96-1335 . - • Council File# ` � (��S
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RESOLUTION a q
\��TY OF SAINT PAUL,MINNE50TA
Presented By:
Referred To: Committee: Date
1 WHEREAS the Bureau of Justice Administration(BJA)has offered the Saint Paul Police Department the
2 opportunity to apply for funding to asaist in the comprehensive solving of a community's problem,and
3
4 WHEREAS,the Saint Paul Police Department(SPPD)wishes to access this funding opportunity with a
5 pmject out of the Thomas/Dale Block Club community,
6
7 THEREFORE BE 1T RESOLVED that the 5aint Paul City Council authorize the SPPD to aubmit a grant
8 appplication to the BJA in the amount of$79,912 for a 5enior Chore Program utilizing at-tisk youth from
9 the community who will be assisted by mentors from the same community.
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eas ays
B�Q� � Requested by D t of:
Bostrom �
Guerin ,/
Harris ✓
Me ard ✓ Y�
�
Rethnan �
Thune ✓ Approval Recommended by B ger Director:
BY:
Adopte y Council:Date: � Fo pprove by �
Ado ion Certified by Co . By: • ' ' ��
�,. �C�� �� �
Approved by Ma or:Date: /p �°���� Appmved by Mayor for S ' sio�Council:
By: By:—,—� ' ���.
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. 398 ��
IOFFICE/COUNCIL P DATE INITIATED G R E E N S H E ET
Saint Paul Police De artment 9/17/96 `��� '�S
CONTACT PERSON 6 PHONE INITIAUDATE INITIAUDATE
DEPAFiTMENT DIRECTOR CITY COUNCIL
Chief William K. Finney A8SION TYATTORNEY �CITYCLERK
MUST BE ON COUNCIL AQENDA BY(DATE) NUMBER FOR ��DIRECTOR �FIN.&MOT.SBRVICEB pIR.
ROUTING
ORDER MAYOR(OR ASSISTANT) �
TOTAL#OF SIGNATURE PAGES (CLIP ALL LOCATIONS FOR SIGNATURE)
ACTION REQUE3TED:
Permission to submit Bureau of Justice Administration grant application.
RECOAAMENDATIONS:Approve(A)or Reject(R) PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS MUST ANSWER THE FOLLOWING OUESTIONS:
_PLANNING COMMISSIQN _ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION �• Has this pe►son/firm ever worked under a contract fo►this depariment7
_CI8 COMMITfEE _ YES NO
2. Has this person/firm ever been a city employee?
_3TAFF — YES NO
_DISTRIC7 COUR7 _ 3. Does this pereon/firm possess a skill not normally possessed by any current city employeel
SUPPORTS WHICH COUI�IL OBJECTIVE4 YES NO
Explaln all yss enswers on ssparat�sheet end attach to�rosn sheat
INITIATINO PROBLEM,ISSUE.OPPORTUNITY(Who,What.WMn,Where,Why):
The Bureau of Justice Administration (BJA) has requested the Saint Paul Police Department
to submit a grant for a neighborhood project which would engage at-risk youth and
strengthen the community.
ADVANTAOES IF APPROVED:
The City of Saint Paul via the Saint Paul Police Department would receive $79,912 for
a project with the Thomas/Dale Block Club where at-risk youth would receive mentoring
and maintenance skills from retired tradespersons in the community to help repair and
maintain senior housing in the community.
RECEI��U
DI3ADVANTACiE3 IF APPROVED:
None S EP 2 5 1996
C��Y A�`T�R�EY
DISADVANTA(3E3 IF NOT APPROVED:
The City of Saint Paul via the Saint Paul POlice Department would not receive $79,912 for
the Thomas/Dale Block Club project.
Co�tnc� ���r�h C�rt��r
OC�" 1 � ���6
TOTAL AMOUNT OF TRAN8ACTION S �9�912 COST/REVENUE BUDGETED(CIRCLE ONE) YES NO
FUNDIWd SOURCE Bureau of Justice Administration pCTIVITY NUMBER
FINANCIAL INFORIi�SAT10N:(EXPLAIN)
• ' • -
ROUTING ORDER:
Below are correct routings for the tive most(requent rypes ot documents:
CONTRACTS(assumes authorized budget exists) COUNCIL RESOLUTION(Amend Budgeta/Accept.Orants)
1. Outside Agency 1. Department Director
2. Department Director 2. Budget Director
3. City Attomey 3. City Attomey
4. Mayor(for contracts over$25,000) 4. MayoNAssistant
5. Human Rights(for contracts over$50,000) 5. Ciy Councl
6. Finance and Management Services Director 6. Chief Accountant,Fin�oe and Management Services
7. Finance Accounting
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS(Budget Revision) COUNCIL RESOLUTION(alt others,and Ordinancea) :
1. Activity Manager L �epartment Director
2. Oepartment Accountant 2. Ciy Attorney
3. Oepartment Director 3. Mayor Assistant
4. Budget Director 4. Ciry Council
5. City Clerk
6. Chief Accountant, Finance and Management Services
ADMINISTAATIVE ORDERS(all others)
1. Department Director
2. City Attorney -
3. Finance and Management Services Director
4. City Clerk
TOTAL NUMBER OF SIGNATURE PAGES
Indicate the�o(pages on which signatures are required and pspercllp or fla�
each of these ps�es.
ACTION REQUESTED
Describe what the projecUrequest seeks to accompBsh in either chronologi-
cal oMer or order of importance,whichever is m�t approp�iate tor the
issue. Do not write complete sentences. Begin each item in your list with
a verb.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Complete if the issue in question has been presented before any body,public
or private.
SUPPORTS WHICH COUNCIL OBJECTIVE?
i�dicate which Council objective(s)your projecUrequest supports by Nsting
the key word(s)(HOUSING, RECREATION, NEIGHBOAHOODS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
BUDGET,SEWER SEPARATION). (SEE COMPLETE LIST IN INSTRUCTIONAL MANUAL.)
PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS:
This information will be used to determine the city's liability for workers compensation claims,taues end proper civil service hiring rules.
INITIATING PROBLEM, ISSUE,OPPORTUNITY
Explain the situation or conditions that created a need for your project
or request.
ADVANTAGES IF APPROVED
Indicate whether this is simply an a�nual budget procedure required by law/
charter or whether there are specific ways in which the City of Saint Paul
and its citizens will benefit irom this projecVaction.
DISAOVANTAGES IF APPROVED
What negative eHects or major changes to existing or past processes might
this project/request produce if it is passed(e.g.,t�affic delays, noise,
tax increases or assessments)?To Whom?When�For how long?
DISADVANTAGES IF NOT APPROVED
What will be the negative consequences it the promised ection is not
approved?Inability to deliver service?Continued high traffic, noise,
accident rate?Loss of revenue?
FINANCIA�IMPACT
Although you must tailor the information you provide here to the issue you
are addressing, in general you must answer two questions:How much is it
going to cost?Who is going to pay?
DEPARTMEfVT OF POLICE
' William K. Finney, Chief of Police �� _'� �
CITY OF SAINT PAUL 100 East Eleventh Street Telephone: 612-291-I1/1
Norm Coleman, Mayor Saint Paul, MN SS10/ Facsimile: 612-292-3711
��Director Nancy Gist
Bureau of Justice Administration
Central Control Desk
633 Indiana Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20531
Dear Ms. Gist,
As per our conversation today regarding the Thomas Dale Block Club Project, I am enclosing a .
proposal on that project. I believe that such a bootstrap operation, having come into existence
only a mere three years ago, is exactly what inner-city communities must do to survive. By
tapping into their own initiative and not waiting for outside help, the Thomas Dale Block Club has
had a record of achievement which the rest of the city, even those neighborhoods which are not in
an inner-city area, should emulate.
I also highly recommend this project for your consideration because it provides for all segments of
the community to interact. The youth with strength can assist the elderly who lack strength. The
elderly with wisdom and experience can assist the youth who need wisdom and experience. The
neighborhood creates its own resources and develops skills within its resources for future
independence.
The Thomas Dale Block Club will provide a 10 % match on this project with the following:
$5,000 City of Saint Paul Star Grant for Senior Chore Assistance
$2,500 United Way Frant for Senior Chore Assistance
$ 600 In-kind for 10% of the Executive Director's Time on this Project
$8,100 Total
Thank you for this opportunity to suggest a proposal which evidences all the positive aspects of
community oriented policing. If there is anything further you need, do not hesitate to call upon
myself, y s or the Thomas Dale Block Club.
Sinc rel ,
Willia K. Finney,
Chief of Police
cc: Johnny Howard, Ex tive Director
Thomas Dale Bl ck C b
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COMMUNITY STATEMENT
The Thomas Dale Block Club is an area within the City of Saint Paul which is located within a
larger community known as Frogtown, so named for the concentration of original french settlers
residing there. The neighborhood now houses significant African Americans (17.9%) and
Southeast Asians (26.6%)descendants.' The City of Saint Paul has divided its neighborhoods into
seventeen District Planning Councils. The Thomas Dale Block Club is contained within District
Planning Council7. These District Councils act as a neighborhood forum and conduit with the
more formal structures of city government. The above cited 1990 Census data has been
segmented along the District Planning Council boundaries and contrasts between the differing
neighborhoods of the city are easily discernible.
The Thomas Dale Block Club is bounded by Lexington Avenue on the West, University Avenue
on the South, Western Avenue on the East and Pierce Butler Road on the North. The area
contains 96 residential blocks. The geography is flat when compared to other parts of the city, �
and there is no river or body of water contained within it. Due to this lack of distinctive
geographic characteristics, Thomas Dale at times seems larger than it is to non-residents because
of the unrestricted flow of housing into District 11 to the West and District 6 to the North.
Census data shows a picture of Thomas Dale which concerns the residents. The housing stock of
the Thomas Dale Block Club is modest and old. The median year for construction of all housing
structures in the area is 1939. This is the oldest in the city. There is no new construction. There
is little to no investment in the existing structures. The percentage of home ownership is at 43%,
one of the lowest in the city. The home-ownership to rental ratio is a prime indicator of a
neighborhood which is under stress. Additionally, there are 509 vacant structures within the
area.2 Thomas Dale also experiences the lowest median income in the city at $20,252 compared
to $33,818 for the city average.3
An area which links together several indicia of stress, such as older housing stock, rental,
vacancies and low family income will also show consistency with other stress indicators such as
the incidence of particular crimes. Thomas Dale is no exception. Part I and II Offenses, shown
below, show Part I Offenses at a 42.4% difference from the city-wide average and Part II at a
94% difference from the city-wide average.4 .
1 Saint Paul Planning Districts, 1990 Census Data. Saint Paul City Council Research,
1991, page 1.
2 Ibid, Page 45.
3 Ibid, page 25.
4 Saint Paul Police Department, Research and Development Unit.
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1995 Part I Ot�'enses:
Thomas/Dale City-Wide
Per Capita Per Capita
Homicide .2 .1
Rape 1.5 .9
Robbery 10.4 3.7
Agg Assault 13.0 5.0
Res Burglary 15.5 11.9
Com Burglary 4.9 3.2
Theft 42.5 41.5
Auto Theft 16.5 8.6
Arson 3.9 1.2
Total 108.4 76.1
1995 Part II Offenses:
Thomas/Dale City-Wide
Per Capita Per Capita
Other Assault 34.8 18.4
Forgery 2.0 1.5
Fraud 1.4 2.5
Embezzlement .0 .0
Stolen Property .04 .02
Vandalism 29.1 18.3
Weapons 6.6 .8
Prostitution 4.6 .6
Other Sex 2.6 2.
Drug Violations 17.1 3.9
Gambling .1 .O 1
Offense Against Family 21.6 4.5
DWI 4.0 1.7
Liquor Laws 1.8 1.2
Disorderly Conduct 1.6 1.1
All Other 23.0 20.8
Total 150.7 77.6
Note the high incident of assault, vandalism, drug and family offenses.
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NEEDS STATEMENT
The Thomas Dale Block Club (TDBC)was formed in 1990 by the current Executive Director,
Johnny Howard along with another resident, Les Banett. Together they formulated the
structure, geographic area and focus of the 501(c)(3) agency. The mission of the TDBC is"To
develop a sense of pride in and for the Thomas-Dale community". Over the past six years, TDBC
has grown and cunently has over 800 resident members. Within TDBC there are 67 individual
block clubs. TDBC holds several annual events including an annual flower give-away.
TDBC focuses on the needs of the community: the housing, the elderly, and the overall safety.
These goals are transmitted into projects designed to improve the appearance of the
neighborhood, to assist the elderly as they maintain their homes, and to engage the youth of the
neighborhood and instill in them a sense of community interdependence.
Executive Director Howard believes that the solutions to the neighborhood's problems are .
contained within the resources of the community. A prime example of this is the 4-Seasons
Project. This project started in 1993 as a volunteer effort to clean up vacant lots within the
community. It has evolved into a vigorous endeavor which includes the following hallmarks of
success:
• 5 FTE positions
• 2 FTE positions for youth
• 15 summer jobs for youth
• Mechanic hired to maintain equipment
• City contract to maintain vacant lots throughout the city
• Grass cutting, tree, hedge and shrub trimming and debris clean up
• Over thirty garages painted
• Demolition of two unsafe garages
• Thirty regular customers beyond the city contract
� Retaining wall repair and construction
• Planning for masonry apprenticeships for summer of 1997
The 4-Seasons has been successful because the residents of the TDBC refusal to acquiesce and
give up to the community's problems. Most of all, the successful program was conceived,
implemented and maintained by resources and talents within the area. The evolution of the
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program shows the determination of the residents and harnesses that strength for problem solving
in other areas.
The needs of the community are like any other community, except that there is a lack of economic
investment available. When a community has the lowest per family income in the city, there are
no extra dollars for housing fix-up, for in-fill housing or for all the other maintenance costs
associated with normal living in older housing stock. A concunent trait of a lower-
socioeconomic community is the particular plight of the elderly. Unable to maintain their
residences they are in need of special attention. As people age they tend to find their circle of
fi-iends and family diminished. The isolation of the elderly is a serious problem. Unable to
maintain their homes and lacking the ability to develop resources, they are in great need of
assistance from a caring community.
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PROJECT OVERVIEW
TDBC proposes to link the needs of the elderly with the needs of at-risk youth in developing a
program which would train youth to repair and maintain basic housing needs. This project would
go beyond lawn cutting, shrub trimming and leaf raking. It would develop the skills of the youth
by having skilled mentors interact and direct the youth in this project.
With the success of the 4-Seasons Project, TDBC will use this successful endeavor as the base
for this next phase in the community empowerment model. The senior/youth project would
include the following components:
• Seniors would be contacted for an analysis of their needs, including lawn cutting, shrub
trimming, garden planting, sidewalk shoveling, painting, stair repair, etc. The program
would focus on projects outside the home so that a feeling of security and lack of
wlnerability(on both sides)would be safeguarded. �
• Mentors, tradespeople, both retired and volunteers, would mentor the at-risk youth on the
particular job. The experience of the TDBC's 4-Season Project gives them the knowledge
that the area has many resources within it. By utilizing the expertise of either retired or of
younger artisans who want to contribute, mentoring will be a hands on opportunity to
share their knowledge with the younger generation. For some of the senior volunteers, a
stipend will demonstrate to them their ongoing value in the community.
• At-risk youth is a resource which the community must harness. TDBC believes that it is
possible to deter a youth from the attractions of drugs, violence and gangs by offering an
investment in their community which is prized. TDBC believes that self respect and a
sense of community is more powerful and longer lasting than the immediate high of drugs
or the safety in numbers feeling which the gang promotes. By giving the youth a stipend,
by training them in a marketable skill, and most of all, by giving them a sense of identity
and belonging, the project will be a powerful example of what individuals can do in
adverse situations by refusing to give up and by turning a challenge into an opportunity.
• Materials for some of the projects would be available from the TDBC so that
impoverished elderly homeowners would be able to maintain a sense of pride and
involvement in their community.
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BUDGET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE
Personnel
$ 5,720 for.25FTE Youth Worker at$11/hour
$ 5,200 for.25FTE Gang Specialist at$10/hour
$10,400 for.SOFTE for Youth Program Assistant at$10/hour
$ 6,000 for Ezecutive Director Program Coordination @$20/hoar
$27,320 total for personnel
The .25FTE Youth Worker will focus on identifying and interacting with at-risk youth in the
community. At-risk youth will be invited into the Leadership Training Program and to work on
the seniors fix-up project. Other funding is being sought to expand this into a full time position..
The .25FTE Gang Specialist will be a person who will be able to interact with gang members and •
to invite them to become a positive asset to the community. This requires a specialized individual
and, again, other funding is being sought to expand this position.
The .SOFTE Youth Program Assistant will work with the Executive Director in coordinating the
Youth Program and team working with the Youth Worker and the Gang Specialist.
The Executive Director of the TDBC will provide overall coordination of this program.
Fringe Benefits
$2,732 @ 10% fringe rate
The employee fringe rate at the TDBC is 10%.
Travel
There is no travel anticipated for the program.
Equipment/Supplies
$ 3,600 for rent, phone utilities
$ 5,000 for senior houses
$13,400 for 67 block captains for organizing tools
(lights, signs, meetings, events)
$10,000 for program costs for leadership training academy, after school mentoring,
debate
$ 5,360 for training materials for 67 block captains
$ 7,500 for crime prevention hardware for block clubs
$44,860 total for equipment/supplies
►
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The staffing additions to the TDBC accounts for an increase in phone, utilities and space
allocation, at $300/monthly for the twelve month period.
$5,000 will be reserved for paint, hardware, wood and other construction needs for the senior fix-
up project.
There are 96 blocks within the Thomas Dale area. The goal would be to maintain existing and to
add to the block clubs so that two thirds or 67 block clubs are in existence and functioning well.
A stipend of$200 per block club would provide basic essentials for organizing such as flyers,
meeting refreshments, events, etcetera. $13,400.
The Leadership Training Academy for the at-risk youth has necessary costs, such as after school
mentoring products, debate organizing costs, political education and awareness costs, and other
program supplies. $10,000
The TDBC provides training for its block club members. Meetings, training materials and
refreshments for 67 block clubs @ $80 per club for a twelve month period equals $5360.
Basic crime prevention hardware for block clubs, which is recyclable and necessary for the
individual block club captains and members. Cellular telephones for patrol functions, light
sensitive tools for night vision, pagers and other paraphernalia which will allow the block club
members to proceed safely as they go about their assignments. $7500.
Construction
There are no construction costs anticipated in this program.
Consultants/Contracts
$ 5,000 for Youth stipends
There will be an incentive stipend for the at-risk youth who participate in the program with the
senior fix-up project. This reserved fund will be for that purpose.
Other
Total
$79,912
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EVALUATION
TDBC proposes to evaluate the project by several methods:
• Seniors involved in project recording observations and outcomes via a satisfaction survey
• Mentors involved in project recording observations and outcomes via a satisfaction survey
� Youth involved in project recording observations and outcomes via a satisfaction survey
• Oversight Committee comprised of Saint Paul Police Department(SPPD) personnel and
TDBC staff serving in an administration capacity. The Oversight Committee will develop
the project and make adjustments as needed during the expenditure of the funds. SPPD
personnel will include Lieutenant 7ohn Vomastek of the SPPD Western Division Office
which includes the Thomas Dale neighborhood; Inspector poug Holtz of the Chiefls �
Administration Office; and Laura Klapperich of the SPPD Research and Development
Unit. TDBC staffwill include Johnny Howard and the to be hired Coordinator of the
project.
• Analysis of daytime crime statistics to ascertain effectiveness of program in engaging at-
risk youth in constructive use of time.