Redevelopment Authority

REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REGULAR SESSION MINUTES December 19, 2023 8:00 A.M. CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Mirizio called the meeting to order at 8:02 am ROLL CALL: Brandon Mirizio, Chair Jasson W. Urey, Town Manager Martin Johnson, Vice Chair Matt Breedlove, Asst. C.E. Officer Roberta Leonard, Secretary Jim Douglas, Douglas, Joseph & Olson - Benjamin Beck Excused Edward Taczanowsky Also Present: Jean Carr Ellen Pardee, GAEDC Rick Cianci, Non-Resident PUBLIC COMMENTS – None APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. MOTION by Mr. Beck, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to approve the minutes from the November 21, 2023, regular meeting. Motion carried 5-0. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Mr. Mirizio led a conversation to discuss the day-to-day operations of the Redevelopment Authority. He shared details of a prior conversation between himself, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Urey with the Board on the topic of meeting dates. The Board then discussed whether a stand-alone agreement was needed due to the nature of the RDA and their business. Mr. Urey shared that the RDA is typically covered by the Borough for a variety of reasons, including the auditing of funds. To assist in the RDAs understanding of their structure, Mr. Urey compared their workings to the Water Authority. He further explained that the RDA will receive support from a combination of the Borough, GAEDC, and Penn Northwest for grant applications/management and projects on a case-by-case basis. Ellen Pardee from the GAEDC reminded the RDA that they’ll need to pass a resolution to allow other entities to perform grant writing/acquisition/management tasks on their behalf. There was a brief conversation regarding the finalization of the Management Agreement. Mr. Urey and Mr. Mirizio agreed that the document needed small revisions. As such, Mr. Mirizio tabled further discussion and finalization of the Management Agreement for the next meeting date. Page 1 of 3  B. Mr. Mirizio reminded the Board of the four committees they formed at their last meeting (Strategic Plan Implementation Committee, Vacant Property Review Committee, Project Committee, and Finance Committee). The Board held conversations to nominate Chairs and Vice-Chairs to each committee. a. The Board decided that the Strategic Plan Implementation Committee will be attended by all Board members, keeping the same Chair/Vice-Chair structure currently held within the Board. Ms. Leonard requested additional support from Counsel at all RDA quarterly meetings to provide legal guidance on specific tasks beyond their day-to-day operations. b. The nominees for Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the Vacant Property Review Committee were Mr. Taczanowsky and Mr. Johnson. The general purpose of the committee was discussed, and Mr. Taczanowsky requested that Mr. Breedlove (Assistant Code Enforcement Officer) be added to the committee to assist in researching properties moving forward. Mr. Breedlove agreed to the appointment. c. The nominees for Chair and Vice-Chair of the Projects Committee, respectively, were Mr. Beck and Mr. Johnson. The general purpose of the committee was discussed, and they defined their first goal as the finalization of the river walk project. d. The nominees for the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee, respectively, were Ms. Leonard and Mr. Mirizio. Ms. Leonard emphasized the importance of meeting with external organizations to explore existing pools of funding in the Northwest Mercer County region. A motion was not needed to appoint these positions, and Mr. Mirizio accepted all committee nominations and appointments as the Chair of the RDA Board. The Board also discussed (and favored) the continued use of community surveys to find candidates within the community to serve on committees or gather proposals for community project ideas. NEW BUSINESS A. Ellen Pardee from the GAEDC notified the Board of an upcoming grant available through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The Board discussed how to potentially use grants like these to make the river a prominent feature when showcasing the Borough of Greenville. The Board requested that Ms. Pardee provide more information about the grant at the next RDA meeting. Ms. Leonard encouraged the Board to renew their efforts on developing positive ties with the new County Commissioners being appointed in January. We need to be sure that Greenville’s needs is known and actively considered at the county level. COMMISSION MEMBERS COMMENTS Mr. Mirizio presented, on Mr. Taczanowski’s request and behalf, the progress that has been made in tackling the issue of the railroad bridge overpasses and having them addressed. TOWN MANAGER and ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER COMMENTS A. Mr. Breedlove reminded the RDA that acquiring property isn’t strictly about housing renovation and economic development. Several months ago, he joined Greenville’s management team on a trip to Etna, PA. They toured the Borough of Etna with their Town Manager and discussed Etna’s approach to tackling community blight issues. The incorporation of green spaces and community gardens helped Etna attract new residents from across the country to live in their more vibrant community. He reminded the Board that some properties are better suited to provide greenspace and communal gardening opportunities instead of being developed for housing/economic purposes. Page 2 of 3 NEXT MEETING – Tuesday, January 16, 2024 @ 8 A.M. ADJOURNMENT A. Motion by Mr. Beck, second by Ms. Leonard to adjourn the meeting at 9:03 a.m. Motion carried 5-0. Respectfully submitted, Roberta Leonard Secretary Page 3 of 3