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TRUMPET TIDBITS

Section: Business

TRUMPET TIDBITS
NPN's weekly e-newsletter
October 21, 2008

Neighborhoods Partnership Network:
making every New Orleans neighborhood
a great place to live.

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Register today for NPN's Introduction to Grantwriting Workshop!




City Council Meeting Ends in Discord, Delay
Last Thursday, October 16, a City Council meeting was held to address the issue of the $5 million in economic development grants that were appropriated for the fiscal year 2007.

During the more than four hours of debate, council members derided their colleagues and the grant process as "irresponsible," "shameful," and an "embarrassment." At one point, council members Cynthia Willard-Lewis, Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, and Shelly Midura stormed out of the room to prevent a quorum; later, an angry restaurateur looking for financial aid from the plan was forcibly ejected from the room.

The pool of property tax revenue dedicated to the city's 2007 Economic Development Fund was supposed to be distributed last year, but Mayor Nagin's advisory team never met to review the applications, nor did they put forward the cost-benefit and return-on-investment analysis as required by a law passed last year. Instead, Nagin submitted an executive order in the emergency period after Gustav, effectively bypassing the committee selection process and forwarding his choices for the recipients directly to the council.

"While speakers on all sides acknowledged that the grant process was flawed," according to the Times-Picayune, "Willard-Lewis and Hedge-Morrell argued fervently that the 20 local businesses and nonprofits in line for money under Nagin's recommendations should not be punished for City Hall's errors."

In the end, the council voted 5-2 against distributing the funds. After another hour of debate, they unanimously decided to defer further action until December 18; the council directed recovery chief Ed Blakely, who along with Mayor Nagin came under much criticism during the meeting, to provide a cost-benefit analysis of each application by that time.

Much of the council's frustration centered on the difficult position they had been put in by the administration. President Jackie Clarkson said she was "resentful and offended" that the Council had "not been held in higher regard." The ultimate decision to delay the distribution of funds has obvious adverse consequences for the local businesses and nonprofits in line to receive the money. From another angle, however - and perhaps only if one overlooks the antagonism that characterized the meeting - the council's refusal to allocate the money without following due process can be interpreted as a clear condemnation of the administration's bypass of protocol, and as a step towards increased transparency in government.




NEWS and GRANTS

New Orleans Speaks: We are the Ones that We've Been Waiting For
Saturday, October 25th | Kirschman Hall, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Drive
The New Orleans Speaks Symposium will highlight lessons learned by community members who have been instrumental in New Orleans' rebuilding efforts. Their lectures will include stories of personal and community recovery, present visions for urban renaissance, and identify targeted resources communities need to bring to bring their visions from concept to completion.

Fall Trumpet Available Soon!
Just in time for Halloween, NPN's September/October issue of The Trumpet is filled with articles about relevant initiatives that New Orleans residents cannot afford to ignore. Whether it's our "Yea/Nay" discussion of the Master Plan, our bios of the new NPN Board, or our analysis of the striking documentary Trouble the Water, this issue will provide readers an in-depth understanding of not only what's happening in NPN, but in all of New Orleans. And as always, it's not too late to start submitting stories and photos for our end of the year issue and beyond! Email thetrumpet@npnnola.com.

Home Depot to Accept Housing Grants Impact Program Application
Deadline: December 15, 2008




UPCOMING EVENTS

Newest New Orleanians' Breakfast with the Mayor
October 23 | Gallier Hall, 545 St. Charles Ave. | 8 a.m.

Welcome Back Home New Orleans East!
October 25 | Joe Brown Park | 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
For information, contact Cheryl Diggins at 504.715.1217

City Council Hearings on 2009 Proposed Budget
Beginning November 5 | City Council Chamber

BOARD OFFICERS

Register Now
Exec. Director:
Timolynn Sams

Chair: Julius Lee
Vice Chair: Victor Gordon
Treasurer: Patricia Jones
Secretary: Nikki Najiola

NPN Board Members 2008-2009 Click Here

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FUNDER LINKS

Blue Moon Fund
Rockafeller Philanthropy Advisers
Greater New Orleans Foundation
Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation






BECOME A MEMBER OF NPN TODAY!

Member benefits include:

20% discount on advertisements in The Trumpet
Discounted entrance to NPN's Capacity College Workshops and Events
A free copy of the NPN Best Practices Binder
Participation in Crescent City Celebration, a series of events designed to highlight neighborhoods and offer opportunities connect with peer organizations.
Participation in NPN's Member Committees
Click here to become a member or email meghan@npnnola.com to find out more

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