Immokalee CRA Minutes 06/19/2019
Enclosure 1
1
MINUTES
Meeting of the Immokalee Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Committee on June 19, 2019.
CareerSource Southwest Florida
750 South 5th Street
Immokalee, FL 34142
239-658-3000
A. Call to Order.
The meeting was called to order by Dr. Frank Nappo, CRA Chair at 9:04 A.M.
B. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence
Frank Nappo led the Pledge of Allegiance and moment of silence.
C. Roll Call and Announcement of a Quorum.
Christie Betancourt opened roll call. A quorum was announced for the CRA board.
CRA Advisory Committee Members Present:
Estil Null, Frank Nappo, Patricia “Anne” Goodnight, Andrea Halman, Francisco “Frank” Leon, Edward
“Ski” Olesky and Julian Morgan.
CRA Advisory Committee Members Absent/Excused:
Michael “Mike” Facundo and Yvar Pierre.
Others Present:
Danny Gonzalez, Sandy Gonzalez, Cynthia Gonzalez, Loura Lozano, Ellie Ramirez, Patricia Goense,
C.J. Kammerer, Jackelyn Banda, Miya Reyes, Ashley Gutierrez, Ahmed El, Mark Lemke, Connie
Aguirre, Carrie Williams, Melanie Schmees, Vickie Gauze, Peter Sidney, Alexi Cardona, Andrew
Bennett, Abel Jaimes, Victoria Peters, Lupita Vasquez Reyes, Carlos Cornelio, Omar Rodriguez, Bill
McDaniel, Barbara Hawks, Jessica Cruz, Anita Jenkins, Michele Mosca, Silvia Puente, Lincoln Price.
Staff: Deborah Forester, Christie Betancourt, Jennifer Quintanilla and Alessandra Cardenas.
D. Introductions.
All public present introduced themselves. All board members introduced themselves to the members of
the public.
Ms. Miya Reyes, Immokalee Library Branch Manager introduced herself and provided updates on the
upcoming library summer programs and invited all to take a tour of the library after the meeting.
E. Approval of Agenda.
Staff presented agenda to the board for approval.
Action: Ms. Anne Goodnight made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Mr. Ski Olesky
seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. 7-0.
F. Approval of Consent Agenda.
1. Minutes
i. CRA Advisory Board Meeting for May 15, 2019 (Enclosure 1)
2. Operations Manager Report (Enclosure 2)
3. Project Manager Report (Enclosure 3)
4. Budget
i. Current Budget (Enclosure 4)
5. Community Meetings (Enclosure 5)
Enclosure 1
2
Staff presented the board with the May 15, 2019 CRA Meeting Minutes, CRA Operations Manager
Report, CRA Project Manager Report, Budgets, and Upcoming Meetings.
Action: Ms. Anne Goodnight made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Mr. Frank Leon
seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. 7-0.
G. Announcements.
1. Communications Folder
Staff reviewed the communications folder with the board and members of the public. The folder
contained the public notice for this meeting and upcoming community event flyers.
2. Public Comment speaker slips
CRA staff reiterated the public 3-minute speaker slip policy. The board will give more time if
they feel it necessary.
H. New Business.
1. Brownfield briefing- SWFL Regional Planning Council (Enclosure 6)
C.J. Krammer with the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council presented on the
Brownfield’s Assessment Coalition Grant Program. After a brief Q&A he provided the names of
the local contacts for this grant. For the Immokalee CRA Ms. Christie Betancourt is listed and
with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection the contact is Patricia Goense.
*Presentation is attached to the minutes for the record.
2. Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition (IUNC) – Ellie Ramirez, Coordinator
Ms. Ellie Ramirez who is IUNC coordinator presented updates on the coalition. She discussed the
Immokalee repair and rebuild projects and provided updates on funding available and the priorities
for the coalition.
*Presentation is attached to the minutes for the record.
3. Regional Planning Council (RPC) – Grant Writing Opportunities
Debrah Forester announced that she met Margaret Wuerstle, Director at the Regional Planning
Council to discuss grant writing services under the Promise Zone designation. Areas of need
include fiber/high-speed internet, other infrastructure needs, and housing. More information will
be brought forward as grant opportunities are identified.
4. Commercial Façade Grant Applicant
i. Lozano’s Mini Mart – 102 New Market Road (Enclosure 7)
CRA staff provided option 1&2 renderings of the planned renovations at Lozano’s Mini
Mart. The Lozano family introduced themselves and provided board a brief background
of the plans for the newly owned family business. The mini mart will hire about 6 new
employees aside from family members.
After discussion the board agreed to award the maximum amount of $20,000 for exterior
renovations to Lozano’s Mini Mart located at 102 New Market Road. The business owner
is aware they have to spend a minimum of $30,000 in order to receive the $20,000
reimbursement grant. By consensus the majority present agreed on rendering option 2.
Enclosure 1
3
Action: Ms. Anne Goodnight made a motion to approve a Commercial Façade Grant for Lozano’s
Mini Mart located at 102 New Market Road for the maximum grant award of $20,000. Ms. Ski Olesky
seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. 7-0.
I. CRA Old Business
1. Immokalee Stormwater Master Plan update
Ms. Michele Mosca provided board updates on land acquisition of the East Delaware pond and of
the Lake Trafford area pond. She also reiterated that all drainage issues pertaining to blockage in
the swales and culverts be directed to Collier 311 either by calling or using the app. The
calls/emails will then be routed to road maintenance for compliance.
2. Immokalee Area Master Plan update
Ms. Anita Jenkins provided board an update on the Immokalee Area Master Plan transmittal to
Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). Their response is due back to Collier County within
30 days which is June 27th. If we stay on schedule the plan should be approved between
September/ October 2019.
3. CDBG Grant update
Staff provided a brief back ground on the 2018 CDBG project. A Second Amendment was
processed on June 25, 2019 for additional funding and time extension. The additional funding
awarded was $476,365 which brought the project total to $676,365. The period of performance
was extended to allow more time to complete the project from April 30, 2020 to November 30,
2020.
4. FDOT Main Street Project update
Staff announced that the agreement between the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
and Collier County for the MSTU funded portion of the Main Street Project was approved by the
board at the May 28th BCC meeting. Staff is processing advanced payment of $125,342 to FDOT
for installation of holiday attachments on 30 light poles and all efforts associated with adding the
attachments, including banner arms, GFCI outlets, additional conductors, mobilization and
maintenance of traffic at SR29 from 1st St. N. to 9th St. N. Project completion is expected to be
September 2020. Additional updates will be available at a future meeting.
5. Other Agencies:
i. Code Enforcement updates
CRA Staff read an email report from Chris Ambach, Code Enforcement Supervisor which
said that they had finished the last demolition on Palmetto Ave. so that lot should be cleared
from front to back. They are working with Mosquito Control to address abandoned tires
that are accumulating water making it a perfect habitat for mosquito breeding. Code staff
has been directed to open proactive patrols on any and all properties where tires are being
stored outside, until further notice. Code has a scheduled “Clean Up in Immokalee” set for
July 20th (Saturday) in the Arrowhead neighborhood. More information will be provided
later.
ii. FDOT Updates
Ms. Victoria Peters the FDOT liaison provided updates on Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT) projects in the area. There will be a Scheduled Warrant Assessment
(SWA) a few weeks after school starts in August 2019. She is still pushing for a light on
SR29 and they maybe be looking for a designer to have pathways on both sides.
Enclosure 1
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iii. Office of Business and Economic Development (OBED)
Mr. Lincoln Price of the Office of Business and Economic Development (OBED) provided
updates regarding the accelerator status and upcoming workshops regarding Opportunity
Zone. He also discussed the IAMP Policy 2.1 regarding Certified Site Program which says
“By one year of the date of adoption of ordinance Collier County will initiate the review
of the existing Certified Site Program, presently administered by the Collier County Office
of Business and Economic Development, and propose improvements to the program that
will further assist economic development in the Immokalee area.”
iv. Immokalee Culinary Accelerator
Ahmed El provided board updates on the accelerator. He listed his vendors Guadalupe
Roasts, Big Joes BBQ, Tomahawk Nutrition, Carina’s Hot Sauce, and also said that all are
welcomed to tour anytime the facility is open. .
v. Immokalee Airport
Andrew Bennett provided board updates on the Immokalee Airport. Mr. Bennett read an
article from the N.D.N. “Immokalee Airport made a 175-billion-dollar impact as a whole,
and 39.1 million dollars as an economic growth. They will be rebuilding the WW2
pavement. Reconstruction will begin in late Fall. Immokalee High School Aviation
Program will continue but not for certain. Individuals who complete program will have a
10, 000 scholarship.
J. Citizens Comments.
Commissioner McDaniel’s announced that the Immokalee Foundation in partnership with Collier
Enterprises are working on a 18 new home development. More details will be provided at a future
meeting.
Abel Jaimes with Collier County Public Schools provided an update of the Panther Pass Pedestrian
Crossing Bridge improvements.
K. Next Meeting Date. CRA will next meet on August 21, 2019 at 9:00 A.M. at CareerSource Center at
750 South 5th Street, Immokalee, FL.
L. Adjournment. Meeting Adjourned @ 10:54 A.M.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL
BROWNFIELDS ASSESSMENT
COALITION GRANT PROGRAM
Brownfields
Briefing
June 2019
SWFRPC Assessment Coalition Grant
$600,000 Grant Award
-$300,000 Hazardous Substances
-$300,000 Petroleum
-Focus in Glades, Hendry, & Immokalee
Grant Tasks
-Brownfield Site Identification
-Phase I/ll Environmental Site Assessments (ESA)
-Remediation & Reuse Planning
-Community Outreach
-Programmatic Support - Regulatory Reporting
ESA final reports are provided to the SWFRPC, EPA, and property
owner.
Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act
Public Law 107-118, January 11, 2002
What is a Brownfield?
“Real property, the expansion,
redevelopment, or reuse of which
may be complicated by the presence
or potential presence of a hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant”
Brownfield Examples
Dry Cleaners
Former Gas Stations
Landfills
Illicit Dump Sites
Industrial Properties
Abandoned Buildings
Junk Yards
Vacant Properties
Mine Scarred & Adjacent Lands
Rail Yards & Adjacent Facilities
6/19/2019 Agenda item H.1.Enclosure 1
Backup for meeting minutes
Redevelopment of Brownfield properties in your neighborhood can…
Jump-Start Revitalization
Boost Property Value
Facilitate Job Growth
Increase the Local Tax Base
Lead to Tax Incentives
Utilize Existing Infrastructure
Offer Liability Protection
Reduce Blight
Improve and Protect the Environment
Community Benefits
Participation is voluntary.
Property owner will fill out an
application form for the
SWFRPC and Coalition to
review.
If the site is selected, the
property owner will be asked
to authorize site access (Site
Access Agreement with
Terracon).
Property owners may withdraw
from the program at any time.
http://www.swfrpc.org/program
s/brownfields/
How Do You Participate?
Brownfields Program Contacts
C.J. Kammerer
Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council
Planner I/ Operations Analyst
(239) 938-1813 ext. 227
ckammerer@swfrpc.org
Patricia Goense
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Environmental Specialist II
(239) 344-5608 ext. 85608
Patricia.Goense@FloridaDEP.gov
Christie Betancourt
Immokalee CRA
Operations Manager
(239) 867-0028
Christie.Betancourt@colliercountyfl.gov
Enclosure 1
Backup for meeting minutes
WHO WE ARE
The Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition (IUNC) is a long term recovery group that formed in the fall of 2017 as the result of
Hurricane Irma. This group is composed of non profits, faith based, local, state or national organizations who work together to meet the unmet of Immokalee Residents impacted by disaster. The IUNC works in collaboration with other agencies to assess needs, offer resources and ensure that residents are assisted after their resources (FEMA, SBA loans, and personal insurance) have been exhausted.
Mission
The mission of the IUNC is to assist in identifying all the unmet needs of those affected by disaster.
This mission is accomplished by having affected individuals and families work with a case manager to identify their unmet needs and to
assist with obtaining the resources necessary to meet these needs.
Our objectives are to:
•Provide residents with spiritual and emotional care management.
•Home repairs according to unmet needs funding
•Community care through case management.
Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition
Executive Board Members
Dawn Montecalvo, Chair
Gloria Padilla, Vice Chair
Ashley Jones, Treasurer
Peggy Rodriguez, Secretary
Frank Rincon
Rhoderica Washington
Dottie Cook
Immokalee Community
2017 Hurricane Irma
As a result of Hurricane Irma, the Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition (IUNC) was formed.
In February of 2018, the IUNC hired World Renew to conduct a needs assessment in Immokalee. The purpose of the assessment
was to identify the unmet needs of the community after Hurricane Irma. Housing was the number need identified.
Through our volunteers we coordinated projects on over twenty five properties and assisted many of the hurricane survivors with
their recovery. The volunteers worked in collaboration with our organization and worked over ten-thousand Volunteer hours on
everything from debris cleanup to the rebuilding of homes.
Other projects included the building of handicap ramps and re-roofing homes.
The Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition rebuilt 5 homes after Hurricane Irma.
Immokalee Unmet Needs Projects
Ramp
Immokalee Unmet Needs Rebuild Project
6/19/2019 Agenda item H.2.
WHAT WE DO
The Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition (IUNC) helps disaster victims with recovery
assistance.
The Executive Board examines all resources available and connects the individuals
with non profit organizations and other resources needed to complete recovery.
Assistance is available for individuals and families with unmet needs and is coordinated
using a process of case management, including creating a recovery plan based on
personal responsibility and accountability.
The IUNC always invites any and all organizations who are willing to provide financial,
material, and volunteer resources for recovery and rebuild process to join and become
part of the Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition.
Immokalee Unmet Needs Coalition
•Community Driven – Involves and engages the community process.
•Empowerment – Provides an opportunity for the community to take control of its
future and facilitate its recovery.
•Focus – Provides a clear path for recovery.
•Community Healing – Provides opportunity for residents to join together to vent
their concerns, and meet wit one another.
•Partnerships – Fosters cooperation and coordination among federal, state, and local
agencies and organizations.
Priorities
The Immokalee Unmet Needs goal is to assure that our community is prepared for future
disaster by:
•Educating about the process and resources for recovery
•Joining the county Emergency Management Plan (Including the IUNC in the Emergency
Management Plan assures that necessary decisions are made beforehand.)
•Keeping donations local
•Workshops
•Improving communication
Partners
•American Red Cross
•Amigos Center
•Benison Center
•Bethel Assembly
•Boys & Girls Club
•BRACE
•CareerSource Southwest Florida
•Center for Disaster Philanthropy
•Church World Services
•Coalition of Farmworkers
•Connect Immokalee
•Collier County CRA –Immokalee
•Collier County EOC
•Collier County Communications
•Collie County Library Immokalee
•Culinary Accelerator
•Cultivate Abundance
•David Lawrence Center
•FEMA
•FGCU –Dept. of Social Work
•First Baptist Church Immokalee
•FLUMC
•FSU- College of Medicine
•Guadalupe Center
•Guadalupe Catholic Charities
•Habitat for Humanity
•Harry Chapin Food Bank
•Healthcare Network of SWFL
•House of Prayer
•Immokalee Foundation
•Immokalee Housing and Family Services
•Land of Opportunity Fund
•Legal Aid Services – Collier County Mennonite
Disaster
•Ministerial Alliance
•Mision Peniel
•Naples Woman’s Club
•Office of Senator Marco Rubio
•One By One Leadership
•PACE Center
•Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
•RCMA
•Rural Neighborhoods
•Salvation Army – Immokalee & Naples
•Save the Children
•Untied Church of Christ
•United Way of Collier County
•University of Florida
•We Can’t Have That Foundation
Questions
Ellie Ramirez, IUNC Coordinator
2050 Commerce Avenue, Unit 9
IUNC2017@gmail.com
239-657-2198
239-223-5055