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

did try to dissolve, when Council was the CRA, he did question to dissolve the CRA; the second step was I to Mr. survey give deVaux it and to asked developments they want the citizens come how back long with down group. it a there. will take recommendation He to has analyze been on waiting the what for a long- range plan, and would like to know how long it will take. Mr. Stiles could not give a definite time. He believed the proper procedure is to take the survey, other inputs, study it, and come up with a vision of what they think Fort Walton Beach should be like ten years from now; that vision may not have all the details, but as they work towards crystallizing that vision to make it a reality, they will know more. Mr. deVaux asked how far down the road we would be three years from now. Mr. Stiles could not give a definite answer as it would depend on many factors. Mr. Nicholson commented that $ 80, 000 is a lot of money to spend; at the same token, it looks as though they are losing somewhere between $ 500, 000 and $ 1 million a year on revenue sharing by not having the businesses occupied downtown. He asked what type of vehicle is suggested to be used to generate that type of occupancy if they do not have a CRA with a membership of the civilian community working with the City government. Mr. Wyatt suggested setting a vehicle in motion through the CRA and the Budget workshop recognizing what they have to do. not only in the expenses but also in revenue. and let it take its course over the next few months; they are feeding information back and forth, and they are going to be making some generalized decisions as a Board, and that is where they will make a specific determination from; that is where they are headed right now because the venture is bigger than downtown. He asked everyone not to lose focus on what they are trying to do because they are on the right track. Susan CRA Board member. acknowledged the fact I Myers, they serve at Council' s pleasure, and the comments in support are appreciated. Commenting on table 27, while the conclusion can be drawn that 57% of the people feel the City of Fort Walton Beach should take the major role in the redevelopment process; she reached the conclusion that it shows how important everyone of these groups is in redeveloping the City of Fort Walton Beach; they all have to work together to make the City of Fort Walton Beach the progressive City that it can be, and they want to help. 286 2- 12- 91 CRA ( CONT . ) Randy Stokes, CRA Board member, said he appreciated the subject matter being brought to the floor, and he supported everything Mr. Stiles and Mrs. Myers said. He said the Board has been working hard to come up with solutions and to set a strong stable program to go about in organized way. an It is good the subject came to the floor because if they do not have Council' s support, then they should abolish the CRA; but before they do that, they have done a lot of work and have tried to do it in a public fashion going to the citizens with an organized program; it is long- term and a deadline cannot be set, the problem cannot be resolved overnight. They are trying to go about it in a slow process to avoid mistakes and get support from everyone across the board. He said if Council has any reservations about the agency, and if they cannot work together, it is a good time to cut it off right here. He said they are sincere, and expressed the need of Council' s support. Mr. Rosenbaum wished to make it clear that at no time, not now. not in the past and he does not intend in the future to cast any reflections or dispersions on the Board members or the work they have done; he has not said that at all, he simply addressed the survey and not attacked what the Board has done. Yes, he thinks something needs to be done and they need to press on, buthe questions if the structure of pressing on should be in a CRA because it creates another level of bureaucracy if we should find a developer. that he has to go through. We can do, or have done, by this Board the same work they are doing under a different name, a different ordinance. and a different State Statute. All he is suggesting is to try to find another way to save that $ 80, 000 commitment. He also mentioned there is available a Community Development Corporation where there is state grant money available; that may be another avenue to take which would eliminate some of the bureaucratic process required under State Statute if they are going to structure themselves in the form of a CRA. Mr. Maney said he seconded the motion for the purpose of discussion, and he liked what he heard from Mr. Stiles and the other members of the CRA. He believes they are on the right track, spectrum. a broad is citizen input desperately needed to help decide what should be done to stop the devastating decay of the downtown businesses; we cannot do it alone, and there are other ways of doing it; but he thinks they have a good organization in being. and he is ready to vote to keep it that