Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area Advisory Board

1 City of Gainesville Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area Advisory Board Meeting MINUTES October 21, 2025, 5:30 p.m. GTEC Building - Conference Room #107 2153 SE Hawthorne Road, Gainesville, FL 32641 Members Present: Vice-Chair Davonda Brown, Richard Allen, Chelsea Carnes, Heather Kates Members Absent: Kaitlin Alexander, Angelica Arbelaez, Chair Joakim Nordqvist _____________________________________________________________________ A. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 5:38 p.m. B. ROLL CALL C. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Moved by Davonda Brown Seconded by Heather Kates Approved D. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Moved by Richard Allen Seconded by Heather Kates Approved E. CONSENT AGENDA No items presented

2 F. REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE BOARD None G. BUSINESS DISCUSSION 1. 2025-854 GCRA Advisory Board Elections Moved by Heather Kates Seconded by Chelsea Carnes Recommendation: The Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area Advisory Board members nominate candidates for the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair and vote to elect each to serve two consecutive one-year terms. Member Kate moved to table the Board Elections until the November meeting. Member Carnes seconded. Approved H. PUBLIC COMMENT None I. COMMUNICATIONS Rick updated the board on items at the GPC meeting on October 9, 2025. 1. NE Eighth Ave. & Waldo Rd. Update - Rick Smith provided an update on the project. o Negotiations with the school board to acquire Citizens Field for stadium construction. o The stadium construction would cost $14 million, involving street relocations and parking bays. o The project includes reconstructing the Martin Luther King Recreational Complex, with an estimated total of $86 million. o The stadium construction would cost $14 million, involving street relocations and parking bays.

3 o Potential for performing arts in the stadium and the need for more space. o Explained the impact on bonding options, including a general obligation bond and revenue streams from an interlocal agreement. o A joint City/County meeting is scheduled for December 10, 2025, to discuss funding contributions. 2. ED Incentive Program Update - Sheyla De-Santana provided details of the new program. o Sheyla explained the grant program frameworks, including residential, business, and site improvement grants. o The program includes $2 million to incentivize residential and commercial rehabilitation. o Residential grants range from $7,500 to $12,000, with varying match requirements. o Business and community facility renovation grants range from $5,000 to $100,000, with a 100% match requirement. o Site improvement grants offer $20,000 with a one-to-one match factor. 3. GCRA Extension - Rick spoke about the recent Special County Commission meeting, during which county staff recommended sunsetting the GCRA. The County Commission tabled the recommendation for further discussion. Rick and Sheyla, answered questions from the board. J. BOARD MEMBER COMMENT K. NEXT MEETING DATE Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. L. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:32 p.m.