Downtown Development Authority

TYRONE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MINUTES May 13, 2024 at 9:00 AM Billy Campbell, Chairman Jeni Mount, Vice-Chairwoman Luci McDuffie, Treasurer Brandon Perkins, Town Manager Ernie Johnson Phillip Trocquet, Asst. Town Manager John Kaufman Ciara Willis, Secretary Nathan Reese E. Allison Ivey Cox, Town Attorney Adam She Also Present: Lynda Owens, Recreation Manager Krista McClenny, Recreation Assistant I. CALL TO ORDER II. INVOCATION III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS: The first public comment period is reserved for non-agenda items. Comments are limited to three (3) minutes. Please state your name & address. Comments that require a response may not be answered during this time. The DDA or staff may respond at a later date. V. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made to approve the agenda. Motion made by Treasurer McDuffie, Seconded by Board Member Reese. Voting Yea: Chairman Campbell, Vice-Chairwoman Mount, Board Member Kaufman. VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of the March 11, 2024 meeting minutes. A motion was made to approve the March 11, 2024 meeting minutes. Motion made by Board Member Kaufman, Seconded by Treasurer McDuffie. Voting Yea: Chairman Campbell, Vice-Chairwoman Mount, Board Member Reese. VII. PRESENTATIONS VIII. OLD BUSINESS 2. Update regarding Fire Station Redevelopment Project and associated Memorandum of Understanding. - Phillip Trocquet, Assistant Town Manager Downtown Development Authority Page 1 of 6 May 13, 2024 Mr. Trocquet updated the board on the Fire Station Redevelopment Project. He shared that members of the Finance Subcommittee met with Mr. Woods last week. Mr. Woods and his team had presented a preliminary estimate from Southtree Commercial for completing the Fire Station building, totaling approximately $1,500,000. However, Mr. Woods communicated that this amount exceeds what their investment team could provide in private financing. He added that Mr. Woods had reaffirmed their commitment of $100,000. He clarified that the Fayette County Development Authority (FCDA) had confirmed that the terms of the $300,000 grant were flexible and that the funds could be allocated towards permanent improvements instead of only exterior improvements. The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) also held $100,000 in economic development funds. Together, those contributions totaled $400,000. He then explained that Mr. Woods had proposed an alternative option to move the project forward. Mr. Woods suggested that the $400,000 be used to make the building's exterior presentable, address structural issues, and complete minimal interior work to bring the space to a 'white box" state. Furthermore, Mr. Woods planned to establish a food truck operation at the site, which would be funded separately from the initial $100,000 commitment. This initiative aimed to activate the space and gradually generate additional funds needed to construct a permanent establishment. Mr. Woods and his team believed this phased approach would allow for rapid progress and effectively meet the project's community activation goals. Mr. Trocquet stated that if the board found the proposal suitable, staff would draft a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a contract to reflect the revised project scope. He requested that the board specify any essential requirements for this adjusted scope (e.g., completion of bay doors, building color, roof type). He added that the reduced scope and budget would constrain those requirements. He then stated that if the board decided against proceeding under those conditions, the staff was ready to explore other options to advance the project. Those included re- issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) or issuing a bond. He expressed that regardless of the decision, we highly recommend efforts to make the exterior and structural improvements move forward. Chairman Campbell expounded on the details from the meeting with Mr. Woods and his team. He shared that Mr. Woods desired to put a food truck inside the building and hire wait staff to serve patrons. He added that the food truck would be utilized as the kitchen since those renovations would be one of the highest costs. He also mentioned that Mr. Woods proposed additional food trucks for beer, wine, and ice cream. Chairman Campbell then inquired about exterior renovations. He asked whether the roof and exterior improvement costs were calculated in the quote from Southtree Commercial. Mr. Trocquet referenced the bid information on pages 9 and 11 of the packet, which detailed an estimated breakdown of the restaurant buildout and exterior improvements. The estimated restaurant buildout component was $837,144.70. He Page 2 of 6 noted that to get the building to a completed state, the exterior improvements would cost roughly $672,000, which was closer to the $500,000 in available funds. Board Member Reese asked if this proposal replaced Mr. Woods' desire to purchase the property. Mr. Trocquet stated that a lease-to-own arrangement was not discussed with Mr. Woods at the last meeting. The current proposition would include similar terms to those in the initial agreement. Chairman Campbell queried if any stipulations regarding a completion date would be included in the contract. Attorney Cox implored the board to consider many factors before moving forward because this proposal substantially differed from the original terms. Treasurer McDuffie stated that a three—to five-year timeline was sufficient because it would give Mr. Woods time to build a customer base and generate revenue. Board Member Reese questioned the functional aspects of a food truck inside the building. Board members discussed the space's occupancy because a Certificate of Occupancy for the building had yet to be issued. Board Member Reese suggested positioning the food truck outside the building as an alternative. Board Member Kaufman pointed out that working out a food truck was innovative because Mr. Woods would not have to deal with grease traps and other requirements. Board Member Johnson arrived at 9:19 a.m. Board Member Kaufman then inquired about the location for meal preparations. Mr. Trocquet stated that he was unsure if it would be prepped on the food truck or at another location. Chairman Campbell added that Mr. Woods conveyed that the menu would be limited. Treasurer McDuffie emphasized that if Mr. Woods could prove the concept, his investors might be more inclined to invest, which was another reason to consider the project's timeline. Mr. Perkins encouraged the board to consider the risks if the project was rebid. He added that putting the RFP back out to the public was unpredictable, with the possibility of no one bidding. However, any options to move the project forward would involve some risk. Chairman Campbell stated that this project was vital to the downtown district. He added that he favored the proposed option because it would get people downtown and keep the momentum moving in the right direction. Vice-Chairwoman Mount then added that it was a great concept and something unique. In addition, she felt Mr. Woods would be a great partner for the Town. Board Member Kaufman expressed his support for the proposal. He added that the build-out period should be shortened to a maximum of three years. Mr. Trocquet stated that those details and a clear timeline for completing the building would be included in the MOU. Page 3 of 6  Mr. Trocquet then discussed potential improvements for the current proposal’s budget. He added that the interior renovations would be minimal, but the concept's functionality was paramount. Board Member Kaufman mentioned updating the heating and air systems and suggested finishing the floor with epoxy. Board Member She arrived at 9:33 a.m. A motion was made to allow staff to draft a Memorandum of Understanding and contract with a specified build-out date for the Fire Station Redevelopment Project. Motion made by Board Member Kaufman, Seconded by Board Member Reese. Voting Yea: Chairman Campbell, Vice-Chairwoman Mount, Treasurer McDuffie, Board Member She, Board Member Johnson. IX. NEW BUSINESS 3. Approval of a Contract from Double Granite to perform at the June 2024 First Friday Event. - Phillip Trocquet, Assistant Town Manager Mr. Trocquet informed the board that the contract from Double Granite was for the June 2024 First Friday Event. The band performance fee was $800. Staff recommended approval. A motion was made to approve the contract from Double Granite to perform at the June 2024 First Friday Event for $800. Motion made by Vice-Chairwoman Mount, Seconded by Board Member Reese. Voting Yea: Chairman Campbell, Treasurer McDuffie, Board Member She, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Kaufman. 4. Approval of a Contract from Adiquest to provide DJ and Audio services for 2024 First Friday Events. - Phillip Trocquet, Assistant Town Manager Mr. Trocquet informed the board that the multiple contracts from Adiquest were for the June, July, August, and September First Friday Events. The DJ and Audio services fee per event was $1,025 for a total of $4,100. A motion was made to approve the contracts from Adiquest for $4,100 to provide DJ and Audio services for June, July, August, and September First Friday Events. Motion made by Board Member Reese, Seconded by Board Member Kaufman. Voting Yea: Chairman Campbell, Vice-Chairwoman Mount, Treasurer McDuffie, Board Member She, Board Member Johnson. 5. Approval of an agreement from Classic Canopies to provide services for 2024 First Friday Events. - Phillip Trocquet, Assistant Town Manager Page 4 of 6  Mr. Trocquet explained the 2-year agreement from Classic Canopies, which included quotes for the DDA and Town events. However, the DDA would only be responsible for the 2024 First Friday Events. The rental cost of the canopies for each event was $340, for a total of $1,360. Board Member Johnson asked if the vendor maintained insurance in case of an emergency. Mr. Trocquet stated that all vendors were required to have insurance. A motion was made to approve the agreement from Classic Canopies to provide services for June, July, August, and September First Friday Events for $1,360. Motion made by Board Member Kaufman, Seconded by Vice-Chairwoman Mount. Voting Yea: Chairman Campbell, Treasurer McDuffie, Board Member She, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Reese. X. PUBLIC COMMENTS XI. STAFF COMMENTS Mr. Trocquet shared that he was working on completing the FY2024/2025 budget for the next meeting. He also mentioned purchasing marketing and promotional items before the June First Friday event. Mr. Perkins addressed the noise complaints from business owners regarding the Senoia Road Streetscape project. He stated that Scott Langford, the Public Works Director, spoke with the contractors, and they would attempt to minimize the construction noise as much as possible during business hours. Mr. Trocquet added that the project should be functionally completed within 30-45 days. XII. BOARD COMMENTS Board Member Kaufman inquired about the rezoning signs on Palmetto Road. Mr. Trocquet stated that the two properties were within the downtown area, and a developer proposed to rezone the parcels to Town Center Mixed Use (TCMU). The development plan included a residential neighborhood of 122 homes. Board Member Johnson asked if the Palmetto Road/Arrowood Road development plan would have a multi-path connection to the downtown area. Mr. Trocquet stated that the applicant must provide inter-parcel connectivity to undeveloped properties and multi-path connections throughout the development. Mr. Perkins mentioned that the developer planned to add a commercial element to the development plan. Board Member She asked where Mr. Woods' commissaries would be prepped for the food truck operation. Mr. Trocquet reiterated that he was unsure where food would be prepped. However, Mr. Woods indicated in the meeting that he could make a food truck work. XIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION Page 5 of 6 XIV. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made to adjourn. Motion made by Board Member Kaufman, Seconded by Treasurer McDuffie. Voting Yea: Chairman Campbell, Vice-Chairwoman Mount, Board Member She, Board Member Johnson, Board Member Reese. The meeting adjourned at 9:55 a.m. By: Attest: Billy Campbell, Chairman Ciara Willis, Secretary Page 6 of 6