18 May 2017 Dearborn County Redevelopment Meeting Notes

18 May 2017 Dearborn County Redevelopment Meeting Notes

Present: Jim Deaton, Chairman, Dave Deddens, John Rahe, Alan Goodman, and Jamie Graf (non- voting school board member)

ABSENT: Jim Helms

Also present: Terri Randall, county administrator and economic development director, Andrea Ewan, attorney, Sue Hayden, minute taker, Leah Bailey, covering for Gayle Pennington and Kevin Lynch, Commissioner.

ABSENT: Gayle Pennington, Auditor and DCRC treasurer.

Jim Deaton read the Title VI statement as legally required.

ACTIONS OF EXECUTIVE SESSION- DCRC board verified that they only discussed the items as advertised. No actions were taken at this meeting. See note later under Randall’s report about land purchase. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES- April 20th minutes approved

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:One Dearborn Contract tabled from April 20th. TABLED AGAIN as Helms wasn’t here but John Browner present for One Dearborn- to answer any questions the DCRC might have. His entire email with answers from previous meetings and solutions was NOT received by any of the board although Randall had copy at the meeting.He seemed puzzled that no one had it and apologized for them not getting it. He didn’t want them to sign with them until they were comfortable. They adjusted to less time for termination of agreement, the fee adjustment for prorating this year, and the liability issues. The advisory board was addressed and to be in the written agreement. Advisory Meeting will be at least bimonthly. Randall thinks there will be PLENTY of transparency. Hold harmless needed to be changed at Andrea Ewan’s request.

Deddens asked about how to pay it out of TIF or not. He had talked to SBOA etc. Discussion heavily laden from Randall with ways to easily modify ALL our TIF plans to allow this with a just a small paragraph. (It still has to go through all the public meetings as it is changing the things that TIF money can be used for.) Deaton saying Dearborn County is going things differently from other counties. 

I asked about the EDIT funds (that we haven’t got in Dearborn County) which usually are used for these private public partners vs the TIF funds that are used for infrastructure and noted that the basics of infrastructure need to be provided with TIF first before we spend that money on other needs that are less basic.West Harrison TIF is  [NOTE: Why not build a good foundation for business before marketing what we haven’t got done?]  I noted the hold harmless vs independent contractor was handled by Andrea Ewan previously. I also asked about the unintended consequences of spending our TIF money before the basics of infrastructure in our TIFs has not been accomplished yet? Particularly West Harrison TIF area.

 Deddens- He did not have a problem with just $40,000 of TIF to get this service agreement. He was more concerned with doing this legally. 

Questions about who was on board and when Auditor Gayle Pennington’s approval came up, Randall said Pennington WILL be on board. [NOTE: How does she know that?] 

CLAIMS AND FINANCIALS- General Fund- claims approved.

TIF Fund- $1096.86 to Barnes and Thornburg from West Aurora TIF approved.

 Review of Financials- no discussion.

NEW BUSINESS:

Dr Andrew Jackson- Supt SD Schools- He recognizes the value of TIFs. He wanted to go thru the ways TIFs affect schools. Five major school funds. Debt service for bonds issued and four other smaller ones are from property tax. The General fund is not. Properties outside of TIF district make up the difference on some of these assessed values. School districts are starting to partner with TIFs. They are asking to have the group moving forward to have some TIF money going back to the school district going forward. An agreement could stipulate what we use those funds for. (use grants?) If we use a property tax cap and asking for about 8%. You get 92%. 

Randall said they encourage DCRC to have relationship with schools so as not to have an adversarial relationship. There is a state law to use TIF for scholarships etc. You can decide you have enough money in the TIF to pass some back to your schools. It then gets distributed according to the taxing rules. Not having an EDIT tax or any other form of revenue like Valparaiso for example, we don't have that kind of money yet. Randall went on and on about other ways to spread the money around. 

Deaton said schools and quality of place are important to DCRC purposes. 

Randall says the school has a lot of pressure on them to compete for funds and students. Companies want good schools here. 

Jackson said- they are not asking for current funding now- we just want to be part of the consideration for TIF uses. He also passed out the Valparaiso info- and it came from a lawsuit but they have NO intention of a suit- just showing them how it came about. 

They lost150 to L-bg and gain 100 from others. 

Randall appreciates him opening a dialog in this way. 

Aurora Industrial Park Signage - Rack Industries- Jim Rack- trying to get more industry in there. Trying to create something more upscale especially as they go back the road. Randall wants to find ways to partner with us to get this place growing. Land purchase and sign issue came up - and DCRC doesn't want to be in the sign business and want the owners to manage it perhaps. Thought to put a sign on both sides of the new acre and also on the other. The county sign ordinance will be updated to allow for signs of this type. TIF funds can’t be spent on this sign infrastructure without owning it?? [NOTE: Well this seems very small compared to changing all the TIF agreements to allow for spending TIF on service agreements.] 

McCormack said Rack has to come to BZA for this. They have to have INDOT setbacks and show concept plan etc. They set up some ways to set up the application and Randall will get him a letter with information from Article 20 to get this started for sign. Monday PC meeting will have discussion of sign ordinance changes at end.   

Resolution- Determination of Need to Capture Tax Increment Revenue-  passed and signed by all without reading aloud. The DCRC members had a copy. 

Letter to Political Subdivisions RE: Capturing Tax Revenue - approved to send to Council and Commissioners, 3 boards of trustees, 2 school boards, Solid Waste directors, libraries, etc. 

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER’S REPORT: Landowner wanting to sell land but some is in flood plain and needs further evaluation.There has been a handshake agreement on that. It’s next to another important parcel you own. They will set an executive session to discuss that. She will communicate with landowner and they will have to decide if they will make the offer. 

ATTORNEY’S REPORT- none

OTHER BUSINESS- expansion of Aurora TIF for D&S Machines old spot and Kaiser Pickles owns now. Do this before Jan 1 next year. Kaiser was concerned about privacy. Randall said that they should add this and area around to the West Aurora TIF. 

Need to amend economic development plans. Randall thinks the language is rather broad to fix this to allow One Dearborn to be partners with DCRC via service agreement. 

Next meeting date near end of May. trying to set. Looking at May 31 at 6:30 PM tentatively.

ADJOURNMENT - 10:30 AM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township