Two resolutions regarding the Burkart Opportunity Zone Inclusive Economic Development Agenda will come before the Seymour City Council on Tuesday after discussion at a special ad hoc committee meeting Wednesday afternoon in council chambers.
The room was filled with residents present to listen as Mayor Matt Nicholson called the meeting to order and turned the discussion over to committee chair Drew Storey. Committee members Brian Terrell and Jerry Hackney also were present with city attorney Chris Engleking via Zoom.
The topic of discussion was a review of the 13 agenda items and then put forth a recommendation to the full council which items the committee recommends moving forward with and those they do not.
Due to time constraints of other committee members and to thoroughly discuss the topic, the committee did not take audience comments.
Storey did a quick review of Resolution No. 14 Council Bill No. 25 that Council passed on March 25 stating the council does not currently support the Burkart Opportunity Zone Agenda for Seymour.
Storey described the intent behind each paragraph of the resolution with commentary, but clarified that it is not a legal opinion from an attorney.
“City Council simply doesn’t support the Burkart Opportunity Zone Agenda at the moment,” he said. “It’s not necessarily cancelled, but it doesn’t have the Council’s backing right now.”
The resolution also states that further studies may be necessary to assess the feasibility and potential consequences of elements included in the agenda.
“The Council wants to find ways to develop the city that residents support,” he said. “The City of Seymour might need to examine pieces of the Agenda to see if parts would actually work and what problems it might cause.
The committee discussed each agenda action item, whether the project includes city involvement or city funding, operational analysis and financial impact.
No action was taken on five items on the agenda due to no city or council involvement and funding, or these items were already in place and administered by entities other than the city.
The five tasks were training existing workers for advancement; encouraging small business growth through entrepreneur support; developing an immigrant welcome center; strengthening multi-lingual communications and cultivating third spaces through creative placemaking.
The committee discussed certain entities seeking out the Seymour Redevelopment Commission as a potential funding source.
Redevelopment commissions promote and implement economic development projects, acting as a catalyst to redevelop blighted and other areas that have shown a lack of growth and development. They have their powers and authorities set forth in Indiana Code 36-7-14, therefore are not under the authority of the council.
The commission promotes development through techniques including real estate acquisition, site preparation, environmental remediation and providing public infrastructure to the site. Financing resources generally used are Tax Incremental Financing and Redevelopment General Obligation Bonds.
Storey said he could see the redevelopment commission go through their own decision process when faced with requests from entities.
Committee then discussed the development of an immigrant welcome center.
Nicholson added Su Casa has been offering assistance to Latino families in Seymour and Columbus for years helping those find health care and other services in the Community Agency Building. Su Casa is a nonprofit organization with a mission statement focused on increasing self-sufficiency, health, economic independence and education and ensuring Latino families feel safe and belong.
Nicholson said he doesn’t foresee the nonprofits coming to the redevelopment commission or council for funding as the agenda lists other potential funding sources.
Two items were recommended as unfavorable to move forward to council by the special committee via a resolution. This resolution if passed would prohibit city involvement and funding in two of the action items depending on the vote from council.
One of the two items that received unfavorable recommendations would create community space near South O’Brien Street and the second would develop new, affordable trail-side communities.
While the action item to create a community space near South O’Brien Street received unfavorable recommendation to progress as a separate project, the committee said this project could be added to the parks department’s master plan. This project includes land that the parks department acquired a couple of years ago. The goal is to turn that space into a fruit forest to include walking trails, nut trees and berry bushes.
Six agenda items were given favorable recommendation via a separate resolution to council with full support of the special committee.
The six items were filling in the gaps and expanding the trail system; creating a new master plan for the parks department; improving residential and apartment conditions; creation of Freeman Village-a new neighborhood; supporting first-time homebuyers and building a new indoor recreation facility.
Council will be introduced to the resolutions approving recommendations from the special committee regarding the Burkart Opportunity Zone Agenda at Tuesday night’s council meeting.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at city hall, 301-309 N. Chestnut St., Seymour. The meeting is open to the public and press.