Columbus, Georgia

Minutes



Council Briefing



November 5, 2002







Present: Councilors R. Gary Allen, Berry Henderson, Julius Hunter, Jr., Charles

E. McDaniel, Jr., Glenn Davis, Evelyn Turner Pugh (arrived at 4:30 p.m.).

Mayor Bobby G. Peters, City Manager Carmen Cavezza and City Attorney Clifton

Fay.



Absent: Mayor Pro Tem John J. Rodgers and Councilors Richard Smith, Nathan

Suber and Evelyn Woodson were absent.



Guest: Mr. Len Williams, Housing Authority Director, Mr. Alyn Pruett and Mr.

Ed Burdeshaw.





Call To Order:

City Manager Cavezza called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. in the Ground

Floor Conference Room, of the Government Center, Columbus, Georgia.



Hope VI Grant:



City Manager Cavezza advised that the first topic of discussion for today?s

meeting is going to be the Hope VI grant. He then requested the

representatives present to provide some detail information regarding the Hope

VI grant.



Mr. Alyn Pruett using an overhead projector, then came forward to report that

there are 510 apartments and about 53 buildings and approximately 425 of those

apartments are occupied today. He reported that we have completed our

engineering analysis of the buildings and the site and are now convinced that

the project would meet the criteria for severe distress. He pointed out that

it has to be a severely distressed property to be eligible for the Hope VI

grant, and this one is eligible for a number of reasons, for example, the

buildings were built incorrectly, because they have solid masonry walls that

have no airspace. He then went into great details to outline the plans for

revitalization as it exists today. He also pointed out that one of the

principles of the Hope VI is to reconnect public housing sites with their

surrounding neighborhoods and communities. He provided an artist view of the

plan that is being proposed.



He pointed out that in addition to the on-site development at Peabody, we are

proposing as part of our application the development of housing on another site

or off-site which we have described as the East Wynnton neighborhood, located

at the intersection of 8th Street and Buena Vista Road that is owned by the

City and we are hoping that the City would add that to the Housing Authority?s

grant application. He briefly explained the two reasons that we are doing an

off-site development are listed as follows: (1) HUD has a very strict time

line requirements that must be met after the grant is awarded. He pointed out

that it would be impossible to accomplish it on the Peabody site itself,

because we could not relocate all of the residents, demolish the building and

have a site prepared in time to meet that HUD requirement. He advised that

starting off-site on a vacant property that could be under the control of the

Housing Authority is critical to the success of the application. (2) HUD is

giving us one point in our scoring for having that off-site component. He

pointed out that it is very critical to the application success that we get

every point that we can, because we have to score a minimum of 90 points to be

in the running but many more than that to actually see the grant.



He then provided a Summary Table of Source and Uses that would be included in

the grant application. He said that the question on the application reads,

?Where are you getting all of the money to do this project and how are you

using all of the money to complete this development that you are proposing??



Funding Resources:



? Hope VI Grant - $20 million

? Low Income Tax Credits - $22.5 million

? Home Buyer?s Mortgages and down payment - $2 million

? City infrastructure funds - $5.5 million

? Other public and collateral investments - $14 million

? Private Funds - $1.875 million



Total - $66 million



Project Uses:



? Demolition remediation - $1.4 million

? Relocation - $1.5 million

? Infrastructure - $5.5 million

? Collateral Projects - Office Retail Development - $17.1 million

? HACG Administration Program Management - $2.1 million

? Rental Units Construction - $33 million

? Homeownership Units Construction - $3.3 million

? Community & Supportive Services - $2.3 million







He pointed out that this results in approximately 120 public housing

replacement units and approximately 180 affordable or market rate rental units,

which would provide a mixed income community, which is a very critical feature

of the grant application. He explained that off-site there would be possibly

20 public housing rental units and perhaps up to 17 public housing/home

ownership communities.



He concluded by pointing out that this is the outcome of the proposed

development and by presenting a slide that addresses the preliminary

infrastructure cost estimate. He went directly to the bottom line figure of

$5.568 million that is required for the grant application.



City Manager Cavezza pointed out that they are asking for City land,

specifically the property at 8th Street and Buena Vista Road, which is separate

from the Peabody piece of it. In response to a question of Councilor McDaniel

regarding funding for this project, City Manager Cavezza advised that the

$5.568 is money to support infrastructure improvements. He reported that we

looked at the bond that the Council recently gave permission to proceed on, and

we could get approximately $1.5 million of that bond for projects in this area

that we could apply to this application, which leaves us approximately $4

million deficit and that has to go over a four-year period; therefore, we are

talking about $1 million over a four year time span. He projected that if this

is something that the Council would support; then, it would become a fund

balance issue, because the fund balance is what we would look to for the money

at this point.



At the request of Councilor Henderson, Mr. Len Williams, Housing Authority

Director, addressed the relocation piece of this project. Mr. Williams

explained that some resident would prefer to go through the screening process

and return to the newly constructed housing, and we would also receive an

allocation of Section 8 vouchers to go along with the Hope VI application;

therefore some residents would get a voucher and would be able to go out and

get housing in the private market and lastly, there would be some residents

that would transfer into other public housing. He explained that most residents

that receive Section 8 housing do not want to come back into the new facility.



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NOTE: Councilor Evelyn Turner Pugh arrived at this point in the proceedings

with the time being 4:30 p.m.

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Councilor Davis asked questions relative to the line items for utilities, at

which time, Mr. Pruett advised that virtually every city that has contribution

of infrastructure is probably the single largest contribution of any Hope VI

application.



Mr. Pruett then responded to various questions from the members of Council

regarding the master development. He advised that a master developer has

already been selected as part of the requirement, which is different from

previous years, to be included in the application. He announced that Interval

Properties, LLC out of Atlanta would be the master developer and Wallace,

Robinson, Todd and The Boulevard Group as the program managers.



Councilor Allen expressed his concerns with the shift in population, as well

as, the cost of construction. He mentioned that that there was no bidding

process followed and the master developer has already been selected; therefore,

it seems to be lacking an incentive to construct the project at a lesser cost.

Mr. Pruett advised that the actual development agreement with Interval

Properties has not been executed yet.



Councilor McDaniel asked if any local developers have been given the

opportunity to work on this project, at which time, Mr. Williams acknowledged

that we communicated with all of the major developers in town, several times,

and most of them indicated that this was such a large project and a different

animal then what they were use to; therefore, they were not interested.



There were several minutes of discussion on this matter with Mr. Williams

further responding to various members of Council. He then explained that it

was done on a competitive bid process. Councilor McDaniel asked if this

project was going to cost the City any more money than the $5 million that is

being projected today, at which time, Mr. Williams expressed his concerns with

a trunk sewer line that is located under the property, but it is his

understanding that the line is in good condition and is not listed on the

City?s capital program to be repaired or replaced.



He then explained the collateral projects that were mentioned earlier in the

presentation. He also responded to several more questions regarding the

developer and bid requirements to allow local developers to have an opportunity

to be a part of this project. Mr. Williams reported that the Housing Authority

has to put up $1 million of its own money to get funded.



City Manager Cavezza maintained that we are not requesting a decision today,

but we would need a resolution from Council to show support of this project;

therefore, we would be bringing this matter back to the Council; there is a

December 6, 2002 deadline. In response to questions regarding the funding,

City Manager Cavezza reiterated the amount of $5.5 million and of that, we can

take $1.5 out of the bond that was recently authorized, which leaves a little

over $4 million over the next four years that we would have to come up with.



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Uptown Business Community:



City Manager Cavezza advised that the Uptown Business Community had another

meeting to discuss some of the issues that came up when the Council was

briefed. He advised that Mr. Lon Marlowe is in route to England and Mr. Chris

Losonsky was here but had to leave. He then asked Deputy City Manager Isaiah

Hugley to come forward.



Deputy City Manager Hugley, advised that there were some issues regarding

rental fee, revenue fee and who would serve on the Uptown Special Events

Committee. He said that the recommendation that was brought before the

Council was $50.00 application fee and $1,500.00 fee for CRD (Central

Riverfront District) Members and $2,500. rental fee for non-CRD. He explained

that there would be 20% from the event that would be channeled through the City

back to Uptown and of that 20% that would go to Uptown, 80% would go to the

Special Events Committee to be used for marketing and 20% of it would remain

with Uptown. He pointed out that the committee met again to look at these

issues and decided to go with the $1,500.00 fee for CRD members and $2,500.00

non-CRD members, but this amount would come out of the 20%; therefore, it would

not be the rental fee plus the 20% but the rental fee would come out of the

20%. He further explained that the money would be channeled through the City

and back to Uptown Columbus with 80% of the proceeds going to the Uptown

Special Events Committee to be used for marketing and security for Uptown. He

said that this was the compromise that was reached. He mentioned that there

were nine members present of the thirteen members and the vote was 5 to 3 with

five members being in favor; the chairman, Mr. Lon Marlowe did not vote.

Regarding the members of the Uptown Special Events Committee. He explained

that there was a consensus that of the thirteen members who had served on this

committee, ten would be recommended for service on that committee to Uptown,

and they would bring in three new members; there were three members that were

unable to make the meetings. He explained that there would be thirteen names

recommended to Uptown Columbus; then, Uptown Columbus would appoint them as the

Uptown Special Events Committee. He added that the 80% that the Uptown Special

Events Committee would receive would go into a special checking account and

would be governed by the Uptown Special Events Committee and not by Uptown

Columbus.



Councilor Henderson asked if there was any discussion regarding the number of

events that could be held. He said that he does not think there should be an

event every week, at which time, Deputy City Manager Hugley advised that it

would go through the Uptown Special Events Committee with recommendation to the

City Manager, but there was no set number or quotas regarding the number of

events.



Councilor Turner Pugh wanted to know why the money was coming to the City,

because we are just going to turn it over to Uptown Columbus. Deputy City

Manager Hugley replied that this is City money, because we are dealing with

City property. Councilor Henderson said that he would think that Uptown would

want the money to come through the City for record keeping purposes.



After there were no further questions, City Manager Cavezza advised that we

would implement this policy with them.



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Midtown Project:



City Manager Cavezza advised that there is a lot going on in the Midtown

Project. He then called Mr. Ed Burdeshaw forward.



Mr. Ed Burdeshaw, provided an overview of the Midtown Project, but before he

began his presentation there were some additional questions regarding the

Uptown Business Community.



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NOTE: See below the presentation on the Midtown Project.

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Uptown Business Community (continued):



Councilor Turner Pugh asked another question regarding the 20%, at which time,

Deputy City Manager Hugley responded by saying that 20% would come to the City;

then, channel through to Uptown and of that 20%, there would be 80% of that,

which would go to the Uptown Special Events Committee and 20% of that 20%

remains with Uptown Columbus for administrative cost.



There was continued discussions on this matter with Deputy City Manager Hugley

responding to various question from the members of Council regarding the clean

up of the Uptown area. Councilor Turner Pugh expressed concerns in that the

City is not receiving any of that money to maintain the median in the Uptown

area. City Manager Cavezza said that we could go to them and tell them that we

are going to keep a piece of that money. Councilor Allen suggested that we

ask Uptown Columbus to maintain the foliage in that area. City Manager Cavezza

determined that we could readjust that formula and tell them how much it is

going to cost us to maintain that area, and it could come out of that money.

He said that we could redo that piece of it and report back to the Council.



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Midtown Project (continued):



Mr. Burdeshaw pointed out the Midtown Project, which is bounded on the west by

10th Avenue, Talbotton Road and Edgewood on the north, Auburn, and 185 on the

east, Martin Luther King on the south. He explained that most of the

residential subdivisions in there were developed in the early nineteen

century. He pointed out that all of the people on both sides of Macon Road

need to come together to form this community. He said that in order to make

that happen a logical process would be to have a physical plan, as well as, a

plan that deals with policies and procedures. He said that we see developing a

plan, hiring a planner with money that has been raised and have it developed

and accepted as a part of the Comprehensive Plan. He said that we want to be

ready in this area, when it is appropriate for this area to be developed. He

advised that this is what we would like to assist this overall community in

doing. Councilor McDaniel asked who was involved in this process, at which

time, Mr. Burdeshaw replied that we have a Steering Committee working on it.

He pointed out that we are still bringing people onto the Steering Committee,

and would invite anyone that the Council feels need to be involved. He advised

that this is going to take council?s involvement and the City?s involvement.

He said that the planning process is very broad and we think that we can bring

some resources to it. He then distributed a document to the members of

Council. (An original copy of this document was filed in the November 5, 2002

Council Meeting folder and a copy hereto filed as a part of these minutes.)



At this time, City Manager Cavezza pointed out that this is all that we have

time for today. He said that there is a lot more that could be discussed about

this but wanted the Council to be aware that this is going on, because they are

applying for grants and doing other things. He said that we have a road

project on hold pending this study. He maintained that there are a number of

issues involved in this that the Council needs to be aware of and we would go

into more details in the future.



In response to a question of Councilor Henderson, City Manager Cavezza replied

that the project that we have put on hold is the Peacock/Brown Avenue

realignment.



The meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.









Sandra T. Davis

Deputy Clerk of Council

Council of Columbus, Georgia