CALL TO ORDER
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
CONSENT CALENDAR (Action Required)
REGULAR BOARD MEETING AGENDA
Downtown Development Authority Tuesday, April 21, 2026
8:30 AM
107 S. Olive Avenue, Suite 200 West Palm Beach, FL 33401
https://downtownwpb.com/DDA
Dial: +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 817 2094 1406
• Minutes of Regular Board Meeting March 17, 2026
• Financial Statements of March 31, 2026
PRESENTATIONS
• Financial / Gift Disclosures
Tim Harris
Janice Rustin
• District Services Update Catherine Ast
• Mini Placemaking grants
OLD BUSINESS
• Virtual Attendance Policy
NEW BUSINESS (Action Required)
• FY 2024 – 2025 Independent Financial Audit
• Public Space Enhancements
• District use of AI
ANNOUNCEMENTS
• DDA Board Business Cards
• Master Plan Update
ADJOURNMENT
107 S. Olive Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone: 561.833-8873|Fax: 561.833.5870| www.downtownwpb.com
Sherryl Muriente
Tim Harris
Samantha Moore
Catherine Ast
Janice Rustin
Tim Harris
Rick Reikenis
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Downtown Development Authority
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 8:30 AM 107 S. Olive Avenue, Suite 200 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 https://downtownwpb.com/dda/board-meetings/
ATTENDANCE
DDA Board members in attendance Chair Tim Harris, Peter Cruise, Daryl Houston, Rick Reikenis, and Samantha Bratter, DDA Staff in attendance Teneka James-Feaman, Samantha Moore, Marley Angervil, Catherine Ast, Krystal Campi, Sabrina Lolo, Sherryl Muriente, and Zoe Weiser-Dalton Guests in attendance, Sgt Maldonado, Jannie Matheson Gerds, and Officer Seth Buxton.
CALL TO ORDER
Harris called the meeting to order at 8:30am.
James-Feaman requested that the consent calendar be moved up on the agenda after the Executive Directors report.
Cruise made motion to move the consent calendar up on the agenda. Reikenis seconded the motion. All in favor, the motion passed unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
No public comments.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
James-Feaman reported that the DDA connected with a company called Datafy, a data analytics platform that provides insights into visitor counts and spending behavior. The platform was introduced at the IDA conference and has recently been implemented in Delray Beach. Staff will be meeting with the company to review a potential model for downtown West Palm Beach and will bring recommendations to the Board for consideration.
James-Feaman also went on to report that In February, staff hosted, Commissioner-elect Sylvester along with a consultant from the “Your Waterfront Your Way” initiative for a tour of downtown. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase current projects and discuss future planning efforts.
James-Feaman also reported that she participated in a Chamber of Commerce panel discussion titled “Turning Signature Events into Economic Engines,” where she joined representatives from major regional venues and events.
in addition, James-Feaman stated that the DDA is currently in preliminary discussions with Vanderbilt regarding activation of their open space. Potential concepts include playground features, art installations, and placemaking opportunities. Updates will be provided as discussions progress.
Additional operational updates included the pending electrical pole separation, which will allow greater control over downtown power access. The repair of pavers along Clematis Street is also forthcoming, with work expected to be completed in phases to minimize disruption to businesses.
107 S. Olive Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Ph: 561.833.8873 Fax: 561.833.5870 * DowntownWPB.com
James-Feaman reported on oak tree relocation efforts along Dixie and Datura, where three trees were moved to accommodate improvements to a loading zone. James-Feaman also provided updates on ongoing mural restoration efforts, including outreach to the original artist of the “Lost My Shoe” mural and coordination efforts to restore the Einstein mural.
James-Feaman highlighted that the Placemaking Grant program received 29 applications for this cycle, an increase from the previous year. She also noted Ast participation in the Block-by-Block conference and the recent launch of the Strategic Plan RFP, which will remain open through April 2.
Additional updates included events such as Smart City X, the Florida Public Art Administrators Conference, and continued support for the Palm Beach International Boat Show, including temporary dog relief areas for residents.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Minutes of Regular Board Meeting February 17, 2026
Financial Statements of February 28, 2026
Reikenis made a motion to approve the consent calendar. Cruise seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
PRESENTATIONS
Bike Detail & Policing Downtown
Sergeant Maldonado provided an update on public safety efforts within the downtown district. He reported that the department continues to address concerns related to homelessness, working closely with the City’s Homeless Outreach Team and Crisis Response Team to provide mental health and substance abuse services.
Sgt. Maldonado shared year-to-date statistics including felony and misdemeanor arrests, ordinance violations, and field contacts. The bike patrol unit has proven particularly effective, allowing officers to navigate quickly and respond to incidents such as theft and trespassing. Sgt. Maldonado highlighted a recent incident where a suspect was apprehended due to the mobility and visibility of bike officers.
Noise complaints were also discussed, particularly in the entertainment district. James-Feaman noted that a new state statute addressing excessive vehicle noise is expected to assist enforcement efforts once implemented.
James-Feaman informed the board that the Police Department has identified a need for additional bicycles and associated equipment to enhance patrol capacity within the DDA District. Staff recommends approval of funding contributions not to exceed $10,500 to the West Palm Beach Police Department for the purchase of three (3) additional bicycle patrol units and related equipment dedicated to the DDA District.
Reikenis made a motion to approve the funding of $10,500 for additional bikes and equipment. Cruise seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
Placemaking Update
Muriente presented an overview of placemaking initiatives and activations for this fiscal year. Programs conducted from October through March included recurring events such as Que Bacano, Bike Valet, Sunset Sweat, and Let’s vibe along with special events including the Lantern Festival, Coffee Fest, Westside Pop-Up, and New Moon Experience.
Muriente reported that the Attendance across events has been strong, with increased participants and engagement. The Lantern Festival for example attracted approximately 1,000 attendees and has outgrown its current venue.
Muriente informed the board of how Westside Pop-Up successfully engaged surrounding residential and commercial partners, showing future expansion potential. Coffee Fest and other activations continue to support local businesses and enhance community engagement.
Planning is underway for the next fiscal year, including program evaluation, expansion opportunities, branding enhancements, and continued focus on safety, mobility, and economic development.
Budget Update
Moore provided an overview of the current budget and upcoming budget development process.
She shared an overview of the DDA’s millage rate history, noting its alignments with City reductions. The budget timeline was also outlined, including upcoming milestones such as the release of preliminary values, Board budget discussions, and upcoming public hearings.
Moore further noted that staff are closely monitoring the Florida State Legislative Session. While the regular session concluded on March 13, 2026, a special session has been scheduled for April 2026. She highlighted potential impacts on DDA tax revenue should proposed property tax changes be enacted. The Board engaged in discussion regarding long-term financial planning, including reserve building and the exploration of alternative funding sources
OLD BUSINESS
RFP 2026-001 Strategic Plan Discussion
James-Feaman provided an update on the Strategic Plan RFP process, which is currently open and will close on April 2nd The selected consultant will be responsible for taking a full look at the organization, including gathering input from Board members, staff, stakeholders, businesses, and property owners.
The goal is to create a plan that focuses on key areas such as economic development, placemaking, mobility, public safety, marketing, and long-term sustainability. Once proposals are received, a review committee will be formed to go through submissions and help narrow it down to the top firms. Those firms may then be presented to the Board before a final decision is made. James-Feaman mentioned that it would be helpful to include representation from the City and CRA. The Mayor’s Chief of Staff was suggested as a potential representative. James-Feaman also asked the Board for feedback on who else should be included on the review committee. The committee will consist of five (5) members to conduct the evaluation. James-Feaman added that an alternative representative should be identified in the event a primary member is unavailable to participate.
The Board discussed having Board member involvement in the process and asked whether there are any requirements related to participating in both the review and final approval. Legal representation, Weiser-Dalton, LLW, will investigate this and provide clarification. The Board discussed multiple suggestions for selection committee representatives and narrowed it down to the following: Thomas Valeo, Michael Zeff, Diane Quinn, Uyen Dang, and pending legal’s response one board member. Alternative members were identified as well: Jonathan Hopkins or Cody Crowell.
Overall, the Board agreed that The Strategic Plan was identified as a key initiative to guide the organization’s direction over the next five years.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to discuss; Harris adjourned the meeting at 9:58am
