Selectmen pursue Block Grant in spite of disgruntled Planning Board

Date: 6/21/2011

June 20, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

EAST LONGMEADOW — The Board of Selectmen recently signed a letter of intent regarding the Community Development Block Grant, according to Selectman James Driscoll.

The grant is specifically designed to address community development needs in low-income areas. Representatives of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) explained the grant's purpose to the board at their May 31 meeting, leaving the board excited about the potential benefits of such a program.

"We're anxiously waiting to find out what resources will be afforded us," Driscoll said. "This is a needs-based grant that is paid for with non-taxpayer dollars for below average income areas. It's very flexible and its uses can be very imaginative."

Driscoll used sidewalk repair and construction as an example of a kind of community development the town could use the grant towards.

Not everyone is pleased, however.

Planning Board Director Robyn Macdonald told Reminder Publications that while the Board of Selectmen's May 31 meeting was supposed to be a joint session, the Planning Board was largely ignored in this process. Therefore, the Planning Board has remained in the dark as to what their role may be should East Longmeadow receive grant funding through this program.

"As the Board of Selectmen did not ask the Planning Board for their input at the joint meeting, the Planning Board has not discussed the program at all. It was their intention to do so at the May 31st meeting with the selectmen, however, that did not happen," she said. "Consequently, I have no idea what my role or that of the Planning Board might be in going forward with this grant. It is my understanding that PVPC was going to 'do it all,' but we shall see."

Macdonald said the Planning Board had concerns about not having a plan for the specific use of whatever grant money is received, stating the selectmen's direction seemed "vague."

She also said the town would be entering dangerous waters by labeling neighborhoods and communities within the town as "low-income."

"I can tell you that the Planning Board has legitimate questions and concerns that need to be addressed with regard to the 'target areas' and the fact that these 'target areas' will be designated as low- to moderate-income concerns the board members' sense of ethics in labeling people unfairly," she said. "It is clear that the money can only be used for projects that will benefit low- to moderate-income households, i.e., if sidewalk projects were undertaken, 51 percent of the homes on that street would have to meet this criteria.

"This could be embarrassing and the Planning Board does not want to part of anything that is going to embarrass the residents," Macdonald continued.

Driscoll acknowledged the delicate nature of such a designation, but stressed that the term "low-income" takes on many forms, including a large part of the senior population.

"That is a concern of ours as well, but we have subsidized communities in this town, particularly senior communities and this has been a great service provided for the town," he said. "A great deal of those people have below average incomes because their income is based purely on Social Security.

"I don't see this being a question of labeling anyone. It's a program created for people in financial need. We're not going to put it in neon lights or anything," he continued.