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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1597923 - MINUTES - CRA MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING DANIA BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TUESDAY, JUNE 95 2020 - 5:30 P.M. 1. Call to Order/Roll Call Chair Lewellen called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. Present: Chair: Lori Lewellen Vice-Chair: Lauren Odman Board Members: Chickie Brandimarte Bill Harris Tamara James Executive Director: Rickelle Williams City Attorney: Thomas Ansbro CRA Secretary: Thomas Schneider 2. Citizen Comments There were no comments at this meeting. 3. Administrative Reports 3.1 Administrative Report Director Williams reviewed the information included in the agenda packet regarding budget impacts and loss of revenue due to COVID-19. She noted staff continues with their business outreach, and spoke of the business survey, along with the Chamber's survey. She said based on information from the SBA, 1,300-1,400 businesses have received PPP loans, but these numbers have likely increased since the reporting. She spoke about food distribution efforts for seniors; they will be visiting the Saratoga senior building on Thursday to provide food assistance. She noted they plan to open the PATCH market on Saturday, and the Trion project is currently in permitting. There is a pending loan-to-grant conversion; they are waiting on the property values from the Property Appraiser. She provided an update on the First Time Homebuyer Program and the right-of-way signs. Chair Lewellen requested the CRA coordinate their business efforts with the iLoveLocal program to prevent overlapping of coverage. Director Williams noted the CRA would be participating in the Dania Pointe special event for graduating seniors. 4. Presentations There were no presentations on this agenda. 5. Consent Agenda Items Removed from ConsentAgenda: #5.5 5.1 Minutes: Approve Minutes of May 12, 2020 CRA Board Meeting 5.2 Travel Requests: None 5.3 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-CRA-006 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA") OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA, CREATING A DECORUM POLICY; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS;FURTHER,PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Vice-Chair Odman) 5.4 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-CRA-007 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DANIA BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH FLORIDA, AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020 CRA BUDGET BY RECLASSIFYING A FULLTIME POSITION WITHIN THE TABLE OF ORGANIZATION; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; FURTHER, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Vice-Chair Odman motioned to approve the Consent Agenda, with the exception of Item #5.5; seconded by Board Member Harris. The motion carried unanimously. 5.5 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-CRA-008 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA") OF THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH, FLORIDA, CONDEMNING ALL ACTS OF POLICE BRUTALITY, RACIAL PROFILING, AND UNWARRANTED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS;FURTHER,PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. (Board Member James) City Attorney Ansbro read the title of Resolution#2020-CRA-008. Chair Lewellen noted she pulled this item because she questions why it is on the CRA agenda and not on the City Commission agenda. Commissioner James responded there are minority residents who are heavily concentrated in the CRA area and this could be duplicated for the Commission. Minutes of Virtual Regular Meeting 2 Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday,June 9,2020—5:30 p.m. Chair Lewellen said there is a paragraph in the resolution that specifically does not go with the rest of the resolution. She felt it should not be just for the CRA; it should be put as the City as a whole. Board Member James disagreed; the CRA has the most concentrated population of black people. If the resolution is wanted on the Commission agenda, it should be placed there. Board Member Brandimarte does not see why it should not be on both CRA and Commission agendas. Chair Lewellen said her concern is that we are condemning this in one part of the City and not citywide, and that the resolution is not on the City Commission agenda, only the CRA. Board Member James noted it is not saying that this only happens in the CRA area; if the Chair wants to mirror it for the Commission agenda, she should. The item says the CRA Board condemns all the things in the resolution. Vice-Chair Odman said we could also put this resolution on the City Commission agenda. Board Member Brandimarte commented we should put it on both. Board Member Harris said it should be bigger and broader and placed on the City Commission agenda; make it more encompassing of all minorities and that we support it as a whole City. Board Member Harris motioned to make the resolution bigger, broader and citywide for the City Commission agenda. The motion died for lack of a second. Board Member James voiced concerns about the lighting of City Hall in honor of George Floyd without notification of the Commission and the City not putting out a statement on police brutality or racial profiling. She said we do a horrible job at policy, and noted this is her item and should be voted up or down. Chair Lewellen responded no one is saying they are in favor of police brutality, or they agree with anything that has recently happened. She felt we do a good job with policy. Her concern is that this limits this to one neighborhood and is divisive. She simply wants it on a broader scale so it encompasses all of the people it potentially affects, not just for the CRA area. Board Member Brandimarte said she felt compassion and pain for Commissioner James; this is important to her and that should be enough. Board Member James motioned to adopt Resolution #2020-CRA-008; seconded by Vice- Chair Odman. The motion carried on a 5-0 voice vote. 6. Proposals and Bids Minutes of Virtual Regular Meeting 3 Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday,June 9,2020—5:30 p.m. There were no proposals on this agenda. 7. Discussion and Possible Action There were no discussion items on this agenda. 8. Board Member Comments Board Member Brandimarte requested that we put ribbon cuttings on hold for a while. She is seeing places where COVID-19 guidelines not being properly handled, in particular at the recent ribbon cutting for Rodizio Grill in Dania Pointe. Director Williams agreed ribbon cuttings should be delayed, particularly if the establishment wants City personnel to be involved. This was a learning experience that we were trying to accommodate and was the first grand opening since Covid-19. We will move forward with Commissioner Brandimarte's concerns in mind. Board Member Harris spoke of meeting today at Chaplin Gourmet Market where the owner addressed concerns of loss of business and lack of visibility. He mentioned the CRA doing an Ambassador event and assisting with visibility by adding signage; they have been in Dania Beach for nearly one year. Director Williams noted whatever we do going forward, we should make it available to as many businesses as possible. She felt we could put something attractive together for Chaplin Gourmet Market as well as other businesses that may be in need. Board Member James said she is not on board with having an Ambassador Program during COVID. There were large numbers of people who were not family members sitting and eating together at Rodizio Grill. We cannot demand people not go out in public and without a mask, yet we can go to Rodizio Grill and not follow safety precautions. She does not expect anyone to understand where she is coming from; she will continue to fight and bring down walls of discrimination. She has faith this is not a race war trying to be started, but one that is trying to be ended. It starts right here at the CRA Board and at the City Commission; we are all at fault. Vice-Chair Odman commented she liked what Board Member James said about unity; there are opportunities for us to be supportive of each other. When we disagree, there are ways to do it without it feeling like we are breaking down anyone else. Board Member Harris noted that it was just a suggestion at the meeting this morning and asked if Director Williams agreed. Director Williams said during the discussion this morning, the CRA Ambassador Program came up. We could look at a couple of different ways to restart this program. Going forward, everything is going to change with the way we operate. Maybe there is a virtual component to it, Minutes of Virtual Regular Meeting 4 Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday,June 9,2020—5:30 p.m. maybe we have residents going to these places talking about their experiences or even specific groups that gather and support the business. We have to look at things with a new approach and mindset and do things a little differently going forward. Chair Lewellen noted that is why she suggested the videos to avoid having large groups of people gathering. She has seen things going on in the City that are not following the law. Board Member Harris felt part of the exuberance at Rodizio Grill was because people had not been out in a while. He thanked Commissioner James for her comments; there are things we can do better in the future. 9. Information Items There were no items on this agenda. 10. Adi ournment Chair Lewellen adjourned the meeting at 6:25 p.m. ATTEST: COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THOMAS SCHNEIDER, CMC LORI LEWELLEN CPA SECRETARY CHAIR—CRA Approved: July 28, 2020 -a DAN A BEACH COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGOCY Minutes of Virtual Regular Meeting 5 Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday,June 9,2020—5:30 p.m.