Forest Park/Fort Gillem Local Redevelopment Authority

Board of Directors Meeting

May 27, 2009

Minutes

 

 

A regular meeting of the Forest Park/Fort Gillem Local Redevelopment Authority was held on Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at the Forest Park City Hall, 745 Forest Parkway, Forest Park, GA 30297.

 

Board Members: Sparkle Adams; Corine Deyton; Gail Hambrick; Donald Judson; Linda Lord; Maudie McCord; John Parker; Sonna Singleton; and John Westervelt. 

 

Staff, Legal Counsel and Others: Fred Bryant, Executive Director; Herb Wolverton, Fort Gillem BRAC Transition Coordinator; Phil Browning, GMACC; and Robert Mack, City Attorney.

 

John Westervelt called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. It was determined that a quorum was present. The following matters were addressed:

 

Approval of Minutes:   Linda Lord made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 22nd and May 4th, 2009 meetings, seconded by John Parker. The Board voted unanimously to approve the minutes. 

      

Chairman’s Announcements and Comments:

John Westervelt welcomed everyone to the meeting and specially recognized Clayton County Commissioners Gail Hambrick and Sonna Singleton to the Board.  

 

Executive Director’s Update:

The Clayton County Board of Commissioners has voted to approve the County’s participation in the TAD. John Parker is scheduling a meeting with the Clayton County School Board to inform them about the TAD and to seek their participation in the TAD.

                                                                                                                                    

Old Business:

The City has received an LCI Supplemental Study Grant in the amount of $17,500 to prepare the Overlay Zoning district for the Main Street Project and Fort Gillem. Proposals will be sought after receipt of the ARC contract.

 

The LRA staff will meet with OEA on June 4th to discuss $110 million in projects for which the LRA needs Federal support. These projects include infrastructure and other work on Fort Gillem that will begin in 2011. The LRA is seeking $55 million.

 

On May 21st, LRA staff and the Development Partners met with representatives of GA DOE, Clayton State University, and a private financial investment company to discuss the proposed JROTC Charter High School. Planning continues and the LRA expects a letter of interest for 80-100 acres in the near future. The project would go into the non-EDC parcel to the South of the planned Business Park.

 

Herb Smetheram continues to work on the draft EDC Application. It should be completed by late July or early August. The LRA will submit the application to the Army in August or September 2009.      

 

New Business:

The LRA staff and Development Partners met with bankers from SunTrust Bank on May 11th. They encouraged public financing for the Fort Gillem project and indicated a loan would be difficult to acquire unless the LRA had one or more viable and financially-capable tenants ready to move onto the property. The LRA continues to look for grant and other monies, and has had contact with a number of public and private companies that have expressed interest in Fort Gillem.

 

LRA staff is preparing the application to see a grant form OEA covering the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009. Major projects will include the overlay zoning district, site survey work, and plan refinement in preparation for the DRI process.

 

Eric Smith, Ken Bleakley, and Gary Monegon provided an update on the Business Plan and answered LRA Board questions. In June, the Matrix Team will recommend the final Business Plan to be adopted and suggest how to negotiate with the Army.

 

LRA staff reiterated that the Strategic Reuse Plan is still viable, but requested approval to approach the Army with an EDC and on-EDC parcel. John Parker made a motion to approve that approach, seconded by Linda Lord. The Board voted unanimously to approve the motion.

 

Sonna Singleton made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss the acquisition of the surplus property at Fort Gillem, seconded by Sparkle Adams. The LRA Board approved the motion and entered Executive Session at 7:05 PM. At 7:43 PM, Linda Lord made a motion to enter Open Session, seconded by Corine Deyton. The board voted unanimously to approve the motion.

 

The next regular meeting will be June 24, 2009, at 6:00 PM.

 

Open Discussion:

None.

 

Adjournment:

A motion was made by Maudie McCord to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by John Parker.  The meeting was adjourned at 7:46 p.m.

 

Recorded By:

 

Fred Bryant, Forest Park/Fort Gillem LRA

Executive Director

 

 

Approved:

 

June 30, 2009

 

 

Fred E. Bryant

Executive Director