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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-IURACD-1990-12-03 Minutes of the IURA/CDA December 3, 1990, 4 pm Third Floor Conference Room, City Hall Present: Benjamin Nichols, Chair, Susan Cummings (present for items I - V ) , Anne Jones, Doug Dylla. Staff: Matthys Van Cort, Herman Sieverding (present for items V through XI) , Patricia Norton, Harry Sicherman, Wies van Leuken. I. Call to order The meeting was called to order at 4:10 pm, by Benjamin Nichols, Chair. II. Approval of Minutes of November 5, 1990. Jones moved and Cummings seconded a motion to approve the minutes of November 5, 1990. They were approved unanimously. III. Chair Reports The Mayor reported that it was difficult for some agency members to meet on the first Monday of the month. All members agreed to meet on the first Tuesday of the month with the exception of the next meeting, which will take place on January 8, 1991. The Mayor reported that the proposals for the Annex are due December 14. Intensive work will be required to prepare a proposal for a vote by Common Council in February. Sicherman asked about block grant money for the Annex. This was discussed, but Agency members decided to wait, and see what kind of proposals would be submitted first before considering this possibility. The Mayor stated that it might. be necessary for the Agency to meet on short notice after December 14, to discuss the proposals. III-A. Appointment Doug Dylla The letter from the Mayor, dated 11-8-90, appointing Doug Dylla to the IURA/CDA was entered into the minutes. As of today's meeting, he is a member of the Agency. III-B. Resignation James Dennis: Resolution of appreciation The Mayor explained that the Agency's by-laws state that a member's resignation goes into effect once his/her successor has been appointed. IURA/CDA Minutes 2 December 3, 1990 Jones moved and Cummings seconded the following resolution. WHEREAS, James Dennis has given generously of himself in numerous capacities directed toward community improvement through responsible and foresighted management of growth and change, and WHERE, James Dennis has in this regard served faithfully as an Ithaca Urban Renewal/Community Development Agency member since 1977, and WHEREAS, James Dennis has throughout this period of service contributed both his professional expertise, his personal insights, and his sense of humor to the benefit of the Agency and the City. and WHEREAS, James Dennis has resigned from the IURA/CDA and will be sorely missed, now THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Ithaca Urban Renewal/Community Development Agency thanks Jim Dennis and expresses its deep appreciation for his years of service as a member of the Agency and wishes him well in all his future endeavors. Approved unanimously. 1 IV. Staff Reports A. Appointment Acting CD Administrator Van Cort reported that Patricia Norton currently is the acting CD administrator and that she is doing a fabulous job. The Budget and Administration Committee will meet to review Norton's title, salary and fringe benefits. Van Cort will report on their recommendations at the next meeting. IV-B. Approval Consulting Services for 1991 Norton reported on the outreach for a CD consultant for the first 10-11 months in 1991. An RFP has been written and distributed. Ads have been placed in area newspapers and 20 consultants have been approached by direct mail. She requested advice, from the Agency on a point system to rate the proposals. Cummings asked Sicherman what we should look for. Sicherman suggested to look at technical expertise and to check references. He added that he did submit his proposal before this meeting so there was no conflict. Sicherman's contract will expire in early January, 1991. Van Cort stated that CD requires an experienced consultant to work IURA/CDA Minutes 3 December 3, 1990 with staff for about 15 to 30 hours per month. The consultant will provide more service in the beginning of 1991 due to the grant application. The Consultant's costs will be less than $15,000. This figure does not include the CD grant application. Application costs will depend on the type of CD application submitted. Van Cort stated that during the 1990/1991 application cycle the CD administrator, who was very experienced, had to substantially increase her hours to complete the application. This increase amounted to 10% of her total hours for the year. The Mayor recommended that Van Cort and Norton review the proposals together and bring the highest ranking ones to the Budget and Administration Committee for final review. The other members concurred with this recommendation. Van Cort mentioned that he has a list of questions for reference checks. Cummings advised to check the references of the top 4 candidates. Cummings added that she was interested in a consultant who could generate Economic Development proposals. IV-C. Publicity: report Van Leuken proposed to distribute the IURA/CDA agenda to Common Council, the City Attorney, the City Clerk, and to both the City desk and the Daily Calendar of the Ithaca Journal. It was further proposed to send an agenda to the chair of the Planning yand Development Board. In .,wit ,on, approved sinates:.should be seat t,the City, Clerk, the Chair of the Planning and Development Board and the Chair of the Planning and Development Committee of Common Council. The use of City Hall mailboxes was recommended. This distribution schedule was accepted by the Agency. V. Housing and Neighborhoods Mutual Housing: Report Dylla reported that the State has still not made it clear whether funding for the Floral Avenue Mutual Housing project will be available. He stated that plans are being developed for a Mutual Housing project on the Pogo lot. Partial funding for this project might come from CD monies now allocated for Floral Avenue, the 1991/1992 CD grant application, or both. Jones asked if the neighborhood was involved. The mayor responded that it was. Van Cort reported on a meeting with Marty Luster regarding the funding for the Floral Avenue project. He planned to follow up the meeting with a letter. Funds from the Floral Avenue project could be switched to the Pogo project but that would eliminate the Floral Avenue project. After a thorough discussion it was r IURA/CDA Minutes 4 December 3, 1990 decided that the Agency would pursue State funding until January 31, 1991 and inform Marty Luster of our decision. If there is no commitment from the State by that date, the present Mutual Housing funds for Floral Avenue will be reprogrammed to the Pogo parcel. VI. Budget and Administration Financial Statement The financial statement: "Grant Balances, period end November 1990" was entered into the minutes. VII. Economic Development A. Outreach Efforts No discussion took place regarding general outreach efforts. VII-B. Hi-Way Hi-Fi, Update The packet of correspondence regarding HI-Way Hi-Fi, with 3 documents dated May 25, 1990 (1) and November 20, 1990 (2 and 3) were entered into the minutes. A discussion took place. The owner never responded to the May 25 letter, and has given no indication as to whether he can carry out his project as defined in the 1989/1990 CD application. Norton agreed to write him a letter explaining that the Agency needed to receive a new proposal from him and that this proposal should be received before January 31, 1991. VII-C. Heritage Upholstery and Drapery Center: Resolution to rescind our commitment Norton explained that 2 letters had been sent to the owner of Heritage Upholstery asking for clarification of her business status. There has been no response so far. The Agency recommended to sent a copy of the most recent letter by registered mail, with receipt requested. Dylla moved and Jones seconded a motion to rescind our commitment. RESOLVED, that the IURA/CDA rescinds its commitment to Heritage Upholstery and Drapery Center, as documented in the 1990/1991 CD application. Approved unanimously. IURA/CDA Minutes 5 December 3, 1990 VIII.Public Facilities and Infrastructure A. Name of Industrial Park Dylla moved and Jones seconded a motion to change the name of the Ithaca Industrial Park, to Carpenter Business Park. RESOLVED, that the IURA/CDA recommends to name the Ithaca Industrial park the CARPENTER BUSINESS PARK. Approved unanimously. Van Cort informed the Agency that B&W Supply has expressed an interest in the front parcel of the Business Park. It was established that so far the leasing policy for Cherry Street Industrial Park had been used for the Carpenter Business Park. It was decided to check 'whether the 1986 policy was the most recent one. Sicherman suggested that the requirement of 17 jobs per acre is too precise. VIII-B HOMES., Inc. Discussion tabled till the next meeting. IX. Old Business No reports. X. New Business Sieverding reported on the developments with Ironics and the Carpenter Business Park. He referred to his letter to the IURA/CDA, dated November 30, 1990. This letter was entered into the minutes. The content of the letter was discussed by the Agency. Van Cort explained that the present management of Ironics is different from the one that pulled out of a previous CD application. Dylla moved and Jones seconded a resolution to approve Sieverding's proposal. RESOLVED, that given the importance of Ironics to the City of Ithaca, the IURA/CDA moves to sell 5200 square feet of the Carpenter Business Park to Ironics, on the condition that Ironics execute an option agreement with the IURA/CDA for one of the Carpenter Business Park sites. Approved unanimously. XI. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 5:50pm. WP/wvl-2/Minutdec. 120 f.,,)u 1.