Opinion

Kane's development program in order

Posted October 14, 2008 11:00 pm

A recent letter to the editor written by members of the League of Women Voters of Geneva/St. Charles and the League of Women Voters of Batavia contained several items that were not accurate. As chairman of Kane County's Community Development Commission, I want to correct one of these inaccuracies and encourage the League of Women Voters to avail themselves of county officials and staff to discuss their concerns before publishing false information.

In addition to their letter to the editor, members of the League made comments at several public meetings voicing their concerns about the "accessibility and transparency" of the Community Development Program. The county made numerous offers to meet with these members to discuss their concerns, but they have not been accepted.

Their comments at these meetings and their letters referenced the CDBG Reform Act of 2006 and requested that the county's program meet certain requirements of this act, implying Kane County is not in compliance with federal regulations. The CDBG Reform Act of 2006 was never passed by Congress and is not in effect.

For citizens and agencies not familiar with Community Development Program, Kane County is eligible to apply for federal money made available through the Community Development Block Grant program. These funds may be used for a variety of activities primarily benefiting people of low and moderate income. Government agencies and nonprofits apply for funds usually from early November to mid January. Applications are reviewed by the Community Development Commission, which makes recommendations to the county board.

Along with the federal funds Kane County receives through the CDBG program there are extensive requirements in place. County staff ensures the county's administration of these funds is in compliance with all HUD and other federal requirements. They also work to determine eligibility of projects and assist groups in the annual application cycle. This process was combined this past year with the application process for the county's riverboat fund program, providing for even greater public and agency awareness of the finding opportunities available through Kane County.

If you're interested in learning more about the CDBG program, call Mark VanKerkhoff at (630) 232-3451 or Scott Berger at (630) 208-5351.

Mike Kenyon

Kane County Board

Chairman, Community Development Commission

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