09/16/1996 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
September 16, 1996
Present: Rita Garvey Chair/CRA Trustee
J. B. Johnson CRA Trustee
Robert Clark CRA Trustee
Ed Hooper CRA Trustee
Karen Seel CRA Trustee
Elise Winters Ex-Officio Trustee
David Stone 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
The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:36 a.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
Ex-Officio Trustee Elise Winters referred to page 2, paragraph 4, and requested the first sentence read, "Ms. Rice said the DDB may request some changes following the joint CRA/DDB
November meeting . . ."
Trustee Hooper moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of May 13, 1996, as amended. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #3 - New Business
a) Budget for Fiscal Year 1996/97
The FY (Fiscal Year) 1996/97 budget was presented. The revenue budget is based on taxable value estimates and assumes the DDB (Downtown Development Board) pays the tax increment.
Interest income assumes the 1986 CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) bonds continue to be outstanding. The expenditure budget assumes a transfer of $77,000 to the City to staff the
CRA office and assumes the 1986 CRA bonds remain outstanding and require an additional $156,935 be transferred to the Debt Service Fund. Budgeted professional services include estimated
legal fees. Funding this budget requires a transfer of $156,911 from prior years working capital.
Interim Director/Deputy City Manager Kathy S. Rice hoped a sublease of the CRA offices could be worked out with the DDB. The issue currently is on hold. The City Manager reported
the CRA is budgeted to pay half of the litigation regarding the Garden Avenue Parking Garage.
Trustee Johnson moved to adopt the CRA original budget for FY 1996/97 and that the appropriate officials be authorized to execute same. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #4 - Executive Director Verbal Reports
Ms. Rice stated the new Assistant City Manager, Bob Keller, will begin work on October 7, 1996, and take over CRA duties.
ITEM #5 - Other Trustee Business
Joint CRA/DDB meeting
Ex-Officio Trustee David Stone expressed concern the proposed reconstitution was a little "off track." He expressed concern a new date for the joint CRA/DDB had not been scheduled.
He felt County objections could be addressed politically if the organizations jointly supported the change and requested approval. Ms. Winters noted the advantages of establishing
joint goals and recommended against delay. Chair Garvey felt it seemed reasonable to postpone the meeting until board members elected in November took their seats and Mr. Keller had
started work. Ms. Winters said the DDB needs to resolve goal issues before the first of the year. Newly elected board members can be invited to attend. She said the DDB has been able
to address only the basics of next year's budget. Mr. Stone suggested the meeting should be a work session where CRA and DDB members debate the merits of reconstitution, effective uses
of funds, and ways the organizations can work together. Trustees Seel and Hooper agreed a joint goal setting meeting should be scheduled.
A joint CRA/DDB was scheduled tentatively for November 2, 1996, from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m.
Downtown Model
Ms. Winters stated the downtown model would be removed from Chambers on September 19, 1996. She noted the model is a work in progress.
Changes to the model were discussed. The City Manager recommended against relocating the Library to the vicinity of the Municipal Services Building, also called the quad area, because
of lack of parking. She recommended the City Commission hold further discussion regarding the downtown model.
Consensus was to recommend the City Commission not rule out the Municipal Services Building area or quad area for the library.
Promoting the Downtown Plan
Ms. Winters said the Downtown Partnership had approved promoting the Downtown Plan to Clearwater citizens and had recommended reaching out to City neighborhoods. The DDB recommended
promoting the Downtown Plan in conjunction with the November 9, 1996, Saturday in the City when many activities are planned to attract people downtown. The Downtown model will be exhibited
in Station Square Park.
CRA Rules
Ms. Rice recommended addressing the CRA rules after the new Assistant City Manager is on board.
ITEM #6 - Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:56 a.m.
Chair
Community Redevelopment Agency
Attest:
Board Reporter