AmeriCorps ContractTHE CITY OF
DUB E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MEMORANDUM
October 30, 2007
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Application for AmeriCorps Program Funding
Housing and Community Development Department Director David Harris recommends
City Council authorization of an application to the Corporation for National and
Community Service and the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service for Partners in
Learning AmeriCorps Program funding for the September 1, 2008 through August 31,
2009 grant year. This application would renew the grant for the AmeriCorps Program,
with the City of Dubuque continuing to serve as applicant and administrative agency,
beginning in September 2008, for athree-year term.
The City, as grantee, serves two principal functions. One is administrative over-sight
and personnel supervision, assigned to the Housing and Community Development
Department Director. The second is accounting and fiscal management under Finance
Director Ken TeKippe. This renewal application proposes that the Housing and
Community Development and the Finance staff each commit 0.03 FTE time to the
project. It is further proposed that additional staffing includes a 0.10 FTE accounting
clerk, 0.05 FTE budget officer and a 0.05 FTE secretary. These will be provided by the
City as in-kind matching contributions.
Penny Ehlinger will remain as Program Director, three quarter-time; Beverly Berna will
continue to provide support services, under the new title of Intermediary Coordinator, at
0.25 FTE (quarter-time.) Beverly will perform the same functions in this capacity as she
has done the previous eight years of funded AmeriCorps activities. Both Penny and
Beverly are being paid from Corporation grant funds.
The Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program would have 53 (16 FTE) grant funded
positions for 2008-09 AmeriCorps Members (volunteers). Dubuque County Extension
will continue to provide volunteer training and educational curriculum and resources.
The Program Director provides site monitoring, orientation and training of site
supervisors and evaluation of all volunteers.
A final key partner in this proposal is the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque,
which is committing leadership from its Executive Director at 0.03 FTE as an in-kind
contribution. In collaboration with Mississippi Valley Promise, and the Every Child
Every Promise initiative, this partnership will provide visioning, community engagement
and strategic planning to achieve the mission of the AmeriCorps Program.
Dubuque's Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program has served for eight years as a
model for other Iowa tutoring programs. This new collaboration between Dubuque
County Extension, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and the City of
Dubuque will strengthen and expand the AmeriCorps program. In particular, this
proposal has been designed to address the needs of a growing at-risk population of
underserved and disadvantaged children, youth and families.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
,~ ~
~~, ~---
Mich el C. Van Milligen
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
David Harris, Housing and Community Development Department Director
Gil Spence, Leisure Services Manager
Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist
Nancy Van Milligen, President and CEO, Community Foundation of Greater
Dubuque
Penny Ehlinger, Program Director, Americorps
Beverly Berna, Intermediary Coordinator, AmeriCorps
THE CITY OF
Dui E
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
29 October 07
MEMORANDUM
To: Mich~I an Milligen, City Manager
``a
From: David arris, Housing and Community Development Department
Re: Application for AmeriCorps Program funding
Introduction
The purpose of this memorandum is to request the City Council's approval of a
renewal application to the Corporation for National and Community Service for
Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program funding.
Discussion
The local AmeriCorps Program has been funded since 2000. The program is
staffed by Beverly Berna, Extension Families Specialist; and Penny Ehlinger,
Director. The application would renew the grant for the program, with the City of
Dubuque continuing to serve as applican# and administrative agency, beginning
in September 2008, for athree-year term.
The City, as grantee, serves two principal functions. One is administrative over-
sight and personnel supervision, assigned to the Housing and Community
Development Department Director. The second is accounting and fiscal
management under Finance Director Ken TeKippe. This renewal application
proposes that the Housing and Community Development and the Finance staff
each commit 0.03 FTE time to the project. It is further proposed that additional
staffing includes a 0.10 FTE accounting clerk, 0.05 FTE budget officer and a 0.05
FTE secretary. These will be provided by the City as in-kind matching
contributions.
Penny Ehlinger will remain as Program Director, three quarter-time; Beverly
Berna will cx~ntinue to provide support services, under the new title of
Intermediary Coordinator, at 0.25 FTE (quarter-time.) Beverly will perform the
same functions in this capacity as she has done the previous eight years of
funded AmeriCorps activities. Both Penny and Beverly are being paid from
Corporation grant funds.
The Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program would have 53 (16 FTE) grant
funded positions for 2008-09 AmeriCorps Members (volunteers). Dubuque
County Extension will continue to provide volunteer training and educational
curriculum and resources. The Program Director provides site monitoring,
orientation and training of site supervisors and evaluation of all volunteers.
A final key partner in this proposal is the Community Foundation of Greater
Dubuque, which is committing leadership from its Executive Director at 0.03 FTE
as an in-kind contribution. In collaboration with Mississippi Valley Promise, and
the Every Child Every Promise initiative, this partnership will provide visioning,
community engagement and strategic planning to achieve the mission of the
AmeriCorps Program.
Recommendation
Dubuque's Partners in Leaming AmeriCorps Program has served for eight years
as a model for other Iowa tutoring programs. This new collaboration between
Dubuque County Extension, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and
the City of Dubuque will strengthen and expand the AmeriCorps program. In
particular, this proposal has been designed to address the needs of a growing at-
risk population of underserved and disadvantaged children, youth and families.
Action Step
The action requested of the City Council is to approve the attached resolution,
authorizing application to the Corporation for National and Community Service
and the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service for Partners in Leaming
AmeriCorps Program funding for the September 1, 2008 through August 31,
2009, grant year.
RESOLUTION NO. 541 -07
A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN APPLICATION TO THE
CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR
AMERICORPS PROGRAM FUNDING
WHEREAS, the City of Dubuque has an opportunity to provide needed
funding and services for the benefit of our underserved and disadvantaged
children and youth through a partnership and collaboration with the Dubuque
County Extension Services and the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque;
and
WHEREAS, an application to the Corporation for National and Community
Service for AmeriCorps Program funding has been prepared, for a second year
of a three-year renewable (annual) grant beginning in September 2008.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. That the Mayor is authorized and directed to execute an
application to the Corporation for National and Community Service for
participation in the Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program.
Section 2. That the City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to
forward said application and resulting standard executed contract as required by
the Corporation for National and Community Service.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of November, 2007.
Roy D Buol, Mayor
Attest:
Jeanne Schneider, CMC, City Clerk