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12/27/1977 : ',.-,; ) ,.' .;-~ , . .', .\' "" ., . ." ',. ~' : ' ' ".0].' d :, .i.;".l ,. . .... . ." ,. . ~ '", '. ' , '.j . " , " :r" :;:":::: . . . . . . ,. , . CLEARWATER DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT BOARD MINUTES DECEMBER 27, 1977 MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Rose Phifer, Chairman Aaron Bilgore, Vice Chairman Leon Hanmock Bronson Thayer Dale Warren Perce Powell William Nunamaker NON-MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Sam Casella, Executive Director John Bonner Joe Rhodes Lin Howard Ethelene Curenton Thurwood Curenton Tom Brown Chuck Albury John Chesnut, Sr. Robert W. Cook Dom Mi notti Bill Kravas Arlos Ogg The meeting of the Clearwater Downtown Development Board was called to order by Chairman Rose Phifer at 3:05 p.m. tit The invocation was given by Dom Minotti. Mrs. Phifer welcomed guests present, including Mr. and Mrs. Curenton. Chairman Phifer asked if anyone would like to discuss any matter not on the Agenda. Mr. Powell said that he had seen a picture in the Clearwater Sun which purported to show an empty Cleveland Street. Mr. Powell said that the picture had been taken very early in the morning and that photographs taken at any of the Malls at the same hour would be Similarly empty of people. Mr. Powell pointed out that the downtown businesses are currently paying $18,873.00 per year for four (4) parking lots citing this as an example of their initiative towards improving conditions. Mr. Powell commended Mayor Cazares for his recent article in the newspapers and said he believes that Mayor Cazares is the best mayor that Clearwater has ever had. Mr. Powell suggested that the Board send a letter to the Clearwater Sun asking that the Sun be very careful in the future not to publish photographs which run down the efforts which are being made. Chairman Phifer asked if anyone recommends sending a lettp.r to the Clearwater Sun. Mr. Nunamaker said that although he believed Mr. Powell's complaint is justified, in this case, it has been his observation that the Clearwater Sun is generally complimentary. . , Mr. Hammock said that he agrees with Mr. Nunamaker that the Sun has been favorable to the Downtown Development Board and suggested that the Merchants Association might be interested in this matter. ,I..:,': 'j.' , . .,.1" < , " , ., ,.., .. \ ~"'. @'...'. .' "'~ '~.~~:..;',. . -2- '-_: Mr. Warren said that the press is obligated to print all letters and the solution is for more people to write positive letters to the editors. Chairman Phifer said that she is disturbed by the intended move of the Department of Revenue from Clearwater to St. Petersburg. She suggested that the Downtown Board write a letter and suggest that the Clearwater Office remain open. Mr. Nunamaker stated that he agreed and believed the Board should go on record as opposing the Department of Revenue moving its office out of the area. Mr. Bilgore made a motion that the Board send a letter to the State of Florida requesting that they maintain their office in Clearwater to serve the people in the North County area and that if they must have two (2) offices then one (1) be in Clearwater and one (1) in St. Petersburg. The motion was seconded by Mr. Nunamaker. The Chainman called for a vote and the motion passed. Chairman Phifer asked if there would be any objection to sending the letter to the newspapers. Mr. Bilgore suggested that the letter be sent to the Head of the Department of Revenue and to the Governor. .""' .. Chainman Phifer asked for comment concerning the Chamber of Commerce's stand on the county jail facilities. Mr. Bilgore said he was at that meeting and that the Chamber of Commerce had endorsed the maintenance of all the judicial functions in Clearwater and the removal of the jail to the airport. He further said that the motion to move all facilities, judicial as well as jail, to the airport, was defeated. Mr. Bilgore further stated that this doesn't necessarily mean that the Chamber of Commerce will follow through on this as the Suncoast Chamber of Commerce has the top priority on this and the matter must go to the Suncoast Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Bilgore added that there are people who feel very strongly that the jail should be moved out of downtown Clearwater. . Mr. Warren stated that he recalled the Board's passing a Resolution asking the County Commission that the jail and court facilities not be moved out of downtown Clearwater. Mr. Bilgore stated that the action of the Chamber of Commerce was the best they could come up with. Mr. Warren proposed a resolution to reiterate the stand of the Downtown Development Board and urge the County Commission not to move any part of the court or jail facilities out of the cowntown area. This was seconded by Mr. Powell. The Chairman called for a vote and the motion passed. Chainnan Phifer welcomed Mr. John Bonner representing the Kapok Tree Corporation and invited Mr. Bonner to speak to the Board. Mr. Bonner said that the Kapok Tree Restaurant which wants to contribute land for a center for the performing arts has been working on this idea since July or August of 1977. Mr'. Bonner said that the Kapok Tree Restaurant wishes to donate :' ,~ ( . .; .. .'.~~: ~ .. " ' , . ~.~ ....~- " , ~-~..-.' iliiodi' ..., "" .,., -,...... , ..". .', . ( .~: I. . ,. __, ,j . ..:. 1\,1,' ,: , ~,., " \ , , ' . , , '\' " ' l -;'::1 ..' ;- ... 't!~\ ~' .' .. . . I . I . I i I , ;, I. } i .~, .' '.\ ., , . , -.I. , . . .~ , ' .,' . . ",' " ,.,,' "', , ' ~. , ' ..J ';,"'. .' .: '" ;. \ " . . -3- the land to the City and has presented a deed to such land to the City of Clearwater if the City of Clearwater will begin to develop the land within two (2) years of the date of acceptance of the offer. Mr. Bonner said that the purpose of a performing arts center would be in perpetuity so that the land could not be used for something else. . Mr. Bi1gore said that his company owns property which is close to the Kapok Tree site and that he has something of a conflict because as a member of the Downtown Development Board, he also has a vital inte!est in the downtown area. Mr. Powell asked if there is any possibility that the Kapok Tree perfonming arts center might delay a civic center for downtown Clearwater. Mr. Bonner said that his answer to Mr. Powe11's question would be no. Mr. Warren said that he believes the City needs both types of facilities. Mr. Warren moved that the Minutes of November 22 and 29 be approved. The motion was seconded by Mr. Nunamaker. A vote was called and the motion passed. Mr. Bi1gore moved that the Financial Statement of November 23 be approved. The motion was seconded by Mr. Nunamaker. A vote was called and the motion passed. Mr. Bi1gore moved that the Financial Statement for the month of December be approved. The motion was seconded by Mr. Nunamaker. A vote was called and the motion passed. Mr. Tom Brown was invited to comment on State Road 60. Mr. Brown said he had spoken to clty officials on December 15 and had been advised that we should wait a few weeks for the Florida Department of Transportation to make its decision regarding the proposal for a Traffic Engineering study. He said that he had been told by the City Manager that the matter is being considered in Tallahassee by three (3) members of the DOT Staff and that two (2) of the three (3) are for and one (1) is against the study. Mr. Brown said that by the 10th of January at the very latest, we are going to have to abandon going through channels and try to get some kind of answer in another way. Mr. Brown sai~ that we may have to go to Tallahassee but we must have the bypass road developed. Chairman Phifer said that if we don't get an answer by the 10th of January, she thinks we should put pressure on the representatives. The Chairman moved to the next item on the Agenda. Mr. Casella said that his recommendation is to pass a resolution authorizing the Chairman to terminate the International City Managers Association Retirement Deferred Compensation Plan and to request that the ICMA-RC release all funds to the Clearwater Downtown Development Board and to authorize the Chairman to begin making payments to a individual retirement account or IRA to be selected by the Executive Director. . 1 '~t}i#kI ~5:l,~~~~i~ ~~jf~t;~~,~:,~,~.: ~'.,t.:~;~.,t~;::~t'~~~;.~~~~:~~t.j2~:1,:( :."'. '.'- "(~~~Jf~~~/'''l'i<.'~''/' 'j ".'--,.~,:."Ir;:;:"" )""'I',o;~"~Jft.~I', ~ " ,~~~ t"; ~i"';'~~\~!:~k ;' ': :;," . :'(~-f,.'."; "" " ,,';;~~' "~~::' >':' ,:~'~'>' ';, .:*.. ", ',n', , , ..~~t . _ _ ,~... ,....-. ...,_ " ' , ~,. /..::~ .', . . ~ .,',", ",-. ,:.. -' " ,...,., ,"~A~;'},_..:~~~: '. ',. ,\ ....-.;'" '. ": ,':.... : ,~.' '. ~. ,j l, : .'1." , ,.'.t':,: .' . T1S:,~,:.:,^",.,::,:,,;:;, .),'1.,' r,.,,4)' . . .,' ': j : ~ : ;". " " . ,.', , '.' ':" ~' of ' " ".:'\' , ! L,;'~;. , ' 1/ 'C ~, " . ','': ! , , " . ." .~ , . . .i '" j f ,,' . I i, ;"", '" .,' d" ' ___.J ! . ;, I I . , I ) ,.' . O' I. . ' " '. ~'~" "~'""'~.t.~...~"!Il11~!Jf'Itt ". -4- . General discussion of pension plans, tax deferral, social security and tax regulations followed. Mr. Warren made a motion that the Board authorize the Executive Director to transfer his retirement funds to whatever other fund he desire with the understanding that the Board will not be responsible for any tax deductions and to resolve that the ICMA-RC Plan be te~i~ated and that the funds in ICMA-RC be returned to the Board. The motion was seconded by Mr. Nunamaker, a vote was called and the motion passed. Mr. Casella referred to his recommendation that an office copier be obtained on a trial basis and said that in his opinion, the Board should first tryout a machine on the shortest possible term in order to evaluate it. Mr. Casella said that it is possible to get an SCM Copier on a gO-day basis or a Xerox Copier on a 30-day tri a 1. . Discussion followed of the number of copies which the Board does in one month. Chairman Phifer stated that she does not feel the Board needs to invest money in a copier and that she would like to see further evidence of the number of copies made and that she would like to postpone a decision for at least a month. Mr. Nunamaker made a motion to postpone discussion of obtaining a copier until the next scheduled meeting. The motion was seconded by Mr. Bilgore, a vote was called and the motion passed. Mr. Casella made a recommendation that the Executive Director be authorized to hire a secretary at the rate of $6,240.00 per year, plus sick leave, vacation and health insurance benefits. Mr. Warren asked Mr. Casella if it is his understanding that the CETA program provides government funded employees but we can't replace an employee un~er this governmental program; that we can't fill a budgeted slot from the governmental program. Mr. Casella said that the Board would have to have a special project to qualify for a CETA position. . General discussion followed of the hours and wages necessary to hire a secretary. Mr. Casella said that there is $6,500.00 in the current year's budget for a secretary and that he would like to be authorized to use that money. Mr. Casella said that the Board put $6,500.00 in the budget in July but stipulated that further authorization would be necessary to hire someone at more than half time and that he is now asking for authorization to go to the full budgeted amount. Mr. Bilgore made a motion that the Board authorize the Executive Director to employ an assistant or stenographer at a rate of preferably $3.50 per hour and if necessary up to $3.75 per hour. if the quality of the individual to be employed requires that, and that the secretary be given a two (2) week annu~l vacation, and that there be no days off for sick leave included in her contract and that she will get the paid holidays set forth in the memorandum that the Executive Director presented to us and that her hours would be six (6) hours a day for five (5) days a week. The motion was seconded by Mr. Nunamaker. a vote was called for and the motion passed. :fl~~il:t~'i~\Sr~~r~;~;!~!:J~~::~'::-... * ;.j~ ~(~ 'i:'!:::\~5:~~~\" ':-: ;.~.~ * . ~ ~'.,' j _ ... ~1~?)~V;$.;4t.....,;..)! .. '.. ~", .~ "'..."r...~~'" t.~~A""_Y,\. ,;~. "\h.. -..., ~... ':'5:t':::~"';:I'-"~;'~:[~'.l :- ~':: '},--:-'~~\ <,".;-;:~:-,,:: .:<,..~::" . ' ," ;,;:~,/::,; ;.: Of'. .. ,~..,...-. --.--- '----- - .. , '. ~ I ,', . . . I . \ . , . i . i' l .., ' . '. ~p , o..I\o.......~,... "1.-. ~ ,i.' . , '.,' /." ..,~:.",. ,f.' . , , '.r', ~"'-I . ,"l'f'l'i :":./'" ',~ ' ,;.'/~: t;,f , ,,~;., '" , ..{l~, \'" ;!"':llj"~'1~,l.;tlr;..~jl~;I'I.~ . ' ,":"'1. i. '1'1 ,\ " ." ',',1, Mr. Casella moved on to the next hire a temporary secretary from item on the Agenda which was authorization an employment contractor as needed. to Cha i rman secretary hours per week Chairman asked January. Phifer said that it is understood that the Board will hire a temporary from an employment contractor as needed up to a maximum of thirty (30) and called for agreement. General agreement was expressed. The if the Board would like to schedule a Work Session for the month of Mr. the Warren said goals for monthly basis the status of all Downtown Clearwater. that he would like to schedule a Work Session in January to discuss 1978 and that he would like the Executive Dir'ector to report on a ongoing projects called for in the Plan for Mr. Thayer left the meeting at this time. Mr. Bilgore suggested that the Work Session be scheduled for January 9, 1978 at 3:00 p.m. at the Board's office. Mr. Mr. Hammock moved Nunamaker. A to vote was adjourn the meeting at 5:00 called and the motion p.m. The motion carried. was seconded by . Respectfully submitted, /r./, '7L Sam Casella EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR . , " .,