Minutes: Evansville Redevelopment Authority: March 18, 2008

Evansville Redevelopment Authority
Board of Commissioners

Regular Meeting
Tuesday, March 18, 2008, 7:30 pm
City Hall, 31 S. Madison Street, Evansville, Wisconsin

MINUTES

I. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm by Chair Chris Eager. Present: Chris Eager, Betsy Ahner, Tony Wyse, Barb Jacobson, and John Decker. Absent: Roger Roth and Tom Calley. Also present: Executive Director Dan Wietecha and Mayor Sandy Decker.

II. Declare Quorum. There being a majority of the commissioners present at call to order, a quorum was declared.

III. Approve Agenda. Decker made a motion, seconded by Jacobson, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously.

IV. Approve Minutes of February 19, 2008 Meeting. Decker made a motion, seconded by Ahner, to approve the minutes as presented. Motion passed unanimously.

V. Old Business.
a. 16 West Main Street. Eager recused himself from the Board during discussion and action on this item. The property suffered fire damage last year and is currently a blighted shell of a building. They propose to remove the 1920s era brick from the front and to restore the building as it appeared in the late 1880s. They also intend to add on to the back of the building to allow a second apartment upstairs and a larger retail area on the main floor. Acquisition cost was approximately $37,000; the restoration is estimated at $110,000. Applicants are also applying for state and federal tax credits, which require that the restoration be made in accordance with the design guidelines of the National Park Service.

The Board discussed the application and said the project meets most of the supplementary criteria. The Board was pleased that the brick would be removed from the front. It was noted that the additional apartment would make the project more financially viable and would add to the amount of TIF produced by the completed project.

Decker made a motion, seconded by Wyse, to recommend to the Common Council approval of a grant in the amount of $20,000 or 20% of construction costs, whichever is less, with three conditions: 1) the project includes the addition allowing for two apartments and a larger retail area, 2) the tax credits are approved, and 3) the proposal is approved by the Historic Preservation Commission. Motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote with Eager abstaining.

b. Joint Meeting with Economic Development Committee. Eager resumed his position on the Board. Due to a schedule conflict with the City Council’s reorganization meeting, the April meeting will be at 5:30 on Thursday, April 17. It will be a joint meeting with the Economic Development Committee to hear presentations by the taskforces working on the economic development strategy. Any other necessary business will likely be scheduled immediately preceding the presentations.

c. TID #5. Wietecha indicated that a couple of property owners in the district may attend an upcoming meeting.

VI. New Business.
a. Madison Street Construction. Wietecha said that utility construction is expected to begin on Madison Street on March 31. The utility work will be completed by early June and followed by WisDOT’s surface work on the street. Construction will continue through Labor Day. A business taskforce had its first meeting with city engineers and officials last week and will be meeting throughout the project to maintain good communication of local business concerns during construction.

VII. Other Business. No other business was brought before the Board.

VIII. Adjournment. Jacobson made a motion, seconded by Wyse, to adjourn at 8:40 pm. Motion passed unanimously.