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08/15/2006 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING MINUTES CITY OF CLEARWATER August 15, 2006 Present: Frank Hibbard Chair/CRA Trustee Carlen Petersen CRA Trustee Hoyt P. Hamilton CRA Trustee William C. Jonson CRA Trustee John Doran CRA Trustee Also present: William B. Horne II City Manager Garry Brumback Assistant City Manager Rod Irwin Assistant City Manager/CRA Executive Director Pamela K. Akin City Attorney Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk Brenda Moses Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:31 a.m. at City Hall. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the minutes of the July 18, 2006, Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting as submitted in written summation by the City Clerk. Trustee Petersen moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 18, 2006, as motion recorded and submitted in written summation by the City Clerk to each Trustee. The was duly carried seconded and unanimously. 3. Community Redevelopment Agency Items: 3.1. Gateway Project Update and Consultant Introduction. A key effort in the revitalization of the Downtown/CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) area is a focus on making improvements to and identifying redevelopment opportunities in the East Gateway area. A City task force and steering committee was formed in December 2005 to look at a series of strategies to stabilize, improve and redevelop the area. Since that time, staff has been reviewing our existing strategies, evaluating if they are still applicable and identifying new areas for improvement. The next step in our process is to develop a comprehensive five-year action work program for the area. The first goal for the East Gateway is to stabilize the area. The major strategies address the key issues that plague the area including crime, code issues, homelessness, and high rental rates. A second goal is to bring an identity to the area and increase the business vitality of the neighborhood and engage the neighborhood and business community in the area’s improvement. In order to develop an effective work program, the five-year plan must respond to the needs of the area. For this reason, staff has begun outreach to the business community to solicit their ideas. Staff also needs to reach out to community leaders and the neighborhoods at the same time. Community Redevelopment Agency 2006-08-15 1 For this public input effort to be fully effective, staff identified the need for professional services to assist in collecting business and resident input with a key focus on business development. Additionally, staff needed a bilingual person that could facilitate meetings in both English and Spanish. Staff developed a “Request for Qualifications” for professional services and received one response, from ALC Development Group. Ms. Awilda Lopez-Cepero, from ALC Development Group, will assist the Economic Development and Housing Department, as the lead department in the East Gateway effort. As part of the Scope of Work, she will identify these needs and opportunities and make recommendations to be included in the five-year work program. She will work with the Economic Development and Housing Department to make direct contact with the local businesses and residents through a variety of meetings, including one-on-ones, focus groups, and public meetings in order to gather the needed information. The consultant will attend monthly East Gateway Task Force and Steering Committee meetings as requested; develop a community-building and outreach strategy; facilitate focus groups and public meetings; submit monthly reports on progress; and prepare a final report on recommendations and next steps for the five year work program. The timeframe to conduct this work is six months. Ms. Lopez-Cepero reviewed her background and scope of project. Economic Development and Housing Director Geri Campos said the focus is to build on current code enforcement and other strategies. Land use patterns, parcel sizes, etc. will be scrutinized in-house to determine if additional assistance is needed from architects, etc. CRA Executive Director Rod Irwin said the key component is to identify the civic and business infrastructure and perform a needs assessment. There will be a celebration event to help spearhead the project. 3.2. Adopt Resolution 06-01 for the preliminary FY 2006/07 Community Redevelopment Agency budget. The details of the proposed preliminary FY (Fiscal Year) 2006/07 Community Redevelopment Agency budget are: 1) Revenues and Transfers In: 2006 Tax Increment Revenues increased $870,150 from the previous year to $2,503,932; 2) DDB Administration reflects a $2,044 increase (4%). This is contingent upon the approval of an Inter-local agreement between the DDB and CRA for the administration of the DDB; 3) Other General Revenue is being decreased by $350,000 from previous year. The line item was increased at mid year review last year to include a transfer from the Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund to the CRA of $350,000 to cover expenses related to the cleanup of the Clearwater Automotive Site. Expenditures and Transfers Out: Operating Expenditures: 4) Professional Services increased by $25,000. This line item was increased to pay for consultant services for façade improvement implementation and/or real estate data services for development agreements negotiation; 5) Taxes decreased $15,000. This line item is being eliminated. The Clearwater Automotive Site was leased for two years ending in October of 2005. During the lease period it was considered taxable and the CRA paid one half of the taxes owed on the land per the lease agreement; 6) Employee Travel increased by $500 for proposed travel expenses for the CRA Executive Director and the Main Street Coordinator; 7) Other Services increased by $2,000 to cover the annual audit costs for the CRA that is charged to this line item; 8) Memberships and Subscriptions increased by $1,000 for costs associated with various memberships; 9) Training and Reference increased by $1,500 for proposed registration expenses for the CRA Executive Director and the Main Street Coordinator; 10) Principal Payment for Loan and Interest Payment for Loan decreased $7,739 – this is the last payment due to the Central Insurance Fund for the Dimmit Property (Mediterranean Village), it will be paid in full at yearend (September 30, 2007); 11) Payments to Other Agencies – DDB increased $53,098 to equal the TIF dollar amount the DDB pays to the CRA; 12) Aid to Private Organizations increased $1,000 to fund the Downtown Farmer’s Market annual request for assistance with operational costs; 13) Transfers Out: Community Redevelopment Agency 2006-08-15 2 . General Fund - Administrative increased $61,888; 14) Clearwater Auto Site decreased by $295,000; 15) Restricted County TIF Funds increased $437,218; and 16) Redevelopment Projects Fund increased $256,729. In response to questions, Mr. Irwin said no funding for redevelopment projects have been committed but several are expected to come forward in the next year. Ms. Campos said an Interlocal Agreement with the DDB (Downtown Development Board) provides that DDB contributions to the CRA are given back to the DDB in exchange for their participation in City programs. The $50,000 in funds for the Jolley Trolley comes from the CRA for the Downtown link. Trustee Hamilton moved to approve the preliminary FY 2006/07 Community Redevelopment Agency budget. The motion was duly seconded. In response to a request for final budget numbers, Finance Director Margie Simmons explained how funds are accounted for. Discussion ensued regarding whether or not the CRA was approving a preliminary budget. Trustee Doran suggested the motion be amended to strike the word "preliminary" from the item. Trustee Hamilton and the seconder accepted the amendment. Upon the vote being taken on the amended motion, Trustees Petersen, Hamilton, and Doran and Chair Hibbard voted "Aye"; Trustee Jonson voted "Nay." Motion carried. . Resolution 06-01 was presented and read by title only. Trustee Petersen moved to pass and adopt Resolution 06-01 and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and upon roll call, the vote was: "Ayes": Petersen, Hamilton, Doran, and Hibbard. "Nays": Jonson. Motion carried. 4. Other Business: None. 5. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 10:19 a.m. -?~~ 9fclir Community Redevelopment Agency Attest: o . . . C .._ ~~. C: .ll~t ~{l,,- <>- ~ . City rk - ._' . Community Redevelop.rD~nt Agency 2006-08-15 3