record. Good afternoon. Today is Tuesday, May the 13th, 2025, and we say welcome to everyone. You're at the city of Opalaka CRA's meeting. Uh, Mr. Clerk, will you
call the role, please, Board Member Bass? here. Board member Irving here. Board member Kelly present. Board member Taylor present. Vice Chair
Williams present. Board member Santiago here. Board chair Russell here. And would we stand for the invocation? We're going to ask uh Dr. kept uh Pastor Kelly, I call him Dr. Kelly um to
uh give us a prayer. Then we'll have the pledge of allegiance. Eternal God, Father, we thank you for all of your many blessings. We thank you for life, health, and strength. We thank you, God, as we come together. Give us wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Do those things which are pleasing in your
sight. In Jesus name we do pray. Amen. Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Madam chair. Yes. If I can um we had a mishap with the printing. We got our the agenda printed outside for the first time um because of of its size and they forgot to tab them. So on each item we
will give you the page number uh to turn to to find that item. Okay. Okay. Thank you. But the agenda the the short version of the agenda is the first page front and back and then from there we will instruct you to turn to the page.
Okay. For the item. Thank you. Mr. Director, are there any add-ons? Oh, yes. I would like to um I mean, we can still Sorry. We can still discuss them if you'd like. Um but I would like to add the property
acquisition in place of Well, I will talk about it when Greg Gay was supposed to talk, but Greg is out of town. This is the hold over from the last meeting, so he won't be presenting tonight. Uh but we could talk about where we are with the property purchase enter during that item.
Property purchase. Okay. So that would be the add-on item. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Okay. Can we uh approve the agenda as uh stated with the add-on? Move it. Second. Moved by board member Kelly,
second by Vice Chair Williams. Um, all in favor or roll call. Board member, yes. Board member Kelly, yes. Board member Taylor, yes. Vice Chair Williams, yes. Board member
Santiago, yes. Board member Bass, yes. Board Chair Russell. Yes. Can we get the approval of the minutes? Move it. Second. Moved by board member Bass, second by uh Vice Chair Williams.
Are there any corrections that need to be made? Hearing none. Roll call, please. Board member Irving? Yes. Board member Kelly? Yes. Board member Taylor? Yes.
Vice Chair Williams. Yes. Board member Santiago. Yes. Board member Bass. Yes. Board Chair Russell. Yes. We're going to open the meeting for public comments. No public comments. Okay.
Public comments is closed. Mr. Director, do you still want to do the um discussion items or you want us to just move right into the resolution? However you'd like, Madam Chair. However you would like. Okay. I'm fine with either.
I'm fine with either. However you want. Okay. So, we can go into the resolution. Yep. Okay. All right. Madam attorney, please. Welcome as well. Y'all sharing a mic down there, huh?
Thank you. I'm happy to be here. Um, so up is a resolution of the board of the Opalaka Community Reevelopment Agency amending approving and adopting an amendment to the Opalaka Community Read Redevelopment Agency's
proposed general operation in tax increment fund budget for the fiscal year commencing October 1st, 2024 and ending September 30th, 2025 for the allocation of certain funds for the purchase of um computer equipment and to
reallocate funds from the Rose Titus Prayer Garden to other contracted services as set forth in exhibit A and directing in executive director to transmit a copy of set amended budget to the state of Florida oversight board and
providing for incorporation of recital, providing for severability, providing for conflicts in um repellers, providing for scrier errors and providing for an effective date. Um, I open it up for board discussion of
the proposed resolution. Can I get someone to move the item, please? Move it. Second. Moved by board member Bass, second by board member Taylor. Discussion. Uh, Mr. Director. Yes, ma'am. U, this is an item to amend our current budget to allocate some funds to
the um to the to the what's the office supplies? office supplies for for computers for the staff. Working on some old computers and it was suggested that we we get new ones. Talking to Mike. Sorry. It was
suggested that we get new ones and so we have to pay for that and there there was enough money in that line item for that. Um and the second one is uh we had budgeted and this was before I arrived here um but we kept it in the budget. We had $60,000 budgeted for the Rose Titus
um prayer garden. Uh we and we can have this discussion now uh Dr. Bass if you want or or or later. Um but we are re I'm recommending that uh we reallocate um we so basically we had a savings. I think we're done uh with the Rose Titus
Park. We went in there. I don't know if you remember but it wasn't kept up. It wasn't cut. The grass wasn't cut. The the trees weren't trimmed. The hedges weren't trimmed. We went in there. We started cutting the grass, trimming the hedges, doing the trees. We cleaned it up. We um we've been there every two
weeks now maintaining it. Uh we have also fixed the plumbing that was there. We laid some irrigation. Uh we also fixed the electrical box that was broken. Uh we installed uh lights in the park. Um we installed benches. We
installed fountains. And just on Friday, we completed the installation of hundreds of flowers um to create the butterfly garden. So, in my opinion, uh we've we've completed our task at that park. Uh we've come under budget cuz it
was $60,000 budgeted and we need those funds uh somewhere else. It came I think our final cost for the park is going to run to $29,000. So, we're $31,000 under budget and we'd like to move that to other contractual services.
Board member Bass. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, I saw the garden today and it is absolutely beautiful. I have utilized the garden. I'm quite sure those of us who have not yet utilized it, go by and see how beautiful it is. I concur with
you with the savings and we can use it elsewhere. Let's do so. And um should we continue on with the discussion about the ribbon cutting or should we um if you want. So the other thing is we did have a meeting with um because there are some other things that
that are wanted uh in terms of an addition to this park including a mural and a grand opening celebration. Um, and in that meeting that we had with the chairwoman and the namesake of this park, um, you know, it was my it was my
opinion, and again, I'll do whatever this board tells me to do. Um, but it's my opinion that, uh, that we're done from the CRA side. This park was named uh, the Rose Titus Prayer Garden through
a city resolution, not a CRA resolution. It was named through a city resolution. It is a city park, not a CRA park. Um, and I think we, the board, you all, uh, have been kind enough to grant money to
improve the park. And that's what we've done. And I think anything beyond this point should be left to the city city the city and the city manager's office. I've had this discussion uh with the city manager um
myself, but again, whatever you all tell me to do, I'll do. But in my opinion, this is a city park. It's a city project, and the city should take it. We should pass a baton to them and let them deal with it. Madam Chair, yes, board member Bass.
I believe that we are all on the same page. I'm I'm just hypothetically thinking that that we are all on the same page with you. Um, I I can't see I can't imagine what else we would do with that space. For me, it's completed. I'm
satisfied with it. Um, because I was one of the ones to spearhead it to make sure it was done. I'm well satisfied. I'm going to put that on record that I am satisfied with where it's at and we can move forward. Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, uh,
board member Taylor and then board member Kelly, please. Oh, I was going just going to say that I totally agree with the director because the CRA's job was to help enhance the park, but the truth is that the park belongs to the city of Opalaka. So, I think if it has
to do with ribbon cutting, then I think it should be done on the city side versus the CRA side. And I guess we'll yield to the sponsor of that item. At the time, I believe it was Dr. B. And then she can work with the city manager at the to, you know, bring it forth. But I don't think that's a discussion we
should be having about a ribbon cutting. Now, we I hope you would invite the CRA to the ribbon cutting because we were a partial part of that process, but as far as spearheading the ribbon cutting, I don't think that's the CRA's responsibility. Madam Chair, uh I'm
done. I'm sorry. Uh you responded to Yes. Okay, you can respond to him. And then we got board member Kelly. Okay. I agree with you and I will um touch base with city manager so we can move forward with it. Okay. Board member Kelly. Thank you, Madam Chair. I I don't have a
problem with what the director saying if we spent um and we've completed I of course go by there. To me, it's complete. Um, only thing I would say going forward, the discussion I really want to make sure we have with the city is the maintenance of it more so than
anything else because you have put a lot of money and upkeep and whatever until we have a ribbon cutting, but after that, I'm concerned about what's going to happen then. Um, so that's the real discussion we ought to have. Uh, I'm not in favor of any additional work,
anything. I'm satisfied with that. I would just say um if we can because you got about I guess 31,000 left from that line item. I would like to see us have a nice um ribbon cutting and I know the city's not
budgeted for it. I'm quite sure they're not except for miscellaneous. So, but the bigger question I have is the maintenance side to have that discussion um to make sure it gets maintained. if we need to, you know, do it for one more month or something while they do it. I
don't know. Um to maintain it after we cut it or something of that, but that's a managerial discussion y'all can have. But I do want to make sure um to my colleague who's kind of spearheading that the um ribbon cutting is nice and I know we're not budgeting on the city
side actually for it. We're probably find the money. So, if my suggestion would be that we just allocate at least another $500 to go towards the ribbon cutting and then the city could pick up the rest um on the city side because we
have spent a lot of money putting it together. It looks really nice. So, we might as well complete that part of the ribbon cutting ceremony program, whatever you're having to make sure that it is um nice and then the remainder that you
want to reallocate for computers, whatever else that may come up, I have a problem. So I would just offer that as part of um the discussion to the sponsor um and meeting with the manager or the director and the manager talking at
least uh to my colleagues here direct at least 500 to go towards the ribbon cutting and have a discussion on the maintenance side at least initially even though we know it's the city um to make sure they do it because we don't want to put 30,000 into this and then 3 months
later. It's not butterflies, it's just mosquitoes. So, Madam Chair, I mean, that just makes sense. So, that's the only thing I would say. I know that's more of a managerial discussion. So, I just want to put it on the table, but I would just say we ought
to at least uh direct staff to add just $500 more dollars to go towards the ribbon cutting and whatever um the lead person um commissioner wants to do or how they want to plan that part out, but just we
would do that. That's my suggestion. And I I like to hear my colleagues. I know there was some discussion about letting it all be on the city, but I would at least like to allocate 500 towards it cuz we all know the city's not budgeted at this moment for
um probably a ribbon cutting, but the maintenance side they should be ready to pick up because we got a beautifification division. So, um that's my thoughts, chair. Thank you. M uh you you responded to board member Mck Kelly. No, I was just trying to make a suggestion on what um Vice May Kelly
said. Okay, go ahead. I'm coming to you. Uh, I was going to say I totally agree with what Vice May Kelly said. Is there a way that we can amend the resolution to maybe take out $5,000? 500. 500. 500. 500. Let me get it out. Oh, sorry. Okay.
The reason I said $5,000 because he said an extra month of maintenance. I think he has a plan for that. You have That's why I said 5,000. And that'll take care of the maintenance as well as the ribbon cutting and any remaining will go back into the to the pot. That's why I said 5,000 5,000
but go ahead. Thank you madam chair. Um I love the way uh vice mayor beat tonight. Very realistic. Okay. About um maintenance and all that for that park. And I really
love that little part there. Okay. And one of the thing that I really like it is the we native when a person that I really um you know have a lot of things you know that I like from her uh for former commissioner Rose title a person
that deserve you know many things from us and uh yes and and that's one point how we maintenance okay giving maintenance continuing maintenance okay to all the things that we do here in the city I want to give you a little sample
we spending and a lot of money in the historical city hall and I want to see people really work around the garden and everything to make that place look beautiful. But that's not the point tonight. This is not a commissioner meeting. Okay.
Um one of the um thing that I want to asking the direct the director of CRA uh that when that saving that we have or the CRA have okay um vice mayor Kelly uh
already give you some idea okay to make it another $500 separate for the river cut is good um my mayor say500 wow it's a lot but well um I think they were $500 okay uh with being and what are we going
to do with the rest of that saving I want to heard something that about what is the idea because it's coming in my mind it's not only that part that we have we have another little
part that we needed u I long time ago um uh vice mayor Timothy Holmes in Gloretta Gloretta requirements by the other side. That part there that we want to make it better and try to put it up again.
Okay. Uh that's not in the CRA. That's not in the CRA. No. Okay. But it's not it's only a question. Yes. And that's only a question because I'm in top of that uh session out there and I want to see at least the play the playground because that's belong to us the park.
Okay. That's why I do idea you have something on. It's okay if I cannot bring that to the C meeting. Um, Mr. Director, can you please uh uh share with the board your plan for maintenance and then what the remainder of the money
I think is being used for to buy the computers? No, it's not. Okay. But go ahead and tell us what the remainder um so the remainder would go to other contractual services. Um which Sorry. Uh the remaining would go to our line item, other contractual services. We look like
we're going to cut it close uh to the end of September. And that line item um primarily these are the consultants and contractors that help us with the commercial facade program and the home rehab program. And so that line item looks a little short and you you'll see it when we go through the budget review.
Um and so we just need to close we just want to put it there so that we have that cushion uh in case we need it. we don't have to come back to you uh to de amend the budget again. As far as the maintenance is concerned, um I walked into this park for the first time and it was
overgrown and the the the the the irrigation was messed up, the the electrical was messed up. Um the trees weren't cut. I'm saying all this to say that I've watched this park develop obviously uh throughout the past several months and and as I told the manager,
you know, we we want to have maintenance done here that is respectful of what we've done. Uh not just somebody just come in there and and so we're prepared to hire hire an experienced garden team. uh mainly the
people that help plant it to maintain it and we would pay for that maintenance. Now, we put it in our budget as we're doing right now and we would pay for it every two weeks as we're doing right now. Um what's the length of time that we'll be
taking care of? We would take care of it. I mean, my intention would be to take to continue to take care of it until um I'm sorry. Okay. Just we'll see. I mean, we don't have to, but I mean, if you if you want to if you want to not
have it turn into what you just suggested it would turn into, I say you get experienced people that know how to replant cuz not cuz some of those plants are going to die. Um, we need somebody that's out there replanting the stuff when they do die. Uh, make keeping it
up, making it look good, not just going out there and cutting the grass. Um, but again, it's up to you. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do. It's just my suggestion. Okay. Uh, I I think that your your maintenance plan for me sounds
reasonable, but my concern is that it's still a city park and um I think the city has a beautifification um team that does that and I don't know whether that would take that the park is
supposed to be my understanding I I may be wrong is a part of their maintenance crew. that they clean that they take care of it. Now, when it comes to the planning, I thought the city had an ar. I remember from the last uh city
manager, they had said that they had uh had a harvest on staff that knows what plants to replant, what plant to take care of. And you know, I kind of know a little bit about that stuff because my husband's in landscaping for years and
we had an artist. And if you don't have someone that knows what to do, they're going to take the weed eater and they're going to wipe those plants down because they look like grass. The butterfly plants, they don't look like flowers or plants all the time. So, you need
someone experienced. So my suggestion would be is that you get with the city manager and see what their plan is. I don't know whether we want to do it 90 days, 60 days or whatever, but I I don't
think that we should take it on forever because then I think you'll be taking it from the uh from the city. But uh Pastor um Warmer Kelly wants to say something as well. I think I heard somebody down here. He don't want the mosquito come
back. Madam uh Madam Chair. Yes, sir. I I I agree. That's why I asked initially the plan of maintenance because I I'm of the opinion we need to maintain it at least a month or two before we would turn it over to the city's staff, but
I'm not in favor of us maintaining it forever because we have a beautifification division in the city and that's part of their pl their uh responsibilities. Now, you can get with the manager on the specifics about, you know, whether the crew can handle it and
maybe get some additional training, but I'm not in favor of um taking on permanently. And that's why I asked how much how much money was needed for the for for whatever else you're going to do with the remainder because I think you ought to have at least maybe a month or
two leeway that we would still maintain it to give the city a chance to fully get on board to know what expected as the chair said because some of those flowers are not reg regular whatever. But I'm not in favor of the CRA
continuously maintaining that um that property. Um that's no we can't do that's a city property and to your point about plants whatever our concern should be anyway even from the city side beautifification. Um so that that's I
agree with you on that point but I would suggest a maximum of two months. Okay Madam Chair before before uh can we get uh vice chair and then I think I saw you down here. Yes. Okay. Go ahead. I think
what I'm hearing is there's some concerns that the city might not be able to uh maintain the park the way it should be maintained. Correct. And so I wonder if instead of investing in long-term care and maintenance for the
park given that the city already has the resources that maybe we actually hire professionals to do training for the people who are working in the city so that they understand how to maintain. I don't know if there's a specialty training for the types of plants that are there, but I do wonder if maybe what
we're investing in is actually just some advanced training so that they know how to care for the park and that way we can turn it over to them. Board member Taylor, he wanted to resp. I just I just want to say that um thank you.
Um, yeah, that is my concern. Uh, only because of what I've witnessed, not only with the tree plant, and again, this is not a knock on anybody or anything, but you look around the the city was maintaining the park before we started maintaining the park. What did the park look like? Uh, the the the uh the trees
that were planted in the in the swale rightways. Those trees weren't maintained properly, and so most of them are dead. That that happened a couple years ago. You look at the trees now, they're not right. I watched this park and and and we spent a lot of money. We spent
$18,000 just on the fountains and the and the plants, $15,000 on plants. So, you're right. It is a lot of money and I don't want to and I want to see this thing taken care of uh properly. Number one, but if the board decides not to do that and hand it back over to the city,
I will be disappointed. But that's what you all decide to do. Number two, I just want to point out that this is the role of the CRA. Now, we can't go in there and and maintain a park that the city is already maintaining. We can't do that. But if we make the capital investment
into a city park, we can continue to maintain it because we made the capital investment. That's the way the law reads. Now, we can't because we made the, you know, we made the capital improvement. Uh so we're allowed to
maintain it. So it is allowed. Um but if the board feels otherwise then you know that's fine. Um we will and I like the idea about um I like the idea about the training we could do that as well. Uh we can have a meeting with uh uh the nursery uh
flamingo nursery that did the planting and they were very professional. They had 15 people out here uh a crew of 15 people out here planting all this stuff. Uh they mapped it out. uh they put the irrigation where it needed to go. So, they know what they're doing. I was impressed with what they were doing. Um
and so if we want to have them come back out and we could pay them to do that and talk with the beautifification committee um and use them as, you know, just backup, I'm open to that as well. But we do need to have an extra pair of eyes on this park. I mean, I was out there right
now before I came here. There's still some stuff that needs to be get done right now because even though the planting took place on Friday, I'm embarrassed that you went to go see it. Um because the mulch is uh we need mulch liners there. The mulch is all spread out because the chickens are now uh
getting in there messing it up. There's some grass that's growing, you know, uh through the through the mulch. All that stuff needs to it's a pet peeve of mine, but we need some extra eyes on there to take care of little small things like that. Um, and if the city, you know, again, this is your decision. I I think
we can do it. It's not that much money. I think we've been paying uh $200 every two weeks or $200 a week or something like that. I think it's like $400 a month uh to have it maintained twice a week. Um I mean twice a month. Okay.
Board member telling then I see you do. Okay. So I would like for you one the city has a an aggressive approach on beautifification. So, I would like for you to take vice mayor's suggestion and have a conversation with the city manager. Yes. And create a maintenance plan for the park and then if you all
can come to or if you can come to some kind of resolution, bring that to the city. But hence, as it relates to the maintenance, that's why I said allocation of $5,000. One, it does need to be completed because the mulch coming out. They don't have any the the the
guards are not there. So there's other things that need to be done to enhance enhance what what is already there. But I totally agree with vice mayor. Have that conversation with the city manager and allow her the chance to actually do the work. We can't say what happened
prior to that's not what's here right now. So give her the opportunity and in the interim allocate a certain amount from what's left over for maintenance and to complet and for completion of what's already there. That's just my suggestion. So we don't have to do the
extra allocation because we pay the the maintenance crew out of other contractual services which is where we're transferring the money to. So that won't be necessary. That's the outline item that we pay them out of anyways. Um so we will continue based on this conversation uh to do that for two
months. Um, and then we will turn over the maintenance of it uh to the city and I will have a meeting with the uh city manager to let her know that and I will offer the the availability of the crew that planted it to come in and and do
like a workshop with uh with the beautifification crew. Uh board member Santiago. Uh thank you madame chair. Um I agree uh with the idea what the vice mayor say before and I also you
know take some point from from the mayor or the what I heard from the uh director of the CRA and I want to make it clear for the data. Um he said that when he he found a park he he you found it in
totally uh disordered and uh and we're not maintenance but we say that we giving some maintenance before and we're talking about training who we going to training the people that we have in the beautifification team. Yes in Polish
work. Yes. Oh that's good. Yeah, that's we want that's I think a good idea to teach them because they don't do a good job. That's a that that he make he make it clear and I believe that that's a good idea to make that training for for
the people that we already have. Well, and that team Thank you uh uh thank you to everyone for the suggestions. I think that uh Mr. director. I think he has it. Um uh uh I think that we as we move
forward, I think that uh well, I know that the director have been meeting with the city manager and um whatever uh little tweaks that need to be done, they've been able to come together and get it done. So, the suggestions that
we've made about um the training, I think that's good and it's a added plus to the uh would be a added plus to the city and that's what we're here for to work together to make things happen. So,
um uh you have something else in Yeah, not not on this issue. Just because I know um uh my colleague is going to kind of help plan the ribbon. I mean, we don't want no more of them times when nobody can be there for ribbon cutings. I think the chair made that clearly, you
know, some, you know, when nobody's there and it's our thing. So, uh, but, uh, uh, the the garden is beautiful. It is beautiful. I think that the community is going to love it and I think it's going to be um the purpose
that it was there is for it to be a butterfly garden and for butterflies you got to have certain plants and so I think that we have done that and um I know that the director have been telling me continuously how he wants it to stay
looking nice but we got to also remember that we're here to help the city. We're not uh you know we're not going to take it over. We're here and I think that's the consensus of the board that we work with the city and the city staff and uh
so training would be great. Okay. All right. And then when they're training, even us that uh you know want to learn a little bit about hoticy culture, all of us that want to learn a little bit about culture will come out and
learn about uh butterflies and plants. Well, we don't mosquito out there and no chickens. Uh we got them all over the place. Um Yeah.
Um, roll call please. Sorry. Before we start, um, just because you know the discussion, I just want to make sure that if the consensus is to modify exhibit A to include some additional um, funds for the ribbon cutting that in
the motion that you modify the title of the resolution, if that makes sense. Um I I don't know whether we don't we don't have No, I don't think that would be necessary because um where we should
have the monies all the monies will be allocated when he moves them to contractor services that he knows that that's what we know that that's what I'm thinking. Sounds good. Okay. I was just making sure. Thank you. Thank you very much,
sir. Mr. Direct, not director, Mr. Clerk. Vote. Board member Kelly, yes. Board member Taylor, yes. Vice Chair Williams, yes. Board member Santiago, yes. Board member
Bass, yes. Board member Irving, yes. Board Chair Russell, yes. Okay. Discussion items, Mr. Director. Um, discussion items. So originally we were supposed to have a workshop last
last month uh to talk about uh the properties that we are in the process of purchasing in downtown Opaaka. Um that and and Greg was going to come and give us basically an overview of what is allowed from a planning and zoning uh
perspective uh to be built on those um lots uh in the future if we ever decide to go down that road. Um so he he was he was available last month but he was unavailable this month but we will set that up again uh when he is available for us to have that
conversation with him. I am going to take this opportunity to let you know and again you know some of you we communicate with a lot because you call us a lot. Some of you we don't communicate with a lot with um but I take these board meetings as meetings as
informational meetings because it's the only time that we can all sit and talk together. So that's why these discussion items are here. Um so that we basically can have a meeting to talk about them since we don't have that opportunity. Uh that's why it's not filled with resolutions. Um but discussion items
just so you know some of the projects uh that we're dealing with. Um so on the on the purchase on the property purchase uh we have closed and we are the owners of 391 Opaaka Boulevard and 879 uh Fisherman Street which is which is the
um building across the street needs a lot of work. U we're now landlords uh which is a whole another issue because we're actually supposed to I I stay awake at night because I haven't collected mage rent um from the tenants. We have to figure out how to do that.
Um, but we do need to We did a tour today with the former owner uh of the facilities. We've been in there before, but we actually did a formal tour. We got the keys. We know where the light switches are. Uh, we need to transfer, you know, some of that stuff over to our
name. Um, but, you know, this is where we talk about this. This is the only time we get to talk about this. What are we going to do with it? We own it now. We own both the front and the back. Um, wow. I'm looking at possibly hiring a property management company to help us,
you know, with maintaining these properties and dealing with the tenants because I don't want David, our attorney, uh, David Tuls has offered to help us with, uh, legal aspect of dealing with the tenants.
Everybody's on a month-to-month basis right now. Um, they have been for a long time. Um but there are if we want them out and we want to repurpose it, there are ways that you have to go about doing that that that that you know we need to abide by. Uh if we want them to stay, we need
to get them off of month-to-mon leases and get them on on real, you know, yearly lease lease uh or something in writing between us and them. There's nothing right now. All that needs to be done by either a property management
company or or our attorneys. Um, so we own it. Uh, and I want to know what you want to do with it. Uh, now that we own it, we can keep it and just hold it and have it the way
it is now. We can paint it. I do plan on painting it. I do plan on making some fixed uh, upgrades to it just so it looks a little better, not much. But ultimately, you all decide um what you want to do in the long in
the short term, in the midterm, and in the long term with the property cuz it's yours now. Well, Madam Chair, sounds good to me. But, uh, board member tell I was only going
to make a suggestion that you meet with everybody oneonone to see our suggestions and then at that workshop that Mr. Gay is going to bring to us and you present to us with a proposal once you get all of our suggestions. Okay, that's fair.
Member uh Irvin. Yes. Um just a suggestion. I know we buying properties and stuff. I kind of think CRA needs it needs a color. You pass by one of our buildings, you know, it's ours because that's our color. Just a suggestion or
anything. Sounds good. Don't talk about Brandon because she gonna start talking about signage. You know, that's my thing. Put a nice big sign up there. But um uh Mr. Director, all of the spaces in
the front, are they occupied? So, four of them are occupied supposedly. Four of six. four of six are supposedly, but you only really see two active
um operations, which are two kind of thrift thrift stores. Uh the gym is supposed to be open, but I've never seen anybody in the gym. They're there at night. Yeah. That's why I haven't seen them, but so I guess that's open. So that would be the third. And the
empanada place is supposed to be open, but I've never seen anybody serving empanadas. So I don't but evidently they're on time on their rent uh and they pay every month but I've never seen anybody in there the time that I've gone there. So there So it's two thrift
stores and the gym. And then what about the space in the back? Is that even in a like is it does it need to be renovated or is it in a a space where it could be rented out right now? It would take some it take a lot of work. take a lot of
work to get that to um be rentable. Okay. It's it's a mess in there. The whole place is a mess. I mean, where is that located again? Yes. Uh right here. Board member. Sorry. Building right here.
Oh, okay. What happened? Board member uh he didn't know Santiago didn't know where the building happened in the window. Hold on. Uh, get out of here. Yeah. Um, I I like the idea of meeting with us one on one.
We just need to have those meetings like as soon as possible so you can have an idea of what we're thinking. I don't want to talk too much in the open public and give somebody an idea of what we're thinking. So, I would hope we have individual meetings. you did mention uh
and I totally agree not just because of that one but even some of the others we have with the property management company um and I know you mentioned that the attorney said they would be willing to help with the legal aspects but I believe the property management company console would probably need to have to
go out I would assume um based on what you would be asking for in the scope of services have you um began to put that together are you still working on something or you just waiting on direction from the board cuz I don't think that's something you ought to be trying to collect rent and sending out
letters and all of that. Uh that's the job of a property management company, but I also want to get someone who really knows what they're doing because our portfolio of properties is is growing and what have you. So, um I I do like that idea and hopefully you can
have the next meeting um an RFP or something to go out um because you've had a chance to look at what it would entail and what we'd be looking for. So, we can have someone a company to do the management of of our properties um that we have. And sometimes those folks that
do that um because they're in that field could offer some suggestions even on some of the things that are there and what the market and what the community what the South Florida is really looking for um in certain areas. And the other part you said the tenants that are there
on monthtomonth um leases etc. But we're not um because we made decisions just letting them float monthto month. Correct. Okay. So that would be part of discussion you have with us oneonone about that. Okay.
Um I think that's the proper in my opinion to do it that way. But I would just say to us make ourselves available so we can meet so by the time we meet again because we know we going to hit the summer and everybody will be going all over the place and some of these loose ends need to be tied up before we
all start breaking um all over the place cuz we got now we on it. So, it's like we pass by there and it looks bad or something needs to happen downtown. We can't point anybody else cuz we on it. And I know it's a bigger picture than just CRA. I know the city needs being
part of that whole discussion, but we can't blame anybody else now cuz it's ours. Whether it's branding, whether it's the color scheme that uh uh my colleague is mentioning, whatever it is, we own it and I'm glad to see we own it so we can make a decision. So, do you
think you would be able to have that RFP or whatever before us by the next meeting or you need more time to develop it? Um, I would need more time. I also think that the RFP process would take a little
longer than what I think we need. I I would suggest that um I've already started talking to people and firms about this idea. Um, so I would suggest that in order for it
to be quick quicker that I be able to bring a resolution to you for you all to pick. I'm I'm I'm sorry. I'm not in favor of that one. Okay. I'm not in favor of you just picking. I'm in favor of a piggyback. You got somebody that's established that you think it would work
out. Uh uh you know that that the CR could piggyback because they've already got contracts, you know, government that we piggyback. That's that's who I would be talking to. Yes. Well, you didn't use the term piggyback. You just said you've been talking to. So yeah, cuz I I want if it's a piggyback that somebody
already, you know, that we could utilize to make it quicker. I'm in favor of that. Um yeah, that's a quicker process. But again, even that will come along with your discussion and meeting with us oneon-one so you can get ideas of what we think ought to be part of that um
assignment of that property management company. But I I'm in favor of a piggyback if obviously that's quicker um that we need to do that. But yeah, if it's a piggyback, I'm I have no challenge with it and you get that done then by the next meeting potentially.
Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. Vice Chair Williams, I see you. Nope. Oh, I'm sorry. Um, anyone else? Madam Chair? Yes. Just to reiterate, um, what I think board member Urban said something about
color, something like that. Um, I according to what director just said is a lot of work needs to be done, but I would like to see some paint yesterday because it is ugly. If we can, you know, make it pleasant to the eye, if only for
now, that would be a great start. And I the city has a color code, right? They have a color code that uh we can look at and um since uh board member Iran uh is the color lady on the sign
lady uh maybe you know she could look at some colors and just give you some suggestions so that once you get started you know that could be done. Uh my question was uh the the tennis that's
there um they showed interest in staying we um yes well can we can we have some type of something put in place to the front area
that if if they're going to be a thrift store um uh I'm trying to use the politic correct it doesn't have to look um you know they can clean up the front
and I think the their goods should be inside the store not along the sidewalk. So if when we talk to them if we could just let them know that that's a concern that have always been a concern of people passing by you know um uh that
that area that needs to be cleaned up as well. M madam chair. Yes. When you finish. Uh and also my next question, do we allow cars to park where uh people allowed to park in the in the back that
parking lot there that belongs to us and I see when I pass by there it's full of cars. So I don't know who's parking there. Um, so, um, that's one thing that we need to, um, we need to look at as
well. Who's utilizing the parking lot? Um, I don't know whether it's the clinic on the, uh, north side that's doing it or is it people that's coming to the state building that's doing it, but it's full of cars in the morning?
Yeah, it's um, mostly the clinic. Most at night. The clinic. Oh, and we park over there now, too. So, Oh, okay. Okay. So, the mayor doesn't get uh tired of me calling him asking to use his space. The the parking is very difficult
in the morning here. It's very difficult to find parking. So, I know we've been using it. Um and and when I'm there, I see the people from the clinic using it as well. Okay. Okay. I was just wondering because I see cars there all the time, but front
of it really needs to be tidied up. Need to talk to the tenants and let them know they need to tidy up the chair. Yes, sir. Um thank you. Um to close this conversation, um the turners they they are still
there. Um the director say that they are month to month in the in the uh rent. Um and the chair talking about to asking them to clean the front or to make some changes in the front and who is going to
be in charge of that to pay whatever the thing that they do in the front because if we tell to they doing it we given the opportunity to say that they want to stay there when a contract or something like that and that's something that I don't think that we need it right
now because we had to make decision in the future. I know the majority is going to make the decision. So that's my suggestion. Yes. Leave leave everything the way it is right now after they coming with some ideas or news idea to see really what are we going to do here
in downtown of Opaaka. I believe that we have plans and vision to beautify the city and to make it look like a you know like a real city for the today for the time that we live. Um that's the reason
why that I ask him to be sure that's a place right here and I know that we have the back restaurant there. I don't know if it that belong to us too. Yes. Okay. Yeah. And um it is time it's time to make some decision in in two three four weeks one month but the decision is
going to be the majority here that we going to decide. Yes. Whatever whatever is going to happen for now I think leave the people the way they are. Well, I wasn't saying for us to uh for us to do anything in particular except for tell them that they need to move their
services inside the building. Sometime they have a lot of things outside on the sidewalk and people that sidewalk is for people to walk up and down. But that that was my concern. Not that we need to go in and do no massive cleaning. Well,
now now they are the owner. They they they can tell and you know anything that they want to see out there and they have to do in it. Yeah. Is that one more question? I'm sorry. Is it mixed use? That building is zoned for mixed use
commercial I believe. So yeah. Thank you so much. It's overlay because of the transit oriented. So it has multiple things can be multiple uses that that's why I said when he meets with us and get our ideas right um I think we're a little too far on the road. I understand
what you're saying in a sense about telling them move stuff inside, but we're kind of I don't want us to get that far down the road because there's so many uses potentially for that the whole area. Okay. The whole area. Okay. All right. I see you uh vice chair. No.
Uh vice mayor just uh so thank you. Okay. Nick, you want to move to the next item? So I believe that we're scheduled to close. Um, oh, and by the way, we also have to get insurance. I'm looking at that now as well. Um, on on on these
properties, um, and also eight U the church. So, I think we're scheduled to close on that. The mayor helped us out to get the last document that we needed uh to close. Uh, so we should be closing in two weeks on
uh on the church. Great. and we will have both discussions at the same time. Now on the church, I have been I think I told you this before at a previous meeting. Um there was a competition with the
church. Somebody else wanted it as well, but we got into contract before they got into a contract. And there was a big housing developer in town. I'm not going to say their name. there was a big housing developer in town, but they did reach out and call us when they knew that we were close to closing. Um, and
so I do know that we should be receiving an unsolicited proposal to develop the church site based on the plans that they had uh previously, but again, we'll have all those discussions um in the workshop.
Okay. Okay. Someone else? Nope. Can we move on? Yes. So, the other item is uh how about we skip to uh well on page 79 is it the project 176 we could do this quick. It's and
this is this is just to show you just to give you a snapshot of of I don't think all the projects are here but these are all the projects that we're working on on page 176. Oh, okay. And I'm glad you brought Madam Chair. Yes, sir. All right. So, my only
suggestion for this because we're doing a lot and when we had the round table, one of the residents said, "What is the CRA doing? We don't know what y'all are doing." And I know that we have a social media page, but it's not being utilized. We need to start promoting the things
that the CRA is doing. So, I'm I'm receiving I'm sorry to interrupt you. Just so you know, we I received the first proposal this week. Um because, you know, somebody told me a story about when a woman broke down at uh the fact
that her house was getting improvements at a need and she could. So, what we've done, it gave me the idea to do what I've done previously, which is to hire a video videographer. Um so, now what we're going to do is I got the
first proposal this week. Um, I'm we're getting another proposal and so we'll have people coming out on a weekly basis to interview commissioners, to interview grantees, uh, to interview to take picture video of the park and then make short snip videos that we could put on
social media to let people know what we're doing. When a contractor is out, like the liquor store for example, you know, you're concerned about what's happening with that. We're waiting on the roof permit. Uh, the roof permit was done over the weekend. and they they finished replacing the roof. Um the AC
was installed. So now we're going to be moving into the paint phase and the parking lot phase. Um but while they're out there doing that work, make sure that the videographer is scheduled to be there when they're doing that work so he or she can take shots, make a small video, and put it on put it on the um on
the internets. Um so do we still I know there was an issue with the social media. Do we still have you still can't get logged in or any something like that? Y'all couldn't find the username and passwords or So, yes, we we had
issues with the old uh social media site for the CRA. So, what I went ahead and did was create a brand new one. So, we have a CRA uh Facebook page that we can promote. It's we just need to create
content and start posting. Okay. Can I make a recommendation? Yes. Would it be possible for us to actually post anything that we develop on the city's channel? And I see I was just about to say the intim of that. Can we just put it on the and and I want to just maybe articulate why as opposed to
us having to start a new channel and then build up the followers. We could utilize uh the city's channel which already has a bunch of followers. And I think just the way the content is created where obviously we highlight that this is the opalaka CRA. Um but I would uh maybe recommend that versus us
actually trying to get people to follow us. Good idea. I like that. I like that suggestion. And I know hiring people takes time. So Mr. Jerome, my suggestion, we're all millennials. These meetings right now
pictures those phone we could do it on our iPhones. We could and just promote this stuff. We don't have to wait on someone to come out, take a video, edit the video, and then that's just a a snap. We do it all the time. All of us do it. But I don't think that should be the the excuse. We got to let we got to
tell the story of the um CRA because we're doing a lot. And what they're saying in Tallahassee is that we're not doing anything. And that's the furthest from the truth. But we can't defend it if we're not showing it. That's that's my little sense. And I'm done. And and I want to say that um
on the right behind the liquor store those apartments I think we gave them uh we gave them some money. I am so happy that place is painted. It looks so good. Very nice. I mean for years it have looked like dread city.
But now it is uh the color might not be the best, but the paint on that apartment has made that corner look much better. The painter did a really nice job. Yeah. So, they're not finished. They're going to do the um they they
will do the um the gate the the the the gate and then painting the wall that's around the gate on the outside. So, it'll come out nice. And they put our sign up on one side. they're going to put it on the other side. I saw that. I saw that. But just the building itself for me was was great. So, and um when I
look at all of these projects that we have going on um in the last two years, I must say that the CRA has been doing we I know we have a lot to do and in our new budget coming up um you know, we're
looking to do uh more, but all of these um uh projects that we're doing um I think we're doing a great job. This is a great start for us as a CRA and I would like for us to send something to our
state reps. So they will have it in hand to see because although they lobbyed for us, all they talked about was what was going on in Miami Guard. Always always they and if I said that they
should have had this right here they should have had this in their hand to see what's going on in Opalaka cuz we are doing something and um I I was I was kind of taken back but please make sure
that our state reps uh Gant and um Jones that and even our senator uh Wilson that they get a copy of this to see what's really going on in Opalaka.
Yes, ma'am. I was and just so you know on this list so Jerome created a uh well he he set up what's the program called? It's called Jira. It's great. It's it's an online uh project management tool.
So, basically what what we do is we have a page or a work order ticket for each one of these projects and that's where we upload the resolution. That's where we upload uh the two estimates. That's where we upload the invoices, anything
related to the project. So if we ever have any auditors or anyone come back, anyone from the CRA can go to this web page and go directly to that project and pull up all of the pertinent information. Yeah. So I just wanted to let you know it's just not a list. There's also
something behind the list that we couldn't print, but we are making sure that we're crossing our tees and dotting our eyes so that when we do get audited, because we get audited every year, uh, and they pick a project, we we it's easy for us to go in and find all the
information. We're not scrambling around trying to find, you know, support for this invoice or where this resolution is. That it's all in there by the project. So, it's not just this list. Next item um is a proposal. So we're
bringing this to you. This is 1890 um 1900 Alibaba Avenue. Um page, what page is that, Jerome? That is It starts on 177. 177. So, Mr. Aim and I have been talking
probably since the end of last year, beginning of this year um about our we usually have a line item in our budget. And I don't know if you all familiar with this um project or this building, but it's on uh it's on Alibaba Avenue.
It's on the southeast side. Southeast side um of Alibaba at the 18 18th Street site, 1900. It's a courtyard apartment. How many apartments? 14 16 units. Courtyard apartment. Uh he
he'll give you his story, but I'll give you the uh the thought behind this discussion item. Uh we usually have a line item in our budget for developers assistance. Uh usually we put in 800,000
uh towards helping people either do infill stuff or rehab large projects. Um he's brought us this project that he owns that he purchased 5 years ago, seven years ago, and it needs a lot of work. uh currently it's quote unquote
not occupied although every time I go there I see somebody there but it's it's not occupied um and he wants help to fix it and uh and and and uh rehab the place which is which is in the mission of the CRA. Now I explained to him that we don't have
money uh this year. Um, we obviously reappropriated all of our funds in order to purchase the two buildings that we just talked about. Um, but we will start getting the numbers in for the tax roll beginning June 1st and
then we'll have the final number on July 1st. We'll start our budget preparation after June 1st um for the October 1st budget of 2526. Um, he didn't want to wait that long. He wanted he wanted to to get some
kind of feeling about what the board thought about his project and the worthiness of uh of of maybe helping him out. Um I believe and correct me if I'm wrong the budget was um 1.4 $1.4 million to do the whole rehab.
Usually when we're looking at something like this from a what our investment would be um it the range and I've talked to other CRA directors how much usually they would put in uh for a rehab of this this nature and it's usually I've been
told between 30 to $45,000 per door uh on a rehab project. Um, so I offered I mean I didn't offer. I told him what I think we can do is or what I would recommend um is that we do
the $45,000 a door. Um, obviously it would be in exchange for something. Uh, and that would be a that would be a covenant that would run with the property for a period of time that we decide or that we agree upon. uh that
would have whatever restrictions that you would want in exchange for granting $750,000 for the renovation of this um of this building. Um so we're I'm not there yet. uh we he he wanted to have
this discussion uh to just to get the feeling and I and I agreed uh because if there is some appetite on the board to assist with this project then I need to know that going into budget preparation so
that I can put enough in that line item to to to deal with this project. Um, even though I guess that's it. You want to I mean, you're doing well. So, I even though I offered him that, he still wasn't happy. So, that doesn't make me
very happy because I think we uh we we offered a lot in terms of 750. Uh, it's it's, you know, half almost half of the project costs. Um, but I think he'll be satisfied with it because I'm not going any further than that and my
recommendation, but you can take it over from here. Okay. So, good evening all. Um, I believe I spoke with most of you guys about this project privately in the past. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance Oh, I didn't have the pleasure to
speak with Commissioner Bass and I spoke with Commissioner Santiago few weeks ago, but this has been since 2017 when we purchased this property. We had envisioned what we wait to renovate the
16 units. They're all two bedrooms, one bath. And we wanted it to do like a courtyard playground in the center for like uh children entertainment. Ideally, that was the goal, but we ran into some issues with uh our parking
spaces in the past, and you know, I've been working with Mr. Gay diligently to try to come up with a some sort of conclusion. What can we do because we're stuck there. So we came up with ideas in the past and then when the ideas came about
and they were proposed to you guys guys agreed but then I couldn't utilize them because we were talking about mechanical parking. You can't really use mechanical parking in front of the buildings. Oh the the the last suggestion that I this is where I'm at. This is like the journey that we've been
taking. Well, let me just I got my guys here. Uh that's one. He's part of our architectural engineering department. And that's Andrew who's part of our He's gonna be the project manager for this project. I only want to say something
because I got him on overtime right now. So, hurry up. Yeah, better talk fast. So, I mean, the the concept is like I really wanted to I really want to I'm part of this community. I've been here
since 2017. I have a manufacturer here. So, we've been here I'm personally invested in this community. I don't want this to be my one and done. No, I want to be here for a long time. I want to be able to develop more. I want to be able to work with you guys on other future projects. We've worked on like we have
15 open projects currently in Miami Day Camp South Florida and which is Andrew is part of majority of them. And so the idea is to get this thing going. my time frame on this. If all goes well, from what I understand, what
what we spoke about, which is October, he's assuming that you guys will have some sort of funding, which is good. As long as I get some sort of resolution, I can get my architect my architects and my engineers to start developing plans and so we can submit and sit with Mr.
Gay and discuss what kind of what can we do? How do we how do we kind of unify it in the form of Opalaka and work with you guys really handinand and and with the with the units there. Now that's my goal. If I can get this done and I can
get some sort of an agreement with you guys from now like some some sort of something that we can agree to. I can go find the rest of the funds elsewhere. I can start a microte. We can start removing a lot of that debris that's that's in the area. I mean, I've been
there for seven years and we've been maintaining it. We've never got violations on there. So, we've been really maintaining. We might have every now and then some people go in, but I mean, you can't really stop that. So, but I do have like my management company who we my management department who they
go there every month, they make sure everything's taken care of, there's no trash or debris there. All the while waiting for this opportunity here. So, we have been, you know, diligently working with Mr. the zoning department director who's been
lovely and you all I mean that's basically the story. I mean everything we have here I think you said it if you're trying to get like Florida to listen and Tallahassee to listen this would be the pillar of it because of that triangle. This would be kind of like the
image of that triangle. I'm telling you the way I got it going in my mind been going on in the triangle. So, we we've had some very good things going on, but we appreciate your uh your you uh your
proposal. We have heard from our director where he's thinking about going with this and um uh does the board have any input if we know that it's nothing that we can do until our next fiscal
year? We know that because we have and then we also have some things that we took off the table in order to purchase these properties. And um I I see I'm looking down here because I I hear children playing on the pond. So uh we
want to keep all those things in mind as well. But um um please board members if you all want to chime in. But knowing that we have a budget, we have a guideline that we have to pack, we have to follow. And our budget next year is
uh when we will have anything to even talk about. And then we'll talk about all of the projects that we have taken off the table this year in order to make um the projects that we have a go. So,
um, we want you to understand this is not something that's going to be voted to go in the budget now, but we will. And let's hear from the board members. Thank you. I have a couple concerns. Yes, ma'am. Cuz as you were speaking, I
totally recall that property and the major issue we had was the parking. M so my thing is whether or not we as a board decide to um bless you with the finances you're
asking for. I think we need to be clear with the city first as it relates to the parking because to allocate that those funds to you and not knowing if the city is okay with the parking that's another issue.
Ideally, ideally when I spoke with Mr. Gay about this uh years ago, uh the last option that we had uh other than like finding other lots or something, we thought about like something called u off-site parking and
no one in that area would want to work with us directly. So, or sell us anything and to this day, we've attempted purchasing property in order to build a parking space. May I do you have enough parking for these units? I
have 10 currently, but you have 16 parking spaces, right? 10 with 10 units, correct? Yes. Yes, we do. And it's a car 1.5 1.5 per space per Yeah. So So what what I was coming to was when I spoke with the Mr. Okay. He he said that if we
come up with the covenant with the CRA and because we're going to do it for workforce housing most likely and we're going to do it for the benefit of the community and the people who are renting from there most likely I mean transportation public transportations are accessible like this is basically
for that form of individuals the ones who are working that needs to be you know consistently enduring transportation. But that's no guarantee. And in what regards of them not having their own transportation? Oh, I mean, I'm sorry. Somebody was getting ready.
Yes. Uh I I don't I don't uh Commissioner Bass, uh board member Bass, I think that your concerns are very valid because that was going to be my concern. If you don't have the prop proper parking and we're talking about
16 units and and the you really only zone for how many parking spaces? Probably eight. Eight. I would say eight and 16. So I don't even know whether this is something that we as a CRA uh
Mr. director, board members, you all can help me out if this is something that we should entertain until we make sure that cuz we don't want to allocate money and then they come back to us and say, "Well, y'all told us y'all were going to give us some money if there's a problem
with the uh the logistics with the city compromise, you know. So, we don't want to put ourselves out there to say we're going to do anything." This is just my suggestion that we're going to do anything until we have some type of
resolve with that. So, I can appreciate you coming to us and putting this on the table, but Mr. director. I don't think that we should be uh putting ourselves out there and we're not sure about that
parking because it clearly says here 16 two bedrooms and if he doesn't have parking for 16, it's not going to happen. So, I'm I'm new to this argument. Uh thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate what you're saying and again, the will of the board
is what I do. Um but but this place was was uh and I don't know anything about this parking situation but it was operational at some point I assume right is correct been out of compliance but they were out of they were not within
compliance because what I think what the city is trying to happen trying to stop is everybody parking along the street. So, if you get an apartment complex with uh 16 apartments, 16 residents, and you
only have parking spaces for eight, those people are going to start parking along the street, and we're going to have the same problem that we have on the other side of Alabama with everybody parking on the streets, and we can't get through in the morning time. The traffic
is backed up because everybody's parking on the street. And I know uh um uh board member Kelly through Meatly Mondays have heard residents complain about the parking of people parking on the
streets, you not being able to see when you're coming out to the street. So I don't know whether this is something that we want to even uh uh be discussing and the city have not given a resolve. Now we can hear from Madam Chair. Yes sir. Yeah, thank you for the
opportunity. Again, I I want to make it clear. I know that I spoke to that gentleman like a month and a half ago, not two weeks ago, like a month and a half ago. Okay? And the issue the issue that they bringing to my table is the same issue that we be talking about and
I agree with uh um uh Pier Bass and and you okay because it's true. Uh we had to follow first, okay? the rules that we have in the city about the regulation of parkings. If you have a 16 apartments
for sure and that 16 apartment maybe going to be there are three people living in each one or two. Let's put in three and we're going to have restrictions. I'm sorry. I didn't mean May I finish please? Yes sir. Yes sir. Yes. Go ahead. And it's not going to be only
16. It can be maybe 20 or 23 spaces for cars. I mean we have a problem there. And I agree with you. We right now we not supposed to even touch that because it's not the a situation that the CRA can okay management and another thing is
I like to be clear and and and when I talk I I love to talk you know to say the truth okay I heard something from uh the director of CRA that you don't even know about the parking situation. Well, I know I know Well, I knew about
the parking situation cuz um one of the board members brought it to me, but I wasn't I don't know in depth about what the issue. Yes. You don't know the history. I mean, you Yeah. It's new for you now what we talking you know to do. Yes. Okay. And I agree with the uh chair and the
members. Let's keep it away from now. Let's of that company or the person to resolve the problem first. Yeah. With the city. With the city. Yes. Board member Kelly. Madame Chair, um yeah, I met with this
uh with the gentleman a long time ago and his issue is parking. Um and it's still parking, but my concern is even greater than that and I'm really going to say this to the director uh going forward because I could see this becoming a pattern. We're still in this
fiscal year. Anybody that wants to offer something, propose something, needs to come when the year starts because even even if we felt like we we wanted to do this and kind of semi-gave our we like it, we like it, it still wouldn't be good because then you have everybody
coming in advance, we don't have the money yet. We don't know what it's going to take to do downtown development. We to start to do something. So I I don't in all respect to him, I don't even think we should be having a discussion for folks who want future money. I don't like that on the city side. I don't like
on the CR side. Um, and that's not even getting into the parking because everybody already knows how I feel about parking. Um, it's already been expressed. But for the future, cuz somebody may be watching, oh, okay, maybe I'll go next month because I got an idea. I got something I want to do.
And maybe the city will, you know, CRA will look at thinking some money for the future. Let's not even think about the future dollars because we don't know yet what we want to do with some of the projects that we got. As the chair mentioned, we've already scaled back some of our our budget line items
already to do what we did buying properties. So, I'm saying futuristically, I I know and and anybody can come, but next time they come, put them under the public presentation. Give them three months for whatever you want to present and the board doesn't have to
address it because, you know, we're expressing our concern, which is good. We shouldn't be doing that at this point. We're not we're nowhere near that because we don't have any money. We don't have any money. So in the I'm saying for the future cuz somebody's watching and they may have a great idea we like may be a parking
issue is he has the challenge. Maybe something has parking and everything's great but they're trying to get in on the front end before the budget is even done and we shouldn't even be having those discussions. So I'm saying to you people can come they can make a present presentation unsolided this or what they
want to do we'll put them under public presentation so they can have their say and the chair and the board can decide we want to even talk or just let it pass for the moment because having a discussion about future funding that we haven't even got yet is not something we should be doing as a board has nothing
to do really with his issue. Everybody knows how I feel about parking. It's still the same challenge. He He's correct. He's tried to buy properties around him for the parking. It just wasn't work. But for it to work financially, he needs to do this. Mechanical parking would cost him too much because I even suggested that. Um
but I I'm not ready to even have a discussion on that because we don't have any money. We don't have any money. And that and Madam Chair, I'm just saying that futuristically because I can see somebody tuning in and we're talking about future money, potential blessing. Okay. Think it's a good idea and we
don't have the money yet. So, we don't want to put ourselves out there and then people come back and say, "Oh, but you all told me that you might be able to do this." I don't think that's a good move for us to make as a board. So, so Madam Chair. Yes, sir. So, I would like your
advice. Um because we will have other people out there asking for the same thing they already have. Um I'm I've been talking to two other property owners uh near
this property um in very that that own very dilapidated buildings uh on this Alibaba um road right near his property. We've been talking to these property owners because that's what we're supposed to
do. Clear slum and blight. Um, we talked to them about budget. Usually, we budgeted $800,000 for developer assistance. That's what you've done in the past. That's what we've done last year. That's what we did this year. Obviously, we defunded it in order to
make the purchases of the property, but we we um funded 800,000 in the line item for developer assistance. The reason why and then June 1st, as I said when this item began, we're going to get the county of property appraiser numbers about what we could
think what what the budget could possibly be um after July 1st when they do the final numbers. So after July 1st and and you guys take an August break, we will be preparing a budget for October 1st. Okay? So what
I'm going to need what I need from you all is and again we could do this here we could do this you know in in in in individual meetings is to present to you these three projects that may come to you for developer assistance so that I
can so that we can evaluate them to see if we want to put them in the budget uh for for next year. Uh they are for example I know that the other two buildings um we tooured one the other day and that's you know his is 750 the
other two are probably 300,000 a piece. Um so if we just went off of if we just went off of um what we budgeted in the past 800,000 uh we would not be able to help somebody in that scenario. Madam
Chair Yes. Uh I I don't think maybe I didn't make myself clear. Let me just speak for board member Kelly. Everything you just said is good, but that's the oneonone meeting. Anybody's coming to you that want to come to us, fine. Anybody can come to a meeting, make a
public presentation of what they would like for us to consider. I'm just saying at this point, we don't have the money. Projections going to come in. Uh potential numbers will come in. You can say to us in those individual meetings, whoever's coming to you, you think it's
good, bad, or maybe we can entertain it, but not for this setting. We don't need to talk about anybody money that we don't have cuz we don't know what we're going to have. And I'd rather at this point know we're going to get money that's going to come in to the budget
through our funding. And we know because we've got things we want to do downtown and other areas of projects and properties we own that we may still not want to fund that line item with 800,000. I don't know. But we shouldn't be having this discussion in this
setting and we don't have the money. I mean that that's bottom line. I'm saying it's nothing against this gentleman or the ones that have come to meet with you. Again, if they just want to bring their information forward, put them under public presentation, let them
know. You have the right to come speak, give the board any kind of flyer, presentation you want to do in that time frame. But for us to even have any discussion or comment, a yay or nay or whatever until we got the money and you say to us in the budget that we've
passed, board, we've got x amount of dollars. Here's my recommendation. what are your thoughts? And we pass it and know it's in there. To me, anything else is premature. And I'm really saying that because I know, like I say, people are watching. Um, and nothing against this
gentleman. He's come tonight cuz he wanted to come be on the front end and that's fine. Still have the same challenges, but I'm saying futuristically unless we got the money. There's no discussion. You can have those individually so you can get a
sense of what the board is thinking um as a whole collectively. But to me any other discussion about future money being spent is to mean null and void. Null and void. Null and until we know we're going
to do downtown with some of these products we bought. What we going to do with the church? we're going to do with the um old Idis restaurant and some other things we we we own, you know, the Chinese restaurant or anything else we're going to do and get those submitted because they may take us
reallocating dollars. Um, so I'm saying that madam chair just my perspective going forward until we get the money and know if they want to come the next monitor meeting put them under public presentation to make a presentation and not expect the board to kind of weigh in
yay or nay. At least from my perspective. Thank you, Madam Chair. Okay. Thank you. So I just can I say a few more things and uh no I I'm not no like that. I don't mean it like that, but I think that this uh I I apologize, but uh I think we've discussed this uh
enough. I don't think that we should if the it's at the will of the board now, but I don't think we should continue to go on because I don't want it to look like uh we are we are debating your um your your your proposal and uh we
appreciate what you want to do over there in the triangle because there's a lot that needs to be done over there in that area. But um I think that there are a lot of things that need to be worked out before it even comes back to us on
the city side because we don't want to get in the middle of the fight of the parking and whatever the code says that we must follow. So I the proposal is here. We can read it. Everybody can go over it, but I don't want us to keep uh
going uh back and forth. Um uh sir, please. Okay. And um I apologize. Oh, you don't need to apologize. Took it the wrong No, no, I would never. I would never. I understand completely. That's okay. I just wanted to make it as a joke. You know, I sounded like It's
okay. It's okay. We need to Thank you. Thank you very much. And um uh Mr. Director, the next item, please. Um, yeah. I apologize to the manager if if I was if she's right. She just emailed me.
She's upset that I said the city couldn't maintain the park. I didn't mean it in that way. Um, this was a discussion that uh this was a discussion that took place. Yeah. Uh yeah. Yeah. Um anyways, the next the next issue is uh the state
grant. We received a state grant uh for $27,000 to plant trees in the right ofways of the CRA. Uh that's just an FYI. The other
uh the other um idea was uh and by the way I mean well this discussion was had with a previous manager and a previous
beautifification maintenance person. So this is not coming from me just so for the record. Neither of them are here anymore. But when this discussion first started about roadside park, it was said by a former maintenance beautifification
director, not me. It's okay. Let's move on. Just to be clear, uh Dr. Green's proposal for a Chinese restaurant. Um Madam Chair, page 213. Madam Chair. Yes. Really quick, because I know we we're rushing to get out of here, but I'm
going to sound Get out of here. Go ahead. We rushing to get out of here, but I'm going to sound like Vice May Kelly when I say this. I know you're doing the grant for the trees, but when you bring that to the board, can can it be coupled with a maintenance plan as well, please? Yes. Yes. And we're required to have a
maintenance plan for three years. Okay. For the grant. Thank you. $27,000. That's a the maintenance plan is going to be No, doesn't happen. But
uh all right there, uh what's what's the next one? M the next one is uh the Dr. Green's proposal. We talked about this before. Um page 213 and again I just don't like keeping people in the wind and we were supposed to discuss this at the last
meeting. We have an issol proposal to purchase the Chinese restaurant. Uh but I think the last time we discussed this, you all uh you all had um some idea to have the workshop in order to discuss what you wanted to do
with the property, but he's still there. He still wants to purchase. So I'm just bringing it up so that Yes. Okay. Okay. This this was the idea the the uh the garden um the marketplace was a idea
that we all liked. Um it's on the table. We were looking at it. Um he's the guy that wanted to give us a proposal to purchase the Chinese correct uh restaurant. Okay. And that's what the green market that's the green market would be.
All right. Well, we'll keep that in mind. Uh what's the next item, Mr. Director? Um I would like to postpone that item uh because they put the wrong budget. They put the amendment budget in here and not the year-to- date budget. So I'll bring
that at the next uh they put the budget from the first item and not the budget for the year to date. So you you can actually see where we are. Okay. Okay.
Is that that it, Mr. D? For me, unless there are any questions or concerns, questions or concerns for the director. Uh, Madam Chair, just just one. Where are we on the um code office of the CRA?
Very frustrating. Um, so I guess it was about two months ago, a month ago, two months ago, we did an interview of I sat in on the panel. Um, sorry, I sat in on the
panel and uh, we interviewed four individuals. Uh, we ranked the four individuals. I thought they were pretty good candidates. Um, and we ranked them and we all ranked them the same way. One, two, three, four. And we chose the top one. The top
one ended up finding another job. Another person refused to do a background check or something. One person couldn't be contacted and the other one found another job. So, HR called me again and said, "We have to start all over again." Uh, so this week
we have they called me for a meeting for four more people on Thursday. So we're interviewing four more people on Thursday. Um, and that's where we are. And the truck equipment, all of that is
here waiting is the truck. I I was told um what was mentioned last night in Meet Me Monday that the truck is there and it's it and um it's got CRA logo, whatever, and and the signature on it. You've seen it? I have. I have not.
I saw it when they first brought it and it did not have the CRA uh stuff on it, so I told them to put it on there. I have not seen if they put it on there or not, but I did request that they put it on there. So, our our whatever logo, signature, and CRA is is supposed to be
on it, but you haven't seen it. Correct. I saw when they first purchased the truck and I reminded them, Miss Wilcox that uh we had to have our, you know, logo and and name on there and she agreed and they were going to get it.
Last night is on there, but I just want to have you seen it. I have not seen it. I, you know, I haven't seen it either. I have not seen it. Okay. Well, you're the director. I'll let you make sure that it's there or whatever. seems like we're going to be a while till somebody drives it because we having a hard time um
getting the position filled. So, we'll just have to keep up with that. And the other thing I know you said you want individual meetings. So, you're trying to get these meetings scheduled what within the next week I would assume. So, you'll be reaching out within the next week. Um because I'm just concerned
getting into summer and everybody, you know, anything that really needs tightening up before we get that far ahead. Um we make sure that we we do it. Okay. Thank you, sir. I'll call you for the rest of the things I have. Anyone else for the uh any other board
members? Mr. Director, anything else you need for us? I'm ready to move. Hang on a little longer. Not if I Yeah, we got motion to adjourn. All right. This meeting is adjourned. Good job.
Good job. Good job. Record.