05/13/1996 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
May 13, 1996
Present: Rita Garvey Chair/CRA Trustee
J. B. Johnson CRA Trustee
Ed Hooper CRA Trustee
Karen Seel CRA Trustee
Elise Winters Ex-Officio Trustee
Kathy S. Rice Interim Director/Deputy City Manager
Elizabeth M. Deptula City Manager
Pamela K. Akin City Attorney
Cynthia E. Goudeau City Clerk
Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter
Absent: Robert Clark CRA Trustee
David Stone Ex-Officio Trustee
The Chair called the meeting to order at 1:08 p.m. at City Hall.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order.
ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes
Trustee Seel moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 15, 1996, as recorded and submitted in written summation to each Trustee. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
ITEM #3 - New Business
a) Report on Loans and Grants
Interim CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) Director/Deputy City Manager Kathy Rice said procedures will be upgraded and require business owners to provide copies of their business
and contractor licenses, as well as property owner approval, before loans or grants are issued. The CRA will be careful to not be too bureaucratic. Money will be distributed after
work is complete. Businesses who move early from their downtown locations will be subject to prepayment penalties. Staff will return with a full set of proposed procedures. Trustee
Seel recommended assurances be made that the money will be used for improvements and not just repairs. Ms. Rice said an architect will be required to sign off on each project. Trustee
Johnson expressed concern problems with earlier policies be rectified immediately. Ms. Rice noted the previous storefront improvement grant procedures were sometimes not clear or followed.
b) Status of Selection Process for Development Director
Ms. Rice referred to Human Resources Director Mike Laursen's May 3, 1996, memorandum regarding the proposed time frame for the selection process for the Development Director. She anticipates
candidates will submit resumes within 50 days. The advertisement has not been published. Staff recommended an assessment center look for traits such as leadership, presentation skills,
ability to use data to reach sound decisions, ability to build consensus, and connections with the development community, as recommended by downtown business owners. Ms. Rice suggested
establishing a committee to interview the top candidates, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and forward recommendations to the City Manager. She requested the CRA Trustees indicate
if they feel staff is heading in the right direction.
Trustee Seel suggested appointing an Economic Development Committee and indicated she would distribute a memorandum regarding this proposal for future discussion with the City Commission.
c) Report on Economic Development Symposium of June 11, 1996
Ms. Rice reported she is working with USF (University of South Florida) regarding morning presentations. An afternoon round table is scheduled. A list of attendees is being completed.
She suggested another session may be needed. Further information is forthcoming.
ITEM #4 - Executive Director Verbal Reports
Proposed new Winn Dixie Store
Ms. Rice stated a Special CRA Meeting may be needed on June 3, 1996. Economic Development Director Alan Ferri said staff is working with CNHS (Clearwater Neighborhood Housing Services)
regarding an upcoming project to locate a Winn Dixie Grocery store downtown. The CRA may be asked to address a gap in financing in conjunction with a federal grant for which CNHS has
applied. Grants will be awarded to only 30 of 200 applicants. Chances for approval will improve if the project is supported by a strong financial commitment by the CRA. Mr. Ferri
noted the project will bring a number of jobs to the downtown area. Ms. Rice said even with a series of loans from banks and money from the NRC (Neighborhood Reinvestment Committee),
the project is still short between $600,000 and $900,000. She reported CNHS, not Winn Dixie, will own the property. Trustee Seel verified the request is for a loan, not a subsidy.
Trustee Johnson felt the proposal is exciting.
Downtown Businesses
Ms. Rice reported a new business, Fly Fishing, has opened on Cleveland Street. She said Crafty Hamlet left. The CRA plans to help another business locate in that spot.
Royalty Theatre
Ex-Officio Trustee Elise Winters said the Royalty Theatre is empty. The DDB (Downtown Development Board) thinks the 450 seat theater is a community asset. The DDB is looking for people
to use it. She suggested funds for the cultural center mentioned in a Penny
for Pinellas wish list could be invested in the Royalty Theatre. It was suggested future use of the theater should be open to the community and not limited to one organization.
CRA/DDB Joint Meeting
Interim CRA Director Kathy Rice reported the DDB is unable to meet with the CRA on dates previously suggested. Consensus was to schedule a joint meeting with the DDB on June 3, 1996,
at 5:30 p.m.
ITEM #5 - Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 1:34 p.m.
Chair
Community Redevelopment Agency
Attest:
Board Reporter