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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-06-09 EDDA MINUTES• • ' .. ENGLEWOOD DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 3333 South Bannock Street, Suite 480 Englewood, Colorado 80110 {303) 781-7885 MINUTES June 9, 1993 Members Present: Birdsall, Close, Collins, Kaufman, Green, Hathaway, Shepherd Absent: Hannon, Todd Staff Present: Celva, Pardys, BeDore George Allen Guest/Visitors: Roger Fraser, City Manager Lorraine Hays, Director of Financial Services Lee Merkel, Director of Community Services Connie Sanchez · The June regular meeting of the Englewood Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors was called to order by Chairman Close at 12:15 p.m. 1. 2. 3. Introductiqn of Guest and Visitors Chairman Close introduced guest and visitors. Approval of Minutes There were three amendments made to the May 12, 1993 minutes of the Board Meeting. The amendments were correction to a typographical error on page 4, removal of Green from both the present and absent, and removal from the role of Hannon, since she has not been appointed as a board member. S. Collins then inquired if there were any other comments regarding, or changes to, the Minutes dated May 12, 1993. A motion was made, seconded, and passed by voice vote, to accept the Minutes as amended. Treasurer's Report There was no Treasure Report for May due to lack of revenue information from the City. G. Birdsall did report on revenues and expenditures through April and explained that EDDA was not yet into the large expenditures that traditionally are experienced in the summer months through promotions. G. Birdsall stated that June's report would be delivered in July. It was requested that funds be transfer to the advertising account for unbudgeted expeditures. 1 Minutes June 9, 1993 Page 2 A resolution was introduced: That $16,000.00 be transferred froa the general fund to account #80- 01 Special Projects -Advertising. 4. Chairman's Report A. Chairman Close introduced City Manager, Roger Fraser who had been invited to provide the EDDA Board with an update on the status of the potential sale of Cinderella City. Fraser related that at a recent town meeting Equitable had announced the ·property would be sold, to the highest bidder at a "sealed bid" sale sometime during the fourth quarter of this year. Bidders will be pre-qualified and will have to provide for necessary "due di 1 igence". Fraser enumerated varied reasons why this process was a concern to the City, who would attempt to continue working with Equitable to seek a mutually agreeable alternative. Fraser emphasized that interest in the site exists in the development community and that because of the City's ownership interest in the property they would maintain an interactive role in working with Equitable and any future developer. Fraser did state that in speaking with representatives of Equitable, .he felt they were still open to other options than the sealed bid as they had not yet signed with a broker. One alternative mentioned by Fraser was short term ownership of the center by the city. Questions from the Board and guests were invited. Dan Green asked Fraser if there were any environmental issues that could affect redevelopment of Cinderella City. Fraser replied that a Phase I environmental study had been completed with "no red flags" and that an ongoing study had also been completed on the parking deck, which was found to be usable at current traffic levels for 8 to 10 years. Fraser further mentioned that the condition of the mall itself wa~ very good and well maintained under the management of Gregg Birdsall. George Allen inquired that if it came to the point where a the city took ownership of the center, "What 1 iabil ities would the City acquire?" Fraser stated that the greatest 1 iabil ity was the parking deck, which would undoubtedly require modifications. Loren Shepherd asked about costs for demolition and fill. Fraser replied that current estimates ran about $10 million. Gregg Birdsall questioned if the City had considered deeding the land under the parking structure to a developer, as an incentive. Fraser answered that anything would be considered, but with limitations existing under the city charter a long term ground lease might be more workable. 2 • • • • • • Minutes June 9, 1993 Page 3 B. In concluding his remarks, Fraser told the Board that he had offered City Council his services even after he assumed his new position in Loveland, in continuing to work with Equitable and the re-development of Cinderella City, since various relationships had been established that could benefit the city. · Chairman Close, offered his congratulations to Roger Fraser on his new position. The consensus of the Board was that a letter be drafted and sent to City Council, reflecting their support of a continuing role for Fraser in the current negotiations. L. Merkel, Assistant City Director, gave a description of two City programs to increase the communities involvement with short and long term planning in the City, Englewood by Designs and Englewood Something to Talk About. Director Merkel described the initial process establishing Englewood by Design as "a conversation with the community" . Englewood by design is a outgrowth of the City updating the Comprehensive plan. The City has researched what other communities have been doing, and hopes to incorporate the best of what they have found with the aid of citizens from Englewood, not currently residing on any boards. The group will include high school students, businesses, residents, and senior citizens. The aspiration for the group is to develop goals and directives for the City to follow in development of a new comprehensive plan. Englewood Something to Talk About, is a program to provide the citizens of Englewood the opportunity to ask questions regarding City activities, and the direction that it is heading, and also give the citizens of Englewood the chance to let the City know what they are thinking. Representative of the City have been attending Neighborhood Watch Meeting, in the evenings, and just talking with the citizens of Englewood. The response has been good, and it is felt that such a program will also help discourage the dissolution of neighborhoods, as it provides and opening for neighbors to get to know one another. C. Introduced next was Lorraine Hayes, currently Director of Financial Services, who will be the Temporary City Manager, when Roger Fraser leaves. Hayes began a discussion of the proposed head tax that will be on the ballot next November. The problem of many area businesses having t~e advantages of City services while paying a disproportionately low percentage to the tax pool of Englewood was cited. It is proposed that businesses with employees exceeding a minimum number, (proposed is 15 to 25 employees) would be required to pay $5.00 per month per employee, with the employee matching that sum. Hayes continued saying that there have been decreasing sales tax revenues and that the City must find new revenue sources. 3 Minutes June 9, 1993 Page 4 ,. The head tax could generate around $2 million annually. D. Green stated • that he did not feel that a new tax would help attract new business to the Englewood area. R. Fraser said that this was a tax he felt was something D. the citizens of Englewood would buy. Currently he stated that there are 21 to 23 thousand jobs above the proposed cut off of 15 to 25 employees that would be eligible for taxation. Hayes continued by saying that there were other alternatives which had been looked into and the head tax made the most sense in the City's estimation. S. Kaufman asked if it was really fair to impose such a tax on the businesses that were al ready contributing through sales tax, and property tax, when businesses like Swedish Hospital would only be responsible for the head tax, and had no responsibility for other taxes in the district. H. Celva also questioned the new General Business License. Hayes reported that the General Business License, would be an annual license costing $25.00. It would be a "one stop" application, covering all current licenses and would provide the City with valuable information, such as the number of employees, the size and the operation of area businesses. R. Fraser continued that it would also aid the City in obtaining environmental information that is needed,· to ensure compliance to environmental law. Chairman Close than opened the discussion on Englewood Station. He stated that the previous motion on this issue did not convey the intent of the board and proposed that this ambiguity could be alleviated with · a new resolution, reading as follows: That the EDDA Board of Directors opposes the proposal for relocating the Englewood Railroad Station to the southwest corner of Englewood Parkway and South Broadway. The resolution was taken to vote, 6 members voted in favor of the resolution, none opposed and I abstention. It was then discussed if EDDA would contribute to the Fourth of July fireworks fund. The EDDA had decided to contribute last year, but had stated at that time that it would not be participating again, since the economic focus of EDDA at this time is the Facade Revitalization/Signage Program. Chairman Close then awarded a plaque to Loren Shepherd ~ho term has expired, and thanked him for his four years of dedicated s~~vice to the Board. Steve Coll ins was presented with a gfft in recognition of his perfect attendance to the monthly EDDA board meeting, an accomplishment, Close stated was almost unheard of in his experience with the Board. 4 • • • • • Minutes June 9, 1993 Page 5 3. Director's Report Due to the lengthy discussion regarding Cinderella City the Director's Report will be given next month. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 1:42 pm. SEC:jmb 5