ApptCPGccmtg4-7-25(klk)
CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
April 7, 2025
TO: City Council
F
ROM: Department of Environmental Services
S
UBJECT: APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY PROJECTS GRANT REVIEW
COMMITTEE
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
I
t is recommended that the City Council approve, and the Mayor appoint, seven nominees to the Community Projects Grant Review Committee with terms commencing upon appointment and concluding when the City Council awards the FY 2025- 26 Community Projects Grant funding.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
T
he City Council created the Community Projects Grant (CPG) Review Committee (Review Committee) in February 2017. The Review Committee is comprised of seven representatives, including one from each of the four Neighborhood Councils, the Youth Council, the Council On Agin g, and the Community-At-Large. The Review Committee makes recommendations to the City Council on WM’s annual allocation of $150,000 to the City’s Community Projects Grant Program, which provides funding to local non-profit organizations serving Simi Valley. The application window to submit project grant applications closed on January 30, 202 5, allowing all potential Review Committee members to identify any potential conflicts of interest before being appointed, to ensure that the Committee performs its duties objectively.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
E
ach of the City’s advisory boards nominated representatives to serve on the Review Committee at its regular meetings in March 2025.
T
he recruitment for the Community Member -at-Large representative commenced on February 3, 2025, and concluded on February 17, 2025. A t otal of 14 applications were received, and 11 applicants were invited to interview. Only nine applicants participated due to scheduling conflicts. Council Member Litster and Council Member Ayala conducted interviews on March 11, 2025, and nominated one Community-at-Large representative.
T
he following nominees are recommended for appointment to the Review Committee with terms commencing on April 7, 2025, and concluding when the City Council awards the FY 2025-26 CPG funding.
AGENDA ITEM NO.
3A(1)
ApptCPGccmtg4-7-25(klk)
Representative Position Nominating Entity Nominee
Neighborhood Council #1 Neighborhood Council #1 Laura Hurd Neighborhood Council #2 Neighborhood Council #2 Theresa Ramirez Neighborhood Council #3 Neighborhood Council #3 Revathi Pudhota Neighborhood Council #4 Neighborhood Council #4 Bobby Calderon Council On Aging Council On Aging Al Brown
Youth Council Youth Council Aman Sreejith
Community At-Large City Council Interview Subcommittee Gerald Placeres
The Review Committee will hold public meetings on April 17 and May 1, 2025, to review applications, hear presentations from applicants, and develop funding recommendations for the City Council’s consideration. Staff anticipates that the Review Committee’s funding recommendations will be presented to the City Council on June 9, 2025.
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Approve and the Mayor appoint the seven nominees to the Review Committee with terms commencing upon appointment and concluding when the City Council awards the FY 2025-26 CPG funding;
2. Provide staff with other direction.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I move to approve, and the Mayor appoint the seven nominees to the Community Projects Grant Review Committee with terms commencing up on appointment and concluding when the City Council awards the FY 2025-26 CPG funding.
SUMMARY
The Review Committee is comprised of seven representatives from each of the four Neighborhood Councils, the Youth Council, the Council On Aging, and the community at large. The Review Committee holds public meetings and makes funding recommendations to the City Council for the annual allocation of $150,000 to local non- profit organizations serving Simi Valley. It is recommended that the City Council approve, and the Mayor appoint the nominees to the Review Committee with term s commencing upon appointment a nd concluding when the City Council awards the FY 2025-26 Community Projects Grant funding.
____________________________________
Stratis Perros
Environmental Services Director
Prepared by: Cynthia McCullough, Senior Management Analyst
INDEX Page
Attachment A .................................................................................... 3 2 Applications are now being accepted for the at-large community representative to serve on the CPG Review Committee. Applications must be submitted by Monday, February 17, 2025. Applicants will be interviewed by a committee of two City Council Members and one applicant will be recommended to serve on the committee.
Interviews are anticipated to take place in March of 2025.
The CPG Review Committee reviews funding requests from local 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations for projects and programs serving the community and makes recommendations to the City Council for funding awards. The CPG Review Committee consists of one representative from each of the four Neighborhood Councils, one representative from the Council On Aging, one representative from the Youth Council, and one representative from the community. Representatives are nominated by their representing committee and are appointed by the City Council. Terms for the representatives end when the City Council awards the annual funding.
All of the CPG Review Committee representatives will be recommended for appointment at the April 7, 2025 City Council meeting. Tentative meeting dates for the CPG Review Committee have been scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on April 17, 2025 and May 1, 2025. * 1. Name
Gerald Placeres
* 2. Address
4248 Florence Street
SIMI VALLEY CA 93063
* 3. Phone
(805) 558-5926
* 4. Email
[email protected]
* 5. Are you a resident of Simi Valley?
Yes
* 6. Are you familiar with the Community Projects Grant Program? Yes
6a. If you answered yes to the previous question, please explain your experience with the program.
The only experience that I have is from talking to another member of my neighborhood council * 7a. Do you currently have or have you previously had involvement with any of the non-profit organizations listed below? No
Please note that involvement does not automatically preclude an individual's eligibility to serve on the Review Committee. However, it is necessary to identify involvement with grant applicants up front to ensure that no conflicts of interests exist prior to Review Committee members being appointed.
List of organizations that applied and are being considered for funding are as follows:
About My Father's Business
Body Brain Train
Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark & Simi Valley
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation
Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara
Eagle Vision Outreach
Free Clinic of Simi Valley
Gigi's Playhouse - Simi Valley
Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley
Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association
Many Mansions
Mission Circle International
Royal High School Aquatics Booster Association
Sarah's House
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
Shine Brighter Ministries
Simi Valley Cultural Arts Foundation
Simi Valley Cultural Association
Simi Valley Girls Softball
Simi Valley Hospital Foundation
Simi Valley Library Foundation
Simi Valley Orchestral & Choral Foundation
Southeast Ventura County YMCA
The Samaritan Center
7b. If you answered yes to question no. 7a, please describe your involvement. Indicate the dates and organization. Please provide a description for all applicable organizations.
Page | 1
ATTACHMENT A
3 **SKIPPED**
* 8. Have you previously served on any non-profit organization boards or committees? No
8a. If you answered yes, please list the boards and/or committees you previously served on and the dates served. **SKIPPED**
* 9. Why are you interested in serving as a member of the Community Projects Grant Review Committee? I feel that it is my civic duty to aid non-profits in the city. The city of Simi has been very good to me since I moved here in 1973. Now I am able to help the city and organizations in our city.
The review and recommendation process will require two to three public meetings during the months of April and May. The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for April 17, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. and the second meeting tentatively on May 1, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Meetings will be held at the Simi Valley Public Library Community Room, located at 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Both meetings will range approximately a few hours. * 10. Do you have any concerns with being able to attend the above referenced meetings? No
Page | 2
4 11. Please add any additional information you would like considered. **SKIPPED**
* 12. Applicant's Digital Signature: By entering my name in the box provided, I am submitting my application to serve as a Community Projects Grant Review Committee Member at Large.
Gerald Placeres
Thank you for your interest in serving on the Community Projects Grant Review Committee.
Page | 3
5