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Minutes 03-22-02INTERVIEWS FOR COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY DIRECTOR HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOM C, WEST WING, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2002 The following members of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) comprised the interview panel: Larry Finkelstein, Chairman, Alexander DeMarco, Joseph Aguila, Don Fenton and Ms. Diane Dominguez, the CRA Director for the City of Delray Beach, Florida. Chairman Finkelstein explained to each interviewee that the position is a new contractual position. The City desires to establish a completely independent CRA. There is a budget for an Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper, but currently there is no staff. Also, office space will have to be located and furnished. All interviewees were asked the same questions, sequentially, as follows: Why do you want this job in Boynton Beach and what do you bring to the table? Describe briefly your qualifications to help advise the Board, take direction from the Board, and work closely with third party consultants, developers, residents, business and property owners, City staff and CRA staff. Include any related or comparable experience. Tell us about your experience with development, site planning, zoning issues, grant writing, architecture and design criteria. What proficiencies do you have with computer programs such as Word, Excel, CAD, etc.? 5. What do you see as the positives and negatives of Boynton Beach? According to your research on Boynton Beach, what were the biggest surprises? Stephen C. Weeks, Sebring Florida (Interview time 10:00 a.m.) (1) Mr. Weeks said that he likes a challenge and that Boynton Beach offers a challenge. He read the three projects that had been furnished to him and these projects involved a great deal of work that would require a person of courage. Mr. Weeks can bring to the table what the CRA is looking for. He also has some ideas for the Martin Luther King area, especially with regard to the housing authority. (2) He has been a consultant in his own business for over 10 years and has dealt with the public and private sector. He feels confident in speaking to persons from all walks of life and treats everyone equally. He is good at CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 taking' directions. He noted that it is important that the Director furnishes the right information to the Board in order to make decisions. The bottom line is what is good for the City and he acknowledged that he must s,erve the people that he works for, even if he disagrees with them. (3) He has a strong background in grant writing and does grant writing for neighborhood development projects and housing projects. He is a licensed builder in the State and is very familiar with zoning. He is in favor of having jobs in neighborhoods to keep people in the community. He is familiar with future zoning, oveday zoning and architectural design and that every community should establish its own architectural design. (4) Not addressed. (5) Mr. Weeks said that Boynton Beach has a lot of positives, it has a strong residential area and that the City could effectively bring in businesses, industries and jobs. Currently, Boynton Beach does not have a downtown. When he drove through the City on Saturday and Sunday, he noted very little activity in the downtown corridor. He agreed that something was needed in the downtown area to bring people into the City, such as a hotel or conference center. Also, the City should strive to keep the people in the downtown for the evening hours as well. This can be accomplished by providing food, entertainment and activities. During the day, the offices could support those businesses. The City needs to come up with a design concept to include street lighting, sidewalks, landscaping and facilities. This could be accomplished through a master and/or design plan that would go right down Federal Highway to the MLK corridor. (6) Mr. Weeks felt that the original CRA Plan was very well written, but noted that it has not come to fruition. Each applicant was asked how he or she would handle the following two scenarios: #1 A local developer takes advantage of the City's desire to encourage development in the CRA and buys several properties. He then claims the parking requirements are too restrictive and should be changed to no parking and no fee in lieu of parking, so he can develop all his properties to the fullest and not lose income producing square footage to parking. The City accommodated the developer and changed the requirements for parking and further gave the developer a grant to reduce the cost of the operation of his proposed businesses. However, several years have gone by and the developer hasn't developed one of the key properties that sits as an eyesore in the middle of the upgraded downtown redevelopment area, nor developed another property in the same area to the extent of the drawings presented to and approved by the Planning and Development Board and City Commission. CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 A developer comes to you and suggests that the CRA refund the future TIF fund increment for his project for the next 20 years and also pay upfront significant City development fees required, such as permit fees, fee in lieu of parking, recreational fees, water service fees, etc. so as to increase the yield on his project and allow him to overpay for additional land to increase the size of his project. What type of project would you consider worthy of this type of incentive, if any, and what advice would you give the Board. Mr. Weeks was asked to address scenario #2 first. #2 - He questioned why the developer was allowed to overpay for additional land uses and that technically the CRA is government money. He suggested as an alternative, that the CRA purchase the land. He was not against providing funding if the enterprise would provide jobs and increase tax revenue. As far as 20 years goes, he would have to take a good look at the project to see if it could be profitable for 20 years. He felt for a deal to be beneficial to both sides it must be a "win-win" scenario. If the deal cannot be structured, maybe it wasn't meant to be. #1 - He felt that this was an example of dealing with developers and not having done our homework. He would have included language in the contract that certain increments must be attained within a certain time and if they were not met, some type of repayment should be provided for. Since the developer has not lived up to his part of the deal, he would speak with the developer to determine how the CRA can help. Consideration should be given if the project needed some financial assistance or was it due to the lack of the developer's ability to complete the project. It might be necessary to bring in another party to finish the project. If all else fails, the property could be taken back by eminent domain. Question and Answer Portion of the Interview: Question: Ms. Dominguez noted that Mr. Weeks' resume stated that he coordinated the creation of a CRA and asked what his involvement was. Answer: The plans were created in the early 1980's and were very small compared to Boynton Beach. This was a small CRA plan and was established to obtain funds from the Small Cities Grant. Question: Do you have a degree? Answer: He does not have a degree. He estimates that he will earn his degree in approximately 2 years. He is also studying Microsoft to become a certified Microsoft professional. He is also interested in pursuing a Master's Degree. CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Do you have any experience with eminent domain? No. He stated that eminent domain is shunned n most industries and is a last resort. Sometimes redevelopment plans can have a negative impact upon a Iow-income community. How would you handle this? Communication is most important. There are tax credits available for projects that could apply to the above scenario and a mixed- income development might be beneficial. Also, housing could be provided to persons who lose their homes. Mr. Aguila asked in a situation where the CRA Director had to balance a direction given by the Board, which could create a contradictory position with a City Commissioner or City Manager, how would you handle this? Prior to acting, Mr. Weeks would notify the Board and the Commissioner of a conflict and then ask for assistance. What is the largest budget you ever prepared and implemented? What is the largest number of staff that you have personally been responsible for. The largest staff supervised was 36 when he worked for a hotel after graduating. The largest budget prepared was $1.8 million for the City of Winter Haven. As a consultant, he has prepared budgets for cities and as an administrator, he has implemented them. Mr. Fenton asked what the applicant's involvement was with the 350 new and renovated single-family project that he supervised. This involved a housing application for a small city and he was significantly involved. He handled the project from the beginning to the end. Mr. DeMarco noted that the applicant has been doing consulting for 15 years. Is there one success story that you could relate to that would help the downtown? Mr. Weeks stated that his biggest success stow was dealing with a prison, which was a joint venture between Wackenhut and DCA to develop a prison in Glades County. CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Question: -Mr. DeMarco noted that the applicant still owned a consulting business and inquired if this would create a conflict of interest. Answer: No, none whatsoever. Question: Ms. Dominguez asked how he could do both. Answer: Mr. Weeks said that he has scaled back his consulting business and is doing work for several municipalities. Question: Mr. DeMarco asked why the applicant was considering changing positions. Answer: Because of the challenge that the City offers. Question: Do you think you can do the job? Answer: Yes. As a consultant, t have worked in the entire State of Florida. Question: Mr. Aguila asked if the applicant had any experience with the Consulting Negotiation Act. Answer: He stated that he was familiar with the Act and how it worked. He pointed out that in Florida you have to work under the Sunshine Act. Question: Mr. Finkelstein asked if the applicant would continue to write grants if the position was offered to him? Answer: No. From the scope of the projects, this is a fulltime job. Closing Remarks: Mr. Weeks said that he is looking forward to the challenge and that he fairs well in that type of environment. CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Beverly Tew-Circe, Winter Haven, FL (Interview time 11:00 a.m.) Ms. Tew-Circe said she brought a presentation if the panel wished to view it. (1) Ms. Tew-Circe stated she was impressed with Boynton Beach and the City had great potential for redevelopment projects. She would like to relocate to South Florida and is trying to secure a position in this area. Ms. Tew-Circe has done many community redevelopment projects from the ground floor. She has experience and is very familiar on how the Legislature works and the laws associated with redevelopment. She has also done water-oriented programs and has neighborhood planning experience. (2) She has 16 years of experience in planning and redevelopment. She has a good working knowledge of dealing with consultants, since she was a consultant for 8 years. She has worked with Mr. Bob Gray of The Strategic Planning Group when she was Director of Planning and Community Development for Winter Haven. This consultant was selected through an RFP, which she also prepared. She has worked with many developers and spoke at length about the City of Winter Haven's major mall redevelopment project. This project is now complete and 100% leased and was a very successful project. She utilized many financial tools to get this project funded. She has extensive experience with citizen involvement. (3) Ms. Tew-Circe was the Director of Planning and Community Development for the City of Winter Haven and was responsible for planning, community development, zoning, etc. She was the person responsible for making the presentations and making the recommendations to the City Manager, the City Commission and the Community Redevelopment Agency. This required that she be up-date on all legislation and local land development codes. The City of Winter Haven's 1959 zoning ordinance had not been updated and one of her responsibilities was to bring the zoning ordinance into compliance. This required a major restructure of the zoning code and has been successfully completed. She was also involved in organizing a CRA for the City. She has extensive experience with grant writing and submitted an urban infill grant to the DCA. She put together architectural review and design guidelines for the redevelopment area for which an RFP was issued. She recommended forming an architectural review board to ensure that there was a consistency with the urban design, color, etc. Mr. Finkelstein asked what the population was for Winter Haven and Ms. Tew-Circe stated approximately 28,000. 4. Not addressed. , Ms. Tew-Circe was very impressed with the new bridge and marveled at the development taking place at the Marina. She discussed the various CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 projeots that the City plans to undertake, as well as the projects already underway. She noted that the City had waterfront, which was an asset, and tying this in with the CBD would blend well with the plans for the CBD. Mr. Finkelstein asked if she saw any negatives. Ms. Tew-Circe said that she did not see any negatives, but read about them, and they are common in redevelopment areas. When dealing with neighborhoods, the City is going to have to deal with non-conforming lot sizes to assemble those properties and locate a major developer to come in to do a major redevelopment project. Assembly of property is a priority, because if you don't have the property, it is impossible to move forward. Also financial inducements need to be located to put the properties together. Property assemblage can be expensive. She noted that the budget contained $3.7 million that could be used for land assemblage. Ms. Tew-Circe had no surprises about the City. She said that she has worked in South Florida as a consultant and knows the area well. She pointed out the improvement in landscaping on Federal Highway was well done. She was surprised that the railroad tracks were so close to Federal Highway. The City will have to work with the railroad in order to make the area pedestrian friendly and to come up with some urban design guidelines to create some consistency. Scenario #2 Ms. Tew-Circe felt that the incentives offered the developer were more than fair and if this were a project that the City really wanted, this would have to be carefully studied before any action is taken. The CRA has to avoid giving something away and not getting anything back in return. Scenario #1 Ms. Tew-Circe would work with the developer on the parking issue and to look at other properties that could be used for parking. She noted that the developer was given an advantage to do the project and the developer should do something about the eyesore property. She would work with the City and the developer to alleviate the eyesore. She would utilize code enforcement if necessary to bring the property into compliance, Question and Answer Portion of the Interview: Question: Ms. Dominguez asked if the applicant had any experience with assemblage of land. Answer: Ms. Tew-Circe said that she had a Florida real estate license and is familiar with the rules and regulations of the acquisition of property. She spoke about a project that involved land assemblage in Winter Haven and how she handled it. CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Ms. Dominguez asked how the applicant dealt with people that may be displaced because of redevelopment and increased property values and what does she do to reassure people that they can still remain in their neighborhood. Ms. Tew-Circe stated that this issue did come up during their public involvement meetings. They worked with people to relocate them through the Federal Relocation Act. She was responsible for securing a corporation that built affordable housing to work with the Community Redevelopment Corporation to build affordable housing. Their first priority was to not relocate anyone if possible. Mr. Aguila asked the applicant how she would handle a situation where a developer came to her with a small piece of abandoned property that he wants to build on, but only wants to build it up minimally. However, he cannot meet the parking or setback requirements. Ms. Tew-Circe felt that this would not be the only property owner that would have a parking problem and this is a bigger issue than one parcel. She felt that it was important to provide off-street parking and not have parking in front of the businesses, She would try to purchase property that could be used for parking for more than one business. Mr. Aguila asked the applicant if she received direction from the Board and then received a conflicting opinion from a City Commissioner or City Manager, how would you handle this? Ms. Tew-Circe said she would call the Chairman of the Agency to discuss the issues. This is a scenario that could happen and was not uncommon. She would explain to the Commissioner that his ideas are in opposition to the CRA plan and that the plan must be adhered to in accordance with the law. If the Commissioner's idea was a good idea, she would present it to the CRA for consideration. Mr. Fenton asked what was the largest budget the applicant supervised. $3.3 million Mr. Fenton asked why Ms. Tew-Circe left her position with the City of Winter Haven. Ms. Tew-Circe said that she worked for the City of Winter Haven for many years. When the new City Manager came onboard, she determined that his philosophy was different from hers. The City CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: Answer: Question: -Manager reorganized her department and being the Planning Director she had her own ideas on how she would like to run her department. Her department was disbanded and the Director of Human Resources was put in charge of those programs, and she disagreed with this set up. Therefore, she decided to leave. Mr. Fenton asked if she had any other job offers on the table. Ms. Tew-Circe has a consulting firm pursuing her vigorously and she has applied to two other places in South Florida. Mr. Fenton stated that if the applicant were selected, they would run a background check on her. Would there be anything that would come up? No, nothing as far as I know. Mr. Fenton would like Ms. Tew-Circe to give a presentation on the waterfront revitalization program that she worked on. Ms. Tew-Circe said she would be addressing this. Mr. Fenton noted that there is a vocal group in the City that speaks at the CRA meetings and they are determined to stop growth. How would you handle these people? She noted that this same scenario also took place in Winter Haven. She would suggest to this group that they become involved with their government and to learn and understand what is going on and to offer input. Development is not going to stop because of a few people. Mr. DeMarco asked if the applicant had any experience dealing with vocal groups and people that complained about the CRA objectives? Have you had experience dealing with the news media? These situations did come up in Winter Haven and she gave examples of people's objections to the CRA plans and how she handled them. She also has had dealings with the press, both positive and negative and gave examples of how she handled these situations. Mr. Finkelstein noted that when the applicant was working for Bromwell and Carrier, she set up and implemented two CRA areas. Were these areas in the City of Winter Haven, or were they in other areas? CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Answer: Ms. Tew-Circe said that one area was adjacent to the City of Winter Haven city limits. The other one was in Polk County. Ms. Tew-Circe gave a presentation of her accomplishments with the City of Winter Haven and presented artists' renderings of the CRA areas that were redeveloped and improved. Edward Lowery, J.D., West Palm Beach, Florida (Interview time 1:00 p.m.) (1) Mr. Lowery said there is a tremendous opportunity in Boynton Beach to move forward. He has been a resident of Palm Beach County ali his life and is familiar with Boynton Beach. He feels there is a golden opportunity to begin on the ground floor to make wonderful things happen in the City. Mr. Lowery stated he has a law degree from the University of Florida, was an exchange student and lived in Europe as a student, and has met people from all walks of life. He feels that he has the ability to work with everyone. (2) Currently, he is the Planning and Economic Development Manager for Palm Beach County's Community Development Program and his major focus is on economic development and to bring business into the County. He used to be the Director for the County's Commission on Affordable Housing and has an in-depth background in housing development and affordable rental development. He has spent a great deal of time with developers working on several successful projects. He also has experience in working with homebuyers and has developed many first- time homebuyer programs for the County. He has worked closely with Ms. Octavia Sherrod in providing affordable housing and SHIP dollars to the City. He has a well-rounded background in housing, economic development and planning, both on the local and state levels. (3) He is involved with affordable housing development. It is his responsibility to make certain that the project is affordable and conforms to that particular area. He works closely with planning, building and zoning and attends all the development review committee meetings. He has extensive experience in site planning. When dealing with site plan approvals, Mr. Lowery goes into the community and talks to the people who would actually be affected by the project. He feels that zoning is the key to redevelopment and this will apply to Boynton Beach in meeting the goals of the CRA. He has a good knowledge of grant writing and has been involved in grant writing throughout his professional career. While employed by the City of Belle Glade as Community Development Administrator, it was his tO CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 responsibility to apply for grants. He has written grants through many agencies, both local and State. He has completed the criteria for the County's new Section 108 Economic Development Program and the County will be receiving approximately $26 million from HUD. He enjoys writing and applying for grants. Mr. Lowery said that he has recently gone through the neighborhoods of Boynton Beach and feels that a coordinated approach to signage and advertising is critical for the City to create its own identity. (4) Not addressed (5) Mr. Lowery stated that the City has put the money where their heart is and everyone is committed to the goals of the CRA. The commitment of the City, local churches and agencies is a positive step in making him want to become a part of the City. He pointed out that the businesses and people that are resisting the change have no concept of what the future really holds. Mr. Lowery felt the biggest negative is the attitude of some residents who do not want to buy into the changes and make temporary sacrifices to enable the City to move forward. Something has to be done about the conditions that currently exist in the Cherry Hills and Boynton Terrace sections. By bringing in businesses to the City, this will help to get the people off the streets by providing jobs. (6) Mr. Lowery felt that the City's Intracoastal waterfront was beautiful, but underutilized. He noted that some of the residents on the Intracoastal would prefer to keep things the way they are. He has also spoken to many residents of the City and they told him that they want Boynton Beach to move forward. He is prepared to work with the churches, the local CDCs, the City Commission and City Manager to help each segment of the community bring their aspirations to fruition. Some people would like to see things happen more quickly and Mr. Lowery would like to be a part of this. Scenario #2 Mr. Lowery would advise the Board to look at the company and the developer and request the developer provide the Board with three to four years of financial statements. Often times, developers will bring a project to the City, but want the City to pay for it. He would determine the fiscal impact that the project would have upon the City and how many tax dollars the project would generate. After this has been determined, then a decision could be made on how the City wants to proceed. He wouldn't give an answer immediately until the Board has done an - analysis of the situation and the Board needs to exercise restraint when making concessions to developers. ]! CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Question and Answer Portion of the Interview Question: Ms. Dominguez asked Mr. Lowery if he had any experience in assembling land for projects. Answer: Mr. Lowery stated that he provides staff support to the Westgate Belvedere Homes CRA. He has assembled parcels of land for stormwater drainage. The process was difficult, but was completed by utilizing eminent domain. Residents of this area have always wanted to be separate, but still wanted to receive the basic utilities. Question: Ms. Dominguez asked about his background in working with community groups in reassuring people that they won't be forced to leave their neighborhoods. Have you developed any programs to assist people in staying where they are? Answer: When he was Community Development Administrator for Belle Glade, he held community meetings to discuss the plans for the City since the citizens were concerned about the changes. One of the ideas was to change the Palm Beach Canal that feeds off Lake Okeechobee into waterfront residential property. The farmers and commercial owners were upset because this would displace some farming land and businesses. It was his responsibility to reassure those people that they had a role in the process. He has even gone to people's homes to speak with them personally. Question: Mr. Aguila asked if the applicant was ever fired or forced to resign from a position. Answer: No Question: Mr. Aguila asked what Mr. Lowery thought was the key element of an effective CRA Director? Answer: Mr. Lowery stated that the most important thing is having confidence in your abilities. This feeling often passes onto your subordinates. Also, a CRA Director must be knowledgeable. Mr. Lowery felt that he would make the Board feel comfortable in terms of his abilities and he would apply this to staff. Question: Mr. Aguila asked how the applicant would handle a situation where the Board gave him direction and the next day a City Commissioner asked him to do it his way. Answer: Mr. Lowery said that he answered directly to the CRA Board and that he would follow the agenda of the CRA Board. He would also inform the Board about the conversation that took place with the t2 CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 ~City Commissioner. Mr. Lowery said that trust is very important and that it would be the responsibility of the CRA Chairman to meet with the City Commissioner who has a conflict with the Board's direction. Question: Mr. Aguila asked what was the largest budget that the applicant has prepared and implemented and what is the largest staff that he has supervised. Answer: Mr. Lowery stated currently $18 million is the largest budget he has prepared. With regard to staff, this would be about 30 individuals. When he was the District Office Manager for the U.S. Census Bureau in 1990, he was responsible for 1,500 employees. Question: Mr. Aguila asked if the applicant were given the job, would he move to Boynton Beach. Answer: Mr. Lowery said he would have to speak to his wife. However, if he was given the position, he would have to consider moving to Boynton Beach. If you don't think the community is good enough to live in, why should you be hired? Question: Mr. Fenton asked Mr. Lowery about his experiences as an exchange student, which Mr. Lowery answered in depth. Question: Mr. Fenton asked why the applicant never practiced law? Answer: Mr. Lowery said he never intended to practice law since he was a philosophy and sociology major. H'e wanted to try to change what he thought was wrong with the world and he is proud of his accomplishments. Question: Mr. DeMarco asked the applicant about his tenure as the City Manager of South Bay, Florida, which was only for a few months. Answer: Mr. Lowery pointed out that South Bay is one of the poorest communities in the United States. He stated that because the City Commission had different ideas regarding housing, crime and drugs, which he did not agree with, he decided to resign. He remained with the City after he resigned to try to help and has continued to remain friends with the Mayor over all these years. Closing Statement Mr. Lowery stated there is a golden opportunity in Boynton Beach and everyone is anxious to see changes take place. It is the job of the CRA to get everyone on the same page and he would like to be a part of this. 13 CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Gary L. Worth of Bradenton Beach, Florida {Interview time 2:00 p.m.) (1) Mr. Worth said he is very familiar with Boynton Beach and brings to the table about 20 years of municipal management experience as a department head in development and as an Assistant City Managen He is knowledgeable in community redevelopment, planning, zoning, building inspection and code enforcement. (2) He has worked over the past 20 years with City Commissions, Boards and Planning and Zoning Commissions. Being a Director of Community Development he has worked closely with consultants and has managed third party contracts dealing with development. He has dealt with residents, citizens' groups and property owners. (3) He is an architect and has practiced architecture for many years. He then went into municipal management, which he found very exciting. He is familiar with site planning and was a consultant to many communities with their development activities. He then moved on to work with a successful architectural firm. He explained the responsibilities and duties that he performed while employed by the architectural firm. (4) Not addressed. (5) On the positive side, Mr. Worth felt that the City has accomplished a lot within the past several years. Negatively, employment is an issue in the City, as well as job training, and skill levels are lacking, which has an effect upon the economics of the City. (6) Mr. Worth was surprised when he received the original CRA plan that dated back to the '80s. He also read the Heart of Boynton CRA Plan and noted the document referred many times to the Visions 20/20 Plan. He asked for a copy of the 20/20 Plan from staff and found it very interesting. There are a great many doable projects in the Plan, which he would like to become involved with. Scenario #2 Mr. Worth would ask for the financial statements of the developer to substantiate his request for financial assistance. He would then be able to determine if the developer was telling the City everything they needed to know. Mr. Worth would not refund 100% of the developer's expenses. Sometimes a community doesn't charge a developer building permit fees, which would be agreeable to him. With regard to a fee in lieu of parking that would depend upon the location of the development within the community. He would have to look at the project to determine if this would apply. There may be other alternatives available. Mr. Worth felt that the developer should be responsible for the impact fees. He t4 CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 suggested that the CRA purchase the land on behalf of the developer and make the land available to the developer, rather than have the developer over pay the land. Scenario #1 Mr. Worth would first want to know what type of agreement was entered into between the community and developer to determine what the date was for the project to be completed. Mr. Worth said that he would consider condemnation of the land in order to sell it to someOne who would develop the land. Question: Ms. Dominguez asked if the applicant had any experience with condemnation and land assembly for large scale projects. Answer: Mr. Worth felt that condemnation was a last resort alternative and he stated that he has been involved in a number of land acquisitions through condemnation. He said that he had experience with land assemblage, platting, replatting and planning. Question: Ms. Dominguez asked if the applicant had any experience working with community groups to resolve issues with regard to displacement of residents. Answer: Mr. Worth stated he had experience with neighborhood groups and referred to the Heart of Boynton Plan. He said that he had been involved in these types of projects in the past. Working with residents involves a great deal of time and he has no problem with working with the citizens. Question: Mr. Aguila asked what states was the applicant registered ~n as an architect? Answer: Illinois Question: Mr. Aguila asked the applicant why he left Venture Resource Associates in Illinois and came to Bradenton in December 2001. Answer: The applicant stated that he owned property in Bradenton and that his firm has been doing some work in Florida and he decided to stay. Currently, he is working with the City of Bradenton to assist them with the new Florida Building Code. Question: Mr. Aguila inquired how familiar the applicant was with Florida Statutes 1637 Answer: He was very familiar. He has been reading the statute in depth and stated they were similar to the Illinois statutes. CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Question: -Mr. Aguila asked how the applicant would handle a direction that the Board gave him, which was contrary to what a City Commissioner may want. Answer: Mr. Worth pointed out that the Board employs him and that he would have a conversation with the Commissioner to determine the controversy. Part of his position is to act as a liaison between the CRA and the Commission and City Manager's Office. Question: Mr. Fenton asked what the population of Elmhurst, Illinois was. Answer: Approximately 50,000. Question: Mr. Fenton asked the applicant to give an example of one positive event that he was involved in when he was Director of the Department of Community and Economic Development of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Answer: Mr. Worth said that he enjoyed the annexation issues. They were able to control the growth of Cape Girardeau by planning through annexation. He also assisted with writing the disaster plan for the City of Cape Girardeau. Question: Mr. DeMarco asked Where the Resource Group was located. Answer: Mr. Worth stated that was in Chicago. Question: Mr. DeMarco inquired if he was still associated with that firm?. Answer: Mr. Worth said that he had some ties with the firm that have to be resolved, which are minor in nature, and it would only take about three weeks to divest himself. Closing Statement Mr. Worth felt comfortable with the position and it would only be a matter of developing a good working relationship with the Board and the City. He works well with people and stated he was an implementer and would look forward to bringing things to fruition that are envisioned by the City. Mr. Finkelstein asked Mr. Worth if would have a problem with moving to Boynton Beach if the position were offered to him and he responded he had no problem whatsoever. CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 Voting and Selection The voting procedure selected was that each committee member would write down their first, second and third choice of candidates to determine if there was one person who would receive a majority of number one choices. A first and second choice will be selected. First Choice - Second Choice- Third Choice- Beverly Tew-Circe (4 first choice votes) Douglas Hutchinson (3 second choice votes and one first choice vote) Gary Worth (1 vote) Discussion took place on whether only one or two of the top candidates should be brought before the Board. It was suggested that police background checks of both candidates should be done in the event the first candidate declines or takes another position. Also Mr. Finkelstein requested that the references and credit bureau checks also be done. Mr. Greene pointed that the Police Department would do both the criminal and credit checks and he would take care of the reference checks. Ms. Dominguez pointed out that the Board needs to move quickly since there are not many qualified candidates available. Mr. Finkelstein suggested telephoning Ms. Tew-Circe and informing her that she was the Board's number one choice and that the process is moving forward. Mr. Fenton suggested sending a letter to both candidates informing them they are one of the two finalists and to make themselves available to the Board on April 9% Mr. Finkelstein suggested holding a special meeting for this purpose. Mr. Aguila would prefer to move forward and make a recommendation of Ms. Tew-Circe at the April 9th meeting and seek the Board's approval at that time. Mr. DeMarco suggested checking with the Presidents of the Chambers of Commerce, the Mayors and the City Managers of their respective cities seeking their opinions of the candidates. The procedure to be followed will be: 2. 3. 4. Background and reference checks done on the top two candidates. The selection committee has a preferred candidate. The second candidate is a fall back candidate A letter will be prepared and sent to the top two finalists and will be signed by Chairman Finkelstein. Mr. Greene will take care of this. If all of the above checks out, the Board will be asked to approve Ms. Tew-Circe as the Director of the CRA. It was decided to hold a special meeting at 5:30 .p.m. on April 9t~, which is the date of the regular meeting that routinely begins at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Greene will include with the agenda packet for the April 9th l? CRA Interviews Boynton Beach, Florida March 22, 2002 meeting a draft form of contract to review. Also, the benefits package will need to be worked out since the City will not employ the CRA Director. The interviews concluded at 3:05 p.m. Barbara M. Madden Recording Secretary (4 tapes) (April 4, 2002)