Ellettsville Redevelopment Commission

September 28, 2006

 

 

The Ellettsville, Indiana Redevelopment Commission met in regular session on Thursday, September 28, 2006 in the Fire Department Training and Conference Room located at 5080 West State Road 46.  Frank Buczolich called the meeting to order at 7 PM.  The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Roll Call: Frank Buczolich, David Drake, Darby McCarty, Amber Ragle, and Ray Freetage were all present. 

 

Frank Buczolich announced that there were no minutes to approve at this meeting.

 

Frank Nierzwicki announces the committee system plan-- planning, financial/budgeting, community relations

 

Planning Commissioners:

Frank Buczolich, Darby McCarty; Board members: Jeana Kapczynski, Larry Thrasher, Meshelle Roberts; Staff: Frank Nierzwicki, Ashley Porta

 

Financial/Budgeting Commissioners:

Amber Ragle, David Drake; Board Members: Meshelle Roberts, Bill Williams, Gary Brinley; Staff: Frank Nierzwicki, Ashley Porta

 

Community Relations Process:

Ray Freetage; Board Members: Cheryl Fisher, Jeana Kapczynski, Gary Brenley; Staff: Frank Nierzwicki, Ashley Porta

 

Frank Nierzwicki explained that the original four committees became three in order to better fit with the number of commissioners—community relations & process were combined.  Frank also explained that there is some overlap within the committees with a few board members on two committees, part of the idea being “cross-pollination” between committees.  Frank would like to have an organizational meeting for the board itself, perhaps the October 26th meeting could be a joint meeting with a short training session on how the committees are supposed to work.  No questions/comment.

 

Amber Ragle—Treasurer’s Report: bonds for the commissioners were paid at the first council meeting in September.  They were $100 each, totaling $500 paid.

Chair makes a motion to approve the report, seconded, unanimously approved.

 

Guest Speaker for the evening:

 

Greg Smallwood spoke on the role of redevelopment commissions.  Greg noted the state statute on redevelopment committees and the legislature’s intent in the creation of the group: Study, thoughtful deliberation, finance. Promote growth, value, and community and economic development.  Greg spoke about the process that Lebanon went through in the building of a new municipal complex.  Greg opened the floor to questions.

 

Frank Nierzwicki asked about the active planning process of the Lebanon complex.

Greg—two years, but much longer conceptually.

 

Frank Nierzwicki mentioned the planning committee as being crucial to this task in the future.

 

Question: the building was 1100 square feet in Lebanon?

 

Greg Smallwood—the 25 police officers were in 900 square feet of space; this was from 1962-until 2002; they wanted a 50 year presence of the downtown part of Lebanon—wanted to be a stabilizing influence in the older part of the community and plant a seed for future growth and improve property values of the local area.  They wanted to “leverage their investment”.  They had very strict development standards and were faced with a policy challenge to meet/adhere to their own standards.  As a result of the experience, they seem to be far more sympathetic to developers or anyone looking to build in the community.  Greg encouraged the group to use the strategic and comprehensive plans of Ellettsville.

 

No further questions.

 

Frank Buczolich moved into old business—an update on the Robertson Block Redevelopment Area.

 

Frank Nierzwicki introduces Ashley Porta, Intern in planning, redevelopment.

 

Ashley Porta reported on her work thus far in data collection.  She has taken pictures of downtown businesses and catalogued them so that they will be linked to each parcel’s information.  She has also updated the database with assessed value of land and improvements to land for each address to arrive at a total value of $4,953,100 as a good starting point for future development initiatives.  Ashley met with the Main Street Committee and they have decided to get together information about the town and demographics of the town to give to businesses or prospective businesses as a market analysis for what already exists and where there are openings for new industries and sectors.

 

David Drake requested two items fore the next meeting:

 

  1. Can we come up with a better name for the area rather than the Enlarged Robinson Block Redevelopment Area?  “something downtown TIF district”; it really is the heart of the downtown area.

 

Frank Nierzwicki looks to the audience for a history of the area or a former name, no comments.  He will research the history of the place.

 

  1. The plan is to have a map ready and all information ready to designate the area at the next meeting.

 

Frank Nierzwicki —yes, it will be ready at the next meeting.  Frank Nierzwicki also mentions that there are new properties being annexed in that should be in town by the next meeting so that they may be added.  Power of the commission is only within the Town of Ellettsville; area can be enlarged at a later date also.

 

No further questions/comments.

 

New Business

 

Discussion of the initial meeting of the advisory board.

 

Frank Nierzwicki has not had comments on committee assignments yet.  Frank would like to schedule a meeting to organize as quickly as possible.  Possibly the week of October 10th—he will contact individuals to see if people can be ready for that; we do have a plan commission meeting October 12th.  The Board does need a Chair and Vice-Chair at least.  From the audience member, it seems as though Wednesday would be better.

 

Next meeting, October 26th 7 p.m.

 

2 other dates on the table for discussion, November 9th and December 14t - both Thursdays; Frank will schedule the room and whatnot for that time.  Emails will confirm that.

 

There were no additional items that were not covered. In fact

 

7:35 PM chair entertains a motion to adjourn, seconded, unanimously approved.