08/12/2013 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
August 12, 1
Present: Chair/Trustee George N. Cretekos, Trustee Paul Gibson, Trustee Bill
Jonson, and Trustee Jay E. Polglaze.
Also Present: Jill S. Silverboard - Assistant City Manager, Rod Irwin — CRA Executive
Director/Assistant City Manager, Pamela K. Akin - City Attorney,
Rosemarie Call - City Clerk, and Nicole Sprague - Official Records and
Legislative Services Coordinator.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
1. Call to Order— Chair George N. Cretekos
The meeting was called to order at 1:06 p.m. at City Hall.
It was stated Trustee Doreen Hock-DiPolito was not present; she was representing the
City at Advisory Committee for Pinellas Transportation meeting.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve the minutes of the July 15, 2013 CRA Meeting as submitted in written
summation by the City Clerk.
Trustee Bill Jonson moved to approve the minutes of the July 15, 2013 CRA Meeting as
submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard re Items Not on the Agenda — None.
4. CRA Items
4.1 Approve the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Community Redevelopment Agency
Preliminary Budget and adopt CRA Resolution 13-02.
The major highlights of the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 proposed preliminary budget
are as follows:
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Tax Increment revenues increased by $159,887, reflecting an increase in taxable
value of 4.34% in the old Downtown CRA (Downtown) and a 2.67% increase in
the expanded CRA area (East Gateway).
Operating expenditures are decreased by $ 141,610 or 30 %, largely due to the
elimination of the $148,000 temporary program subsidy for Capital Theatre, as
well as reductions in operating budget expenditures. The net reduction is reduced
by an expenditure increase of$6390 for pass through of TIF to the DDB as a
result of increased property values in the DDB boundaries.
Basic Agency operating expenditures are reduced by $3800, or 4.2%.
Transfers Out to various projects are as designated in the CRA Six Year Plan.
The Proposed Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Agency budget is consistent with the Six
Year Plan.
Trustee Jay Polglaze moved to approve the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Community
Redevelopment Agency Preliminary Budget. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
Resolution 13-02 was presented and read by title only. Trustee Paul Gibson moved to
adopt resolution 13-02. The motion was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was-
'Ayes . Chair George N. Cretekos, Trustee Mayor Paul Gibson, Trustee Bill
Jonson, Trustee Jay E. Polglaze
"Nays": None
4.2 Amend the Operating Budget for the Community Redevelopment Agency for
Fiscal Year 2012-13 and adopt Resolution 13-01.
Amendments to the revenues of the Operating Budget reflect a decrease of
$24,198 in TIF received for Fiscal Year 2012-13 based upon final receipts for the
TIF proceeds from Pinellas County, the City of Clearwater and the Downtown
Development Board.
Operating expenditure amendments at mid-year include the decrease of$4,526
from Payment from Other Agencies-DDB to reflect the adjustment to the budgeted
revenue of actual TIF receipts.
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There is a total decrease of$35,747 due to the reduction in tax increment receipts
in the operating fund for the fiscal year.
Proposed amendments include-
1. To transfer $20,000 to project 388-94852 for electrical work at Fort Harrison
Avenue and Cleveland Street, as approved by the CRA on 3/18/2013.
2. To establish project 388-94876, Park Avenue Property Acquisition, with a
transfer of$255,000 from 388-94847, Clearwater Centre-1100 Cleveland, as
approved by the CRA on 10/29/2012.
3. To establish project 388-94877, Property Acquisition 1021 Park Street, with a
transfer of$165,000 from 388-94847, Clearwater Centre- 1100 Cleveland Street
as approved by the CRA on 2/4/2013.
4. To transfer $149,044 from project 388-94714, Downtown Redevelopment, to
project 388-94849, East Gateway, to provide the funds necessary to fund the
Community Police Program in the East Gateway CRA District approved by CRA
on 9/4/2013
5. To reflect a decrease of$35,747 due to the reduction in tax increment
receipts in the operating fund for the fiscal year.
Trustee Bill Jonson moved to amend the Operating Budget for the Community
Redevelopment Agency for Fiscal Year 2012-13. The motion was duly seconded and
carried unanimously.
Resolution 13-01 was presented and read by title only. Trustee Jay Polglaze moved to
adopt resolution 13-01. The motion was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was-
'Ayes . Chair George N. Cretekos, Trustee Mayor Paul Gibson, Trustee Bill
Jonson, Trustee Jay E. Polglaze
"Nays": None
4.3 Approve an Interlocal Agreement between the Clearwater Community
Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the City of Clearwater to provide CRA
funding in Fiscal Year 2013/2014 in the amount of$159,786.00 to underwrite the
cost of additional Community Policing Services by the Clearwater Police
Department in the East Gateway CRA District, pursuant to the new East
Gateway Five-Year Action Program for Fiscal Year 2012-2017 and authorize the
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appropriate officials to execute same.
The CRA approved the new East Gateway District Five—Year Action Program on
October 15, 2012. The Action Program responded to public input on the issues of
drug dealing, prostitution and street crime by including an action item for the
continuation of increased police presence and crime reduction within the East
Gateway District.
An allowable funding source of this action item is the use of CRA Tax Increment
Financing (TIF) funds. Florida Statues allows for the use of TIF funds for
community policing innovations in Community Redevelopment Areas.
The CRA and Clearwater Police Department have reached an agreement on a
proposed scope of services and terms as delineated in the Interlocal Agreement.
Included in the scope is the delineation of specific, measurable crime reduction
targets by which to monitor the success of the initiative as well as providing clear
language required by statute assuring that the resources are applied to the
CRA/East Gateway area.
Funding will be from the CRA East Gateway Project account (388-94849). The
$159,786 includes police officers salaries and benefits and fuel costs.
In response to a suggestion, CRA Executive Director Rod Irwin said the Five Year
Action Plan includes crime statistics since the community policing efforts started.
Trustee Paul Gibson moved to approve an Interlocal Agreement between the
Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the City of Clearwater to
provide CRA funding in Fiscal Year 2013/2014 in the amount of$159,786.00 to
underwrite the cost of additional Community Policing Services by the Clearwater Police
Department in the East Gateway CRA District, pursuant to the new East Gateway Five-
Year Action Program for Fiscal Year 2012-2017 and authorize the appropriate officials
to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
4.4 Approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the CRA and Clearwater
Downtown Events, Inc, a 501 c4 Not-for-Profit Corporation, for the provision of
scheduling Blast Friday events in the Cleveland Street District, approve a
$75,000 grant to Clearwater Downtown Events, Inc. to underwrite a portion of
the expanded Blast Friday Program, and authorize the appropriate officials to
execute same.
CRA 2013-08-12 4
CRA staff and the Clearwater Downtown Events, Inc., volunteer group have had
discussions to continue the expanded and improved Blast Friday event for an
additional year due to the closure of the Capital Theatre until November, 2013.
Last year, Clearwater Downtown Events, Inc., proposed a business concept to
restructure and enhance their program operations, including a management and
production agreement with Ruth Eckerd Hall, with a financing plan based upon, in
part, a CRA grant of$75,000 and a Downtown Development Board (DDB) grant of
$50,000. The remainder of costs was through sponsorships and/or Ruth Eckerd
Hall participation.
This year, due to funding constraints and high sponsorship requests, the DDB will
likely not be in a position to fully extend their funding for an additional year. The
CRA grant would allow for the Blast Friday to continue, but with an anticipated
schedule of less events. Ruth Eckerd Hall has agreed to again manage the
program on behalf of Clearwater Downtown Events, Inc. Clearwater Downtown
Events, Inc. would continue to have overall responsibility for the Blast Friday
series and be responsible for the grant administration.
The details of a program and schedule have yet to be negotiated. However, the
DDB has committed $25,000, with the CRA commitment for an additional year, is
critical to allow the program to continue. If approved, all parties would develop a
budget and program schedule. If an agreement that is acceptable to staff cannot
be reached expenditure of funds would not take place.
The Memorandum of Agreement extends the Blast Friday program for an
additional year and provides for a $75,000 grant appropriation from the CRA Blast
Friday project fund to partially fund the budget for the 2012-2013 season, subject
to negotiation of the parties of an acceptable budget and program schedule.
In response to questions, CRA Executive Director Rod Irwin said Ruth Eckerd Hall CEO
Zev Buffman has expressed an interest to plan events that are compatible with the Blast
Friday programming. The Capitol Theatre is expected to open early 2014.
Discussion ensued with concerns expressed that the Blast Friday events have evolved
into a street concert instead of a street festival; attracting many individuals to the
concert specifically. The program has not been the format to encourage business
owners to invest in Downtown. It was suggested that if the CRA continues providing
funding for Blast Friday, the operator should secure funding via sponsorships.
Economic Development and Housing Director Geri Campos Lopez said Blast Friday is
being used as a marketing tool to attract area technology employees to the events. Mr.
Irwin said the Downtown is in a transition that should pick-up after the Capitol Theatre
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opens. Staff has been working on filling the available office space and diversifying the
Blast Friday events to attract families and area employees.
There was consensus to amend the agreement and limit the number of performances to
nine. The City Attorney noted that Exhibit A, performance schedule, is not attached to
the agreement; language referencing Exhibit A should be stricken.
In response to a suggestion, Mr. Irwin did not recommend postponing approval of the
agreement as the operator needs to determine the available budget in order to schedule
the entertainment. Entertainment is scheduled typically thirty days out.
Trustee Bill Jonson moved to amend Article 2, Section 1 to reflect nine Blast Friday
signature events instead of ten. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
Trustee Bill Jonson moved to strike reference of Exhibit A in the agreement. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Trustee Jay Polglaze moved to approve Item 4.4 as amended. The motion was duly
seconded and carried unanimously.
Mr. Irwin said the CRA staff has been reorganized. Two downtown positions have been
eliminated and coordinated into a Downtown Manager. The other positions will be
utilized for assistance on the technology district. Economic Development Coordinator
Audrey Augja was hired and is working on the medical overlay district.
Councilmember Jonson requested a one on one discussion with the CRA Director
regarding the CRA goals and how they are being implemented.
5. Adiourn
The meeting adjourned at 1:53 p.m.
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