21 September 2017 Dearborn County Redevelopment Meeting Notes
Present: Jim Deaton, Chairman, Dave Deddens, John Rahe, Alan Goodman
ABSENT: Jim Helms and Jamie Graf (non- voting school board member)
Also present:Sue Hayden, county administrator and minute taker, Andrea Ewan, attorney,
ABSENT:Gayle Pennington, Auditor and DCRC treasurer- covered by Connie Fromhold
Deaton read the Title VI statement as legally required.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES- August 17 minutes approved
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Umbaugh and Associates gave a detailed breakdown of their bill from Sept 2016 on Skally’s TIF area work for $18,400 which was approved from the West Harrison TIF fund 4304.
CLAIMS AND FINANCIALS:
1.TIF Fund Claims- see above
2. Financials- passed out.
REPORT One Dearborn:
1. Updated Economic Development Plans- Terri Randall reported that she had been working on re writing the TIFs for several reasons. One plan was from 1999 and the plan has to comply with state statute. She said they had sat on the shelf and needed to be rewritten. Second, they are purchasing a parcel in West Harrison TIF and you have to add an addendum and it has to be spelled out in the plan. Third, the language had to be cleaned up to be more like the statute.
West Aurora- Randall use this one to illustrate what was changed. These plans have to be approved today and have a declaratory resolution. Andrea Ewan had Tom Pittman look them over also with her. 2010 to now we are seeing a decline in population. Millennials are moving to urban areas and some are moving to warmer climates.Limited inventory in Greater Cincinnati area and she says KY expansions of economic growth are pretty much maxed out. Work force shortages are going to be an issue. Indiana’s reputation is better than it was in the past so we are in a prime situation to attract economic growth. They included more language to address expenditures that would be in the TIF budget- such as signage in West Aurora. They went over it with McCormack and he was glad that we have a quality plan now. He made some suggestions and he and Andrea Shuter in GIS were terrific in getting the plans finished. This plan should be good for a good number of years. Addressed the issue of land purchase in West Harrison that is taking place over three years with the county commissioners also.
St. Leon- also included
West Harrison- also included.
Deddens asked about the attorney bills and Umbaugh bills that are being incurred. Goodman agreed- it is getting less and less under our control and we need to control our expenses. Deaton said that perhaps he ,as president, should be sending these emails to all of them so they are involved the decisions. Currently Randall is sending these to Deaton to get his approval to move on or not. [NOTE: Why are they not getting these questions answered at meetings? If expensive items keep getting approved outside of the meeting by one person on the board, then what do they need a board for? The tail appears to be wagging the dog here.] Randall said they are helping whenever they can to keep DCRC costs down. She defended Umbaugh’s bill as being for the TIF in general ad not just Skally’s. The only think Skally would have been responsible would have been the bonds and their incentive they received. But not much was done on this and they stopped work on that when things weren’t going forth.
Deddens- there has to be more communication. Deaton said that they end up having to use Barnes and Thornburg as normal attorneys do not have that expertise. Rahe said- we have to pay for what we have done so far. He and Deaton and Randall seem to feel that they are unable to get an estimate of the cost UP FRONT. Looking at boilerplates to do some of the work here said Randall.[NOTE: Why can’t they get an estimate of the legal costs up front? An experienced firm knows what these items generally cost.]
The amendments to the West Harrison TIF includes the purchase of the Stone property. Trying to have this all done by Nov 2.
Deddens asked about the lands in the St Leon TIF district. The Tootles Trust property with Maxwells is also in the west Harrison TIF. They also are looking at the Whitewater River area to see what land is really developable. Some of those properties are not for sale down there adjoining this either per Deddens. All board members were in agreement that they should have all One- Dearborn communications that Deaton has sent on to them also. They need to be in the know. [NOTE: The DCRC board is made up of people with business experience. They shouldn’t just be a rubber stamp for One Dearborn.]
Rahe has been looking at the incentives and limitations and talking to our legislators. They are looking at how to get work force also. Tax complications across the border with employees.
One Southern Indiana (http://www.1si.org/ ) is also an organization Deaton and Randall communicate with.
Plans are the permission to do what you want to do. Goodman said he had reviewed the three plans. Deaton noted they had converted 3 pages into 19 each.
Deddens asked about the map on p3 of the West Harrison TIF and why Union County IN was included and not Franklin county. It was related to the MSA for this region and populations.
2. RFQ for demolition of Aurora Industrial Park Sign- Randall got RFQs etc and included all details for scope of work. The current signs will be returned to their owners as requested. The deadline is Oct 2 to get these results in to move forward with the demolition. The only business worried about having their own sign up at US 50 is Craig Distributing. They will have to make other arrangements as the Industrial Park Sign will name the Park itself and if people have GPS they can find the business once they get there. Deddens asked if Randall had called Kevin McCord at Signarama. She hadn’t yet. They will look at companies soon.Now just waiting for responses to RFQ for demolition. She will get proposals from sign companies for building.
3. Adding parcels to Aurora TIF- This will be handled after the TIF amendments as these parcels would be too much for this round. They will be adding 20 acres to the Aurora TIF district for Kaiser Pickles property. Rahe motioned to do this. Approved to add this 20 acres to the West Aurora TIF area.
Duke Site Readiness- Randall- has been going thru the process and she did a detailed RFI (request for information) and they graded Randall on her response. They had a site visit and critiquing that. Deaton went also on the DCRC’s behalf. Lots of people from West Harrison to help answer those site questions. McCallum Sweeney for Duke is coming back Oct 3 at 8:30- 10:30 AM at Lakefront Campus for her to do her presentation on this site. Inviting people to come listen to it to learn. This conflicts with Commissioners meeting to do the resolution for the TIFs. Sue Hayden will represent DCRC at Commissioners. Deddens will be at Commissioners. The Duke Energy group will present the $10,000 check to One Dearborn. She will present what she learned at the Nov 2 meeting.
Deddens wanted to see if the $10,000 that One Dearborn gets can be used for the sign or billboard for the property. Randall wants to see how Duke recommends it be used. DCRC wants the leases on West Harrison Stone properties to give notice on what they want to do with the billboard. Can’t tear it down- as it is grandfathered under the Lady Bird Johnson Rule.
NEW BUSINESS:
Declaratory resolutions to amend TIFS- Deaton read one into the record. The others were waived to be read as they are identical except or the name of the district. All three were approved and signed. The TIF plans are attached to these resolutions for each of the 3 districts. It was apparent that the board members had read the TIF amended plans also.
Notice of Public hearing tentative date Nov 2, 2017- this was set for now and signed. Goodman is trying to adjust his schedule to accommodate this date and time of 9 AM. The Stone family is being noticed with a letter signed also as their property is being bought in the West Harrison TIF.
Again the board stressed they wanted copies of what she was communicating with Deaton. BUT NO DECISIONS WILL BE MADE.
ATTORNEY’S REPORT:absent
OTHER BUSINESS:none
ADJOURNMENT - 10:30 AM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
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