On the agenda

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

   Approval of April 15, 2025 CRA Meeting Minutes

   approved

   The CRA Board approved the minutes of the April 15, 2025 CRA meeting.

   • vote:Approval of the April 15, 2025 CRA Meeting Minutes. (passed)

   #April 15, 2025 CRA Meeting Minutes

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   [00:00:26] All those in favor signify by aye. Aye. That's five. Resolution number 20, 25-15 authorization

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3. 3

   ↳You arrived here from a search for “Ford & Associates” — transcript expanded below

   Resolution No. 2025-15: Authorizing Resolution and Interlocal Agreement

   approved

   The CRA Board approved Resolution No. 2025-15, authorizing an amended and restated debt service reimbursement interlocal agreement with the City of New Port Richey. The agreement reestablishes the CRA's obligation to repay the City for costs related to issuance of taxable non-ad valorem revenue note series 2025-B (up to $5.65M, to finance acquisition of the Suncoast Motels property at 7631 US Hwy 19) and tax-exempt series 2025-A (up to $3.35M, for Phase 1 of Railroad Square redevelopment).

   Ord. Resolution No. 2025-15

   • motion:Motion to accept the interlocal agreement as presented (Resolution 2025-15). (passed)

   📍7631 U.S. Highway 19🏢Bryant & Miller Olive🏢Ford & Associates🏢Suncoast Motels👤Dwayne Draper👤John Ford👤Ms. Dunn👤Ms. Manz👤Murphy#2024-29 Capital Improvement Plan#Community Redevelopment Plan#Cotee River#Railroad Square redevelopment Phase 1#Resolution No. 2025-15#Tax-Exempt Non-Ad Valorem Revenue Note Series 2025-A#Taxable Non-Ad Valorem Revenue Note Series 2025-B#US Highway 19 redevelopment#Van Dorn

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   [00:00:44] resolution for interlocal agreement. This is resolution number 2025-15, a resolution [00:00:50] of the City of New Port Richey, Florida Community Redevelopment Agency, a public body of corporate [00:00:55] and politic, approving the form of, and authorizing the execution of, an amended and restated [00:01:00] debt service reimbursement interlocal agreement with the City of New Port Richey, Florida, [00:01:05] providing certain other matters in connection therewith, and providing an effective date. [00:01:10] As indicated by the City Attorney, the purpose of this agenda item is related to the execution [00:01:19] of an amended and restated debt service interlocal agreement with the City and the Community [00:01:29] Redevelopment Agency, and Ms. Dunn is prepared to present the agenda item. Thank you, Ms. [00:01:35] Manz. Counsel, as previously presented, the City entered into a purchase agreement with [00:01:40] the Suncoast Motels on October 1st, 2024, for the purchase of the real property located [00:01:44] at 7631 U.S. Highway 19 in New Port Richey, with a purchase price of $5.5 million. The [00:01:51] subject property is located on the west side of U.S. Highway 19, on the southwesterly bank [00:01:56] of the Cody River, and is identified as the Community Redevelopment Plan, as one of the [00:02:00] community's most important opportunities for the redevelopment. Again, the issuance [00:02:04] of the taxable non-ad valorem revenue note series 2025-B, in the amount not to exceed [00:02:09] $5,650,000, will finance the acquisition of the said real property. Additional financing [00:02:16] through the issuance of a tax-exempt non-ad valorem note series 2025-A, in an amount not [00:02:22] to exceed $3.35 million, will be used for the cost related to Phase 1 of the redevelopment [00:02:27] of the Railroad Square, which is also laid out in the 2024-29 Capital Improvement Plan. [00:02:35] The interlocal agreement attached to the memorandum amends and restates the previous interlocal [00:02:39] agreement between the CRA and the City. The amended and restated debt service reimbursement [00:02:44] interlocal agreement reestablishes the CRA's obligation to repay the City for all costs [00:02:49] present and future, which are incurred by the City on behalf of the CRA. In connection [00:02:55] with the issuance of the tax-exempt and taxable non-ad valorem revenue notes series 2025-A [00:03:01] and series 2025-B, in the event tax increment revenues are insufficient. And again, we have [00:03:09] our representatives, John Ford of Ford & Associates and Dwayne Draper of Bryant & Miller Olive. [00:03:21] They're here to answer any questions that you might have. [00:03:23] Do you have any public comment? Seeing no one come forward, bring it back for discussion [00:03:29] and vote. I'll make the motion to accept the interlocal [00:03:35] agreement as presented. I'll second it. [00:03:43] It's part of our recent discussion as City Councilmen that we want to see things happen [00:03:49] and this is borrowing money to make something happen that we've been planning for a long [00:03:54] time and we've got a lot of opportunity ahead of us, so it's time for us to, you know, jump [00:04:02] on it. I think it's a great opportunity to expand [00:04:07] what the City is doing. I mean, we're kind of stuck in the downtown general area. We're [00:04:14] going to push out a little bit. We're going to kind of take that into the river. So I [00:04:18] think it's a great idea as somebody who's a big boater and drive by that ice at least [00:04:23] once a week. Yeah, this is one of those very important [00:04:30] projects that we need to do right and correctly. It's vital to our future, I feel. It's vital [00:04:37] to the redevelopment of 19 on the north end. You know, we've got Van Dorn on the southern [00:04:42] end. We've got the city, Main Street, you know, redeveloped in that area. So it's coming [00:04:47] all together and that's a key part on the north. So looking forward to it. [00:04:53] Yeah, thank you for those that have stayed this late and for the City Manager's staff [00:05:01] that have been brought on to help with this for staying in case we had any questions. [00:05:05] I don't have any questions for them, but just to kind of reiterate what Mr. Murphy said [00:05:09] or Councilman Murphy said, which was, you know, we've really focused in on our downtown [00:05:13] and we still are focused in our downtown, but at the same time, we are considering North [00:05:18] Grand and in this specific instance, considering parts of U.S. 19, which has been a major focus [00:05:24] for years. The only thing I would add as a footnote is [00:05:30] some of the, this is on the, the hotel's on the west side of 19 and so, and we have [00:05:38] some land on the north, the east side, but then we also have some businesses that are [00:05:44] long-time businesses to the south of that. And so I just hope some of this development [00:05:48] is considering the longevity of those businesses that are to the south and is finding a way [00:05:54] to fit them in as opposed to putting them in the position where they might be in direct [00:06:00] competition with someone who is receiving, who has an unfair advantage in that they have [00:06:06] city support. So, you know, just that gentrification piece where we have some businesses [00:06:12] who have given their dues to the City and making sure we're considering their needs [00:06:16] too. All those in favor, signify by aye. Aye.

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4. 4

   2025 Railroad Square Improvements Phase 1 Construction Project – Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)

   approved

   The CRA Board approved a Guaranteed Maximum Price of $2,989,790 with Hennessy Construction Services for Phase 1 of the Railroad Square Improvements Project (east of Grand Boulevard). Improvements include underground utility conversion, cafe lighting, hardscape, seating, shade structures, artificial turf green space, dumpster areas, and conversion of the two-lane road to one-way. Construction is expected to begin in June and finish around year-end or January 2026.

   • vote:Approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price of $2,989,790 with Hennessy Construction Services for Phase 1 of Railroad Square Improvements. (passed)5–0

   📍Cavalier Square📍Railroad Square (east of Grand Boulevard)📍old West Pasco Press Building / Red Cross Building🏢Duke Energy🏢Grandma Sally's🏢Hennessy Construction Services🏢Red Cross🏢West Pasco Press👤Brian👤Debbie👤Judy👤Mr. Rivera👤Ms. Vance👤Robert#2025 Railroad Square Improvements Phase 1#Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)#Phase 2 (future, west of Grand Boulevard)#September 3, 2024 CRA approval of Hennessey for construction management

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   [00:06:21] That's 5-0. Moving on to 2025 Railroad Square Improvement Phase 1 Construction Project. [00:06:30] The agenda item before you relates to the implementation of the project, which we made [00:06:37] a decision to commit to the construction manager delivery method on for Railroad Square, and [00:06:50] Mr. Rivera is prepared to present the agenda item to you. Mr. Rivera, would you go ahead? [00:06:58] Thank you, Ms. Vance. So the item is a guaranteed maximum price, or what we would call the GMP. [00:07:04] It's in the amount not to exceed $2,989,790, and this is from Hennessy Construction Services. [00:07:14] For Phase 1 of Railroad Square, we do plan on moving forward with a Phase 2 in later years, which would be [00:07:22] this project area is east of Grand Boulevard. Phase 2 in future years would be west of Grand Boulevard. [00:07:28] The improvement elements that would be included in the project include the conversion of the overhead [00:07:37] service lines to underground where applicable, the installation of overhead cafe-style lighting, [00:07:46] hardscape improvements such as stamped pavement along the corridor as well as the intersections, [00:07:52] seating areas, planters, shade structures along the corridor as well as shade structures over Cavalier Square, [00:08:03] seating areas with swings. We're going to construct an artificial turf green space where you could have different [00:08:13] types of activities. You could have a small group, a little concert type of thing. [00:08:22] To kind of coincide with the different types of events that you currently have there, construction of dumpster areas [00:08:29] similar to what we did on the west side of Grand Boulevard. And then, of course, we're going to do some improvements [00:08:36] to the existing public vehicle parking areas and maximize public space by condensing the existing two-lane roadway [00:08:45] into a one-way lane that would go east of Grand Boulevard. [00:08:51] So we're going to go east to west. [00:08:56] As you may recall, on September 3rd, 2024, at a CRA meeting, the Board of Directors approved Hennessey Construction [00:09:04] to perform construction management services for this project. Should you approve, we're anticipating that the [00:09:12] construction phase would begin in the springtime, which we're right in spring now. [00:09:17] What I mean by that is the contractor would need a few weeks to be able to mobilize the subcontractors, [00:09:23] get those agreements in place, if you approve it. [00:09:28] And while that's happening, we have had conversations with Duke Energy. [00:09:33] They have been prepared for a while now. Last week we talked to them. [00:09:38] They assured us that they're ready to go. So our thought process is while the construction company is getting all their [00:09:44] forces mobilized, we can start Duke Energy to get in there and start doing the underground conversion to save time. [00:09:52] We did have a meeting with all of the business owners last week. [00:09:57] We also scheduled individual meetings with any of the business owners that wanted to take advantage of that. [00:10:04] Those are going to be conducted next week, I think Monday and Wednesday. [00:10:09] We have been involved with the business community. [00:10:14] The thought process is there were two options that were presented. [00:10:19] It seemed like the consensus one was they wanted to divide the areas up in sections and just go ahead and do it [00:10:24] instead of trying to leave the one lane road open. [00:10:29] And if that's the case, we should be able to finish prior to the... [00:10:34] The initial date was January 30th of 2026. [00:10:39] We would be looking at maybe being able to consolidate that time frame down a little bit more. [00:10:45] And so with that, we've talked about the funding sources and stuff like that. [00:10:50] And we would recommend approval of the GMP. [00:10:55] Any public comment? I knew you had to. [00:11:05] I've been hearing about this project for about three years now, and I'm just really excited that it's finally coming to fruition. [00:11:11] I think it'll be a really, really good thing for our downtown district. [00:11:16] That's it. I know we've been here for a long time. [00:11:21] OK, bring it back for discussion and vote. [00:11:27] I would just say, did we get a notice on that business meeting? [00:11:32] Because I know you mentioned it a couple of months back, but I don't know if we got a date for that, [00:11:37] because I'd like to go to the next... You said there's another one coming up? [00:11:42] Other meetings are individual business meetings. [00:11:47] I'd like to jump in and just be in the background and listen. [00:11:53] Thank you. [00:11:58] So the plans for that, are those final now? [00:12:03] Or is there any other tweaks that are going to be made? [00:12:08] There are some tweaks that will be made. [00:12:13] OK, because I can't remember if it was sent out. [00:12:18] I'd be glad to share the plan with you. [00:12:23] They're big construction documents. [00:12:28] I didn't mean to say that. [00:12:33] Thank you. [00:12:38] So my only comment slash concern is, [00:12:44] we need to make sure that we hold these contractors accountable. [00:12:49] Because every single day I go to Grandma Sally's and listen to someone complain about Grand Boulevard. [00:12:56] What's going on? Why is nobody working? [00:13:01] And what concerns me more is, obviously, I eat at all these places. [00:13:06] So I want to make sure that they're still open and still functioning. [00:13:11] Surviving, maybe not thriving, but at least surviving until this is over. [00:13:16] But that's really my big concern is just, what can we do from our standpoint to make sure the contractor is following through? [00:13:23] Look, I understand we're going to be working through the summer. [00:13:28] We're going to have some delays. That happens. I do it for a living. I understand. [00:13:33] But we just need to make sure that we hold them to the fire and make sure they get it done in a reasonable time. [00:13:38] We hired a construction manager, and that was our best line of defense. [00:13:43] And we hired a first-rate construction manager that we've had a favorable experience with. [00:13:48] They understand what the objectives are. [00:13:53] And we are working with each individual business so that we do minimize inconveniences. [00:13:58] No question about it, there will be inconveniences. [00:14:03] We're making an omelet there, you know? It's going to happen. [00:14:08] But we're strategizing to minimize any inconveniences and the length of construction that will span to implement the project. [00:14:18] If that don't work, we send Mr. Rivera down there to take care of it. [00:14:24] We put Robert on it, so we're all good. [00:14:29] What I will say is that there's one parcel that I've continued to pitch, [00:14:34] which is the old West Pasco Press Building, now the Red Cross Building. [00:14:39] I had heard from the grapevine, probably the same grapevine that the mayor has been picking grapes off of, [00:14:46] that the county was refusing to sell it or did not want to sell it to us. [00:14:51] That's not accurate. [00:15:00] less responsive than I would like to be the case, but actually Judy and I talked [00:15:07] today just about committing our intent to writing to them and so we're going to [00:15:14] get that out this week to them because we'd really like to use it at least in [00:15:18] the short term as a staging area for the construction activity and then at the [00:15:26] conclusion of construction to be able to create some parking. Yeah because if the [00:15:32] Red Cross is going to not be there on any regular basis and as much as you'd [00:15:39] like to turn the old fire station to into something it might be a perfect [00:15:44] place for them to store all kind of emergency stuff it's built as a fire [00:15:49] station but whatever they needed to stage we have a facility that we could [00:15:54] move them to so if the county is hesitant because they're giving it to [00:15:58] Red Cross for free or whatever's happening I don't know but we could I [00:16:04] would think that between our four million dollar public works complex [00:16:08] which I'm sure Robert doesn't want to have filled with cow cots or or meals [00:16:15] ready to eat I don't know what they have in there or how they stage it but [00:16:20] there's a much better place for the Red Cross than right there at that spot and [00:16:25] if that's part of the deal then I've just asked you to become creative with [00:16:29] them and say you know we have critical commentary that people can't come [00:16:36] downtown anymore because it's so crowded and it's so successful and so between [00:16:41] whatever we have available for this new attraction that we're going to have to [00:16:48] me that corridor where that Red Cross building is could be an important one it [00:16:54] is and so I continue to just forward that maybe the contingency will have [00:16:59] enough money left in it to pay for it or or whatever but I I did run the property [00:17:05] appraise I guess you've got it already yeah I'll just pass it to Judy thank you [00:17:12] thank you I were at that meeting with the businesses and they they had a two [00:17:22] different proposals and one was six months and one was seven months so I I'm [00:17:27] already testing Debbie on her comment or about the end of end of January because [00:17:32] they said they were going to start in June and so June 6 and 6 that means it [00:17:36] might be over for New Year's Eve just just to say you know Brian's attitude to [00:17:42] it right attitude so you know and I think that I think most of businesses [00:17:48] went not so much of how they did it but the time frame so you know take Brian's [00:17:53] attitude and modify Debbie's back to New Year's Eve instead of January sometime [00:17:59] but um yet the businesses were all like really a hundred percent behind it [00:18:03] they're really looking forward to doing it and and there's only two businesses [00:18:08] that weren't there that I I could and I've heard from them yeah I know I got [00:18:12] a hold of both of them and told them to get ahold of you you know so because I [00:18:15] want them to do the you know individual discussion with you yeah I did so but [00:18:21] anyhow all those in favor signify by aye aye those opposed five nothing

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5. 5Adjournment