HomeMy WebLinkAbout09232009CRACity Council Present:
Mayor Richard H. Gillmor
Vice -Mayor Jim Hill
Council Member Andrea Coy
Council Member Dale Simchick
Council Member Eugene Wolff
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HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA)
(CITY COUNCIL)
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 5:30 PM
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1225 MAIN ST, SEBASTIAN, FL
1. Mayor Gillmor called the CRA Meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
2. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3. ROLL CALL
Staff Present:
City Manager, Al Minner
City Attorney, Robert Ginsburg
City Clerk, Sally Maio
Deputy City Clerk, Jeanette Williams
Administrative Services Director, Debra Krueger
Airport Director, Joseph Griffin
Finance Director, Ken Killgore
Growth Management Director, Rebecca Grohall
MIS Senior Systems Analyst, Barbara Brooke -Reese
1 -5 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 8/12/09 Meeting
MOTION by Ms. Coy and SECOND by Mr. Hill to approve the 9/12/09 minutes passed on
a voice vote of 5 -0.
5. PUBLIC HEARING ADOPTION FY 2009/2010 CRA Budget
A. City Attorney Reads 09 -01 by Title and the Mayor Opens the Hearing
The City Attorney read Resolution 09 -01 by title and Mayor Gillmor opened the hearing at
5:32 p.m.
Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting
September 23, 2009
Page Two
The City Manager provided CRA Budget information, outlined expenditures, detailed the
special events budget which includes continuing the billboards through September 30,
2010. He noted the largest expense is a transfer to the CIP for Cavcorp turf block
improvements, and further introduced a proposal for a preliminary design concept for
beautification of Cavcorp and surrounding streets such as Cleveland and Coolidge as the
Mayor had discussed with him recently. He said if Council agreed, that could be
incorporated into the Cavcorp improvement or we can proceed strictly with Cavcorp.
Damien Gilliams, 1623 US 1, Sebastian, approached the podium wearing a wig, and
Mayor Gillmor asked him to remove it. Mr. Gilliams said he would not be discriminated
against. Mayor Gillmor asked the City Attorney if he could ask him to remove it, and the
City Attorney responded that he believed Mr. Gilliams was showing disrespect to the
Council, that the Mayor could ask him to remove the wig, but should not press the issue,
and give him his five minutes.
Mr. Gilliams said he was tired of being discriminated against and that is the point. He
asked if we are going to recoup any money from special events such as Clambake and
the Art and Music Festival to fix roads in the district. He said the Board has no intention of
fixing roads in the district.
Mayor Gillmor told him he was not listening.
Mr. Gilliams said all they do is spend, spend, spend, and that one man got them to put up
billboards.
Joe Scozzari, Sebastian, asked about billboards on 1 -95 and whether CRA money is to be
used in the district, suggesting it be used for drainage and roads.
Mayor Gillmor asked for clarification that CRA district roads can be funded with CRA
funds. The City Manager concurred.
Mr. Scozzari asked if we do away with the CRA, would the money go back into the
general fund. The City Manager said that is correct, but we would lose the $200,000 the
County pays into the CRA.
Mr. Scozzari cited KB Homes lien reduction and said we should let people pay what they
owe to the City, get rid of CRA and fix drainage.
Mr. Wolff responded to the first speaker, noting that he had attended the grand opening of
the Indian River Soccer Association new fields and that without the help of the Clambake
Foundation it would not have happened, and that these types of partnerships benefit the
community.
Mr. Wolff asked if the City Manager was married to the turf block concept and the City
Manager responded that there are other methods that can be looked at, but turf block best
meets percolation and surfacing needs.
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Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting
September 23, 2009
Page Three
B. RESOLUTION NO. 09 -01 FY2009/2010 CRA BUDGET (Finance Director
Transmittal, Memo, Fund Chart, Resolution 09 -01, Exhibit A)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA)
ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2009 AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 MAKING FINDINGS; AUTHORIZING AMENDMENTS; PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION by Ms. Simchick and SECOND by Mr. Hill to approve Resolution 09 -01.
Ms. Coy said the Cavcorp design is just conceptual and the Board should keep it in the
budget and obtain lots of positive feedback to move forward.
Mayor Gillmor responded to the second speaker, stating he had asked the City Manager
to provide information to him regarding what the County had paid into the CRA, and he
said including this year it is at $1.6 M, and it would be foolhardy to get rid of the CRA. He
further discussed ideas for the beautification of the area including street side parking
which would enhance the businesses in the district.
Result of the Roll Call:
Ayes: All
Nays: None
Passed 5 -0
6. FACADE, SIGNAGE AND LANDSCAPE GRANT APPLICATION
A. Approval of Facade, Signage, and Landscape Guidelines (City Manager
17 -28 Transmittal, Application)
Damien Gilliams, 1623 US Highway One, Sebastian, said he had applied for an FSL grant
during the last phase and had been denied because of delinquent taxes, that Ms.
Simchick was the only one who stood up for him, said he thought he was entitled to 1/3 of
the grant to a condominium association because he was a 1/3 owner, and asked if he
would be allowed to continue applying for a grant when his taxes are paid.
Mayor Gillmor said someone would get back to him and Ms. Simchick asked Mr. Gilliams
what the question was. He asked again if he would be eligible to reapply.
Mr. Wolff pointed out that the grant is not provided to people delinquent on taxes and Mr.
Hill pointed out the grant language states it is not available to anyone who has made the
improvement prior to applying for the grant.
Ms. Simchick said the provision Mr. Hill cited was in place and the Board waived it twice
for others. She asked the City Attorney if that comes up can it be waived again, and the
City Attorney responded yes.
Ms. Coy said that was not in the rules then and that is why it is there now. Ms. Simchick
said it used to say work in place prior to application would not be considered.
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Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting
September 23, 2009
Page Four
ATTEST:
Sally A. Mai
Mr. Gilliams said he wanted this on the record and thanked Council for being
understanding in hard times.
Joe Scozzari, Sebastian said one grantee was the VFW, which took $7500 of taxpayer
money and said they don't pay taxes, mentioned Ms. Coy's name in the applicant process,
and said though he does not begrudge the military, tax exempt organizations should not
be entitled to the grant.
Ms. Coy asked the Growth Management Director if there was anything abnormal about
the application for that grant, and the Growth Management Director explained the FSL
purpose and the process and said there was nothing unusual.
Ms. Coy said any more comments of this nature can go to the State Attorneys' office.
Mr. Scozzari returned to the podium to rebut her, but was warned twice by Mayor Gillmor
and asked to take his seat.
Mr. Wolff asked if the grant was available to churches, since it stated residential or
commercial. The Growth Management Director said that was a good question, but
thought that language was not intended to exclude churches, and perhaps that can be
brought back for further discussion.
Mr. Hill noted that the language should actually read grant match is 20
MOTION by Mr. Hill and SECOND by Ms. Coy to approve the FSL guidelines.
Result of the Roll CaII:
Ayes: All
Nays: None
Passed 5 -0
7. Being no further business, Mayor Gillmor adjourned the CRA meeting at 6:05 p.m
Approved at the Nov. 18, 2009 CRA Meeting.
Richard H. Gillmor, Mayor
MMC City Clerk
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