HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-12-2018 CRA MinutesApproved a th January 23, 2019 CRA Meeting
C rman lira Hill -
Regular City Council EST:
& CRA Workshop
December 12, 2016 --_
Page Two lvinette Williams, MMC - City Clerk '
Brief Announcements
Sebastian River Art Club Show in Riverview Park— Dec. 15 from 10 am to 4 pm
In addition to the Art Club Show, Vice Mayor Kinchen announced that the Sebastian Police
Department would be hosting Family Movie Night at Riverview Park on Friday, December
14 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Recess City Council Meetino and Convene Community Redevelopment Agency Workshop +_.
A. Chairman Hill called the workshop to order at 6:08 p.m. Members present included
Chairman Hill, Vice Chairperson Kinchen, Mr. Dodd, Mr. lovino, and Mr. McPar lan.
B. Sec1tic to Sewer Program (Transmittal, Accounting, Boundary Map, F.5.381.00655)
I. Discuss Future Funding Allocation of Matching Funds for Program
The City Manager introduced the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Manager and
requested how the Board would like to proceed to make the most use of the dollars to
remove septic systems.
The CRA Manager explained there are enough dollars remaining to fund what has been
allocated for the remainder of the year, and when the City pursues the Indian River Lagoon
National Estuary Program RFP, those funds would not be available until the fall of 2019.
Mr. Dodd asked if the $247,173 allocation, in consideration point #3, was actually set aside
to administer a study to determine if the sewer system could expand into the highlands. The
City Manager said staff was looking for direction if that should be set aside for citywide
consideration or allocated to the CRA district; as well as if grants should be administered as
on a percentage base, total cost or one system per property or building.
Mr. Dodd said there were two issues they were grappling with —the grant program and sewer
expansion to entire city; the $247,173 was aimed to the expansion throughout the City.
The CRA Manager stated staff has reached out to the County to let them know the City is
interested in partnering with them. Mr. Dodd noted there are about 3,520 homes on the
County's top list that will require about $44M which is something the City can't do on its own.
Mr. Dodd asked if there were gravity system properties outside the CRA district but inside
the City of Sebastian. The CRA Manager said there was not.
Mr. Dodd said he preferred a sharing program something like 75125 and two different grant
amounts —for example, one for gravity ($7,500 rap) and one for a lift station ($5K from the
City and $10K from available grants).
As far as properties are concerned, Mr. Dodd said they might have to go back to active
operating systems with multi -buildings or multi -tenants or use the ERU assigned by the
County. He said he did not think it would be fair to say one grant per property because they
may have four systems; the number of grant awards would have to be specifically spelled
out.
Chairman Hill said they should look at ERUs since there can be three buildings on a
property but very little use; that way the grant dollars would be eliminating the most waste.
Regular City Council
& CRA Workshop
December 12, 2018
Page Three
The City Manager noted it would be difficult to look at applicant's ability to pay in that regard.
For example a hotel can pay more than a non-profit such as recent recipient, HALO Rescue.
Chairman Hill said the tax dollars should go toward eliminating septic tanks; the ERUs could
dictate the maximum amount given to a property.
The CRA Manager said ERUs rate water usage which is not equitable to the waste drain
and asked if a property with four ERUs should get four limes the grant amount. Chairman
Hill said the maximum allocated, for example for HALO on an ERU basis, they would be
given the amount of ERUs.
The CRA Manager described that the County only gave HALO Rescue one ERU which may
not be an equitable standard to go by. She asked If the Board wanted to get away from the
permitting, design and construction costs to cover more system closures.
Chairman Hill said he would be comfortable with staff forwarding to the Board what they
determine is the most fair and equitable but didn't think per tank was the best way to go.
Vice Chairperson Kinchen said an award per tank is the way to go as staff has disputed the
number of ERUs the County has assigned to City properties in the past.
Mr. Dodd said some equitable cost sharing method with the property owners with different
award ceilings for gravity systems and lift systems should be considered.
Mr. Dodd suggested using the money allocated in consideration point #3 to hire grant
people to independently or in unison with the County, pursue federal and stale grant money.
The CRA Manager noted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is interested
in helping the City and described the 319 grant process which they may consider for the
gravity systems.
She also explained that along the riverfront there is only a force main that requires property
owners to purchase the more expensive lift station so they would remove more systems by
taking care of the gravity systems first.
Chairman Hill noted that property owners can pay the County low interest loans attached
to their utility bill payments to cover the assessment part of connecting to the sewer.
The CRA Manager suggested asking the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program
for a match to remove approximately 21 more tanks at the average cost of $15K each.
Damien Gilliams, 1623 US Highway 1, suggested using the occupational license fund to
remove the CRA septic tanks or the County s escrow fund. He also suggested using
businesses' tax id number and whether a force main or gravity system is needed as
variables to allocate grant awards.
The City Manager thanked the Board for their input and assured them that staff would come
up with ideas for final adoption.
C. Chairman Hill adjourned the CRA Workshop at 6:41 p.m