Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting, Tuesday, October 8, 2024 (2024-10-08)

City of Deerfield Beach Page 1 Printed on 11/12/2024 Meeting Minutes Community Redevelopment Agency Tuesday, October 8, 2024 7:00 PM Commission Chambers CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order on the above date by Chair Bill Ganz at 7:00 p.m., in the City Commission Chambers, 150 NE 2nd Avenue, Deerfield Beach, Florida. Present: Mr. Michael Hudak Mr. Bernie Parness Mr. Ben Preston Vice Chair Todd Drosky Chair Bill Ganz Also Present: Interim City Manager Horace McHugh City Attorney Anthony Soroka City Clerk Heather Montemayor PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE There was a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes - August 27, 2024 MOTION was made by Mr. Parness, seconded by Mr. Preston, to approve the August 27, 2024 minutes as submitted. Voice Vote: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0 APPROVAL OF AGENDA October 8, 2024 MOTION was made by Mr. Parness, seconded by Mr. Preston, to approve the agenda as submitted. Voice Vote: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0

Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes October 8, 2024 City of Deerfield Beach Page 2 Printed on 12/03/2024 GENERAL ITEMS 1. CRA Resolution 2024/010 - A Resolution of the City of Deerfield Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), adopting the CRA regular meeting schedule for fiscal year 2025; providing for an effective date. The Resolution was read by title only. Kris Mory, CRA Director, briefly outlined the item, which is a standard administrative item. Chair Ganz opened the public hearing; however, there were none to speak and the public hearing was closed. There was no discussion amongst the Board. MOTION was made by Mr. Parness, seconded by Mr. Preston, to approve Item 1, adopted Resolution 2024/010. Voice Vote: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0 2. CRA Resolution 2024/011 - A Resolution of the City of Deerfield Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), approving the Commercial Facade Improvement Program Funding Agreement for Amante Italian Restaurant, LLC (d/b/a Amantes Italian Cuisine & Bob's Pizza) in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00; waiving certain program guidelines; authorizing execution of the Agreement; authorizing a budget transfer within the CRA Fund in the amount of $13,900.00 from the infrastructure and capital improvement account to the commercial facade loan account; and providing for an effective date. (Funds from Account #190-1500-552-39-59 - Commercial Facade Improvements & #190-1500-559-63-04 - Infrastructure and Capital Improvements) The Resolution was read by title only. Kris Mory, CRA Director, explained that the owners would like to be reimbursed through the Commercial Façade Program due to some of the work that was required in order for them to close. Thereafter, designs of the proposed building were displayed. Mr. Hudak spoke in support of the project, as the owners have been a key part of the community. Further, he said other businesses are looking to participate in the program, i.e. parking garage, so he hopes staff can make contact with them to explain the process. Chair Ganz opened the public hearing. Bob Amante, 1432 SE 8th Street, Deerfield Beach, provided a brief background of the time he’s spent in the City. Thereafter, he thanked the Board for their support. Chair Ganz closed the public hearing. Thereafter, he agreed with Mr. Hudak, as this will be a fabulous addition to the S-Curve. MOTION was made by Mr. Hudak, seconded by Mr. Parness, to approve Item 2, adopted Resolution 2024/011. Roll Call: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0 3. CRA Resolution 2024/012 - A Resolution of the City of Deerfield Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), approving a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with the New World Aquarium, Inc., an affiliated entity of the Museum of Discovery and Science, Inc., ("MODS") for consulting and exhibit design services related to the Marine Science Center at Sullivan Park; authorizing execution of the MOU with MODS in an amount not to exceed $700,000.00 for a one-year term, with the option to extend the MOU for an additional six months; waiving the requirements for competitive solicitations set forth in Section 38-116 of the Procurement Code; providing for implementation and an effective date. (Funds from Account #190-1500-559-6304 -Programming Consulting Contracts)

Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes October 8, 2024 City of Deerfield Beach Page 3 Printed on 12/03/2024 GENERAL ITEMS - CONTINUED The Resolution was read by title only. Kris Mory, CRA Director, highlighted a brief PowerPoint Presentation. Further, she outlined what the CRA currently has, i.e. a vision for Deerfield Beach as a nautical destination, location, facility, and existing partnerships; however, the CRA needs further refinement of the Sawgrass to Seagrass concept, interior design buildout, operational organization, marketing, and fundraising. Thereafter, she briefly outlined the MOU, and stated that a future management agreement will be a work product of the proposed MOU. Further, she outlined the pricing schedule, whereby, the center is 5,000 square feet, the budget staff created was $500 per square foot, so the total interior buildout budget of $2.5 million. The specialty design firm fee is 16% of the budget, which is $400,000, and will be paid in four installations; the fundraising goal is $2.1 million, which is manageable; and the MODS consulting fee is $300,000, which will be paid monthly over 12 months. Joe Cox, President & CEO, outlined the MODS staffing plan. The Advancement Team, who will collaborate with the City on fundraising and marketing; the Support Education & Exhibits Team, who will be responsible for the development of the educations interpretive place and exhibit experience; and the Support Services Team, who will be responsible for developing a business plan for operating the Center, including a staffing plan and operating budget. This team will also be responsible for developing the Guest Experience of the Center. Lastly, he said the team is putting all their weight on making this facility a huge success. Mr. Hudak commented on his experience visiting the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. Thereafter, he expressed his excitement on the potential partnership with MODS. Lastly, he spoke in support of moving forward with the MOU, as MODS has the experience of running a museum, whereby, the City does not, and will take this center to another level. Mr. Preston agreed with Mr. Hudak, whereas, the City does not have the experience in running a museum, so outsourcing the services will be a cost savings in the long run. Further, he stated that this project, along with other capital projects, will put the City on the map; therefore, he supports moving forward with the MOU. Vice Chair Drosky said the original vision for this project is finally coming to fruition. Further, in addition to the approval of the design by the CRA and MODS, he asked that a public input process be sought along the way. In response to Vice Chair Drosky’s question, Mr. Cox replied that when MODS enters into an agreement, he must go back to his board of directors to get their stamp of approval; nonetheless, this project has been fully vetted, so he does not see there being an issue. Vice Chair Drosky spoke in support of moving forward with the MOU. In response to Chair Ganz’s questions, Ms. Mory replied that the building envelope for the center is the first floor, above parking, which should be utilized as a community center to fulfill the promise made to the community, whereby, the museum will take up the entire second floor. Further, the Board will be regularly updated to ensure that the project is moving toward the overall design that’s approved by the Board. Lastly, she is unsure of the dimensions of their sign, but it will come back to the Board for their consideration; nonetheless, she reminded the Board of the size and location of the City’s logo. Chair Ganz spoke in support of moving forward with the MOU. In response to Mr. Preston’s question, Mr. Cox replied that MODS has a great relationship with Broward County public schools. Thereafter, he briefly outlined the programming they provide. Further, he wants every child to see this center as an extension of their classroom. Chair Ganz opened the public hearing. Lisa Davis, 1405 SW 1st Avenue, Deerfield Beach, said she’s representing JM Family Enterprises. Thereafter, she provided a brief overview of her background, whereby, JM Family has partnered with MODS for decades and has contributed millions of dollars throughout those decades. Further, she spoke in support of the City partnering with MODS.

Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes October 8, 2024 City of Deerfield Beach Page 4 Printed on 12/03/2024 GENERAL ITEMS - CONTINUED Dan Herz, 330 SE 19th Avenue, Deerfield Beach, asked if the CRA will hire a consultant to help with the management operating agreement negotiations. Chair Ganz closed the public hearing. MOTION was made by Mr. Hudak, seconded by Mr. Parness, to approve Item 3, adopted Resolution 2024/012. Roll Call: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0 4. CRA Resolution 2024/013 - A Resolution of the City of Deerfield Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), approving and authorizing execution of a settlement agreement with Florida Power & Light Company related to the S-Curve Undergrounding Project delays; and providing for an effective date. The Resolution was read by title only. Anthony Soroka, City Attorney, provided a brief overview of the item. Chair Ganz opened the public hearing; however, there were none to speak and the public hearing was closed. Mr. Preston thanked Mr. Soroka for his efforts; thereafter, he spoke in support of the item. MOTION was made by Mr. Preston, seconded by Mr. Parness, to approve Item 4, adopted Resolution 2024/013. Roll Call: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0 5. Discussion regarding the BSO hourly rate increase and the impact on CRA Community Policing detail for FY25. Kris Mory, CRA Director, stated that she was recently informed of an hourly rate increase by the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) that will impact the community policing detail for the CRA. She explained that BSO had an issue with hiring deputy details for the CRA area due to a disparity between their rates here and elsewhere, specifically at the port. Although the deputy details have been leveled out throughout the County, the cost has significantly increased. Previously, CRA was paying $45/hour and BSO provided 1,100 hours of community policing, whereby, the new rate is $74/hour, and only 675 hours would be offered. Continuing, Ms. Mory offered three options, 1) keep existing staffing level and monitor program; 2) reduce services; or 3) increase budget. Mr. Hudak spoke in support of keeping the existing staffing level and monitoring the program, to see where the program falls. In response to Mr. Preston ‘s question, Ms. Mory replied that previously many of the shifts were left unfilled at the $45/hour rate, so if desired by the Board, staff would monitor the current schedule at the new rate. Chair Ganz expressed frustration with the new rate being provided after budgets were approved. Further, he spoke in support of monitoring the program, but suggested that alternatives be sought. Vice Mayor Drosky spoke in support of monitoring the program prior to reducing services or increasing the budget. He is also interested to see how the shifts will play out, as he does not want shifts to fill up, and there be no results; whereby, the current issued citations are low, so he wants assurance the beach area will be monitored.

Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes October 8, 2024 City of Deerfield Beach Page 5 Printed on 12/03/2024 GENERAL ITEMS - CONTINUED 6. Freebee Rideshare monthly report. Kris Mory, CRA Director, stated that Freebee was implemented six months ago, so she invited Claudia Miro, Freebee, to provide the Board with a brief overview of what has transpired thus far. Mr. Hudak temporarily left the meeting at 7:56 p.m. and returned at 7:58 p.m. Ms. Miro provided the Board with an overview of the Freebee pilot program since inception. Further, she explained that although the cost per rider is a critical metric for evaluating transit services, it cannot be accurately assessed with the current service due to the limited operating hours. Certain costs, such as insurance and vehicle leases remain constant, regardless of whether the service operates for one hour or 100 hours, leading to inflated costs per rider figures. She stated that the primary aim of the pilot program is to demonstrate demand and the effectiveness of the service while simultaneously focusing on long-term service planning; therefore, increasing operating hours per vehicle presents an opportunity for significant cost efficiencies. If operating hours are increased by 100%, the overall cost increase would only be 47%, making the service more economical. Furthermore, doubling the operating hours to align with other regions, could allow Deerfield Beach to achieve a cost per rider under $8 in the first year, with the potential for further reductions year over year as ridership becomes more consistent. Lastly, Ms. Miro outlined opportunities for cost recovery, which included advertising partnerships, grant opportunities, developer/hotel fees, and partnerships with Broward County transit. In response to Mr. Parness’ question, Chair Ganz replied that although someone is requesting to be dropped off at a particular business within the CRA area, does not mean they’ll actually go to that business; nevertheless, the heat map provides a general location. Mr. Hudak said the parking issues occur on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, whereby, all other days the beach area is pretty quiet. Although the CRA must continue to act as a conduit to help these businesses Monday - Thursday, they must also communicate with one another and get on board with Freebee. Chair Ganz said Freebee is not there to resolve the parking challenges, but help alleviate them. Additionally, Freebee is not going to cure struggling businesses on the off days and hours; nevertheless, there has been steady growth in the program. Further, he requested benchmarks to see how the program is comparable to other cities, and agreed with expanding the hours and having them stay consistent. Chair Ganz said the use of Freebee during the last two hours on Thursday evening and Sunday evening are minimal; therefore, a future suggestion could be moving those hours to Wednesday during the day to see how successful a day shift is. Mr. Preston said Freebee is not a marketing strategy for the businesses, but a way to get people to them; nevertheless, he believes all of the businesses will struggle in the upcoming year due to the pier construction. Further, once the beach sees foot traffic again, he believes businesses will benefit, but reiterated that Freebee is just there to get people to the businesses. Mr. Hudak agreed that the foot traffic is not there, but stated the Freebee can be part of the solution now by bringing people to the beach now, so these businesses can stay in business until the pier opens. Ms. Miro said benchmarks can be provided but will be difficult because Deerfield Beach is the only 28-hour operation; nevertheless, Boynton Beach just launched a similar program, seven days a week, with a different vendor, and month over month there was a decline in ridership due to the lack of marketing, which Deerfield Beach has. Further, she said the program has not entered into the season, so the data for a full year does not exist at this time. In response to Mr. Hudak’s question, Ms. Miro replied that there are 50 or more different businesses advertised on the mobile platform, and they’ve provided positive feedback. Thereafter, she briefly outlined Freebee’s efforts. Further, she said the point of the pilot program is to test it for a couple of months, and revamp the program based on the data. ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS None.

Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes October 8, 2024 City of Deerfield Beach Page 6 Printed on 12/03/2024 BOARD COMMENTS Tiara East - Vice Chair Drosky stated that he has always opinioned that the pavers on the S-Curve continue as far north as possible, as it will tie the businesses and community together; however, the cost for doing so is excessive. Thereafter, photographs of the current and proposed conditions were displayed, as well as various pricing options. Due to the excessive cost of paving the entire length of the sidewalks on the east and west side, Vice Chair Drosky recommended moving forward with Options 1 & 2, which adds pavers to the westside and eastside driveways of Tiara East, for a total cost of $95,000. Lastly, he stated that this is being brought forward now, due to time constraints. Mr. Preston spoke in support of moving forward. Mr. Hudak spoke in support of moving forward. In response to Mr. Parness’ comment, Chair Ganz stated that it will be funded through the CRA, not City. Mr. Parness spoke in support of moving forward. In response to Chair Ganz’s question, Kris Mory, CRA Director, replied that the CRA has $30,000 left over in contingency from the project. Additionally, $35,000 will be received from Florida Power & Light; for a total of $65,000. If the Board desires to move forward with Options 1 & 2, a budget transfer would need to be completed to fund the remaining amount. Lastly, she said Tiara East would have to enter into a Hold Harmless in order to move forward, as they would be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and repairs in the future. Chair Ganz opened the public hearing; however, there were none to speak and the public hearing was closed. Thereafter, he spoke in support of moving forward. MOTION was made by Vice Chair Drosky, seconded by Mr. Hudak, to move forward with Options 1 & 2 along with the hold harmless component, and permit staff to take the necessary actions to effectuate the process. Roll Call: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0 There were no other board comments. PUBLIC COMMENT There were no comments from the public. ADJOURNMENT MOTION was made by Mr. Preston, seconded by Mr. Parness, to adjourn the meeting at 8:58 p.m. Voice Vote: Yeas: 5 - Mr. Hudak, Mr. Parness, Mr. Preston, Vice Chair Drosky, and Chair Ganz Nays: 0 _________________________________ BILL GANZ, CHAIR _______________________________ Heather Montemayor, City Clerk