The meeting will be held in the first floor conference room of city hall at 5 p.m. It will consist of a public hearing designed to gather comments on a proposed application for the 2014-2015 Community Development Block Grant for the Commerce Fellows Building Community through Capacity and Knowledge program.

According to a memo from Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky to City Manager Joseph Scherer, the North Carolina Division of Community Investment and Assistance recently opened the application window.

“The primary purpose of the Commerce Fellows program is to provide $22,500 grants to local governments to train local government employees in professional development courses (and) seminars,” Lasky wrote.

The program will provide offerings on grant-writing, administration, budget and finance, planning and economic development. “There will be special emphasis on CDBG grant writing and administration,” according to the memo, and the activities must meet one of three national objectives:

Benefitting low- and moderate-income persons

Preventing or eliminating blight

Meeting other community development needs having a particular urgency

The city will select to participate in the program held at East Carolina University. “At the end of the grant term, the city will produce a written document setting forth a plan to further community development needs for the city,” Lasky wrote, noting the plan may include ways to develop a viable community by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment and expanding economic development opportunities, particularly for persons of low and moderate income.

“This grant opportunity will assist the city in developing a proposal for eligible housing activities for CDBG opportunities including single family and multi-family, rehabilitation, acquisition, demolition, clearance, relocation, substantial rehabilitation, replacement housing and emergency repairs,” the memo said.