HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - April 15, 2020 Public Comment_-l>A letter was received via email at councilcomments@lodi.gov (filed) and read into the record from
Martin Ross, Executive Director of Ready to Work and former Captain of the Salvation Army in
Lodi, announcing his return to the Lodi area and his new role with Ready to Work. Further, he
thanked the Community Development Block Grant Citizens Review Committee for recommending
Ready to Work to the City Council for funding approval.
E. Comments bv the Citv Council Members on Non-Aqenda ltems
Mayor Pro Tempore Nakanishi commented that Lodi is now in the fourth week of the stay-at-
home order, and he thanked the City Manager and department heads for their long hours of work
and the citizens of Lodi for their compliance with the order. He further stated that the curve is
flattening and that we will get through this together.
Council Member Mounce concurred with Mayor Pro Tempore Nakanishi. She thanked City
Manager Schwabauer for the open meeting with employees and stated she thinks employees
have done an amazing job under unusual circumstances. Council Member Mounce also thanked
lnformation Technology Manager Benjamin Buecher for putting together the virtual meeting so
the Council has the opportunity to comply with social distancing while still getting the City's work
done.
Council Member Chandler concurred with the other comments
Mayor Kuehne thanked Adventist Health for taking a proactive approach to the coronavirus; there
have been 21 citizens with the virus, but the death toll is pretty low and the curve is flattening; he
praísed Daniel Walcott's leadership during the pandemic. He further praised the work of the City
Attorney and the Police Department in dealing with a local church's noncompliance with social
distancing. He noted that he had done interviews with NPR and CNN on this topic and referred
back to the fact that the City is here to educate rather than be punitive. He praised the City
Manager for disseminating information to staff and for the tough decisions he has to make; he
further thanked Public lnformation Officer Jeff Hood for getting information out and Deputy City
Manager Andrew Keys for taking a proactive approach to maintaíning both services and a healthy
budget. He stated he is proud of Lodi's staff.
F. Comments bv the Citv Manaqer on Non-Aqenga ltems
City Manager Schwabauer commented that he was wearing his "Love Lodi" shirt tonight and that
the letter from Martin Ross was timely as he had founded Love Lodi, and that he was thrilled to
have Mr. Ross back in the community. He further noted that while the Love Lodi event was
cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he encouraged the citizens of Lodi to continue to be a
blessing in the community this weekend.
G. Public Hearinqs
G-1 Public Hearino to Consider Adoptins Resolution Approvinq Draft 2020-21 Annual Action
Plan for the Communitv Development Block Grant (CDBG) Proqram (CD)
Notice thereof having been published according to law, an affidavit of which publication is on file
in the office of the City Clerk, Mayor Kuehne called for the public hearing to consider adopting
resolution approving draft2020-21 Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) Program.
CDBG Program Administrator Patrice Clemons provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the
draft Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan. Specific topics of
7
REAt]Y TO W{JRK
ffi
"Changing Lives Through Work"
119 E. Weber Ave., Stockton , CA 95202 (Main Office)
999 W. Mathews Road, French Camp, CA 95231 (Facility)
www. readytoworksjc.org
Tax lD# 81-4884572
April14,2O2O
Re: Ready ïo Work's City of Lodi CDGB Grant Approval Request Public Comment for
the City Council Meeting (April 15,2020)
Dear Honorable Mayor Doug Kuehne, Mayor Pro Tempore Alan Nakanishi, and Council
Members Mark Chandler and JoAnne Mounce:
It is with great pleasure to announce that I (Martin Ross, formerly Captain in Lodi, and
Major in Sacramento and Seattle up until about 1.5 months ago with The Salvation Army,
all in good standing) am glad to be back working in the area serving the San Joaquin
County (Lodi and its many other cities and communities) as the new Executive Director
of Ready To Work (RTW)! I have personally greeted the Mayor and City Manager Steve
Schwabauer at the past Lodi Committee on Homelessness meeting in Lodi and hope to
see all of you again in person someday soon.
I also want to thank the CDGB "Citizens Review Committee" for recommending RTW to
the City Council for funding approval. RTW will utilize the funds well, as we have in the
past, to meet the grant proposal's objectives through our Lodi Employment And Support
Effort (LEASE), which would directly employ clients of Ready to Work, several who are
from Lodi, in an effort to clean up areas of blight, dumped refuse, and other "hot spots" in
the City of Lodi. This grant would also provide the support services necessary to provide
shelter and support to homeless individuals, many who are also from Lodi. The individuals
hired by this project would receive a direct benefit of employment, as the participating
clients typically are not previously employed, are not eligible for welfare, and have
extremely limited means to become productive members of society. This direct
employment is the foundation of RTW's effort to help create pathways to earned income
and self-sufficiency for homeless men, while also benefitting the entire community of Lodi.
We are thankful to be part of the efforts to continue to make Lodi "livable and lovable"!
On mission,
Martin Ross
Executive Director
Ready To Work
209-518-6275