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12/07/1998BROWNFIELDS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER December 7, 1998 Present: Gary Gray Chair (departed 5:03 p.m.) Stephen Fowler Vice-Chair Amy Lovett Board Member Thomas Noble Board Member Willa Carson Board Member Also Present: Margaret Meyer Dade County - D.E.R.M. Thomas Miller Asst. Director of Public Works/TAC Liaison Alicia Reid Pinellas County Risk Management Roland Bryant Public Works Academy Ron Franz Public Works Academy Leslie Dougall-Sides Assistant City Attorney Miles Ballogg Brownfields Coordinator Lori Hernandez USF Environmental Science Student Brenda Moses Board Reporter Absent: Mary Miller Board Member Renu Khator Board Member Robert Washington Board Member Brian Flaherty Board Member To provide continutiy for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEMS 1-3 The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m., followed by meditation and the Pledge of Allegiance. ITEM 4 Introductions Brownfield Coordinator Miles Ballogg introduced the guest speakers. ITEM 5 - Minutes of Previous Meetings Member Fowler moved to approve the minutes of October 26, 1998, as submitted in written summation to each board member. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM 6 - Staff Reports Provided by Miles Ballogg, Clearwater Brownfields Coordinator a. Brownfields 98 - Gary Gray Mr. Ballogg said through the International County and City Managers Association, the City received a scholarship to send a representative to the Brownfields 98 Convention in Los Angeles. Chair Gray, who attended this year’s convention which had approximately 3,500 attendees and 600 speakers, said the impressive conference emphasized the importance of Brownfields. The federal government has increased funding programs for Brownfields development, testing, and clean-up. Mr. Ballogg will distribute convention materials. b. Review of Materials - Miles G. Ballogg The quarterly reports will be distributed shortly. Future materials will be distributed in summary form. c. Sustainable Development Challenge Grant - Miles G. Ballogg Mr. Ballogg reported the City has applied for a $250,000 Sustainable Development Challenge Grant through the EPA to tie job training programs with community clean-up. The grant, plus matching funds, may be used for innovative clean-up technologies. A decision will be made by early Spring. ITEM 7 - Action Items a. Approval - next meeting time, date, location Mr. Ballogg said the location of the next meeting will change to allow residents from the South Greenwood community to attend. Consensus was to schedule the next meeting on February 1, 1999, at 4:00 p.m. at Ross Norton Park and to schedule future meetings as needed. b. Approval - Minutes See Item 5. c. Technical Advisory Committee - Tom Miller - Approve Members, Objectives, Advisory Board Representative Mr. Ballogg said 2 community residents have applied to sit on the TAC (Technical Advisory Committee). Member Noble moved to appoint the existing nominees and the 2 community names submitted, noting an additional community member will be elected. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Fowler moved to approve TAC objectives as presented. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Member Noble moved to appoint Member Willa Carson to the TAC. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Discussion ensued regarding the additional TAC member. Consensus was to appoint more than 1 additional member to TAC. Mr. Ballogg said he could not contact a Brownfields Advisory Board member, and felt the member may be replaced. He encouraged members to submit suggestions for a replacement. ITEM 8 - Other Business a. Presentation - Roland Bryant - Public Works Academy Director of Public Works Academy Roland Bryant reviewed the Public Works Academy training program available throughout Pinellas County. He noted job opportunities available through the program. He said during a ten-year period, the program has placed approximately 90% of its graduates in public works jobs. In January 1999, the Academy plans to open a north county operation. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent, a ninth grade reading level capability, a clean driving record, and a valid Florida driver’s license. Scholarship opportunities can assist graduates to attend local colleges. In response to a question, he said the Academy works with troubled individuals. This program is an effort to create job opportunities in Brownfields areas. b. Presentation - Environmental Justice Plan - Lori Hernandez USF (University of South Florida) environmental science student Lori Hernandez reviewed the environmental justice plan. Environmental justice plans, available nationwide, were first developed due to concerned community groups who demanded State action regarding Brownfields sites. The plan’s objective is for community groups to identify important issues and open lines of communication with community decision-makers. Many sites are in minority and low-income areas. Environmental justice can be obtained through enhanced community planning, efficient assessment and clean-up, productive redevelopment, safe and sustainable reuse, and community involvement. USF, FAMU (Florida Agriculture & Military University), ICMA (International County Managers Association), and the City will work to develop the environmental justice plan. Attaining environmental justice requires public participation, outreach, communication with stakeholders; health and environmental research; data collection analysis, and public access to information, enforcement, compliance assurance, and regulatory reviews. In response to a question, Mr. Ballogg said the communication task force is different from the environmental justice planning action team which will be a subgroup dealing with environmental justice issues. A $20,000 environmental justice grant is available to encourage a community group to hire a community advocate who would work with the City to increase environmental justice participation. Mr. Ballogg said increased community participation depends on the work of a community activist. Another environmental justice grant is available to distribute free pollution prevention plans when a Brownfields site rehabilitation agreement is developed. c. Presentation - “Brownfield Recommendations” - Margaret Meyer - DERM (Department of Environmental Resources Management) Margaret Meyer, Brownfields Coordinator for Miami-Dade County, said that County’s 20 member Brownfields Task Force was formed in February 1996, convened in May 1996, and meets monthly. Members include bankers, developers, environmental lawyers and consultants, county agencies, etc. She reviewed early Federal and State grants the organization had obtained and Florida statutes related to Brownfields. The legislature has not solved the lack of economic incentives and successful outreach methods. The task force has recommended formally designating TUAs (Targeted Urban Areas) as Brownfields. The TUAs will have an economic revitalization task force. Ms. Meyer reviewed financial incentives under evaluation. The Task Force waives fees for developers in suspected Brownfields areas to promote assessments, and supply the Task Force with information. The Task Force will create a Brownfields Oversight Committee to finalize recommendations. Interdepartmental agreements will be considered to ensure all Federal funding is obtained. The OCED (Office of Community and Economic Development) works with the Community Action Agency which report to the County Board of Commissioners for the RFP (Requests for Proposal) process. The Task Force uses advisory boards to improve community participation and notification. In response to a question, Mr. Ballogg said Clearwater’s stabilization fund pays up to $10,000 in impact fees if the development creates 10 or more jobs in a Brownfields area. ITEM 9 - Public Comment Period - None. ITEM 10 - Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 5:13 p.m.