Book 3 Page 31783 05/06/13 2:30 P.M. MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SARASOTA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING OF MAY 6, 2013 PRESENT: Chair Suzanne Atwell, presiding, Vice Chair Willie Shaw, Members Paul Caragiulo, Shannon Snyder and Terry Turner, Executive Director Thomas Barwin, City Attorney Robert Fournier, and Deputy Secretary Karen McGowan ABSENT: Secretary Pamela Nadalini The meeting of the Special Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was called to order by Chair Atwell at 3:03 p.m. 1. APPROVAL RE: MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SARASOTA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) MEETING OF APRIL 15, 2013 (AGENDA ITEM CRA-1) Chair Atwell noted CRA consensus to approve the minutes of the April 15, 2013, Special Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting. 2. REPORT RE: NEWTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADVISORY BOARD'S REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL 4, 2013 (AGENDA ITEM CRA-2) Chair Shelli Freeland-Eddie, Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Advisory Board, and General Manager Lorna Alston, North Sarasota Redevelopment Division, Neighborhood and Development Services (NDS) Department, came before the Commission. Ms. Freeland-Eddie stated that at the March 18, 2013, Regular City Commission meeting, a motion was approved as follows: A motion was made by Vice Mayor Shaw, seconded by Commissioner Snyder, and carried by a 5-0 vote to approve funding based upon Staffs recommendation in an amount between $30,000 to $50,000 for the Summer Youth and the Counselors in Training (CIT) Programs at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex (RLTCC) with funding from the Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and for Staff to seek approval from the Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Advisory Board and bring the item back as a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) item with a budget appropriation to be placed under Consent Agenda or Unfinished Business and for Staff to ensure preference is given to City youth residents. Ms. Freeland-Eddie continued that at the April 4, 2013, Newtown CRA Advisory Board meeting, the members voted unanimously to recommend to the CRA the Staff proposal for $33,000 in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds for an additional nine youth employees, which will double the number to 18 youth who can be hired for the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex (RLTCC) Summer Youth Program; that at the same meeting, the Newtown CRA Advisory Board also received a presentation regarding the Booker High School (BHS) Law Academy Program, which includes construction of a Mock Trial Courtroom as part of the BHS Rebuild project; that the request was for TIF funds for sponsorship of $5,000 for naming rights of a "digital wall" of the total construction cost of $28,000 plus $2,000 contingent upon meeting sponsorship goals; that the Newtown CRA Advisory Board unanimously approved a motion to recommend CRA approval of the TIF funding by a 4-0 vote with Freeland-Eddie abstaining from the vote due to representation of BHS as Facilitator of Program Development; that the proposed program would be a collaboration between Law Enforcement and the Judicial Circuit Court system to allow students to work with mentors in the Sarasota legal community, i.e., Law Enforcement and Corrections Agencies; that the program will be for four years affording students the opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school; that the program is expected to be functional for the 2013/14 academic school year; that the Newtown CRA Advisory Board recommends the CRA accept the report of the April 4, 2013, Regular Newtown CRA Advisory Board meeting. In response to a question from Member Turner asking if the proposed program is a Sarasota County School Board (School Board) project initiative and the reason the School Board is not funding the entire program, Ms. Freeland-Eddie stated that the proposed program is a School Board project; that the School Board is only funding part of the project through School Advisory Committee funds. Discussion ensued with an overview of the program's proposed purpose, other fundinglsponsorshp sources, who will be in charge of administering the program, the Judge selected to be seated on the bench, the Sarasota County Sheriffs Department sponsorship of $3,500, and the County's commitment to covering the balance of any unfunded cost as the result of sponsorship shortfalls without a given dollar amount. In response to a question from Chair Atwell asking if Sarasota County Court Watch is involved with the proposed project, Ms. Freeland-Eddie stated no. A motion was made by' Vice Chair Shaw, seconded by Member Snyder, and carried by a 5-0 vote to receive and accept the report of the April 4, 2013, Regular Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board meeting. 3. REPORT RE: NEWTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADVISORY BOARD REQUEST FOR $33,000 IN TAX INCREMENT FINANCE (TIF) FUNDING FOR THE ROBERT L. TAYLOR COMMUNITY COMPLEX SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (AGENDA ITEM CRA-3) General Manager Lorna Alston, North Sarasota Redevelopment Division, Neighborhood and Development Services (NDS) Department, and Manager Jerry Fogel, Robert L. Taylor Community Complex (RLTCC), Public Works (PW) Department, came before the Commission. Deputy City Manager Marlon Brown came before the CRA stated that at the March 18, 2013, Regular City Commission meeting, Staff was directed to present to the Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Advisory Board a recommended amount of between $30,000 to $50,000 to fund additional youth for the RLTCC Summer Youth Employment Program and to bring back the item to the CRA for consideration as an Agenda item; that Staff recommends approval of $33,000 to fund additional youth at the RLTCC Summer Youth Employment Program. A motion was made by Member Caragiulo, seconded by Member Snyder, and carried by a 5-0 vote to approve $33,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex (RLTCC) Summer Youth Employment Program. 4. REQUEST RE: NEWTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ADVISORY BOARD REQUEST FOR $7,000 IN TAX INCREMENT FINANCE (TIF) FUNDING FOR THE BOOKER HIGH SCHOOL LAW ACADEMY MOCK COURTROOM PROGRAM (AGENDA ITEM CRA-4) General Manager Lorna Alston, North Sarasota Redevelopment Division, Neighborhood and Development Services (NDS) Department, Shelli Freedland-Eddie, Program Development Facilitator, and Dr. Rachel Shelly, Principal, Booker High School, came before the Commission. A motion was made by Member Snyder, seconded by Vice Chair Shaw to approve up to $7,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the Booker High School Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program contingent upon a caveat for the County to match the City funds. Member Snyder stated that the Judges selected for the program are highly respected. Chair Atwell called for a vote on the motion to approve up to $7,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the Booker High School (BHS) Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program contingent upon a caveat for the County to match the City funds, which carried by a 5-0 vote. Book 3 Page 31784 05/6/13 2:30 P.M. Book 3 Page 31785 05/06/13 2:30 P.M. In response to a question from Vice Chair Shaw asking if the previous motion to approve $7,000 of TIF funding is contingent upon the amount the County gives, Member Snyder stated yes; that the motion is to approve up to $7,000 if the amount is matched by the County, which would be $14,000 in total; that the City will match the amount the County funds up to $7,000. Discussion ensued about the funds to be matched not exceeding $7,000, the City's being an essential sponsor since BHS is located within the City limits, the risk of placing the proposed program in limbo while awaiting the County's decision of sponsorship, the understanding if the City commits to $7,000, a shortfall would still exist with a necessity to seek additional sponsors to prevent delaying construction. Dr. Shelly stated that all documents related to the project must be submitted by May 15, 2013, to be honored due to a prior commitment made to the contracting company, which provides BHS must have up to 25 percent of the start-up funds before construction of the project can begin; that goal of BHS is to have the project completed by August 1, 2013, prior to the 2013/14 academic school year. Discussion ensued about the vision of the proposed BHS Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program, $6,200 being the current amount received to-date and the necessity of receiving the additional $7,000, and the availability of the program to all students throughout the Sarasota County School District. Ms. Alston stated that part of Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Plan references support of BHS to remove barriers for furthering education; that the program would provide a good inter-relationship between BHS and the Community. Member Turner stated that the deadline date results in a vulnerability for the program and for recruiting; that the previous motion to approve up to $7,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the BHS Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program with the contingent of a caveat for the County to match the City funds should be reconsidered. A motion was made by Member Turner and seconded by Vice Chair Shaw to reconsider the previous motion to approve up to $7,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the Booker High School (BHS) Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program contingent on a caveat for the County to match the City funds. Vice Chair Shaw stated that reconsideration of the previous motion would allow BHS to move forward with the proposed program; that the program would allow everyone an opportunity to move forward; that the hope is the County would also commit to sponsoring $7,000 for the BHS Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program. Chair Atwell called for a vote on the motion to reconsider the previous motion to approve up to $7,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the Booker High School (BHS) Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program contingent upon a caveat for the County to match the City funds, which carried by a 5-0 vote. A motion was made by Vice Chair Shaw and seconded by Member Snyder to approve up to $7,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the Booker High School (BHS) Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program. Member Caragiulo stated that asking the County to also sponsor $7,000 is fair, since students throughout the County will benefit from the program. Chair Atwell called for a vote on the motion to approve up to $7,000 of Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funding for the Booker High School (BHS) Law Academy Mock Courtroom Program, which carried by a 5-0 vote. 5. ADJOURN Chair Atwell adjourned the Special Community Redevelopmént Agency(CRA) meeting at 3:26 p.m. 60A SUZANNE ATWELL, CHAIR 1 ATTEST: 5 a KAREN D. MCOWAN, DEPUTY $ECRETARY Book 3 Page 31786 05/06/13 2:30 P.M.