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04/26/1993 - Joint Meeting CRA & DDB JOINT WORK SESSION COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY/ DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT BOARD April 26, 1993 The City Commission, meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, and the Downtown Development Board met in a joint Work Session at City Hall, Monday, April 26, 1993 at 5:36 p.m., with the following members present: Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA): Rita Garvey Chair Richard Fitzgerald Trustee Sue Berfield Trustee Arthur X. Deegan, II Trustee Fred Thomas Trustee Downtown Development Board (DDB): Phil Henderson Member Lillian Trickle Member Helen Wheelis Member Dan Lieter Member Alan Bitman Member Absent: Dennis Dean Member Also present: Elise Winter DDB Elect Michael J. Wright Executive Director Milton A. Galbraith, Jr. Attorney Cynthia E. Goudeau Secretary The meeting was called to order at 5:36 p.m. ITEM II. - Approval of January 29, 1993 Joint Meeting Minutes The minutes of January 29, 1993 were referred to and it was noted Mr. Lieter was not in attendance. Consensus was to approve the minutes as corrected. ITEM III. - Report on Actions taken at April 19, 1993 CRA Meeting Michael Wright, CRA Executive Director, reported on the actions taken: 1) the CRA will be holding regularly scheduled meetings at 4:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month; 2) the CRA will be hiring a full time executive director who will report directly to the CRA; 3) the CRA accepted and approved a site plan for the Kravis property for 79 parking spaces and landscaping that will tie into Station Square Park; 4) the CRA is requesting removal of SR 60 designation from Cleveland Street/Gulf to Bay Boulevard from Highland Avenue to the bayfront; 5) the CRA voted to form a public/private partnership to coordinate downtown redevelopment efforts; and 6) the CRA requested small business incubators be investigated. Regarding the Maas Brothers Request for Proposals (RFP), the Executive Director reported the deadline is today and no responses were received. He stated one company was very interested but had a parting of top management. He indicated staff will do a sampling as to why no responses were received. Mr. Henderson indicated he wished to clarify a comment regarding the CRA doing promotion. He agreed the CRA cannot do promotion but the City Commission can do whatever it wants to. He reported the DDB will prepare a package asking if property owners want the DDB to be sunsetted. He said the DDB would prefer to survey the feelings of property owners and not wait for the legislature to dissolve them. He said at the next DDB meeting, the board will discuss other questions that may be placed on the ballot. The ballot will be sent by certified mail. Mr. Henderson said property owners may be questioned if they would like to have a voting member on the CRA and if so, how many. He stated he wanted to keep this issue in the community and not involve the State. Trustee Garvey questioned when the ballot would be sent. Mr. Henderson indicated the ballot cannot be discussed until the May 24, 1993 DDB meeting. Trustee Garvey questioned the contract with Judi Hackett. Mr. Henderson said that issue will be discussed at the May DDB meeting. Trustee Deegan stated he had reviewed the material and felt it was a well put together proposal and a positive first step. Helen Wheelis expressed concern that the DDB remains in existence long enough to fulfill its contracts. Ms. Winters indicated the DDB should have time to complete the contracts before dissolving. ITEM IV. - DDB as Business Development Board Trustee Deegan expressed concern that the DDB and CRA ordinances overlap and it is possible for each organization to do the same thing. He said while an administrative memorandum contained changes, he is still interested in changing the ordinance regarding what the DDB is. He stated the DDB will retain its independence under the proposal. Trustee Deegan said in goal setting sessions, he encouraged the DDB to hire a marketing director. He said if the State does not act and the referendum does not occur, he will ask for a change in the ordinance. Lillian Trickle agreed the ordinances do overlap. Ms. Winters felt neither organization had principal authority and the DDB was supposed to make recommendations to the City Commission, assist, facilitate, etc. Trustee Deegan read the “powers” and did not think the “powers” allowed the DDB to just make recommendations. He expressed concern the CRA and DDB do the same thing. Ms. Winters did not feel the two organizations were mutually exclusive and were not hurting each other. Trustee Thomas felt the City Commission should make a decision regarding the DDB. He said the DDB will poll the property owners. He felt it would be good to see how the CRA and DDB can meld. Trustee Fitzgerald questioned how DDB’s status and taxing authority would change if it became the Business Development Committee. Trustee Deegan felt his proposal should be tried until a determination is made regarding sunsetting the DDB. Trustee Fitzgerald questioned if the DDB can convert into a committee of the CRA. Trustee Deegan said he is only asking the DDB to start functioning as a business development committee. Again Trustee Fitzgerald questioned if the DDB can do that without affecting their taxing ability. Ms. Winters questioned if the CRA would be expanded by the Business Development Committee if the DDB is sunsetted. Trustee Deegan stated he did not want to guess what the DDB would do in the interim. He did not feel the CRA or City Commission should make a recommendation. Discussion ensued regarding what the DDB would be if it were dissolved. It was questioned if the DDB could be reborn in a new form. Trustee Thomas said the City needs a business development board for the whole City to advise the CRA and City Commission. He felt the DDB’s involvement as the nucleus of a 15-member committee would provide the DDB with a focus until the City knows if it will be sunsetted. Trustee Garvey felt this was a function of the Chamber of Commerce. Trustee Berfield pointed out this is similar to the way the city of Columbus handles their boards. In response to questions, she indicated a core of influential business people is recognized in Columbus. Discussion ensued regarding a proposal to organize a core of volunteers to present a unified approach to activities aimed at encouraging traffic in the downtown area. Ms. Wheelis indicated Ms. Hackett’s program was already addressing this. She said her concern is with the mixed emotions regarding the DDB’s function. She said input from all of Clearwater was vital but she felt it was important for downtown people to have a voice in what happens downtown. Trustee Thomas said while he supports Ms. Hackett as an interim step, he did not support another task force or study. Ms. Winters expressed amazement that two groups interested in downtown cannot make a recommendation. Trustee Thomas felt the issue is to clean up 20 years of problems with the DDB. He said the City Commission and CRA have responsibilities and they have not been doing their job. He thought a cathartic process was occurring. He said too many people are not locating their businesses downtown. Trustee Garvey did not think the CRA had not been doing their job. She noted they have been working with the DDB. She also felt the DDB is and has been doing their job and more has been done over the past few years. Trustee Thomas said people have worked for 20 years to do something in downtown but have nothing to show for it. He said a better job needs to be done. Trustee Garvey felt many have done their jobs. She noted at first, the CRA did not have much money to use. Trustee Deegan said both organizations need to communicate better. He recommended targeting the Bilgore property as a mixed use and said City properties should be maintained well. He suggested requesting the DDB designate downtown buildings that need restoration. It was requested that a copy of the CRA Goals Setting Minutes be forwarded to the DDB. Trustee Thomas pointed out the CRA now has established a schedule of regular meetings. He suggested what emerges will provide input to the CRA. He noted the CRA does not have a Work Session format. Joyce Baskin, downtown property owner, expressed concern regarding who was responsible for staying in touch with the property owners. She said property owners are still not notified regarding what is going on. She cited the Pinellas Trail as an example and said she had not been contacted or notified regarding plans for the Trail through downtown. She indicated she is not permitted to speak at DDB Work Sessions. Mr. Henderson reported the format had been changed and citizen input is allowed whether or not the issue is included on the agenda. Ms. Baskin questioned who will notify property owners if the DDB is abolished. Ms. Winters pointed out a ballot will be sent to all downtown property owners to determine if they want the DDB to continue. Trustee Thomas noted the City Commission had requested the State Legislature to dissolve the DDB. He said Mr. Henderson will notify the Commission regarding the ballot’s outcome. Further discussion regarding property owners not being notified ensued. Ms. Baskin continued to express concern regarding not being notified regarding the Pinellas Trail and the effects of its route on downtown businesses. Discussion ensued regarding whether or not to go forward with the decision that the DDB be the Business Development Committee. Concerns were expressed that the property owners had not had time to discuss this. Trustee Thomas pointed out that a letter from Michael Wright several years ago had changed the DDB’s direction. Mr. Wright indicated both boards mutually agreed with the position. Ms. Wheelis requested an explanation of a proposal that the DDB serve as the funnel to channel all communication, suggestions, etc. from various agencies/organizations interested in downtown business development. Trustee Deegan said that proposal was to allow for some group to act as the source of information regarding how downtown people feel. He said he would like to look at the DDB as the principal source of information. He cited the downtown plan as an example where the DDB had not assisted with its development. Ms. Winters said her concern with this proposal is that a separate group would be tied to it and each group would resist someone from acting as a single voice. Trustee Deegan said the proposal is for this group to act as a funnel. Mr. Bitman did not recall any discussion on the downtown plan. Mr. Lieter said the contract with Ms. Hackett would address this. Trustee Thomas said the way he reads the proposal, the group first would feed the data to the City Commission. Simultaneously, the City Commission and CRA would hold a public forum. He said it is a problem that DDB meetings are poorly attended because the board’s decisions do not impact most people’s lives. Ms. Trickle questioned who took away the DDB’s power. Trustee Deegan stated no one had. The memorandum in question represented a gentleman’s agreement. Trustee Garvey said the question was if the DDB agreed to accept the proposal. Trustee Deegan wished to underline the proposals for them to advise and carry out direction. Ms. Winters questioned where their independence would be. Ms. Wheelis said as a funnel of information, the DDB was involved with the Downtown Clearwater Association, the central area of the Chamber of Commerce, the North Greenwood Area, the North Fort Harrison business owners, etc. She said those organizations had expressed to the DDB their support of the Sun Bank building purchase. She said this information was communicated to the City Commission but it did no good. Trustee Deegan said that one decision does not invalidate the proposal. Ms. Wheelis stated the DDB does not want to spend a great deal of time working on this if they would not be listened to. Discussion ensued regarding the CRA and its evolution. Mr. Bitman felt some direction should be taken from the DDB. He noted the Coalition of Homeowners claims to represent 5,000 people which is not true. Ms. Winters said she is uncomfortable with the proposal because every day she hears downtown property owners are not listened to. Mr. Henderson said he could accept the proposal based on the new direction charted for the CRA, at the last meeting. Ms. Winters said she still was uncomfortable with a decision made before the public has provided input. She did not feel changing the DDB’s purpose was a minor proposition. No decision was made. ITEM V. - DDB Hiring of Marketing Director Trustee Deegan indicated he had asked the DDB to consider hiring a marketing director who would take direction from the CRA’s executive director. Trustee Fitzgerald said that suggestion presupposes the DDB continues as a taxing authority and suggested it would be difficult to recruit someone for a temporary position. Ms. Wheelis agreed she had a problem with this proposal. Trustee Deegan said if the DDB is subsequently sunsetted after hiring a marketing director, the CRA would need to look at the position. Trustee Thomas felt the CRA would use the DDB to continue with short term projects. The CRA’s new executive director should indicate if a marketing director is wanted. Trustee Fitzgerald noted the CRA may need to assume that expense. Trustee Deegan felt hiring a marketing director would be a more effective use of the dollars. Ms. Wheelis suggested asking the voters if they wish for this arrangement to be put in place. Trustee Thomas believed “one head” is needed and the leadership of redevelopment should be focused in one body. He said the DDB did not lose power it never used. Mr. Bitman suggested abolishing the CRA and City Commission and questioned what they have done differently than in the past. Mr. Henderson noted the Economic Development Director used to report to the City Manager but now the Executive Director will report to the CRA. Trustee Garvey said the City Manager is responsible for initiating decisions made by the City Commission. Trustee Thomas felt the function had been cleaned up. The City Manager manages the City and the CRA has to deal with something else. Mr. Bitman questioned if the CRA would approve if the marketing director wished to develop the bayfront. Trustee Thomas said the marketing director would follow the CRA’s direction. Ms. Winters questioned if the CRA/City Commission would continue to be unresponsive as they have been in the past. Trustee Thomas agreed the CRA has not done its job. Ms. Wheelis said the key question is “what is the difference.” Trustee Deegan said someone would be hired for the CRA executive director position. He said another issue is hiring someone for the City as a whole. Trustee Thomas said he wanted Clearwater to be a “Mecca” for new businesses. Ms. Wheelis expressed concern that there is little to show for the dollars spent in the DDB’s 20 years and CRA’s 14 years of existence. Trustee Thomas said that is one reason to sunset the DDB. Ms. Wheelis felt the DDB should continue if this evolves into a partnership and the funds would be used. She said she is not happy with the past but looks to the future. The City Attorney said the two additional members can be appointed to the CRA as voting members. It was questioned if a new ordinance would be needed. It was indicated it would. Discussion ensued regarding the term of office. The City Attorney indicated the legislature states the term shall be for four years. Mr. Henderson did not feel a decision should be made regarding a marketing director until it has been determined if the DDB will be sunset. He said he would take the proposal regarding the Business Development Committee to the DDB at its May 24, 1993 meeting. Ms. Wheelis questioned if Trustee Deegan would attend that DDB meeting. Trustee Deegan indicated his effort is to have the marketing director take direction from the CRA. If there are any questions regarding this, the DDB would need to discuss them with Ms. Hackett when her contract comes forward. Mr. Henderson indicated the DDB would address her contract. If the contract is to be continued at the end of this agreement, he questioned if the DDB would take direction from the CRA. Mr. Henderson said the ballot results cannot be available before May 24, 1993. Trustee Berfield suggested the CRA and DDB meet quarterly. Discussion ensued. Trustee Berfield recommended scheduling a joint meeting after the DDB’s May 24, 1993 meeting. Mr. Wright questioned the CRA regarding the minimum bid for selling the Sun Bank building. Trustee Thomas suggested the CRA recommend to the City Commission that the minimum advertised price equal the total amount the City paid. Trustee Garvey expressed concern that this item was not included on the Agenda. Trustee Berfield expressed concern that the City Commission had to take action and the CRA could not handle it. Further discussion ensued regarding whether this should be done. Trustees Berfield, Deegan and Thomas agreed with Trustee Thomas' recommendation. Trustees Garvey and Fitzgerald did not. Trustee Thomas presented a proposal to redevelop downtown and the Maas Brothers building. He suggested remodeling the Maas Brothers building into a multi-purpose building by negotiating to locate an entertainment complex on the top floor, trade show space on the middle floor and a restaurant on the first floor. He also recommended new facia for the building. He said the top floor would be an entertainment complex open seven days a week. and include a movie theater, restaurants, dinner theater, etc. He said a trade show area located on the middle floor could produce a cash flow to $300-million to local hotels, food services, etc. The restaurant on the ground floor would have an outdoor patio. An additional 15,000 square feet would be available for meeting rooms for civic clubs, etc. Mr. Bitman questioned who would pay for this proposal. Trustee Thomas said the City would hire a consultant to analyze the cash flow if the Commission approves. He said the City would hire an independent manager for the trade show area. He suggested the trade show space would not cash flow to the City but would be off set by the other facilities. He indicated he would present the proposal to the City Commission at the May 17, 1993 Work Session. ITEM VI. - Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.