I don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but, if you want something moving in a permanent, positive direction, you must stick with it. The Apopka Community Redevelopment Area needs our undivided attention between now and January. I want to see the county’s CRA funding extended for 10 additional years. However, the progress over the past 30 years has been underwhelming.
Commissioner Kyle Becker said it well at the last noticed CRA meeting, with only spending $20,000 in grants with a balance over $4 million isn’t a compelling argument to continue the funding. Staff member, Jim Hitt, admitted with so few staff members in his development department, he just has not had sufficient time to devote to the CRA. The new development pressure, particularly in the Kelly Park area has once again trumped revitalizing the older section of town.
Commissioner Diane Velazquez suggested hiring a full time CRA Director. Perhaps, the new economic development director could also administer the CRA. Nevertheless, the Mayor and Council agreed that Mr. Hitt needs and deserves more staff.
The meeting had more good news.
I presented four suggestions for improvement. These include holding monthly CRA board meetings, redesigning a more marketable grant brochure and creating a more time certain grant application process, updating grant programs with annual staff benchmarking, and utilizing concrete rather than asphalt on portions of the downtown trail system.
My intention was for these ideas to be a starting point that would inspire input and debate. I was not married to any ideas in totality. However, I believe it was Commissioner Nick Nesta who asked if I would like these suggestions to get accomplished before my January BCC vote to extend the CRA. While a bit flummoxed with the assertion, I was of course agreeable to my own suggestions. Improvements of any kind are just that, an improvement.
Mayor Bryan Nelson was the biggest surprise blessing of the meeting. He was agreeable to my suggestion of a hybrid trail which includes asphalt and concrete. Additionally, he agreed to pose in a picture with my two granddaughters. Now I have a matching picture of my granddaughters with Mayor Nelson and my daughter at the same age with Mayor John Land. However, while the girls thought the meeting was terribly boring, they enjoyed my tour of the historic features located on city hall grounds. For about eight years, I led tours of 4th-graders to Magnolia Park and Apopka City Hall. I partnered with Mayor Kilsheimer and the last years with Mayor Nelson and School Board Member Melissa Byrd. Unfortunately, the pandemic terminated the tours all together.
Back to the CRA, my next task is to peruse the downtown trail routes and make recommendations to Mayor Nelson. I might even try my hand at creating a CRA grant brochure. I believe every businessowner and resident in the CRA district should be aware and get the opportunity to apply for a façade grant. Equal opportunity and transparency are key when you are dolling out public dollars. Tax money requires extreme accountability. Finally, I pray the city quickly hires a new staff member to handle the additional grant applications.
If you have suggestions, please do not hesitate to come to the next CRA meetings. I believe we should turn move from criticism into developing consensus and forward motion.
