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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20210928 Hybrid CRA Board Budget WorkshopMINUTES OF HYBRID BUDGET WORKSHOP DANIA BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 - 5:00 P.M. 1. Call to Order/Roll Call Chair James called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Present: Chair: Vice -Chair: Board Members Executive Director: City Attorney: CRA Secretary: 2. Items for Discussion 2.1 FY2021-22 CRA Budget Tamara James Marco A. Salvino, Sr. Joyce L. Davis Lori Lewellen Lauren Odman K. Michael Chen Thomas Ansbro Thomas Schneider Director Chen gave a brief introduction and reviewed the information included in the agenda packet. Chair James said typically when we have a CRA budget, the Board is asked what projects and programs that they want to do; this hasn't really happened. Whatever ideas may arise, there is limited time. She saw that the City's cost allocation, which went up significantly, is close to $90,000. Frank DiPaolo, Director of Finance, explained when we prepared the cost allocations, we looked at all departments and funds. It is a new approach this year because we created three new service funds. When they were created, we had to allocate from each individual department. We looked at vehicles, who drives them, and insurance, and when we looked at buildings and at the IT Department, we looked at the number of people being supported. The CRA, as well as all other departments, were adjusted. He noted funds will fluctuate from year to year as do one-time expenditures. At the end of the fiscal year, we look at the actual expenditures that occurred and make sure they are allocated appropriately. Chair James asked about the total allocated funds and said IT was not here last year. Finance Director DiPaolo responded IT was part of the City, a department. Chair James said it is over $90,000. Her issue is, the CRA receives roughly the same amount each year and we have not increased it, yet the CRA's allocation to the City has increased. Finance Director DiPaolo explained there was also an increase in costs of staff and the allocation will increase over time. A position was also added to the IT Department, and we need to have the ability to replace equipment. Chair James asked what Director Chen thought of the increases in costs, yet no increase in revenues. The CRA is being charged more for services; she does not understand how the CRA is to sustain without an increase in the allocation to the CRA. Director Chen noted we want to continue the work the CRA has been doing in the community, which is beneficial and successful for the community. There is an additional component added, that is, to be significantly more active in business support in the community; economic development and the business support program. The problem is, at this point, many of the programs are starting to get sustainability, but most of them do not yet have enough definition to create a budget for them. At this point, the business academy will probably be $10-15,000. We did put funding in some line items where we know there will be expenditures. He is going to be working with Finance Director DiPaolo to work with purchasing orders. Chair James asked if Director Chen knows what the Board's priorities are with what they wanted to include in this budget. She has never had a budget meeting with him, although she has requested it, to see what she wants and what the community wants. It is difficult to fight for the budget when we are at September 28th. She questioned why it is that the City's allocation has gone up which leaves less money for programming. If it continues, there will be less and less for the CRA to operate on. Director Chen is not showing that we need a different amount. Board Member Odman referenced the resolution for the TIF for the CRA and noted we were trying to avoid short-changing the CRA. Director Chen said that discussion was approved as a resolution that the City would provide CRA funding equivalent to if there had been a TIF. Board Member Odman noted in past years, there was not enough in the budget and the conversation was re -ignited. She does not know what happened to that conversation. It seems important; otherwise, year after year, we will have a problem with the budget for the CRA. Director Chen said it would probably serve us all well if there could be a joint CRA/City discussion on how that resolution could be implemented. Board Member Odman commented that is fine; she believes there were people who did not want to do it that way. Board Member Lewellen said we had also talked about doing strategic planning for the CRA. Perhaps before we take on new projects for the CRA, we have a strategic plan put in place. This Minutes of Hybrid Budget Workshop 2 Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday, September 28, 2021 — 5:00 p.m. would be the most logical and we would know what we should be focusing on. She felt the workshop should be for strategic planning. Chair James commented she has programs she wants to have implemented in this budget. She is all for the strategic planning knowing that next year these are things we are going to prioritize. She has things for this year she wants prioritize. Board Member Lewellen noted people have brought up projects during the year and not waited until a workshop. She does not see allocating money for programs that we have no direction for ahead of time. Finance Director DiPaolo said throughout the year, a mid -year budget amendment could be made by the City for additional funding for the CRA. Chair James asked for update on the Smith Store project. Director Chen said the last piece was that the drawings and plan were submitted to Broward County for their review; they have not responded back yet. He is going to discuss with Broward County in terms of the need for a revised approach to the Smith properties. Originally, the CRA was going to put out an RFP for a construction firm; we have the drawings. We should put this out for workforce housing and the drawings should be made available to the firm. Chair James asked if we could maintain control using restrictions even though we would not be involved in the design phase. Director Chen responded the RFP can include covenants that we would put on the land for its transfer; whether it is workforce or affordable, there are any number of restrictions we could put on the deed as covenants. Chair James asked when he last talked to the County. Director Chen said it was about four weeks ago. Chair James commented she would really like to see movement on this. It was supposed to be built a long time ago and it deserves more prioritization. Director Chen said the construction drawings did not arrive to us until July of this year; we were waiting for the architect to design three houses. We can include the drawings in the REP package and expects he can move rather quickly with this revised approach. Chair James asked if he is seeking approval or consensus from the Board on this. Director Chen noted he was going to put the five properties with the Smith properties on the same agenda. Minutes of Hybrid Budget Workshop Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday, September 28, 2021 — 5:00 p.m. Chair James said she is not in favor of placing the At Home Dania Beach program in the affordable category. She would rather have a meeting or charrette with people in the CRA before we go and place homes in the community that they cannot afford. This was not the intended purpose of the At Home Dania Beach program. She asked what Director Chen's vision is for the At Home Dania Beach program. Director Chen commented he did not expect to discuss this in detail at a budget workshop. Of course, the CRA wants to offer a wide housing range for all. Chair James noted this program was for low-income housing for people to afford in the community; that was the thought behind At Home Dania Beach. Otherwise, it is not serving the people in the community. Vice -Chair Salvino said he has been working on his own things; if anyone has an answer for affordable housing, he is all for it. This is not affordable to the CRA and there needs to be discussion of prices; you will be shocked when you get those prices. We are in a bad time, and he thinks we should do strategic planning first. He noted Finance Director DiPaolo said we could do a budget amendment. We all have our own opinions; we need to work together to come up with the one we want to accomplish. He loved the way the City's strategic planning went and he would like to move forward with that for the CRA with consensus. Chair James noted it was to be part of the process to update the CRA Plan which the Board already approved to do. Director Chen said correct, he is working on the RFP to update the plan for release in the next 30 days. Chair James commented she would like to see things in the budget we had to cut out before. She would like to see the crosswalk paving happen again as it was approved by the Board before. We have an Art in Public Places fund, but we do not have a board yet. Other projects she would like to see include interior grants as well as the fagade grant. She would like to offer businesses a grant for the interior and have a match for it to help enrich the businesses on the interior as well as exterior. She would want them to get both. Director Chen said regarding any money the City is going to co -invest, going into interior improvement can be significantly more expensive. He would feel the need to find a consultant that could manage and oversee the program in a responsible manner. Chair James thinks this would be good for our businesses; we have done interior grants in the past and she is not sure it would be that difficult to do. It is a good look for our City. Board Member Odman said regarding the crosswalks, all the Board Members had projects and she would need to see that list again if we are going to have this discussion. There was PRIDE and others; she needs the list as a refresher. Chair James asked how long amending the CRA plan would take. Minutes of Hybrid Budget Workshop 4 Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday, September 28, 2021 — 5:00 p.m. Director Chen said it would be a four -month exercise to amend the CRA Plan and explained the steps involved. He has taken the existing plan, updated in 2015, and did a 6-to-7-page summary that describes the goals which he would be glad to share. Hopefully, we could put the RFP out and have candidates soon. Board Member Lewellen commented she feels like we are putting the cart before the horse. We have a budget in front of us and there are a lot of things everyone would like to do, but we are just starting; all these things we stopped for a while and are starting back. It would be more effective to have strategic planning to know what we want to do and then have a mid -year budget amendment. When we have a balanced budget in front of us, this is the wrong time to discuss doing things that we do not know are in line with the CRA plan. There were a lot of things we approved and did in the past that were not part of the CRA plan. We should move forward with the budget as it is. Chair James said the budget does not reflect her priorities and things she wanted as the Chair. She does not want to put everything on hold. We must utilize more of our power as a Board to advocate for the CRA and do things. She noted the Board agreed to update the plan and asked if we would have to wait until the middle of year to do a budget adjustment. Finance Director DiPaolo Frank responded the Board does not have to wait. Chair James said the only way she would go with this budget is to do a workshop next month to get consensus on some of the programs we want to see happen. She wants to be able to stand firm in whatever the budget is and the priorities. She asked if the Board was in favor of doing a workshop to bring some of our priorities back. Vice -Chair Salvino noted he is opposed to 30 days; he would say 90 days. Board Member Davis felt we should have additional time to bring items back for consideration. She is okay with 3 months but favors at least having two months. Board Member Lewellen agreed with having a workshop, but felt we need more than 30 days. We need some king of planning, and she would say 90 days. Board Member Odman said 60 days would be great. Chair James asked about holding the workshop at the first of the year. Vice -Chair Salvino commented perhaps each Board Member could bring some ideas back, maybe three items, at each meeting. Chair James said we can start bringing items back for discussion and possible action. She asked about the second week in January for a two-hour workshop. Discussion ensued about a date and time for a workshop. Minutes of Hybrid Budget Workshop Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday, September 28, 2021 — 5:00 p.m. The Board agreed to hold a workshop on January 13, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. Director Chen noted he would circulate his summary of the 2015 update to the CRA Plan. Chair James confirmed the CRA budget would be adopted at the next CRA meeting. 3. Adj ournment Chair James adjourned the meeting at 6:04 p.m. ATTEST: C THOMAS SCHNEIDER, CMC CRA SECRETARY Approved: October 12, 2021 Minutes of Hybrid Budget Workshop 6 Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday, September 28, 2021 — 5:00 p.m. COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TAMARA JAMES CHAIR — CRA CDM� BEACH ENT AGENCY