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Home My WebLink AboutMN-IURAED-2026-05-19 108 E. Green St. Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 274-6565 MEETING MINUTES ITHACA URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY Economic Development Committee (EDC) 3:30 P.M., Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 Common Council Chambers, 108 E. Green St., Ithaca, NY 14850 Present: Donna Fleming; Derek Adams; Robert G. Cantelmo (Mayor), Chair; Chuck Schwerin Excused: Leslie Ackerman, Vice-Chair Vacancies: 1 Staff: Nels Bohn; Charles Pyott [virtual] Guests: Rod Rotondi, Executive Director, Shared Kitchen Ithaca, Inc. (SKI) Monika Roth, Board President, Shared Kitchen Ithaca, Inc. (SKI) I. Call to Order Cantelmo called the meeting to order at 3:39 P.M. II. Agenda Additions/Deletions None. III. Public Comments (3-minute max. per person) None. IV. Review of Meeting Minutes: April 14th, 2026 Fleming moved, seconded by Adams, to approve the minutes with no modifications. Carried Unanimously: 4-0 V. New Business A. Request for Supplemental CDBG Funding: Shared Kitchen Ithaca, Inc. (SKI) — 2023 Project #10 Schwerin recused himself from consideration and discussion of the request, given his position on SKI’s board of directors. Rotondi and Roth explained: • original goal was to support at least 10 qualifying microenterprises, • program has now reached 12 qualifying members, • total membership has grown to 33, exceeding the original first-year goal of 16, and • subsidies have been critical to helping entrepreneurs remain viable and successfully scale their operations. Approved/Adopted: 9/8/26 EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 2 of 10 Adams moved, seconded by Fleming: Program Amendment #1: 2023 Action Plan Shared Kitchen Ithaca, Inc. — 2026 Supplemental Funding (Project #11, 2023) WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca 2023 Annual Action Plan (AAP) allocated $32,500 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for Project #11 “Shared Kitchen Ithaca” (SKI) to provide discounts to ten (10) eligible low- and moderate-income (LMI) microenterprise participants, and WHEREAS, in May 2025, SKI opened in a 4,000 square foot facility with state-of-the-art equipment at 700 West Buffalo Street, and WHEREAS, IURA funding provides 50% discounts on facility usage and storage to LMI microenterprise SKI members, and WHEREAS, SKI has exceeded its public benefit goal by assisting 11 LMI micro-enterprises and currently has 30 member businesses, and WHEREAS, over 80% of LMI participant microenterprises have incomes less than 50% of the area median income, and WHEREAS, IURA funding available to assist LMI microenterprises will be depleted in June 2026, and WHEREAS, SKI requests $25,000 in supplemental funding to continue to assist LMI microenterprises, and WHEREAS, the following CDBG funding agreements have expired with the unallocated balances: • $9,344.00 2023 Project #2, INHS Homeowner Rehabilitation • $15,680.61 2024 Project #10, DICC ADA Upgrades & Improvements • $25,034.61 Total Unallocated CDBG funds WHEREAS, awarding unallocated CDBG funds off-cycle to projects in position to expend funds for positive community impact is consistent with the IURA CDBG Timeliness Workout Plan, and WHEREAS, a program amendment of $25,000 or less is defined in the City of Ithaca HUD Citizen Participation Plan as a non-substantive amendment for which the IURA is authorized to approve with notice provided to the Common Council, and WHEREAS, SKI agrees to request additional data from participant businesses to measure economic impact of SKI on the local economy, and WHEREAS, the Economic Development Committee considered this matter at their May 19, 2026, meeting and recommended the following action; now, therefore, be it EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 3 of 10 RESOLVED, the IURA approves program amendment #1 to the 2023 HUD Action Plan to award $25,000 in unallocated CDBG funds to the Shared Kitchen Ithaca project (#11, 2023) to extend discounts provided to LMI microenterprises, and be it further RESOLVED, that the source of funds shall derive for unallocated CDBG funds from the 2023 INHS Homeowner Rehabilitation and 2024 DICC ADA Upgrades and Improvements projects, and be it further RESOLVED, that the expiration date for the Shared Kitchen Ithaca project be extended to June 30, 2027, and be it further RESOLVED, that the project sponsor be requested to collect and report to the IURA quantitative data describing the economic impact of SKI by February 28, 2027, and be it further RESOLVED, that the IURA Chairperson, subject to review by IURA legal counsel, is authorized to execute an agreement to implement this resolution. Carried Unanimously: 3-0 B. Annual Selection of Committee Officers Adams moved, seconded by Fleming: 2026 IURA Economic Development Committee (EDC) Election of Vice-Chairperson & Nomination of Chairperson WHEREAS, the IURA By-laws provide that the committee membership shall elect its own committee Vice-Chairperson and nominate to the IURA Board a member to serve as Chairperson of the Committee, and WHEREAS, IURA By-laws further require at least one officer must be an IURA member, and WHEREAS, officers of each committee serve a one-year term, but continue to hold office until their successor is selected or appointed, and WHEREAS, the current committee officers are: Chairperson: Robert Cantelmo Vice-Chairperson: Leslie Ackerman, and WHEREAS, at the Committee’s May 12, 2026 meeting, the Chair called for nominations for Vice-Chair and Chair of the IURA Economic Development Committee; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the IURA Economic Development Committee hereby nominates Derek Adams as Committee Chairperson, and be it further EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 4 of 10 RESOLVED, that the IURA Economic Development Committee hereby elects Donna Fleming as Committee Vice-Chairperson. Carried Unanimously: 4-0 VI. Old/Other Business A. IURA Community Lending, Revisions to Density District Priority Business Loan Program (PB-LF) 1. Review of Comments Received from Downtown Ithaca Alliance, Inc. Committee members briefly reviewed the following comments: EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 5 of 10 2. Finalize Proposed PB-LF Amendments The committee reviewed the proposed amendments to the IURA Economic Development Policy Guidelines, specifically revisions to the Density District Priority Business Loan Program. Discussion focused largely on the geographic boundaries of the target area, including whether the SouthWorks area should be connected contiguously to the rest of the district. Bohn explained that: • revised target area emphasizes zones with major public investment • SouthWorks is already included as an eligible area • boundaries can be revisited in the future if needed EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 6 of 10 Fleming moved, seconded by Adams: EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 7 of 10 EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 8 of 10 EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 9 of 10 Carried Unanimously: 5-0 EDC Meeting Minutes May 19, 2026 Page 10 of 10 B. Staff Report Bohn reported that: • 2026 HUD Entitlement Program Action Plan has advanced through Common Council and is moving forward smoothly; • proposed 2027 Federal budget again eliminates Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funding, which may require advocacy with Federal representatives; • Committee may soon become involved in a Seneca Street Garage redevelopment opportunity; and • Committee members were invited to a Habitat for Humanity open house for an affordable housing project. VII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 3:59 P.M. — END — Minutes prepared by C. Pyott, edited by N. Bohn.