Fiscal Note
The City's 2014 Adopted Operating Budget's Miscellaneous Appropriations included a $50,000 allocation in support of a County-run day shelter. The shelter had been anticipated to open in mid-year, however, that opening has been repeatedly delayed. It will not operate in 2014, thus, these funds will not be needed to support its operation this year. This Resolution re-appropriates $25,000 of the day shelter allocation to the Community Development Division for the administration of a contract for the services described herein. There is no net impact upon the City levy.
Title
Amending the City's 2014 Adopted Operating Budget to re-appropriate $25,000 from Miscellaneous Appropriations to the Community Development Division for the provision of homeless-focused case management services at MPL's Central Library, authorizing CDD to select an appropriate vendor agency via an RFP process, and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute agreements with the selected vendor to provide these services.
Body
BACKGROUND
During the winter of 2013-14, the City, in partnership with Dane County, contracted with two local non-profits to provide case management services targeted to homeless persons utilizing MPL's Central Library during the daytime hours. Library staff was very pleased with the outcomes; however, the services were discontinued recently, when funding ran out. The expenditure proposed by this Resolution, combined with $65,000 authorized in the City's 2015 Adopted Operating Budget, will re-initiate on-site case management services and continue them through December 31, 2015.
CDD will issue an RFP to identify a provider that will hire qualified staff necessary to be available to provide supportive services on a regular schedule during a portion of the Central Library's daytime hours, seven days a week. Case management staff will help connect homeless and at-risk persons to community resources, and connect persons to housing appropriate for their needs. Services are anticipated to begin in December 2014.
Greg Mickells, Madison Public Library Director, has expressed support for on-going support services to assist in connecting homeless persons with community resources. Mickells and his staff have participated in the writing of the RFP, and will be part of the staff decision-making team selecting a qualified vendor.
ACTION
WHEREAS, the Common Council has adopted a five-year Community and Neighborhood Plan which identifies homelessness as a critical issue within the community and outlines a set of strategies and priorities to address these problems, including providing case management to unsheltered persons and homeless persons sleeping in emergency shelters in efforts to connect them with stable housing; and,
WHEREAS, the CD Division staff work collaboratively with Dane County and non-profit homeless service providers to help homeless adults find stable housing; and,
WHEREAS, the Mayor and the Common Council have signaled their support for providing on-site case management services at the Central Library, both through appropriations of funds in 2014 and the inclusion of funds in the City's 2015 Adopted Operating Budget for this purpose; and,
WHEREAS, the delay in the opening of the County Daytime Resource Center makes available for other uses funds that were appropriated as part of the City's 2014 Adopted Operating Budget's Miscellaneous Appropriations, to support the operations of the Resource Center;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council authorizes the CDD to issue an RFP and select a vendor to provide case management services directed to homeless persons at MPL's Central Library location, and authorizes the Mayor and City Clerk to execute agreements with the selected vendor; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City's 2014 Adopted Operating Budget be amended to re-appropriate funds from Miscellaneous Appropriations: County Day Shelter to the Community Development Division, as follows:
($25,000) GN01-54279-971000 Miscellaneous Appropriations: County Day Shelter (decrease funding)
$25,000 GN01-54920-274000 CDD Community Agency Contracts (increase funding)