The meeting on September 25, 2024, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in Fall River, Massachusetts. Mike Dion, Director of the Community Development Agency (CDA), opened the event by highlighting the program's extensive impact over five decades, including funding for sidewalks, playgrounds, senior centers like the Flint Senior Center, fire trucks, economic development, recreational programs, affordable housing, and the LMI policing program. He emphasized the need for continued support and urged attendees to contact their congressional representatives. Robert Shemo, HUD Region One Director, praised Fall River as a leader in effectively utilizing CDBG funds, noting the program's role in local control, anti-poverty efforts, and job creation. Mayor Paul Coogan presented a citation to Mike Dion and the entire CDA crew, acknowledging their 24/7 commitment, and shared a personal story about their efforts to assist homeless residents. State Representative Carol Fiola also presented a citation, stating that the program brings approximately $4 million annually, totaling over $200 million, into the community and commending the CDA staff for their role in allocating funds based on community needs. The event concluded with Mike Dion presenting framed posters to various program recipients and partners, including Dan Agar and Dennis Sylvia for street and sidewalk improvements, Fire Chief Jeff Bacon for fire department fleet purchases, Lynn representing Attorney Ken Fiola for job creation/retention, Grace Ging for recreation programs, Nancy Smith for park and playground improvements, Nicole Fane for homeless services, Sue Mazelli from Catholic Charities, Rosa Medeiros from Stepping Stone, Joe Rodricks for affordable housing, HUD representatives, Kelly from Our Sister's Place, and Mayor Paul Coogan. The organizers, Tess Curran, Jen Milrick, Almerinda, and Joan Mello, were also recognized for their efforts.
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good morning how's everybody this morning good good good you know we're here to celebrate uh 50 years of the Community Development agency it's very it's a day for celebration a lot of you today question you know what is the CDA Pro cdbg program and what has it done for me you know that new sidewalk you're walking could have been replaced with cdbg money the new playground that you guys
0:36uh visit with your grandkids could be a cdbg project and today you're sitting in the Flint Senior Center and this Center is supported with uh cdbg funding you know the program was signed into law on August 22nd 1974 by President Gerald Ford it was the consolidation when believe it of the model cities program and Urban Development programs you know the uh CDA receives millions of dollars each and every year
1:10and it was created to develop viable communities by providing decent and safe affordable housing living uh suitable living environments and expanding OPP uh economic opportunities we've been in business for five decades and the cdbg program has been the most effective and flexible tool used by cities like Fall River to support low and moderate income people we've accomplished so many things
1:39with our cdbg funding for many years and I'm just going to go through a few you know we did Street and sidewalk replacement all you new fire trucks in the city Our Community Development purchased we do Economic Development job creation and retention you see the uh um uh through the jobs for Fall River program we do a lot of recreational programs through our cdbg program and we also do affordable
2:06housing you guys today again are in the Flint Senior Center we also do the Niagara North End and Main Street senior centers we do parking playground improvements and we have police offices that work for us through the LMI policing program you know the cdbg program has made a tremendous impact on all of our lives and this funding has played a key role and we need to keep this program
2:34going so I had you here today and I ask you a favor um to talk to your friends about the program but most of all let your representatives know let let your representatives in Congress and the Senate know how important this program is to Fall River um today we have uh some dignitaries with us and uh I'd like you to uh just put your hand up and let people know that you're here um we have
3:03the region one director covering the Boston and Harford offices uh Rober
3:15shemo I'm going to mess up this last name uh I know it um and he's a funer so I'm a little worried uh he's the director of the Boston field office his ad his name is Adam plutz Adam plats plats clats see don't take that into consideration the next time okay please um we have our uh uh HUD representative who was with us for a long long time um her name is
3:47Laura Schiffer from HUD I don't know if Laura's here Laura's here we have our current uh HUD representative someone that makes my life very easy um is with us every day uh Ashley
4:10McKinnon person that doesn't need an introduction our honorable mayor Paul
4:22Coogan not that much not that much it's going to get a big head come on we have City councelor Linda Pereira Linda would you please a stun supporter of the program and we have State Rep Carol Fiola here today another another great supporter I just want to introduce the staff uh they work hard every day um they're there uh they make my life easy and you couldn't ask for a better group
4:55of people uh Erica monz our assistant director Mary camarra our homeless director John franker our housing director Cheyenne forcier our compliant specialist the person that takes care of all my finances um Melinda wearing and everybody has a work wife someone that I couldn't live without uh does my bookkeeping for me as Kelly SS I know you guys want to eat and I want to make it short but um I would
5:46really really like Robert shemo to come up um he's the again director Regional director for region one covering the Boston and Harford offices to uh give a little speech morning everybody all right I am psych this is a celebration I love Fall River my wife grew up near uh near here and uh she has a lot of great memories uh I really want to thank the mayor uh mayor Coogan for
6:18his support of my good friend who I love Mike uh who you go you guys all know uh and this is about the 50th annivers anniversary of the cdbg program and I have some statistics and stuff but I'm not going to tell you about them other than uh it's a great program and it's all about the things that you need locally we got a we got the aliens coming huh I could probably just yell scream
6:51yeah I don't need a microphone that's right all right we got to you guys want to eat and you're really hungry so the story is that it's 50 years uh It Seems Like Only Yesterday to me uh when the block Rand program in 1974 came about and the thing is that it provides money to Lo local cities and towns and states to basically do things that that they need to do it's about local control and
7:18it's about making a difference in people's lives and it's a any poverty program but it's more than that it's about building roads help building buildings creating jobs and so the city of Fall River has been a wonderful partner and a leader for many many years and and and I've known Mike uh for a long time and you know he's been immensely helpful to us at the federal government about
7:47showcasing about best practices about wonderful things like the building we're in right now and what money can do if used properly it can go so far and do so much and we're trying to talk about our this program because you know there's a lot of pulling all over the government right money here and money there but really this is about a partnership between the federal government the state
8:12government local government nonprofits we provide funding all over the United States for senior centers I used to work for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts I ran their cdbg program that uses the HUD money and one of the things that I loved was that how many senior centers that we built and how many that we rehabed and the services that we provided Meals on Wheels all sorts of things but it's just
8:39a sliver of the great things that the program does and so that's why when when Mike said we're going to do something down here and I brought some swag uh and for the city and and that it really has been a leader and shown what really great use through good good planning good implementation and the wonderful things that can be done and as I said you know it needs the political support
9:06the mayor here has been just you know very very supportive and and you know for achieving the ends of the program and we won another 50 years is what I'm telling you uh I may not be for around for the other 50 but um maybe and because I love my job and I love all of you because you know it makes me understand how important my work is and and working with people like Mike and
9:33his staff but for them we probably wouldn't be in this room so I really want to thank the city I want to thank all of you for coming today I want to thank for you for their appreciation and most of all I I want to thank you know Mike once again and the city for For All You've Done in the in the past 50 years so thank you so much thanks for coming
9:57and and I so appreciate it
10:07our next speaker um is the mayor of Fall River somebody I work with on a daily basis guy that just gets it he understands Community Development he understands what's the need of of the people in the city so I want to have him come up and uh I'll give a few words well before I say a few words I just want to acknowledge the city of Fall River and the Community Development
10:37agency the partnership that's so strong in honor and recognition of their 50 years of providing service to Greater Fall River they're Around the Clock 247 365 days a year um we uh we make sure we work together and make for of a better place to live but I do want to present the citation before I say a few words to Mike Dion and the entire crew um so I just uh I I do want people to
11:09know that Community Development agency is not like I said a s day it's a 7-Day a week job not five we go around the clock um I I've been out on the streets with Mike a few times when uh we probably shouldn't have been uh one time I can just tell you a quick funny story he and I were out on the coldest day of the year it was probably 6 or 8° at like
11:337 or 8 in the morning we were in my car and we were just trying to make sure that a lot of our um homeless residents had safety and they were in where it was heated and they had a meal and he and I were riding around and we came to uh what was the camp on Brighton Avenue and you look down the path cuz all the brush and stuff is cleared and we looked down
11:53the path and there was a guy walking down towards the camp so after Mike and I quit swearing for the next 5 minutes because we didn't want to get out of the warm car um we took a walk we bundled up we went and got him so he's down at the farthest point and we're like listen you got to come with us we got a shelter for you we got to get you out of this
12:15weather we don't need you out here when it's like this we are we are really really firm on this no no no I'll be okay I said listen it's too cold this is where people freeze no no no I have a generator okay so he flips over a shopping cart with a canvas and there's a generator and he starts the generator true story and he's got the tent there and I said well you know it's
12:41still not going to be warm in the tent he goes no no no I have two or three electric blankets and my girlfriend's in there and we're not leaving and I'm like this looking a mic I just again after another line of swear words which we won't say here I was so angry that we couldn't get this guy out of this camp on the coldest day of the year we left him there uh
13:05needless to say we saw him he was out and about a few days later and he survived but that's part of the struggle and that's part of the commitment of Mike Dion and his program we're out there on a weekend morning freezing cold literally just driving around looking for people that that we could help that the city could help not Paul Coogan not Mike Dion we're just arms of the city
13:26and we're out there doing what we can and community Community Development agency spearheads many many of these opportunities to help people and uh Mike and I talk three or four times a day we're back and forth in each other's offices trying to find ways to make the city a better place to live and I know coming down here to um the curtain LS and seeing all you makes him feel good makes
13:48the city feel good and I appreciate all Community Development does and I appreciate the people in this building I know you make Fall River a better place to live and I really really appreciate it and I app appreciate Mike and the whole crew at Community Development I know them all thank you for coming out today appreciate it thank you Mr Mayor I really appreciate it um I'd really like to call
14:15up uh State Rep Carl Fiola uh someone that has been a big champion of this program someone who's worked tiously um on the state level uh to get us the funding that we need um she really really makes a difference uh so I'd like to have her come up and say a few words thank you I have one of these twoo you don't have 50th anniversaries without a citation but I'm very familiar with this
14:42program because the work that we do like the mayor who is such a champion um and the CDA staff who are irreplaceable in what they do every day I've gotten to see close up whether it's being here as it was mentioned sidewalk improvements helping those less fortunate homeless helping those in recovery helping our youth have activities and programs uh for recreation um it just goes on and on
15:10and it what this program has done thanks to the federal government thanks to president was it Ford back then it stretches our tax dollar it takes about $4 million a year we probably gotten over $200 million from CDA Federal program injected into to our community and that is really important but what's most important about Fall River and special is that thanks to our mayor and Leadership and Mike Dion and his staff
15:42they're the ones who go out and put out to bid and put out all the the required they don't just give out money they have to have people apply whether it's all these agencies and they are the one The Gatekeepers of determining based on what they hear from you and all of our citizens what is most important in our community and that is where they put the dollars so it's not talked about maybe
16:08every 50 years but I've known Mike Dion and interestingly enough I have known every director we've only had four in those 50 years and I especially remember the uh first one my neighbor uh Paul pulus May if you've been around the city long enough you might have remembered him he was legendary like Mike there was uh Jim mclusky Steve long and now of course the tenure of Mike Dion who has
16:32maintained and exceeded uh all the needs in our community with his staff so thank you all I have a citation uh I couldn't be more proud um thank you Mike appreciate
16:52it all right thank you so much um at this time I know everybody's hungry I just want to do a presentation of gifts um but before uh before I I go to that um you know I really want to say thank you to uh Tess Curran um Jen milrick almerinda Joan Mello big round of applause cuz they put on today they've really done a great job um I was asking I'd like the mayor to
17:31come up um and we have this beautiful poster um that was done by ncda um we had it framed um and we'd like to give that to some of our uh program recipients today um so if you can come on this side okay um I'd like to have uh Dan agar and Dennis Sylvia um I don't know if Charlie dead me's here um I'd like to have them come up
17:59uh they are the people that handle the street and sidewalk Improvement program for us uh very very important program give that a bag they're wonderful guys all right um they get one yes I'd like to have um the fire chief Jeff bacon come up I think he may I think he was listening to your story about the generator I think he was listening to your generator and plug story if I could just say one thing you
18:44would not have a fire department without Mike and his and his staff in CDA um our our entire fleet save one I believe has been purchased through CDA funds for the second round and while that we can have a fire department without that Fleet but we would not be properly staffed because the money that is used to purchase that Fleet saves the city so that we can staff and fund our fire department so
19:09your safety and the safety of your children grandchildren anyone in for river is directly tied to this organization we we'll give you some money later I told thank you thank you I'm hoping he's with us today uh attorney Ken Fiola is Ken represented by L ly come on in come on over Lynn they they are the ones that handle our job creation job retention program um excellent excellent people work very
19:41very hard for us so thank you thank
19:51you Grace ging who runs our Recreation programs another wonderful person that takes care of our youngsters and city thank you uh the person the people that put this on today um Tess Curran and J Jen milck um yeah they're getting
20:24one I was going to give you a picture of myself but um can I have Nancy Smith come up ny's uh runs our Park Department all our park and playground improvements go through this lady um she does a wonderful job for us I don't know if he's with us uh today Chief Paul gin I don't know if the chief's with us we have an LMI policing program which we we have seven uh
21:00walking beats and people in cars that Patrol the city so we've we've made a a real commitment to Public Safety um could I have Nicole Fane who's a member and the head of our fast team she's our homeless Guru in the city she takes care of more people and uh makes my job very easy uh Sue mazelli from Catholic Charities say has so another person that makes our job very easy does uh many homeless programs
21:40throughout the city and also does our homeless prevention and Rapid rehousing program thank you can I have Rosa Medeiros come up she's from stepping stone helps us tremendously another great program runs our first step in homeless shelter for single males and females and does a lot of our Continuum of Care
22:21programs you know affordable housing is the main subject in the city I'd ask Joe Rodricks to come up he's one of our chodos which is Community Housing Resource Board if you need an apartment he's the person to see so make sure he doesn't leave today I'd like to ask the people from HUD Bob Sho the people from HUD that tremendously makes our job easier they're the ones go around I don't know if she's here today
23:07with us Christine Bastone from our sister's place my name is Kelly all right Kelly Kelly's wonderful we I deal with Kelly all the time thank you Kelly thanks for coming thank you thank you app thank you thank you and last but not least our wonderful mayor of Fall River so he gets a picture for his his beautiful office and a bag of Swag thank you very much I appreciate uh
23:45you all being here and you know let's get to the food it's the most important reason why we're here Scot thank you thank you again thank you very much all right we going to eat