2019-09-16 EDA Minutes (signed) - Laserfiche WebLink

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REDA Meeting Minutes—Monday,September 16,2019 Page 11 Vince Trovato,Victoria Street Mr. Vince Trovato, Victoria Street, explained the primary reason he was interested in the meeting was the idea of financing in a city that is not only a first ring suburb of a major metropolitan area with very good access to major transportation facilities, but also a city that is nearly fully developed where undeveloped land is at a very high level of scarcity. He viewed the city's responsibility is not to the developer or wanting to maximize the development of the city but what is best for the citizens of the city. He did not see this in this proposal, not because of what it would bring to the city but because of the contributions of taxpayer dollars. These taxes are not coming from the development, the development is benefitting from the infrastructure that the city's residents have invested in for many years. Mr. Trovato indicated he was offended by the idea that this project is creating all of this new money. To him, that is not accurate, it is taking away from the general fund of the city to be able to hire police officers needed to help stem the dramatic increase in crime that has been seen in the last few years. He did not know why this is even being discussed. It is not benefiting anyone but the developer. TIF financing has been proven to be uneconomic for cities. The only projects that have been found to be beneficial to taxpayers are those that have been done in a depressed economic area during an economic depression or recession. Those conditions do not exist in Roseville or in 2019. Troy Wenck, Reuter Walton Mr. Troy Wenck, President of the commercial construction division for Reuter Walton, wanted to correct a brief fact. He indicated the stories heard from Eric and Samuel were heartbreaking tonight and Eric did not tell anyone where or when the abuses happened to him, but Samuel went to great lengths to tell the audience it happened on a project on Xenia Avenue and happened in the very recent past. Mr. Wenck wanted to put it on the record that Reuter Walton does not have and never has had a project on Xenia Avenue and the subcontractor, Caliper Construction that was talked about where the abuses happened, was a subcontractor with Reuter Walton in the distant past, about eighteen months ago, and were found guilty of abuse. But Reuter Walton was not found guilt and Caliper Construction has not worked with Reuter Walton in eighteen months. The day Mr. Walton found out about the abuses Caliper Construction had done, the first question was if Caliper was on any of their jobs at that moment. The answer was no and Mr. Walton's second statement was that he did not want Caliper Construction on any of their jobs ever again if that is the character of that company. Mayor closed the public comment.