On the agenda

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

   Approval of July 16, 2024 CRA Meeting Minutes

   approved

   The CRA Board approved the minutes from the July 16, 2024 CRA meeting.

   • motion:Motion to approve the July 16, 2024 CRA meeting minutes. (passed)

   #July 16, 2024 CRA Meeting Minutes

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   [00:00:30] would be approval of the minutes, Mr. Mayor. [00:00:33] Move for, I'm sorry, I don't have that sheet. [00:00:35] Okay. [00:00:37] Any, move for approval. [00:00:39] Second. Second. [00:00:42] All those in favor. [00:00:43] Aye. Aye. [00:00:44] Move for approval.

   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.a

   Purchases/Payments for CRA Board Approval

   approvedon consent

   The CRA Board approved purchases and payments by voice vote.

   • motion:Motion to approve purchases and payments for CRA Board approval. (passed)

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   [00:00:45] I'm concerned agenda purchases and payments, CRA board approval. [00:00:55] Move for approval. [00:00:57] Second. [00:00:58] All those in favor. [00:01:00] Aye. Aye. [00:01:01] Okay, and then review of the 2024-25 budget.

   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.

4. 4

   ↳You arrived here from a search for “ARPA grant funding” — transcript expanded below

   Review of the FY2024-2025 Proposed Budget

   discussed

   The CRA Board reviewed the FY2024-2025 proposed Community Redevelopment Agency operating budget and capital improvement projects, presented by Economic Development Director Mr. Orbeck and Mrs. Dunn. The presentation covered tax increment revenue, debt service (including paying off the 2020A bond and the SunTrust note), staffing allocations, redevelopment incentives, and capital projects including Railroad Square, Grand Boulevard, and downtown shade tree bump-outs. The item was a review/discussion with no formal vote recorded in the transcript excerpt.

   📍Cavalier Square📍Floormar Terrace📍Grand Boulevard📍Health Department building📍Historic Gulf High School📍Leisure Van Doren📍Main and Bank📍Railroad Square📍Rivergate Palm District📍Riverside Inn📍US 19 and Main Street📍former hospital site🏢32 Below🏢Aqua Harbor🏢Estuary🏢Julian's Auto🏢Main Street🏢Main Street Landing🏢Ritchie Suncoast Theater🏢Social🏢Stonehaven🏢SunTrust🏢The Central🏢Wright's Market🏢Zen👤Fasano👤Mr. Orbeck👤Mrs. Dunn#ARPA grant funding#CRA Master Plan update#FY2024-2025 Proposed CRA Budget#Finding of Necessity#Four Pillars (downtown, historic neighborhoods, US Highway 19, the river)#Hacienda note#Line item 43199 - Professional Services Miscellaneous#Line item 43499 - Contractual Services (Main Street)#Line item 44999#Redevelopment Trust Fund#Series 2016 bond#Series 2020A bond (paid off FY24)#Series 2020B bond#SunTrust note (paid off Oct 1, 2024)#Tax Increment Revenue

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   [00:01:04] Correct. [00:01:06] And yes, that is, the board is being asked to review the 24-25 [00:01:16] proposed community redevelopment needs operating budget and the capital improvement [00:01:21] project, and Mr. Orbeck is prepared to present that to you this evening. [00:01:29] Along with Mrs. Don as well. [00:01:35] Good to go, sir? [00:01:36] Yep. [00:01:37] Thank you, Madam Executive Director. [00:01:39] Mr. Chair, members of the board, it's a pleasure to be before you this evening. [00:01:45] Among life's many blessings, I have the good fortune to be the city's [00:01:51] Economic Development Director, and ACM of course, and Tuesday night we were here [00:01:57] to discuss the economic development department budget, and here tonight is [00:02:03] the CRA budget, and as we kind of discussed on Tuesday night, economic [00:02:07] development and the CRA here in New Port Richey are joined at the hip because [00:02:13] so much of what economic development is in the city of New Port Richey is [00:02:17] community redevelopment, because we're built out and we're developed, and that [00:02:23] means to get that economic development, we're redeveloping all the time. [00:02:26] So the missions of the CRA is to implement and adopt a community [00:02:30] redevelopment plan, and to collaborate with all stakeholders on bringing our [00:02:34] vision for the future to life, that vision being, anybody? [00:02:38] Anybody? [00:02:39] Vision? [00:02:40] New Port Richey will be the best walkable waterfront historic hometown in [00:02:43] Florida, and as you're all aware, the CRA was founded in 88. [00:02:48] It's a dependent special district of the city. [00:02:51] It was created to redevelop our defined community redevelopment area, which is [00:02:55] almost all of the city, except the areas that have annexed in since 2001-2002, [00:03:01] to redevelop that pursuant to an adopted community redevelopment plan. [00:03:04] You're obviously the legislative body. [00:03:07] Our city manager is the executive director, and then I report to her as the [00:03:12] economic development director. [00:03:13] We talked about overlap between economic development and the CRA on Tuesday [00:03:17] night. [00:03:17] From the flip side, what I'll say from the CRA perspective is that you're a [00:03:21] separate legal entity, you're a dependent special district, and you spend tax [00:03:27] increment revenue. [00:03:28] And even though tax increment revenue is derived from taxes, it's different. [00:03:34] And under Florida statutes, you are limited to what you can spend those [00:03:41] dollars on. [00:03:42] Okay, and a really important concept, unlike your general fund budget, where [00:03:46] if you don't spend money on a given line item, you could spend it on police or [00:03:50] fire or a competing priority, your CRA dollars, your tax increment revenue [00:03:55] dollars, have to stay in the tax, in the redevelopment, what's called a [00:03:59] redevelopment trust fund. [00:04:02] So if you think, oh, well, we'll cut that line item and then we'll spend it on [00:04:06] police, fire, general fund, no, you can't do that. [00:04:09] It's got to be for redevelopment purposes pursuant to the redevelopment plan and [00:04:13] then obviously pursuant to the budget. [00:04:16] So we talked about a lot of the accomplishments that are shared with the [00:04:19] Economic Development Department on Tuesday night, so I won't reiterate those [00:04:24] here. [00:04:25] I'll just skip ahead. [00:04:27] I will call out, again, some of the 25 initiatives, the proposed initiatives, [00:04:32] which are different than Economic Development Department, or kind of [00:04:36] uniquely the CRAs, and those are completion of the update to the CRA [00:04:42] master plan that we've been working on. [00:04:43] Remember, everything we do has to be pursuant to that plan, and that's kind of [00:04:46] why it's at the top of the list. [00:04:48] And in order to actually include the Leisure Van Doren study area that you [00:04:53] guys have been working on, it's subject to an annexation agreement, you have to [00:04:56] do what's called a fine necessity. [00:04:57] And that's a very specific report called for by Florida statutes, where you have [00:05:02] to find that redevelopment is, quote unquote, necessary before you can [00:05:05] redevelop it. [00:05:07] So those are our unique aspects to the CRAs work program for FY25. [00:05:13] And just because it's nice to reinforce, some of our strategic priorities are [00:05:20] the redevelopment of the former hospital site, acquisition and master [00:05:25] planning and making something special happen at Historic Gulf High School, [00:05:28] redevelopment of Riverside Inn, progressing, and it's a multi-year. [00:05:34] So much of what we do is multi-year in nature. [00:05:36] You don't always get it done in one year. [00:05:39] Sometimes it takes three to five. [00:05:41] Aqua Harbor, the Main and River redevelopment, Rivergate Palm District [00:05:45] redevelopment, continuing to support Ritchie Suncoast Theater, redevelopment [00:05:49] disposition of the Health Department building, that came up Tuesday night. [00:05:52] Main and Bank infill development, Leisure Van Doren, as I mentioned, the [00:05:57] neighborhood improvement and community enhancements, encouraging infill [00:06:01] development revitalization, also home ownership, additional opportunities in [00:06:05] support of what we call the four pillars, which is where we kind of probably [00:06:10] imagine in our minds-eye redevelopment happening in the downtown, but also the [00:06:13] historic neighborhoods, US Highway 19 and the river. [00:06:16] Getting that renaissance out of downtown into the four corners of NPR. [00:06:22] Capital projects and placemaking, a long-anticipated Railroad Square project, [00:06:28] Grand Boulevard improvements, Floormar Terrace improvements that we've talked [00:06:31] about as part of Aqua Harbor, US 19 and Main Street gateway landscaping, [00:06:37] it's been talked about for a long time. [00:06:39] Main Street improvements, especially from the river to the US Highway 19, [00:06:43] in this idea of downtown shade tree bump-outs. [00:06:46] I'll just take a second on that little tiny one, downtown shade tree bump-outs. [00:06:50] Who walks downtown? [00:06:51] Anybody? [00:06:52] Anyone ride a scooter downtown or open air golf cart? [00:06:57] How is it this time of year? [00:06:59] It's hot. [00:07:01] Depends on the time of day and where the sun is. [00:07:03] We don't have enough shade downtown. [00:07:06] I think one of the great joys of living, working and playing in NPR is being [00:07:10] able to walk, so I tend to walk even if I've got to go to an appointment [00:07:15] at Stonehaven, I walk. [00:07:18] This time of year, especially on the way back, is brutal when you're in a suit [00:07:23] and that sun is beating down. [00:07:24] You guys have had a conversation for a long time about the need for shade [00:07:28] downtown, and you have beautiful fan palms, Chinese fan palms, [00:07:34] in the tree wells. [00:07:35] But you've had this idea that came from your consultant back in 2021 regarding [00:07:41] the planning of shade trees and bump-outs. [00:07:44] And just like through the leadership of the executive director of Public Works, [00:07:47] your leadership and the involvement of the public, and we've gotten to the [00:07:50] precipice of bringing Railroad Square to life and Grand Boulevard to life, [00:07:55] we should slay that dragon of, are we doing bump-outs? [00:07:58] Are we going to add some shade on Main Street and downtown or not? [00:08:01] So that future summers in downtown Newport Ridge, it can be a little bit [00:08:05] cooler on the sidewalk. [00:08:09] Your CRA budget, as a CRA board, is a little bit different than many aspects [00:08:15] of your budget when you sit in your capacity as a mayor and city council [00:08:19] because CRAs, I'm just going to say it, are more fun. [00:08:23] And they're more fun because of all of the projects, but also they're [00:08:28] entrepreneurial in character, meaning that they're more business-like and that [00:08:33] you're driven by your success in implementing the plan because it gives [00:08:37] you more revenue. [00:08:38] It goes back to that idea of tax increment revenue. [00:08:40] So whereas a lot of our budget discussions with other departments, [00:08:45] that general fund revenue is coming from property taxes, it's coming from [00:08:50] shared state taxes, et cetera. [00:08:52] In this case, we're really hyper-focused on tax increment revenue and then how [00:08:57] the district is doing. [00:08:58] And we're looking at that revenue side. [00:09:01] So when you look at CRA revenues over time, this past year was a good year. [00:09:05] And remember that this proposed budget of FY25 was based on the property values [00:09:12] as of January 1, 24. [00:09:14] It's a weird concept because it was the value as of January 1, and then it [00:09:20] forms this budget, and those bills aren't out yet, and they don't have to be [00:09:25] paid until March 31st of 25. [00:09:28] So wrap your head around that. [00:09:29] That's the way it works. [00:09:31] Our property values of January 1, 2024 were up 11%. [00:09:36] And so that generates the revenue that you see on page five for current [00:09:41] ad valorem, which is the county's contribution. [00:09:45] And then further down on that schedule on page five of the proposed budget, [00:09:51] you see the transfer from general fund TIF. [00:09:53] That's the city's contribution via the tax increment revenue formula. [00:09:58] And I wanted to talk about the revenue first before I go back to the staffing [00:10:03] because really the agency has to start with the money that comes in with the revenue. [00:10:08] So the main revenue is, again, the tax increment revenue as I just explained. [00:10:14] This one year, it's proposed that the ARPA grant funding come in, and you're [00:10:19] going to see that flow through to the Railroad Square project. [00:10:23] So that's a pass-through to help fund Railroad Square. [00:10:27] Of course, it's not enough for Railroad Square. [00:10:29] Those funds have to be augmented by tax increment revenue. [00:10:33] You see interest earnings. [00:10:36] You see the land. [00:10:39] And what that really is there, that is your hacienda note payment. [00:10:44] You see contractual contributions. [00:10:47] That's the cost share on the parking garage, which is a CRA asset. [00:10:53] And then, of course, again, you see the transfer from the general fund. [00:10:57] And then you're seeing the cash carry forward from this last budget year that [00:11:02] helps us fund the future budget year. [00:11:05] And so you establish your revenue. [00:11:07] And total revenue for this given year is $13 million. [00:11:11] And then you start subtracting the things that you have to do. [00:11:14] And since we just passed the staffing and the org chart, let me start with that. [00:11:22] So a quarter of the city manager is the executive director. [00:11:27] And so the CRA pays for that position, is proposed to pay for half of the ACM, [00:11:34] Economic Development Director position. [00:11:36] And then a quarter of the marketing specialist. [00:11:39] And we're still fighting with gravity, which is a hard thing to do, [00:11:43] because gravity is an elemental force. [00:11:45] But what I would say is we'll have a note there in the future that also [00:11:51] provides the information that even though our venerable world's best city [00:11:55] attorney is contract employee, that approximately 30% of his contract is [00:12:01] covered by the CRA. [00:12:04] And I'm always going to advocate to my boss, the executive director, [00:12:09] that the CRA cover as much of its fair proportionate share of general fund and [00:12:17] city expenses as possible. [00:12:19] She's really good at the CRA. [00:12:22] I try to lobby her harder on, hey, we have to make sure that we're paying [00:12:27] our fair share, HR, internal facing departments, finance, project management [00:12:37] and public works, all of those things. [00:12:39] And so we'll be working on that going forward. [00:12:42] The other thing I want to talk about, because you've got to take care of your [00:12:45] people as an organization, something that the CRA has to take care of directly [00:12:50] that a lot of other departments don't, is debt service. [00:12:54] And I also want to suggest that debt service should be a huge point of pride [00:12:59] and accomplishment for you and what you're accomplishing. [00:13:03] So the CRA has used debt as a tool to carry out its large projects over time. [00:13:10] And in the ebbs and flows of the CRA's lifespan, you've had good days and bad [00:13:16] days and good years and bad years, and you've even had kind of a bad decade. [00:13:20] And in those times, the city carried the CRA. [00:13:25] And in order to ensure that the city was repaid for carrying the CRA, you [00:13:29] have a running interlocal agreement that provides for the CRA to repay the city. [00:13:36] And you're seeing that obligation when you look at your expenditures towards [00:13:41] the very end, but before capital, and you see a transfer to general CRA loan. [00:13:48] That's what that is. [00:13:50] That's that running obligation of where you're paying back the city for funds [00:13:56] that were fronted to the CRA over time. [00:13:59] And there's an internal accounting that Ms. Dunn takes care of. [00:14:06] And there was a previously assigned percentage rate. [00:14:09] And that's amortized out. [00:14:11] The last payment's going to be made in 2049 at the very end. [00:14:15] So you can rely on that payment forever. [00:14:20] You've had other bond issues over time, which have included the Series 2016, [00:14:28] the Series 2020A, the Series 2020B, and a SunTrust note. [00:14:34] So I just wanted to let you know that this fiscal year, you paid off the 2020A. [00:14:41] So just like you as a homeowner, if you've ever been a homeowner before, [00:14:44] you felt good when you paid off your mortgage, or you paid off your car, [00:14:48] you paid off that big capital expense, you guys paid off your 2020A. [00:14:53] It's done, this current fiscal year that we're in, 24. [00:14:58] And then on the [00:15:00] First day of 2025, October 1, 2024, you will have paid off the SunTrust note. [00:15:09] So that acquisition of SunTrust that you guys carried out in order [00:15:15] to effectuate the redevelopment of the Rivergate Palm District, done, paid off. [00:15:21] So you're not paying interest on that opportunity. [00:15:25] So congratulations on that. [00:15:27] And then you can see the rest of kind of your long-term obligations and transfers out in that section. [00:15:39] So I just wanted to take that off the top before we get into the weeds of the line items. [00:15:44] Because what you have left, you have revenue and you're going to take out the things you have to pay. [00:15:49] And you have to pay that debt even before you take care of your people. [00:15:52] You could say, hey, executive director, get rid of that gray guy. [00:15:56] You could do that. [00:15:57] You could direct her to do it. [00:16:00] But you'd still have to pay your debt. [00:16:01] So debt had to get paid for. [00:16:03] Now we've taken care of our people. [00:16:05] And when you get into the weeds of the budget on page six, you know, you see that first. [00:16:10] The expense of your staff, right? [00:16:13] And that's what you're seeing in department head salaries and all of the incidentals. [00:16:18] Does anyone have any questions about the personnel services? [00:16:23] Then I'll move on. [00:16:26] And going through page six, you see the city attorney contract that we previously discussed. [00:16:32] And this is approximately 30%. [00:16:34] And that's based on past workflow analysis. [00:16:39] You see the professional services. [00:16:42] And this could be anything from a little engineering study to a planning study. [00:16:47] And professional services miscellaneous. [00:16:50] We do a lot of appraisals and similar reports that we hire professionals for. [00:17:00] Law maintenance for when we maintain the property that we purchase. [00:17:05] Previously, we had a Main Street grant award. [00:17:07] As you may recall, you have an ongoing agreement. [00:17:12] It's a formal agreement that's approved by the city in the amount of $25,000 historically. [00:17:19] Rather than calling it a grant award this year, it's proposed to be included [00:17:23] as contractual services miscellaneous. [00:17:26] Because rather than be a grant with the organization, it's easier to achieve compliance [00:17:32] with Florida statutes if we recognize it for what it is. [00:17:35] And that's a contract for services. [00:17:37] They provide certain services that allow us to implement the community redevelopment plan [00:17:43] on a contract basis. [00:17:44] A lot of these additional line items are incidental and coincidental with owning property. [00:17:52] And they just have to be paid. [00:17:55] Does anyone have any questions on the remainder of this page? [00:17:59] I do. For the use of professional services miscellaneous, 43199, that's Main Street? [00:18:05] Or that's partially Main Street? [00:18:06] No. What I would say for Main Street is 43499. [00:18:10] And so their recent, you know, because again, Main Street's been around for a long time. [00:18:18] Over the last two years, you've invested $25,000. [00:18:23] This line item, it's my hope that I can present to you after presenting [00:18:29] to the executive director a contract for services with Main Street that would provide for them [00:18:36] to provide us with additional services, including programming [00:18:39] of Cavalier Square and perhaps Railroad Square. [00:18:44] What's the increase on that? [00:18:46] Because I see there was $10,000 before, [00:18:48] so I'm assuming there was other contractual services prior to Main Street? [00:18:51] Yeah, but before it was just a catch-all. [00:18:53] Like maybe an appraisal here, maybe someone did a TIF analysis. [00:19:00] Oh, it's just Main Street? [00:19:02] No, my proposal to you, of course, this is subject to your approval on a contract, [00:19:07] which you haven't seen yet, is up to $50,000 and the $5,600 would be the incidental. [00:19:17] Okay. [00:19:18] What about 44799? [00:19:24] 44799. Printing and binding? [00:19:27] 44999. [00:19:28] Because that's what my question is. [00:19:30] Oh, so unfortunately there is a charge from, I want to say, the property appraiser that hit there, [00:19:39] or the tax collector. [00:19:40] No, it was probably the tax collector rather than the property appraiser. [00:19:44] And so it's some sort of assessment that hit there and has been coded and we've been advised [00:19:51] to place it on that line item by finance. [00:19:53] Right. [00:19:53] Is that right? [00:19:54] Is my recollection correct? [00:19:56] Yeah. [00:19:56] I looked at that one also. [00:19:58] It was from Fasano. [00:19:59] Right. [00:20:00] Can you add something more to say about Main Street? [00:20:07] I just wanted to elaborate on Main Street. [00:20:09] We have many blessings. [00:20:11] Could argue we have an embarrassment of blessings in New Port Richey. [00:20:14] We're being well served right now. [00:20:17] There's an ebb and flow to everything and it's just one of those moments in time where a lot [00:20:21] of our partners, I would argue, are on a flow. [00:20:25] They're on the rise. [00:20:26] They're on a rising tide and you want to capitalize on that. [00:20:29] And you want to build out your team and leverage people because there's only so much we can [00:20:33] do as individuals or as a city team. [00:20:36] We need the other pillars of the community to help us make it happen. [00:20:42] And so for whatever it's worth, just feel like the Ritchie Suncoast Theater and Main Street [00:20:48] organization, the things that they're working on are really huge for the downtown and the [00:20:54] community, but with Main Street obviously downtown. [00:20:58] And so that as they grow and they are able to accomplish more, they grow their ability. [00:21:05] If we can reward that with additional investment in the hopes of achieving additional [00:21:10] outcome, but holding them accountable, making them prove it, it's just a virtuous cycle. [00:21:16] It's a virtuous climb. [00:21:17] It's continuous improvement in action. [00:21:19] It's exciting. [00:21:20] So as the executive director's director, I'm just proposing that we capitalize on that. [00:21:28] Thank you for that explanation. [00:21:34] Can I go on to the next page? [00:21:37] So when you look at your major buckets of money, like, hey, this is where we make it [00:21:43] happen. [00:21:44] Historically, it's been in a couple of buckets, your redevelopment incentives. [00:21:49] And historically, you've had a couple of pots of redevelopment incentives. [00:21:53] You've had a bigger pot for your tenant improvement, bricks and sticks, downtown type [00:21:59] projects, your estuaries, your rights markets, your zens, your socials, but little [00:22:08] things, smaller things too, like Julian's Auto and just the facade improvements, 32 [00:22:17] below. [00:22:18] You've done a lot of them, and they're actually, some of the recent ones are highlighted [00:22:23] in the bullets. [00:22:26] Now, you've done bigger ones too, and we're proposing to do bigger ones still, but the [00:22:30] Central is a big one, where you did a tax increment rebate. [00:22:35] Aqua Harbor is a big one. [00:22:38] Stonehaven was a big one. [00:22:40] Main Street Landing back in the day. [00:22:42] Those came from your redevelopment incentives bucket. [00:22:47] But you have another bucket too, that's really important, probably to you. [00:22:52] I know it's important to your executive director and the community, and that's getting [00:22:56] into the residential space, growing the renaissance from downtown into all the historic [00:23:01] neighborhoods. [00:23:03] It's going to take us time, but we can do so much out there in the residential [00:23:08] neighborhoods. [00:23:09] Just like you do tenant improvements downtown and in 19 and other places, you can do [00:23:16] renovations and rehab. [00:23:18] You can do homeowner assistance programs. [00:23:22] You can do that simultaneously with street improvements, alley improvements, street tree [00:23:27] improvements, sidewalk improvements, stormwater improvements. [00:23:30] You can just transform neighborhoods for the better. [00:23:32] So we want to make sure that we continue to have money in there while we meet all of the [00:23:39] competing priorities. [00:23:40] One of your big challenges, I believe, is just going to be prioritization, because you [00:23:45] have so many opportunities. [00:23:47] We can do almost anything, but we can't do everything, and we can't do everything at [00:23:51] once. [00:23:52] So you have to help the executive director and me really be focused on your highest [00:23:57] priorities. [00:24:00] That's what those two buckets are, and those are major investments. [00:24:05] And of course, your specific capital projects are huge, and there is a line item within [00:24:12] your capital projects, which is another one of those buckets, and that's property [00:24:16] assemblage. [00:24:19] And we don't always know what opportunities are going to come before us in a given [00:24:24] year, and so you have to have flexibility where it's not a program of, well, you know, [00:24:30] it's only these three properties. [00:24:33] You have to give yourself, it's called keeping your powder dry, if you're familiar [00:24:37] with it, you've got to leave some of it to take the big shot when it comes along. [00:24:43] But going through the capital, and of course, this was part of the CIP that Robert [00:24:47] and his group so expertly present, you have Railroad Square, arguably one of the [00:24:54] biggest priorities, been working on it for a long time, it's going to be amazing. [00:24:59] That's in there for that 3.2 number, 3.24. [00:25:03] Now remember, part of that is that pass through from ARPA, but the rest is being [00:25:07] made up for by tax increment revenue. [00:25:10] You have streetscape enhancements, and these can be at anywhere in the [00:25:17] redevelopment area. [00:25:18] You have property assemblage at two million. [00:25:21] That sounds like a lot, but it's not, because imagine if we are lucky enough to [00:25:28] be able to negotiate a deal for a game changer, like Riverside Inn or something [00:25:34] else, those are big numbers, and probably that will not be enough, and even financing [00:25:41] would have to be involved. [00:25:44] The continuation of the Gateway Project, Grand Boulevard improvements, anticipate [00:25:50] many more years of expenditures on Grand Boulevard, but hugely important, [00:25:56] strategically important, it connects the dots of Aqua Harbor to downtown and beyond. [00:26:04] Let's see here, Florimar Terrace that we talked about. [00:26:09] I think we're calling it Courtyard, but that sounds like that's the corner. [00:26:15] Sounds like it's the corner of the Main Street Project. [00:26:18] That courtyard, the landscaping looks great, by the way. [00:26:22] It's nice and dense with big materials that give you instant effect, and that's... [00:26:29] Shade. [00:26:30] ...and shade. [00:26:31] But, you know, Mr. [00:26:33] Chair, there's something to be said for just instant wow factor, and too often, [00:26:39] projects, private investors, governments, they buy the cheapest tree. [00:26:46] It's like eight feet tall, it's got the diameter at breast height of your pinky, [00:26:52] and it doesn't give you that instant presence, whereas it's one of the most [00:26:56] cost-effective investments you can make to address beauty and the quality of the [00:27:00] project is the landscaping, it's been shown. [00:27:03] And the city didn't, you know, wasn't penny wise and pound foolish. [00:27:08] They put in high quality materials, and that's impressive. [00:27:12] Take a bow on that one, all involved. [00:27:16] Bicycle lane improvements, that's system wide. [00:27:18] West Pasco Press Building, that's a little marker, if you will, for the [00:27:23] executive director to do what she does. [00:27:26] Oh, there's a little thing called Historic Gulf High School, if we can [00:27:30] bring that deal to the table and close it, that's a marker there. [00:27:36] Downtown wayfinding signage, you know, we've had someone advocating for that, [00:27:41] and the board working on that, so you have an allocation for that. [00:27:46] And Sims Landing boat ramp, the boat ramp park improvements. [00:27:51] And who knows, maybe it'll be called Sims Landing. [00:27:56] It'll be up to you and the community to decide what to call it, but that's [00:27:59] the working code name, you've got to have code names in economic development and CRA work. [00:28:05] And then, so that's the outline. [00:28:08] Oh, by the way, the executive director said no PowerPoint slides. [00:28:12] I said, executive director, how many PowerPoint slides do I get? [00:28:16] She said zero, so congratulations or condolences, as the case may be. [00:28:21] So I'm sorry I'm just reading this, I just feel so, like, naked and alone. [00:28:29] The chief's happy, though, because I didn't burn his eyeball out with a laser, but... [00:28:33] That was between Robert and I. [00:28:37] Do you have any questions on the Capitol at this time? [00:28:43] I have a, well, not on Capitol, but the page before, the remainder of operating, [00:28:52] so that second page of operating, it's broken up 953, 953 twice. [00:28:59] Is that supposed to be broken up like that? [00:29:01] So let me, so historically, and remember we're fighting gravity, so historically, [00:29:08] your budget document that we would find online that were required by state law [00:29:13] to provide to the people online, this puppy right here, there's a PDF version [00:29:18] of this on Ms. Dunn's page there, on the city page, and you can download it. [00:29:24] So previously, under the old legacy software, as she likes to call it, [00:29:29] she was able to present line items, even if they had the same, what we called, object code. [00:29:37] And that's what you're seeing repeat there, but they were different line items. [00:29:41] Gravity doesn't want to do that. [00:29:43] But in order to give you continuity and be able to compare year over year, [00:29:47] she went through a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, as she does, because she's a little crazy. [00:29:53] I don't know if you know her that well, but she can be, I thought I was OCD, she. [00:30:00] And she's got to do it. [00:30:01] She manually worked with Gravity to get that in there [00:30:05] for you so that you would see it year over year. [00:30:08] In the budget, to us in the accounting system, they might [00:30:11] have the same object code, but they might have different [00:30:14] project codes. [00:30:15] That's the next level of classification of accounting. [00:30:19] So I don't want to get any further in the weeds on it. [00:30:21] What's the distinction between those two? [00:30:24] The first redevelopment incentives is the bigger pot [00:30:26] of money that relates to the commercial incentives. [00:30:28] So when you were talking about the rehab and homeowner's [00:30:31] assistance, that would be that second pot? [00:30:33] Yes, sir. [00:30:35] And then remember that budgets can always be amended based on [00:30:39] opportunity over the course of the year. [00:30:42] And I'm still learning our system, but I can tell you [00:30:44] that I've often worked in systems where you did [00:30:48] approximately four to five annual budget amendments, [00:30:54] including an after-the-year amendment [00:30:56] that true-upped everything. [00:30:58] So if there's ever a big opportunity, and we're not [00:31:02] doing as many commercial projects, and we came up with [00:31:05] the coolest ever residential project, we would just do a [00:31:10] budget amendment if necessary. [00:31:12] So I have a question about the same ones, too. [00:31:14] So the money that was allocated for current, was [00:31:18] that all used? [00:31:19] No. [00:31:20] And so as we were going through the process and were [00:31:24] looking at last year's revenue and what did or didn't come [00:31:30] in, and the debt obligations that we had coming due, I [00:31:38] worked with the finance director and the executive [00:31:40] director about, hey, let's cut back spending this year, have [00:31:45] that cash available to meet these obligations in our next [00:31:48] year when we have some really big opportunities. [00:31:51] So we know we've got to take care of Railroad Square. [00:31:54] We have to have money available for property [00:31:56] assemblage, because we have some big [00:31:57] opportunities in front of us. [00:31:59] We have to fund the things that we've already penciled in, [00:32:01] like Aqua Harbor. [00:32:03] And guys, you're going to have the redevelopment of the [00:32:08] hospital site. [00:32:09] Huge. [00:32:10] It's going to be before you know it. [00:32:13] And so we have to have money available for things like that. [00:32:16] So we brought money forward. [00:32:18] Now, I want to make a disclaimer here on the record [00:32:22] that, technically, under Florida statutes, CRAs are not [00:32:26] supposed to have cash to carry forward. [00:32:28] So on the last day of the fiscal year, they're required [00:32:30] to spend it. [00:32:32] And one of the things they can spend it on is debt. [00:32:35] So even though it's being represented there as cash to [00:32:38] carry forward, to bring it forward, and to show you how [00:32:42] we got to where we got to, technically, I would argue, [00:32:45] and certainly to all the official channels, I would [00:32:49] say, that's being used for debt. [00:32:52] And that the money that you would have spent on your debt [00:32:54] service this year is being used for everything else. [00:32:58] It's a left pocket, right pocket situation, if that [00:33:00] makes any sense to you. [00:33:02] But we restricted funding in the rest of this current year [00:33:07] so that we could make it available for your priorities [00:33:10] next year, keeping some money available in those incentive [00:33:15] funds in case an opportunity came to us the last two months [00:33:19] of the year. [00:33:19] So here we are, August 1st. [00:33:21] We've got two months left, and you can't rule out the [00:33:24] possibility, and you wouldn't want to foreclose on the [00:33:27] possibility, that something awesome could happen in the [00:33:29] last 60 days. [00:33:33] I have a question for the city manager. [00:33:36] Of the $500,000 that was in the amended budget for this [00:33:42] year, do we have a ballpark or understanding of how many of [00:33:47] that budgeted money was spent? [00:33:52] I don't have a ballpark, but I can give you a report. [00:33:54] OK, because my concern is, and I think Mr. Orvex is kind of [00:33:59] alluding to it in his conversations about commercial [00:34:02] and residential, is we see $1.1 million in [00:34:06] 21 for commercial. [00:34:08] $365,000 for commercial. [00:34:12] $728,000 for commercial. [00:34:14] Budget amount, almost exactly three times the amount for [00:34:19] commercial than residential, just from the CRA. [00:34:27] And we see nothing for 21, 22, 23, unless that has to do with [00:34:32] the gravity software. [00:34:34] No, it does not. [00:34:35] OK, so for residential. [00:34:39] And this might be slightly from the CRA, but it's [00:34:43] relevant in that when we were talking about the development [00:34:47] department, they had the CBDG program for $750,000 last [00:34:53] year, or excuse me, this fiscal year, not going into [00:34:58] next, do we know how much was spent from that? [00:35:02] We do know that none of the grant money was expended [00:35:10] because of a delay with the Florida Commerce Department. [00:35:15] It, though, is in process, and a eligibility list is currently [00:35:23] being built by Guardian Services, who's our third party [00:35:27] administrator for the program. [00:35:29] And this $500,000 that was budgeted in the redevelopment [00:35:35] fund was intended to be companion money to the [00:35:41] rehabilitation program so that some of the improvements that [00:35:46] wouldn't be considered eligible under the housing rehabilitation [00:35:51] program could be implemented at the same time as rehab, but we [00:35:58] would use CRA funds as the funding source rather than block grant. [00:36:04] So my concern is that when I go back to constituents, and I [00:36:07] have these conversations, I can go back to them and say we've [00:36:11] spent $3.2 million ballparking here, just looking at the [00:36:17] numbers, on commercial development, but we've spent, [00:36:23] other than perhaps the NICE program and some smaller [00:36:26] initiatives, we don't know how much we've spent on residential. [00:36:30] I don't want you to say that, and I told you I would give you [00:36:33] a report, that I'm not prepared to ballpark any figure for you [00:36:38] at any point without knowing specifically what it is on [00:36:43] residential development, but I can tell you that the tradition [00:36:48] of the city has been that we were going to reinvest first in [00:36:52] the downtown area, that was a consensus of the council, and [00:36:57] that's how we mobilized reinvestment in this city and [00:37:01] that it made sense in terms of the economy of scale to invest [00:37:06] there first, to really mobilize an engine that was going to [00:37:10] drive economic growth. [00:37:12] That's why we have money in the CRA now to be able to invest [00:37:17] in the neighborhoods, and that's why we just started to do it. [00:37:22] And so when we look at the ARPA spending, the full amount of [00:37:29] that, other than what was taken off the top for the recreation [00:37:34] center's pool pumps, that will be going towards railroad square, [00:37:37] the full amount of the second installment. [00:37:40] At this point, that is our plan, because it's supposed to be [00:37:44] linked to economic development, yes. [00:37:47] Were either of the two installments related to [00:37:51] residential projects, last year's or this year's? [00:37:56] Which two installments? [00:37:57] Last year, we also got three point, if I'll pull it up here. [00:38:03] I'll give you the line item. [00:38:05] Help me. [00:38:06] 331591, you had budgeted 2.5 million. [00:38:12] In what fund? [00:38:14] 331591 of the redevelopment fund. [00:38:19] 2.5 million amended budget for FY23-24. [00:38:23] Of the ARPA fund? [00:38:25] Yes, ma'am. [00:38:28] Help me out. [00:38:29] Page three, page five. [00:38:31] Page five. [00:38:34] Page five, second line item. [00:38:58] And your question is, is that to be used to continue to be [00:39:03] dedicated to railroad square? [00:39:05] The first, this year, yes. [00:39:09] This year's fiscal years, yes. [00:39:13] No, that will be a rollover amount, because it [00:39:16] wasn't spent this year. [00:39:17] So the full 2.5 was not spent this year, and will rollover. [00:39:23] Oh, I see, OK. [00:39:24] So the 2.5 is just rolling over? [00:39:26] Other than the pump? [00:39:30] Because I see it dropped a little bit? [00:39:31] OK, thank you for that clarification. [00:39:34] So the full amount is going to be spent on railroad square. [00:39:36] I get that it was the direction of this council to [00:39:41] invest in downtown. [00:39:42] There's no doubt about it that a great job has been done. [00:39:45] It's amazing. [00:39:46] And the residents agree, especially those in the [00:39:48] presidential streets and the state road streets. [00:39:52] They definitely agree with that. [00:39:55] But when you get to some of the outskirts of our [00:39:56] neighborhoods, and it was brought up the hotel near US [00:39:59] 19 bridge, over in there where annexation gets a little [00:40:03] weird, and even perhaps just north of River [00:40:06] Road in that community. [00:40:08] Or if you go to the other side where we have what would be [00:40:10] considered some level of industrial, but it's mainly [00:40:13] county off of Congress Street. [00:40:15] You look to those neighborhoods, and they're not [00:40:17] feeling the same way. [00:40:20] And so when we're trying to be equitable for everyone, it's [00:40:23] hard for me to go back, and you just agreed with it, it's [00:40:27] hard to go back to the community and say, look, these [00:40:30] are all the great investments we're making. [00:40:32] We can't ignore it. [00:40:32] And there'll be the shrug or two, where it's like, what are [00:40:37] we talking about here? [00:40:37] But it's pretty well known when you circulate a Facebook [00:40:42] group chat, or you go to a community event at the [00:40:46] library, and you start talking about what the city's doing. [00:40:49] The only thing that's getting attention is what we're doing [00:40:52] for developers. [00:40:55] And they have a place to play in the business, in what we're [00:40:59] trying to do here for the city. [00:41:01] But where is that for our homeowners? [00:41:05] Mary, you bring up the renters issue, where you want to see [00:41:09] that number go down, I'm assuming, considering the [00:41:13] impact you believe it has on our ability to be [00:41:17] aesthetically beautiful and cooperative. [00:41:21] We haven't invested in any residential programs that I [00:41:26] can point my finger to. [00:41:27] And so I can't go to a door and tell my neighbor, yeah, [00:41:31] we're making residential investments, because they're [00:41:33] going to ask me where. [00:41:35] And when I point to something, I'm told, well, we haven't got [00:41:39] those final numbers yet. [00:41:40] Well, that application was frozen because of the state. [00:41:43] Well, we didn't use those funds because we want to use [00:41:46] them in match with the state fund. [00:41:50] It makes it, I struggle. [00:41:52] And one last thing. [00:41:55] We talk about it was the council's [00:41:56] direction at the time. [00:41:57] Yes. [00:41:58] It's a new council. [00:42:00] And so there's a direction here from the community, too, [00:42:04] that we want residential development. [00:42:05] It was my main point for the last five, six months. [00:42:09] There needs to be residential development. [00:42:11] And so I'm grateful to see that there is some budgeted [00:42:14] for it in here. [00:42:16] But it looks like it dropped from $500,000 to $150,000. [00:42:24] Am I misperceiving that? [00:42:26] No, and I would just like to speak to this directly. [00:42:30] Because if something didn't get implemented this year, [00:42:34] it's no one's fault but mine, period. [00:42:37] So if there's resources there and something that this board [00:42:41] didn't want to get done, then that's on me. [00:42:44] But I also want to be very clear for what it's worth. [00:42:48] I'm losing my objective third-party status because [00:42:51] I've been here seven months now. [00:42:53] But in my estimation, the city was correct in identifying [00:42:57] its downtown as a world-class kick-butt amenity. [00:43:01] And when you strive to create value, you can't spread it out [00:43:06] over an area that makes it meaningless. [00:43:09] You focus on what you can actually create value in. [00:43:12] And that is what you've done. [00:43:14] And it took getting out of the recession, and it took [00:43:17] getting Stonehaven and that gaping hole [00:43:19] finally taken care of. [00:43:20] And it took taking care of the Hacienda and doing the [00:43:24] physical improvements in Sims Park and the library, and then [00:43:28] the private sector and Frank and everyone else coming in [00:43:31] with rights and the central. [00:43:32] It took all of that just to get to the point where you [00:43:36] didn't have zombies roaming around downtown. [00:43:39] Mr. Norvig, if I may, all of that considered, we still [00:43:44] budgeted $500,000. [00:43:45] But I want to get to the transition. [00:43:47] So your executive director. [00:43:48] But the transition was last year. [00:43:50] 2023, right now, we budgeted for $500,000. [00:43:54] And I'm being told we didn't spend it because we didn't [00:43:56] have CBDG funds. [00:43:58] Is that not the correct assessment? [00:44:00] If I could finish, Mr. Chair. [00:44:02] I just want to finish the thought. [00:44:03] You have to have the program to activate the dollars. [00:44:07] Those dollars are there as potential. [00:44:09] But until there's a program that I could draft for the [00:44:13] executive director's review and then presentation to you [00:44:15] for approval, it can't get spent. [00:44:18] But I promise you that in this coming year, if the board [00:44:22] identifies this as one of the top 10 priorities of the CRA [00:44:27] board, because remember, it's not just what one member of [00:44:30] the board wants. [00:44:30] It's what a majority of the board wants. [00:44:32] With three votes, say, this is our priority. [00:44:35] Which the council approved, $500,000. [00:44:38] If the board prioritizes that, then I guarantee you [00:44:42] it'll get done. [00:44:43] And then once you approve the program and say, yes, this is [00:44:46] the CRA program, then you get to go door to door and help [00:44:49] us market it. [00:44:50] And then applications and applicants come in. [00:44:54] Then they get approved. [00:44:55] And then money goes out the door. [00:44:58] And then we start measuring. [00:45:00] the outcomes, the key performance indicators, [00:45:02] and we polish over time. [00:45:03] But the first thing that has to happen [00:45:05] for that residential pot of money to get spent [00:45:08] is for the program to be created. [00:45:10] And I'm assuming if the council approved $500,000 [00:45:14] that a program would have been made. [00:45:16] Now we're- [00:45:17] No, sir, no, sir, no. [00:45:18] The LG, it was to support the LGB program, [00:45:21] which was, what's the third party? [00:45:23] CBG. [00:45:25] Yeah, and them working with the state, [00:45:28] they did not get that. [00:45:29] Excuse me, excuse me. [00:45:30] Clearly that was not- [00:45:32] Excuse me, sir. [00:45:32] Let me finish. [00:45:33] You've already got an opinion you haven't listened to me yet. [00:45:36] That program, this was supposed to support that program. [00:45:39] So once that program got delayed, [00:45:41] then the money still sits there. [00:45:42] We didn't decide not to spend it. [00:45:44] We were waiting to support that program. [00:45:46] It's not a 100% program, [00:45:48] so we're gonna be able to help the people, [00:45:50] if I remember what you said. [00:45:52] That's part of it. [00:45:53] The other part I have to say is [00:45:56] there is money in the other part of the incentive package [00:46:03] for residential development. [00:46:06] And I've spent much of the last two years [00:46:10] planning for the reuse of the former community hospital site. [00:46:17] That's $150 million project. [00:46:20] That is gonna be catalytic [00:46:23] in terms of the redevelopment of the Marion District. [00:46:26] And we are gonna focus our efforts there first [00:46:31] in terms of all of the housing programs and initiatives. [00:46:36] And you know, just last night, [00:46:38] we talked about the creation of a position [00:46:42] in the city that'll be responsible [00:46:44] for administering a good number of programs [00:46:48] that are gonna help us either [00:46:54] give people enough confidence [00:46:55] to reinvest in their own properties, [00:46:57] give them the tools to reinvest in their own properties, [00:47:01] and also do some adaptive reuse [00:47:07] of some of the obsolete buildings in that area. [00:47:12] And I think instead of arguing about [00:47:19] where the investment happens, [00:47:22] it needed to happen where it was gonna yield [00:47:26] the most growth and taxable value. [00:47:29] And that's what happened. [00:47:32] And $150 million worth of growth [00:47:37] in one 24-acre site [00:47:42] is something to be grateful for in residential development. [00:47:46] If I may, Senior Mayor, or Chair, [00:47:50] $150 million in growth is by no question, [00:47:55] that's not what's being questioned here. [00:48:00] What I'm trying to get at is [00:48:02] having people move in here is important. [00:48:04] The problem that I'm frustrated in, [00:48:08] and it's not an argument, [00:48:09] it's we're trying to productively [00:48:10] come up with a vision here for this budget, [00:48:12] not the prior budget, [00:48:14] where council thought we should tie funds to CBDG, [00:48:17] and as a result of that, [00:48:17] we handcuffed ourself and didn't spend remotely anything, [00:48:21] or virtually anything. [00:48:23] What I'm trying to get at is that [00:48:25] we can't have our eyes on commercial incentives [00:48:29] and development for developers, [00:48:32] and also on residential when it comes to growth, [00:48:35] but forget about the 65-year-old on a fixed income [00:48:39] who wants to do a home rehab and can't, [00:48:43] or someone who wants to go into buying a home and can't, [00:48:46] and would benefit from a home ownership program. [00:48:49] We don't have those here, [00:48:50] or if we do, they're not being used because of this holdup, [00:48:53] and I would implore the other directors up here [00:48:59] to take a hard look at this number [00:49:01] when we go into our readings, [00:49:03] and realize, and I'll end this with a productive question, [00:49:09] since there has been a little bit of back and forth, [00:49:11] and can we talk about why we're only doing 150 [00:49:15] for residential, why we've decided to drop it down [00:49:18] from 500,000, what that rationale was? [00:49:22] Was there a need with the property assemblage, [00:49:24] or why has it dropped down significantly? [00:49:28] Because I would recommend that you have to start somewhere, [00:49:31] and the first thing is to get a program started, [00:49:34] and to get some grants out the door [00:49:36] to make sure that you're happy, [00:49:37] and then increase the investment [00:49:39] as it shows you what you want. [00:49:42] So at this point, outside of the catalytic projects [00:49:45] that the executive director referenced, [00:49:48] we don't have the small ball in the neighborhood, [00:49:53] existing neighborhood programs. [00:49:55] We're gonna have to create that. [00:49:57] That will take, even if we're full throttle, [00:50:00] with all competing priorities, [00:50:01] that kind of stuff takes a few months. [00:50:03] So we will already be significantly, [00:50:06] through quarter one of the next fiscal year, [00:50:10] before you roll out that program, [00:50:12] then you're gonna have to actually advertise it, [00:50:16] review the applications, then they're gonna have [00:50:19] to get their contractors and everything else. [00:50:22] So by the time you've started, [00:50:24] you're not even paying that out, [00:50:26] and I didn't want to be in the situation [00:50:28] where you had a $500,000 pot of money [00:50:31] that you didn't spend, and you were upset [00:50:33] that you didn't spend it. [00:50:34] I wanted to be realistic, and you're gonna see this [00:50:37] more than once in all of the budgets. [00:50:38] It's just like with the marketing efforts. [00:50:42] Previously, we had said, hey, we want to do [00:50:44] at least two signature events in one year. [00:50:47] We're just gonna create those from scratch. [00:50:49] And I'm like, hey, executive director, [00:50:50] why don't we just start with one signature event [00:50:52] and see if we do it? [00:50:53] And then if we do it, then we'll reproduce it. [00:50:55] I want to right-size expectations and deliverables. [00:50:59] Just respond to that, and then I'm done. [00:51:01] The difference here compared to other instances [00:51:05] is that we had what we thought was going to be a program, [00:51:09] which was CBDG. [00:51:10] It fell through, something happened. [00:51:12] According to, it was a state issue. [00:51:14] That's what we're saying, and we've had a conversation [00:51:17] at length about this. [00:51:18] That has cost us, if we're dropping this to $150,000, [00:51:23] it costs us almost a million dollars [00:51:26] in potential residential investment [00:51:28] between CBDG and last year's $500,000. [00:51:32] So it's worth pointing out that, I mean, [00:51:36] the city kind of dropped the ball here on residential. [00:51:38] If we were going to do a program on residential, [00:51:43] it seems like, and we didn't do it, [00:51:45] and so now we're taking a baby step [00:51:47] at doing something else. [00:51:49] That's the take I'm getting here, and that's fine. [00:51:52] But just saying that and going, [00:51:53] okay, we're starting with $150,000. [00:51:55] It's gonna take a while, but we're gonna rebuild. [00:51:57] That's fine. [00:51:58] But I'm very disappointed that we had over 1.2 million [00:52:04] invested between CBDG and this redevelopment [00:52:07] residential dollar allocation, and I'm being told [00:52:10] that basically nothing was spent. [00:52:13] That, to me, is perplexing. [00:52:15] I'm just gonna say that you've been here six months, [00:52:19] whatever the number, four months. [00:52:20] I've been here 20 years. [00:52:23] Here on council, excuse me. [00:52:24] Here on council. [00:52:25] I understand, I've been here a long time, too. [00:52:27] But I'm just gonna say that government [00:52:29] isn't gonna work the speed that you want it. [00:52:31] It's not about speed. [00:52:32] It's a program that didn't happen. [00:52:34] It's not about speed. [00:52:35] I love this program, and I'll give them two years [00:52:37] to come up with it. [00:52:39] But you're saying something that isn't true. [00:52:40] Don't mischaracterize what I'm saying. [00:52:41] You're not, here. [00:52:42] I didn't say I said what I said. [00:52:44] I'm not quoting you at all. [00:52:46] Hear what I'm saying. [00:52:47] I heard it already. [00:52:49] I am not saying that I do not have the patience [00:52:53] for this new idea. [00:52:55] If we're going to do a different route [00:52:56] with residential programming, that is fine. [00:52:58] My concern is that we were going to do [00:53:02] a different program. [00:53:03] We were going to do a different approach, [00:53:04] and that didn't happen. [00:53:05] That is my concern. [00:53:06] Okay, but we're arguing in the past, and that's done. [00:53:08] We can't do anything about what happened last year, [00:53:10] the year before, the year before that. [00:53:11] But let's move forward. [00:53:12] Let me talk. [00:53:13] We can still acknowledge it. [00:53:14] Everybody says, why don't I talk? [00:53:15] This is why I don't talk, because I don't get a chance. [00:53:17] You just interrupt. [00:53:19] I need to be able to say what I want to say, [00:53:20] because I don't say very much. [00:53:22] So I'll give you my two seconds. [00:53:23] Absolutely. [00:53:24] So all I'm saying is that what's happened [00:53:25] in the past is the past. [00:53:26] We're spending a lot of time arguing [00:53:28] over what has been done in the past. [00:53:30] Let's move forward and fix it moving forward. [00:53:33] So one of the things we have, [00:53:35] you know, so okay, so we have 150 grand in here. [00:53:38] But Ms. Vance also said that if we have, [00:53:42] and we have a need to use from the other pot, [00:53:44] we can pull from the other pot. [00:53:46] So we do have an opportunity to spend more than that. [00:53:49] We're trying not to put too much in the budget [00:53:51] that doesn't get spent, but I agree with you. [00:53:53] We do need to do residential, [00:53:55] but I also agree that we needed to get the business [00:53:58] and the economic development to be able to afford [00:54:01] to do the residential first. [00:54:02] Now we need to move forward with residential, [00:54:04] and I completely agree with that. [00:54:06] But I think that I also agree [00:54:07] that we have to start somewhere, [00:54:09] and we do have more to pull from. [00:54:11] If we get more people that want to use that, [00:54:14] and we have money in the other pot, [00:54:15] let's pull from that, and let's do it. [00:54:17] But to argue what's happened and what didn't happen [00:54:20] doesn't make any sense. [00:54:21] For accountability, it does. [00:54:23] I get that, but we're not fixing anything by doing that. [00:54:26] We're fixing it by trying to move forward, [00:54:28] and let's do the right thing. [00:54:29] Let's do what we need to do, [00:54:30] and stop figuring out who did something wrong [00:54:33] two, four, six, eight, 10 years ago. [00:54:35] Let's do what's right today and move forward. [00:54:38] That's what I'm saying. [00:54:39] I think it's important to hold staff accountable. [00:54:43] Half of that staff's not here anymore. [00:54:46] I mean, you have to move forward. [00:54:48] You can't keep arguing what's happened in the past. [00:54:52] You have anything else you'd like to present? [00:54:54] This is your budget, and at the end of the day, [00:54:56] it's really nothing if you wanted to say, [00:54:59] hey, you know what, I think it's significant [00:55:02] just that we show more money there. [00:55:03] Let's put 200 in residential and 764 in commercial. [00:55:10] If that's significant to you, this is your budget. [00:55:13] You just give us that direction. [00:55:14] We'll make the revision. [00:55:15] It'll come back to you, and then you can be like, [00:55:17] you know what, 200's real money. [00:55:20] We're going to roll out a program. [00:55:23] You know what, staff, please use the CDBG as a model [00:55:26] and just call it the CRA program. [00:55:28] That'll expedite things, and we'll start rolling out [00:55:31] the 200,000 on October 15th, [00:55:36] and then we'll have the good problem of saying, [00:55:38] hey, where can we pull some more of that money? [00:55:40] Or next year, we're going to level up to 750. [00:55:44] As a recovering mayor, as someone who's sat in those seats, [00:55:49] that's how we did it back in the day. [00:55:51] No one likes that guy. [00:55:51] Well, that's how we did it, but that's how we did [00:55:54] the horse trading and the working together. [00:55:58] I'm comfortable with the 150 that's been proposed. [00:56:00] My concern was with what was proposed last year [00:56:03] and what wasn't done with it. [00:56:05] That was my concern. [00:56:06] We understand that. [00:56:08] Also, you alluded to, like all these incentives [00:56:11] were for developers. [00:56:14] To me, that, I would say, and don't get hurt about it, [00:56:19] but it's a lack of understanding, [00:56:20] because it's not for the developers. [00:56:23] It's for the city of New Port Richey. [00:56:25] It's for the residents, so we can build that base, [00:56:27] so we can do the things we're talking about doing [00:56:30] in residential. [00:56:31] You have to do one before the other. [00:56:32] You can't, what would happen if we just said, [00:56:35] we're going to start right 20 years ago, just residential? [00:56:38] We'd be dead right now. [00:56:40] We'd have nothing. [00:56:41] We'd have nothing going on, [00:56:42] because all our money would be spent there. [00:56:43] That's not going to generate the money that we need. [00:56:45] Tax base, you have to start. [00:56:47] There's a system, and you have to understand that. [00:56:53] To get the big picture, and as a council, [00:56:56] we have to relay that and explain that to constituents, [00:56:59] how it's working, so they understand, [00:57:01] because there's a lot of misinformation out there. [00:57:05] Chat groups, Facebook, I look at them all the time, [00:57:08] and a lot of times, they're 100% incorrect, [00:57:13] what they're saying, and people chime in, [00:57:14] oh no, this is what's happening. [00:57:16] Oh, this is what's happening, and they're all wrong. [00:57:19] They don't understand, but that's our job, [00:57:21] is try to explain to them, [00:57:23] so we all have to be on the same page, [00:57:25] and understand, and be able to explain to them [00:57:29] how it works, and what we're going to do for them. [00:57:31] If you don't mind, help me understand two things. [00:57:33] I have two questions, if you don't mind. [00:57:35] The first one is, the American Rescue Plan Act, [00:57:39] the intention behind that, what was it? [00:57:45] I don't have an answer for that. [00:57:47] Okay. [00:57:48] So I'm going to assume it- [00:57:49] I'm not prepared. [00:57:50] You want to give us a couple questions, [00:57:52] and then we're going to have the chance [00:57:52] to go and research it. [00:57:53] That's fine, but you're just coming up [00:57:54] with things out of your mind. [00:57:56] We're working on the budget here. [00:57:57] Respect- [00:57:59] And if you'd like to present two questions, [00:58:01] and we'll get back to you with the answer. [00:58:02] But you look at us like we're supposed [00:58:04] to have the answer right now, and I don't have the answer. [00:58:05] Respectfully, I didn't just pull this out of nowhere. [00:58:07] He said there was a lack of understanding here, [00:58:09] and our job is to educate the public, [00:58:10] so I was giving him the opportunity to. [00:58:13] No, this is directly related to this. [00:58:15] Okay, so my first question was- [00:58:16] If you would like to know something about that act, [00:58:18] I would ask the experts and staff about it. [00:58:20] That's who the experts are. [00:58:22] We're not. [00:58:23] Follow-up question- [00:58:25] That's what you need to do. [00:58:26] Follow-up question to the ARPA Act [00:58:28] and its intentions from the federal government. [00:58:30] My second question is, it was not solely [00:58:33] for the development of downtowns [00:58:36] to benefit a tax-based increase. [00:58:39] Its purpose was during a global pandemic [00:58:42] to make sure that we could get through it. [00:58:44] And so we're not spending the money that way. [00:58:48] We're spending it on downtown development, [00:58:50] which if that's the direction of this council, that is fine. [00:58:53] But to say that people are misinformed [00:58:55] because they think we're not equally balancing [00:58:58] what is equitable between residents and developers, [00:59:01] they still have fair points. [00:59:02] And I'm raising those points, [00:59:04] and that's all I'm doing here. [00:59:05] So I don't think there's a- [00:59:07] Respectfully, I don't mind being educated, [00:59:09] so if I'm wrong in my interpretation [00:59:10] of the purpose of ARPA funding, [00:59:11] or the CBDD grant, or the redevelopment incentives, [00:59:15] please let me know. [00:59:16] But my understanding is that we've done a lot [00:59:18] for developers, which is great. [00:59:20] Nobody's discounting that for our downtown. [00:59:22] My concern is over the residential portion. [00:59:25] But I'm not hearing a rebuttal. [00:59:28] What I'm hearing is it's in the past, which- [00:59:30] No, no. [00:59:33] You've got your own direction and your own path. [00:59:35] We're trying to give you a little bit of information, [00:59:37] and you've focused on another path. [00:59:39] That's not what we're about. [00:59:40] I appreciate the information. [00:59:42] Thank you. [00:59:43] Is there anything else? [00:59:45] Sir? [00:59:47] We still have the block grant money. [00:59:50] We're gonna spend the block grant money [00:59:51] before the end of this year. [00:59:54] And we do have other funding sources in the city, [00:59:57] not just the CRA that we- [01:00:00] dedicated for you should improving our housing stock. [01:00:03] 700,000? [01:00:06] We're going to spend $700,000 in the CBDG in the next two [01:00:11] or three months? [01:00:13] By the end of the year. [01:00:16] OK. [01:00:23] And I think that, at least I know I've said in the past, [01:00:26] is that we're finally getting to a point [01:00:28] now where we can start converting and doing [01:00:30] more residential stuff. [01:00:32] So I feel like we're at that turning point, [01:00:34] and that's what we should do. [01:00:35] I've said that on record. [01:00:40] But you have to get to a certain point so that you can do that. [01:00:43] That's all. [01:00:50] You have anything you want to go on the page? [01:00:52] Is it eight? [01:00:53] He already went over it, unless you have questions. [01:00:57] Did you have anything else you want to go on page eight? [01:00:59] We're good as far as the presentation goes. [01:01:02] And I have a proponent for bringing back the slides. [01:01:08] Go ahead. [01:01:08] Do you want to do anything else you'd like to talk about? [01:01:11] What do we do? [01:01:12] I don't think so, Mr. Mayor. [01:01:14] All right. [01:01:14] We'll go to communications. [01:01:15] Anybody else would like to speak? [01:01:16] You should probably open it up to the public [01:01:18] if they have any comments on the budget. [01:01:21] Public have any comments on the budget? [01:01:27] Kate Connelly, 5508 Vermont Avenue. [01:01:30] I wanted to say thank you to everybody [01:01:32] for the robust conversation and the wonderful presentation [01:01:36] and for having the conversation at all. [01:01:39] I know it's not fun. [01:01:40] I did not enjoy it at all, but I'm grateful that you did it. [01:01:44] And I know that there's reasons for everything. [01:01:47] But as long as we can move forward and work together, [01:01:49] I think we can do it. [01:01:50] Thank you. [01:01:57] If we can work together, like everybody said, we can do it. [01:01:59] And I'm excited for much more residential focus, [01:02:02] in addition to all the great focus [01:02:04] that there's been on the business side. [01:02:06] I'm also really grateful for what [01:02:07] has been done on the commercial side [01:02:10] and in the development side that does benefit residential, [01:02:13] like all of the landscaping and all of the other improvements. [01:02:15] So thank you, everybody. [01:02:19] Anybody else like to speak? [01:02:21] Seeing no one else come forward, we'll [01:02:23] bring it back for communication. [01:02:28] Can I start now? [01:02:30] No, I'm good. [01:02:34] I don't think I have anything to add today right now, either. [01:02:37] Just a comment for the council, but also the city manager. [01:02:43] You are correct earlier when I had a conversation with you [01:02:46] and requested that the committee applications come before us [01:02:52] so that we can approve them instead of holding them back. [01:02:55] And so when I said earlier, why did Kelly Smallwood's [01:02:58] application come before us, I misspoke.

   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.

5. 5Communications▶ 1:03:00
6. 6Adjournment▶ 1:09:51