Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) - via Zoom/Hybrid

# MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SARASOTA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING OF FEBRUARY 07, 2022

PRESENT: Chair Erik Arroyo, Vice Chair Kyle Scott Battie, CRA Members Liz Alpert, Hagen Brody, and Jen Ahearn-Koch, Executive Director Marlon Brown, CRA Attorney Robert Fournier, and CRA Secretary Shayla Griggs (Zoom/Hybrid)

## ABSENT: None

The meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) was called to order by Chair Arroyo at 9:22 A.M.

## 1\. APPROVAL RE: MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SARASOTA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING OF DECEMBER 06, 2021 (AGENDA ITEM CRA-1)

9:23:29 A.M.

A motion was made by CRA Member Brody, seconded by CRA Member Alpert, to approve the minutes of the December 06, 2021, Special Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Meeting, which carried by a 5-0 vote.

9:23:40 A.M.

Chair Arroyo requested an individual seated in the audience to turn off their cellular telephone.

9:23:47 A.M.

## 2\. DISCUSSION RE: NEWTOWN SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT REVISIONS (AGENDA ITEM CRA-2)

9:23:47 A.M.

Director Steven Cover, General Manager Ryan Chapdelain, and Redevelopment Manager Onya Bates, Planning Department, came before the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board.

9:24:11 A.M.

Mr. Cover provided a brief historical overview.

9:24:58 A.M.

Ms. Bates presented and referred to a PowerPoint presentation displayed on the Chambers monitors entitled “Challenges Identified and Revised in 2020 Program.”

CRA Secretary Griggs left and returned to her seat at 9:25 A.M.

9:27:58 A.M.

Questions posed by CRA Member Ahearn-Koch were addressed by Ms. Bates and Mr. Chapdelain.

9:30:46 A.M.

Questions posed by CRA Member Brody were addressed by Ms. Bates and Executive Director Brown.

* * *

9:33:54 A.M.

CRA Member Alpert spoke to the topic.

9:34:47 A.M.

Questions posed by Vice Chair Battie were addressed by Ms. Bates.

9:36:44 A.M.

Question posed by Chair Arroyo to CRA Member Brody was addressed.

9:43:44 A.M.

Questions posed by Vice Chair Battie were addressed by Executive Director Brown, Ms. Bates and upon the request of Mr. Chapdelain, she referred to a slide entitled “Timeline Under 2017 Program Guidelines/Timeline Under 2020 Program Guidelines,” and provided input.

9:51:59 A.M.

A motion was made by CRA Member Brody, and seconded by Vice Chair Battie to direct Staff to bring the final decision before the Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board similar to the process in 2018 before the CRA Board made the change.

9:52:23 A.M.

CRA Member Brody spoke to the motion.

9:53:56 A.M.

Vice Chair Battie spoke to the motion.

9:56:34 A.M.

CRA Member Ahearn-Koch spoke to the motion which is not supported and CRA Member Alpert agreed.

9:58:57 A.M.

SPECIAL COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) MEETING CITY HALL 1565 First Street Sarasota, Florida February 7, 2022 City Commission Chambers 9:00 AM CRA.1. Approval Re: Minutes of the Special Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting of December 06, 2021 (CITIZENS COMMENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS ITEM) CRA.1 Agenda Request Form.pdf 21-12-06 CRA - FINAL. HOLD.pdf CRA.2. Discussion Re: Newtown Small Business Assistance Grant Revisions CRA.2 Agenda Request Form.pdf BackupMaterialSmallBusinessAssistanceGrant.pdf CRA.2 Commission Presentation Revison conversation.pdf Meeting Notice 2-7-22 CRA Meeting Notice.pdf AGENDA City Commission to recess and convene into a Special Session of the Community Redevelopment Agency COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) AGENDA ITEMS Community Redevelopment Agency to adjourn and reconvene as the City Commission MEETING NOTICE 1

Shayla Griggs City Auditor and Clerk Notice to the Public The City of Sarasota is committed to providing qualified disabled individuals an opportunity to participate in meetings of the City Commission. The City of Sarasota prohibits discrimination in all services, programs, or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex or gender, marital or familial status, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or genetic information. Persons with disabilities who require assistance or alternative means for communication of program information such as Braille, large print, audiotape, etc., should contact: The City of Sarasota ADA Coordinator, (941) 263-6299. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 286.26, Florida Statutes, persons with disabilities needing special accommodation to participate in a meeting should contact the Office of the City Auditor and Clerk at (941) 263-6222 at least two business days prior to the date of the meeting as to the nature of the auxiliary aids and/or service necessary. Every effort will be made to provide such aid or service to the extent that they are reasonable, do not result in undue financial or administrative burden, and do not alter the fundamental nature of the meeting. Consideration will be given to the individual's preferred aid or service. However, alternatives may be provided if in the City's determination such alternatives provide an effective means of communication. For the benefit of individuals utilizing hearing aids with a T-coil, the City Commission Chambers and SRQ Media Studio are outfitted with a Hearing Induction Loop for enhanced hearing assistance. Proceedings will be electronically recorded. Should an individual feel that a verbatim transcription of the proceedings may later be needed, said individual has the burden and expense of arranging for same. Copies of the electronic recording may be purchased from the Office of the City Auditor and Clerk. 2

SARASOTA REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022, 9:00 A.M. DISCLAIMER: THIS FILE REPRESENTS AN UNEDITED VERSION OF REALTIME CAPTIONING WHICH SHOULD NEITHER BE RELIED UPON FOR COMPLETE ACCURACY NOR USED AS A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT. ANY PERSON WHO NEEDS A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT OF THE PROCEEDINGS MAY NEED TO HIRE A COURT REPORTER. 09:22:45 THE CITY COMMISSION IS GOING TO RECESS AND CONVENE INTO A 09:22:54 SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY. 09:22:56 OUR ITEM ON CRA 1 IS GOING TO BE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF 09:23:02 THE SPECIAL COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING OF 09:23:05 DECEMBER 6, 2021. 09:23:08 COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? 09:23:10 COMMISSIONER AHEARN-KOCH. 09:23:11 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: I JUST HAD ONE NON-SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE. 09:23:16 >>Mayor Arroyo: ANY OTHERS? 09:23:17 IF NOT, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT OR APPROVE THE 09:23:21 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY 09:23:25 MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 6, 2021. 09:23:29 MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRODY. 09:23:31 SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ALPERT. 09:23:32 NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S HAVE A VOTE. 09:23:34 COMMISSIONERS, IS THAT YOUR VOTE? 09:23:38 PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 09:23:40 PLEASE TURN YOUR PHONES OFF.

09:23:42 MOVING ON TO CRA 2. 09:23:47 IT'S GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE NEWTOWN SMALL 09:23:50 BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT REVISIONS. 09:23:53 GIVING US A PRESENTATION WILL BE -- JUST INTRODUCE 09:23:58 YOURSELVES, IF YOU COULD. 09:23:59 >> SURE. 09:24:00 FOR THE RECORD, STEVE COVER, PLANNING DIRECTOR. 09:24:03 >> RYAN CHAPDELAIN, GENERAL MANAGER, PLANNING DEPARTMENT. 09:24:06 >> ONYA BATES, REDEVELOPMENT MANAGER. 09:24:11 >>Steven Cover: I'LL GIVE A GENERAL INTRODUCTION, AND THEN 09:24:14 WE'RE GOING TO PASS IT ON TO ONYA TO GET INTO GREATER 09:24:17 DETAIL. 09:24:18 THIS PARTICULAR ITEM RELATES TO THE NEWTOWN SMALL BUSINESS 09:24:21 ASSISTANCE GRANTS. 09:24:22 IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A NUMBER OF 09:24:25 YEARS. 09:24:26 SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO -- RECENTLY, BACK IN 2020, THERE 09:24:30 WERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO THIS FOR A VARIETY OF 09:24:34 THINGS -- DOLLAR TOTAL, HOW MANY QUOTES WERE REQUIRED, THAT 09:24:38 KIND OF THING. 09:24:39 SO THE BASIC FOCUS OF THIS WAS TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS TO 09:24:47 ASSIST IN GETTING PROJECTS TO BE APPROVED AND MOVE AT A 09:24:50 QUICKER PACE. 09:24:51 THAT REALLY WAS THE BASIS OF THIS ENTIRE THING. 09:24:56 I'LL PASS IT ON TO ONYA. 09:24:58 >> ONYA BATES, REDEVELOPMENT MANAGER. 09:25:03 COMMISSIONER BRODY ASKED WE BRING THIS BACK TO DO THE 09:25:06 WANTING TO HAVE THE COMMISSION APPROVE THE GRANTS ONCE WE

09:25:09 GET THEM IN. 09:25:10 WHAT WE NOTICED WHENEVER WE WERE GOING THROUGH AND DOING THE 09:25:16 REVISIONS AND THESE ARE THE THINGS WE CHANGED, IT WAS THE 09:25:20 LENGTH OF APPROVAL WAS TAKING A LONG TIME. 09:25:23 PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE THE UP-FRONT COST TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE 09:25:27 PROJECT. 09:25:27 THE THREE QUALIFIED BID REQUIREMENTS, EQUIPMENT COSTS 09:25:33 WEREN'T INCLUDED, AND THE DISCLOSURE OF THE BUSINESS MODEL 09:25:37 WAS AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION. 09:25:40 SO FROM 2017 UNTIL 2020, WHEN WE ACTUALLY REVISED THE GRANT, 09:25:50 WE HAD TWO GRANT APPLICANTS COME THROUGH AND COMPLETE THE 09:25:54 ENTIRE PROCESS. 09:25:54 CORNERSTONE PIZZA FOR 40,000 AND JETSON'S CREATIVE TRENDS 09:26:00 FOR $29,890. 09:26:03 UNDER OUR CURRENT PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED IN NOVEMBER 2020 09:26:08 TO PRESENT DAY, WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THREE GRANTS. 09:26:13 WENDY'S YUMMY TRUCK FOR $26,491.20. 09:26:16 K0PIES & MORE FOR $5,682. 09:26:22 AND STYLES BY MARIA, TOO, FOR $6,650. 09:26:35 ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE TIMELINE OF HOW 09:26:37 THE PROCESS WENT WITH THE FIRST SET OF GRANTS VERSUS THE 09:26:40 REVISED GRANTS. 09:26:41 SO WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE DOWN -- TAKE OUT ABOUT NINE MONTHS' 09:26:50 WORTH OF TIME AND BREAK IT DOWN TO FOUR MONTHS GETTING 09:26:53 PEOPLE IN THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND APPROVED. 09:26:56 THE LAST SLIDE HERE JUST SHOWS BASICALLY FROM WHEN THE 09:27:05 APPLICANT CAME IN IN THE FIRST PROGRAM TO WHEN THEY ACTUALLY 09:27:09 CAME BEFORE THE COMMISSION TO GET FINAL APPROVAL.

09:27:12 THE FIRST PROCESS TOOK 11 MONTHS, 29 DAYS, ALMOST A YEAR. 09:27:17 AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT MR. -- HAD TO GO OUT AND 09:27:23 GET SEVERAL QUOTES. 09:27:24 ONCE GOT THE QUOTES, THE QUOTES WOULD HAVE EXPIRED, SO HAVE 09:27:28 TO GO OUT AND GET MORE QUOTES. 09:27:30 AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE NEW PROGRAM GUIDELINES, IT'S BEEN 09:27:32 TAKING ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO GET THE GRANTS APPROVED AND 09:27:36 DONE. 09:27:36 IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME -- 09:27:43 >>Mayor Arroyo: GOT THAT DONE IN LESS THAN THREE MINUTES. 09:27:45 THAT IS EXCELLENT. 09:27:46 TEN POINTS FOR GRYFFINDOR. 09:27:50 COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? 09:27:52 COMMISSIONER AHEARN-KOCH. 09:27:57 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: YES, THANK YOU. 09:27:58 HAS THE STAFF HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADVISORY BOARD, 09:28:05 THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD ON THEIR THOUGHTS ON THIS AND WHAT 09:28:09 THE SUGGESTION IS? 09:28:12 >>Onya Bates: NO. 09:28:13 THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD IS ACTUALLY WHO WE TAKE THE GRANTS 09:28:16 TO, AND THEY GIVE US THE APPROVAL AND WE REPORT IT BACK 09:28:19 DURING THE BOARD REPORT TO THE COMMISSION. 09:28:22 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: BUT THE CRA ADVISORY BOARD THEMSELVES, DO 09:28:26 THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S THIS RECOMMENDATION OR DISCUSSION 09:28:30 TO -- 09:28:31 >>Onya Bates: THEY WERE NOT AWARE. 09:28:33 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: SO THEY DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO WEIGH 09:28:35 THE IMPACT OF GOING FROM IT TAKING AN AVERAGING OF A YEAR,

09:28:40 MORE OR LESS, TO THE CHANGE OF THREE MONTHS AND THEN BACK TO 09:28:44 POTENTIALLY A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. 09:28:46 >>Onya Bates: RIGHT. 09:28:47 WE MEET AGAIN ON FEBRUARY THE 10th. 09:28:49 SO THIS WOULD BE BROUGHT UP ON FEBRUARY 10th. 09:28:55 >>Ryan Chapdelain: ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE -- RYAN CHAPDELAIN, 09:28:59 PLANNING DEPARTMENT. 09:29:00 I BELIEVE IN 2020 THEY HAD SOME -- 09:29:03 >>Onya Bates: RIGHT. 09:29:04 I'M SORRY. 09:29:04 IN SEPTEMBER 2020, WE TOOK IT TO THEM. 09:29:07 WE BROUGHT IT TO THE COMMISSION. 09:29:09 YOU GUYS GAVE US FEEDBACK. 09:29:11 WE TOOK IT BACK TO THEM IN OCTOBER 2020. 09:29:14 THEIR FEEDBACK IN OCTOBER 2020 WAS THAT THEY FELT THAT THE 09:29:17 OED DIRECTOR SHOULD HAVE THE FINAL SAY AND -- BRING IT BACK 09:29:24 TO THEM, BUT WHEN WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION, THE 09:29:27 COMMISSION WANTED US TO AT LEAST GET CRA ADVISORY BOARD 09:29:30 APPROVAL. 09:29:31 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: AS FAR AS THE CRITERIA, WHEN THIS WAS 09:29:43 BROUGHT BEFORE US, I THINK ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS IN IT 09:29:47 TAKING SO LONG WAS NOT JUST THE LENGTH OF HOW LONG IT WAS 09:29:50 TAKING, BUT ALSO IN THAT LENGTH, THERE WERE MISSED 09:29:54 OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOANS, FOR GETTING WHATEVER THEY NEEDED, 09:29:59 CONSTRUCTION OR HIRING AND FIRING AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. 09:30:03 SO IS THAT STILL THE CASE? 09:30:07 IS IT YOUR OPINION THAT YOU STILL THINK THAT IT'S NOT ONLY 09:30:11 THE LENGTH, BUT THAT LENGTH OF TIME WOULD HAVE FURTHER

09:30:14 IMPLICATIONS ON A BUSINESS GETTING A GRANT TO GET STARTED? 09:30:18 >>Onya Bates: YES. 09:30:19 BECAUSE IF THEY GET A QUOTE AND IT TAKES 60 DAYS TO GET 09:30:23 BEFORE THE COMMISSION, THEN THAT QUOTE IS GOING TO EXPIRE. 09:30:25 SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT AND GET ANOTHER QUOTE. 09:30:28 AND GETTING PEOPLE TO COME OUT INTO NEWTOWN JUST TO GIVE 09:30:32 QUOTES, IT'S TOUGH. 09:30:33 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: IT'S NOT JUST THE LENGTH OF TIME. 09:30:36 IT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME PLUS THE OTHER RIPPLE EFFECTS OF 09:30:39 WHAT THAT HAS. 09:30:40 >>Onya Bates: YES. 09:30:41 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: OKAY. 09:30:42 I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR THE MOMENT. 09:30:44 >>Mayor Arroyo: COMMISSIONER BRODY. 09:30:46 >>Hagen Brody: SO HERE TODAY, YOU'RE JUST BRINGING BACK THE 09:30:50 COMMISSION'S DIRECTION. 09:30:51 I THINK WE VOTED 4-1 TO HAVE THE COMMISSION MAKE THE FINAL 09:30:56 DECISION ON THE GRANTS. 09:30:57 IS THAT ALL YOU'RE ASKING FROM US? 09:30:59 >>Onya Bates: I'M BRINGING IT BACK TODAY BECAUSE YOU WANTED 09:31:02 TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS WHY WE WERE JUST GETTING 09:31:07 THE CRA ADVISORY APPROVAL AND NOT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE 09:31:11 COMMISSION FOR FINAL APPROVAL. 09:31:15 >>Hagen Brody: SAY THAT AGAIN. 09:31:16 WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE TODAY? 09:31:18 >>Marlon Brown: COMMISSIONER, YOU HAD REQUESTED THIS BE 09:31:21 REAGENDAED -- YOU FELT THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE THE 09:31:24 FINAL AUTHORITY TO APPROVE GRANTS.

09:31:26 >>Hagen Brody: SURE. 09:31:27 >>Marlon Brown: IT'S BEING BROUGHT BACK BECAUSE OF YOUR 09:31:30 REQUEST. 09:31:35 >>Hagen Brody: TO MOVE THAT FORWARD, YOU WOULD NEED A VOTE 09:31:37 FROM US TODAY. 09:31:38 >>Marlon Brown: CORRECT. 09:31:42 >>Hagen Brody: I THINK -- OKAY. 09:31:43 WHAT OTHER CHANGES? 09:31:46 OTHER CHANGES MADE. 09:31:46 WE WENT FROM 30% KIND OF INVESTMENT BY THE PROPRIETOR TO 09:31:51 20%. 09:31:52 IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE AFFIRMING TODAY OR IS THAT ALREADY 09:31:54 DONE? 09:31:55 >>Onya Bates: THAT WAS ALREADY DONE IN NOVEMBER 2020. 09:31:57 >>Marlon Brown: CORRECT. 09:31:58 THE ONLY REQUEST BEFORE YOU AGAIN, COMMISSIONER, IS WHETHER 09:32:01 YOU WANT TO ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY OR TO 09:32:03 LEAVE IT AS-IS. 09:32:05 IT STOPS AT THE ADVISORY BOARD BUT THE COMMISSION GETS A 09:32:08 REPORT ON TERMS OF WHAT GRANTS HAVE BEEN APPROVED. 09:32:10 >>Hagen Brody: OKAY. 09:32:11 WHAT WAS THE POINT OF PRESENTATION THEN? 09:32:19 TO SHOW THE TIMELINE? 09:32:20 >>Onya Bates: SHOW THE LENGTH OF TIME IT WAS TAKEN FOR THE 09:32:22 OLD GUIDELINES VERSUS THE REVISED GUIDELINES. 09:32:25 >>Hagen Brody: YOU'RE SAYING THAT COMMISSION APPROVAL WOULD 09:32:27 TAKE IT FROM THREE MONTHS TO A YEAR? 09:32:30 >>Onya Bates: IT COULD.

09:32:31 IT WAS TAKING ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS AT THE LEAST. 09:32:35 >>Hagen Brody: THAT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN. 09:32:38 OBVIOUSLY, THIS BOARD CAN SCHEDULE THOSE AND PRIORITIZE 09:32:40 THOSE. 09:32:41 I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WOULD TAKE SEVEN MONTHS 09:32:45 PERSONALLY. 09:32:46 I JUST REJECT THE IDEA THAT SOMEHOW THAT INCREASES THE 09:32:48 TIMELINE HAVING US BE A PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. 09:32:53 BUT I THINK THAT US BEING PART OF THE DECISION MAKING 09:32:56 PROCESS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND JUST KIND OF REITERATE, I 09:33:02 THINK I SPOKE TO THIS AT LENGTH THE LAST TIME, OBVIOUSLY, 09:33:05 THE BUCK STOPS WITH US HOW THIS MONEY IS SPENT. 09:33:08 AND WE HAVE VERY FEW -- THIS IS THE ONLY MAYBE OUTSIDE OF 09:33:16 SOME OF THE COVID RELIEF STUFF THAT WE DID, BUT THIS IS THE 09:33:19 ONLY KIND OF INSTANCE WHERE WE'RE GIVING OUT GRANTS AND THIS 09:33:28 IS DEFINITELY THE ONLY INSTANCE THAT I CAN THINK OF WHERE 09:33:33 WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THAT. 09:33:36 I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO FIX THAT. 09:33:37 THE COMMISSION CHANGED THAT NOT TOO LONG AGO. 09:33:40 I THOUGHT THAT WAS A MISTAKE THEN BY THE PRIOR COMMISSION. 09:33:44 I STILL THINK IT WAS A MISTAKE. 09:33:46 I THINK THAT THIS COMMISSION SHOULD SUPPORT BEING THE LAST 09:33:50 WORD ON THESE BUSINESS GRANTS. 09:33:53 >>Mayor Arroyo: COMMISSIONER ALPERT. 09:33:54 >>Liz Alpert: I'M GOING TO DISAGREE. 09:33:57 I THINK THAT WE CAN LEAVE IT AS-IS BECAUSE I THINK THE 09:34:02 EXPEDITED ISSUANCE OF THE GRANTS IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE 09:34:07 BUSINESS, MAKE THESE BUSINESSES HAPPEN AND TO STREAMLINE THE

09:34:11 PROCESS FOR THEM. 09:34:12 AND THEY GIVE US REPORTS. 09:34:14 IF IN THE FUTURE WE SEE THAT IT'S BEING ABUSED OR NOT USED 09:34:20 PROPERLY, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS REVISIT AND SAY, WELL, NOW WE 09:34:24 NEED TO HAVE THE COMMISSION SAY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S 09:34:28 WORKING VERY SMOOTHLY AND WE GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO THEM TO 09:34:33 REVIEW THIS STUFF. 09:34:35 AND I THINK WE SHOULD JUST LEAVE IT AS-IS AND EXPEDITE 09:34:39 GETTING BUSINESSES GOING IN THE CRA AREA. 09:34:45 >>Mayor Arroyo: VICE MAYOR BATTIE. 09:34:47 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION. 09:34:51 THE GRANTS THAT YOU GAVE OUT NOT LONG AGO, WHERE ARE THOSE? 09:34:58 I MEAN, ESPECIALLY THE TENETS -- TENANTS THAT WERE GOING 09:35:04 INTO JANIE'S GARDEN, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? 09:35:09 >>Onya Bates: THEY ARE FINISHING UP THE CONSTRUCTION. 09:35:11 HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE FINAL INSPECTION BY THE END OF THIS 09:35:14 WEEK AND THEN THEY'LL FILE FOR THEIR CERTIFICATE OF 09:35:17 OCCUPANCY. 09:35:17 THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO OPEN FEBRUARY THE 25th. 09:35:20 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: HOW LONG WAS THAT PROCESS? 09:35:24 >>Onya Bates: START TO FINISH, THREE MONTHS, 18 DAYS. 09:35:30 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: THAT'S NOT THAT LONG -- GREAT LENGTH OF 09:35:33 TIME, WHATEVER. 09:35:34 THE PROBLEM THAT I WAS HAVING WAS THE COMPOSITION OF THE 09:35:41 BOARD AS IT WAS. 09:35:44 WE HAD MEMBERS ON THE BOARD THAT LEFT. 09:35:53 AND THAT WAS AN ISSUE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN 09:35:57 WE'RE RELYING ON THESE PEOPLE WITH THESE GRANTS AND GETTING

09:36:01 THESE THINGS MOVING FORWARD. 09:36:02 I CAME AND I SPOKE BEFORE YOU ALL REGARDING THAT MATTER. 09:36:13 I HAVE NO PROBLEM JUST BASED ON THAT UNTIL WE GET THESE 09:36:20 THINGS, LIKE HAVE A BETTER GRASP OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE 09:36:25 CRA, WITH THE BOARD FOR US HAVING THE FINAL SAY IN WHAT'S 09:36:30 GOING ON WITH THESE GRANTS. 09:36:33 I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THAT. 09:36:36 I AGREE WITH THE COMMISSIONER IN THAT REGARD. 09:36:44 >>Mayor Arroyo: COMMISSIONER BRODY, HAVE YOU HAD ANY 09:36:49 INSTANCES WHERE YOU THINK THE MONEY BEING SPENT WAS NOT -- 09:36:53 OR THE GRANTS BEING GIVEN OUT, THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG 09:36:56 WITH THAT PROCESS? 09:36:58 WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT PROMPTED -- 09:37:01 >>Hagen Brody: SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE '17, WE HAVE 09:37:04 ALWAYS BEEN THE FINAL DAY ON THESE GRANTS. 09:37:07 ALWAYS. 09:37:07 AND THAT WAS CHANGED MAYBE A YEAR AGO. 09:37:12 I OPPOSED THAT. 09:37:13 I THINK THAT -- WHENEVER YOU'RE DEALING WITH GIVING GRANT 09:37:22 MONEY OUT, ESPECIALLY IN A SMALL AREA, YOU HAVE THE 09:37:26 POTENTIAL FOR FAVORITISM. 09:37:28 AND I THINK THAT HAVING THE COMMISSION ONE MORE LAYER OF 09:37:33 PROTECTION AGAINST FAVORITISM IS IMPORTANT TO ME. 09:37:37 THE OTHER THING IS, I THINK THAT TRADITIONALLY YOU WILL SEE 09:37:43 JUST A VERY SMALL HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PLUGGED IN, TAKE 09:37:47 ADVANTAGE OF THESE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, AND I THINK A LOT OF 09:37:50 IT IS JUST BASED ON LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.

09:37:52 I THINK BRINGING THE GRANTS TO THE CITY COMMISSION AND 09:37:55 HAVING IT TELEVISED AND US TALKING ABOUT IT JUST INHERENTLY 09:37:59 BRINGS MORE ATTENTION TO IT AND PEOPLE MAY SAY, OH, I HEARD 09:38:03 THEM TALKING ABOUT MAYBE -- I HEARD THEM TALKING ABOUT THE 09:38:06 GRANTS, SO AND SO GOT ONE. 09:38:09 I THINK SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET ONE OF THOSE. 09:38:12 I THINK IT PUTS A LITTLE MORE EXPOSURE ON THE PROGRAM. 09:38:17 BUT JUST PHILOSOPHICALLY, I THINK WE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE 09:38:21 FOR THE TAX DOLLARS THAT GO OUT AND BE THE FINAL SAY ON 09:38:30 THAT. 09:38:30 >>Mayor Arroyo: I'M GOING TO COMMENT THAT WHILE I AGREE WITH 09:38:33 WHAT SAID BY COMMISSIONER ALPERT, WE HAVE NO REASON TO THINK 09:38:39 THERE IS A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS UPON REVIEWING A 09:38:46 LOT OF THE DECISIONS MADE BY THE COMMISSION FOUND THAT WE 09:38:48 LOSE A LOT OF FISCAL OVERSIGHT, AND THAT IS THE ONE THING 09:38:52 THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. 09:38:54 SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING NON-POLICY DECISIONS 09:39:01 AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT BROUGHT -- AND ESPECIALLY THINGS 09:39:06 THAT ARE NOT BUDGETARY. 09:39:08 WE GET I BELIEVE LESS THAN A VOICE WHEN IT COMES TO FISCAL 09:39:15 MATTERS. 09:39:15 I TEND TO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BRODY AND VICE MAYOR 09:39:18 BATTIE ON THIS ONE. 09:39:19 LET'S GO AROUND ONE MORE TIME ON QUESTIONS. 09:39:21 COMMISSIONER AHEARN-KOCH. 09:39:22 >>Jen Ahearn-Koch: WELL, I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT 09:39:25 I'LL SPEAK TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE. 09:39:28 I'M NOT SURE I INTERPRETED THE COMMENTS THE SAME WAY YOU

09:39:36 DID. 09:39:37 FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, WE AS A COMMISSION ARE HERE TO MAKE 09:39:42 SURE THAT THESE PROGRAMS WORK. 09:39:44 AND WHEN WE HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD, THEN WE APPOINT THEM, 09:39:49 AND WE GIVE THEM THE AUTHORITY. 09:39:52 IF WE FIND OUT THAT IN THREE YEARS ONLY TWO GRANTS WERE 09:39:58 GIVEN, IT'S A RELATIVELY LIMITED POT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE 09:40:05 TO INVIGORATE BUSINESSES IN NORTH SARASOTA, AND IT'S A 09:40:09 REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM. 09:40:12 AND WHEN WE FIND OUT THAT ONLY TWO WERE GIVEN IN THREE 09:40:15 YEARS, AND THEY COME TO US AND SAY THERE IS A PROBLEM AND 09:40:20 HERE IS THE PROBLEM, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IT'S A PROBLEM 09:40:23 IS THE LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES TO GET A GRANT. 09:40:27 WE APPLY FOR ONE, IT DRAGS ON AND ON. 09:40:31 THAT IMPACTS OUR QUOTES. 09:40:33 IT IMPACTS CONSTRUCTION. 09:40:34 IT IMPACTS THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY GET SOMEBODY TO DO THE 09:40:38 CONSTRUCTION, AND IT MAKES THE ACTUAL PROJECT NOT FEASIBLE 09:40:41 BECAUSE IT'S LASTING SO LONG. 09:40:43 AND THEY SAY TO US ONE OF THE FIXES TO YOUR PROGRAM WOULD BE 09:40:47 TO SHORTEN THAT, AND THEY CAME BEFORE US. 09:40:51 WE VOTED, I BELIEVE IT WAS 4-1 TO GIVE IT A TRY, AND IN A 09:40:56 VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, I WOULD SAY LESS THAN A YEAR, WE 09:41:00 GAVE THREE GRANTS SUCCESSFULLY WHICH ARE GOING TO BE OPENING 09:41:03 THEIR DOORS IN LESS THAN A YEAR. 09:41:05 TO COMPARE THOSE TWO, IT'S THREE YEARS TWO GRANTS, LESS THAN 09:41:09 A YEAR, THREE GRANTS. 09:41:12 WE HAVE OVERSIGHT.

09:41:15 IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, WE CAN LOOK AT THE REPORTS. 09:41:17 WE CAN HAVE THEM COME BACK AND REPORT BACK TO US WHAT'S 09:41:20 GOING ON IF WE NEED TO FIX THE CRITERIA, WE CAN ALWAYS DO 09:41:23 THAT. 09:41:24 I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT WASN'T 09:41:29 SUCCESSFUL. 09:41:30 WE FIX IT. 09:41:32 IT'S SUCCESSFUL AND GO BACK TO THE UNSUCCESSFUL MODEL. 09:41:36 TO ME, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING WE'RE DOING IN OUR 09:41:39 CITY AND IN NORTH SARASOTA, SEEMS TO BE WORKING AND I WOULD 09:41:44 CONTINUE ON THE PATH THAT WE ARE ON RIGHT NOW. 09:41:46 AND I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT MOTION. 09:41:50 >>Mayor Arroyo: COMMISSIONER BRODY. 09:41:51 >>Hagen Brody: JUST IN RESPONSE TO THAT, TRYING TO SAY 09:41:57 HAVING THE CITY COMMISSION INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION SOMEHOW 09:42:00 MAKES IT UNWORKABLE OR TOO LONG I THINK IS RIDICULOUS. 09:42:04 IT MAYBE WOULD ADD A MONTH OR TWO TO THE PROCESS. 09:42:11 I DON'T THINK YOU CAN USE JETSON'S EXAMPLE AS SOMEHOW BEING 09:42:15 LIKE THE CITY COMMISSION'S FAULT THAT WE DIDN'T MOVE THAT 09:42:18 ALONG. 09:42:19 THAT'S WHY IT TOOK A YEAR. 09:42:20 I JUST DON'T FIND THAT TO BE CREDIBLE. 09:42:23 WE SHOULD NEVER CEDE OVERSIGHT. 09:42:28 THAT IS OUR JOB, OUR ROLE FOR THE CITY OF SARASOTA, ITS 09:42:31 ENTIRETY AND ALL THE SUBSETS, SUBPROGRAMS. 09:42:34 WE SHOULD NEVER CEDE OVERSIGHT FOR SPEED OR CONVENIENCE. 09:42:40 THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE IS TO OVERSEE THESE PROGRAMS. 09:42:43 I'LL BE SUPPORTING IT.

09:42:47 >>Liz Alpert: I'M JUST GOING TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THE 09:42:50 COMMENTS AS WELL. 09:42:51 I DON'T SEE THIS AS CEDING OVERSIGHT. 09:42:54 THEY GIVE US A REPORT, SO WE'RE NOT CEDING OUR OVERSIGHT 09:42:58 FUNCTION. 09:42:59 I AGREE, THE CITY COMMISSION SHOULD BE -- HAVE THAT 09:43:03 OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY, BUT THIS DOESN'T PRECLUDE THAT. 09:43:07 AND SOMETIMES A MONTH OR TWO OR THREE MAKES ALL OF THE 09:43:11 DIFFERENCE. 09:43:11 IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER TRYING TO GET OPEN AND YOU NEED 09:43:15 TO GET STARTED TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS WORK, A MONTH OR TWO OR 09:43:21 THREE OR FOUR CAN REALLY, REALLY HINDER YOUR ABILITY TO DO 09:43:25 THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SMALL MOM-AND-POP 09:43:28 BUSINESSES, THAT THEY NEED THIS MONEY TO START COMING IN AS 09:43:33 SOON AS POSSIBLE AND DELAY JUST SOMETIMES MAKES IT NOT 09:43:38 FEASIBLE. 09:43:42 >>Mayor Arroyo: VICE MAYOR BATTIE. 09:43:44 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: I PRETTY MUCH CONCUR WITH ALL YOUR 09:43:48 COMMENTS TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. 09:43:50 IS THERE ANY WAY, YOU KNOW, TO STREAMLINE THIS THING WITH 09:44:01 THE COMMISSION BEING A PART OF THE PROCESS, BEING THE FINAL 09:44:04 SAY OR WHATEVER? 09:44:06 >>Marlon Brown: AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS -- SORRY, VICE MAYOR. 09:44:11 THE NEWTOWN CRA ADVISORY BOARD MEETS QUARTERLY. 09:44:17 EVERY OTHER MONTH NOW. 09:44:19 OKAY. 09:44:19 AGAIN, WE CAN DO OUR BEST TO PUT IT ON THE NEXT CITY 09:44:24 COMMISSION AGENDA TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS AND TRY TO EXPEDITE

09:44:30 IT. 09:44:30 AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL COMMENT TO COMMISSIONER BRODY 09:44:35 AND TO THE COMMISSION, YES, YOU APPROVE GRANTS. 09:44:39 THERE ARE NO GRANTS OTHER THAN THIS APPROVED BY THE 09:44:42 COMMISSION. 09:44:43 WHEN WE SEND GRANTS OFF FOR CONSIDERATION, WHEN IT COMES 09:44:48 BACK AS BEING APPROVED, THE COMMISSION APPROVES ACCEPTING 09:44:51 THE GRANT. 09:44:52 WHEN THE MONEY COMES IN THE COMMISSION ALSO APPROVE 09:44:55 ACCEPTING THE MONEY AND PUTTING INTO THE BUDGET. 09:44:58 AGAIN, COMMISSIONER BRODY IS CORRECT, THIS IS THE ONLY GRANT 09:45:01 PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD ACTUALLY APPROVING. 09:45:04 HOWEVER, AGAIN, TO COMMISSIONER ALPERT'S POINT, WE TRY TO 09:45:08 SUPPORT BUSINESSES. 09:45:09 WE TRY TO SUPPORT THEM. 09:45:12 TIME IS MONEY. 09:45:14 MONEY IS TIME. 09:45:14 SO THIS IS A WAY TO GET THE MONEY OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE 09:45:18 SO THEY CAN GET THEIR BUSINESSES OPEN, ESPECIALLY IN AN AREA 09:45:22 THAT NEEDS AN ECONOMIC IMPETUS. 09:45:26 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: EXACTLY. 09:45:27 AND TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LIMITED 09:45:33 AMOUNT OF FUNDS IN THE CRA, LIKE WE DO HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, 09:45:38 FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE IN TERMS OF OVERSIGHT AND SEEING HOW 09:45:41 THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED REGARDLESS OF THE TIME. 09:45:46 BECAUSE AS I STATED BEFORE, THE CRA THAT SITS PRESENTLY IN 09:45:53 NEWTOWN WAS NOT BASICALLY MONEY THAT CAME FROM NEWTOWN, IF 09:45:58 I'M NOT CORRECT, RIGHT.

09:45:59 THAT WAS MONEY THAT SUNSETTED FROM THE DOWNTOWN CRA THAT 09:46:03 WENT INTO THE NEWTOWN CRA. 09:46:05 >>Marlon Brown: COMBINATION OF BOTH. 09:46:06 IT WAS UP UNTIL 2018, WE DID THE RE-SETTING OF THE BASE. 09:46:11 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: TO THAT POINT, ONE OF THE ISSUES IS THE 09:46:19 TAX BASE, THE INCREMENT TAXES THAT GO INTO THIS THING, IT'S 09:46:25 JUST NOT ENOUGH. 09:46:26 SO ANYTHING THAT'S TAKEN OUT CAN'T SORT OF BE REPLENISHED. 09:46:31 WE ONLY HAVE HOW MUCH IN THIS THING? 09:46:34 THREE POINT SOMETHING, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN? 09:46:37 >>Onya Bates: IN THE GRANT PROGRAM. 09:46:39 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: YEAH. 09:46:39 >>Onya Bates: NO, IT'S ABOUT 520,000. 09:46:42 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: BUT IN THE CRA TOTAL, IN THE WHOLE CRA, 09:46:45 HOW MUCH IS IN THERE? 09:46:46 >>Onya Bates: ABOUT 2.4. 09:46:48 >>Vice-Mayor Battie: SO IT'S LESS THAN THAT. 09:46:50 TO COMMISSIONER BRODY'S POINT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE 09:46:57 THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE GRANTS THAT KNOW NOTHING 09:47:01 ABOUT THEM. 09:47:02 NOTHING. 09:47:02 I BASICALLY DIRECTED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO YOU, IF I'M NOT 09:47:08 MISTAKEN, CORRECT, AND WHATNOT, THAT HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF 09:47:11 THESE GRANTS. 09:47:12 AND THAT'S KIND OF LIKE, TO HIS POINT IN TERMS OF LIKE 09:47:16 SPEAKING BEFORE THE COMMISSION, TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS, 09:47:18 TALKING ABOUT THE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WHAT THEY MIGHT 09:47:21 BE, SO ON AND SO FORTH, THAT THAT -- THAT PEOPLE WOULD KNOW

09:47:27 ABOUT THEM, BECAUSE SO MANY DON'T. 09:47:30 THERE'S A CERTAIN GROUP THAT DO AND THEN THERE'S SO MANY 09:47:33 THAT DON'T. 09:47:34 I HEAR WHAT IT IS. 09:47:37 ALSO WHAT COMMISSIONER AHEARN-KOCH IS SAYING, AND TO 09:47:42 COMMISSIONER ALPERT'S POINT IN TERMS OF LIKE THREE MONTHS, 09:47:47 MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. 09:47:50 THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING THERE TRYING TO GO INTO 09:47:53 JANIE'S GARDEN RIGHT NOW -- WHEN DID WE VOTE ON THAT THING? 09:47:58 THAT WAS MONTHS AGO. 09:47:59 I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY ARE STILL LIKE EVEN ABLE TO GO 09:48:02 IN THERE. 09:48:03 THEY ARE STILL PAYING RENT WHI