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Attachment 2 Citizen Comments A notice announcing a public hearing and the availability to review and comment on the County's proposed NSP3 Abbreviated Action Plan was published on the County website and also was advertised in the local news paper, Indian River Press Journal on January 30, 2011 (http://www.ircgov.com/). The Indian River County NSP3 Abbreviated Action Plan was published for public comment on the County website on February 10, 2011 and was kept on the County website for a minimum of 15 days as required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Register Notice (Federal Register Volume 75 No. 201, Tuesday, October 19, 2010) In addition to soliciting public comments through the County website and the local newspaper the County conducted a publicly noticed Citizens Advisory Task Force (CATF) Meeting on February 14, 2011 and a Public Hearing before the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) on February 15, 2011. The following is a summary of public comments received from the CATF meeting, from the BCC Public H earing, and from communications received by staff from the general public. Those speaking at the CATF meeting were members of the CATF and a representative from the Indian River Habitat for H umanity Those speaking at the BCC meeting were Commissioners, representatives for the Indian River Habitat for Humanity, a representative for the Coalition for Attainable Homes and the Treasure Coast Homeless Services Council, and two interested citizens. Acceptance of Grant Funds At both the CATF meeting and the BCC meeting, there was a debate from members about whether or n ot the County should accept the NSP3 funds. Overall, there was a feeling that government needs to be scaled back and that taxes need to be lowered. Those in the minority felt that the County needs to make a stand and not accept the NSP3 funds and further request that the funds be returned to Washington and allocated to pay off debt Those in the majority agreed that a stand needs to be made on not accepting certain federal government funds, but that the NSP is not where the County should make the stand. The majority felt that the NSP3 funds would be put to good use helping a local cause and local people. Those in the majority also felt that the funds would help people that may need a hand -up not a handout, would take vacant properties and put them back on the tax role, would help to reduce crime in neighborhoods, and would serve as a catalyst for others to make improvements in their n eighborhoods. N SP3 Partner Organization B oth those in the majority and those in the minority felt that using Indian River Habitat for Humanity as the lead agency for undertaking NSP3 activities would work well given Habitat's track record for success. For its part, Indian River Habitat for Humanity indicated that it could use the NSP3 funds productively and that, besides stabilizing neighborhoods, the NSP3 funds would produce jobs and taxes.