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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Betty Hart, Director, Innovation & Strategy
DATE: December 10, 2021
SUBJECT:
Resolution authorizing execution of a Second Amendment to Agreement with Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) for the Aurora Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) to extend the grant term end date from January 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022.
PURPOSE:
To ensure the successful delivery of the Aurora FEC for the original grant term and recognizing the impact of the launch date due to Covid-19, CFE has offered an amendment to extend their original contract agreement end date with City of Aurora FEC from January 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022.
BACKGROUND:
On December 17, 2019, City Council approved a resolution to accept a two-year matching grant from the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) to create a Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) in the city of Aurora (ref. R19-412; Legistar 19-1079). The initial agreement with CFE was dated November 1, 2019, and the first amendment, adding a third financial counselor and funding, was dated July 15, 2020 (ref. R20-186; Legistar 20-0491). In the original agreement with CFE, the term date was set to expire January 31, 2022. Due to Covid-19 impact on the successful launching of services, CFE has issued a second grant amendment and CFE Fund is providing a no-cost extension to City of Aurora ending no later than April 30, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
The Aurora FEC counselors have successfully outperformed other cities despite their increasing caseloads, providing over 800 residents with essential professional counseling services and referral activity to partner agency services. The CFE, recognizing the increase in request for counseling services being experienced by FEC’s countrywide, has granted an extension their original agreements with Aurora FEC to alleviate breaks in services into the new fiscal year. Therefore, the Aurora FEC will continue to successfully operate from the Thrive Collaborative Center with a contractual partner under the CFE program model through April 30, 2022. A carry-over $142,958 was successfully executed in November 2021 to secure funds into the new fiscal year to continue services with current partners. No additional bid will be required. A contract extension will be requested and prepared to secure our current servicing partner through this new term.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The FEC service program was originally set to expire December 31, 2021. This new Second Amendment to Agreement with Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) will eliminate breaks in service to our eligible residents, our service partner and allow FEC staff to continue to operate at full capacity and strategize for funding and expansion of services throughout the City of Aurora.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Resolution authorizing execution of a Second Amendment to Agreement between the City of Aurora and the Cities for Financial Empowerment to extend the grant term end date from January 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution authorizing execution of a Second Amendment to Agreement with Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) for the Aurora Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) to extend the grant term end date from January 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, City Council approved a resolution to accept a two-year matching grant from the Cities for Financial Empowerment to create a Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) in the city of Aurora and to contract with the Neighbor Project to administer counseling services as part of the Aurora FEC (R19-412); and:
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora will augment the existing Aurora FEC contract with the Cities for Financial Empowerment extending the date of term from January 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022.
WHEREAS, if approved, the Aurora FEC will prepare a contract extension to secure our current servicing partner through this new term to alleviate a break in services which are essential to the residents and staff of the City of Aurora.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: execution of a Second Amendment to Agreement with Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) for the Aurora Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) to extend the grant term end date from January 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022 is authorized.