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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-79-02040 • x Joseph R. Grassie City Manager Dena Spillman, Director Community Development • MAR 16 1979 Culmer Community Development Task Force Meeting City Commission Agenda March 22, 1979 At the City Commission Public Hearing for the 5th, 6th and 7th year Community Development Application held on February 22, 1979, it was suggested by Commissioner Gibson that a special meeting be held in Culmer to discuss the issues of economic development and the proposed lease for the Interim Assistance Program. The meeting was held on March 13, 1979 and Commissioner Gibson opened the meeting with a discussion of the proposed lease for the Interim Assistance Program. Three motions were presented and voted on by the Task Force at the meeting. The first motion approved was "that that the bidding process for the building for the Interim Assistance Programbe opened so that all property owners have the opportunity to present proposals to meet the requirements of the Interim Assistance Program". The second motion approved recommendations presented from the Economic Develop- ment Planning Committee chaired by Ms. Dana Dorsey Chapman. The members of the Committee that formulated this motion are as follows: William Hutchinson, Chairman, Culmer Community Development Task Force, Trustee for the property at 225 N.W. 9 Street currently occupied by the New Washington Heights Economic Development Program Sonny Wright, Realtor, Property Manager of the Carver Hotel Charles Johnson, employee, First Federal S&L Association Reginald Burton, employee, Washington Federal S&L Association Dana Dorsey Chapman, property owner, Culmer area The motion presented by this Committee and approved by the community consisted of the following items: 1) Additional funds were requested for all Community Development projects in Culmer. l Joseph R. Grassie P i City Magager MAR 1 G ;979 2) It was requested that funds for the New Washington Heights Economic Development Program be doubled. 3) It was suggested that the additional funding for New Washington Heights be taken out of the Interim Assistance Program budget. 4) Immediate changes in the present guidelines of the Interim Assistance Program were requested to allow commercial property owners to receive grants from the City. The Committee will come back with recommended guidelines for commercial revitalization under the Interim Assistance Program. 5) The firing of Dena Spillman, Director of Community Development for the City of Miami was requested for the following reasons: a) Her staff fails to follow or even present to the City Commissioners the recommendations from this Committee. b) Her department is insensitive to the needs and aspirations of the Culmer community and is categorically disrespectful to the Culmer citizens. 6) Encourage the property owners within Culmer to form profit making and non-profit organizations to assist in the economic development of the area. The New Washington Heights Community Development Conference Board of Directors presented the following motion which was approved by the community: "We, the New Washington Heights Community Development Conference Board of Directors support the request made by the community to increase the funding of this economic development organization to $200,000 for the next program year." Staff response to those issues discussed at the meeting considered pertinent are as follows: 1) Lease for the Culmer Interim Assistance Program - It is recommended that 0( the requirements for space be put out to bid and that proposals be received, evaluated and presented to the City Commission for approval. 2) In regard to the request that funding for the New Washington Heights Economic Development program be doubled, staff continues to recommend that the New Washington Heights Economic Development Program continue to receive their current amount of funding until their contract period is up in June. At that time an analysis of the Program will be done and it will be determined by the City Commission how economic activities should be undertaken in Culmer. There are several options involving the conduct of such activities in the area including technical support and assistance from the City's Office of Trade and Commerce Development, as well as the establishment of a local development corporation to work in conjunction with the City and local groups on redevelopment activity in the Overtown area. 1 Joseph R. Grassie City Manager f r• MAR i C iYiD • 3) Interim Assistance Program guidelines will be reviewed in regard to commercial rehabilitation and recommendations will be made to the community. However, outright grants for commercial rehabilitation do not seem appropriate. Attached for the City Commission's information is a chronology of the Culmer Community Development planning meetings held during this past planning year. CHRONOLOGY OF CULMER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE RESOLUTIONS October 1978 - March 1979 October 10, 1978 Resolution 1) Accepting 5th year planning package presented with the following amendments: a) That New Washington Heights Office of Economic Development must present proper accounting of monies, accepted by the community, within 30 days, or the community will recommend the removal of New Washington Heights from economic development (funding). b) That the group accept the report from Interim Assistance Program with commendations. November 14, 1978 1) That the report presented by New Washington Heights on their activities be accepted and the agency retain their funds. January 11, 1979 1) Recommending funding for the Cultural Arts Program (CACO) at $30,000. 2) Funding be recommended for Economic Development in the amount of $200,000, that the program not be administered by the New Washington Heights Office of Economic Development. 3) Increasing funding for CACO to $40,000. 4) Proposed land acquisition for Dorsey -Wheatley be approved. February 13, 1979 1) To inform the City of Miami and Dade County that the Culmer community rejects the implementation of the Gladstone Report in relation to how this area will be developed, until there is direct participation of Black property owners. 2) That the entire redevelopment/planning process be terminated and disregarded until someone from the Office of Patricia Harris, Secretary of HUD, comes before the Task Force and indicates whether or not the procedures and the process that the City and County have in mind is in fact proper and in the best interests of the property owners of this area.