This is your chance to tell Manatee County what your community needs

During upcoming meetings in Samoset and Palmetto, Manatee County officials are hoping to hear from residents about their community needs.

As the county develops its 2017-21 Consolidated Plan for the Community Development Block Grant Program, the county will have public outreach meetings both Wednesday and Thursday.

Wednesday’s meeting will be from 6:30-8 p.m. at Samoset Elementary School, 3300 19th St. E., Bradenton. Thursday’s meeting will be from 6:30-8 p.m. at Lincoln Middle School, 305 17th St. E., Palmetto.

The CDBG program is a “federally-funded program with goals to develop strong communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate-income persons,” according to the county’s website. “CDBG-eligible activities are set at the local level based upon a community’s needs, priorities and benefits.”

In 2015-16, Manatee County received $1.6 million in Community Development Block Grant funds, $437,074 in HOME Investment Partnership funds and $142,607 in Emergency Solutions Grant funds.

“The CDBG program is largely based on community input,” Bill O’Shea, the county’s community development project manager, said in December. “It’s what the citizens want so when we do our outreach for the Consolidated Plan, we take the things people are telling us they need the most and prioritize those in the Consolidated Plan.”

In previous years, the county has gone to places such as Wal-Mart, churches, libraries and schools to talk with the community about what they would like to see, O’Shea said.

In December, O’Shea said as the county develops this next plan, they wanted to target some of the low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and speak at neighborhood association meetings.

“We are going to get a bigger bang for our buck,” he said.

This story was originally published February 19, 2017 at 5:13 PM with the headline "This is your chance to tell Manatee County what your community needs."