Minutes; Economic Development: June 2006

Evansville Redevelopment Authority
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 7:30 PM
City Hall, 31 S. Madison St., Evansville, WI

MINUTES

The meeting was called to order at 7:34 PM by Chairperson Eager. Present were Chairperson Eager, Ald. Hammann, Ald. Wyse, Betsy Ahner, John Decker, and Roger Roth. Vice-Chairperson Arnold was absent. James Otterstein, Rock County Economic Development Manager, and Bill Connors, Executive Director, also were present.

The agenda was approved as printed.

Approval of Minutes

Motion by Ahner, seconded by Wyse, to approve the minutes of the May 16, 2006, regular meeting as presented. Motion passed.

Citizen Appearances Other Than Agenda Items Listed None.

Public Hearings None.

Unfinished Business None.

New Business

Executive Director Connors reported that tax increment probably could be spent on studies and marketing, but this expenditure should be explicitly authorized in the project plan. He said the budget in TID No. 5’s project plan does not include a category of cost that clearly would include the cost of a study or marketing, and even though the budget is not intended to be exclusive, it would be prudent to amend the project plan budget to include an amount for such “soft” costs if the city wants to spend tax increment from TID No. 5 on them. Motion by Decker, seconded by Hammann, to ask the Plan Commission and Common Council to amend the project plan for TID No. 5 to include $40,000 for marketing, including, but not limited to, possibly paying part of the cost of a trade market analysis study. The commissioners instructed Mr. Connors to work with Ehlers & Associates to ensure that the project plan for TID No. 6 also contains a similar provision.

Executive Director Connors communicated a suggestion from Tim Schwecke, city planner, about a strategy for jump-starting redevelopment in TID No. 5. Mr. Schwecke suggested (1) assembling a redevelopment site through purchases, options to purchase, or asking owners of adjacent properties to list their properties as being for sale, (2) hiring an urban design firm to create a concept design for a redevelopment project on the assembled site, and (3) marketing the redevelopment concept design to developers. Mr. Schwecke focused his suggestion on properties along Union St., where redevelopment projects were anticipated to occur but so far have not occurred. Ald. Wyse suggested that if thought at the time TID No. 5 was created was that reconstructing the streets would encourage redevelopment, then we should wait until Main St. is reconstructed before we conclude that redevelopment is not happening. Several commissioners suggested that it would be cheaper to obtain some professional renderings of new or improved building facades and use those for marketing. The commissioners asked James Otterstein to investigate the cost of obtaining such renderings. Ald. Hammann noted there are some renderings of facades in the city’s Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan from OMNNI, so Mr. Otterstein should contact OMNNI as part of his investigation.

The commissioners discussed the starting time for future Redevelopment Authority meetings, and the consensus was to start meetings at 7:30 PM from now on.

Motion by Hammann, seconded by Decker, to adjourn. Motion passed.

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.


Prepared by
William E. Connors, Executive Director

The Minutes of meetings of the Redevelopment Authority are not official until approved by the Authority.