Fort Walton Beach Council minutes — 02-12-1991 Regular — reading text

residence and shows that even in Fort Walton Beach, 64% favor complete merger, and 71% favor consolidation of services. Mr. Rosenbaum expressed his personal opinion that the reason consolidation has not moved any faster is not the fault of the employees, but it is the political body that holding up the merger. is He remarked it seems very interesting that the general public. assuming the accuracy of the survey, would like to see a merger. He said it seems there is an abiding lack of interest on the part of the public on what the CRA is doing. He noted. for instance. on page 15, far down on the list is the six acres, 7th in priority of most important facing Fort Walton Beach; on problems page 17, table 21, most important thing that should be done to improve Fort Walton Beach, it shows that improve traffic, improve appearance represent 59% of the respondents, and other things as improve/ increase businesses, build a civic center, and 59% still do not address the functions of a CRA; same thing on table 22, on page 18. which he believed city is Fort Walton Beach respondents only; table questions the ratings 23, which of selected strategies for downtown improvement, the first strategy of a business nature, by his interpretation, is attract hotel/ marina complex and the rest are build a library, create a festival site, and so and he has argument with any of those; tables I on, no on 24 and 25, the question preferences regarding use of on the six acres, most people want it. evidently as a park. and it already happens to concur that is a park; and he is probably the City property at this best use for the time; then 27, roles in downtown development. 6th on the list is the Community Redevelopment Agency. 282 2- 12- 91 CRA ( CONT . ) Mr. Rosenbaum said what all this comes to is, he is of the moderately strong feeling that the survey shows the public does not feel enthusiastic about the CRA. He said when the concept of the survey came up. it was presented to Council in the manner that the CRA would like to know, and candidly said, they cannot do anything if they do not have public support and they need to find out what the public support is or if, whether or not, there is any, and he thinks that is a noble and splendid idea. He said the question was massaged so much that the respondents never had an opportunity in the survey to say. yes I think CRA should press on, or no they should pack up; it clearly was not asked. He said further, it is a pretty good expense on the City he thinks they no longer can afford; it costs in excess of 80, 000. 00 over and above the County contribution to maintain a budget. which does not consider the debt service. The Finance Director said the City receives about 80, 000 from the County; the CRA budget is approximately 160, 000. Mr. Rosenbaum said if the County contribution of $ 80, 000 was given up and the CRA was given up, there is another $ 80. 000 that would not be spent; the City has the debt to meet regardless, but he is not addressing that. He said all this comes down to. the big question in his mind, and he knows in the mind of some of the members of the CRA Board. what is the usefulness. what is the future, and he cannot get positive answers or affirmative answers to that. Mr. Rosenbaum. moved to abolish the Ordinance for the eRA ediately. or as soon as possible. Motion was seconded by Mr. Maney. Mr. Maney asked if the CRA, as an organization. has discussed the issues brought up by Mr. Rosenbaum. and if so, what are the thoughts of the group. Tom Stiles, Executive Director of CRA, explained when the survey was commissioned, the objective was a high quality, highly reliable bench mark survey that could be used by the city and other organizations to determine what should be the focus and direction for downtown Fort Walton Beach. They feel that as a result of the work that was done, with the assistance and under the direction of Dr. Walker of the Whitman Center, the University of West Florida, that has been done. During the survey it was found that the citizens were very enthusiastic in what they said. He said it is clear from results of the survey that people want action and want things to change. and A meet ing with Dr. Walker the supervisor of the individuals who tock the survey was held the day the survey was publicly released; the CRA did not come to any conclusions at that time.  283 2- 12- 91 CRA ( CONT . ) Safely speaking for the CRA Board, Mr. Stiles said they feel their role is to analyze the survey, review it carefully, study it, try to take it apart and figure out what it actually says. They will then look and see what is possible, what is practical to do, and what the priorities should be. There is a need for more citizen input, and for input from Council as well; they have I started a program of talking to the citizens to get the word out about the survey; they do not know where they are going to go at this time. He recalled that one year ago the Business Climate Committee came to Council and made several recommendations on what needs to be done. At that time Council decided to listen to the citizens and voted to form a citizens CRA. The Board has worked very hard since then to find out what the citizens want.