Downtown Development Authority - Regular Meeting

Okay. So, we'll call this meeting to order. 608, August 27th. We'll start with the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. And Mr. Miller, if you do roll call. Yes. Mayor Jacobs here. Chairperson Taylor here. Uh, Vice Chair Alex. Um, he said he was going to be here, so we will give him time. Uh, Secretary Trustee, uh, Walonus present. Dr. Haidider is asked to be excused. Uh, Trusty Barry here.

Right. and Trusty Nazerines has to be excused. Right. Okay. Okay. So, we will begin with the approval of the agenda. So, we're looking for a motion. So, moved. I second. Okay. So, we've got a motion by Mayor Jacobs and second by Trusty Walonus. All right. Presentations. We have the folk building development. Oh, sorry. Sorry. All those in favor? I I.

Anyone opposed? Any discussion? All right. So, we pass the approval of the agenda. Now, we move to the presentation. Spoker building development. Mr. Miller.

Yes. Uh, this is regarding the Fulker building which is a former or Orange Jeweler's property. And uh the council's approved a reasonzoning for the parcel to be a PD, a plan development district for the um demolition of the structure and the rebuilding of of commercial space on the first floor, about a 20,000 square foot commercial space on the first floor and about 60 residential units on floors two, three, and four above that. Um part of the process that the developers are looking at is to um begin the process of course for redevelopment, but also part of that is they're looking at doing a tax increment financing portion of the financing for that which will require of course you'll hear a little bit later we've got on the Zoom a consultant from Fishpek and Associates uh to talk about the process that's necessary to establish this uh kind of a tax increment financing to allow for the future value capture of the taxable amount to help pay down the loan for the developers. So for example, we will set very similar to the DDA itself for the entire capture. We capture what um a snapshot in time is what the value is say at 2025 of those of those parcels there on the corner and then the development occurs and it does add value a portion or all of that. We have not got the numbers completely of the value increase in what taxes they would pay would would still be paid, but it would be paid to a brownfield redevelopment authority which would in turn then be used uh via a development agreement to pay the developer to offset their costs on the note for the

building. So, we're um going to have a presentation from Trudy Gala and she's actually zooming in. And that's what at the beginning was for um to um talk to us about it and give us a little bit of information about how the process is going to go and everything that's required. Um part of what's going to be um asked tonight is if if this is something that we see and we agree to a motion would be done to allow them to just move forward in the process. Not to talk about facts or figures or number of units or anything to allow them to go forward in the process. And so, um, I think now we can maybe listen to Trudy and see, um, what we have. Also, in your packets, I put together the presentation that she's got and to go forward. And Trudy is up on the screen now. And, uh, through the magic of technology, she's zooming in, I assume, from Northern Michigan where she lives. So, hi Trudy. Can you hear us?

Yes, I can hear you very well. Thank you. Yeah, zooming in from Traverse City. So um thank you for allowing me to do that and to give this presentation here today. I have eight slides uh they were distributed earlier uh actually for your previous meetings. So you should have those already but I am going to share my screen and put them up on your screen so that you can see those in a larger format. The first three are just going to give you a little bit of information on development and then we'll talk about brownfield plan and what needs to be involved and then I will take any questions that you have for me. So, let me get started here. Can you see my screen? Yes.

Yes, we can. Okay,

there we go. All right. So, this first slide just shows the proposed development from A4 Holdings and the light brown section is the new four-story building. So, the three buildings will come down. And this will be a new new building. And as Matt mentioned, commercial on the first floor and then residential with apartments on floors 2, three, and four. It also shows uh right here, if you can see my cursor, this is all the parking area. There's some green space area. These are entrances on each end of the building. And then there's spaces for uh service delivery as well as uh garbage garbage collection and so forth. The next photo is a a photo of the Cardo Road property and it shows the additional parking here and then there would be some residential space here for perhaps future development. [clears throat] Are you getting a feedback on the line from from me?

We are not. Okay, then it's just on my end. Okay, that's all right. Okay, so this is located at Ford and Middle Belt Road, and these are some photos of what the property currently looks like. So, you can see that there is uh definitely some areas that um are are in need of work and and the developers have decided not to try to rehabilitate these buildings, but instead to tear them down, start with a brand new building. So they're going to demolish them and replace them with that uh new new building. Total building height is going to be approximately 66 to 72 feet. The ground floor commercial retail will have uh 14 to 16 ft clear height with the residential floors about 11 to 12 ft. And then the roof level there'll be some mechanical and perhaps parapet up there 3 to 6 feet with a potential for rooftop green space. And these are the kind of details that will be spelled out in the final site plan and the construction drawings that will be developed and still needs to go back through final site plan with regard to the resoning. So this is the rendering of what the new building will look like. And as Matt mentioned, the developers are looking at a brownfield plan to use the tax increment financing and MISTA and MEEDC incentives as applicable along with private investment and bank financing in order to bring this project to completion. So it will include some incomerestricted units in compliance with Misha's housing tiff program. In order to do a brownfield plan, you need four things. You need a brownfield redevelopment authority, which you have at Wayne County. You need eligible site, which you have here. Eligible activities, which we'll go over. And then you have you need to collect tiff. There has to be an increase to collect tiff to reimburse the developer and make the plan work. So, a property is

eligible under act 381 for any of these reasons here listed in these top bullets. And these are what we kind of consider traditional ways of thinking of brownfield sites. They're blighted. Functionally obsolete. If if the property is functionally obsolete, it's a level three or level four assessor that has to put that in writing after inspecting the buildings. It's contaminated, owned by, or under control of a land bank. This could be the local land bank authority as well as a state land bank authority. A historic site and properties are adjacent or contiguous to one of the above. And then around June of 2023, Act 381 was amended to include housing property. So now one or more units of residential housing that's to be constructed or rehabbed can be designed into a building that excuse me into a dwelling that is eligible as well as one or more units that are constructed, rehabbed in a mixeduse project. And this is a mixeduse project. The eligible activities as I mentioned the traditional brownfields we think of uh properties where we need to do some infrastructure site prep work, demolition, taking down buildings, taking out sidewalks and so forth. Environmental due diligence and clean up doing things like phase one and phase 2 environmental reports and even environmental insurance. So the housing tiff or HTI includes all those traditional eligible activities, but it also includes two new ones. You can do a renovation of an existing building for housing or you can do new construction and TIFF will fill that financing gap between constructing that that property and the income from the rents. So basically it's a revenue shortfall when the developer agrees that they're going to keep rents low for people whose incomes are up to 120% of the county's area median income, but their rents don't color cover all the developers loan and investment to build. So you have a housing gap and you use tiff to

fill that housing gap as well as those eligible activities at the top. So we met those three things already. You have a brownfield redevelopment authority and eligible site and eligible activities and now you need tiff and tiff is basically taking the difference between what the taxes are now on the property and what they'll be after it's developed. And it's on an eligible property and then it get the developer gets reimbured for those eligible activities. as defined in the brownfield plan. So, as an example, if there are $1,000 of taxes on a property and then you put the new development on, taxes go up to 4,000, the difference is that 3,000. That's your tax increment and that is the amount that would get captured and used to reimburse the developer. the local government, you know, all the local taxing jurisdictions like your libraries, uh, uh, Commission on Aging, things like that, they would continue to get what they are getting right now, but they would not get any of the increase until the reimbursement of the developer is complete through the Brownfield plan. And then they would, and this here's a little bit of information on housing tiff, I'm kind of summarizing this all for you. Um, every plan is different, every site is different and we we try to summarize how this all works, but as you get into the plans, there are more specifics and we go over those with the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority as well as the city that's going to be acting on this. So, there's a median household income that is deter determined for each county and household size. We've been asked the question before, well, can you use the income the excuse me, the household income numbers for the city? No, we can't. Mistra requires us to use them by the county. So those are the numbers we will use. Mistra provides a rent limit by the number of bedrooms for each county and it's based on the area median income. So we use those in our brownfield plan. And then again the

housing tiff incentives are for homes for people earning up to 120% of county area median income. A developer could go above that when we call it market rate. So they could sell or rent higher than that, but that would not be included in any housing gap. And we generally encourage a mix of that, a mix of a market rate and some some units that are under 120%. Then there is a performer that's required by MISTA and that shows the debt service cover ratio as well as the internal rate of return for the developer. Those are required documents that Misha needs and those come along later in the process and they get sent to MISTA with a work plan. so that they can review it as well. And my last slide here is just a little bit on the brownfield tiff process. As I said, you have to have a brownfield redevelopment authority. The developer proposes a project, which has happened in this case, and they draft a brownfield plan. That's what Fishbach is doing on behalf of the clients. The plan has to be approved by three um bodies here. So, the city has to approve it. The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority makes the recommendation approval and then the Wayne County Board of Commissioners has to approve it and that's done after they hold a required public hearing. When that's all done, we do a reimbursement agreement that's done between the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the developer. And basically [clears throat] that is to spell out here's how reimbursement is going to occur. These are the things that you have to do to get reimbursement. and you have to submit invoices and lean waiverss and any other documents that the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority requests. They have a process set up as you know they collect the tiff and here's how it gets paid out and that has to all be followed according to the brownfield plan and the reimbursement agreement. And then if the de developer is asking for state taxes as we are on this site, there's another plan that has to be developed after that. That's an act 381 work plan which is very similar to the

brownfield plan but it includes some more information and that goes to MISHA for state approval and the benefit of that is you are also capturing the state school tax. So that's that adds more money into the pot so the developer gets paid off quicker and the property goes back on the tax roses quicker. So local jurisdictions can then um benefit from that increased tiff. And then the final thing I wanted to mention about the housing tiff is that the developer or property manager has to verify the resident's incomes and maintain rents every year in compliance with BISHA for the duration of that brownfield plan. That way you can you can check and see that they're doing what they're supposed to do and there's a report that has to be filed with the state. So that's my last slide and I did want to just mention that [clears throat] because there is a down a excuse me a downtown development authority in place here that requires a stop sharing here. There we go. That requires the developer to approach the downtown development authority and to ask for an agreement to be done between the downtown development authority and the Brownfield redevelopment authority allowing for the BRA to capture that tiff during the life of the plan and reimburse it accordingly under act 381 through the brownfield plan and the reimbursement agreement. And if you have any questions on anything, be happy to take those.

Do you have a question? Sure. Um, a few. So, what are eligible activities and how long how long will the developer keep the um the the tiff money? So in other words, how long will the city actually be how long will it be until the city is able to recoup their t their tiff money from the project once it goes up when it's full?

Right. So thank you. Um the eligible activities are some of the things that I've mentioned in the um slides right there is things like site preparation, environmental work like doing a phase one or phase 2 baseline environmental assessment. Um putting in infrastructure like sidewalks. uh we don't need roads in this case but that can be considered parking areas anything that has to help support the housing development it could be considered as an eligible activity and then in addition it's that housing gap so those are numbers that we are working on to complete in the brownfield plan and then as you asked about the how long is the brownfield plan in place and how long is tiff captured that all depends on what is agreed to between the developer and the city when we bring this plan to you as to what's going to work to make sure that the project is viable and it's also acceptable to the city. So we see most of these plans are at least a 15-year time period. They can go up to a maximum of 30 years. We have some communities that are putting a cap on the number of years. They might be saying 20 years is the longest that we'll allow to to go. And then the money maybe to clarify too is the the money won't come back to us though. So at that point then we will start collecting the the capture ourselves and it's not being utilized to pay back the developer or to the Wayne County Bramfield Redevelopment Authority.

Well he will quit collecting after correct to 30 years and then we would start yes collecting on the Okay. Then another question. Let me see here. Gosh, on and on. And then how will we know? You mentioned um if the rent is above and that was okay if the rent was above the 120%. Um or was it below whatever that the gap wouldn't wouldn't be collected then? So how would we know that?

U maybe Is it possible maybe is it possible to have a mix of units like a market rate and then these 120%? Is that is that what you're asking? Well, she said a certain percentage of that had to be had to fall in line with this HTI uh incentive for homes for people earning up to 120% of county area medium income. But if they're earning more than that, then what I thought I heard her say was then that would not be included in the gap uh grab for the the tiff money. Okay. And I'm saying, well, how would we know

that? Good question. That is spelled out in the brownfield plan. According to the act, technically if you have one housing unit, you can qualify for uh housing tiff. But we don't feel that communities will accept just one housing unit that and I haven't seen any of them done that way yet. So what we do is determine what the housing gap is and we put in those units into the brownfield plan. We have to show a housing gap. The housing gap, in other words, that tiff that is available can only be captured for any units that you're going to uh restrict to 120% AMI or below. So as an example, if the developer in this case said 60 units and 20 of them will be incomerestricted, the housing gap is only calculated on those 20. Meaning the other units can be rented out at market rate. They don't have to be. They could be below as well, but they would be required to keep 20 income restricted and the housing gap is figured on 20 units. That answer your question

kind of. So does that mean that the amount of tiff money that would come back to them then is reduced?

It's only based on the it's only based on the 20 units as well as any other eligible activities that I mentioned like demolition and so forth. So in the proforma that they will put forward say 20 units plus the cost of the demolition, the utility work, um uh environmental storm water runoff, all of those things would be in there as part of the calculation to determine how much of the tiff um they would get and for uh how long basically. Is that correct?

Yes. Yes. And and those details are being worked out in the brownfield plan and those will be submitted to the city to the brownfield redevelopment authority and then if it goes through those two bodies it goes to the board of commissioners for final action.

Okay. And when you said the and when you say the city the DDA will have have a brownfield redevelopment plan and the city council will also have one. There'll be two approvals necessary. Actually, the DDA does not approve anything with regard to a brownfield plan. What the developers are asking for here is an interlocal agreement between the DDA and the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority so that the BRA can capture the tiff on these properties in the brownfield plan because as it's set up right now, your DDA is capturing that. Okay?

And you and the BRA can't just put a brownfield plan in place and say we're taking the tip off of this property. We have to have an interlocal agreement between the two bodies that say yes for the term of this plan. Let's say it's 20 years. For the term of this plan, the DDA will allow the brownfield authority to collect the tiff and reimburse it according to the regulations in act 381 which is which covers your brownfield plan and your reimbursement agreement.

Okay. And then will the council just one then will the council have a public hearing also? The council is not required to. I mean, you certainly can. In some communities, they have requirements to hold public hearings on on things like this, but it's the board of commissioners that has to hold the public hearing. Oh, the Wayne County Board of Wayne County Bar. Okay. Okay.

Yes. And there's um before they do that, there has to be a public notice that's sent out and posted at least 10 days before the public hearing, as well as notice to all the taxing jurisdictions that this brownfield plan will be considered. Okay. All right. We do have uh items that do require a public hearing or what we call an ordinance, but I don't know if this does. So, uh just so the board knows, the uh city attorney and also our DDA attorney, I've sent this information also to them to review to give us guidance as as a formal document starts to come forward. Just an FYI. So, because I'm not 100% of all the steps necessary either. I won't be able to guide the board and the council and we do need that um assistance from the attorneys.

And one more question, just so you know, I I did reach out. We we have um several consultants that do similar work as I do down in the Cal Mazoo area and Grand Rapids area. So, I have one who um has done a lot of presentations down there and I have her on standby in case you need a presentation in front of the city council. She would be more than welcome, more than happy to come and do that for your city council. All right. Thank you. I think Yes, go ahead. Yeah. Hi, Trudy. Um, hi.

I just want to make sure that I understand this and everyone over here also understands it. So, um, right now just the tw the number 20 that we were throwing out there is not actually 20. It's actually I believe like 12 or 13 just so we're aware of that. And then um that's what's mandatory to be priced at that at that amount. And then anything under the 120 can as long as it's under 120 can still be captured as a tiff, right? The 120 you those would qualify for housing gap

for housing gap. Not anything over disqualifies you. Right. Anything that is market rate, no. Okay. But but anything that is used for households uh renting and their household income is 120% of AMI or below. That's what we call housing gap. So that's eligible for TIF. And there's an actual formula that we use from MISTA to figure out okay what is that housing gap? How does it fill into this development? And that will all be uh put forward in the draft brownfield plan. Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure everyone had that information. So 12 because remind me again, how many units are you planning? 60. 60.

Um, was the total amount of units at 63 right now? And it it it could it could adjust slightly once we you know [clears throat] and you have to have 20% of those. That's correct. No, no, no, no, no. There's not a percentage required and and let me just say that I would hate to get stuck in any certain numbers right now because we are still putting all of the data in as far as the cost and we have to put that all in before we can actually give accurate numbers as far as these are the ones that going to be income restricted, these are the ones that are not and here's the totals. So I know that's not a percentage of of the units. It's not like

No, that's correct. Okay. And then what [clears throat] one more question um you had said that they would have to the developer would have to file a report every year with the state as far as income for the residents. Correct. Yes. stuff is required by MISTA and that that can also be um distributed to the city as well so that they can see all right these are the units they said they'd be income restricted and they are and um what if it's not filed do they lose the tiff money then

yeah those are well they don't lose the tiff money but they're not going to be eligible to get the tiff until they meet all those requirements so you would spell those out in a reimbursement agreement and all the details of how tiff is is paid out. Okay. So, if the developer is not meeting certain requirements, then they're not eligible to receive the tiff yet. And then how long would you keep that money before it would come back to the city or would it just never come back to the city?

Does it does not come It does not go back to any of the taxing jurisdictions during the life of the brownfield plan. So if the developer is not meeting some of the requirements in their brownfield plan or the reimbursement agreement, the Brownfield redevelopment authority continues to hold that money until they meet those. And those are the things again that are spelled out in reimbursement agreement is if there's any uh violation of the reimbursement agreement, you know, here's the steps to remedy it. If you don't remedy it, the brownfield authority could start that process of talking about, well, if you're not going to meet these requirements, we can terminate the brownfield plant. That's not done very often because the developer has made a commitment to construct the site and, you know, do the development and they follow through on that. I've only had two and all the time I've worked on it and it's because in one case the developers changed hands a few times. there was a death in the family and they just couldn't do the development so they walked away from it and another one sold the property and the new buyer didn't want the brownfield plan but otherwise I have not seen any that have been terminated

okay all good questions thank you comments or presentations or

so the um So, how we're, you know, kind of where we're at now is we're looking at uh wanting to move this forward. And part of kind of the analysis that I've been doing is like a community benefit analysis, like what what benefit will we get for this development to occur? What benefit do we not have? And that's not often monetary, you know, it's just like, is this a a benefit to the city that says yes, this development will happen and it's new development and what other things can happen? You know, can springboard off of that? We have more people living downtown. Uh we have a building that is functionally obsolete and not looking good as it is. We we agree. And then two other buildings that aren't in good condition either. Um and we have those replaced. And then it's kind of like a we're hoping that it's a a concentric zone theory that it will build out and we will have further and better development as we go forward. And so that's kind of how uh we're looking at this and that change in the law that Trudy made mention in 2023 has has I think across the state has started to see kind of hard sites be redeveloped. Um when you build something in Canton, we always use that as an example. it's a farm field, you're turning over and and you're good to go. But when you're doing redevelopment in an urban or inner rink suburb, it's not the case. You know, we have buildings in the way. We have easements. We have utilities that are already there that are in the way of development that have to be moved. And so those are things that add to the cost of development in a an older community. And so that's why we were um I was kind of excited in 2023 when the state law changed because it it opened a door that has always been closed to uh inner ring suburbs for housing development to occur in their downtowns. So, I think that's why we're kind of

here and um I think with the developers uh goal to reutilize the build, you know, reutilize the space, build new for um the future and to of course increase housing units in our downtown and our city. So, I think that's why we're here. Correct. So,

we have no other I' I'd like to make a motion just to support uh for the Fulkers Commons project that is a four-story mixeduse building with approximately 20,000 uh square feet commercial space and 60 approximately 60 residential units and the use of an interlocal agreement between the Garden City DDA and the Wayne County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. to establish the tiff uh tax capture funding. Support for that. I support. Did we just move this to an action item?

I think we can make a motion off of this, can't we? Correct. We can we can make a motion if you see fit. Okay. So, we've got the motion by Mayor Jacobs and support from council me I'm sorry, from Trusty Barry. All in favor? I still have I have a couple of questions if you don't mind, Matt. Yeah. Um, prior to this development with Orange being there and Orange, what were we collecting from there? I I don't have the the numbers. I'm sorry. Okay.

Yeah. and and and now and now we would get well that that's correct. So yeah, let's just let's walk this out because this is taped and we we don't have the numbers exactly. So as let's ballpark let's ballpark just so that we have something concrete to talk about here. Okay. Um we we took a a snapshot of the value of what he's paying. And so the $100,000 in taxes that are paid though do do not all come to the city. Just so just so you know just a small a smaller portion of that $100,000 comes to the city and um the city would separate the city and the DDA. So, um,

because what the city gets, I mean, we're talking about TIFF money, which is directly, uh, correlates to the DDA. So, let's stick within the DDA. What What are we losing?

I don't know an exact number, but let's say $10,000 a year is is maybe what we're looking at. So, but that's again, that's off the, you know, because a portion we're getting now. I think a benefit sorry to uh Elbert the benefit at least that the DDA is getting is that the property sold recently and it became uncapped. So we got that jump the uncapping and so now the snapshots a little bit forward. Um but uh the cost we will be we will not be capturing a certain dollar amount. I don't have the number to say but it's [clears throat] not I don't know if it's 10,000. I don't want to. Okay. So let's but it could be about that.

Okay. So we're because it's three tax parcels in the entire DDA that we won't be capturing these on. So we were capturing about $100,000 a year and when the development goes through we would capture about $90,000 a year. Well we will be still capturing roughly not exact just trying to just some rough numbers here to get an idea of what's going on. um we will still be collecting the 100,000 okay but when the development occurs it would be reassessed at say 200,000 and of that 200,000 we won't get our portion we won't get the 100,000 correct

we won't get anything but the the state won't it it is used to pay down the loan at the at the um on behalf of the brownfield redevelopment authority they will distribute the money to the develop ers to pay down their loan. I don't think so. So, it's not just that um that with uh a new building and it being reassessed that we would not collect that money. We won't collect any money. So, we lose $100,000 a year. No, we will still collect that. That's what I just asked you and you said, "No, we won't be collecting that 100,000. It's going to go back to the developer. I'm sorry you didn't understand. That's why I'm Yeah,

that's right. If I'm confused, Yeah. then anybody else watching can get confused, [clears throat] too. So, Trudy is still on. So, Trudy. Okay. Well, just what we'll clarify, though, that we still will collect today's tax rate. So, like our budget that we approved this year was $600,000. We still will do that next year. Also, you were talking for this the city, correct? Correct. When you say city though, are we is that um the city portion then comes to the DDA? Yes, Matt. Um just to make sure on that I will follow up. Okay. Um yes,

follow up. I'll I'll get it. I think what the question is is does the DDA get any money on it if they do this interlocal agreement? Is that correct? Correct. So I understand that we're losing the increase from the um the new value. So, we're losing the increase in taxes, but are we forfeiting all of the the revenue that would come in?

My answer to that is I know that taxing jurisdictions continue to get what they have been receiving. They don't get any increment. In the case of this DDA with this interlocal agreement, I want to check on that further and just get you a accurate answer. I don't want to I don't want to say something tonight that might not be right. So I'll get you an accurate answer on that. And uh this is for five parcels instead of three. There are five properties there as tax partial numbers. Okay. So in that case I don't see how we can vote when we don't have the information. Well we're not we're not voting on any numbers. We're just we're voting on do we support this project and moving it forward so that they can look at the financing numbers. That's what the motion is for.

Still got to come before the city and it'll still come before the DDA as far as when with numbers and the agreement. Yes. True. This is just basically a motion to as Matt said, just to move everything forward so they can go after uh with Wayne County because I'm not sure Wayne County moves very quickly. Well, if I had an answer to that question, then I I would I could support it, too. But I don't have an answer to that question. So,

okay. You know, it's one it's one thing to say this it benefits developer and that's that's great. It benefits somebody, right? The developer and the new building's going to come. Wonderful. But how is it going to benefit the residents? Because, you know, Matt, um outside of our taxes being extremely high, we just got hit with a big water bill, too. And now if we're going to lose revenue here in the DDA, then we can't continue to do some of the things that we do here. We need to know that. But it is not a loss of today's revenue. It is not. It's so I I I I think I'm understanding your question.

Um you're you're still capturing what you're currently capturing. But do we forfeit that back to you? I don't believe you forfeit that. That says that's what she said she was going to look into. No, she was just going to look into numbers. But the answer to the question of [clears throat] will we forfeit what we're currently collecting through the what is the answer to that? Was that a question for me, Matt? Yes. Yeah. Okay. And that is what I was responding. I want to just verify that.

So what what we're currently collecting in tax going forward, we would not collect. That's what that's what I need to clarify. I don't want to try to answer that tonight and give you misinformation. I know with all the taxing jurisdictions, you continue to get what you're receiving, but the DDA is saying to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, you collect the tiff on this property in order to do this brownfield plan. So, the question um I think it is that DDA continues to receive that amount that they're getting now. But again, I would like to just double check that. Okay. So, because this got uncapped, revenues go up. But we won't receive them because it would go back to the developer. The revenues that got uncapped, you won't receive.

Correct. But currently the ones that we we That's what we don't know. And that's what she said that she had she needed to look into that. She couldn't answer that. So if it gets uncapped, the revenues that you guys are concerned about are the revenues that when it got uncapped, is that's what's going towards the development? No, that's that she explained. She said that they could be collecting for 15 to 20 years. Correct. My question was about the revenue. So if it's 100,000, we're still collecting the 100,000. That's what she can't answer. That's what she needs to look into. She can't give a definitive answer to that.

Well, I guess the question would be, do all the revenues that the DDA collects go towards this always? Whether it's capped or uncapped? What? So basically, let's say he was paying 100,000 right now and it gets uncapped and he's got to pay X amount of dollars more. The revenues that we're collecting before it got uncapped, does that go towards it? That's what you guys are trying to answer. That's what And right. We can't get an answer to that. And a replacement for it and then in in placement we're getting this nice beautiful building in the downtown DDA. Well, is is what we're voting for, what we want to see happen because if we don't vote Well, there's more to it than that, right? Like you can't just say, "I love that beautiful home. I want to buy it." Well, how much money do you have?

Well, I had 100,000, but I'm not sure if I have it anymore, so let me check with the bank. In this case, let me check with Trudy. And Trudy said, I think if we lose I think what happens is we got to start somewhere. So, initially, they're going to have to start with this and then the the the city, which would be council, would make that decision to see if that's something that's feasible for this area. We're not the last. We're just allowing them to get into contract so they can begin the process. We are. We're not the last say, we're the first say. Trudy, once we say, then it goes. Trudy, can you hear me? Confirm. Yeah, go ahead.

So, according to this uh this plan that the slides that we provided them, I I think this answers the question. It says, you know, if our current taxes are $1,000 and then our development taxes after development are $4,000, then they're going to they're not going to capture the $3,000 difference, but they still capture whatever the DDA gets out of that $1,000. So in this case, if our property taxes are $100,000, a portion of it obviously goes to Wayne County, goes to different aspects of it, and then there's a portion that comes to the city or the DDA. They still capturing from that 1,000, but they're not capturing the difference after the difference of the taxes. This is this is from the Brownfield, you know, increment financing over here in in the slide that that probably came right off their website. But again, I want to reiterate that this is just a motion to to try to move forward. I mean, nothing you're not approving a site plan. You're not approving anything except for our ability to move forward with this. It's been a prolonged process and and you mentioned one of the things that you mentioned was it benefits the builder. It benefits the builder to rehab these buildings and rent them out and start making money right away. This is something that we took into serious consideration to benefit the community. This benefits the community far more than it benefits the builder. As a builder, I can I can make greater than 10% on my money by rehabbing the buildings, cleaning them up on the inside, cleaning them up on the outside, and reusing it. But the but the plan for the city, and I came to the meeting, was to create a downtown environment. You can't create a downtown environment without giving a little bit as well, especially in an older city. I mean, you have to rejuvenate it. This this

happened in downtown West Dearbornne as well. Um, where people had to invest money because 90% of Michigan Avenue was not rented for the longest time. It wasn't until about 10 years ago that everything started renting out. This is a proposal that we're investing, you know, 20 over $20 million into this site over here and it's not just to benefit us. Everything that we've ever done is to benefit us and the community. So, it's it I just want to make that clear. This is not a motion.

Okay. Okay. Um so just to maybe the example in the in these slides though Trudy is is an example of that we could rely we're relying on of what occurring what will occur that example that Albert discussed.

Yes. And I I wanted to just point out one other thing so everyone understands. Uh we've been working on a brownfield plan. The the developers went through the resoning process. There's a lot of steps to all this and they're working on the brownfield plan next. But in order to continue with this brownfield plan, there has to be an interlocal agreement between the DDA and the BRA. If the DDA says no, you're not we're not going to do that, then there's no brownfield plan. We can't continue. So that is a question that uh the developers need answered is whether or not there will be an agreement put in place if there's support for this project. Otherwise, the brownfield plan is off the table.

Okay. And you know I just wanted to say downtown Durborn the example that uh Mr. Abas made he is right. So I am from that area and nothing was being rented out. It was vacant for I don't know God knows how many years 10 15 years plus until they started building apartments and they started bringing traffic to that area and Ford invested money and everybody did. If you go to that place and you walk around at night everything is flourishing. The whole area is flourishing and everybody is happy. It's beautiful. It's beautiful.

Would I love that to happen this way or down this way? Of course. I know because personally I'm an investor into the city. And you know, it took me some time to um you know, get that get get the Marshall yard up and going. So, I understand the investment, the time that that it takes to get things going. So, if he's going to come in and he's going to invest X amount of dollars to make this place beautiful and bring something amazing to the area, why would we want to put a hurdle in his way? Well, I'm not trying to put a hurdle in his way. I'm just trying to get an answer to if we're losing our initial we're not losing money that we would based on what they they show us. We're not losing our initial what we're collecting right now.

Well, that's what you say. That's what he says. That's what this is. But when we asked we asked the professional, the professional said, "I can't say that. I have to look into it." And that was my question. But I have a question for you, Mike. when you purchased that building and started renovating it. Um were any and were there any perks like this for you or because obviously they they existed, right? So, you know, I tried and I didn't fall under those uh guidelines because I'm not red. I was remodeling my building. So, uh okay. Just I was curious to permit housing as component of this in 2023. Well, he didn't have housing, but that's so but otherwise he

but it would not have qualified because the Bronco redevelopment authority um were usually industrial properties things like that and it didn't allow for housing to occur. So, it was like how those kinds of developments occurred once the law changed in 2023 permitted housing to occur that would happen usually not in industrial areas you know in downtowns or obsolete buildings. I was reoccupying. Would I have wished? Of course. It would have been amazing.

I think for the investment versus the money we may give up on uh in once it's uncapped, I think it's a fair tradeoff for the for a blighted corner in our downtown area. Um I think the the money that we would give up for uh that kind of development, the the investment they're willing to make uh we've already discussed different options and he's uh they've been very giving toward what we the city would like and uh obviously DDA's had some input. Um, so basically this is just moving it forward, letting them letting them go seek that that TIFF funding to help with their their expenses

and then it'll come to a final site plan and approval for everything. This is just to be able to move forward because there's a there's, you know, a lot of holding costs, a lot of time that, you know, we have to go through and take things step by step to be able to do a project like this. Um, if you do a simple Google search on, you know, the laws of the brownfield tiff, it'll describe exactly what I had just told you in this. Yeah, I read all about it before I came over the weekend. So, that should be your answer to, you know, the question that you just you just proposed.

Well, that's why I have these questions and I just want a clarification since, in fact, she was the professional on all of this. Um, and I assumed that she would know. So, I was surprised when she said she would have to get back to us. Understandable. Right. Understandable.

If I can interject, uh it's not the be all, but you know, we've had a decent amount of property ownership changes in the last couple of years, which all those properties also their taxes were uncapped. So, we're collecting more than we were. Uh which also helps our budget. uh as a bigger picture. So, um I don't think we're going to be in bad shape uh with this situation uh and the end result, I think it's going to be great. But if we don't agree to the numbers later, say we don't have to go forward. I mean, we don't have

So when when would this come back before us then for approval if this is not uh I think all we're motioning right now is for the interlocal agreement. We're not talking we're just giving them approval to go through to approve the agreement. Assuming Wayne County and uh it is part of the agreement, is it not? Um without the I don't think they've got any of the numbers in here. What? Well, no, but not exact numbers, but the theoretical the the motion was just to support the project to go forward. I believe it was.

Okay, I support the project going forward. Of course. Do I support the with the TIFF? Um, I guess if I had an an answer from from her, then I I understand. So, I'm not a disapproval. I'm going to be an abstain because I don't have all the information is how I feel. I'm not a yay or nay. Can abstain. We Right. I understand what you're no vote because we need four votes to move this forward. So,

well, there's a a quorum of it's a quorum of four, so it would be a 31 vote. I don't I mean, yeah, but we're not voting on you guys. Yes. Yes. Say that again. I hear come back to us. Yeah. Yes or no? Oh, well then go ahead. Well, there's a motion on the floor. There is a motion. There is a motion. It was supported by Trusty Barry.

We had discussion. So So now we can uh ask uh all all in favor? I Anyone opposed? All right. So, our motion to approve the interlocal agreement to use the downtown development authority tax increment revenues for the folk commons has been approved. Well, it is it's a motion of support uh to move the project forward. It's not the interlocal agreement. Okay. Okay. So, all right. So, is that correct? Yes. Okay. It's not Do we need to do this all over again and take that out of there? No. I just I clarified um what the mayor read. I wrote down that motion. Okay. So, and I read um wrote it without that.

I got I got to make sure I can read all my writing though. One moment. So, and all that it stated was just that it's and the drafting and use of the agreement, but not the agreement itself. Okay. So, the drafting and use of Yep. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, we're all set with that, I believe. So, all right. Thank you, Mr. Ravish. Taylor, you guys appreciate it. Yes. Can you hear me? Yes. Can I jump in real quick? Yeah. The motion did pass. Okay.

All right. I just wanted to give you your answer because I was as we were on here, I was trying to contact a couple other people to get the answer. So, the answer is between a DDA and a bar. The DDA is the only taxing jurisdiction that has the right to set some limit on that. So they can put in the interlocal agreement that they will continue to capture what they have been capturing on that. But only a DDA can do that. Other taxing jurisdictions cannot. Okay. So does that answer your question? Now you can specify that in the inter agreement and I apologize again for not having that question, but it wasn't one that I had come up before. Okay, that's okay. But I appreciate you looking into that and giving us an answer. Thank you. Yes. I really do. Thank you very much.

You're welcome. Right. Thank you, Trudy. Okay. So then we can move on. So thank you very much. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. So we're item 7A. Thank you. Uh well we haven't done community events. Is there anything under community events? We'll talk about those in other Okay. We'll jump down. Okay. Sorry. So we'll jump down to 7A. The consent agenda. I approve the consent agenda 7 A 1 through 3. Okay. Okay. And supported by I second [snorts] trusty Walonis. Trusty Walonis.

Okay. So, we approved the uh regular meeting minutes from May 20th. We need to vote on each one of these. No, it's all together. Um and then we have the acceptance of the revenue and expenditure report as listed and acceptance of the finance report as listed. All right. And then we jump down to the action items with public we need to have a mo of motions been made and supported of all those things. Okay. So can we jump right down to other business? No, we would need to take a vote. We have to vote. We have to vote on the consent agenda.

Okay. So we are jumping to then well we voted the mayor and then supported [clears throat] by trustee Walonus for the consent agenda. Yes. And then all those in favor would signify by sitting I in favor I I Anyone opposed and do we have any additional discussion for the consent agenda items? Okay. Now we'll move on. Yes. Uh action items with public comment. The first one is the agreement with Al's ashalt paving.

Yes. Hi. So, this was, if you can recall back uh when we were doing our budget, we were putting together projects that we're going to do for the year. And the one item that had everyone had been requesting, we've been looking at is the parking lot seal coating and striping of what I call the northeast parking lot. um behind Jod's uh bar and Tony's uh Garden State Cafe and uh we put together a bid which you I included in there a bid package and then we um put the bid package out on our bidet which is a a governmental website where people actually register to uh companies that are interested in doing this kind of work seal coating and striping um would then be sent a copy of our bid specs and then we uh had a bid opening and we received uh five bids for the work to be done um there. So this will be the parking lot itself to uh fill any uh potholes, look at the cracks, fill those with the joint compound, and then seal coat and stripe the entire lot going over to the credit union kind of from the alley behind the bike store all the way over to the credit union. Um, and so we did receive five bids and I'm recommending that we move forward with Al's asphalt from Taylor, Michigan for the low bid of $22,300. Um, they've [clears throat] done work here in the city before and uh most recently they did a a joint crack sale project on city streets throughout the city also. Um, so we know that their quality of work is good and that they will be able to uh do the work and get that done. Um at the beginning of the year we had done municipal and improving projects in the budget of $100,000 for

total um for this plus the um alley repaving and which is coming up next and you'll see that and um but that is what I would like to recommend. Um unfortunately it's going to have to occur after the lucky squirrels and the chili cookoff which kind of um bums me out a little bit. I would love to have it done, but um it just is not going to be able to be done. And plus, we do put extra holes in the parking lot with the tents and everything. So, actually, it'll be um we'll start with a fresh new slate next year. Um so, we're looking at really kind of the first week of October to get the work done. So,

all right. So, we're looking to make a motion to approve this contract with Al's Asphalt beginning October 1st. Okay, I'll make a motion to approve uh L's Ashvald Taylor. I second. So motion by Trusty Walonus and seconded by Trusty Barry. I will say this, we we had approved this many years ago and it's kind of kept falling back and back, but it was at one time it was already approved by DDA and the city to do it and it just was never done. Oh, so

well we correct we uh we were going to do that with the rest of the fire station and the back lot here at city hall and then it also included the the DDA. Um but then we didn't have all the funding put in place until we really this year again to get it to come back to the surface. So and if and during the budget process we earmarked this to get done. So any other discussion? So, all in favor? I I Any opposed? Okay. So, that motion passes. Moving next to the agreement with OCG Companies LLC.

Yes. So, this is u the alleyway between Elite Eye Care and the bike store. And I just wanted to again that that alley is in terrible condition. Um and we of course are trying to make it safe. number one improve the drainage and again over in that parking lot um trying to make it look better um earlier you know uh I think a couple meetings ago we had talked about you know all those stores are filling up and the parking lots a mess and the alleyway is getting more traffic and all of that um so we went through the the same process that I did before which is which is the most open process that we can utilize using bidnet which the city uses and we use the city process to put together a bid specs and um which are bid specifications and then also um we had a a bid opening. We received a number of bids. You can see we received a total of 10 bids to do that. Um we did receive a low bid of uh $37,642 with Golden Gate Construction. Um but then the next bidder was $160 more and it's called OCG companies and they have been working in the city in providing really good service to us in the sidewalk gap project and I thought that the the difference of $160 to go with an unknown company and when I was checking all of their references for Golden Gate uh they seem to be a new company and so I wasn't sure and OCG has been performing uh quite well for us. Um I'm you know I'm working with their project team on uh concrete every single day actually um in the sidewalk program and I um would like to make a recommendation to go with the second low bidder with $160 difference

with OCG Companies of Bloomfield Hills for $37,82. That'll be the complete removal and replacement of that entire alleyway there. So hey man, I just have one question. I have no problem with that. That's fine. But the sidewalks that have been um replaced. So, I've seen some of the new sidewalks and I and I I asked why are these sidewalks um like especially like on Hannipan? Yeah. They're they're going in and out of

Right. And so part of the street or the majority of the street is level and then here comes the new sidewalk and it's it it went from level to it dips this way and then it dips this way and I'm I'm I wonder what's going on here and why is that? And do you do you know can you answer that?

Well, we're trying to meet the grade of the lots that are there. So we're um if you look you can see for the most part we can't go more than a 4% grade anyways um because of ADA. So we can't have a slant of too much. Um and then again we're trying to meet the lot where it's at so that we don't disturb the uh grade in the lots for the most part. Also the drainage, you know, we've been doing a lot of drainage improvements along there. Um you'll see well Sheridan um has been we we have a whole new drainage system practically going on over there but um uh they are meeting all the requirements of the bid and the installation. We're also trying to save trees uh all of that. So you'll see we have some meandering [clears throat] sidewalks. I think I think if I was a kid riding on those would be kind of fun. But um but for the most part

it is at my age [laughter] because the city get I'm not riding my bike. Unless I'm following Mark because then you know you could if we went outside of the street to land on you go down first and I'll go out to the street. Yeah. I'm not going that way. I just tried to find the grass to land on. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay, I approve uh going with OCG Dunson. So that was moved by Oh, so you're motioning trusty Bonus. Okay, I'll second it. Seconded by Mayor Jacobs. All right. And then our last action item is the special. Sorry, sorry. Still getting used to this. All those in favor?

I. Anyone opposed? All right. So that motion will pass. And then the special license application. Yes, this is the each year at the Chile Cookoff community event, we need to acquire from the Michigan Liquor License Control LLC uh board a special license to serve alcohol on that day. And it will require that a resolution the DDA uh is passed so that we can apply for that so that we can be in compliance with state law to serve this at the chili cookoff. And so this is just something that you do every year for chili cookoff. Yes. Okay.

Okay. I move to uh obtain the special license application for liquor for the chili cookoff. Have a motion by trusty walonus. I'll support supported by Mayor Jacobs. All right. Any further discussion? All in favor? I I. And anyone opposed? Okay. So, that motion also passes. Moving to other business. The lucky squirrel.

John and John and uh John and I are working quite hard on the next one, September 20th, but he can take it away for this and the next item, too. uh it'll be full again at 175 vendors. Um we're almost completely full right now and in fact uh we have a waiting list going. So uh everything's in place and it's um happening September 20th. Uh after this event I will have a a full P&L for the board so they can see uh the numbers on it as well. So we're looking forward to that event. The next council meeting I'm going to do a little commercial. Uh we're still doing the bags, the shopping bag um project and promotion. And

Zy Zephy Zephy is the squirrel. And so we're trying to uh encourage shoppers to use the of course during the event and of course to shop anywhere else in in the downtown. So nice. Um and then anything else on Lucky Squirrel? So we'll jump to Chili Cook Off. which I believe is Yeah. So, September 27th,

September 27th, the week, the Saturday immediately after the Lucky Squirrel will be the Chili Cook Off. Um, we've we've been doing a lot of work on lining up all of our uh food vendors and drink vendors and merchant vendors. We're still taking applications on that. We're still looking for chili cookoff teams. So, if you have friends or know people that would be interested in in uh cooking chili, we would love for them to apply. They can do that online through garden citymi.org. As far as all the um uh I'll start with like the kids activities. We got uh parks and wreck doing some things. We have face painting. We'll have inflatables there. We have a petting zoo. We have a rock climbing wall. Uh we also uh have uh the car show and a motorcycle show that are being uh operated by two different entities for us. So we don't have to do that directly. And then ordering all the equipment, some staging, tents, barricades, portaotties, signage, um uh all the electronics, all those sorts of things are in the works. Um we understand that the secretary of state is going to be on scene. Deputy Secretary of State will be there.

Yeah. And the uh Secretary of State mobile office. The mobile office will be there. They've confirmed that and I think his name is uh Deputy U Go Dave, I believe. Okay. Okay, I want to make a comment on that because I actually utilized that uh last year and when I went to renew my tabs this year you have to put in of course you do it online the date of issue it does not like the date of issue and they had done it there. So maybe we can ask a question before they come and say this, you know, this situation arose. It didn't like the Saturday maybe.

So yeah. So you know when when you renew your driver's license, obviously all the your information stays the same. If your name and address has stayed the same, everything on there is the same, right? All your numbers are the same, your eye color, etc., whatever. The only thing that's changed is your expiration and the date of issue. So, your license is usually good for four years, but you still have to renew your tabs every year for your car, for your vehicles, and when you go in to do that, it asks for the date of issuance of your driver's license, and it wouldn't take mine. Really? No. Well, the the mayor's in communication with the secretary of state, so he can ask that.

Yeah, because that was a wonderful thing. And I'm going to one daughter just went and had hers done uh this morning, but my other one needs it and I'm going to tell her she really get it done. I'll reach out to the Secretary of State and ask what we can do for that.

Just to finish up, uh the liquor license will be applied for tomorrow morning after your approval tonight. We got approval for a special permit through Garden City and that involves the fire department and the police department. That's all done. uh the temporary food license permit or inspection has been applied for. And then we have Nan Transit doing uh shuttle from Garden City High School. So, we put in a application to uh use the high school uh parking lot as well. And uh the city clerk uh got us our liability insurance waiver. And uh there you have it. We're still looking for sponsorships as well. And we did secure a title sponsor this year from Buchelli Group. They're going to title sponsor this event for seven grand. Uh so that was a good jump in our uh sponsorship income as well.

Who did that? Belli Group. Ken Buchelli. Yeah. And then the the added a couple things that were added this year is that uh the touch of truck is still going to occur. We also we were contacted by a tree trimming company to bring a you know tree booms and stuff like that for the kids to climb on the the boom trucks that oh

um for the touch a truck event plus our police and fire and DPW will be there. Um and then the other item that I'm kind of excited about is that we're partnering with the uh Rotary, the Lions and the Kuanas and we're having a pancake breakfast in the morning. So from 9 to noon they're um they're running a pancake breakfast there [clears throat] to um all the proceeds will go to the straight farmhouse gazebo project that they selected for the road. All all those groups came together for that and um I'm really looking forward to that. Also the Garden City uh Youth Athletic Association um has donated uh I believe it's $50 per team uh to help with groceries. they um were doing an in-ind donation to all their competitors kind of in the contest to uh help them purchase their uh some of their grocery items for that. And then also each of the team members will get a a pancake breakfast ticket to come over kind of while they're getting set up. They come over and enjoy breakfast in the morning and then go back to the tent. So

Oh, that's nice. Pancakes and chili. Well, pancakes will line your stomach, right? And then you can have chili. Yeah. The community coalition is also involved in that pancake breakfast as one of the uh uh the groups that's doing it. And then uh we're moving, we actually worked it out with city hall and uh police and fire to move their open houses down onto central street. So everything is going to be happening in that north northeast quadrant uh and DPS and free mini golf. And um another addition this year is a cornhole tournament. So that's in the works as well.

Then we do have some the food trucks too. We're getting a real good mix of food trucks. We're getting a Mediterranean food truck. Um we're getting um Broome Modern Eery um that the Goss Brothers Own a Frosty Swirl kind of thing. So there there'll be lots of options uh for that. Um also the pancake breakfast is being sponsored um by All Phases Contracting actually is sponsoring. They're their head sponsor for that. Um I believe it was I think a $1,500 uh sponsorship that they're giving for that. Um so that um they'll be able to um we'll be able to collect uh money for the pancakes themselves, but the groups will then um figure out how much is is really made for the the event for the Straight Farmhouse. So we really appreciate these sponsorships. We're still looking for more because really um in turn all of the money really goes back to the city itself. the DDA does host it. Um but you know that um if you volunteer at that um if your organization uh accumulates hours, we do pay those hourly rates and we do pay some uh nonprofit organizations also as part of the event. So

DD DDA doesn't make any money off of it. Correct. Correct. Regardless of what we bring in, we don't make any money. We give it back out. Correct. To organizations that register. Let's go there because last year we didn't have enough and then we had city workers that we were paying. So, do we have how are we on volunteers for this? Well, that um that's not 100% correct. Um the city workers that the city workers that were present um were there on behalf of the city. So, the DDA pays a fee to have all of our financial affairs handled by the city. And so the um city workers were there handling specific

um all of the financial affairs. So um all of our accounts payable, our payroll. Oh, no. I meant um we pay we agree to a set amount that we pay our volunteers that they in turn uh give to a variety of charities. Mhm.

But did we or did we not pay for city employees at an hourly rate different then and did they not collect it and it was not donated to a charity? Like that's that's where I'm going with this. Um, no. The employees work, they received comp time at their rate, but the city paid that because we have an agreement with the city and the DDA to handle all of our financial affairs, which include cash handling. And so, they did all of the cash handling. Uh, the cashiers actually um I think two of the cashiers were that work at the city were there handling all of the cash for us. So they were taking in the money, they were handling the pucks, they were doing all of that accounting as the cash handling for the city to do.

So So but some of but some of the I will say that some of those employees did not receive their own personal comp time. They they worked on behalf of a volunteer organization like um the um Okay, that's nice.

Correct. So they they didn't they chose not to do that and so they volunteered their hours. Um we have a needy family fund here at city hall where we um fund uh Christmas purchases and and for families that we get from Garner City schools. And so some of them donated to that um and then I think uh one of them did the humane society or something like that. They utilized that way. So, the city workers that um were paid were not paid from the DDA or we did pay the city in addition to whatever we already pay for their services. Did we pay over and above that for that day? No, we did not.

That that's all part of our standard payment to them to the city every month. Yeah. Yep. So, they were there and and we felt that because that's very good. Let let me tell you something. There was a lot of rumors as to how that was being paid and I've never heard the rumors. So you it's good to clear it up so that everybody knows. AB: Abs. I'm not arguing with that. Yeah. Okay. It is good to clear it up. And they and they did um they and it what it does is it removes any um notion of that, you know, I'm not in some trailer counting money all day, you know, because I I just don't I don't want that responsibility. And um we we have people that are actually

a trailer, but I take the responsibility. Okay. So, but um or or wherever and and count and do all the accounting. Um so we we get the we get the start of the the bank, you know, in the morning, you know, for each cash drawer and then we do a full accounting of that. And last year, um we balanced the penny. So, and I and I was appreciative of those cash handlers. They're bonded to handle that. They know how to do it way better than I can do, I think. again. So, they did a good job. Good deal. Is that it? All right. I just had two things with regards to chili cookoff. Are you still looking for bands or are they is that been filled? Um, the bands I think we have all the bands are good. Okay.

So, we have the bands. And just a comment I wanted to make. Um, the a lot of the things we've talked about today I kind of already knew about because of the information that's been put out on the Facebook page. So I think that's awesome that people are aware of what's up and coming and so whoever's in charge of putting all that out on Facebook, big props. So it's communication is doing a great job. Yeah. Yeah. So I I learned a lot of that stuff already just by following um the DDA page on Facebook. So that's awesome. All right. Anybody else have anything for Chili Cookoff? I guess did did the question get answered how we were with volunteers? Like are we short? We're short. We need a lot or just I'm going to say a lot because we'll take whoever we can get. We're always short. We're always short.

Well, we're always short. That's why I was asking. Are we short a lot though? Is it like are we in the same position as last year where it's We're short. We need We need volunteers. So, and what about the school team? My husband does ribs, not chili. Um um but we are the school. Do they have to get any type of service hours where they can donate hours to the city?

Yes. So, I have um I'm in contact with the uh Junior ROC and they come to the uh they come to the Lucky Squirrel and do traffic control for us and so they're going to be there for the uh chili cookoff too. So, and that that's a big help just kind of some perimeter people doing traffic control. So, that's a big help. There a lot of volunteers. They usually send 10 to 15 kids and you on lucky squirrel day. It's kind of a lot, but I appreciate them and they're also uh giving service to the community. So,

and is that something we can then use um as through the DDA Facebook page to suggest we're still looking for volunteers and that sort of thing? Okay. And I'll tell you this, well, my kids are all grown, but um when they were in grade school and even high school, they had to get community service hours. And in the high school, well, I think actually started in junior high, so many had to be spiritual or helping the poor, so many within your community and things like [clears throat] that. So

yeah, I don't I don't know because we've we've asked we've reached out before um and that's more of a school thing, but we've asked for kids to go shovel senior sidewalks in the winter. uh you know, for community service. Uh and usually it's the people that are uh the kids that need um Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, uh stuff like that where they they're going for a certain level that that are really looking for the community service and then the rest of it kind of hit and miss with kids and that's but we put it out to the schools and we always offer it whether they take us up on it. That's

well and isn't there a program at Radcliffe Center right now also that is something to do with uh like middle school kids and a volunteer opportunity? I thought I saw something come through. I think so, but I'm not I I couldn't give it to you off hand off top. I did I sp I I spoke with the director of the F FRC today about having people there and they're going to have a chili team too. So the F FRC kids will. So all right. Um, so no public left in the room, so we're going to jump from public comments to the director report. Do you have anything additional?

I the only one thing I did want to talk about was uh uh Everresh Groceries next to McDonald's and trees. Um, unfortunately, they took upon themselves to trim five of the trees, the city trees out there, and um, they really went to town on those. Um, of course it was done before we even noticed. Um, but we are we're taking this very seriously. Um, so we did we did file a a police report of trespass and damage to public property. Um, on that um, we are looking at trying to get a quote to see about kind of replacement of some trees if they don't make it. Um, five of the trees uh, of that two really there's not much left. And so, um, I did put out, uh, a notice, you know, to leave the trees alone. Don't trim them, please. Number one. Um, but it it's a lot of damage that was done and we're taking it very seriously. So, we are trying to get a quote to see about replacements and working with that property owner um to remedy this situation. So,

about some of these places that have opened and closed like the Isn't the cat cafe finished, too? No, it's open. So, there's um one one uh in the grocery store across the street from Everfresh. Garden Fresh grocery [clears throat] I was sad to see them. They put a big investment in and I thought they were going to make a go of it and it just didn't work out. Um that property has been released though already actually um to a uh ice cream kind of place kind of deal and um it was renovated really quite nicely and um I think that helped with the renovate you know the renovation helped them lease it again. And they do own that property though. Um the owners of the store um initially when they had come and we had discussions they they had an online presence also. So I thought that would assist. So I I don't know all what happened. Um but it was sad to see them go. So but the cat cat there's people there all the time actually and I'm allergic to cats so I can't go in but um but uh people are there. [laughter]

Sorry. I do like them. I just can't touch them. Uh and then along there we're we're working on the old Andrews drugs and trying to get them to complete their project. The permits are still valid, but they're coming to an end and we're going to try and get them to refocus. And then also Golden Feather. Uh they are working they're working on inside. If you see inside, they are doing uh work there. We're just waiting for some outside improvements to occur. And then also uh CVS, [snorts] a former CVS um has been leased and uh interior renovation kind of demolitions occurring now and it's going to be a uh therapy center like a doctor's office there in the old CVS. So of note, uh nothing on Hollywood Sound, but you know that um Family Heating and Cooling is going forward. They're going uh really quite fast down at Family Heating and Cooling. And uh so we're kind of [clears throat]

stories the um the um Everresh gave about trimming the trees. There's three stories. So the real is that they wanted their sign more visible, I believe, but they said that they wanted to clean it up and that they said that pedestrians were hitting their heads on branches, which is is not the case, not true. And um Gary Carter, our maintenance uh person, he stays on top of all of those. But in the mix of if you can remember our our goals for this year were to get trees trimmed and so we were you know we're trying to put together a plan to trim them properly. Did you tell them that was that?

Yeah. So I was quite upset and and again it's it's hard to put you know the eggs back in the shell. So, but uh we're we're taking it very seriously and uh hopefully word gets out, you know, please don't do that and if there's a problem, talk to me because the golf place, you know, Top Golf, they had a problem with the tree. So, we we worked with them and they moved their sign over. So, it solved the problem. So, there there's always a solution to a problem. So, two more questions because I haven't been to Hiders in I don't know how long. Did that get fixed behind because that parking lot was a mess. We said we'd fix it. Did it get fixed? Yes. It still doesn't look great, but the huge holes are are covered up. So,

so when you go through, you don't have rocks spitting at your car anymore. Well, maybe few. Maybe still. [laughter] Okay. Well, you let us know cuz you're going I will let you know. And then Kmarts. We don't we don't have any action yet. You know, I'm I'm thinking possibly, you know, he could be laying in wait and see what happens at Orin and see how the financing all works out there and maybe he'll want to do a similar project or something. It's kind of how I think. I don't know. He was uh building a a project out in Canton that just opened and so maybe he'll start to focus on Garden City for us. No, I know he had some health issues for a little while.

Did too. Okay. So, that mixed in. Um but then one other thing just a side note too is Dunkin Donuts pulled all their permits. So Dunkin Donuts will be over there um by Harrison and Ford Road. So uh by Kentucky Fried Chicken So we're that's been they've had three 20 years in the works too. Uh, it's been a long time coming. They're working in conjunction with the other store that they own in Westland and they're moving that store from Wildwood Ford over to Ruth Olsen Photography Studio. Maybe because the Starbucks on the street is shut down.

Yeah. Yes. So, so that's good. And again, that's further investment and more investment um in our tax dollars in the DDA. And then one other real quick, I just wanted to talk to you. Um, we did approve the um, business incentives for the downtown. We have those three business incentives and I don't have a brochure done. I apologize. I don't have that done yet, but I'm working on it. But um, I've gone and talked to a few businesses about that. You know, specifically the bike store, you know, and I'm working with him maybe to get a new sign. Uh, can, you know, the facade got all redone. There was an accident and then he took he took it advantage of that to of course fix the corner. a vehicle ran into the bike store, but then they did clean up that front. Um, and so the last kind of component is the sign. And we do have a $1,000 sign um credit that they can get um to improve the sign. So hopefully he'll take that. I gave them all the information. So I'm out talking to people. I don't have a brochure to talk about it, but I have the um the program list and I gave that to him. So hopefully they'll come forward. So that's all I have. That's enough. That's a lot. [laughter] All right.

All right. Uh, trustee board comments. We'll start with Mayor Mark. I have nothing. Oh, the only thing I do want to say, and obviously you guys are here, but when they put out the the email for if you're going to make it or not make it, please respond. And I'm going to make sure I let the other ones know also. Um it just it's not fair to people that do show up and then there's not a quorum because nobody said they weren't going to be here. They didn't say they were going to be here. But you know it'd be it'd be appreciative by I'm sure Mr. Miller there that just respond that you're going to be here or you're not going to be here so we can make it we know.

Yes. Thank you. When you do respond um I usually post reply. Do I got to put reply all? No, just reply and then I I I usually just say a good see you then or something like that. I just acknowledge that and I keep a list. I keep a list. Man, I was thrown because you have always sent everything out a week ahead of time and so and I think that came I found it in like Friday's email or something that had the packet for Tuesday's meeting and Okay. Okay. I usually send them on Friday. I do send it every Friday.

We used to get them like a week ahead of time because I know because I could print it and I had plenty of time to go through everything. But so anyway, so my apologies because I was I was used to getting them a week ahead of time, giving me plenty of time to go through this nice thick pack. A lot of it's a contract. I mean that one big but I still like to, you know, I look at everything. Usually we never In years past, we've never gotten the full contract. How many contracts were in here today? Three. Two. Two. Yeah. Two. And then a draft inter local. That's long.

I mean, there it was a little we killed a few more trees. But um in years past, we didn't get the whole contract because it's basically a signature for uh chairperson or myself or Mr. Miller that has to sign it. M but I wanted the board to see that, you know, we we put everything together and that we're, you know, doing the purchasing policy correctly. Right. No, and I I get that and I appreciate it. I'm just saying we usually don't. That's why it's so thick, but All right. Is that it for you? All I have. All right. Trusty Barry.

Um No, we did have our um our last event. Uh you weren't able to make it here. I think I if if I invited um Kim and her husband came, I think I invited I invited you too, John. And if I would have had u I don't think I had your personal cell. I should have emailed you, Matt. I'm sorry. You've got it now. My apology. Yeah. So, my apologies. And and Lori. Um sorry, I just That's okay. Life's life's busy. Yeah. I was just I totally forgot, but I would have invited everybody. I think we should create a group chat. I don't know if everybody's got WhatsApp. That's how I'm used to commuting is just like you shoot something in it and everybody just communicates and talks. I don't know if that's something you guys want to do, but we had our event. The only problem with that is you got uh uh

open meetings. Open meetings. Unfortunately, if if we started talking about like Orange or the Brownfield, we can't discuss anything that we could possibly vote on. Gotcha. So, the best way would be an email saying like if you email it, it wouldn't matter. I think it just the whole point is uh as long as it's um not business related, right? Nothing concerning the DDA. Yeah. Like I'm just saying forcially. Exactly. That's what I was talking about. That's socially if I got to go down and remember every single person and I don't want to make a mistake. I feel bad for not inviting, you know, Lori or anybody else, which wasn't intentional, but

you can always BCC every once you create that group, just put uh BCC so everybody gets an individual. Everyone's getting the same exact uh email. Okay. It just it's blind to everybody separately. And that way that that's acceptable. All right. [clears throat] Maybe that's what we'll do. Maybe that's what or just send it to me and I'll send it out.

Oh, I know what it is now. Because I had I had Dr. Khalila Ali. She's [clears throat] the wife of Muhammad Ali and she had come by and she gave a speech and you know it was amazing. She's an amazing woman. She was around when the years of Muhammad Ali had been fighting against the draft and uh she has five I believe five of his kids and she was the one when everything that mattered about Muhammad Ali she was his wife and then when he started to deteriorate he had ended up getting remarried. One of them was to I don't know if you guys ever watched the Will Smith movie Veronica and um he ended up having a child with the with the mistress and and then he ended up marrying Lonnie later on down the years and um just the stories that she tells and being a part of history. It was amazing. It was amazing event. I wish all you guys would have been there.

But yeah, so amazing woman. She came by. So if you guys ever need an appearance by her, I can probably make a phone call. All right. Thank you. Won't be on the day of a wedding. Okay. So, one All right. Just welcome. Thank you. So, we're short members of the board and I think Mark, you have to appoint them, correct? So, where are we at with that? Do you have applications? But I'm waiting on uh an opinion on other than that, we have no more. We we haven't had any other apps. But I think that in our bylaws, don't we have to have a minimum of nine? So are we actually legally functioning with seven?

We have to have nine. I'm not I'm not sure

between 9 and 11. Correct. So um but um like at the beginning of the meeting u and I and I I've asked the attorney regarding it. A quorum is based on the number of members that are appointed. So even if we're short, just like for example, if the council only had six members, somebody passed away or somebody left, we still would have, you know, we would have to meet the quorum requirements for the number of people that are currently appointed to the board. Um, but we are short. We are short. Two, um, one is a difficult one to do is we're required to have somebody that lives in the district and we have very few housing units in the district. And so we're uh if [clears throat] anybody knows anybody in the Meadows that's a big help that would help the Meadows Street and and you live across the street. I know I'm sorry but it's not within the district. So uh it's important for that. Um but the towers is is is not in our district and that would be a great you know resource for housing but they when they established the boundaries uh it was drawn around the towers. Reason being is that the towers operate under a pilot, a payment in lie of taxes. So they have kind of a tiff a little bit, but it's with the state directly, not with the city. So that and then we have one um and the opinion that we're trying to get is that um in our charter it says that you can't serve on more than one board. And so we're looking to see if is a DDA a separate enough board to um qualify where somebody that serves on another board can serve on this board, too. Uh, so that's where we're at. I mean, we're trying to, you know, we're trying to fill it. We're even trying to say get an opinion of the charter to see can they do it or not. And so we're waiting to see that happen.

So what about uh getting a special consideration because of the the size of the city and the the lack of um housing in the district. We looked into that and they won't and we did try that too. Will not wave that. They won't wait. How long ago did you try? Is it worth I mean has it been a while? We since I've been here with you within the three years I've been mayor. Yeah, it was like a I think about a year a year and a half ago when um um um Clyde, what's her name? Penny. Penny.

Penny. When Penny When Penny left um we had a hard time, you know, trying to identify and so we at that time asked, well, do we have to? And they said we do or else we have to null and void the DDA if we don't. At one point I either you were the clerk or Brian was and uh I got every name every resident's name a registered voter. Yeah. Registered voter in the DDA area and tried. Yeah. Nobody that we could reach out to that wasn't interested. So we're it was it was hard and there's only I I believe there's only likeund and some odd people. It's not a lot of people.

So, one has to be a resident of the DDA. What about the What are the requirements for the other open spots? It's an at large. I think we have one at large and that one. Yeah. And that's it. Member at large. Well, that should be easy. It should be. But that's again, we have we have one app and they serve on another board and we're trying to get an opinion. Business alliance. We're trying to get a opinion on if the DDA would be considered separate from a city board to be able to do both. It's just

otherwise they they would have to step down from their [clears throat] current position which then leaves that position open and we need that that's a position that only has a few people on it and we need bodies. So when these apartments uh fill up, would they be eligible to serve on the board? Yes. So we get 60 to 100 more residents, right? So okay, that's all I had.

All right. And anything from assistant director? Okay. Besides your chili cook off report. All right. Um we do not have a close session as far as I'm aware coming up. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 16th. Yes. All right. So, Julie Cookoff. Yes. All right. So, if there is no other business, I believe we can adjourn the meeting at 7:46. Thank you. Did we say go blue? They're home openers this weekend.