Minutes: Evansville Redevelopment Authority: October 18,2005

Evansville Redevelopment Authority
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, October 18, 2005, 7:00 PM
City Hall, 31 S. Madison St., Evansville, WI

MINUTES

Chairperson Hagen called the meeting to order at 7:04 PM. Present were Chairperson Hagen, Vice-Chairperson Eager, Ald. Kooyman, Betsy Ahner, Dean Arnold and John Decker. Ald. Anderson was absent. Bill Connors, Executive Director, also was present.

The agenda was approved as presented by the executive director, except that reference to approving the minutes of the July 11, 2005, meeting was removed.

Motion by Kooyman, seconded by Decker, to approve the minutes of the Sept. 12, 2005, meeting (as revised on Oct. 18, 2005). Motion passed.

Ms. Ahner provide Mr. Connors with her notes of the July 11, 2005, meeting so he could write minutes of that meeting.

There were no citizen appearances on items not listed on the agenda, and no public hearings.

Unfinished Business

Mr. Connors reviewed some documents he provided regarding the financial status of TID No. 5. Vice-Chairperson Eager arrived during this discussion. There was considerable discussion of the spreadsheet showing examples of increases and decreases in value of parcels in the district, especially of 240 E. Main St. and the Citgo parcel. These parcels show the impact of demolishing the house on 240 E. Main St., but not the impact of the reconstruction of the Citgo station and quick mart.

Mr. Decker said he has heard discussion of the possibility of locating the new senior center on the roller rink site at the northeast corner of Railroad St. and E. Main St. Mr. Connors said he and Mayor Ringhand are encouraging discussion of that concept as part of a private redevelopment of that site, including condominiums. The senior center could be located on the ground floor and lend the appearance of commercial space on the ground floor.

New Business

Mr. Connors reviewed with the commissioners the Amended Project Plan for TID No. 5 and his spreadsheet comparing the budget in the original Project Plan to the budget in the Amended Project Plan. The commissioners requested that Mr. Connors provide each of them with an 11” by 17” map of the enlarged district, and that Mr. Connors obtain one larger print of the map to attach to a poster board for viewing during meetings.

The commissioners discussed the request of the Finance and Labor Relations Committee for advice from the Redevelopment Authority on Resolution #2005-50, which would transfer some costs in the adopted 2005 city capital budget from the capital project fund and other funds to TID No. 5’s capital project fund. Ms. Ahner asked if the Common Council does not adopt Resolution #2005-50, and TID No. 5 produces more revenue than expected, could the city go back and treat the costs that are the subject of Resolution #2005-50 as TIF-eligible. Mr. Connors said no, that would be too late, and the district would need to be terminated. Mr. Decker asked if those costs had been viewed as non-TIF costs when the decision was made to incur them. Mr. Connors responded that is correct. Mr. Decker asked if there are any imminent plans for private redevelopment of parcels along the part of Exchange St. south of Franklin St. Mr. Connors said no, there are no imminent plans for private redevelopment, in part because the vast majority of those parcels are owned by the city or its water and light utilities. Mr. Decker said that since there are no imminent plans for private redevelopment on this part of Exchange St. and since these costs were viewed as non-TIF costs when they were incurred, he would prefer not to make these costs into TIF-eligible costs, because that might decrease the chances of obtaining TIF funding for other higher-priority projects, like ADA accessible entrances to stores on Main St. Mr. Connors agreed that was a good point, but noted that there have been inquiries by private parties about purchasing parcels from the city along Exchange St. south of Franklin St., and the original and Amended Project Plan budgets both include $200,000 for streetscape, paths and lighting improvements that has not yet been allocated to any particular project.

Motion by Decker, seconded by Eager, to advise the Finance and Labor Relations Committee to recommend to Council not to adopt Ordinance #2005-50, amending the adopted 2005 city budget to transfer appropriations for certain capital projects to TID No. 5. Motion passed.

Communications and Recommendations from the Executive Director

Mr. Connors thanked the commissioners for agreeing to move the regular meetings to a new night, because it allowed him to have more time to prepare.

The commissioners thanked Ald. Kooyman for his service on the Redevelopment Authority.

Motion by Ms. Ahner, seconded by Ald. Kooyman, to adjourn. Motion passed.

The meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM.

Prepared by William E. Connors, Executive Director

The Minutes are not official until approved by the Authority.