Hello everyone. Welcome to the Martin County Community Redevelopment Agency. We will call the meeting to order with the pled pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it
stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. We have some minutes. And are there any comments? Would anyone like to make a motion to approve the minutes? Motion to approve. Any comments? I second. All in
fa second. All in favor? I. Anyone opposed? Okay, great. Um, any disclosure of conflicts of interest? No one. We'll move right into public comments. I have one uh from Julie Priest. I don't know if you want
to speak now or later. Good afternoon, Julie Priest. Normally, I represent Rio, but today I'm representing all of Martin County and anything having to do with historic preservation and history. uh in front of you uh you have a little packet that I put together a couple weeks ago when I
found out that um we are losing uh our archival department called Martin Digital History uh because their grants are expiring and there is no funding beyond the end of December. We have in your packet you'll see the credentials
of uh Georgian Charn who is the supervisor in that department who has wonderful qualifications. And when we talk about archiving historic documents, photographs and so forth, they come up
usually when someone in a family passes away and then the relatives have these items and they don't know what to do with them and so on and so forth. So this gives all these wonderful treasures a place to be digitized for generations
to come well beyond me because that's what I do now. I am a volunteer historical researcher. So, I'm here to ask you if you would consider writing a letter of support to continue the operations of this department because
the uh we are going to hopefully appear those of us who support this uh in July when the board of county commissioners will be looking at their budget. And so I'm here to ask you to consider a letter of support to continue the operations of
Martin Digital History completely as they are today. Uh we would be asking Martin County and my hope is that we will come up with some seed money through donations to help with the $100,000 that is needed for payroll to
continue this department. Everything else would be covered. We just have to cover payroll. So that's where we're at. I think it's all explained a little bit in the packet to the best of my ability. Exa, again, from what I knew two weeks ago, I'm learning more all the time. And there's going to be a meeting, if you
notice, at the top of the form, June 2nd, 11:00 a.m. at the Cummings Library. Anyone who is interested in continuing with the digital archiving and wishes to have the operations continue, please come to that meeting and and we're all going to brainstorm together. Thank you
very much. Thank you, Julie. It sounds like a worthwhile operation. Uh any other public uh comments? We'll move right into our presentations then. The CRA Capital Projects Review.
Good afternoon, chairman and board members. Susan Corores, Office of Community Development. Um, I will point out a few projects and as always, please feel free to answer any questions that you might have on anything on the sheet. Um, I'm going to go
directly to Rio. Most of those that I don't talk about, as you know, are pretty status quo from our last meeting, which is why I don't go into it. Um, so in Rio, both of our new projects, the uh CR77
streetscape enhancement and the property and civic center design projects, both will be having kickoff meetings uh for all the stakeholders on May 22nd. Um, and it's kind of interesting to note, and I'd just like to say thank you to
Jordan for this. uh we have the same consultant group on both of those projects which has been a huge cost savings and a a real um I'm not going to say struggle maybe challenge uh for Jordan to keep those projects separate but tied together at the same time
because there's a lot of survey and underground work and things like that that can be done u community outreach that can be done sort of at the same time um because the projects are so close in one place. So that's been a great uh cost savings for us on the
design and and really gives a little more of a holistic approach to the entire CRA area of Rio. So thank you Jordan for that. That's kind of exciting. Um and then the last thing or second thing or last thing that I'm going to say about our capital projects
is the investment program. We have 12 completed projects. Um, so I think that's pretty amazing and I would like to give kudos to Jana Cox on that. She's really been um operating the program
um and overseeing everything. And I believe Jana Hope Sound might be in the lead. Yes. Ah, Mr. Chair, you might be happy about that. Um, anyway, she's going to talk about number 12 a little bit later on in the program. And that's all I have to say
about our capital projects, but I'm happy to answer any questions. I knew that. I looked right over in your direction. Did you see me do it? You know, I love you. So, it it's similar to uh the palm trees that still have not been trimmed off of
A1A. I'm curious about that. We're still stuck at 30% for the unpaved roads if we've heard anything. You know, Joy, do you have any update on that? It's like it's been ongoing and ongoing but without progress. If you do then please
come up. If not then just say no. Thank you. Joy Puera program manager. Um yes we have sent our actual comments back. So we should be getting the 60% plans in shortly because I was in uh discussions with the consultant last week. All
right. Seriously, Jamie, real quick on Rio. Yeah, it says a stakeholder meeting will is scheduled for May 22nd. Yes. Is that during the NAC meeting or is that separate? No, that's separate. I think those are those meetings will happen in the morning. And when we say stakeholders, we're talking
about the consultant and the county operations for the most part. No public. So public works, that kind of thing. Jordan will update the NAC, but but that's a meeting where we kind of get everybody in the same room so public works can give comments and utilities and all of those things because we have
to coordinate all those folks. Sounds good. Thank you. Anyone else have any questions for Susan? Well, actually, I was wondering didn't Julia asked us if we could, you know, bring up to write the letter of
support and you guys didn't say anything. Nobody said anything for Julie. Yeah. Well, actually, it's for all of us, right? But I mean for her comment. Yeah. You can all decide to discuss that now or take it up at a future time.
I don't know how much everybody knows about it. So, I'm not sure if you're sound like ready to discuss that or not. Individual letters. No, no. We we normally write one letter of support from this, you know. So, we really should.
I'm I'm a history freak, so you can tell. We all are. I'm okay talking about it if you want to talk about it now. Yeah, as well get it over with. I'd be in favor of it. I think it's a great program. I Once a document's lost, it's lost forever. I know. I know. And now if
you go I mean, you go just online and you look for something, I'm excited because every time I want to remember something, you know, for a Golden Gate building is there. Yeah. and that really helps a lot. Um, anybody else have any other
thoughts? Yes, Jamie. No, I thought it was first presented as far as, you know, all the details at this weekend's event in New Monrovia for the first colored school dedication. And I was glad that she brought it up because I thought it was was a good idea because even
everything that you've collected for that would be included on there and it would never it would never be lost. So I think preserving our history is definitely something we should take seriously. We were doing a research for Golden Gate building. We end up in the
Coco library and I found some stuff they belong to here. They are in a Coco library. I never knew they had a mosquito area. Mosquito where was that? I'm still impressed with that thing you know. No no no not treatment. It was a little area is called mosquito like a
city. I mean from home I mean here why we have to go to Coco when she can do it here. You see what I mean? And I know Julie she was she she didn't you go to
Miami and look some more? Yeah. It took us a long time. I mean how do you guys feel? You want to write a letter? Yeah, for sure. Yes. Somebody want to make a motion? Yeah. I'll make a motion that we uh write a letter on support of seeing
if the county commission can find funding in their budget for this position. Sounds good. Second. Second. Any comments? All of course is who writes the letter? Uh is that how it works? Susan. Okay. How it works.
Okay. Thank you. I I mean I'm happy to take any volunteers. Draft form. Uh maybe Julie can help us out. Uh any comments? All in favor? I.
Anyone opposed? Great. Good idea, Sia. Well, thank you. I just felt like we just heard about it and nothing done. Nobody said anything. Yeah. Good. Um we'll move on to the next item. It's new business. Office of Community
Redevelopment Fiscical Year 2026, tenative operating budget. Thank you again, Susan Cores, Office of Community Development. And we welcome Shelby Baker. She is with the Office of Management and Budget.
Yay. Um, so we're going to submit our fiscal year 2026 tenative operating budget to the board of county commissioners uh in July. That's when those workshops happen. So, as you've seen, if you've taken a look at this, we
talk a little bit about us and then we get right into some actual numbers, you have seen, I'm sure, that we're 40% I mean, $40,000 higher than we were last year. And that's due to the 6%
increase in salaries that was uh voted in 2023, correct? 2023. So, that's where that comes in. salaries infringe. The rest of our operating budget remains flat. We have not asked for any more in any of those categories. Um if you have
specific questions because I'm sure you've also noticed um when you look at the budget pages that there are differences in what we had and what we're asking for. And all of those differences are really just to either
uh pay off what we had to make it whole, if you will. So, we've borrowed from other lines or to add or subtract from lines just to because we kind of know what we'll spend. So, it's ju it was just basically a reshuffleling of the deck if you know
what I mean. Um and then there is some Shelby has it all highlighted for you and she can go through each of those if you have questions. So what we did was we just reallocated you to actual. So as you can see um in communications data/wireless we had zero
budgeted in this fiscal year which is 25. So Susan Jordan myself we talked we're like let's move around some funds. We didn't increase the budget by any means, but we reshuffled funds to actually be budgeting for the actual for due to our actuals. Um, so there is
minor adjustments in those line items and it's all kind of spelled out when you look at the bottom. Mhm. You can see what's been reallocated and from where to where and how much. Correct. Everything else stays the same. We're
not getting any new staff or anything like that. So, so that was my question. What? How how many are included in in the uh salaries? There's six of us. Six. Okay. Thank you. Any other comments?
We need a motion to approve the budget. If somebody wants to make a motion, please do so. Do we need public comment? I'll make a motion to recommend the budget. Second. We need public comment if there is any. Does anybody have any comments from the public?
None. I'm sorry. I heard a motion. Second. Rex in a second. Any other comments? All in favor? I I. Anybody opposed? Great. Thank you. Yep. Thank you.
We are on to old business, the 2025 final legislative report. So, I included um in your packet the final report that we received from SA Powers. She's our legislative aid. She spends most of the time during that
period in Tallahassee um getting information for us and talking with our legislators and our um other folks up there. So all the news for us is good. Yeah. Um so this the what I gave
you to look at has all different types of information in it. It's just an update. I thought you might be interested which is why I included it. But specifically for the CRA, um the one the House bill 991 that was the really awful one for us and the Senate bill
1242 which wasn't quite as bad. Uh both of those have died. So in early May, uh the Senate bill was indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration, which pretty much equals
death. And then in late April 991 was sort of rolled into another one that they c they're calling 110. So CSSB 110 and it's named rural communities. What they did was they took
out everything that had anything to do with the CRA in it. We've been through it line by line. There is nothing. That bill does remain alive and it probably will till the end of the budget season. Yes. So they've extended as you know um
budget till the end of June. So they will remain active doing that and that bill will be part of that because it does talk about finances for other things. But I think we're good. So that was the best news ever. And I again took
a deep dive and I for hours looking and looking because I'm like what am I missing? What am I missing? What? But I think I think we're all we're all set. and Frank agreed and he's more the expert in that than I am. So that was the good news.
Great. Any comments for Susan? All right. Okay. Moving on. Uh I think we have the investment program completion. Ah, you're so fancy. This thing. Mhm.
Now the Google. Good afternoon. Janna Cox, Office of Community Development. I have a [Music] presentation that presenting full screen. I don't know how that How do we do that? Resize maybe. Yep.
Oh, sorry. You have to click present twice. Um, I do have the project completion report. Um, it's applicant number 13, but it's our 12th completion of the program.
Um, speaking of history, I went down to Hope Sound to share with MCTV to interview this applicant, and there's loads of history with this property. Yeah. Um, they were actually the first licensed car rental agency in Martin
County, which I did not know. So, I look forward to getting that report. They don't have that for me yet. The applicant is um located at 11690 Southeast Dixie Highway, Diamond
Garage. Uh, this explains the program types that we have. property improvement and fence and landscape. Um, this one is property improvement and they install new windows and new garage
doors. The target areas are our six CRAAS and you have to be located in one of these subdists. This one is located in Hob Sound in the corridor subdist. This shows a little bit about the process. um are you a property owner
or do you own a business in the targeted areas? If so, everything is on our website or you can contact our office and we will start the process. Applicant 13 presented to the CRA board in November of 24. So
hopefully you remember that presentation. Uh their improvements were completed in April of 2025. Again, it was the property improvement program. What improvements they did, uh, the garage door window,
which was involved in an accident, so they replaced the entire window, and you'll see pictures later, and two garage doors of historic look and feel, and you'll see pictures of that as well. um they actually already got their
reimbursement in May and as this process goes along it spurs the applicant to do improvements on their own and they actually are painting both buildings. They got new gravel and
landscaping. Can I just say something really quick? Um just to kind of add to that comment. Um, we have another project that's in Golden Gate right on US1. It's a large um
uh what am I trying to say? Strip mall. Thank you. Sure. And they also once they re received their reimbursement, they put it right back into the property and did all new lighting. So it really does work that way. Yeah. Where was that project?
Right the Golden Gate. Yeah, it's right along A1A Dixie. Right across from the barber shop on the US. Yeah, I said US1. I'm sorry. Yeah, Dixie. Dixie. Okay, thank you. Got it. So, here you can see what the garage
doors looked like before and I have a nice after picture. The same thing with the window that's located on Bridge Road right on the corner. the before picture and after it's fully hurricane
proof, shatterproof, all that kind of good stuff. Uh the additional work that they did, it's not dumpster, they put gravel in landscaping and they are he and his wife are painting the building
themselves. It looks really nice. This just shows um the vendors and the proposed cost and the actual costs were spoton. The total improvements uh 26,604 and we reimburse up to 80% which
is 20,000. As a bonus, I added um the historic light pole that's located on this property as part of the Hope Sound Historic Society. They are redoing all of the motion picture lights. I'm sure you're familiar with that story in Hope
Sound. And one picture is at night and they just look awesome. It's a solar dome and so we don't need electricity. And so they're redoing, they actually have a manufacturer that's redoing these lights and we're going to include those on our Dixie streetscape
project. And that's all I have. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to entertain them. Anyone? I do have a question. Um, how's the budget work on that? I I've been told that certain areas don't have any money for this kind
of program. So we started in 2022 putting funds away in that particular category if they were available. So some CRAAS have more than others just depending line item on the
CRA. Yes. And they were all voted um for in the individual NAC how much they wanted, how much they thought, you know, improvement wise. Um, and yes, some have money left and we're looking for new applicants all the
time. So, does it get re-uped every year or it all depends on the CRA? It depends on the CRA. So, we added more to particular ones that didn't have any funding. Hope Sound has plenty of funding, so we didn't add any this year. That happens during the CIP process,
Chuck. Okay. Where the committees decide if they want to recommend additional dollars for that line item. And then of course it's just in certain districts, right? Core and certain subdists. Subdist. That's what I meant to say. Yeah. And I did want to add that Hope
Sound has four, Golden Gate 3, Jensen 3, Rio one, and Port Solerno one. So that's kind of the count we have going. Jamie, so Janna, are are these mailed to some of the businesses? Yes. In the
area? because I even tried to stop by and hand deliver, but I never know if the owners are actually getting the material. So, I am I have a list and I'm mailing them to There's several off of Solerno Road that would really benefit. I did find the gentleman who owns the 10
wall that I've been talking about off of Cove Road for a while. Um I personally handed that one to him. So, um I was just curious if they were getting them by mail because I don't know if the owners are receiving them. So, okay. have a few possibilities in Port Saleno
that Oh, good. Thanks. I was glad to see the light pole with the solar fixture on it. I have to check it out at night. Actually see one what it's going to look like. It looks like some of the poles north of there have been refinished. Is Was that something that was part of There was one pole that
was refinished and it's the one that was hit by the taco truck. Okay. Cuz we salvaged that one from another property that sold. Okay. Um, and it's case by case. Like the one just north of this property, they don't, it's on their property and they don't want it
straightened. I see. And so hopefully Pat can talk them into at least getting a dome. Private property. Gotcha. Some of them are on private property. So they own them. I gotcha. Okay. From way back. We'll see where it goes. I know there there are some at the Apollo school that
I've been told they're trying to work on as well. So maybe they can match the same fixtures. Yes. Hopefully. Yeah, there's a vendor that's making those for for the historic society. Or was that the way the fixtures look originally? Do you know the original? Was anybody know the original look of the fixture? I
don't think that's what they look like originally. I do have a picture. Got you. And there's I think they were square. Okay. All right. Thanks. Anybody else? Thanks. Welcome. Uh so that takes care of pretty much our agenda with the exception of comment
section. Uh we do have a public comment section now if any member of the public would like to speak. Yes, Julie. Thank you very much. May is historic preservation month and there are schedules online on the Martin County website and there are schedules at most
of the libraries and also at the log cabin and also right outside here in the lobby. You can pick up a schedule. We honored Cadilla this past week as preservationist of the year, but we have more events to follow. So, we hope that everyone will come out to those events
and enjoy learning about history. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Any member comments? Nope. Well, guess me. Just you.
Like Julie said, I was honored this week and I am really grateful and humbly humbly I felt like um guilty of getting the award in a way because what I'm doing restoring what I did restoring
Golden Gate is a privilege for me. I think every human being should live where God want him to be. not hungry, not scared, just peaceful and more or less comfortable. And that's
what I'm trying to do for my community. And the Golden Gate just so happened that building was, you know, her bringing a lot of mess. I mean, it was like headquarters for drunks. And ask him, he lives in the the neighborhood.
If you remember, how was that building? I mean people coming out of it used to really really bother me when I come down in the morning going to Publix or some see people just straggling coming out. Now thanks to the CRA and the helps and
my mouth and pushing and insisting it worked and I am so grateful and I'm so happy and I want to thank everyone of you who was there. You too Mike was there. I said hello and everything. Yeah, he sure did. He came
over. Um, everybody was there. I even got the the Moroccan counselor. She came up and you know, it was really nice that everybody shows up and
again, Miss Susan's priced me was a secret between two of us and she blurted out it was my Sadia story, right? Yeah. Yeah, but it but you didn't have to. Anyway, so I want to thank you and I
am so grateful and I'm going on vacation in the morning. Have a wonderful time. Well, thanks to Kylie because she's graduating on Friday. So, honestly, I don't like fly to Maui because it's too long. I mean,
too many hours and I'm just not That's not my I wish they come here, but I have to go this time. She's the only granddaughter I have. So, it'll be good when you get there. Yeah. Yeah. It's going to be fun. Have some sleep. Yeah.
I don't sleep on the planes. Read a book. Yeah. Oh, I take my tablet and I play games. Anyway, that's all I want to say. Thanks to every one of you and I really appreciate you and if I ever said
something you don't like just smack me. I mean you know correct me whatever you know me. That's a big honor and you are to be congratulated for that in the minutes next meeting by the way. Thank you all and I appreciate it. Yeah. Yeah. Well done. And I saw Frank there too. Nice
was there. And of course you know Jenna and Joy. I saw every one of you. I wasn't there, but I was there. Yeah. Very good. Uh, any staff comments?
Yes, actually. All right. I have comments. Let's have it. So, there's been a little change. Stand up. There's been a little change in the Office of Community Development coming up that frankly we're not all that happy
about, and that is that Naomi has taken another job. So, we're really happy for her cuz it's great for her, but we're going to miss her. I'm not happy. So, we have a little something. I'm mad at you.
Yeah, we're all kind of mad at her, Susan. Oh my goodness. So, it says, "A heartfelt thank you to Naomi Lopez in recognition of your dedication, service, and meaningful contributions to the Office of Community Development,
November 2021 to May 2025." She really she hung in there, I think. Um, your work has helped shape stronger communities and made a lasting impact with sincere appre appreciation and best wishes for your next chapter. And that's
for you, Naomi, to put on your desk so you won't forget us. Good job, Susan. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. [Applause] Thank you. And with that, I am done. Well, thanks for that cuz uh we
appreciate all that Naomi does. Yeah. Yeah. She's going to be a hard act to follow. Yeah. Yeah. So, you're advertising or will be advertising, I take it. Yes, we are. Or another. We are. Will she do interviews of the uh applicant? I'm not sure. I may torture
her that way. I may. Haven't decided. All right. Any other staff comments? All right. We'll adjourn. And we got Art and Public Places here in a couple minutes. Or do we want to start right away? How do you want to It's a preset at 4. We need to start at 4.
Okay, we'll start at