Agenda - 05-21-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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7 1 Patric LeBeau said the intention is to design the space to the level of a commercial 2 kitchen and if inspection is required, it will be done. 3 John Roberts said he was not aware that there was a commercial kitchen here and so 4 the draft agreement will need to be re-written. 5 6 PUBLIC COMMENT: 7 Ree Ree Wei lives in Phoenix Place and said her parents purchased their home from 8 Habitat for Humanity after first living in an overcrowded basement apartment with no safe place 9 to play. She said that when the family first moved to Phoenix Place, the RENA Community 10 Center allowed the children in her family to be involved in computer classes, tutoring, leadership 11 training, and food distribution. She said that some of the activities continued after the center 12 closed, and that she wants the new community center to open. She noted the financial 13 difficulties that her parents have in paying for afterschool programs and summer camps. She 14 said that the community center would provide these things for her family and asked for the 15 Board for help. 16 David Caldwell asked the people from the Rogers Road community to please stand up 17 and he thanked everyone who has assisted with this p 'ect. 10 Jennifer Prater lives in Phoenix Place and said she is here to give an example of how 19 important this center will be. She said there is need for a place for the neighborhood parents 20 and children to meet. She said this is what the community center will be used for, and it is 21 important. She thanked everyone for expediting this process. 22 Felicia VVeaver, also a resident of Phoenix Plmoe, said that RENA welcomed her with 23 open arms. She said when she first moved there, the then existing community center provided 24 activities and classes for her children, as well as the neighborhood parents. She said there is a 25 need for a community meeting facility as well as for after school programs and activities for the 26 children. 27 Pam Hemmingerurged the Board to keep this pr ject on the fast track. She noted that 28 the site has been cleared and said that there are good reasons to approve this quickly. She 29 said the desire is to have the center opened before the summer of 2014. She noted that there 30 was no center last summer and there will not be one this summer; and she said that without on- 31 going programs, both social and educational, the children go lacking. She said she has been 32 working with several groups on a business plan to make this site successful, both financially 33 and operationally. She said it would be great if the county could break ground before the 34 Landfill closes in July 2013. 35 Commissioner McKee said these comments are why he has pushed this community 36 center forward and it is heartening to see it coming to fruition. He encouraged the Board to 37 move this p ject forward and to approve all of the manager's recommendations. 38 Commissioner Rich asked Patric LeBeau to step forward. She said that he is doing this 39 work pro bono. She said the task force put pressure on him to give estimates even before 40 plans were finalized and he pulled through every time. She wanted to recognize him for his 41 dedication. She said there had been discussions about Chapel Hill waiving some of the 42 permitting fees. 43 Jeff Thompson said he met with Chapel Hill staff last week and was told that all of the 44 fees would be waived, but he is hoping to get this in writing. 45 Frank Clifton said it would be best to formalize this in a written letter. 46 Chair Jacobs said he was under the impression that the town had done this and he did 47 write a letter to Mayor Kleinschmidt to see if this was the case. There has not been a response 48 back, but Chair Jacobs agreed that it is good policy to get it all in writing. 49 Commissioner Dorosin asked who did the clearing of the site and how it was paid for.