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LOOKING FOR THE THINGS ON TOP.
ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS SIX O'CLOCK AND SO WE WILL BEGIN, UH, TONIGHT'S MEETING OF THE SPECIAL BUSINESS MEETING OF THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF NEW BE.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, JAMIE MOSELEY.
THANK YOU, MR. INTERIM DIRECTOR.
UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, YOUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS TONIGHT IS ACTUALLY TO DO A ROLL CALL.
UM, AND IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, AFTER WE ESTABLISH A QUORUM, UM, I WILL LEAD YOU IN YOUR DISCUSSION TO ELECT A PRESIDING OFFICER FOR THIS MEETING.
SO, UM, I THINK MR. HUFF IS GOING TO DO OUR ROLL CALL TONIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONER BRIAN PRESENT.
MADAM ATTORNEY, WE HAVE QUORUM.
AND FOR PURPOSES OF THE RECORD, UM, WE'LL REFLECT THAT ALDERMAN ROYAL IS HERE AS WELL AS ALDERMAN PRILL, UH, MEMBERS OF
[1. DISCUSSION AND ELECTION OF PRESIDING OFFICER IN LIEU OF ABSENCE OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR]
THE COMMISSION.YOUR CHAIR, UM, CHAIR LEE IS NOT PRESENT FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING AND IS UNAVAILABLE AS IS YOUR VICE CHAIR.
SO IN ORDER FOR YOUR MEETING TO MOVE FORWARD, YOU NEED TO SELECT A PERSON FROM AMONG YOU TO LEAD, UM, TO PRESIDE OVER TONIGHT'S MEETING THAT IS NOT A CHAIR GOING FORWARD.
BUT FOR PURPOSES OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, YOU NEED A PRESIDING OFFICER.
THE DUTIES OF THAT OFFICER WILL INCLUDE, UM, MAINTAINING THE DECORUM FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING, UH, MANAGING THE MEETS AND MODES OF THE MEETING, AS WELL AS, UM, RULING ON PROCEDURAL ISSUES SUCH AS MOTIONS.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED OR WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A NOMINATION FOR A PRESIDING OFFICER FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, YOU MAY DO SO.
AT THIS TIME, I NOMINATE BETH WALKER.
WE HAVE A NOMINATION THAT I GUESS WE'LL CAPTION AS A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? NO.
THERE IS A MOTION, UM, TO APPOINT, UM, BETH WALKER AS THE PRESIDING OFFICER FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, AS WELL AS THE SECOND.
BUT ANY QUESTIONS, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
UM, MS. WALKER WILL BE THE PRESIDING OFFICER FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND I'LL HAND THE REINS OVER TO YOU, MS. WALKER.
UM, TONIGHT'S MEETING HAS A, A ROBUST AGENDA, SO WE WILL GET STARTED.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU AN INTRODUCTION.
UH, THE, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE NEW BERN REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS A PUBLIC BODY APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN OF THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
IT IS A PUBLIC BODY GOVERNED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTES, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE OPEN MEETING WITH LAWS.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A SPECIAL CALL MEETING, MEANING IT IS A MEETING HELD OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL REGULAR SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS.
AND AS SUCH, THE COMMISSION MAY ONLY DISCUSS AND ACT ON ITEMS INDICATED ON THE SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE PUBLISHED ON MONDAY.
ANYONE RECEIVE THE NOTICE AND THE AGENDA? OKAY.
UM, WE'LL GO TO THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM THEN.
[2. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION REQUESTING TO CONVEY 908 BLOOMFIELD STREET BACK TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN ALONG WITH ALLOCATED FUNDS OF $350,000. ]
NEXT ITEM ON THE COMMISSION'S AGENDA IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION REQUESTING TO CONVEY, UM, OUR AGENDA SAYS 9 0 8 BLOOMFIELD STREET, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS IT IS THE PROPERTIES, THREE PROPERTIES THAT MAKE THAT PROPERTY, UM, TOGETHER ALL THREE OF THOSE PROPERTIES BACK TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN, ALONG WITH THE BALANCE OF ALLOCATED FUNDS OF $350,000.UM, I WANT TO ASK, DID ALL OF YOU COMMISSIONERS RECEIVE A COPY OF THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION? YES.
AND IF YOU, UM, WE ALSO RECEIVE COPIES OF THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE.
AND WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU, COMMISSIONER WALLACE.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION TO US.
HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THAT COMMISSIONER BRYANT DID EXCELLENT JOB IN YOUR ABSENCE LAST MEETING.
SO IF YOU WILL, UM, EX GIVE US AN EXPLANATION OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE.
UM, WELL, WE WANTED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, UH, FROM THE BOARD TO REQUEST THAT THE BOARD OF, UM, CONSIDER TAKING THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY ON BLOOMFIELD PROPERTIES ON BLOOMFIELD STREET TO CONSTRUCT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS, UH, CENTER CONSISTENT WITH THE DRAFTED PLANS PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSION.
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COMMISSION WOULD ALSO NEED, UH, TO PROPOSE A SAME TIME TO CONVEY IT BACK, UH, TO THE CITY, THE REMAINING FUNDS OF $350,000, WHICH THEY SO GRACIOUSLY, UH, SENT TO US TO GET THIS PROJECT DONE.UM, THE RESOLUTION IS ACTUALLY ON THE BACK OF YOUR DOCUMENTATION.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THE RESOLUTION VERBATIM SINCE IT'S BEEN CIRCULATED AND POSTED ON THE WEBSITE IF YOU DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO.
UM, AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO, UH, SAY FOR THE RECORD, UH, THE, THE CITY WAS, UH, EX EXTREMELY GRACIOUS AND ASSISTING US ON IN THIS ENDEAVOR A LITTLE BIT ON HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE STARTED THIS JOURNEY, UM, EXTERNALLY WITH A BUNCH OF PARTNERS.
UM, AND I KNOW IT'S SOME THAT'S NOT, THAT'S ON THE, UH, COMMISSION THAT I NEED TO GET THAT DOCUMENTATION TO THE FULL PLAN.
UM, AND AS WE WENT ON THIS JOURNEY, AS WE TALKED TO THE CITY LEADERS, UM, THIS, YOU KNOW, PATHWAY FORWARD, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, CAME TO FRUITION.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY MOVING FORWARD AS LONG AS WE HAVE TO CONVEY US AND THE GUARANTEES THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED.
SO, UM, I'LL OPEN UP THE QUESTIONS.
AND YOU SAID YOU'RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM.
YOU SAID YOU TALKED WITH THE CITY LEADERS, BUT I WASN'T PRIVY, UH, TO THE INFORMATION.
SO COULD YOU JUST GIMME SOME DETAILS ON HOW YOU ARRIVED AT THIS, UH, DESIRE TO, UM, DO THIS? OKAY.
UM, INITIALLY WE STARTED OUT TRYING TO DO IT ALL OURSELVES, AGAIN, EXTERNALLY WITH PARTNERS.
AND, UH, WE HAD, UH, AN, AN AVENUE THAT WE CAN GO OUT, UM, DOING IT OURSELVES AGAIN, UM, AND BEING IT OUT AND, AND GETTING, UH, SCHEMATICS FROM ARCHITECTS AND THIS AND THAT.
AND ONCE WE, UH, TALKED WITH THE CITY, UM, WE WERE BRIEFED BY THE, UH, THE GREAT EXPERIENCE THEY HAD WITH THE PLEASANT HILL COMMUNITY CENTER OUT THERE.
PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, UH, THE CITY HAD ALL OF THE RESOURCES AND FACULTIES TO ACTUALLY GET IT DONE IN A, IN A QUICKER TIMEFRAME.
UH, SO WE CAN BREAK, SO WE CAN BREAK GROUND A LOT, LOT FASTER.
WE HAD THE MONEY, WE, WE, WE HAD EVERYTHING GOING ON.
AND HE, HE EVEN STARTED WITH THE PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTIONS OF IT, WHICH YOU ATTENDED SOME OF THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS MEETINGS.
UM, SO YOU'RE PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION, BUT THIS IS, THIS WAS A WAY, THIS WAS A PATHWAY FORWARD THAT WOULD EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS.
I'M THANKFUL TO THE CITY, UH, MR. FOSTER AND, AND THE OTHERS THAT, THAT WERE INVOLVED IN IT, THAT ACTUALLY GAVE US THE GUIDANCE THAT'S MOVING FORWARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? COMMISSIONERS.
SO, UM, AND BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION, I WILL SAY, UM, UH, I HAVE DOCUMENTED ALL CONCERNS AS FAR AS THE PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND, AND I WILL BE STEADFAST IN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ARE ADHERED TO, UM, MAKING SURE YOU KNOW, THAT WE RESOLVE ALL OF THOSE CONCERNS.
SO AT THIS TIME, THERE'S NO MORE QUESTION AS I MAKE THE MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AS STATED.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.
UM, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THIS MOTION? AND MADAM PRESIDING OFFICER, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY, MR. WALLACE, IS YOUR MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO CONVEY THE LOTS LOCATED ON BLOOMFIELD STREET TO THE CITY OF NEW BERN, ALONG WITH THE BALANCE OF THE HUN $350,000 PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER? YES.
MR. UM, PARHAM WAS AT YOUR SECOND? YES.
AND BEING THAT THERE'S NO, UH, FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FOR A ROLL CALL.
[3. DISCUSSION REGARDING 911 EUBANKS STREET TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION]
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE DISCUSSION REGARDING THE HOUSE THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY REHABILITATED AT NINE 11 UBANK STREET.AND THE, UM, DISCUSSION IS TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THIS.
AND I'M GOING TO LET YOU TALK ABOUT THAT.
MR. FARM, SINCE YOU WERE THE ONE WHO
WELL, AT THE HABITAT, WELL, LET ME JUST, I'LL FILL THAT.
IT WAS NINE 11 AT OUR LAST MEETING.
WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF DONATING THE HOUSE TO HABITAT.
AND WOULD THEY BE INTERESTED, WOULD THEY BE CAPABLE OF TAKING THIS AND THAT WOULD SATISFY OUR CD REQUIREMENTS.
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WITH THEM LIKE THE NEXT DAY? YEAH.UH, CAN YOU TAKE LEAD? CUZ YOU, YOU DID MOST OF THE TALKING AT THE MEETING, BUT, UH, UH, IS IT THE ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT I MET WITH HABITAT? UM, TRACY LINETTE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND, UH, WE EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT WE, THAT WE HAD A HOUSE, UH, THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE AND THAT BECAUSE THEY HANDLED THE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT HABITAT DOES AND WE FELT LIKE IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO JUST PRESENT IT TO THEM, UH, AT THEIR EXECUTIVE MEETING AND ALSO THEIR BOARD MEETING.
THAT INFORMATION WAS SHARED WITH THEM.
UH, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA, BUT THE STIPULATION IS THEY'RE WANTING, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE HOUSE, BUT BECAUSE HABITAT TENDS TO PUSH TOWARDS GROUPS, NOT JUST A HOUSE ON ONE STREET AND WANT TO DO IT AS A, AS A, THEY LIKE TO PUT THREE OR FOUR HOUSES TOGETHER CLUSTERED TO, SO THEY HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THEY'RE HERE, THERE'S THREE LOTS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS, FROM THE UBANKS HOUSE.
AND THEIR IDEA WOULD BE TO, IF THEY WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE THE HOUSE, THEY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE THE PROPERTY ALSO SO THEY COULD DO TWO MORE HOUSES.
UH, TWO BEDROOM, FOUR BEDROOM, I THINK IT IS.
UM, AND IF THEY DID, IF THEY COULD DO THAT, THEN THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE THE HOUSE.
THE PERSON THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, INTERVIEWING AND PLACING, UH, APPLICANTS IN HOMES WASN'T SURE WHETHER OR NOT THE ONE BATH, TWO BEDROOM WOULD WORK.
BUT THE OTHER IDEA IS THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE AFFORDABLE TO, UH, SOME RETIRED, SOME, UH, A MILITARY PERSON THAT WAS RETIRED THAT NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO NOW, LIKE I SAID, THEIR IDEA IS IF THEY TAKE THE HOUSE, THEY MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR, UH, HOUSING, WOULD THE CITY BE WILLING, UH, TO REDEVELOP A COMMISSION OR THE CITY? BUT I GUESS THE CITY ACTUALLY HAS NOW MM-HMM.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE TWO PROPERTIES ACROSS THE STREET THAT THE CITY, CITY, CITY EDGE RIGHT HERE.
I THINK IT'S, IT IS NOT, I THINK IT'S THE CITY.
IS IT CITY COUNTY OR CURRENTLY IT IS THREE PARCELS AND ALL THREE PARCELS ARE COUNTY CITY OWNED.
UH, THE, THE THREE PROPERTIES ACROSS, UH, TWO OF 'EM ARE, UH, OWNED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND ONE OF 'EM IS A COUNTY CITY OWNED.
SO WE DO OWN THE TWO OF, TWO OF TWO OF THEM.
UM, SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN ADDITIONAL, UM, REQUIREMENT IS, IN TERMS OF US MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN MAKE THE DECISION TO CONVEY THE HOUSE TO HABITAT AND DISCUSS IN THE FUTURE THE LAND? OR IS THAT ALL PART OF IT? RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO DISCUSS THE LAND CONVEYANCE SINCE IT REALLY WASN'T ON THE AGENDA.
NO, IT'S ALL IT NEEDS, IT NEEDS, IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE MORE INFORMATION PRESENTED TO US BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND BY SENIOR STAFF AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE PROPERTY OR IF WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE THEM THE PROPERTY AND HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
AM I CORRECT ON THAT? YES, SIR.
UM, SO BECAUSE THIS MEETING WAS NOTICED, THIS ITEM WAS NOTICED FOR A DISCUSSION AND TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION, YOU CAN REFLECT UPON THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM HABITAT.
UM, PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HABITAT TO COME AND MAKE A PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL ABOUT WHAT THEIR VISION FOR THIS CLUSTER MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AS FAR AS YOUR ABILITY TO CONVEY PROPERTY TO HABITAT.
YOU, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE, UM, A THAT STATUTORY AUTHORITY.
YOU CAN DONATE IT, YOU CAN SELL IT.
UM, I THINK GENERALLY HABITAT'S MODEL, AT LEAST HERE IN CRAVEN COUNTY, HAS BEEN TO RECEIVE LAND DONATED TO THEM FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO FOR THE VACANT LOTS, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE AN APPETITE FOR, YOU CAN GIVE STAFF DIRECTION TO EXPLORE HOW TO MAKE THAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY COME TO LIGHT.
AND AS FAR AS, UM, THE MECHANICS OF WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP MIGHT LOOK LIKE WITH NINE 11 EUBANKS, THE, THE LOT THAT IS DEVELOPED, UM, PERHAPS YOU COULD INVITE, UH, DIRECT STAFF TO INVITE HABITAT OR TO TAKE STEPS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONVEYANCE TO HABITAT, IF THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE.
SO AT THIS MEETING, IT IS, UM, FOR US TO DETERMINE IF WE HAVE A CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, HAVING STAFF WORK ON THIS TRANSFER OF THE HOUSE TO HABITAT AND WHAT THAT MIGHT ENTAIL, WHAT IT MIGHT FURTHER ENTAIL.
THE HOUSE TO HABITAT AND IF YOU'RE SO INCLINED, UM, TO, TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH,
[00:15:01]
UM, THE CITY FOR THEM TO FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY ABOUT THEIR APPETITE TO CONVEY THE VACANT PARCELS, UM, TO, TO HABITAT AS WELL.MA'AM, CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, IF, IF IT'S IN MY, IF I CAN DO THIS, I WOULD LIKE FOR STAFF, CITY STAFF TO, UH, TO, TO WORK WITH THE ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PURSUE OTHER INFORMATION AND TO, TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE DONE, THEN BRING IT BACK TO US.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL LET HABITAT KNOW WHERE WE ARE.
AND THE IDEA OF HABITAT DOING A PRESENTATION WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
BUT LET, BUT LET US FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO FIRST.
AND THEN WE'LL GET WITH HABITAT.
CUZ YOU DON'T WANNA BRING A MAN THAT GIVE A PRESENTATION.
AND, AND ANY COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION MM.
ABOUT THAT? ARE WE IN AGREEMENT? BUT IS IT, WE'RE IN AGREEMENT, BUT CAN I, I'VE COMMENT.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? WE'RE MAKING STRIDES INTO THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ONE WHO TOOK THE BALL AND RAN WITH AND TO ALL THAT WORK THAT ASSISTED IN THIS FAMILY.
AND IT DOES SEEM TO FIT OUR, IT IT FITS WITH OUR GOALS OF PROVIDING HOUSING.
THOSE TWO LOTS THAT WE DID PROCURE ACROSS THE STREET, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN IF ANY MONEY WAS LEFT OVER FROM THE ARF FUNDS MM-HMM.
SO AM I TO UNDERSTAND FROM STAFF PERSPECTIVE THAT WE HAVE A CONSENSUS FOR ME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, CONVERSATIONS WITH HABITAT AND TO GET DIRECTION FROM THE CITY AS FAR AS WHAT OUR PURVIEW AND POWERS BE IN, IN DEVELOPING AND CONVEYING THIS LAND? YES.
DO WE NEED TO HAVE A ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? NO MA'AM.
SO I'M SEEING, UM, I THINK AT LEAST THREE FOREHEAD SHAKING YES.
MR. MORGAN IS SHAKING HIS HEAD YES, MS. PROCTOR.
I OKAY, I SEE 2, 4, 6 HEAD SHAKING.
SO I, I THINK MR. HUFF IS GOING TO, TO REACH OUT TO HABITAT AND COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY STAFF TO INCLUDE OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE CDBG IMPLICATIONS ARE, UM, DEALT WITH APPROPRIATELY.
AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING WITH AN UPDATE.
AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE WE ALL REACH CONSENSUS, BUT I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER.
THE, THE LOTS THAT BELONG TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CAN BE CONVEYED YES, MA'AM.
IN ANY WAY THAT WE WANT TO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE UPSET BID PROCESS.
WELL, LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO SELL THOSE LOTS, YOU MUST U REFLECTING BACK ON THE CHART THAT I PROVIDED MM-HMM.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE OR, OR CONVEY THE PROPERTY WITH NO MONEY EXCHANGING HANDS CONSISTENT WITH HABITAT OR WHATEVER NONPROFIT'S PUBLIC PURPOSE, THEN YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO THAT DIRECTLY WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH AN UPSET BID OR ADVERTISEMENT PROCESS.
DOES IT MATTER IF THEY'RE ON THE SURPLUS PROPERTY LIST? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE ON JUST ASKING.
DOES THAT MATTER? THAT IS ALSO A GOOD POINT, MS. PROCTOR.
SO IF THEY ARE NOT, UM, YOUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WOULD BE TO DETERMINE THAT THEY ARE SELLABLE, WHICH YOU CAN DO IN A TWO-STEP PROCESS, YOU CAN EVALUATE THOSE LOTS, DETERMINE THAT, UM, THEY CAN BE CONVEYED AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY CONVEY THEM TO, UM, THE GRANTEE OF YOUR CHOICE.
NOW WILL TELL YOU IN, IN OUR MEETING, UH, A HABITAT DIRECTOR AND THE BOARD EXECUTIVE BOARD, THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT THIS, BUT VERY CLEAR.
THEY SAID IF YOU GOT A EXCESS LOTS AND THEY IN THE FUZZY ZONE COME SEE US.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT NO FLOOD ZONE LOTS MM-HMM.
SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THOSE, WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THOSE EVENTUALLY SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD.
AND THIS IS A NICE, THIS IS A NICE AREA.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT THE NINE 11, RIGHT? I MEAN THE HOUSE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE, DEFINITELY BE AN IMPROVEMENT.
CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, JUST LIKE YOU STATED IT.
[4. DISCUSSION ON A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR JONES STREET PROJECT TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION]
NEXT AGENDA ITEM I THINK IS FOR ME TO DISCUSS AND THAT IS, UM, THE JONES STREET PROJECT.UM, THE HOUSING WORK GROUP HAS BEEN WORKING TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, SPECIFICATIONS FOR LOT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE HOUSE REQUIREMENTS SO THAT THE CITY CAN, UM, ADVERTISE IT AND BID IT THROUGH THEIR, UM, PROCESSES.
AND I BELIEVE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS
[00:20:01]
AT OUR LAST MEETING, BUT I DON'T, I THINK THE PROBLEM WAS WE NEVER, UM, CAME TO A CONSENSUS ON THAT.UM, NEVER HAD A, A, A DIRECTION FOR STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO IT, IT, THE PROCESS HASN'T, I MEAN THE, THE THREE HOUSES THAT WE VOTED ON AND, AND THE LOT DIVISIONS AND EVERYTHING STILL STANDS.
IT'S REALLY JUST INVOLVING, UM, THE CITY STAFF TO DO THE BID PROCESS INSTEAD OF US TRYING TO DO THAT OURSELVES.
AND I THINK, UH, UH, THE REASON WE'RE DISCUSSING IT TONIGHT IS WE DIDN'T COME TO A CONCLUSION AT OUR LAST MEETING.
SO I'D LIKE TO WRAP THAT UP AND, UM, OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
WELL, MY QUESTION IN TERMS OF, UM, PROVIDING STAFF DIRECTION MM-HMM.
AND, AND BEING IN THE INDUSTRY, I FELT LIKE IT WAS A GOOD THING FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE 'EM.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE CITY HAS EVERYTHING THEY NEED.
SO I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM, UM, LORI COLON AND THAT'S WHO I LEFT A MESSAGE WITH, BUT SHE'LL PROBABLY BE BACK WITH ME IN A DAY OR SO.
UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UH, THIS DIRECTION, UH, WOULD JUST BE FOR ME TO, TO HELP THE WORK GROUP IN, IN THE WORK THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING.
UH, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR CALL TO MS. COLON WAS PERFECT AND I, I CAN HELP YOU FOLLOW UP OR JUST KEEP ME IN THE LOOP AND OKAY.
WE'LL PUSH THE BALL ALONG AS LONG AS WE HAVE CONSISTENT, UH, UH, CONSENSUS, UH, WITH THE COMMISSION.
AND ARE WE JUST DOING A HEAD NODDING VOTE AGAIN? DO WE HAVE KENTEN, UM, TO MOVE, UH, THE BID PROCESS TO THE CITY FOR THESE THREE HOUSES ON JUNE STREET? WE ALSO, I, I'M SORRY.
WE ALSO HAVE TO ASK THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN IF THE CITY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THE UPSET BID FOR, UH, PROCESS FOR US.
IS THAT CORRECT? THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS? YEAH.
THE ACTUAL COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS FOR THE BUILDERS.
SO IF THAT'S THE CONSENSUS TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY FORMALLY REQUEST AT THIS POINT, UM, FOR THE CITY TO ASSIST IN THE, UM, COM FACILITATING THE COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS FOR THE JONES STREET PROPERTIES, I'M SEEING A COUPLE HEADS NOD.
SO THERE IS CONSENSUS TO GIVE MR. HUFF DIRECTION, UM, TO IRON OUT THOSE MECHANICS, UM, WITH THE CITY AND REPORT BACK TO YOU AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
HONOR APPEAL, IF I COULD JUST INTERJECT ONE, ONE COMMENT ON THIS TOPIC AS ANOTHER OPTION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IS WHETHER YOU MIGHT WANT TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION WITH HABITAT.
THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITIES OF BUILDING THESE SMALL HOMES ON THE JONES, ON THE, OR THE JONES STREET PROPERTY MM-HMM.
SO AS AN OPTION RATHER THAN THE CITY GETTING INVOLVED IN BIDDING OUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE SMALL HOMES, HABITAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT AS WELL IN A MUCH MORE EXPEDITED FASHION.
SO IT'S JUST A THOUGHT FOR YOU TO CONSIDER MM-HMM.
BUT, BUT NOW I WILL SAY, BUT IF YOU'RE SAYING HABITAT BUILDING, BUT THE CITY THING, KEEP 'EM AND THEN SELL 'EM, IT'S NO, THE CITY WOULD, RIGHT.
IF IF YOU HAD, IF HABITAT WERE INVOLVED, THE CITY WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I MAKE SURE.
THERE NEED TO BE A PROCESS TO, UM, ESSENTIALLY, I GUESS CONVEY THE PROPERTIES TO HABITAT RIGHT.
FOR THEM TO BUILD AND SELL AND OR RENT.
NOW I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE, THE WHOLE BOARD HABITAT, UH, BUT MY, MY FEELING IS IF, IF WE HAVE A DEVELOPER OR SOMEONE THAT'S READY TO GO AND DO THE JOB, UH, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST WAY TO GO BECAUSE, UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE DOING MAYBE THREE HOMES A YEAR, MAYBE FOUR.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET UP TO MAYBE FIVE OR SIX HOMES A YEAR.
UH, AND WITH US TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD, I WOULDN'T WANT THE
[00:25:01]
REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO GO INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH SOMEONE THAT CAN DO IT, BUT CAN'T DO IT IN A TIMELY MANNER.WE'RE STILL PUSHING TO GET THINGS DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER TO SHOW THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS REAL.
SO, UH, AND TO THAT EFFECT, YOU'RE RIGHT, COMMISSIONER PARHAM, THIS IS THE MONEY THAT THE ALDERMAN APPROVED FOR, UM, ALDERMAN ASTOR TO GIVE TO THE REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO HAVE A PROJECT MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY.
AND THAT WAS THE, I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT $575,000.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY CAREFUL TO BUDGET THE HOUSES, THE SITE WORK AND EVERYTHING.
IT WORKED WITHIN WORK WITH SOME BUILDERS TO MAKE SURE IT WAS IN THAT BUDGET SO THAT WE COULD DO A COMPETITIVE BID FOR 'EM.
AND THAT WAS THE GOAL WAS TO USE THAT, UM, ARF MONEY FROM ALDERMAN ASTER.
I DON'T THINK WE'D BE ABLE TO USE THAT IF, IF WAS A HABITAT PROJECT, BUT IF, IF HABITAT HAD THE MONEY, WE TAKE ALL OF YOUR LOTS,
WHEREAS TALKING TO HABITAT AND ASKING THEM WHETHER THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITIES OF MOVING FORWARD ON THIS IN AN EXPEDITED FASHION, IT CAN'T HURT TO ASK MM-HMM.
OR THEY MIGHT SAY, YES, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND, AND THEY COULD GET IT DONE QUICKER THAN THE CITY CAN.
SO JUST SOMETHING FROM, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT PROCESS YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH ON THIS.
AND, AND IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA BECAUSE THE SIX SEVEN HOUSES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT STREET ARE HABITAT HOMES.
AND IT WILL BE ENOUGH TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE IN A, IN A SPOT WHERE IF WE CAN GET SOMEONE TO COME ON BOARD AND START MOVING THINGS, I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE WHO, WHO DOES, WHO CAN GET ON FASTER AND DO THE JOB.
UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DON'T WANNA SAY WHAT IT IS BECAUSE I MAY MISQUOTE IT, BUT IF YOU HAD SOME INCLINATION TO CONVEY, UM, THESE LOTS TO HABITAT OR ANY OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CAN, CONSISTENT WITH THAT SAME TYPE OF POSITION, YOU ALSO COULD DO SO SUBJECT TO A TRANSFER AND REVERSION AGREEMENT THAT REQUIRES THEM TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
IN THE ESSENCE OF US MOVING FORWARD, WOULD IT ALSO BE A GOOD TIME? BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED WITH HABITAT, THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE THE CLUSTERS.
UH, I'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT SOME GENERAL CONTRACTORS, WHEN THEY COME INTO AN AREA AND THEY DON'T WANNA DO SINGLE PROJECTS MM-HMM.
WOULD THIS BE A GOOD TIME TO INVESTIGATE WHAT THE CITY DOES ON IN A CLUSTER THAT'S NOT IN THE FLOOD ZONE? SO THAT MAYBE WE COULD PREPARE, UM, NOT FOR THE NEXT PROJECT, BUT GET READY TO MAYBE TAKE SOME BIDS ON SOME CLUSTERS AS IT RELATES TO SOME GENERAL CONTRACTORS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THE ENGINEER, THE ARCHITECT, AND LET THEM BID AMONGST THEM THEMSELVES IF THE CITY DOES HAVE CERTAIN CLUSTERS THAT ARE NOT IN THE FLOOD ZONE.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WOULD THIS BE A GOOD TIME TO TRY TO INVESTIGATE SOME OF THOSE INSTANCES AND SOME OF THOSE POSSIBILITIES? IT IS.
AND, AND AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO DO THAT, THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO, YOU KNOW, REVISIT SOME OF THAT.
LOOK AT WHERE WE HAVE LAND ALREADY TOGETHER.
I KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL PLACES WHERE WE PUT SOME LOTS TOGETHER AND THIS WAS KIND OF THE, THE STARTER ONE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE BEEN PLANNING TO DO THESE THREE LOTS TOGETHER, AND YOU'RE CORRECT, ONE CONTRACTOR BUILDING ALL THREE HOUSES WOULD BE THE FASTEST, UM, AND MOST DESIRABLE WAY FOR A DEVELOPER TO DO IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN A HOME BUILDER, UM, I KNOW THAT THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE USED AT NINE 11 UBANK WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN BIDDING THAT, YOU KNOW, AS THREE HOUSES AT ONE TIME.
SO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, STAFF, WE, WE DID TAKE A TURN IN OUR, UM, CONSISTENT CONSENSUS BUILDING DISCUSSION,
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AND, UM, DO WE WANT TO STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, TALKING TO THE PURCHASING OFFICE AND SEEING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GETTING THIS BID? UM, AS THE THREE PROJECTS AS WE HAVE IT? YEAH.IS THAT WHERE WE STILL ARE? MM-HMM.
UM, PROBABLY YOU AND I WILL BE WORKING ON THAT.
UM, MR. HOFF, I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
CAN I ASK ONE QUICKLY THING, UM, CAN I, COMMISSIONER PAR, CAN YOU, UM, ACTUALLY HAVE SOME DIALOGUE WITH HABITAT AND MAYBE FUTURE CONSIDER WHAT, UH,
I'M JUST KIND OF SHARE WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE RIGHT.
TO SEE IF, UH, SOMETHING NOT, I MEAN, I CAN SPEAK, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE BOARD.
UNTIL I SHARE ALL THE INFORMATION WITH YOU.
WE HAVE COVERED THE ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I GET ONE MORE THING FOR YOU.
UM, THIS WAS A VERY ENLIGHTENING, INFORMATIVE PROCESS, UM, SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
I'VE HAD, UH, SOME CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH MY COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY OUR, OUR NET IS OUR NETWORK.
WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION THAT HAS DIFFERENT EXPERTISE IN DIFFERENT AREAS AND THEY ALL CONTRIBUTED, UM, TO THE FINAL PRODUCT THAT WAS, UM, ISSUED TONIGHT.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE CONVERSATIONS TO THE ONES I'VE HAD, UM, AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
GET GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONS.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED, YOU SAY.