings which may affect whether some
of the additional funds being requested can be paid with City funds.
Since the original $160,000 is a non -recurring allocation, addi-
tional funds to extend the program two weeks would not have a
significant impact on the project. Therefore, we do not recommend
additional funds be allocated. our evaluation indicates that the
project has met most of the program objectives, particularly in
providing training and other services to target area residents and
improving target area buildings. It will fall short about 10% in
the number of weeks of training. The greatest weakness has been
in not maintaining complete, updated and accurate records. Docu-
mentation records have been incomplete and disorganized.
/rjf