1316RESOLUTION NO. 13 1 ~
WHEREAS, the City of West Memphis, Arkansas is desirous of
~ undertaking community improvement activities with funds available
under the provisions of Title I of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that citizen participation is an
essential ingredient in the planning process that precedes effective
implementation of meaningful community improvement activities; and
WHEREAS, there has been prepared a Citizen Participation Plan,
Amendment Number One to guide the involvement in the Community
Development Agency effort and said plan has been reviewed at this
meeting of the City Council.
Naw, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS:
1. That the Citizen Participation Plan, Amendment Number
One, Community Development Agency, dated January 1993,
be and hereby is approved as the guiding document by
which the Community Development Agency shall implement
the citizen participation process.
2. That the City Clerk be and hereby is directed to file a
~~ copy of this Plan with this resolution in the official
journals of the actions of the governing body.
3. That this resolution shall take effect immediately.
ATTEST:
SaniLnrU ~. 1 ~. l G Q 3
~,~ Date Passed
RECEIVED
CIiY CLERK OFFICE
DATE /- /cf -g3
~ 9 , 30 ~.,,,L,
~ CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
Amendment Number One
January 1993
tr
Community Development Agency
West Memphis, Arkansas
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
Amendment Number 1
Community Development Agency
West 1'femphis. Arkansas
~Mr
Table of Contents
Pace
Introduction ........:.............•------.................... 1
I. Submission of Viers and Proposals ...................... 4
II. Program Information ................................... 5
III. Technical Assistance .................................. 8
IV. Public Hearings ....................................... 10
Y. Complaints ............................................ 12
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
Amendment Humber One
Community Development Agency
West ?temphis, Arkansas
The purpose of the Citizen Participation Plan is to describe
the active role the Community Development Agency seeks for its
citizens in the planning and implementation of community development
activities, the types and timeliness of information and program
materials that the Agency will make available to interested
citizens, and the system the Agency will utilize in effectuating its
citizen participation objectives. This Citizen Participation Plan
- Amendment Humber One dated January 1993 will replace the Citizen
Participation Plan dated April 1988.
The Community Development Agency has recognized in the past
that citizen participation and timely advice from those most
affected by community improvement projects and activities, namely .
the low and moderate income persons identifiable population segments
within the lower income group, such as the elderly, female headed
households, large families, minorities, and handicapped, are
essential ingredients in the planning process that is intended to
precede the effective implementation of meaningful community
improvement projects. As indicated in the past applications to the
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, it has selected
projects and activities that to the greatest extent feasible are
directly beneficial to low and moderate income persons in the
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The Citizen Participation Plan is divided into five parts which
describe the City's adopted methods for citizen involvement, as
follows:
I. Submission of Views and Proposals
- II. Program Information
III. Technical Assistance
IV. Public Hearings
V. Complaints
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I. SUBMISSION OF VIEWS AND PROPOSALS
The Community Development Agency actively encourages at anytime
the submission of views and proposals regarding any aspect of the
Agency by any interested citizen and especially solicits them from
persons residing in the various geographic areas of the City in
which Community Development Agency activities are being undertaken.
This solicitation is directed especially toward low and moderate
income persons and members of identifiable population segments
within the lower income group, such as the elderly and handicapped,
female headed households, large families and minorities. The
encouragement of submission of views and proposals involves, as a
minimum, the following areas:
(1) Directly to the Community Development Agency during
the planning period prior to the public hearings on
the Final Statement;
(2) To the Agency concerning any program amendments;
<3) To the'Agency through the public hearings; and
t4) At the target area or other meetings that may be scheduled
from time to time to be concerned with specialized aspects
of the Community Development Agency.
As indicated, views and proposals may be submitted at any time
and will receive the Agencys prompt attention. While the majority
of concerns as described above are obviously with the planning and
development of proposals for future activities, the same degree of
citizen involvement in the submission of views and proposals is
solicited with regard to program implementation of current year
projects and activities, and concerning any amendments to the
program that might be proposed.
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II. PROGRAM INFORMATION
In developing the Citizen Participation Plan, the Community
Development Agency recognizes that citizens have an advisory role in
the planning, implementation and evaluation of the Community
Development Agency programs. In order for the citizens to be in a
position of effectively playing the advisory role, it is necessary
for them to have information. Moreover, the information is to be
both adequate and timely.
As has been the case during the life of the Community
Development Agency. West Memphis intends to make all relevant
program information available to the citizens of this community.
There is a special concern with the provision of timely
information to low and moderate income persons and to those
residing in the neighborhoods in which Community Development Agency
activities are being undertaken and/or are planned to be undertaken
in the future. Information will be made available through a variety
of sources and efforts. All public notices required under the
~ programs will be placed in the West Memphis Evening Times. The City
will also attempt to have news articles and feature stories
published in the newspaper.
At all public meetings and public hearings, the Community
Development Agency will provide pertinent information relative to
that meeting including the amount of money which the Agency is
eligible to receive, a discussion of applicable program requirements
as published in the Federal Register, a discussion of eligible and
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a
ineligible activities, the meaning of the program ob3ectives of
providing maximum benefits to persons of low and moderate income,
housing assistance needs and the provision of housing assistance,
and the anticipated impact on the environment that would stem from
the undertaking of various kinds of community development projects
and activities. Thus, all important and relevant information rill
be made available at each public meeting and each public hearing.
The Community Development Agency will pr•avidQ iar dull and
timely disclosure of all its program records and information
consistent, however, with applicable State laws regarding personal
privacy and obligations of confidentiality. All documents and other
program information relative to the Community Development Agency
programs rill be made available in the Agency office at City Hall.
This office is accessible to the handicapped and, therefore, this
special group rill be able to have easy access to relevant program
information.
,, At the present time, all documents pertaining to the programs
V
are written in English; and, moreover, all information disseminated
orally at public hearings and public meetings customarily is in
English. The Community Development Agency has surveyed available
information with regard to ethnic groups residing in the City; and,
on the basis of this evaluation, the Community Development Agency
has determined that it is not essential to translate program
materials into any language other than English. However, if an
individual whose native tongue is other then English and who does
not adequately comprehend English should approach the Community
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Development Agency rith a request far information, the Community
Development Agency rill obtain the assistance of an able translator
to assist in providing requested information and advice. The same
type of assistance rill be available to the deaf: upon request, the
Community Development Agency rill secure the services of a person
skilled in sign language to assist in communicating on a one-to-one
basis rith any deaf person. These special communicative services
rill be available to individuals upon request. In order to assure
that relevant program information is available to the handicapped,
it shall be available on the ground floor of City Hall, rhich is
accessible to the handicapped.
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III. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
In order to facilitate citizen participation in all aspects of
the Community Development Agency programs, the staff involved in the
programs rill act principally as the coordinators to concerned
citizens and/or groups through the provision of technical
assistance and information. Through the same coordinators,
additional technical assistance and information rill be provided by
other City personnel, the Mayor and City Council, the Program's
Consultants, or other knorledgeable persons. All technical
assistance rill be made available in a timely manner and at a
sufficient level of content to be meaningful for the group or person
to rhom it is directed.
The Community Development Agency and its consultants rill
provide technical assistance in order to enhance the position of
interested citizens seeking such assistance and to assure that they
rill be influential instruments in the citizen participation
_ri.
process.
If any groups or persons residing in the various geographic
areas of the community in rhich activities are being undertaken, or
any person of for and moderate income or an identifiable population
segment rithin the loner income group should request technical
assistance, the staff rill provide such assistance in a timely and
sufficient manner. To the extent necessary, the Community
Development Agency may involve its consultants in the provision of
this technical assistance.
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~,
In summary, technical assistance will be provided in whatever
manner possible or necessary in order to assure that affected
citizens and/or citizen organizations may participate actively and
meaningfully in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the
Community Development Agency programs. Because of the complexity of
the programs and the regulations and requirements, the Community
Development Agency itself will determine the type and level of
assistance that is appropriate in each case.
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IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS
As described earlier, the Community Development Agency will
conduct timely public hearings at various stages in the planning and
implementation of the programs. As a minimum, the Community
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Development Agency will conduct tro public hearings to consider the
development of needs and a review of proposed activities. A review
of program performance will be presented at the hearing to discuss
needs.
Notes and information will be developed at any neighborhood
meetings that might be held and this information will be presented
by the Community Development Agency staff at the formal public
hearings. Transcripts or minutes of the formal public hearings will
be prepared and these shall be retained in the permanent files of
the Community Development Agency. All public hearing minutes rill be
prepared and these shall be retained in the permanent files of the
Community Development Agency. All public hearings rill be formal
~-,.
meetings convened for a stated purpose, conducted in a manner that
rill provide for adequate presentation of information and
opportunities for citizen response and input. Records of the
public hearings including the transcript of minutes rill be
available for public revier and inspection during normal business
hours, tionday through Friday in the Community Development Agency
office at City Hall.
Public hearings rill be held primarily at City Hall, a location
cell knorn and readily accessible to all persons, including the
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f
handicapped. Other locations may, hoxever, be designated for one or
more special purpose hearings if circumstances xarrant.
The notice of the public hearings rill be published at least
five (5) days prior to the date of the public hearings, and this
~. publication rill be in the West Memphis Evening Times. In order to
increase the exposure of these notices, they xill be published in
easily readable type and located in the non-legal section of the
nexspaper.
If the Community Development Agency should amend or revise the
programs at any point in time, it rill conduct at least txo public
hearings and carry out all other aspects of the citizen
participation process as described in this Plan.
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V. COMPLAINTS
While the Community Development Agency hopes that the
complaints on the programs will be few in number and minor in scope,
the Agency recognizes that certain citizens may feel the need to
register a complaint. Complaints may be offered to the Agency in
ither oral or written form. The Community Development Agency will
e
provide timely responses to all complaints. Written complaints will
receive written responses within fifteen (15) working days after
receipt.
The Community Development Agency's written response rill state
the reasons for the action being taken, indicate that the Agency has
carefully considered the citizen's complaint, and will offer a
resolution to the problem.
The purpose of promptly and adequately responding to complaints
is to elevate citizen satisfaction in the Community Development
~` Agency programs.
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