This CRA Board Meeting was conducted utilizing Communications Media Technology. Some Staff members were present in the Commission Chambers while others were present via the Zoom application.

 

ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT IN CHAMBERS:

Shirley Groover Bryant, Presiding Officer

Sunshine Joiner, Chair (Present via ZOOM)

Brian Williams, Vice Chair

Tamara Cornwell

Sheldon Jones

Harold Smith

 

STAFF PRESENT IN CHAMBERS:

Mark Barnebey, City Attorney

Jim Freeman, City Clerk

Edward Johnson, Interim CRA Director

Mohammed Rayan, Public Works Director

Scott Tyler, Chief of Police

Cassi Bailey, Assistant City Clerk

Penny Johnston, Executive Assistant

 

STAFF PRESENT ELECTRONICALLY:

Todd Williams, Information Technology (IT) Consultant

 

 

 

1.               Mayor Bryant called the meeting to order at 7:39 pm.

 

 

 

2.               CRA BOARD AGENDA APPROVAL

 

 

MOTION:                   Ms. Cornwell moved, Mr. Jones seconded, and the motion carried

5-0 to approve the May 20, 2024 Special CRA Board Agenda, including further discussion from the Workshop on item 5. Women’s Club Renovation Project.

 

 

 

 

3.               PUBLIC COMMENT

 

No Public Comment.

 

 

 

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May 20, 2024

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4.               RESIDENTIAL REHAB REBUILDING TOGETHER TAMPA BAY (RTTB) PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP (E.JOHNSON)

 

Mr. Johnson read from the point paper detailing the project, which was included in the Agenda.

 

 Mr. Jones asked Mr. Johnson when this would start. Mr. Johnson responded as soon as it was approved.

 

 

 

MOTION:                   Mr. Jones moved, Mr. Williams seconded, and the motion carried

5-0 to approve the Contract for the Administration and Management of the Palmetto Community Redevelopment Agency Residential Rehabilitation Program and to allow the Presiding Officer of the CRA to sign the agreement.

 

5.               WOMEN’S CLUB RENOVATION PROJECT #23-839 (E.JOHNSON)

 

 

Discussions continued from the Workshop.

 

 Karon Dixon from the Palmetto Downtown Mainstreet Program was there in support of moving forward with the Women’s Club Renovation Project. She spoke on community engagement. Through their Mainstreet Program, they are hoping to revitalize the area.

 

 Rachel Kendzior is also on the Board of the Downtown Mainstreet Program and spoke in support of the renovation. She believes it can help bring in new businesses to the City. She wanted to continue the support.

 

 Mr. Barnebey clarified that the motion that is proposed will allow them to negotiate the contract with Stellar Development. They would bring the contract back to the CRA Board for final approval.

 

  Mr. Smith noted that it’s the amount that they have an issue with. He wants Mr. Johnson to bring back if they can fund it. He doesn’t want to put that on the new Mayor.

 

 Mayor Bryant noted that the Department Heads will make that transition seamless with the new Mayor.

 

 Mr. Williams clarified what his problems were with the project. He wants to redesign the project and scale it down. He referred to the handout, page 51 of the packet. The budgeted amount was discussed and the possibility of needing to raise taxes.  He discussed his previous comments from November 28, 2022. He wanted to see it reevaluated and not overspend for this project. He wants it to go forward, but they need to consider how it will happen.

 

 Mayor Bryant noted that one of the most frequently asked questions she receives is when The Women’s Club renovation is going to happen. She believed you shouldn’t drag out historical preservation and make decisions based on the return on investment for historical properties. She stated that staff has worked very hard on this. The evaluation committee made a viable recommendation. She also stated that this doesn’t affect raising taxes. This is part of the CRA budget.

 

Special CRA Board Meeting

May 20, 2024

Page 3 of 4

 

 Mr. Jones opined that we need to do what we need to do to get this project moving forward. He said Mr. Johnson has explained that there is the money to fund this project.  He is fine with it. He knows facilities are expensive to rent and they’re in high demand. Piecing it together is not going to get it done. They need to move forward. He’s in favor of it. They’re trying to revitalize downtown.

 

 Mr. Smith agreed that they need to have this building done, but they need to know what they’re doing.  They discussed the two proposals and looked through the agenda packet.

 

  

 

MOTION:                   Ms. Cornwell moved, Mr. Jones seconded, and the motion carried

5-0 to approve the Evaluation Committee's first ranked bidder, Stellar Development, Inc. as the General Contractor for the renovation of the Woman's Club project, in an amount not-to-exceed $4,370,854.42, including a 10% contingency, and to authorize staff to negotiate a contract to come back before the CRA Board for approval.

 

 Mr. Jones emphasized that the basketball courts won’t be moved until the new courts are built.

 

 Mr. Johnson reiterated that the contract will be coming back for final approval. They are negotiating the contract before it comes back.

 

 Ms. Cornwell spoke on the expense of preserving historic homes/buildings. She also thinks it will bring people to the City that may not otherwise come. We are at the end of the budget cycle. A new budget cycle will be proposed soon.

 

 Mr. Williams asked if it would be possible for Mr. Johnson to give them a better list as far as where the funds are going to come from. Not just “lands”. Mr. Johnson explained that in the next budget cycle, they can further define how they want to spend those dollars. They can add those other projects to the next budget cycle.

 

 The purchase of the Audubon Property is moving forward and is in final review.

 

 Mr. Williams wasn’t trying to diminish anything that the Moore’s designed. It is a beautiful design. It just costs too much.

 

Mr. Johnson went on to share a historic project he worked on in Tampa years ago.  

 

 Ms. Joiner is excited to see this project moving forward.

 

 Mr. Jones asked Mr. Johnson about the properties off 7^th Street being combined by the property appraiser. Mr. Johnson stated that they looked today, and they see one address listed on the website. They are double checking on it tomorrow. He also shared that they have a developer interested in that property.

 

 Mr. Smith reiterated that they need to get the Women’s Club done. However, he is the Ward 1 Commissioner, and he wants to spend more CRA money in Ward 1. It takes a long time to get anything done.

 

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May 20, 2024

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 Mayor Bryant highlighted several projects the City and CRA have spent money on in Ward 1.

 

 

Mayor Bryant adjourned the meeting at 8:21 pm.