02-04-10 Thursday

7:00 I met with Eileen Neely and Preston Prince from the Housing Authority. We discussed the Droge Building (that's the one with the braces at Inyo and Van Ness, and guiding policies for the City's HOME Funds.


8:30 Amy Huerta and Alex Villa met with me to plan a Fresno Food Show. This would be an event that would highlight San Joaquin Valley businesses that make food items and put them on display for grocery store and restaurant buyers. The event would also have a public component. This could be a precursor for our downtown public market.


10:00 I met with members of FUND, a local nonprofit that focuses on renovating homes in the Lowell neighborhood. Last June Elaine Robles and Dawn Steele were successful in obtaining a Community Development Block Grant to renovate homes in Lowell. Specifically homes that were owner-occupied and had code violations. This is an effort to shield low-income owners from the increased code enforcement activity that was requested by the neighborhood. The meeting with FUND was to complete the details of a contract that will allow FUND to receive some of the money to do some of the houses.


12:00 I had lunch with our new Planning Director John Dugan. He hadn't been to George's in the Galleria downtown. We spent most of our time discussing the Specific Plans.


1:30 I had a consultation at the Oral Surgeon. It resulted in...not having to do anything...clean bill of health!


3:00 Met with Councilmember Borgeas


5:30 I attended a meeting of the Farm Aid to Fresno committee. This is a grassroots group who are leading an effort to get the Farm Aid Concert to Chukchansi Park this October. Farm Aid has never been to California before. This would be a great way to reconnect the community to our farmers, which just so happens to be one of Farm Aid's missions.