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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08222007CRAcmc~ HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) (CITY COUNCIL) MINUTES WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2007 - 6:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN ST, SEBASTIAN, FL Chairperson Coy called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. 2. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. ROLL CALL City Council Present: Mayor Andrea Coy Vice-Mayor Sal Neglia Council Member AI Paternoster Council Member Dale Simchick Council Member Eugene Wolff Staff Present: City Manager, AI Minner City Attorney, Rich Stringer City Clerk, Sally Maio Deputy City Clerk, Jeanette Williams MIS Systems Analyst, Barbara Brooke/Barry Siepmann Finance Director, Shai Francis Growth Management Director, Rebecca Grohall 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - 7/25/07 Meeting Neglia/Paternoster MOTION by Mr. Neglia and SECOND by Mr. Paternoster, to approve the minutes. Voice vote 5-0. Passed 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Resolution No. 07-01 - FY 2007 CRA Budget Amendment (Finance Transmittal, R-07-01, Exhibit A) A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) ADOPTING AN AMENDED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2006 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 AS PROVIDED FOR IN EXHIBIT "A"; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. CRA Meeting August 22, 2007 Page Two The City Manager pointed out revisions as distributed prior to the meeting and reviewed them for Council (new Indian River Drive/Main Street Project numbers are in exhibit A of Resolution No. 07-01). Chuck Lever, Mulberry Street, Sebastian, presented a petition with 134 signatures opposed to the Main Street/Indian River Drive Improvement Project (see face page attached to minutes). He then read the title of the petition at the request of Mr. Wolff. Mr. Wolff asked if there is an alternative plan. Mr. Lever said there are a couple of civil engineers looking at this who can do it for less money. He said, in response to Mayor Coy, one of the engineers is local and one is not. He said they were opposed to the design as it is now in conceptual. Ms. Simchick said she hoped that those people opposed would come forward at the next meeting on the project. Damien Gilliams, 1623 US 1, Sebastian said the time to short circuit is now during the budget process. He said this is a waste of the taxpayers' money, that we are not getting more parking, and recommended that the Members take the money and start acquiring lands. He said this is a glorified site plan for the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber should be next to City Hall. He suggested accident ratings be checked for the ramp, recommended taking the money out of the budget now. Joseph Dunaway, Sebastian, asked if the City really wanted to put a parking lot in this area, said the Chamber belongs next to City Hall and the City needs to purchase property rather than applying the money to a project like this. Mr. Neglia said he was in favor of approving as it is with the changes. In response to Mr. Paternoster, the City Manager said the number for special events was the same in the original CRA budget, and he listed the numbers for each event. Mr. Paternoster asked if the police funding was coming from the CRA budget and the City Manager said that was included in the amended exhibit. Mr. Paternoster asked if the CRA approved the amendment as is, and they decided not to do the Main Street improvement, what would occur. The City Manager said the Schulke contract would have to be reallocated and it would be up to Council to shift it to another project or reserve. Ms. Simchick asked why there is a $30,000 decrease in the sign and facade improvement program. The City Manager explained it was not spent this year and $30,000 represents next year's expense. 2 CRA Meeting August 22, 2007 Page Three Mr. Wolff asked what would transpire if the budget resolution was not passed. The Finance Director said it would be a violation of state statutes and it would be a bad financial transaction note in the audit. Mayor Coy pointed out what the CRA Members decided was not permanent, but an accounting procedure and workshops will be held on the improvements. Mr. Paternoster asked the City Manager to explain exactly where reserve money comes from, and the City Manager explained the City has a reserve account for the Main Street project, and sometimes staff talks about unrestricted revenues but tonight funds are reserved for a specific account. He then explained how tax increment financing for community redevelopment districts comes from property owners, taxing jurisdictions; and in the City's case, the County. Mr. Paternoster asked if the City puts in $200,000 this year, the county would give $200,000; could the City put in $250,00 next year. The City Manager responded there are probably some policies dictating that the CRA was funded to the maximum. MOTION by Ms. Simchick and SECOND by Mr. Neglia, to approve Resolution No. 07-01 amending the budget for FY2007. Roll call result was as follows: Ayes: Neglia, Paternoster, Simchick, Wolff, Coy Nays: None Passed B. Approve the Proposed 2008 Community Redevelopment Budget -Set Adoption Hearing for September 19, 2007 (Finance Transmittal Budget, Line Item Detail) The City Manager briefly reviewed the proposed budget pointing out a financing mechanism along with recreational impact fees for the Indian River Drive project, otherwise the budget is very similar to the 2007 budget. Damien Gilliams, 1623 US 1, Sebastian, asked if there was a detailed explanation why the professional services amount dropped. The City Manager said no. Mr. Gilliams asked what the lighting cost was and stated in his opinion it should come from Recreation funds and the City Manager said it was not allowed because it is an operating expense. Mr. Gilliams asked why the City was spending $14,000 for a Christmas Tree, noted there was money in the budget for the cancelled Clambake, noted there was money in the budget for the Art Festival, which hasn't been approved. He said the City is confusing the funds and should be cleaning up the blighted area. He said he had 3 CRA Meeting August 22, 2007 Page Four provided information in Council's mailboxes on a food festival and perhaps they could reallocate the funds from Clambake to his food festival. Ms. Simchick said Council did give a consensus for an Art Festival and it was appropriate to budget for it. Mayor Coy explained that CRA funds can be used for many purposes including things that are for the public good and money is not always made on events for the public. In response to Ms. Simchick, Mr. Paternoster said Council did not approve the Fine Arts festival but approved the concept. Mr. Paternoster asked where the debt service money would be borrowed from and the City Manager said the figure was just an estimate and there is no lender for that yet. The Finance Director said this year's debt service amount is for a half year, and would double for the following years, at 4.75% bringing the project cost to approximately $1,695,000. Ms. Simchick said there was a consensus to do due diligence on the property on the northwest corner of US 1 and Main Street and asked for a property cost before September 19`h meeting. In response to Mr. Wolff, the City Manager explained the community redevelopment district and tax increment funding which fund the CRA projects. Mr. Wolff said commercial properties in the district not subject to homestead continue to rise and asked if they are paying additional taxes. The City Manager said they do not pay additional taxes, noting the increments in a blighted area are not going to increase as quickly. The City Manager said several Florida cities have used CRA funds for projects and said it takes 10-15 years to make money from a district. Mr. Neglia pointed out the budgeted $4,000 for the Art Festival last year which did not take place and the City Manager stated the amount was reflected in the 2008 un- appropriated line. MOTION by Mr. Neglia and SECOND by Ms. Simchick, to approve going forward with the introduction of the 2008 CRA budget as a working document. Roll call result was as follows: Ayes: Paternoster, Simchick, Wolff, Coy, Neglia Nays: None Passed 6. Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:56 p.m. Approved at the January 23, 2008 CRA meeting. ATT ST: `;~ ti ~~ Andrea Coy, Mayor Sa yA. Mai MC -City Clerk 4 PETITION We the undersigned residents of the City of Sebastian, County of Indian River, State of Florida, do hereby affix our signatures to this page in opposition to what has been dubbed the "Indian River Drive/Main Street Improvement Project." The cost of this project is estimated to be, 1.9 million dollars. It is our considered opinion that the proposed engineering, design, in its present form, is not beneficial to our public, boaters and motorists. Correspondingly, the present design permits the obliteration of an existing park, located behind the Chamber of Commerce, to make way for a parking lot. We are not in favor of eliminating our park for this purpose. We firmly believe through further study of this project, a more economical and improved design could be engineered to achieve the desired goal. We strongly urge our elected City Council to reconsider this matter prior to any advancement or approval of the project. 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