1. Designation. Community action agencies must be designated by the division to carry out the purposes of this chapter. In making these designations, the division shall solicit and consider comments from other state agencies or authorities that operate programs in which community action agencies participate. These designations are for 7 years. [PL 1995, c. 502, Pt. D, §14 (AMD).] 2. Designation withdrawn. The division may withdraw its designation of a community action agency after an evaluation in which the agency has demonstrated substantial incompetency and a clear inability to carry out the purposes of this chapter, unless there is or has been financial malfeasance, which may be cause for immediate withdrawal of designation. In performing these evaluations, the division shall solicit and consider comments from other state agencies or authorities that operate programs in which the community action agency participates. The division shall notify an agency of a pending withdrawal of designation. Upon notification, the agency has up to 6 months to take corrective action, at which time a designation withdrawal evaluation must be performed by the division. Failure to pass this evaluation means immediate loss of designation. Upon the final order from the division that rescinds a community action agency's designation, the community action agency may file a petition for review of this final decision in the appropriate Superior Court within 30 days under the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 80B. [PL 1995, c. 502, Pt. D, §14 (AMD).] 3. Community action agencies. Community action agencies have the power and duty to: A. Develop information regarding the causes and conditions of poverty in the service area; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] B. Determine how much and how effectively assistance is being provided to deal with those causes and conditions; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] C. Establish priorities among projects, activities and areas as needed for the best and most efficient use of available resources; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] D. Develop, administer and operate programs to reduce poverty with particular emphasis on self- help approaches and programs to promote economic opportunities through affirmative action; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] E. Initiate, sponsor and provide programs and services responsive to the needs of the poor that are not otherwise being met; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] F. Promote interagency cooperation and coordination of all services and activities in the service area that are related to the purposes of this chapter; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] G. Establish effective procedures by which the poor and other concerned area residents may influence the character of programs affecting their interests, provide for their regular participation in the implementation of those programs and provide technical and other support needed to enable low-income and neighborhood groups to secure on their own behalf available assistance from public and private sources; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] H. Join with and encourage business, labor and other private groups and organizations to undertake, together with private officials and agencies, activities in support of the purposes of this chapter that will result in the increased use of private resources and capabilities in providing social and economic opportunities to low-income citizens; [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] I. Enter into contracts with federal, state and local public agencies and private agencies and organizations, businesses and individuals as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter; and [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] J. Receive funds from federal, state and local public and private sources as appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter. [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).] [PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. DDD, §14 (NEW).]
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