MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SARASOTA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING OF AUGUST 15, 2011 PRESENT: Chair Suzanne Atwell, presiding, Vice Chair Terry Turner, Members Paul Caragiulo, Willie Shaw, and Shannon Snyder, Executive Director Robert Bartolotta, Attorney Robert Fournier, and Secretary Pamela Nadalini ABSENT: None The meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was called to order by Chair Atwell at 2:42 p.m. 1. APPROVAL RE: MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING OF JUNE 20, 2011 (AGENDA ITEM CRA-1) Chair Atwell noted CRA consensus to approve the minutes of the Special CRA meeting of June 20, 2011. 2. APPOINTMENT RE: COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) ADVISORY BOARD (AGENDA ITEM CRA-2) Secretary Nadalini stated that the CRA. Advisory Board has the following vaçancies: one seat designated for a resident of the Community Redevelopment Area, one seat designated for an individual who has been involved in the construction or development in the redevelopment area, one seat designated for a representative of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), two seats designated for citizens at- large, and one seat designated for an individuai with experience in banking or finance. Chair Atwell opened the nominations for the seat designated for a resident of the Community Redevelopment Area. Member Caragiulo nominated Frederick Williams for appointment. Vice Chair Turner nominated Herbert Waltzer for appointment. Member Snyder nominated Tony Souza for appointment. Chair Atwell called for a vote on the nominations. Mr. Williams received 1 vote: Caragiulo, yes. Mr. Waltzer received 2 votes: Shaw, yes; Turner, yes. Mr. Souza received 2 votes: Atwell, yes; Snyder, yes. Chair Atwell called for a vote on the nominations of Mr. Waltzer and Mr. Souza who received two votes. Mr. Waltzer received 2 votes: Shaw, yes; Turner, yes. Mr. Souza received 3 votes: Atwell, yes; Caragiulo, yes; Snyder, yes. Chair Atwell announced the appointment of Tony Souza to the CRA Advisory Board to fill the seat designated for a resident of the Community Redevelopment Area and opened the nominations for the seat designated for an individual involved in construction or development in the Community Redevelopment Area. Member Caragiulo nominated Michael Beaumier for appointment. Book 3 Page 31734 08/15/11 2:30 P.M. Book 3 Page 31735 08/15/11 2:30 P.M. Hearing no other nominations, Chair Atwell announced the appointment of Michael Beaumier to the CRA Advisory Board to fill the seat designated for an individual involved in construction or development in the redevelopment area; noted CRA consensus to appointment Mark Huey to the CRA Advisory Board to fill the seat designated for a representative of the Economic Development Corporation; and opened the nominations for the seat designated to an individual with finance and banking experience. Member Snyder nominated Kenneth Bailey for appointment. Hearing no other nominations, Chair Atwell announced the appointment of Kenneth Bailey to the CRA Advisory Board to fill the seat designated for an individual with finance and banking experience and opened the nominations for one of two seats designated for a citizen at-large. Member Shaw nominated Valerie Buchand for reappointment. Hearing no other nominations, Chair Atwell called for a vote on the nomination. Ms. Buchand received 5 votes: Atwell, yes; Caragiulo, yes; Shaw, yes; Snyder, yes; Turner, yes. Secretary Nadalini announced the reappointment of Valerie Buchand to CRA Advisory Board to fill one of two seats designated for a citizen at-large. Mayor Atwell opened the nominations for the second seat designated for a citizen at-large. Member Shaw nominated Paul Thorpe for appointment. Member Snyder nominated Herbert Waltzer for appointment. Chair Atwell called for a vote on the nominations. Mr. Thorpe received 3 votes: Atwell, yes; Caragiulo, yes; Shaw, yes. Chair Atwell announced the appointment of Paul Thorpe to the CRA Advisory Board to fill the second seat designated for a citizen at-large. 3. APPOINTMENT RE: NEWTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) ADVISORY BOARD (AGENDA ITEM CRA-3) Chair Atwell noted CRA consensus to appoint Mark Huey to the Newtown CRA Advisory Board to fill the seat designated for a representative of the Economic Development Corporation. 4. REPORT RE: JOINT DOWNTOWN AND NEWTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) ADVISORY BOARD'S REGULAR MEETINGS OF JUNE 23, 2011 AND JULY 7. 2011 (AGENDA ITEM CRA-4) David Brain, Chair, Newtown CRA Advisory Board, John Harshman, Vice Chair CRA Advisory Board, North Sarasota Redevelopment General Manager Lorna Alston, Chief Planner Steven Stancel, and Recreation Leader Lori Benton, Neighborhood and Development Services Department, came before the CRA. Ms. Benton gave a computer-generated presentation concerning the Community Development Grant Program including the proposed timeline, general criteria for receiving funds, eligible programs for the Downtown and Newtown Community Redevelopment Areas, and the scoring and ranking process for applications. Mr. Brain gave a report concerning the July 7, 2011, Newtown CRA. Advisory Board meeting at which time a decision was made to recommend the following organizations receive Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds in the form of grants: Sarasota YMCA - Sarasota Y Achievers: $25,000, Brotherhood of Men - Mentoring Program: $25,000, HOPE Program - HVAC Training Program: $25,000, Greater Hurst Chapel - SOAR Program: $25,000, Friends of Newtown Estates - Homework Enrichment Program: $22,985, Children First, Inc - Nurturing Children So Parent Can Work Program: $25,000, Trinity - Youth United for Success Program: $25,000, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe - Nate Jacobs School for Performing Arts: $7,500, Boys & Girls Club/Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall - Total Access Program: $25,000, and Sarasota Gators - Gators Football and Cheer Program: $25,000. Mr. Harshman gave a report concerning June 23, 2011, CRA Advisory Board meeting at which time a decision was made to recommend the following organizations receive TIF funds in the form of grants: Sarasota Chalk Festival: $25,000, The Sarasota Ballet: $25,000, Children First, Inc.: $25,000, and The Players Theater: $19,981. Mr. Harshman stated that the CRA Advisory Board decided not to prioritize the recommendations of the CRA Advisory Board. Ms. Alston submitted into the record corrected minutes for the July 7, 2011, Newtown CRA Advisory Board meeting as changes were made. Mr. Stancel stated that a total of 30 applications for the Downtown and Newtown Community Development Areas were received; that the CRA and Newtown CRA Advisory Boards reviewed the applications which resulted in the 14 recommendations presented. A motion was made by Member Shaw, seconded by Member Snyder, and carried by a 5-0 vote to receive the reports of the June 23, 2011, Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Advisory Board and the July 7, 2011, Newtown CRA Advisory Board. 5. APPROVAL RE: JOINT DOWNTOWN AND NEWTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING THEE DOWNTOWN ($94,481) AND NEWTOWN ($230.395) COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAMS IN TAX INCREMENT FUNDS (AGENDA ITEM CRA-5) North Sarasota Redevelopment General Manager Lorna Alston, Chief Planner Steven Stancel, and Recreation Leader Lori Benton, Neighborhood and Development Services Department, came before the CRA. Ms. Alston stated that Staff recommends approval of the grants to the 14 organizations as just presented. The following people spoke: Ed Pandos indicating Denise Kowal who is the organizer of the Sarasota Chalk Festival was invited to participate as a judge in a festival in Verona, Italy, at which people are commenting on the Sarasota Chalk Festival and Ms. Kowal is a great ambassador for the City and its Downtown. Jamie Smith supporting allocating funds to the Sarasota Chalk Festival which allows local businesses and businesses throughout the State to interact. Book 3 Page 31736 08/15/11 2:30 P.M. Book 3 Page 31737 08/15/11 2:30 P.M. Beverly Smith supporting allocating funds to the Sarasota Chalk Festival. Jesse Bono supporting allocating funds to the Sarasota Chalk Festival which brings energy to the City. Tom Aposporos indicating the ability of a local government to support events such as the Sarasota Chalk Festival is wonderful. John Cloud indicating the Sarasota Chalk Festival adds texture to the City and the cleaning following the Chalk Festival will be in compliance with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Agency regulations. A discussion ensued concerning financial controls in place for the Community Development Grant Program to prevent the misuse of TIF funds and the number of organizations which are legal entities with certified financial statements for their ongoing operations. Ms. Altson stated that the Senior Friendship Center is requesting the CRA consider its request for funds in addition to the recommended organizations even though it did not make the top 10 organizations recommended to receive TIF funds. Jane Icely, Healthy Aging Services Director, and Francine Diemer, Research Development Team Leader, Senior Friendship Center, came before the Commission. A presentation was given concerning the services the Senior Friendship Center provides to the community which the CRA should consider in allocating funds to the Senior Friendship Center in addition to the recommended 10 organizations. A discussion ensued concerning a requirement for financial statements submitted to the City be prepared by a professional accountant independent of the organization. A motion was made by Member Shaw to approve the funding allocations to the 14 recommended organizations with consideration to include the Senior Friendship Center an organization to receive Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. City Manager Bartolotta stated that the Commission would have to reconsider all rejected applications as a matter of fairness if the Senior Friendship Center is given consideration. Member Shaw stated that he rescinds considering allocating TIF funds to the Senior Friendship Center from his motion. Mayor Atwell stated that the motion to approve the funding allocations to the 14 recommended organizations to receive Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds failed for lack of a second. City Manager Bartolotta stated that the Commission must consider many of the grants have an eligibility period of up to two years if the desire is to require organizations to provide certified financial statements; that an application must be submitted to receive grants for a second year; that the Commission could include a condition for receiving funds the first year; that the City could require certified financial statements for the first year for which grants were awarded prior to awarding funds for a second year. A discussion ensued conçerning newly created organizations or programs which have no certified annual financial records, assurance in the manner in which the funds are used, the option to continue awarding funds until certified financial statements are received, the possible extension of the Commission's decision not to award grants to organizations from the General Fund to TIF funds also, the difficulty of obtaining certified financial statements, and the timeframe for organizations to provide financial statements certified by an independent third party. A motion was made by Vice Chair Turner and seconded by Member Caragiulo to approve the following allocations of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds subject to the requirement no funds will be dispersed to an individual entity until the City receives certified financial statements for at least one year of that entity: CRA. Advisory Board Sarasota Chalk Festival, the Sarasota Ballet, and Children First, Inc., to receive $25,000 each and The Players Theater to receive $19,981. Newtown CRA Advisory Board Sarasota YMCA, Brotherhood of Men, HOPE Program, Greater Hurst Chapel, Children First, Inc., Trinity, the Boys & Girls Club/Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, and the Sarasota Gators to receive $25,000 each, Friends of Newtown Estates to receive $22,985, and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe to receive $7,500. In response to a comment by Mr. Stancel indicating approximately three entities have not been established for one year, Vice Chair Turner stated that his belief is the City should not be doing business with entities which have not been established for at least one year. A discussion ensued conçerning the purpose of the Community Development Grant Program, the assurance organizations use all funds appropriately, and the possibility to discontinue awarding grants using TIF funds in the upcoming year. A motion was made by Vice Chair Turner, seconded by Member Shaw, and carried by a 5-0 vote to amend the main motion to require newly established entities to submit financial records certified by an independent third party at the conclusion of the first year of the grant. Chair Atwell called for a vote on the motion as amended to approve the allocation of TIF funds to the 14 organizations previously mentioned subject to the requirement no funds will be dispersed to an individual entity which has been in existence for one year or more until the City receives financial statements for at least one year for that entity and require newly established entities to submit financial records certified by an independent third party at the conclusion of the grant period, which carried by a 3-2 vote with Vice Chair Turner and Member Snyder voting no. 6. APPROVAL RE: CHANGE ORDER NO. 17 TO THE AGREEMENT FOR DESIGN BUILD SERVICES BETWEEN THE CITY OF SARASOTA AND SUFFOLK CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC. (BID NO. 09-67K) CONCERNING THE PALM AVENUE MULTI-USE PARKING GARAGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $20.649.17 (AGENDA ITEM CRA-6) Project Manager Mary Maurer, Utilities Department, came before the CRA, gave a presentation concerning Change Order No. 17 to the agreement for design-build services with Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. (Suffolk Construction) concerning the Palm Avenue Multi-Use Parking Garage (Palm Avenue Parking Garage). A motion was made by Member Snyder, seconded by Member, and carried by a 5-0 vote to approve Changer Order No. 17 to the agreement between the City of Sarasota and Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. concerning the Palm Avenue Multi-Use Parking Garage. Book 3 Page 31738 08/15/11 2:30 P.M. Book 3 Page 31739 08/15/11 2:30 P.M. 7. ADJOURN Chair Atwell adjourned the meeting at 4:03 p.m. BR s SUZANNE ATWELL, CHAIR ATTEST: i a PAMELA NADALINI, SECRETARY &