Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/233139
Sarasota News Leader December 27, 2013 Page 38 It then tossed a sop to the County Commission, agreeing to give the county an undetermined percentage of the CRA funding, a "skim" on the $500 million. And it kicked two decisions down the road. Should the CRA's defined area be expanded, perhaps to the North Tamiami Trail? Establish another committee to consider that, said the current committee. And what are the "allowable uses" of CRA money? That decision was deferred to the new CRA governing board, assuming the CRA is extended. On Dec. 18, the committee met to clear up odds and ends, focusing on new rules and recommendations that came up during the months of discussion. But first it had to wait for enough members to show up to create a quorum. This was not an auspicious start to the session. Most of the "new rules and recommendations" were "kicked" as well. Should the new CRA have its own lawyer? Let its governing board decide. Should there be a new strategic action plan, or should the current one be updated? The decision was deferred. Should the CRA hire its own staff? Again, deferred. Its own management? Again, deferred. Should the final report of the committee recommend one or two really big projects to pursue (for example, a downtown cultural district)? By a 7-0 vote, the answer was "No." Should the new CRA governing board have an advisory board to help it? Right now there are two advisory boards — one for the Downtown CRA and one for the city's Newtown CRA. Unanimously, the ad hoc committee members said, "Yes." Deputy City Manager Marlon Brown has been the city liaison to the committee considering the extension of the Downtown Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency. Photo by Norman Schimmel