1 Del. Admin. Code § 479-5.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 479-5.0 - Board of the Neighborhood Building Blocks Fund

5.1 Composition. The Fund shall be governed by the Board, which shall consist of seven (7) members as follows:

5.1.1 The Director of DEDO or his designee, who shall serve as Chair;

5.1.2 Two (2) additional State Agency members appointed by the DEDO Director;

5.1.3 Three (3) members appointed by the Attorney General; and

5.1.4 One (1) member appointed by the DEDO Director, upon the concurrence of all of the foregoing members.

5.2 Powers. The Board shall have the power:

5.2.1 To solicit proposals for the use of the Fund from any person or entity, or through public notices;

5.2.2 To review and prioritize any applications or proposals for grants in a manner that is coordinated to the greatest degree possible with DOJ's Building Blocks Initiative and with the successful implementation of DDDs throughout the State;

5.2.3 To authorize DEDO to grant funds from the Fund; and

5.2.4 To establish committees, to enlist the assistance of state agencies to review grant applications, to contract for consultation or expert services in connection with the effectuation of its mission, and to have such other powers as are necessary to conduct the affairs of the Fund in accordance with the purposes set forth herein.

5.3 Meetings.

5.3.1 Meetings of the Board shall occur at least quarterly.

5.3.2 All meetings of the Board shall be noticed and conducted in accordance with Delaware's Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"),29Del.C.§ 10001et seq.

5.3.3 Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at the date, time, and location designated by the Chair, or in the absence of action by the Chair, by at least four (4) members of the Board. Members may attend meetings in person or via phone or teleconference.

5.3.4 If any member is unable to attend a meeting of the Board, such member, by written notice to the Chair no later than three (3) business days before such meeting, may designate another Board member as a proxy or send another person as a substitute. Any substitute designated in accordance with subsection 5.3.4 shall have all powers at such meeting, including the power to vote, as the member of the Board for whom such substitute is acting.

5.3.5 A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Board, so long as at least one (1) DOJ Member and one (1) State Agency Member are present. At any noticed meeting at which a quorum is present, any power of the Board may be exercised, including the power to vote upon proposed grants or other uses of the Fund. If at any meeting, less than a quorum is present in person or by phone or teleconference, the Board may adjourn the meeting and re-notice it at such time as a quorum may participate.

5.3.6 The consent of a majority of the Board members present shall be required for approval on any vote.

5.3.7 The Chair shall appoint a person to keep minutes of all meetings. DEDO shall maintain such minutes in accordance with29Del.C.§ 10004 (f). A copy of the minutes shall be circulated to each Board member within two weeks after each meeting.

5.4 Coordination with Downtown Development Districts and DOJ Crime Strategies Unit.

5.4.1 To the greatest extent possible, the Board shall work to coordinate with the efforts of the Downtown Development District initiative and the DOJ's Crime Strategies Unit.

5.4.2 The Board will support the implementation and ongoing success of DDDs throughout the State by inviting representatives from each municipality with a DDD to present to the Board information about the DDD, and identify any actions that would enhance community development, public protection, urban beautification, or any other actions that would have the effect of reducing crime or otherwise strengthening the neighborhoods within the DDD.

5.4.3 Among other strategies, the Crime Strategies Unit shall be working to weed out nuisance properties in high crime areas throughout the State. The Fund is designed to play a key role in the "seeding" component of a "weed and seed" strategy that will be the focus of the DOJ Building Blocks Initiative. Accordingly, the head of the DOJ Crime Strategies Unit shall attend each meeting of the Board, and shall present to the Board at such meetings a summary of the current efforts of the DOJ Crime Strategies Unit.

5.5 Vacancies.

5.5.1 Any Board member may resign at any time, and such resignation is effective immediately upon notice to the Chair, copied to all other Board members.

5.5.2 Any agency appointing a member to the Board may withdraw such appointment at any time and appoint another member, effective immediately upon notice to the Chair, copied to all other Board members.

5.5.3 Any vacancy occurring in the Board shall be filled by the agency or agencies that appointed such member.

5.5.4 If DOJ or any of the State Agency members withdraw their support for the Board member appointed by DEDO with the concurrence of the foregoing agencies, such member shall no longer serve on the Board, effective immediately upon notice by such agency to the Chair and all other Board members.

1 Del. Admin. Code § 479-5.0

18 DE Reg. 464 (12/1/2014) (Final)