Prescott CDBG advisory committee approves 2025 funding recommendations, reallocates $15,000 to ADA restroom

The City of Prescott Citizens Advisory Committee voted March 19 to approve recommendations for the city’s 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) awards, reallocating $15,000 to increase funding for an Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible restroom and approving funding amounts for six construction and public-service projects pending HUD’s final allocation.

Committee members approved a package that increases the City of Prescott parks and recreation project for an ADA-accessible restroom at the Community Nature Center to $50,000 and finalizes funding for Meals on Wheels, Agape House, Boys and Girls Club, Prescott Community Cupboard and Launch Pad. Michael Meggins, the city’s CDBG coordinator in Community Development, told the committee the panel used an estimated HUD allocation of $250,000 and budget rules that reserve 20% for administration and cap public service at 15%.

The vote implements several earlier subcommittee recommendations but also reflects the full committee’s adjustments after discussion. Meggins explained the committee was working from an estimate because “we don't have a number from HUD yet” and that HUD typically notifies allocations in March or April. He also emphasized regulatory limits: “we cannot reward applicants more than they requested.”

Most of the meeting was devoted to construction project allocations, which the committee said are common uses of CDBG funds for municipalities. The committee discussed and then approved the following allocations (amounts are what the committee voted to recommend for the city’s Annual Action Plan; final awards depend on HUD’s confirmed total): - City of Prescott (ADA restroom, Community Nature Center): $50,000. The project had requested $75,000 and listed $3,000 from another source; the committee moved $15,000 from a separate city project to increase the restroom allocation. - Meals on Wheels (kitchen equipment): $15,500. The applicant requested $23,430 and reported $3,200 in matching funds; the subcommittee had recommended $11,750 before the committee added more from the available pot. - Agape House (transitional housing HVAC and construction): $22,750. The applicant requested $24,800 and reported $5,540 in matching funds; the subcommittee initially recommended $19,000. - Boys and Girls Club (safety fencing and site improvements): $35,000. The applicant requested $100,000; the subcommittee and full committee limited award to $35,000 toward the fence. - Prescott Community Cupboard (food bank construction): $25,000. The applicant requested $25,000 and listed matching funds. - Launch Pad (parking lot replacement and ADA access): $16,750 (applicant requested $30,600; subcommittee recommended $16,750).

Committee members repeatedly discussed whether municipal infrastructure projects should receive CDBG construction funds. John Perez, a CAC member, expressed hesitation about awarding CDBG money to city infrastructure, noting the city itself is a taxing entity: “I hesitate to say that we should give money to the City of Prescott to do something that's already mandated by federal law.” Other members said partial CDBG funding often serves as seed money that helps leverage other grants and that construction projects typically have up to three years to complete work and expend funds.

The committee handled conflicts of interest by recusal: Jim Howell recused himself from votes affecting Meals on Wheels because he volunteers there; Ginger Cutting also stepped aside from that discussion because she had been a past Meals on Wheels board member. The committee discussed the subcommittee rankings and kept $7,500 in an adjustment pot while it walked through construction requests; that pot was later split between Meals on Wheels and Agape House.

Before the final vote, committee member Ginger Cutting moved to transfer $15,000 from a city flood mitigation line item to the ADA restroom project; that motion was seconded, voted on and approved by the committee. John Perez then proposed splitting the $7,500 adjustment pot evenly between Meals on Wheels and Agape House; that proposal was seconded and incorporated into the final package. The full, revised package was moved and seconded by committee members and approved in a recorded vote; Jim Howell did not participate in the final construction vote because of his recusal.

Meggins reminded the committee that these are recommendations for the city’s Annual Action Plan and that the city must wait for HUD’s formal allocation. He also said the city will present the draft Annual Action Plan (and the consolidated plan) to the committee before sending it to City Council for final approval, likely in June, and that construction projects generally have three years to complete work and expend funds.

Committee members asked staff for additional follow-up materials in future meetings: a five-year recap of prior awards and project status, the full applicant spreadsheet in advance so members can manipulate numbers while discussing, and a review of the ranking criteria to improve scoring clarity for next year. Meggins agreed to provide an update on expenditures and to bring application spreadsheets and ranking-sheet review to future meetings.