On the agenda

1. 1Call to Order - Roll Call▶ 0:00
2. 2

   Approval of September 28, 2023 CRA Meeting Minutes

   approved

   The CRA Board approved the minutes from the September 28, 2023 CRA meeting.

   • motion:Approve the September 28, 2023 CRA meeting minutes. (passed)4–0

   #September 28, 2023 CRA Meeting Minutes

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   [00:00:20] Approval of September 28th, 2023 CRA meeting minutes. Move for approval. [00:00:29] Second. All those in favor? Aye. Those opposed? 4-0. The CRA master plan, or

   This text was generated automatically from the meeting video. It is not a verbatim or official record. For exact wording, consult the video or the city clerk.

3. 3

   ↳You arrived here from a search for “Peter Altman” — transcript expanded below

   2021 Railroad Square Improvements - Engineering Services

   approved

   The CRA Board approved a $36,567 task order from Watermaker Jensen's Architect for additional engineering services on the 2021 Railroad Square improvements project, covering redesign of canopy shade structures, relocation of planters, irrigation design, and walkway redesign needed due to underground utility conflicts discovered during construction.

   • motion:Approve the $36,567 task order from Watermaker Jensen's Architect for additional engineering services on the 2021 Railroad Square improvements. (passed)4–0

   📍Railroad Square🏢Watermaker Jensen's Architect👤Mr. Rivera👤Ms. Mayans👤Pete#2021 Railroad Square Improvements project#CRA budget

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   [00:00:36] excuse me, the 2021 Railroad Square improvements. Ms. Mayans? I'm going to defer the [00:00:44] introduction of this agenda item to Mr. Rivera. Thank you Ms. Mayans. This item [00:00:51] for your review and consideration for approval is an attached task order in [00:00:57] the amount of $36,567 from Watermaker Jensen's Architect. This is for the 2021 [00:01:06] Railroad Square improvement project. The task order includes additional [00:01:11] engineering services. This is for the redesign of the canopy structures. [00:01:16] They're going to have to be customized for each location. We've done some [00:01:23] underground utility sew work and found out that we have some conflicts. So this [00:01:28] is for the additional engineering design that has to go into those updated canopy [00:01:34] structures, as well as the relocation of some of the planners, the irrigation [00:01:39] design, and then a redesign of a walkway in the area. The project is currently in [00:01:46] the CRA budget and we would recommend approval of the task order. [00:01:53] Just for clarification purposes, the canopies are the shade structures that will span over the roadway. [00:01:58] Do we have any public comment? Seeing no one come forward, we'll bring it back for move for [00:02:05] approval. Any other comments? Pete? Looking forward to seeing things move [00:02:14] along. Yeah, so I guess we got a lot of things underground there we weren't [00:02:19] quite aware of the first go-around and unfortunately it's working around some [00:02:24] those would be a lot less expensive than digging everything up and replacing them. [00:02:30] So, unfortunately, we have to do it. I was looking forward to getting rolling. [00:02:35] Nothing more. All those in favor, please signify by saying yes. Aye. Those opposed, four to zip.

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4. 4

   CRA Master Plan Update

   tabled

   The CRA Master Plan Update was deferred to the January 2nd meeting to allow for additional information to be discussed.

   • direction:Move the CRA Master Plan Update to the January 2nd meeting. (tabled)

   #CRA Master Plan

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   [00:02:43] We're going to move the CRA master plan update until January 2nd. There's more [00:02:48] information that needs to be discussed. Then we're going to bring up the railroad

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5. 5

   Discussion Regarding Available Properties

   discussed

   The CRA Board held a discussion regarding available properties, primarily focused on the Schwetman/1922 Gulf High School building which the city is acquiring from the school board with a 15-year maintenance requirement. Numerous citizens spoke advocating for preserving the historic building and converting it into a cultural center, and requested reactivation of the Historical Preservation Board and council support for listing the property on the National Register of Historic Places. No formal decisions were made; this was an initial input-gathering session.

   • direction:Council agreed to change agenda order to discuss Schwetman first, then the other two properties. (passed)

   📍10926 Bounty Street, Newport Ritchie📍5637 Georgia Avenue📍5719 Lafayette Street, Newport Ritchie📍6041 Florida Avenue📍6206 Jefferson Street📍8805 Forest Lake Drive, Port Ritchie📍9231 Jasmine Boulevard, Newport Ritchie📍Bank Street📍Osceola Drive, Port Ritchie📍Shaw Street📍Virginia Avenue🏢Carrollwood Cultural Center🏢Dunedin Fine Arts Center🏢First Church of Christ Scientist🏢Gulf High School Alumni🏢John C. Campbell Folk School🏢Pasco County School Board🏢Ritchie Orchestra and Chorus🏢Starkey Ranch Theater Library Cultural Center🏢Tarpon Springs Cultural Center🏢West Pasco Art Guild👤Aunt Pauline👤Beva Stevenson Carey👤Bob Koning👤Brooke👤Davis👤Debbie Manns👤Helen Hanley👤John Cain👤June Pearson👤Mary Beth Isaacson👤Mayor Marlowe👤Michael Park👤Mike👤Pete👤Representative Yeager👤Rita King👤Robert Jarrell#CRA master plan#Chapter 18 of the Land Development Code#Florida Cracker Days in West Pasco County 1830-1982 (book)#GHS Alumni Scholarship#Historical Preservation Board#National Register of Historic Places application#Newport Ritchie centennial 2024#SOS 1922 GHS (play)#Save Our Schools (SOS)#Schwetman building / 1922 Gulf High School

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   [00:02:55] square. Oh, that's when we just, no, that's what we just did. Okay, now we're going to [00:02:59] go on to the reason everyone's here. They're all graduates from [00:03:06] Swetman High in 1922. Okay, let me just say a few things to start off with. First [00:03:15] of all, we don't even own the property yet. We won't own it till I think the [00:03:19] second week or in January, number one. Number two is there's been a lot of [00:03:24] comments on this man's letter and been picked apart. It was just a suggestion [00:03:30] thing that she brought to us. Nothing's written down. We're looking forward to [00:03:35] hearing some input. What we would like to do, I'm for myself and I'll [00:03:39] have these others speak up here. We're open for a hundred ideas. We're only [00:03:44] going to use about 98 of them, but the idea is that we want to [00:03:49] preserve it. The school is giving it to us or selling it to us on a basis of [00:03:55] maintaining it for 15 years. We had a couple quotes from the school board that [00:04:02] it looks like it's, and this was three or four years ago, that it's over [00:04:06] five million dollars then. You all know what's happened since COVID [00:04:11] and the price of building now. So some of those things have got to be in [00:04:15] consideration when we decide what we want to do it. We're looking forward to [00:04:19] all your ideas. You can take turns coming up and speaking. You all have three [00:04:24] minutes, but I would rather you just not, you know, say the same thing 40 times. [00:04:30] So if you've got a new idea, please come up and add that to the list. There's [00:04:34] going to be a lot more work sessions. This is just the first step of it. We [00:04:38] haven't, like I said, we have no ideas, you know, nothing written down that's [00:04:42] in ink. Nothing's been decided. The only thing is that the school board, [00:04:48] and we know that, and you know that, is that we've got to maintain the building [00:04:51] for 15 years and it needs a lot of work. So just a second, please. [00:04:57] I'd like, first, Ms. Mance, if you'd like to add anything else before we go on. [00:05:04] At this point, I don't think I need to add anything else. I think it's [00:05:08] appropriate to get input from the council and from the community at large, [00:05:14] and we can do that in whatever form you determine is appropriate. Right. Yeah, [00:05:21] Pete, what do you want to say? Yeah, I just, as to the agenda, and I know you see a lot [00:05:26] of Save Our Schools and Schweppman discussion, but it would please me [00:05:31] greatly if the folks that were here could also hear about our plans on the [00:05:35] other two properties. So if your intention is to talk about Schweppman [00:05:38] and then have us talk about the other two, that's fine, but I wanted to at least [00:05:43] say that, you know, there's a very important issue related to the other two [00:05:48] properties as well, and I think now that we have people here, and it's always hard [00:05:53] to get folks to come out and listen to us and understand what we're doing, [00:05:58] either we could take those in order, and that way we'll make sure they do stay, or [00:06:02] we could just ask them if they could stay. Yeah, well, I'd like them to stay. I [00:06:06] mean, you know, you put aside a couple hours, please stay, but I'd like to [00:06:11] make sure we get the time in that we get concentrated on Schweppman. So, Mike, you [00:06:16] want to add anything before we go ahead? No, I think I would agree with the change in [00:06:20] the agenda order, yeah. No, I'm looking forward to hearing all the different [00:06:28] proposals or ideas we have for Schweppman, and I'm looking forward to [00:06:33] hashing it out over the coming months and see what we can do. Something that [00:06:37] makes sense for everybody, and, you know, you're not going to please everybody all [00:06:40] the time, but we're going to try. We'll just start with the, you know, work [00:06:45] our way back, come on down, and don't sit down if you want to speak. Come [00:06:50] up front, get ready to speak. We'll start with the first row. [00:06:58] All right, good evening. My name is Mary Beth Isaacson. I live at 8805 Forest Lake [00:07:03] Drive in New Port Richey. Thank you all for having this meeting this evening. I'd [00:07:07] like to first commend Ms. Manns and all of the people on the City Council for [00:07:12] their commitment to economic development and revitalizing the city of New Port Richey. We have a thriving community, and it's largely due to the vision that [00:07:19] you've set out for us. It's very good that you mentioned other properties, Mr. [00:07:24] Davis, because this property, Schwetman, is not really the best suited to be [00:07:29] torn down or redeveloped into offices or condos, but it is perfect to be a [00:07:35] cultural center. We have a large segment of property here. We've got a beautiful [00:07:40] historic building that means so much to the community, as you can see by all the [00:07:44] folks gathered here behind me. There's a city park, recreational and sports [00:07:49] facilities. This is your opportunity to build your Starkey Ranch. That's one of [00:07:53] the communities with the highest property values in all of Pasco County, [00:07:57] and one of the reasons why is because they have the Starkey Ranch Theater [00:08:01] Library Cultural Center and the Starkey Ranch District Park right there in that [00:08:06] neighborhood. The Tarpon Springs Cultural Center and the Carolwood Cultural Center [00:08:11] are also some models that we might look at in deciding how we want to turn this [00:08:16] Schwetman property into a cultural center. It has classrooms. It has all [00:08:21] sorts of space that would be available for use by arts organizations, such as [00:08:24] the Ritchie Orchestra and Chorus, and these rooms could also be used by the [00:08:29] Art Guild, all the local artists. There's even a kiln at that space that's [00:08:34] literally just like Starkey Ranch Theater Library Cultural Center, which [00:08:37] also has a kiln. Funding may be available from the county, which is very [00:08:42] interested in doing all sorts of cultural projects with tourism, [00:08:46] particularly for the sports fields and other sports facilities that are [00:08:51] available, and also from the state. State Representative Yeager's office is [00:08:55] literally just across the street from Schwetman, and he could be a powerful [00:08:59] ally in bringing some funding to Pasco County because he'd probably really like [00:09:04] to have a cultural center across the street from his office and associated [00:09:08] with his term in office. The space could also be used as a rental and with [00:09:14] meeting rooms in the sports facilities. I know from firsthand experience how [00:09:18] many groups are interested in using Starkey Ranch, and this is your [00:09:21] opportunity for that. We're going into the city's centennial year. This is your [00:09:26] legacy to save this building for future generations, and in 21-24, everybody will [00:09:32] be looking back on the five members of the City Council and City Manager Manz [00:09:37] and saying, wow, what foresight they showed. This is such a wonderful thing [00:09:41] that they did for us, that we have this beautiful, now 200-year-old facility, that [00:09:46] we're having our arts classes and our music classes, and it's a gathering space [00:09:51] for our community, just like the school has been. Thank you very much, and good [00:09:54] evening. [00:09:57] Anybody else in the first row? We'll go to the second row. Oh, excuse me. [00:10:11] My name is Bob Koning. I know most of you. Address, too, please. Yes, pardon? [00:10:17] Address, also. Well, let's see. Shaw Street, I have two properties there and one on [00:10:22] Virginia Avenue. Well, we tore that one down, and I currently live on Osceola [00:10:28] Drive in New Port Richey. I came just to express the same interest as a lot of [00:10:39] folks here. I'll make it very brief. There are some things progress has to go [00:10:43] forward. My grandparents founded the first Church of Christ Zionists on Ridge [00:10:48] Road. There was a little building next to it, the little house next to it, and then [00:10:52] later built the church. I was okay with that, as my grandmother and [00:10:57] grandfather would be. It has to go. Progress needs to be made, but there are [00:11:02] some things that are timeless. Schwetman is timeless. She is a grand old dame, much [00:11:07] like if you've been to Sarasota, the original Sarasota High School. They [00:11:12] refurbished that perfectly, and the lady who spoke first ahead of me was right. [00:11:18] Cultural Center. If I want to go to a little welding program or a clay [00:11:23] program, arts program, Dunedin Fine Arts Center is the closest that I can get all [00:11:29] of that. I've had to take my children up to the John C. Campbell Folk School up in [00:11:35] North Carolina, wishing we had something like that here. There is a beautiful [00:11:39] opportunity for the grounds and the school, because the open grounds are good [00:11:45] for open things, open trades, blacksmithing, chair making, furniture, [00:11:50] outdoor activities. I think there's a lot of opportunity that can be [00:11:54] figured out by people a lot smarter than I. Much like the building down on Bank [00:11:59] Street, going into it as a kid, when I was there, it was the Ellis Bank. What a [00:12:04] perfect opportunity to serve our citizens. We really need to transform [00:12:09] Newport Ridge, and you've done a marvelous job here before. I mean, hats [00:12:13] off to everybody who has worked on this tirelessly. We are only going to go [00:12:19] upwards and better. We have an establishment for entertainment [00:12:24] downtown and a lot of that, but now we have to do something more for the kids, [00:12:29] something more for the community. I'm glad to hear we're not addressing [00:12:34] anything final tonight, and I did not take that it was. I understood it to be [00:12:39] an opportunity to hear from the citizens, so I'm here to speak. I'd like [00:12:44] to see that preserved, and that that building is kind of sacred to us that [00:12:50] that are from here. Thank you all. Have a wonderful evening. [00:12:54] Hey, now the second row, please. Seeing no one coming. [00:13:11] Hi, my name is Robert Jarrell. I live at 9231 Jasmine Boulevard in Newport [00:13:16] Ridge. I toured that building a couple weeks ago, and if you guys have walked [00:13:22] through that building and just thought of the history that that building has [00:13:27] just on the kids going up and down those stairs, that alone would just enamor you. [00:13:33] I was fully enamored with that building, walking through it, just imagining what, [00:13:38] you know, I never went there. I went to Gulf High, Gulf Junior. I've only lived [00:13:41] here 50 years, you know, not like the rest of you, but seriously, that property is [00:13:51] golden, and it's your guys's responsibility to keep that property [00:13:56] golden. It's on the river. It's right, I mean, as a kid, I lived in the Gardens of [00:14:02] Beacon Square, and I used to ride my bicycle up there to watch the street [00:14:05] parade, and I'd sit in front of that building. I mean, I never did go there. Not [00:14:10] that old yet, but I will be, but I'm just telling you, this is absolutely a [00:14:14] beautiful building. My wife works for the school board. She actually had an office [00:14:18] in there when it was Schwetman, not that long ago. I never had the opportunity to [00:14:23] go through it. I finally got an opportunity to walk through that [00:14:25] building, and it's just really the property, the building, there's so much [00:14:28] that you guys can do with that property, so much. I mean, all of you guys got to [00:14:35] reach in deep down and think about just the history and what can, what the [00:14:39] community service, that building, and that property can do for this city. I mean, we [00:14:44] all, we're here because we love the city. Thank you guys. You guys have turned the [00:14:48] city into an amazing place. Who would have thought? I mean, it competes with [00:14:53] Dunedin, in my opinion. I'd rather go to New Port Richey than Dunedin anyway, but [00:14:57] still. [00:15:00] I just want you guys to just reach deep down, think about this at that type of level, because [00:15:07] that property is special. [00:15:09] And I think it's very special to a lot of people in New Port Richey, even us guys that [00:15:13] aren't as old that did not go there, but just the history of that property just is amazing. [00:15:19] Thanks. [00:15:24] Anybody else in the second row that would come up with ideas that they'd like to see [00:15:26] at Swetman? [00:15:27] Who had the third row? [00:15:34] Let's go. [00:15:35] Your time's up. [00:15:36] She used to boss me around in the post office. [00:15:44] John Cain, 6041 Florida Avenue. [00:15:46] I'm going to try and make this short and sweet if possible. [00:15:50] So I heard two things that were significant. [00:15:56] And I was happy to hear historical. [00:15:59] So I don't want to come here and try and throw out ideas. [00:16:01] I don't want to try and brainstorm. [00:16:03] There's a lot you're talking about, a lot of possibilities, a lot of things to come [00:16:06] up with. [00:16:09] But I think the first important thing is to have a criteria to where you're going to solicit [00:16:14] your ideas from, what you're going to do with them, and the involvement of just who's doing [00:16:20] that. [00:16:22] You have a cultural committee, which should be, I think, counseled. [00:16:28] But we had a historical preservation board that kind of went by the wayside. [00:16:36] I'm not going to go into detail, but there were people that sat on that board that really [00:16:43] don't even understand what happened either. [00:16:45] They just know that they were told it's not to show up, there will be no more meetings [00:16:50] until further notice. [00:16:52] That was some years back. [00:16:54] Since then, one of the members I know of died, passed away, valuable member. [00:16:58] I would say look into these things. [00:17:00] There has been no talk about that, which I was really kind of surprised and disappointed. [00:17:04] In fact, I found it a little demoralizing that we would have a board in such an old [00:17:09] city and none of you would ask, geez, what happened to the historic preservation board? [00:17:16] We were working on getting a certification, which would enable us to deal with issues [00:17:21] just as this one that you're bringing up. [00:17:25] Having said that, you might want to look into your committees and things that would come [00:17:29] into play for this area. [00:17:31] You are down by the water. [00:17:34] You have, I believe there's river access on the other side of the field, also by the building [00:17:39] on the side of the building. [00:17:40] A lot of potential here, which is, let's face it, that's also why there's a lot of eyes [00:17:45] on it, and there's money to be had. [00:17:49] I understand you need money to run a city, but it really boils down to you're either [00:17:55] left-handed or right-handed. [00:17:56] I don't know how to put this. [00:18:00] History either matters to you, your environment either matters to you, or generally the other [00:18:07] side of the coin is money really matters to you, political collateral, favors, things [00:18:13] of this nature for everyone involved in these positions, that matters to you because that's [00:18:18] a real world too. [00:18:20] I don't mean to color it and make it sound dirty, but it is what it is. [00:18:25] So it depends on what you feel. [00:18:27] But I say that you could get the work done, you could reinstitute your board, committees, [00:18:32] do something with it, it's very valuable. [00:18:35] Let's not lose our history. [00:18:36] We don't want to be all condos, and even though you're told that by a few that's a great idea, [00:18:42] it really isn't. [00:18:44] Okay, thank you. [00:18:45] Rita King, 10926 Bounty Street, New Port Richey, class of 63. [00:19:05] We're also interested in how we can help reactivate or restore the Historical Preservation Board. [00:19:16] This property, which Swetman is on, qualifies under Chapter 18 of the Land Development Code, [00:19:23] so we'd like to know who do we talk to to get this started again, because it is vital. [00:19:31] This piece of property is one of the last historical pieces in the city, as the way [00:19:36] I see it. [00:19:39] The other thing that I would like to bring up is previous CRA master plans included citizens' [00:19:47] involvement, as in focus groups, questionnaires, and advisory committees, and we would appreciate [00:19:55] being granted that same involvement when it comes time. [00:20:00] This is very personal to many of us in our history, in New Port Richey's history. [00:20:08] Generations of how our families lived here, lessons they learned, how they made a living [00:20:14] and survived. [00:20:16] It is our story to tell our children's children, who also continue to live here and add generations [00:20:23] of the same blood here. [00:20:29] Part of our plan includes attracting tourism while protecting the river and the ecosystem. [00:20:36] It also includes music and arts and community enrichment for all ages. [00:20:44] There was a presentation for utilizing this historical school that was discussed with [00:20:50] council members as far back as 2021, so for further explanation of this, I will yield [00:20:58] to the next speaker. [00:21:02] Okay, I'm Beva Stevenson Carey, 5719 Lafayette Street, New Port Richey. [00:21:20] As a refresher, I am a great-great-granddaughter of the first Stevenson family, pioneers, documented [00:21:28] in the Dade City Courthouse. [00:21:31] The 1922 Gulf High School means a lot for many families. [00:21:35] My dad and six siblings attended Gulf High School in the 20s, 30s, and 40s, all giving [00:21:41] back to our community, instilled by their parents, who were Orange Grove owners, and [00:21:47] my great-grandpa, 18 years on the school board, undefeated. [00:21:50] I even have our picking shirt worn by our three generations, including me. [00:21:56] Is what you did. [00:21:57] You had each other's back. [00:21:59] To reinforce our past pleas, our alumni have a timeline that we've tried to follow. [00:22:08] And from December 2021 through February 2023, involving emails, letters, and meetings with [00:22:15] superintendent, school board reps, the New Port Richey City Council, Mayor Marlowe, and City [00:22:22] Manager Debbie Manns. [00:22:24] And here we are, and several weeks away, concerned about the fate of our school in 2024. [00:22:30] Each of us has a story about Gulf High School. [00:22:33] Beside my dad, I reflect on three alumni, present and past. [00:22:37] The common thread is community love and education and having one's back. [00:22:42] The first is a recent grad, Brooke, whose grandparents are alumni and our recent GHS [00:22:51] Alumni Scholarship recipient. [00:22:52] She's a football kicker and a homecoming queen. [00:22:56] When asked, where are you going for school? [00:22:58] She said, why anywhere? [00:22:59] I love it right here. [00:23:02] Second is Special Aunt Pauline, grad of 29, who wrote her own book, Florida Cracker Days [00:23:08] in West Pasco County, 1830 to 1982. [00:23:12] She wrote in detail about families before and all the families living in her time. [00:23:16] It was important to her to share that history and educate the future. [00:23:21] She had our backs. [00:23:22] The next is about my best friend, high school sweetheart and love of my life, Michael Park. [00:23:27] Beside making his own sports history at Gulf High, he retired as Director of Transportation [00:23:33] for Pasco County and was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award for exemplary work to keep [00:23:39] all our children safe. [00:23:41] He had their backs. [00:23:44] He loved our latest play, SOS 1922 GHS. [00:23:49] This is a piece of the original basketball court as a basketball player along the Cody [00:23:54] River given to him as a gift. [00:23:57] It is difficult standing here tonight. [00:24:00] Two weeks ago, I lost the love of my life. [00:24:03] My emotions are off the chart and they are tonight. [00:24:06] I ask each of you, we hope that you have our communities back as you have in the past. [00:24:13] We are doing what's morally right. [00:24:15] I will use this symbol to be strong as a rock and show the respect of the past to save our [00:24:21] school, for the community, and for our generations to come. [00:24:25] Thank you. [00:24:26] Still working on the third row. [00:24:37] Hello, I'm Helen Hanley and I am here representing the West Pasco Art Guild located at 6206 Jefferson [00:24:51] Street at the corner of Missouri and Jefferson. [00:24:56] Our guild has been in that building for 52 years and has been around for more years than [00:25:03] that in the city of New Port Richey. [00:25:07] We very much want to be involved in whatever you do with Schwetman. [00:25:14] We would love for it to be a cultural center for all of the arts and we have 150 very talented [00:25:22] members at our guild who would love to be involved in helping you come up with ideas [00:25:27] as to what we can do. [00:25:30] I respectfully request that you keep us involved in this and allow us the opportunity to make [00:25:37] suggestions. [00:25:38] We have none now other than that we would like for it to be a cultural center and we [00:25:42] would like to be involved. [00:25:44] Thank you. [00:25:52] Anyone else in the third row? [00:25:53] Okay, we'll go to the fourth row. [00:25:59] Hello, I'm June Pearson. [00:26:08] I live at 5637 Georgia Avenue. [00:26:12] I'm a 62 graduate of Gulf High School and I am as a member of the faculty at Gulf High [00:26:18] School in 1970 and years after that. [00:26:25] I was a member of the committee that began the first 50th anniversary celebration of [00:26:31] that school. [00:26:33] And it's in conjunction with that that I have an additional request that's kind of in conjunction [00:26:39] with the reuse of the building but it also is a request that you take action on either [00:26:46] tonight or in the very near future. [00:26:50] Because in conjunction with the use of the building in the future, a number of us who [00:26:57] are graduates from 1924 to 1967 have met for years as a group of alumni for celebrations. [00:27:07] But about two years ago as we approached the centenary of the building, we began gathering [00:27:13] the documents from the state of Florida's Secretary of State's office for designating [00:27:19] the building, the 22 Gulf High building, as a historic site. [00:27:24] So we have those documents, we've been preparing all the supporting documents that have to [00:27:28] go with it to the Secretary of State's office with the idea of getting it designated as [00:27:33] a historic site. [00:27:34] The state application for the historic preservation asks for the property owner's signature and [00:27:41] whether they, you, the city, support the effort to list the property on the National [00:27:48] Registry of Historic Places. [00:27:50] So we are asking that the City Council vote to approve this application, signing this [00:27:55] application, so that we can submit it around the first of January or before the end of [00:27:59] the year if possible. [00:28:00] I don't know how many more meetings you have but that would require a direct vote of City [00:28:04] Council to get one, either the mayor or the city manager, to sign that document and get [00:28:10] it sent off so that we don't lose this opportunity. [00:28:13] Thank you. [00:28:14] Just one other thing, just a comment. [00:28:15] We don't take possession of the property until the middle of January. [00:28:19] I noted that when, before, but I did notice that. [00:28:23] So I don't, I guess technically it couldn't be signed until after you do that in the closing, [00:28:28] which is when, the 9th, okay, all right. [00:28:34] But if there was a vote of City Council to sign that document so that we could get it [00:28:38] sent as soon as that was done, that would help. [00:28:43] Thank you. [00:28:49] Anybody else in row four? [00:28:54] Good evening, everyone. [00:29:02] My name is Rhonda Koning. [00:29:03] I live at 9341 Osceola Drive, New Port Richey. [00:29:08] I am also a very active member in our West Pasco Quilters Guild. [00:29:14] We have the largest guild in the state of Florida and the quilting industry represents [00:29:19] a $2 billion industry in the United States alone. [00:29:23] That is two with a B, billion. [00:29:26] There is a small little town in the state of Kentucky called Paducah that renders an [00:29:33] annual quilt convention that draws in about 30,000 people, and this is annually, every [00:29:39] year. [00:29:40] There is no reason that this city cannot acclimate itself to do the same type of convention that [00:29:48] would draw in that proportion of people. [00:29:52] We offer a quilt show here biannually, every two years, and we pull in just from the state [00:29:58] around. [00:30:00] 3,000, 3,500 guests to this show. [00:30:03] It is really the only function that happens [00:30:05] that we actually have had our sheriff tell us [00:30:09] that we don't get tickets written to us for parking. [00:30:12] We use the New Port Richey Recreation Center. [00:30:15] However, in our 300 plus member activation [00:30:19] or participation within our guild, [00:30:21] we have very little parking in that area [00:30:23] to manage all of the people that also come in. [00:30:25] So to be able to have a cultural arts center [00:30:29] that we could use for this purpose [00:30:32] and on a year-round basis to be able [00:30:34] to have different types of events [00:30:38] and work with the other organizations that are here too. [00:30:40] We currently work with the Art Guild [00:30:42] with some of the things we do. [00:30:43] We would love the opportunity to be part [00:30:46] of those discussions when we start looking [00:30:49] at what to do with that property. [00:30:51] There is plenty of money out there [00:30:52] that can be found to put into those types of things. [00:30:55] But it would really be nice to see the whole city benefit [00:30:59] from whatever is going to be used [00:31:01] with that particular, not just the building, [00:31:02] but the property with everything that's attached to it. [00:31:05] Thank you very much. [00:31:06] Thank you. [00:31:08] Thank you. [00:31:09] Thank you. [00:31:09] Thank you. [00:31:11] Thank you. [00:31:12] Thank you. [00:31:13] Thank you. [00:31:14] Thank you. [00:31:15] Anybody else in the fourth row? [00:31:16] How about the fifth row? [00:31:21] That's all right. [00:31:26] Hello, I'm Beth Frager, 8040 Island Drive, New Port Richey, Florida. [00:31:37] My husband and I own the Chasco Inn here downtown [00:31:40] and several historic homes that we also rent out. [00:31:46] I'm also on the Cultural Affairs Committee for the city [00:31:51] and I am also on the Design Committee for the Main Street Organization. [00:31:58] The first thing that Mayor Davis asked of all of us [00:32:03] when he called the meeting to order was to give him some ideas [00:32:08] as to what we want to see going forward. [00:32:13] So I just put a couple of things down here that I want to be considered [00:32:19] or I'd like you to consider. [00:32:21] I want everything. [00:32:24] We heard that from your husband. [00:32:28] He would know. [00:32:31] I believe that there is a way, and I've heard it a million times, [00:32:36] to do a public-private partnership. [00:32:42] That way we get an influx of cash going forward to develop, [00:32:50] if need be, a portion of the property in order to support and finance [00:32:56] revitalizing, rejuvenating, restoring the building. [00:33:03] For the building to be a cultural center, [00:33:06] like so many people have mentioned here tonight. [00:33:10] In that building we could house the Historical Society, [00:33:14] PFAC, the Art Guild, Main Street. [00:33:18] We could put a gallery in there in order for all of these [00:33:22] specific art organizations to have their artists showcased. [00:33:31] Many of you may remember when Main Street supported the gallery [00:33:37] downtown with the Progress Energy Gallery. [00:33:41] So we've had much interest in that. [00:33:45] We could hold art classes, cooking classes. [00:33:48] The Quilter's Guild could be housed in there as well. [00:33:52] If it takes some development to help with the financial burden of restoration, [00:33:57] we may have to bite the bullet on that one. [00:34:01] But I do believe that that building itself should be saved at any cost, [00:34:06] and I think you have a lot of people in here today [00:34:09] that need to put their money where their mouth is. [00:34:12] Thank you very much. [00:34:13] Have a good evening. [00:34:16] Anybody else in the fifth row? [00:34:34] Good evening. Bob Langford, Wyoming Avenue. [00:34:38] I know all of you, you know me. [00:34:43] So my interest has been expressed by many of the people behind me [00:34:49] as to turn this into a cultural center for the people of New Port Richey. [00:34:55] And that would be the building. [00:34:59] I know that the Historical Society would love to be able to do some things out of there. [00:35:05] We're a real short-arm room with the displays, [00:35:11] and we could do a lot more for the community on displays there, [00:35:16] such as more of our military, more of our emergency responder displays, [00:35:22] and the black culture, the black history of the area, [00:35:29] which is basically an unknown for the most part. [00:35:36] And for all the arts, I'm not just head of the West Pasco Historical Society, [00:35:43] but also Pasco Fine Arts Council, which that's county-wide. [00:35:49] We have a location over in Wesley Chapel at Avon Park, [00:35:55] and we also are starting classes over at St. Leo. [00:35:59] And we would like actually to move from where we are behind Sam's Club [00:36:05] to closer downtown to be close to the Art Guild. [00:36:10] And the Historical Society, we work with the Quilter's Guild, [00:36:13] so we see the importance of all of that. [00:36:17] And I think that how can you go wrong with promoting the arts and the culture? [00:36:27] As Ms. Isaacson said earlier, she has the Ritchie Suncoast Orchestra. [00:36:34] People don't even know we have an orchestra. [00:36:37] I mean, and that could be their home. [00:36:40] That would be a nice performing place for them and a nice home for them. [00:36:47] There's just so many countless things that you can do with that culturally [00:36:53] for all the people. [00:36:55] You know, it's kind of reminded me of a way of when I was sitting up there [00:36:59] where you guys are now, and we bought the Hacienda Hotel. [00:37:04] And we got criticized for that for years. [00:37:08] And look at what it's become. [00:37:11] You know, it's a destination. [00:37:14] That also can be a destination. [00:37:17] And that's what we're looking forward to, is promoting that to promote our city. [00:37:23] And that field out back can be used for a lot of things like sporting events [00:37:27] and also ecosystem education with the river right there. [00:37:34] And I wouldn't even be surprised if you can think out of the box a little bit [00:37:38] and have a hot air balloon. [00:37:40] I don't know. [00:37:42] Mayor Davis, you understand about hot air balloons. [00:37:44] Not enough room there. [00:37:45] Let's see. [00:37:46] There's too many power lines there. [00:37:48] OK. [00:37:50] I wasn't just talking about the hot air. [00:37:52] Those of you who don't know, I'm a hot air balloonist. [00:38:00] I have over 100 flights as a pilot in command. [00:38:04] Yeah, and so there's a lot of things that we can do with all of that out there. [00:38:09] Not just the school, but the property out behind the school too, the old ball field. [00:38:18] And so I hope that you consider, I never went to Gulf High School. [00:38:22] I was out of high school when I moved here. [00:38:25] That kind of gives you an idea. [00:38:28] But all these people, or a lot of these people, are my real good friends. [00:38:34] And they went to Gulf High School. [00:38:36] And most of my friends now went to one of the Gulf High Schools. [00:38:40] That one or the newer ones. [00:38:44] And so please save the school for the community, and also the property in, [00:38:54] I'm going to say, the back for the cultural and public use. [00:39:02] Let the people keep it. [00:39:05] Let the people keep it. [00:39:06] Thank you. [00:39:07] Okay. [00:39:14] Anybody else in Row 5? [00:39:17] How about Row 6? [00:39:26] Rob Marlow, 5603 Palmetto Road. [00:39:30] First of all, before I talk about Sweatman, I want to tell you how [00:39:33] absolutely proud I am of every single one of you that are up there managing to get the [00:39:38] Town and Country Leisure Lane-Vandoren deal concluded with the Pasco County. [00:39:44] That is tremendous. [00:39:45] I do agree with some of my associates that a cultural use could be very good for the [00:39:53] building. [00:39:54] It could provide the impetus for growing and redeveloping that whole area, much like Sims [00:40:02] Park did for the downtown. [00:40:05] What you need to know is how to pay for it, and I think I have one idea that might help. [00:40:09] If we clean up that waterfront area that's part of the property and put in docks, perhaps [00:40:16] a boat ramp, but more important, put in buildings, restaurant perhaps, bait and tackle, etc. [00:40:26] Boat rentals, for those of us that aren't into canoeing and kayaking. [00:40:30] You could rent a little jon boat or something and go up and enjoy the great preserve. [00:40:35] There's money to be had that way, and I suspect the city could find vendors that would be [00:40:41] interested in doing that. [00:40:43] So it wouldn't pay for all the costs that you're going to have with the building itself, [00:40:48] but it would certainly be a down payment on trying to cover those expenses. [00:40:54] And again, thank you for everything that you guys are doing. [00:40:56] I am incredibly proud of all of you. [00:40:59] Thank you for being part of our team. [00:41:01] We're still on row 6. [00:41:13] Good evening, George Romagnoli, 6235 Florida Avenue. [00:41:16] You wanted some discussion on some of the other properties you were talking about. [00:41:20] I'll talk briefly about the county building that I managed for 14 years when I was a community [00:41:25] development director for the county. [00:41:27] I can tell you, first off, there was a lot of unpermitted work done in that building. [00:41:32] In fact, every year when the fire inspector would come, they would say, [00:41:35] was that wall there last year? [00:41:37] And we put our heads down. [00:41:39] So it's an older building. [00:41:42] The elevator is not usable for a lot of handicapped people. [00:41:45] And in fact, seven or eight years ago, when we got an estimate for a new elevator, [00:41:49] because the only way we really could do it is put it on the outside of the building, [00:41:52] it was a $500,000 or $600,000 estimate for the elevator. [00:41:56] I disagree with something that the city manager put in the memo, [00:42:01] that I think the best use for that building is a mixed-use building. [00:42:05] I think the building is really not feasible for renovation to do anything with it. [00:42:09] I think it should be knocked down with commercial on the bottom and residential on the top. [00:42:15] Because one reason our downtown thrives is because we have residential around our downtown. [00:42:20] The more residential we have around our downtown, the more it will thrive. [00:42:24] Schwetman. [00:42:26] And again, I don't blame the city manager for making a recommendation to that, [00:42:30] because we needed to start the discussion on this building. [00:42:33] It's a beautiful asset. [00:42:34] They don't make buildings like that anymore. [00:42:36] It's on the water. [00:42:38] And it is usable. [00:42:40] Like many of you, I went to the Main Street state meeting several years ago. [00:42:45] It was usable then. [00:42:47] I don't disagree that it costs $5 million or more to renovate that building to bring it up to code. [00:42:53] It's probably going to be more than that. [00:42:55] As John mentioned, I don't know what happened to the Historical Preservation Committee. [00:42:58] When I was the planning director, we started that. [00:43:00] We wrote the ordinance for that. [00:43:02] We had meetings on historic preservation. [00:43:04] Something happened after I left. [00:43:06] I don't know what. [00:43:07] I know the Department of State wanted some changes and was going to do new certification. [00:43:11] I don't know if we've ever done that or not. [00:43:13] I volunteer, if we bring that back, to be on that committee to get that going. [00:43:18] But whatever we do with this building, and people have said a lot of marvelous ideas, [00:43:23] we need to have a community discussion about the building. [00:43:26] We need to have, and maybe this Historic Preservation Committee can come back, [00:43:30] as first task can be, what should we do with the building? [00:43:34] What can we do? [00:43:35] If we get that certification, by the way, there are state grants every year. [00:43:39] They give two or three seven-figure grants and a lot of smaller grants. [00:43:45] Also, we should think about special appropriations from the legislature. [00:43:50] You look at that long list of 500 or 600 projects that the legislature does special funding for, [00:43:57] there are a lot of historic preservation that's done. [00:43:59] Hardly ever is New Port Richey ever receiving an appropriation over the last 20 years. [00:44:04] We have a few over the years, but not like some other communities. [00:44:07] I don't know whether it's our lobbyists or lack of lobbyists or whatever, [00:44:10] but those are ways we can get some funding. [00:44:13] I ask you to keep this building and facility and not sell it. [00:44:18] Keep it in the city's hands and figure out a good use and renovate the building. [00:44:21] Thank you. [00:44:22] Applause [00:44:27] We're still working on Row 6. [00:44:33] Seeing no one else, we'll go to Row 7. [00:44:43] Hello, everybody. [00:44:46] Doug Jones, Richey Suncoast Theater, 6237 Grand. [00:44:49] I am one of the board members. [00:44:51] I think I know all of you. [00:44:54] We were asked to come and talk about one of the ideas. [00:45:00] that's come up repeatedly has been the idea [00:45:02] of a performing arts center. [00:45:04] And I've been in discussion throughout the day today [00:45:07] with some of our board members [00:45:08] and kind of our official position [00:45:11] kind of as an organization [00:45:12] is that we don't necessarily have one, [00:45:13] but I think we have a couple concerns [00:45:16] that we just wanna make the council aware of [00:45:18] and kind of a request and an offer. [00:45:21] And one of which is we're concerned [00:45:25] that another performing arts venue, [00:45:28] if it's improperly sized [00:45:30] or could compete directly kind of with the theater. [00:45:33] We're another, the theater's 98 years old. [00:45:37] It is a challenge to keep a building [00:45:39] that old kind of functional. [00:45:42] We are facing huge costs for our renovations, [00:45:45] for the things that we need to do. [00:45:47] And our concern is that would that put us [00:45:49] in kind of direct competition with CRA dollars, [00:45:52] state dollars, county dollars, private donors, [00:45:55] private individuals that might consider donating [00:45:59] to one or two or both of these causes. [00:46:02] And so, we kind of, we also think [00:46:06] that there's a great potential for not competition, [00:46:10] but cooperation and collaboration. [00:46:12] If we were to study the size of the theater [00:46:16] versus the size of this performing arts venue, [00:46:19] could that fill a void that we can't? [00:46:21] Could that serve a need that we can't? [00:46:24] Is there an umbrella organization [00:46:25] under which both of us could kind of operate [00:46:28] that would allow us to collaborate with one another? [00:46:31] You know, one of the requests that we sort of have [00:46:33] is that in doing this and researching this, [00:46:36] that the council would require sort of a business case [00:46:40] and that would be, we would be able to review. [00:46:42] And my offer is, you know, personally and from the theater [00:46:45] is we have a lot of experience around, you know, [00:46:49] bookings and what kind of revenue you can expect [00:46:53] and crowd size and things like that. [00:46:55] So, if there's any way that we can help, [00:46:58] help the council make a data-driven decision, [00:47:00] help the groups that, you know, have different ideas, [00:47:05] we would be more than willing to kind of partner with them [00:47:08] and offer, you know, what limited expertise we have [00:47:11] in that particular area. [00:47:14] We would be more than willing to do that [00:47:16] because if it's done right, [00:47:18] we believe that it could be a boon for the downtown. [00:47:20] It could be, you know, it could be, you know, [00:47:23] for a lot of the downtown businesses, [00:47:25] the restaurants, the theater, we, you know, [00:47:29] a collaborative effort and something [00:47:31] where we can collaborate together [00:47:35] would be a lot better than, our fear is that if there's, [00:47:39] our fear is that if there's a competition [00:47:42] that we end up slicing the patron pool [00:47:44] and then both sites suffer, and we don't want that. [00:47:48] Thank you. [00:47:50] Thank you. [00:47:50] Thank you. [00:47:54] Do we have anybody else in row seven? [00:47:57] Seeing nobody else, we'll go on to row eight. [00:48:14] Good evening, Dale Webb 5647 Kentucky Avenue. [00:48:18] Are we not tonight making a decision [00:48:21] on putting this out for bids? [00:48:23] Is that not being? [00:48:24] Not at all, we don't even own the building. [00:48:26] Okay, because that's what I was all prepared for [00:48:30] in the way I read it, apparently I read it wrong. [00:48:36] So those notes are no good. [00:48:39] But I do have some ideas for the building. [00:48:44] Nobody's gonna be happy in the long run, [00:48:46] not everybody's gonna be happy with what goes on there. [00:48:50] Everybody's got their ideas, [00:48:51] but I think it's a fantastic location. [00:48:58] We can only do this once. [00:49:01] If we allow condos and stuff to go in there, [00:49:05] I mean, this would be you guys' legacy [00:49:08] that we allowed that to happen, [00:49:10] your grandkids and all. [00:49:12] You'd be able to drive by there for years [00:49:14] and be able to say, look what I did, [00:49:17] look what I helped preserve. [00:49:20] I mean, there's a lot of property there. [00:49:24] How many of y'all have been to the Pioneer Museum [00:49:27] over in Dade City? [00:49:29] Everybody been there? [00:49:31] Miss Mann, have you been over there? [00:49:33] Okay. [00:49:36] Cracker Country at the Florida State Fair. [00:49:40] Has everybody been over there? [00:49:43] There is Cracker County. [00:49:45] Beautiful, amazing. [00:49:47] I mean, we got enough property there. [00:49:49] We could have some of what Rob Marlowe was talking about [00:49:54] with the boat type stuff, [00:49:56] but we got a lot of property there. [00:49:59] As far as the building itself, [00:50:01] I'm in agreement with everybody that's got up and talked. [00:50:04] You know, mixed use, multiple uses [00:50:08] can be done with that building. [00:50:12] It's a nice big piece of property. [00:50:14] It's still there. [00:50:21] You know, I know Miss Mann has a big part in this [00:50:23] because she's city manager, [00:50:26] but she's paid to be here. [00:50:28] We're all here because we chose to be here, okay? [00:50:31] I'm not trying to, you know, [00:50:33] but how long have you been here, 10 years? [00:50:36] I've been here less than 10 years [00:50:38] and I'm paid to make recommendations. [00:50:39] The city council makes the decision. [00:50:44] You know, you have a lot to do with all this. [00:50:50] We're working, this is between you and her. [00:50:53] We're trying to work with Swetman and your ideas [00:50:55] from Swetman and different ideas. [00:50:58] All I'm pointing out is I, you know, [00:51:01] are we going to be bringing in a developer? [00:51:05] You know, that's what concerns me, a special interest. [00:51:10] You know, I guess this all has to be worked out yet, [00:51:14] but, you know, I'd rather see the people [00:51:18] making the decisions on this, [00:51:20] the people of the town, [00:51:22] the people that have been up speaking, [00:51:24] other than one developer come in and plan all this. [00:51:28] And that's all I've got to say. [00:51:30] Thank you. [00:51:31] Thank you. [00:51:40] Hello, everybody. [00:51:41] Chuck Gray, appreciate you giving me the opportunity [00:51:45] to speak. [00:51:46] Give an address, please, for record. [00:51:50] 3215 Town Avenue, New Port Richey. [00:51:57] My company, next year I'll be 100 years old, [00:52:00] same age as the city. [00:52:02] We're going to celebrate our century together. [00:52:07] That property that many of us grew up in [00:52:12] and went to school at, [00:52:14] my father was the first quarterback [00:52:16] for the first football team, [00:52:18] played on St. Clair Field. [00:52:21] I played on that field. [00:52:23] Many of the people in this room went to school there. [00:52:28] I think that that school, that building, [00:52:31] has a viable and important function in this town. [00:52:36] It's part of the heart and soul of this town, [00:52:38] just like the library building. [00:52:41] That, when I went to elementary school [00:52:44] in the library building, [00:52:46] everybody wanted to tear that down, but we didn't. [00:52:50] We saved the library building. [00:52:52] We built the city hall to look like it. [00:52:55] We can do the same thing there. [00:52:58] And all these numbers that are being thrown around, [00:53:01] nobody knows for sure what it's going to take, [00:53:04] but I know this, [00:53:06] and I totally agree with the last person that was up here. [00:53:10] We don't need to set aside that ground [00:53:14] to build more condominiums or more apartments. [00:53:19] I'm in the real estate and development business, [00:53:21] and I'm telling you that [00:53:23] from my experience in the business. [00:53:26] I also chair the Pasco County Board of Zoning, [00:53:32] and I'm not happy with what I see going on. [00:53:35] We're going to build a bunch of apartments [00:53:37] on the property where Community Hospital used to be. [00:53:40] We don't need another group. [00:53:42] We need something to attract people to our community. [00:53:47] We have a great community. [00:53:49] Let's build something that will attract people to come here. [00:53:53] There's been a lot of great ideas. [00:53:55] I've talked to several of you on the city council about it, [00:53:59] and I've heard a lot of good things [00:54:02] from the people in this audience. [00:54:04] I don't think we should go out for an RFP. [00:54:07] I think it's too soon. [00:54:09] I think we need to give it more thought. [00:54:11] We need to have a community conversation about it [00:54:14] and come up with our own ideas. [00:54:17] So I appreciate the opportunity to speak. [00:54:21] I feel very personally involved [00:54:23] in this particular aspect of the city, [00:54:27] and I hope you give it strong consideration [00:54:31] before you give permission to go out for an RFP [00:54:35] to a developer that none of us probably know. [00:54:39] So that's my two cents. [00:54:42] Thank you. [00:54:42] Thank you. [00:54:50] Anybody else in row eight? [00:54:53] Row nine? [00:54:55] Anybody in the last row? [00:55:05] I'm sure you're the first or last. [00:55:07] So I chose last, I guess, today. [00:55:10] Good evening, everyone. [00:55:11] Happy holidays. [00:55:12] I'm Rich Milton, 5841 Delaware, [00:55:16] Chairman of the Cultural Affairs Committee [00:55:18] for the City, Treasurer for the MAPS Museum [00:55:21] and Abrams Art Gallery. [00:55:24] As you are aware, we, you, [00:55:27] have an opportunity to either build [00:55:29] and have a true legacy for the city residents, [00:55:31] children, and our grandchildren, [00:55:34] or squander this moment to more urban squall. [00:55:38] Let's not waste the largest resource we have [00:55:41] along the river. [00:55:42] Our city needs more culture. [00:55:45] As I have said for years, [00:55:47] not my first time up here selling a culture [00:55:49] is what sells. [00:55:51] Everybody that's behind me has supported it, too. [00:55:57] Culture binds us all together as a human race. [00:56:01] It's not in any political or social debate. [00:56:05] This is about providing long-term solutions [00:56:08] that tie in the desires of our community, [00:56:12] our city residents, and our future. [00:56:19] The time for one group or another [00:56:21] to take this building or this property [00:56:23] is just shallow thinking. [00:56:27] We, you, need to think bigger, [00:56:30] build an all-inclusive, collaborative cultural center [00:56:35] that our city deserves. [00:56:37] Thank you. [00:56:38] Thank you. [00:56:39] Thank you. [00:56:40] Thank you. [00:56:54] Judith Allen, Grand Boulevard, [00:56:57] I've been here for many, many years. [00:57:01] I was born in St. Petersburg [00:57:03] and there was a time that St. Petersburg [00:57:05] needed revitalization. [00:57:08] And what they ended up doing, [00:57:10] there was a Maus Brothers building, [00:57:11] many of you probably even shop there [00:57:13] that are old like me. [00:57:16] That building was deteriorating, [00:57:19] but the city was deteriorating too. [00:57:22] What they did was they ended up turning that [00:57:25] into a type of museum. [00:57:29] They brought in the King Tut. [00:57:31] Did anybody get to the King Tut? [00:57:33] They brought in the treasures of the Russian czars [00:57:36] and many others. [00:57:37] People came from out of the state to go to those things [00:57:42] and that's what revitalized St. Petersburg. [00:57:45] I don't remember exactly what years, [00:57:47] but I'm 78, so that was quite a while ago. [00:57:52] I think we can't do it on that kind of a grand scale, [00:57:55] but we could think about doing something like that. [00:57:58] They brought them in periodically. [00:58:00] There are things that are small museum groups [00:58:05] like the Smithsonian, of course that's a big, [00:58:07] but they have small traveling museums [00:58:09] that could be brought in there. [00:58:11] We have a parking garage that's empty most of the time [00:58:14] unless we have a parade. [00:58:15] That could be filled. [00:58:16] We have a trolley. [00:58:18] I've also talked to some of the business owners [00:58:21] which have come up here and talked to all of you [00:58:23] about the fact that they're busy on Friday and Saturday, [00:58:27] but between Sunday and Thursday, they're not. [00:58:30] That we could do something in that school building [00:58:34] that would help the economy of some of our businesses [00:58:37] that need activation during the week [00:58:40] that would bring people in during the week. [00:58:42] We do have, we have a couple of things [00:58:45] and on our charter, you five of you have the ability [00:58:50] and the purview to do this. [00:58:52] We have no citizens advisory board anymore [00:58:55] because it was seen that it was unnecessary. [00:58:59] I've heard again and again from you [00:59:01] that you want to be involved. [00:59:02] Demand that we bring back. [00:59:04] Excuse me, could you turn around and talk to the mic? [00:59:06] I'm talking to everybody. [00:59:08] Please talk to the mic. [00:59:09] Okay, we also have, that is on the charter, [00:59:12] you can do that. [00:59:14] We have no historical preservation, [00:59:16] but we do need to think. [00:59:17] We have two issues here on that property. [00:59:20] One is the historical building [00:59:22] and the other is the archeological site. [00:59:26] I'm going to give you, for those of you with your pens, [00:59:29] there are some Florida antiquities laws, chapter 267, [00:59:35] which we have to investigate if there's any suspicion, [00:59:39] which there is, the old timers know [00:59:41] that that's an archeological site [00:59:43] and is known to be an Indian burial ground, [00:59:46] which means it has to be reviewed [00:59:49] by the State Preservation Department. [00:59:53] That phone number is 850-245-6500. [01:00:00] I have the name of the woman who is there. [01:00:03] I have her phone number and her email with me, so you can get that. [01:00:09] There's also the Bureau of Historical Preservation. [01:00:11] I have their phone numbers and the Bureau of Archaeological Research. [01:00:16] There is a woman who has been hired for specifically for the archaeological research. [01:00:24] All right, everybody. [01:00:29] Anybody else in the last row? [01:00:32] Seeing no one else come forward, come back. [01:00:35] We already went through, sir. [01:00:37] Excuse me, sir. [01:00:41] You weren't here, sir. [01:00:42] I was sitting here the whole time. [01:00:43] You didn't call my row. [01:00:44] Excuse me, sir. [01:00:45] Please sit down. [01:00:46] We already did row two. [01:00:47] I didn't realize that. [01:00:48] You were going row by row. [01:00:49] Can I speak or not? [01:00:50] Sure, go ahead. [01:00:51] Thank you, sir. [01:00:52] I appreciate it. [01:00:53] You guys can talk. [01:00:54] You get your special time. [01:00:55] Three minutes. [01:00:56] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [01:00:57] You get your special time. [01:00:58] Three minutes. [01:00:59] Thank you, Mr. Alfred. [01:01:00] I appreciate it. [01:01:01] You're the best. [01:01:02] Okay. [01:01:03] I stand here with all these wonderful people. [01:01:05] I went to Swetman for a period of time when it was under the direction of Randy Caningsfeld, [01:01:10] who was a former principal at Ridgewood High School. [01:01:13] So I've been in a building. [01:01:15] I've walked in the building. [01:01:17] It's a historical building. [01:01:19] And we shouldn't have to tell you that time and time again. [01:01:22] Some of you know. [01:01:23] Some of you went to Gulf High School. [01:01:25] Some of you know the history. [01:01:28] Mr. Langford, I want to thank you for bringing up something about the black history here [01:01:31] in New Port Richey. [01:01:32] I stand here as a descendant of the black pioneers. [01:01:37] My great-grandmother, Dorita Arline, and her family migrated to the west side of New Port Richey in 1925. [01:01:44] My family has been a part of building many of the historical buildings in this community. [01:01:50] And as a descendant of those pioneers, I am asking you to preserve these buildings. [01:01:55] So my children will be able to see the same things that I saw growing up. [01:01:59] I have small children. [01:02:00] I don't want them to grow up in ten years and see that New Port Richey is just full [01:02:05] of condos and all the things that certain people might want. [01:02:10] We actually want to keep our community a community for our family. [01:02:14] We don't want to sell New Port Richey to the highest bidder. [01:02:18] Because let's be honest, that's what's going on behind the scenes. [01:02:22] We want to keep it historically and culturally right for us. [01:02:26] So I'm speaking not only as a resident who's been here all my life, who went to Ritchie [01:02:31] Elementary School, who was born at North Bay Hospital. [01:02:36] I'm speaking from experience. [01:02:39] I'm speaking because I lived here. [01:02:40] I know some of you might have come here from other states. [01:02:44] But this is our history. [01:02:46] We know that you said you won't have possession of the building until January 9th. [01:02:49] But let's be honest. [01:02:50] You're already making preparations. [01:02:52] You already have your draft emails ready to go to the highest bidders. [01:02:57] Let the people have a voice. [01:02:59] Bring back the historical committee. [01:03:02] Bring back the Citizens Advisory Committee. [01:03:04] Why are we failing to get input from the public? [01:03:07] Why are we not allowing that? [01:03:09] Why is that historic? [01:03:11] Who gave the permission to dismantle that? [01:03:14] Why is these things not... [01:03:16] Why are you all, who are supposed to be holding people accountable, how come you guys didn't [01:03:21] fight for those boards? [01:03:22] How come you're not fighting? [01:03:23] Because all of these people behind me voted for you all. [01:03:26] And I think they all want those boards back. [01:03:28] So I really hope that you all do all you can to convince the city manager, who ultimately [01:03:34] probably got rid of it, to bring it back. [01:03:36] Not because you want it, but because the people want it. [01:03:41] She has way too much power. [01:03:43] So one thing I would like to end on, and I'm asking you all this, and I know it might [01:03:50] fall on deaf ears, transparency is what I'm asking for the city manager's office and her [01:03:57] attorney friend there. [01:04:00] Accountability is what I'm asking for you all. [01:04:02] It is your job to hold the city manager accountable. [01:04:05] And I'm also asking for compassion. [01:04:06] Excuse me, that's your three minutes, sir. [01:04:09] I'd also like to make a point that when other people spoke and went over their three minutes, [01:04:12] you did not interrupt them, sir. [01:04:15] But when I went over one second, and you couldn't wait. [01:04:19] You couldn't wait. [01:04:20] So you know what, Chopper? [01:04:21] The joke's on you. [01:04:22] Merry Christmas. [01:04:23] Thank you very much, sir. [01:04:24] Thank you, Alfred. [01:04:25] And I'm very proud of, I'm very proud of my name, Alfred. [01:04:31] I'm very proud of my name, Alfred, by the way. [01:04:35] Yes, sir. [01:04:37] I would love to start, because two things. [01:04:43] One, I'm reminding everyone it's five after six, and there are some other properties, [01:04:48] and I would really like to at least have a bit of expression related to them and to have [01:04:54] those folks here. [01:04:56] But I do also want to preference that of the folks that spoke to us tonight, I'm just guessing [01:05:02] if we looked up the addresses, that probably two-thirds or three-quarters of you do not [01:05:07] live in the city's corporate limits. [01:05:09] Many of you own property and businesses in town. [01:05:13] But I bring this up not as a negative, but as a positive, because we are the downtown [01:05:19] for all of West Pasco, and we are the place that can be the cultural center and is right [01:05:25] now the gathering place for all of West Pasco. [01:05:28] So, you know, our city council, when they meet, and our CRA board, who's who we are [01:05:34] right now, have seen the success, and it's dependent on the support of the folks who [01:05:43] don't live in our city as well. [01:05:46] Among those supporters are elected officials, our county commissioners. [01:05:52] And because we're in a CRA meeting, Community Redevelopment Agency, we are not city council [01:05:58] members up here. [01:05:59] I don't call Chopper mayor, I call him chairman. [01:06:06] And we are a separate entity that collects money. [01:06:09] So a lot of you have talked about money and trying to help us figure out how to pay for [01:06:13] things. [01:06:14] In a few weeks, we'll be receiving somewhere near $4 million that we get every year for [01:06:19] the next 20-some years that's going to come into that. [01:06:22] And it grows every year as our city's property values grow. [01:06:26] So to the defense of the economic strategy that we acquire things through the CRA, there's [01:06:32] a state statute on that. [01:06:34] It's not that difficult to read, and it identifies the things that we can use our money for. [01:06:40] What we are hearing tonight, because of the time constraints, is our first view of the [01:06:46] CRA proposed plan being developed by Stantec, I believe, who is an engineering firm who [01:06:55] does these for a living. [01:06:56] But to that extent, our CRA has resources, and we can decide how to use them. [01:07:08] One of the things, Ms. Manns, that you put in your commentary related to the Schwetman [01:07:14] School was that it could be difficult for the CRA to fund this, and it would have to [01:07:19] be done through the general fund. [01:07:21] And I would just take exception with that, depending if the city has a facility that's [01:07:27] a city facility, then there's an argument to be made to support that. [01:07:33] But if it's a cultural center, and if the space is leased out for the purposes that's [01:07:37] consistent with the CRA plan, then I am 90 percent convinced that it is legal and an [01:07:45] opportunity to do. [01:07:47] And I say that with experience of someone who was sitting on the state board of the [01:07:50] Florida Redevelopment Association in the 90s, and then again for the last four years, [01:07:56] with the advice of the chief counsel of that organization that gives advice to all the [01:08:01] CRAs around the state. [01:08:02] So many CRAs have a requirement that CRA directors follow through a training program and get [01:08:09] a certification. [01:08:11] And I want to welcome a fellow mayor, which would be one, two, three, four mayors in the [01:08:17] room, who's new to our city, who's our new economic director, if I understand that, and [01:08:22] assistant city manager. [01:08:24] So we've got someone on day one who gets a chance to visit or see how strong our community [01:08:31] is. [01:08:33] And as a former mayor, I always look to who the dignitaries are, and I have to say also [01:08:39] in the front row, we have a very well-deserved orchestra leader who's sitting up there who [01:08:48] has some great credentials with the Ritchie Orchestra, and to whom I really enjoyed watching [01:08:53] you command that orchestra in that last program that you did for people who were paying 60, [01:08:59] 50, 40, however many dollars they were paying to come enjoy that show. [01:09:04] All of that being said, here's the news for you that hasn't been brought up until I mentioned [01:09:10] it to my colleagues, and I let our city manager know, because as a council member and as a [01:09:17] board member, we have an obligation to set the policies and make the decisions as has [01:09:23] been mentioned, and it's her job to administer those policies, and consequently, some of [01:09:31] us have gotten in trouble over the past for trying to direct individuals on what to do. [01:09:36] I saw an email to that effect warning us what was our job, not to get doing the job on the [01:09:43] other side. [01:09:44] So we have to be aware of each other's roles, and so we don't get individually to make demands, [01:09:50] but when we meet together, that's us. [01:09:53] We're a collegial body here as we are on the city council. [01:09:57] To that regard, I let Ms. Manz know that last week, visitors from St. Leo College came, [01:10:05] because we haven't talked as much about the river as it, to me, is the heart and soul [01:10:09] of our city, and the head of the dean of sciences, along with the biology teacher, along with [01:10:17] the vice president of development for the university came over, and so I'm just going [01:10:24] to say short-term stuff and not talk about the long-term answers, but short-term, they [01:10:29] would like to have one of their classes that's already on their list, and to come this summer [01:10:36] and to use that school and that biology classroom that says biology guru on the wall that they [01:10:43] said, you've got to keep that sign. [01:10:45] We have another tenant that hasn't been mentioned that wants to bring St. Leo University into [01:10:50] our city, and I think that's a huge opportunity. [01:10:55] In addition, they have a boat, and they like to have the boat maybe next to our police [01:11:02] boat or somewhere to show that we are a college town. [01:11:06] We already have Kaiser University, but they're talking about trying to occupy some space [01:11:11] to do marine research, and nothing's more important to me as a native of New Port Richey, [01:11:17] who lived summers on the beaches in Reddington and Pinellas, than protecting the environment [01:11:25] and the estuaries, and our river leads right out to the gulf where the scallops are, where [01:11:31] our tourism board wants us to really promote that that's what we have. [01:11:36] So it's only going to be as good as our ability to monitor and protect and clean our river, [01:11:41] and to that extent, the university also offered to bring their students over to identify all [01:11:48] the plant life along the river there and to help us to identify those plants and to help [01:11:54] to remove the invasive species, as well as to look at their biology and plant plants [01:12:00] and do gardens and do things like that. [01:12:02] So there's an immediate short term. [01:12:04] I don't know when you talk about how many millions it's going to take to fix the building [01:12:11] if it's livable and it can pass, there are people who would use it or use the out parcels [01:12:20] and leave the building empty. [01:12:22] But you know, years ago, I think Tom O'Neill posted something I saw about getting someone [01:12:28] to help to collect all these ideas and synthesize that to some kind of a plan that works. [01:12:37] And the reality of that process would lead us to what we could use on the river, what [01:12:44] we could do in the building, and recognizing that as a city-owned property, we could be [01:12:50] applying for these grants. [01:12:52] And so I'm very excited that this crowd is here. [01:12:55] I should be talking to my colleagues, it's the only chance I get to. [01:12:59] And so to you all, I apologize for speaking to the crowd, Matt, Chopper, and Mike, but [01:13:06] I got really excited to hear that the university would come. [01:13:10] And then I got pretty scared to think that we would go right out to bid. [01:13:15] And to her credit, Debbie, we've talked and you indicated you wanted to give me a chance [01:13:20] to share my vision. [01:13:24] And it really is a community-wide vision for us to save that. [01:13:29] And I think it could be a very exciting opportunity to stimulate economic growth around it. [01:13:35] So there's direct economic, buy it, fix it up, and sell it. [01:13:40] There's buy it, fix it up, and use it to generate more interest. [01:13:45] And I think that's what we heard today. [01:13:48] And there is room for public-private partnerships as the whole plan develops. [01:13:55] And to the theater, I fully support that theater. [01:13:58] I'm excited for what you're doing, and I would embrace as well that we would allow [01:14:04] them to help us with the business plan and make sure that this could be utilized by them [01:14:11] as well in a way. [01:14:14] So I just wanted to give a response to that request. [01:14:17] This is not a zero-sum game. [01:14:20] We're going to have over $110 million coming into this city. [01:14:24] And the plan that you're not hearing tonight that is coming up is to provide incentives [01:14:30] for developers to save tax money and to help them to build things to help them make a profit. [01:14:36] And there's nothing wrong with that, but there's certainly plenty of room for us to identify [01:14:41] those assets. [01:14:43] I'm just overwhelmed to have all of you here tonight to talk, and I thank you for your [01:14:48] time, colleagues. [01:14:49] Thank you. [01:14:50] Thank you. [01:14:51] Thank you, Chairman. [01:14:52] First of all, I'd just like to thank all of you for being here tonight. [01:15:00] Thank everybody for coming out tonight. [01:15:02] And the enthusiasm that you showed [01:15:04] and the ideas you shared is really refreshing, right? [01:15:10] To have this much community interest in something [01:15:13] that we haven't seen for a long time, quite frankly, right? [01:15:18] And so a lot of great ideas. [01:15:21] And what I heard, loud and clear, [01:15:24] was a continuous theme of a cultural center. [01:15:29] And how it would help the city. [01:15:33] As my time here and serving both on the CAR board [01:15:40] as well as the city council, I, like you, [01:15:46] know that New Port Richey is special. [01:15:51] This city, this basically five square miles, [01:15:56] if we look at this area compared to the West Pasco [01:16:03] County sprawl that developed, right, is that we're special. [01:16:08] We've got a lot of characteristics in our city, [01:16:11] not to mention, obviously, our historical downtown area [01:16:15] and buildings, our alleyways, and the way [01:16:17] the city has laid out. [01:16:20] We have our own police force. [01:16:22] We have our own fire department. [01:16:25] And there's nobody in the county that [01:16:28] has better services and response times [01:16:30] than the citizens of this city. [01:16:34] I think that cities of our size, to provide all these things, [01:16:46] it's difficult because of our scale. [01:16:49] Being our size is good and not so good in some ways. [01:16:54] So I think that, as I look out the future on way [01:17:00] beyond the time that I'll be of any significance around here, [01:17:05] is that this city has to become more special. [01:17:11] And so it continues to attract the folks [01:17:16] and continues to grow in a way that will support itself [01:17:22] and so forth. [01:17:23] So I look for, how does the city perpetuate itself going forward [01:17:28] and even being more so? [01:17:32] We have challenges. [01:17:33] We have all kinds of challenges ahead of us [01:17:38] and all kinds of opportunities. [01:17:40] And this is one such opportunity is this particular parcel. [01:17:44] And I love the red brick building. [01:17:49] I love the fact that we do have historical buildings. [01:17:53] I grew up in a town similar, maybe a little bit bigger, [01:17:58] but also at a downtown. [01:18:00] And they have some old buildings downtown, [01:18:02] but nothing with the character that we have here. [01:18:08] And I think part of that character [01:18:10] is also exemplified by the Swetman building. [01:18:15] I hope that, obviously, we're going [01:18:19] to take some time to keep reviewing some of these ideas [01:18:23] and how it might work and how it can be financed. [01:18:27] There's some rules that we have to go by, particularly [01:18:30] using CRA funds for some of these type projects like this [01:18:34] that basically are prohibited, but in some cases might be. [01:18:38] So we're going to find a line to look about that [01:18:41] to see how that can work out. [01:18:46] Ms. Frieger talked about a private-public partnership [01:18:50] and maybe part of the property used [01:18:52] to help to finance what we want to do with the rest [01:18:55] of the property. [01:18:56] Imaginative ideas like that make sense. [01:19:01] I hope it's not an Indian burial ground that we don't have to. [01:19:05] It gets locked up. [01:19:06] We can't do anything with. [01:19:08] But we'll maybe have to look at that. [01:19:11] I don't know. [01:19:12] But as far as sports fields, I don't [01:19:19] know that that's the best location for sports fields. [01:19:23] I think there's some open space that can [01:19:24] be used for utilizing other things. [01:19:26] I'd like to see any sports fields we have get a little bit [01:19:28] closer to the rec center so they can help manage and coordinate [01:19:31] those activities. [01:19:32] But the bottom line is, just as you all already know [01:19:37] and talked about, it's a great opportunity [01:19:39] to do a lot of things. [01:19:40] What will be tough, I think, and will [01:19:43] take a lot of coordination from a lot of people, [01:19:45] is that we've got a multitude of interest [01:19:49] and a multitude of groups and organizations [01:19:54] that have an idea that they could utilize. [01:19:58] I'd love to see that those work together and find a way [01:20:05] so that building a cultural unit and have a museum in it. [01:20:11] And it's got to be a constant, active, moving, breathing [01:20:18] location. [01:20:19] And so the coordination of those groups [01:20:22] and how that works out and what, hopefully, [01:20:25] they can bring some funding in along the way [01:20:28] if we can coordinate it, I think it serves just [01:20:32] a great opportunity. [01:20:34] It'll take some coordination and a lot of input from folks. [01:20:37] And there's probably some ideas that are really good [01:20:40] that we haven't even heard yet. [01:20:43] I think we've got your folks' thoughts and ideas [01:20:47] of what you think. [01:20:48] And I think it goes a long way. [01:20:51] There's maybe even some more out there that can make this [01:20:54] and bring it together. [01:20:56] Someone mentioned about the Sarasota renovation [01:20:58] of Sarasota High School. [01:21:01] It's a pretty big high school. [01:21:04] We couldn't do anything quite like that. [01:21:06] But coming on some of those things [01:21:09] is just, I find, very intriguing and interesting. [01:21:14] The fact that we're going to have our multi-use trail go up [01:21:18] and down Grand, the envision of the Grand Boulevard [01:21:22] becoming really a Grand Boulevard, [01:21:25] those plans are already in place and will be forthcoming [01:21:30] in the next couple of years. [01:21:32] Tying our downtown city to our southern part of the city, [01:21:36] we think that there is a great interest in redevelopment [01:21:40] of the old HCA Hospital site. [01:21:43] And I think that part of the city will redevelop. [01:21:48] We've got a lot of those medical buildings as opportunity. [01:21:51] This could be a linchpin to keep that together [01:21:55] and to link our downtown to that southern part. [01:22:00] As our downtown, we still continue [01:22:01] to work on what we can do here with renovating alleyways [01:22:06] and making those alleyways nicer, more useful, [01:22:11] and beneficial for those that live along them. [01:22:15] So a lot of great opportunities. [01:22:17] And I love your ideas and love your enthusiasm. [01:22:20] I appreciate you guys coming out tonight and sharing. [01:22:24] Thank you. [01:22:28] I like what I'm hearing from my colleagues [01:22:31] and I like what all of you have had to say for sure. [01:22:34] I think we need to take our time and do this right. [01:22:38] We got one shot to do it right, [01:22:40] and especially with such a valuable piece of property [01:22:43] and the location of where it is. [01:22:46] I think we're going to have, you know, as you've heard, [01:22:48] we've had many, many good ideas already and positive things. [01:22:52] I think we're going to have several more, [01:22:54] a lot more different ideas and options for the property. [01:23:00] I want to commend all of you. [01:23:01] A lot of times we take up things and the room's empty, [01:23:05] you know, and you lose kind of faith in people [01:23:08] and like, do they really care? [01:23:09] But this group here, you care, [01:23:12] and you really, you know, stepped up tonight [01:23:16] and saying what you want, and I really appreciate that. [01:23:18] It really restores faith. [01:23:20] But I think we're going to do good things, [01:23:22] and when we do it, it's going to be grand. [01:23:25] And we're going to do it right. [01:23:27] So thank you. [01:23:28] I met, first of all, by time, these two on my left talk, [01:23:38] there's not much left to say, but, you know, [01:23:40] so Matt and I try to fill in some of the gaps. [01:23:43] But first of all, I met with half a dozen [01:23:46] of Gulf Hike Swetman graduates last night, [01:23:50] and I brought up the idea, [01:23:52] there was a lot of emphasis on the preservation board [01:23:54] or the historical board. [01:23:57] The Friends of the Hacienda took that over kind of [01:24:00] when we were working on the Hacienda, [01:24:01] and I asked that them reach out [01:24:03] to the Friends of the Hacienda, [01:24:05] and I think instead of reinventing the wheel, [01:24:07] there's the team that's already going, [01:24:09] join in with them if you're interested in getting involved, [01:24:13] because we've asked them to kind of come together. [01:24:15] They're looking for something new to get involved in. [01:24:18] So from the Hacienda to the Swetman [01:24:20] is a natural progression. [01:24:22] So just keep that in mind, and I offered that to them, [01:24:25] and I gave them the contact person last night, [01:24:27] it's Gary Gann, and see what you can do [01:24:30] to help build that team up, [01:24:31] because that's what worked at the Hacienda, [01:24:34] and I don't think it'll work here at Swetman. [01:24:38] One thing, you know, I kind of sometimes felt [01:24:40] when you talked, there was a separation [01:24:42] between you people and us. [01:24:44] There is no separation. [01:24:45] You're the ones that put us up here. [01:24:47] We're welcome to talk to you. [01:24:48] That's what is, last night, or yesterday afternoon, [01:24:51] I talked to the ladies, [01:24:53] there was a gentleman there too, sorry, [01:24:55] at the meeting yesterday, [01:24:57] and, you know, we were all on the same page. [01:25:00] We were working together. [01:25:01] We were trying to get it, and I think I told them, [01:25:04] and I think that they were happy with my approach [01:25:06] that it would be a cultural center, [01:25:08] but what's all in that cultural center? [01:25:10] We got a lot of ideas here, and if I had to come back [01:25:12] and start it over a one, two, three, four, [01:25:15] five, six, seven, eight again, [01:25:16] we would have had many more people get up and talk [01:25:18] because you thought of something [01:25:20] after it went by your roll, [01:25:22] and so we're all accessible. [01:25:24] You know, get a hold of us, [01:25:26] or if you want to write down a whole bunch of ideas, [01:25:28] you can send them to this man's office. [01:25:30] We'll be glad to take those down, you know, [01:25:32] as you think about things over the next few days [01:25:34] after being here, so don't forget that, [01:25:36] and, of course, I think, also, [01:25:38] with the Ritchie Suncoast Theater, [01:25:39] it's almost like a team effort, [01:25:41] but it's also what we've done [01:25:43] over the last eight or nine years in downtown. [01:25:46] Yes, we want to grow it out. [01:25:48] You've driven around Pasco County, [01:25:50] and you see all these developments going up. [01:25:52] You see, all of a sudden, they cleared the land, [01:25:54] and here goes another group [01:25:56] of who knows what's going to be on there, [01:25:58] but where do you go? [01:25:59] If you want to go out, where do you go? [01:26:02] The only place to go is in New Port Richey, downtown, [01:26:05] and so that's what that cultural center, [01:26:07] I think, would be an asset to what's going on downtown, [01:26:11] you know, and as we continue to grow, you know, [01:26:14] southwards, and we need to grow north on 19, too. [01:26:17] There's some weak spots up there, [01:26:19] but we continue to grow, [01:26:20] and we're not going to be able to do it overnight. [01:26:22] It's going to take all this whole room [01:26:24] and all your neighbors to make it all work out, [01:26:27] and there's a box in the back [01:26:29] where if you guys want to make a donation. [01:26:31] Never mind, it's not there. [01:26:33] Anyhow, thank you very much. [01:26:35] Ms. Mann, do you want to? [01:26:36] Thank you. [01:26:37] Thank you. [01:26:38] Thank you. [01:26:38] Thank you. [01:26:39] Thank you. [01:26:40] I just want to clarify a point for purposes of the record [01:26:48] on a comment made and presented by Councilman Altman, [01:26:53] and it was about my communication to the council, [01:26:59] and it was in reference specifically [01:27:04] to the Schwetman property, [01:27:06] and I wanted to at least mention [01:27:09] that I did present it with a caveat [01:27:11] from what I know so far. [01:27:13] I understand. [01:27:14] It's their intent. [01:27:16] I wasn't making a declaratory statement by any means, [01:27:20] and I certainly have learned much more tonight [01:27:24] of the intent because the folks here [01:27:29] have been so kind to attend [01:27:31] and to share so much more detail about the intended plans, [01:27:36] and that is very, very helpful to us [01:27:42] in terms of going forward, [01:27:44] but my knowledge is only based on Cliff Shepard, [01:27:48] who, as I'm sure you know, is the FRA attorney, [01:27:52] his opinion of the 2019 law [01:27:57] and what is an eligible and an ineligible activity, [01:28:02] and it doesn't specifically state [01:28:05] whether this activity is or is not [01:28:09] an eligible expense for CRA funds, [01:28:13] and I just want to put it out there [01:28:15] that it's uncertain at this time in my mind, [01:28:20] and we need to make certain that it is. [01:28:22] If that's the road we're going to go down, [01:28:25] and I'll make sure that it is. [01:28:28] Thank you, and if I may, [01:28:31] while the crowd is here and time is nigh, [01:28:34] can we move to the next building? [01:28:35] I just want to see if Tim wants to say anything on this. [01:28:38] I don't have anything at this time, Mr. Mayor, thank you. [01:28:40] So which property would you like to discuss? [01:28:42] I want to disclose to you [01:28:44] something I've talked to you about before [01:28:46] and something that, again, [01:28:48] I contacted our manager to participate in [01:28:54] so that I think that it would be helpful for us [01:28:57] as a group to make sure that we understand [01:29:00] that we're not restricted from helping to recruit [01:29:04] and bring ideas and develop them and get them. [01:29:09] I've always tried to share with you, [01:29:10] and particularly this one, the Children's Science Museum, [01:29:13] I think I passed a flyer out a month or so ago or two. [01:29:17] So in 1992, we failed after raising $700,000 [01:29:25] between a grant from the state for 200,000, [01:29:28] 200 and some of our own thousand, [01:29:30] and private donations in our bid to build [01:29:34] what we called the Brainstorms Children's Museum. [01:29:37] And we had identified a building for that, [01:29:40] which was the old bank building, the Ellis Building, [01:29:42] which is the topic of this discussion. [01:29:44] So I brushed that off some month or two back [01:29:49] and I heard on the radio the discussion [01:29:54] of the Great Explorations Children's Museum, [01:29:57] which started many years ago in St. [01:30:00] Petersburg, who were providing at one of our conferences an argument that science and children's [01:30:06] museum and education was a great draw in the same sense of culture and museums and education. [01:30:14] And so I called them. [01:30:17] And it just so happened that they have been doing a study and a plan to expand and find [01:30:23] another location. [01:30:24] And in their study, which they told me I could share, but they hadn't finished it to hand [01:30:29] it out, so I called them today. [01:30:31] I think tomorrow they're going to get their presentation and give it, and it'll go directly [01:30:35] to our director. [01:30:38] But again, in the short term, in a building that's been used only until recently, before [01:30:45] we go to George Romanoli's plan to knock it down and build a mixed-use project or anything [01:30:51] else, this organization is ready to bring their professional staff into town and to [01:30:57] start a great explorations-style discovery center in our city in downtown at that building. [01:31:06] And it's like it's come back from the ashes. [01:31:11] And to me, I was so excited in that. [01:31:13] So you might imagine that I was anxious at the idea that we would move too quickly, again, [01:31:20] to sell that building. [01:31:22] And I hope that we have a discussion on that. [01:31:24] You know, that maybe because we got that building in a trade with the baseball field over on [01:31:32] Pine Hill, and the county traded that with us. [01:31:36] And so I go back to the conversation of those of you who are here who don't live in the [01:31:42] city limits, and a county that likes culture and would support us. [01:31:48] And beyond that, the studies that have been done way back into the years of 2011, 12, [01:31:56] when they brought folks in from planners and did a study on the West Market, this whole [01:32:02] west side of the county. [01:32:04] And they did an exhaustive study, it's a large document, and in that document they divided [01:32:10] all of West Pasco into like seven or eight little sections. [01:32:13] And their conclusion was that the River District, which they call New Port Richey, New Port Richey, [01:32:20] was the spark that needed to happen to create a renaissance of the west side of the county. [01:32:26] So by the county's own planning document, and they won an award of best plan from the [01:32:33] Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council for that award, for that plan, they said, put your [01:32:39] money in here. [01:32:41] And the reality is, we've got their money. [01:32:43] It may be their money that came from only our city residents, because this CRA right [01:32:49] here that we're in is collecting about $2 million a year from the county. [01:32:54] But it's our city residents' county money that's going into it. [01:32:58] But at least we get it back to help us to implement this plan. [01:33:03] So to the degree that our non-city residents have influence over our county commissioners, [01:33:10] there's probably, I don't know if there's 80 or 100,000 people that have New Port Richey [01:33:14] on their address. [01:33:15] You hear them say, I'm from New Port Richey, and you're way out on Moon Lake Road almost, [01:33:22] or near Trinity. [01:33:24] So we have the support in this room, which represents a strong and powerful help. [01:33:33] And to my colleagues who said we need the help and we need the encouragement, we need [01:33:37] you to be able to make this happen. [01:33:40] That museum failed by a 3-2 vote, because Commissioner Hildebrand at the time wanted [01:33:45] to move the museum to the concourse, because it was the center of whatever. [01:33:51] But she was on that board. [01:33:52] It's like, we're not going to spend our city tax money to take it to the concourse. [01:33:58] But bottom line is, now here we are all these years later, and they have a traveling planetarium, [01:34:07] and they're asking to come to our Chasco Fiesta this year, and put on a children's [01:34:11] program inside the park. [01:34:15] And they could take pretty immediate occupation of that building. [01:34:21] They would like to start with summer programs this summer. [01:34:24] So we have St. Leo College that wants summer programs, and to bring their boat, and to [01:34:29] have a presence in our city. [01:34:31] And we have the Great Explorations Museum, who wants to start a discovery center this [01:34:35] summer in our city. [01:34:37] And they are planning to do it in a way that doesn't impact us economically or financially. [01:34:44] And in fact, that might help us to the one point you made, which is true, which is we [01:34:48] have to pay the cost to keep those buildings running and occupied. [01:34:52] So we have a couple of partners that are really solid to go along with all of the ideas that [01:34:57] came here today. [01:34:59] And I would encourage you to follow the CRA meetings, and however you learned about this, [01:35:04] or whatever contacts, or Facebook friends, or communication you got this from, please [01:35:11] keep sharing it. [01:35:12] Because this is what makes things happen. [01:35:15] It's you all that's going to make this happen. [01:35:17] And I think I share in my colleagues to say that. [01:35:29] I'm still worried about the renovations that were not authorized in that building. [01:35:33] Maybe we've got a bum steer on that trade. [01:35:35] We'll tear it down, take them out. [01:35:38] So yeah, that's a, you know, if we're having a cultural center, you know, looking, talking [01:35:44] about that, you know, obviously that, you know, Children's Museum at that location would [01:35:48] be, you know, would be one of those perfect things, right? [01:35:52] And they have traveling, you know, in and out. [01:35:54] So, you know, cultural center down at Swetman for those folks to come in. [01:35:59] That particular building downtown is an important location. [01:36:05] And I think it is an important location for that core downtown. [01:36:13] You know, and what goes there needs to be complimentary and support others in downtown [01:36:21] and so forth. [01:36:22] The thing about the Children's Museum as being in that location, you know, I'd love to have [01:36:27] a Children's Museum. [01:36:29] I'm not sure that's the right location simply because, you know, the, you know, my kids [01:36:37] went through school and they field trips and go to museums and go to, you know, the Concourse [01:36:41] Safety Town used to go out there all the time and so forth. [01:36:44] But they bring the bus loads in during the day. [01:36:46] You know, the kids come out, do it and they load them up and they bring them, take them [01:36:49] back home in the evening. [01:36:53] So I don't know how much it would generate for our fellow businesses downtown, maybe [01:36:58] a few more folks visiting on the weekends and so forth, their kids. [01:37:01] So, you know, I kind of lean towards redevelopment of that building. [01:37:09] Perhaps some either retail, restaurant, office space upstairs, you know, just really open [01:37:17] for that. [01:37:18] That leans itself more of what would meet that particular spot and character. [01:37:24] Obviously, you know, I'd love to have control of the lot just west of there with, you know, [01:37:33] basically across the street from the Hacienda because that lot will be very important as [01:37:39] well as far as the Main Street development. [01:37:43] But, you know, I think that for that, well, as I've already said, I'd be interested in [01:37:47] these folks, you know, what they could, you know, maybe they could pay enough rent to [01:37:52] maintain the building for a temporary location or something like that, then, you know, we'll [01:37:57] see. [01:37:58] But I don't want to know, you know, I'd still like to see what else could be available, [01:38:03] what developers might be ready to pitch for that idea, that particular building. [01:38:08] Quick response, if it's all right, Mr. Mayor, on this, just to get. [01:38:11] Let's go on. [01:38:12] Excuse me. [01:38:13] You get a chance to respond. [01:38:14] Okay. [01:38:15] Sure. [01:38:16] I was going to say, I think just like Schweppan, I think this building here, I think we need [01:38:21] to look at the options and different ideas that we can get done with it and make a great [01:38:26] decision. [01:38:27] I'd love to see the Children's Museum here in New Port Richey. [01:38:31] I don't know if that's the best spot, but I know we do need more retail and more space [01:38:39] to fuel everything, and we're limited on our size downtown. [01:38:42] It's only so big. [01:38:45] So that's something we need to look at and look at the different options and, you know, [01:38:49] make the best decision. [01:38:50] But I like the Children's Museum idea. [01:38:53] It's a great thing, obviously. [01:38:54] We just need to see if it fits. [01:38:59] I think we need more daytime retail downtown. [01:39:03] What I see is what we need more than a Children's Museum, not saying that that wouldn't be it, [01:39:08] but I just want to keep in forefront in my mind is daytime retail. [01:39:12] I see we have one member that's in a group in the audience right now that has daytime [01:39:17] retail down there in early evening, but I'd like to see more of that and draw more people [01:39:22] down here during the day. [01:39:24] So that's real important on that piece of property. [01:39:26] What else would you like to say? [01:39:27] Okay. [01:39:28] Just as a response, they are trying to activate the process of having a Discovery Center, [01:39:36] and there's some good information that once I get to the city manager, she can spread [01:39:39] out and everybody can read, but, you know, there are other purposes that enhance this, [01:39:43] so I'm happy to hear the support for the concept. [01:39:47] Interestingly, one of the people I think who was interested in that building is Grady Pridgen, [01:39:52] who owns the property that's in question that you want to also, we should have some, we [01:39:57] should be excited about, because whatever happens in downtown is not getting across [01:40:02] the bridge to the palm section. [01:40:07] And so Grady Pridgen, when I spoke to him and said, look, this is somebody that's interested [01:40:13] in being in that building, I heard that you were in there, because, again, I recruited [01:40:18] Mr. Pridgen into town, who bought my father's law office there, and he's done some redevelopment [01:40:24] stuff in the past, but he told me that he was on the board of the Great Explorations. [01:40:30] And perhaps, as he's been sort of having difficulty understanding the benefit from [01:40:37] a developer of retail, and keep in mind, when a leaser or a large company comes in for retail, [01:40:42] they want a lease tenant that is a national tenant, or somebody that will make sure they'll [01:40:47] pay the rent. [01:40:48] So you have to have a special type of investor who's going to come in and lease out retail [01:40:54] or other spaces for new businesses, for our own residents, and the folks in the art club, [01:41:00] or somebody that wants to do something. [01:41:03] But his comment to me was, well, maybe I could let them, maybe I could build that museum [01:41:08] on the front window dressing, something that creates interest in that. [01:41:14] How many square feet did they need? [01:41:16] Well, right now they're talking, if they could just get in, get the ground floor, that they [01:41:20] would make an investment, and we'll see what they have to offer, because I haven't seen it. [01:41:25] But I said short term. [01:41:29] So my point is, even if you went out for proposals now, by the time somebody came back, we did it. [01:41:35] But if somebody's willing to come in and decide they want to locate in New Port Richey, I [01:41:40] say let's let them in, and let's keep thinking and talking, because we've got other properties [01:41:45] that it could go in. [01:41:46] It could go out on the SunTrust building side, where we have the parking garage. [01:41:51] It could go at the boat ramp, where we've got the property in the middle of Dr. Montemayor's [01:41:56] office that's potentially come to us, or another property. [01:42:00] But you know, Fred Kent, who was one of the people who came in years ago to advise us [01:42:05] early on in this process in the 90s, who was from the city of New York, he promoted that [01:42:12] you have to get out and get the activity going. [01:42:15] And then the businesses will come after. [01:42:17] That's how I got my wife to open a hot dog stand way back in the day. [01:42:23] Just to get a vending machine, just to get life on the street and to make things happen. [01:42:28] On the other hand, you know, architects like to see beautiful buildings and things that [01:42:33] draw people. [01:42:34] So somewhere in the middle is the answer. [01:42:37] While you're developing a plan for that building, and I don't disagree with you all as to what [01:42:42] its purpose could be, but if we have a tenant right now who can bring some activity into [01:42:46] our town, that's an immediate, short-term, and Lord knows, maybe there's a plan that [01:42:54] gets at our cultural center with that. [01:42:56] Maybe there's a plan for it to go somewhere else. [01:42:57] But I hate to lose what to me is an exciting opportunity. [01:43:01] We're going to get the information this week, though. [01:43:03] Yeah. [01:43:04] He says he'll provide it tomorrow. [01:43:05] So that's my appeal, is to say, if we can, we didn't pay for that building, we traded [01:43:11] it. [01:43:12] We don't have a money investment in it. [01:43:14] But the third property out on the highway, I'm 100% in agreement with your memorandum [01:43:18] and the idea that it would come back to us, the RFP and the resiliency aspect built into [01:43:25] it. [01:43:26] And so again, I'm glad that everyone was so excited with our city, and I thank you all [01:43:31] for your giving me the time. [01:43:34] Thank you. [01:43:42] Move for adjournment. [01:43:43] Do we have another property? [01:43:44] Can I ask a question? [01:43:45] Yes. [01:43:46] We'll take it after you can ask. [01:43:50] You want to bring up the other property? [01:43:52] Sure. [01:43:53] Go ahead. [01:43:54] We have a couple minutes left. [01:43:58] Mike? [01:43:59] Yeah, this has, I think we need to move pretty quick on this. [01:44:06] This has to do with the SunTrust property that, you know, it's there on the south side [01:44:13] of where the parking garage is, faces US-19, and there's actually three different partials [01:44:21] that kind of touch each other there to come together, reaches all the way out to the old [01:44:25] church there on River Road, even. [01:44:28] There may be some other property we might need to acquire to make this whole project [01:44:34] work, but, you know, here again, it's, well, you guys have been up on US-19 all the time, [01:44:44] you see, and we go down to near the Publix and down toward Gulf Harbors, and most of [01:44:51] that is developed. [01:44:53] There's some areas that need to be redeveloped, and there's already some plans even on the [01:44:56] east side that may be... [01:45:00] along and then you once you go much past Main Street going north it's really [01:45:07] sparsely hit or miss up through that way right so it so we have to grow this you [01:45:14] know you take the south and you grow it north I think this is an opportunity [01:45:17] here to support our downtown area I think there we get the right developer [01:45:25] that can put a package together to give us both some some commercial develop [01:45:30] along 19 and some residential density development there that gives them a [01:45:36] great walking distance to our downtown a short drive to get on us-19 and go [01:45:44] north or north or south so I think it really really is a great opportunity to [01:45:50] increase our tax base frankly that that that's part of what we need to have to [01:45:57] put all this put everything together to work for us to pay for a police or in [01:46:01] our fire and the other things that we want to do within the city so this is [01:46:07] another city manager has worked diligently and getting some of these [01:46:11] parcels put together really worked a hard-fought deal with the SunTrust folks [01:46:16] that was that was not an easy deal I recall the fact that they sold it out to [01:46:22] another conglomerate who bought all their properties we thought we had a [01:46:25] deal locked out and we got rug kind of pulled out from on us and we had to go [01:46:29] work a deal out with this conglomerate owned all the property so it was it's [01:46:33] not been an easy accumulation of property and maybe another piece if we [01:46:40] need some frontage there to come out to how I think we need some frontage to [01:46:44] come out to Main Street that kind of ties it all together and hopefully we [01:46:50] will be able to get something sewn up for that but I think that will be a [01:46:54] great shot in the arm for two reasons one it'll help for our downtown merchants [01:46:59] and it'll be it'll spur that that redevelopment all that Palm District [01:47:05] the continuation of our Main Street out to us 19 and truly so when the [01:47:12] archway goes up here next couple months where it says historic downtown New Port Richey it'll it'll be a significant signage and and and it's like build it [01:47:21] and they will come I think that's part of the deal so very very very good [01:47:27] important parcel that I'm looking forward to getting some proposals on [01:47:32] yeah I agree also with Mike here on this one in it and city manager this is a [01:47:40] huge huge piece of the puzzle into redeveloping this whole area which is [01:47:45] you know sadly and sorely needed for many many years it's going to help help [01:47:51] all of our Main Street our downtown and I think it's even going to spur you know [01:47:57] across the street across 19 and everybody knows how you know how bad us [01:48:02] 19 is and and what we need to revitalize this whole corridor so it's a it's a [01:48:07] huge piece and you know we're doing we're definitely doing our part and you [01:48:13] know I call on our County counterparts to you know helping us process on their [01:48:17] parts but it's a huge piece and I'm looking forward to see what you know the [01:48:24] final project I think I've relayed to you that we have I think what it's been [01:48:33] some free offer to help to work with our new economic director and with you [01:48:39] to provide some kind of vision because a part of that project is that attenuation [01:48:44] pond which we have that eight hundred thousand dollar grant to really treat [01:48:49] the water before it gets in the river and to do some some interesting [01:48:52] resiliency stuff on it and and it's just an incredible effort that's being put [01:48:59] out by the Regional Planning Council to include what they have said they're [01:49:02] going to commit one of their employees to the city to start coming to our [01:49:07] meetings and to start helping us and giving us some professional support and [01:49:11] that's not going to cost us any more than the membership we're already paying [01:49:14] so I would suggest because that that element is there and we want to make [01:49:18] sure as you said Matt it isn't just a retention pond but that it's something [01:49:22] that is a feature of whatever happens that we can at least get a little input [01:49:27] envisioning that can stimulate when it goes out for a proposal what the real [01:49:32] people willing to spend money would do to it to incorporate resiliency [01:49:40] particularly after our last flood and what I just saw in Pinellas County [01:49:46] showing the community that when we build something we're building it so that it [01:49:50] will last even the Main Street landing or Stonehaven has pictures of water in [01:49:56] the garage and that was built at what was the flood level then and you've got [01:50:03] to scramble the cars out but at least none of the housing got damaged and so [01:50:06] that whole concept is our city is really on the front edge of that and I would I [01:50:12] would hope Debbie that you would accept that offer and have some time and maybe [01:50:19] get our new Economic Department and Public Works involved there's a lot of [01:50:27] grant money still to come that we can continue to work on but yes thank you [01:50:32] we'll take advantage of the opportunity and we'll need to be doing some [01:50:37] reworking our grant which was originally in the amount of 1.6 million and the [01:50:43] pond was estimated to scale almost 1.5 acres in size right with the escalation [01:50:54] of costs some reconfiguration I need to take place so it's perfect time to bring [01:50:59] somebody else in and help us out thank you I have nothing more to say about [01:51:04] that I'm looking forward to retail on the 19 and residential on River Road [01:51:09] chairman yeah I just wanted to everybody understand that this this this [01:51:14] type of project is is what the CRA is all about to try to take take the money [01:51:19] that this what it's this what it's designed for is to take properties that [01:51:23] are abandoned no longer like the church and the SunTrust building and you know [01:51:28] old warehouse and you know just run down properties to go in and acquire those [01:51:35] and turn them into something that's viable and that will contribute to not [01:51:40] only to the community but contribute to the tax base so this is a this is an [01:51:44] excellent example of what the see why the CRAs are were allowed to exist and [01:51:48] put together so it's it's money's used to build mortars bricks and sticks and [01:51:55] improvements on properties that will in turn bring more tax base so once that

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6. 7Adjournment▶ 1:52:00
7. 6Communications