Envisioning more expensive studies for Apopka

I was cruising the Apopka City website the other day and found something interesting. Under the Business Tab of the home page, I went into the RFQ/RFP section and was surprised to see RFQ 1 there, “Request for Qualifications: Retail Development Strategy and Marketing Services”. The RFQ is due tomorrow, January 4th at 3:00 pm from bidders and negotiations with the selected consultant are to begin on Friday Jan 8th. Apparently, the City is looking for a vendor to conduct  a retail market analysis and development strategy that will mesh with the City’s adopted vision from the visioning process.  Three areas of our City are to be included: The Wekiva Parkway area (Kelly Park); the area near the new hospital and yes, the Downtown area (the Apopka Town Center).

Now according to the RFQ for the Visioning Process that was went out last March, within the Scope of Services section of that RFQ, was an expectation for the consultant to prepare a Strategic Plan to include a 5 year action plan guiding  City resources and  organizational priorities. This 5 year plan is referenced several times within the RFQ.  I have not seen the final contract for the Visioning process so, I do not know if this 5 year plan was included in the final contract. I do remember the general conclusion of this expensive process was that citizens of Apopka want nice restaurants and shops and were sick of dollar stores, auto parts stores and Taco Bells. It took $125,000.00 of taxpayer money to come to the same conclusion that swept  a new Mayor and two new City Commissioners into office in 2014. That same section of the RFQ promised a workshop to review the results, which was held December 9, and a 2nd meeting or hearing be scheduled so the City could adopt the final vision statement and Strategic plan. To my knowledge that 2nd meeting has not taken place yet, nor is it on the January 6th meeting agenda. So back to the RFQ noted above, how can a request for services to build on the adopted visioning strategies be made when it does not appear the Visioning Plan has  actually been “adopted” by the City Commission?

Key on this RFQ is the Compensation section found on pg 4. I quote, “Initial tasks may be based on work less than $25,000.00 to comply with purchasing requirements”. As we found out with the “Apopka begins and ends with an A” project, the Mayor can expend up to $25,000 of City funds WITHOUT having to come to Council (ie. elected taxpayer representatives) for approval. Hmmm.. According to the Tentative Timeline of the RFQ, the finalist will be announced and presented to the City Commission at the January 19th meeting, presumably after the first $25,000.00 check has already been cut, very similar to the way the Mayor’s education program was handled just a few months ago.  Is the City skirting the dollar limit to avoid having to answer questions? Are we seeing the beginnings of a new strategy the City will employ to avoid taxpayer scrutiny?

Other questions:  Why the rush on this? What will be the final price tag for THIS project? Where in the budget is the money coming from? I thought for $125,000.00, we were supposed to get this retail analysis and strategy via the consultants from the visioning process. Was I wrong? As a taxpayer, I gotta ask these questions. Because right now, the only thing I am envisioning for our City is parade of never ending expensive reports, studies and consultants, while only giving the illusion that things are getting done.

 

City of Apopka Faces Continuing Challenges

Who else cannot believe that we are in Day One of 2016.  The City of Apopka has faced some tough challenges in 2015, including implementing a new invocation policy; all indications are that 2016 will be just as, if not more, challenging. Apopka will be electing two of it’s 4 City Commissioners in March; each incumbent faces two challengers. Is there another changing of the guard in store?

The City just completed a $125,000.00 visioning process, which you would think, for the price, would have included at least preliminary implementation of the plan.  It didn’t, and now the City is advertising for yet another firm to implement this Vision, in three areas of our City: Kelly Park area, the new hospital area and the Downtown Center. Wonder how much THIS study will cost taxpayers?

The John Land Apopka Community Trust Fund finished the year with some promise, going public during an ice cream social in early November. They also announced a website, introduced their Board members, featured plans to help fund two John Land statues that will be crafted in 2016. Since the website went live, I’ve checked it about once or twice a week and have not seen any updates. A website is only as good as the people updating it.

And we also seem to have opportunities for some good paying manufacturing jobs come to our City. But apparently, some have a “not in my back yard” mentality about these jobs. I wonder if the people complaining have done any real research on the company looking to locate to the South Apopka area. They complain about fast food jobs, they complain about retail, and now they complain about these manufacturing jobs. What kind of jobs DO these people want?

Fear not, intrepid readers… I will make it my mission this year to investigate, report and write on these issues and more in the coming year. Remember, there are no sacred cows as far as I am concerned. I will pull no punches and will, as politely as I can take no prisoners. Keeping Apopkans informed, as much as I can, will be my focus.. Come along with me, for a wild ride through 2016 in Apopka, if you dare.

 

 

Apopka Community Trust Fund Opens Up to Citizens

As many of you know, I have been following the trail of the John Land Apopka Communty Trust Fund, since the formation of the Trust fund was announced during an emotional meeting of the Apopka City Commission in April of 2014. During that meeting, which was Mayor Land’s last meeting, a motion was made and unanimously approved that the Trust Fund would be given $200,000.00 from the City’s general fund as a boost or seed money for the Trust Fund. Aside from that announcement, not much else was made public about the Trust Fund. In fact, it was only during some extensive on-line research I was able to see the original Articles of Incorporation and who was actually on the Board of Directors, and where our tax money was located. We knew that a donation by the Trust fund was made earlier this year to purchase championship rings and jackets for the Apopka High School Football team. Beyond that, we still did not know much. I wondered aloud with several blog postings what exactly was going on. Why all the secrecy? And most importantly, what exactly became of the $200,000.00 worth of taxpayer money that went to the fund.

Well, during an informal Ice Cream Social last Thursday (11/5), hosted by the Trust fund, a few questions were answered. Attendees were introduced to the latest Board of Directors, and announcements about some of the Trust Fund’s activities, including the contribution of approximately $20,000.00 towards two bronze sculptures of Mayor John Land that have been commissioned by the City of Apopka. A website was also built by the trust fund; http://www.apopkacommunitytrust.com. This site looks informative and interesting and may prove to be a conduit of information regarding future Trust Fund activities and personnel. Tabs include information about applying for funds, public documents downloads, an extensive biography of Mayor Land and a contact page.

Granted, a website is only as good as the people updating it. There is a promise of a section of the site for Board meeting agendas and minutes of those meetings. The site presents an unspoken promise of transparency and openness about the fund, and that is all I’ve been asking for these last months. I plan to review the site on a regular basis for updates and information, and you should to. Don’t suffer from a lack of curiosity – there is still a lot of that $200,000.00 tax money in the fund. Let’s make sure the Board of Directors of the John Land Apopka Community Trust fund live up to the fund’s namesake’s ideals, honor and integrity.  The social and the website seem to be a positive first-step in the right direction!

Invocation Policy or Moment of Silence: City of Apopka faces a tough decision

Another week at the Apopka City Commission meeting, and the issue of invocations refuses to go away. More than likely as a response to the “invocation” read at the last meeting by a member of the Central Florida Freethought Community, the City has placed on this week’s agenda, for Public Hearing,  Resolution 2015-24 – Invocation Policy for City of Apopka Meetings. The 5 page resolution ‘s title includes:  “regarding a ceremonial opening invocation and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at Council meetings”. Claiming to seek a diversity of viewpoints, faiths and ideas, and inviting speakers to reflect upon shared ideals and common end and offer inclusion opportunities for all faiths and non-believers, the Resolution sets forth policy and procedures for the one minute invocation item leading off each Commission meeting.

As it turns out, many government entities across Central Florida are facing this same dilemma, because the CFFC, emboldened by a 2014 Supreme Court Ruling, will not go away. Their bullying tactics have led many cities to review their invocation policies; several have offered different approaches. After a Winter GardenCity commission meeting in September of 2014, where the Mayor forcibly ejected a man from the meeting for not standing during the Pledge of Alligence, the City was forced to adopt an invocation policy in March of 2015. Their policy is nearly identical (in fact word for word except for the name of the City) to the policy being reviewed by our City this week. And these two policies are similar to policies developed by cities across the country.. I guess it’s some kind of legalise template.

Another approach was taken by the City of Maitland. The CFFC approached them about offering an invocation. At first the City offered no response to the group, but after a more strongly worded request and possibly a thinly veiled threat of a lawsuit, Maitland City officials choose to forego their invocation, opting for a moment of silence, while they take some time to re-evaluate their invocation policy, on the advice of their city attorney Cliff Shepard, who is also Apopka’s city Attorney.

The thing is, with cities and other government entities now scrambling to develop inclusive invocation policies that celebrate diversity (now there is a phrase only a liberal could love), they are now dancing to the tune of these humanist, atheist, bullying groups and taking precious time away from PRESSING city business. These policies don’t see the forest for the trees, and in fact, can be like ringing the dinner bell for every group out there to come in and have their say.  Who is actually prepared to listen to an invocation from a Satanist group (like they did in Lake City FL last year), or from a Wicaan group, or from any fill-in-the blank group? Because if you support these policies, then you MUST be prepared to defend their right to have their say, no matter how hateful, despicable or deplorable you find their words. And if you are not prepared to defend their rights and still want a policy, you better brace yourself for a full assault of lawsuits and bad publicity that will surely follow, such as what Brevard County is now facing.

I have to ask, is any government meeting the proper venue for some social experiment on diversity or inclusion or to show the world how tolerant we can be? I’m wondering if those government entities that simply offer a moment of silence to begin a meeting, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, aren’t on to something. I can’t imagine how many man hours will be devoted to crafting and maintaining  a database of groups and their representatives as outlined in the Resolution. We all have the right to be offended, and who is to say that the Christian won’t be offended by the muslim prayer, or the Buddist won’t be offended by the Jewish prayer. The chilling City guidelines as to what the invocation should say as part of the resolution sickens me to my core.

What I would like to ask is that the City postpone voting on this Resolution until both citizens and City officials have more time to really study this one. Would two more weeks really make that much of a difference? The implications of a rushed decision or knee-jerk reaction to bullies will be far-reaching and could, in the long run damage this City.  Perhaps offering a moment of silence while this issue is being researched is not out of the question. What do YOU think?

STIF’s and the Apopka Taxpayer, Part 2

Two weeks have passed since the Apopka city Commission voted to table a motion regarding the granting of a STIF district near the 414 and Marden Road area. MMI Development is asking for this because they are offering to build an interchange in that area, giving easier access to their development projects, and by extension, the new Florida Hospital currently under construction. Synthetic tax incremental financing districts create funding for public/private projects by borrowing against FUTURE increase in tax revenue created by businesses and other projects expected to move to the district because of the main project; in this case, an interchange. That is why these are gambles at best; we are being asked to hedge our bets and quite possible, our futures, to obtain instant gratification and not worry about what tomorrow holds. What tomorrow could hold is a sluggish or failing economy; plans and visions that change; bankruptcies. What tomorrow could hold is Apopka taxpayers with a millstone around our necks that could take years, if not decades to remove.

Two weeks have passed, and this item is once again on the Apopka City Council meeting agenda for this Wednesday Sept 2, at 1:30 pm. This agreement was given to the Commission about 4 weeks ago; both Commissioner Arrowsmith and Commissioner Ruth were right to ask questions about an agreement that clearly neither fully understood. Mayor Kilsheimer’s smug reply to these questions was that the City had been negotiating this agreement for over 9 months, and to push this project back anymore would be “unfair” to those already counting on this agreement. The consensus was that the City was not saying NO to this agreement, only that more time was needed to study and understand this complex agreement and thus a motion to table this until the next meeting. The next meeting is upon us; have the Commissioners had time to fully review this agreement and get satisfactory answers to their questions? Does this agreement sufficiently protect the taxpayers of Apopka, or will we be stuck with a huge mistake if this gamble doesn’t pay off. The Mayor, CAO Irby and City Attorney Shephard would do well to answer any questions raised thoughtfully and respectfully, not in the arrogant, almost mocking tone taken lately with people who dare ask questions. Questions I have:  Who is counting on the agreement? Why are these people or entities counting on this agreement to go through? Have certain commitment already been made to others before an agreement was even presented to the Citizens of Apopka for a vote?

The big question remains: who will actually benefit from this STIF, the taxpayers of Apopka or MMI Development. If this is not a mutually beneficial agreement to all involved, especially the Apopka taxpayer, I would respectfully ask our Commissioners to vote NO on this STIF.

STIF’s and the Apopka Taxpayer

The Agenda for this week’s Apopka City Commission meeting is again jam-packed. The one that should raise some concerns is the 2^nd reading of Ordinance #2446, regarding the creation of a synthetic tax incremental financing district near Marsden Road and SR 414. Appropriately, the acronym for this is STIF. Government entities use these STIFs as a public/private partnership tool to advance economic and development goals. STIF’s create funding for public/private projects by borrowing against the future increase in property tax revenues of the businesses and other projects expected to come to the area because of the specific project. A district can be drawn around an area hundreds or thousands of acres beyond the project site to provide the needed borrowing capacity and revenues. Originally designed to revive blighted or depressed areas, more and more STIF’s are used where development would happen anyway, such as development areas at the edges of cities.

The specific STIF on our agenda is being requested for the construction of a “half interchange” from SR 414 to connect with Marden Road. A very complicated cost sharing agreement between the City and the developer, MMI Development was drafted and it is this agreement that will be considered and voted on by the City Commission this Wednesday. The agreement is a 10 page document full of legalize, complicated cost formulas and other matters that cannot be read and understood in one reading. It appears that initial funding would come from the City’s Transportation Impact Fee Fund and then a complicated series of credits. Per the accompanying greensheet with the Agenda packet, “other development within the newly created STIF paying transportation Impact fees would be transferred to MMI Development to be credited toward the City’s shared portion of the interchange”. All of this money will be deposited into a separate trust fund. In exchange for all this money, the Developer will make the permit and other arrangements for construction of the interchange. The District is to last 10 years with the City assuming an administrative role.

Getting back to one of the criticisms, it seems this particular district has been drawn up where development would already be occurring, thanks to separate construction of the new Florida Hospital. In fact, MMI Development, in conjunction with Emerson-MMI, already has received approvals for various housing and apartment projects in this same area. It is only a matter of time before other medical offices, clinics and perhaps some retail also spring up in that area. I wonder who the largest beneficiary of this Tax District will be, the citizens of Apopka or MMI Development.

STIFs are touted as a new tool Cities can use to promote development and promises of no new taxes, but side effects can include increased road, sewer, schools and other public costs due to the new developments that Taxpayers will be paying for many years down the road. The gamble could pay off in the long run, but it may not. And if all the development near the new Hospital would be taking place anyway, I have to wonder if this Tax Financing District is really necessary, or if Apopka taxpayers are being asked to take a gamble on a very risky house of cards and end up instead, holding a very costly bag. I hope STIF does not end up STIFfing Apopka taxpayers.