Calendar:
Monday, February 28
12:00 pm - Agenda Briefing, Room 280
3:30 pm - Transportation Committee Meeting, Room 280 AGENDA: Station Area Plans in the South Corridor
5:00 pm - Council Manager Dinner Briefing, Room 267
6:30 pm - Citizen's Forum, Meeting Chamber
7:00 pm - Council Meeting, Meeting Chamber
Wednesday, March 2
12:00 pm - Economic Development and Planning Committee Meeting, Room CH-14 AGENDA: Neighborhood Improvement Issues; Follow-up to Industrial Study
3:00 pm - Budget Retreat, Room 267 AGENDA: Cost Containment and the City's Competition Program; Employee Compensation and Benefits; CATS Operating and Capital Budget Review; Review Request for Additional Police Officers; Financial Partners and Outside Agency Capital Requests for Funding and Revenue Update
Agenda Notes:
Agenda Item #11A: Mayor's Direction on Cultural Facilities
Staff Resource: Dennis Marstall, 704-336-3980
Attached is a Request for Council Action for Monday night's City Council agenda from Mayor McCrory recommending that the City Council defer action on the Cultural Facilities Recommendations for 60 days to allow continued work of the private sector and staff review and to add a "place holder" to the State Legislative Package.
This action will enable additional work to proceed on the projects including the consolidation of the Mint and Bechtler proposals, potential for partnership between the Afro-American Cultural Center and Spirit Square, and an opportunity to review the bid and funding model for a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Agenda Item #19A: First Ward Park Redevelopment
Staff Resource: Tom Flynn, 704-432-1396
At their meeting on Wednesday, the Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee took action on the First Ward Park Redevelopment and requested that the recommendation be added to the February 28th Council agenda. The agenda item is attached.
Agenda Item #19B: Earned Income Tax Credit
Staff Resource: Stanley Watkins, 704-336-3796
At their meeting on Wednesday, the Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee took action on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and requested the recommendation be added to the February 28th Council agenda. The agenda item is attached.
The EITC is a Federal tax refund program for eligible low-income families. The program is designed to reduce the tax burden, supplement wages and assist in the welfare to work transition. The Committee is recommending that the City work with local groups promoting the program, disseminate information about the program at the upcoming Neighborhood Symposium and inform City employees about the program.
Agenda Item #33: S&ME Contract for Lead Testing and Reduction Services
Staff Resource: Diane Adams, 704-336-2911
On February 28, 2005, City Council will be asked to approve a contract award (Item #33) in the amount of $382,085 to Soils Material Engineering, Inc. (S&ME) for lead paint reduction activities. S&ME was selected from the six proposals received and reviewed by a staff team. One of the proposers, Environmental Investigations (EI) has expressed dissatisfaction to the City Manager with the award selection based on the price per unit of the successful contractor. Staff has prepared a written response to EI and will offer an opportunity to meet to provide information on how their proposal can be improved on in the future. Attached is information which details the selection and award process.
Agenda Item #50: Shops on Freedom Renovations
Staff Resource: Tom Warshauer, 704-336-4522
City staff has been working with the owner of the Shops on Freedom to complete the renovations to the 230,000 s.f. center at Alleghany and Freedom Drive. Phase 1: Façade Improvements are complete. These represent over $500,000 in private investment combined with a $40,000 Façade Improvement Grant from the City. Phase 2 is the Parking Lot, of which there are three components:
- The redesign of the island planters to treat storm water run off through the installation of low impact design elements. This retrofit demonstration project will be paid for by City Storm Water Services and designed/constructed by County Storm Water Services. The City/County Funding Agreement will be on your consent agenda February 28.
- The implementation of the Streetscape Project, which relies on the donation of easements by the owner to relocate sidewalks and establish perimeter planting. This work is part of the larger project, from Woodruff to Ashley, that is planned to be bid in April. The contract should be on Council's Agenda in summer 2005.
- The repaving of the parking lots and establishment of additional landscaping. Staff is working with the owner to structure a $450,000 loan to assist with this portion of the work. This is planned to come to Council in March/April 2005.
The owner continues to work to secure national tenants for the site and has several who are reviewing leases. Staff is excited with the progress at the center and will keep you informed as new developments occur.
Information Items:
Comparison of Current Waiver Provisions to Previous Bids- Follow up Information
Staff Resource: Tiffany Capers, 704-336-3862
Please find attached additional information in response to Council member Tabor's request for staff to compare how the current waiver provision would have applied to bids City Council rejected in June 2003 and a bid rejection in December 2004. Please also find the original memo distributed to City Council in February 2005 which provides a summary of the non-compliance and additional information and the applicability of the current waiver provision.
The waiver provisions enacted in September 2004 would have allowed City Council to award to the lowest bidder for all the bids that were rejected in June 2003.
Analysis of SBE firms by Work Category and Ownership
Staff Resource: Tiffany Capers, 704-336-3862
In response to a request by Council member Mitchell, please find attached a report that provides an analysis of SBE firms by work category and by gender and/or ethnic ownership. During FY04, the number of certified SBEs grew from 131 businesses to 439. To date, there are 565 small businesses certified as Small Business Enterprises (SBEs).
Creative Loafing Column on City/County Business Investment Grant Program
Staff Resource: Tom Flynn, 704-432-1396
In a recent edition of Creative Loafing, Tara Servatius wrote a column concerning the City/County Business Investment Grant program. Ms. Servatius wrote that two grant recipients, King Machine and Celgard, did not receive incentive offers from South Carolina as described in the City Council agenda items.
We wanted to be sure City Council understood a few facts about this column.
- The City/County policy that provides economic development grants, like the one received by King Machine, are based on a company making a $2+ million investment in a specific geography. There is no requirement that the company be looking at locations other than Charlotte to receive this grant. This was pointed out to Ms Servatius but she chose not to print that.
- In regards to Celgard, because this was an eight year grant, competition is one of several factors that the City/County policy guidelines require staff to look at in making a recommendation to City Council. At the time of this grant, both the company's consultant, Carolina Wibmer of Ernst and Young, and the Charlotte Regional Partnership staff, told the City and Chamber staff that South Carolina was offering incentives to Celgard. Ms. Servatius talked to Ms. Wibmer about this and was told by Ms. Wibmer that she would be misrepresenting the facts to write a column alleging that South Carolina did not offer Celgard incentives. Ms. Servatius chose to disregard these comments.
The column also raised questions about record keeping on the King Machine grant. Both the City and Chamber maintain records on all of these projects. The information regarding the South Carolina incentives for King Machine came from Jeff Edge of the Charlotte Chamber. He was told about the South Carolina incentives by the real estate broker on the project. Since competition for the project is not part of the requirement for the 5-year grant received by King Machine, the South Carolina reference was put in the Council agenda item based on our conversation with Mr. Edge.
A review of the City/County Business Investment Grant Policy is one of the recommended action steps in the draft Economic Development Strategic Framework. Staff will brief the City Council on the draft framework at the March 7 workshop.
