REGULAR BOARD MEETING AGENDA
Downtown Development Authority Tuesday, January 21, 2025 8:30 AM 360 South Rosemary Ave, Suite 1100 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 https://downtownwpb.com/DDA
CALL TO ORDER
ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
PRESENTATIONS
• Your Waterfront Your Way Jennifer Ferriol
• Block By Block Catherine Ast
• Florida Code of Ethics Janice Rustin
CONSENT CALENDAR (Action Required)
• Minutes of Regular Board Meeting December 17, 2024
• Financial Statements of December 31, 2024
Rick Reikenis
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Downtown Development Authority Monday December 17, 2024
8:33 AM
The Ben Hotel – The Studio Conference Room 251 N. Narcissus Ave. West Palm Beach, FL 33401 https://downtownwpb.com/DDA
ATTENDANCE
DDA Board members in attendance: Chair Rick Reikenis, Vice Chair Robert Sanders, Peter Cruise, Tim Harris, Daryl Houston, and Bernardo Neto DDA Staff in attendance: Teneka James-Feaman, Vivian Ryland, Catherine Ast, Krystal Campi, Tiffany Faublas, Sabrina Lolo, Samantha Moore, Sherryl Muriente, Marley Angervil and Attorney Janice Rustin. Guests in attendance: Linda Cullen, William Roger Commings, and Mike Schmidt.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Reikenis called the meeting to order at 8:33 a.m.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
James-Feaman requested to add two items to the agenda. She requested to add a discussion about the DDA Office Elevator and the Your Waterfront Your Way Project under new business.
Houston made a motion to approve adding the two requested discussion items to new business. Harris seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
James-Feaman encouraged everyone to join and attend Winter wonderland at the Ben Hotel. Neto commented on the skating rinks success Such a great outcome over 11,700 paid visitors within the first 30days. She announced that a Community Meeting will be held at the DDA Office on December 18th for stakeholders where representatives of the new Downtown Police Team will discuss status updates and overtime details.
James-Feaman also asked the board to save the date for the Mayor’s State of the City Breakfast that will be held on January 30, 2025. She will send out invites to the board with the details of the event.
PRESENTATIONS
No presentations.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Minutes of Regular Board Meeting November 18, 2024
Financial Statement of November 30, 2024
Harris made a motion to approve the consent calendar. Houston seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
rbb Communications Agreement
Faublas provided a recap of RFP 2024-002 timeline and results for the board. Rbb Communications was the top scoring proposer. She reviewed the agreement terms and requested board approval.
Harris made a motion to approve the rbb Communications agreement. Houston seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Electronic Attendance Policy
James-Feaman stated that at the last board meeting there was a discussion about adopting an electronic attendance policy for board members to attend meetings electronically. She presented the policy for board review and explained that electronic attendance should only be used for emergency circumstances. An in-person quorum is still required and no more than two board members may attend virtually per board meeting. Legal has drafted a policy and staff is requesting approval of the policy.
Cruise made a motion to approve the Electronic Attendance Policy. Harris seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS
Business Incentive Application Review
James-Feaman presented background information of the current Business Incentive and Façade Grant Programs. She reviewed the requirements for both programs with the board and provided three case studies. She requested feedback from the board on any modifications they would like to see to the programs. The board discussed the current incentives and possible modifications to the programs.
The board agreed to make a couple of modifications to the business incentive program. The board recommended that businesses may only be awarded one business incentive application within a 5-year period. Additionally, The board would like to see all business incentive applications prior to approval including applications that fall under the $50,000 threshold for board approval. The board did not recommend any changes to the Façade Grant Program.
DDA Office Elevator
James-Feaman stated that the DDA Office elevator has been out of service for more than six months and that board members have expressed concern The board discussed their concerns regarding the elevator repairs, ADA compliance, and the inability to use the board room for DDA public meetings. James-Feaman noted that the landlord is no longer providing full reimbursement for costs associated with relocating the board meeting. Rustin reviewed the lease agreement and answered board questions regarding ADA compliance
Harris made a motion directing legal to send a letter to the landlord addressing our concerns and requesting reimbursement for all costs associated with relocating board meetings. Sanders seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Rustin asked for further direction on repair timeline; she suggested requiring a response from the landlord within 48 hours with a schedule of repairs. The board agreed and Neto added that request should include request for steps taken over the last six months to complete repairs; including record of phone calls, emails, calls to action, etc. between landlord and contractors.
Rustin added that if the repairs are not completed by the January Board meeting scheduled for January 21, 2025, Lewis, Longman, and Walker have offered their conference room for the DDA Board Meetings. The Lewis, Longman, and Walker office is located at 360 S. Rosemary Avenue, Suite 1100.
Your Waterfront Your Way
James-Feaman stated that the board requested an update on the City’s Your Waterfront Your Way Project. She stated that a preliminary timeline and discussion was presented at City Commission last month. Jennifer Ferriol was unable to attend our board meeting today to present an update. The Board discussed the project, feedback they have received from stakeholders, and importance of the project being accessible for the whole community; residents, businesses, and visitors. James-Feaman confirmed Jennifer Ferriol will present an update to the DDA Board at the January Board Meeting.
Harris made a motion to table the discussion until Ferriol presents an update on the Your Waterfront Your Way project at the January Board Meeting. Houston seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
ANNOUCEMENTS
James-Feaman and Chair Reikenis presented a token of appreciation on behalf of The Board and Staff to Vivian Ryland for her dedication to the team and the community over the last few years. Ryland retires on December 19th.
ADJOURNMENT
Vice Chair Sanders made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Cruise seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 10:05 am.
