- It is 3 o'clock, the witching hour. So let me call the meeting of the Monroe County Capital Improvement
- Board for August 19th, 2026 to order. And our first order of business is the call to order. The attendance,
- please. Mr. Paris. John Weingart. Present. Doug Bruce. Here. Jim Silverstein. Here. Joyce Pauling. Here.
- Jay Baer. Here. Galen Cassidy. Here.
- Thank you. Not on the agenda, but I want to move this up to the first order of business is a Monroe
- County Capital Improvement Board of managers, meeting conduct and public comment policy. I've circulated
- that to all of you and I hope you've had a chance to review it. And if you have, I would like a motion
- that we approve our policy. So we have a motion, is there a second? Second. Okay, so it's been moved
- and seconded. Any discussion or comments?
- If not, if we could take a vote, Mr. Paris. John Weichert. Yes. Doug Bruce. Yes. Jim Silverstein. Yes.
- Joyce Pauling. Yes. Jay Baer. Yes. Galen Cassidy. Yes. Okay, thank you. Before we move to any of the
- other items on the agenda, we have friends who have been with us at other meetings.
- representing and advocates for homes for all and other groups who are here with us today. And I've offered
- them an opportunity that we're going to move the comments, the public comments section to the front
- of the meeting to allow them to make comments to us before we move forward with the rest of the board
- agenda. So I'll remind them that we have a 10 minute period that each speaker may speak for two minutes.
- And we obviously have certain codes of conduct and behavior, and I know you've always respected that
- in the past, and we appreciate that. So having said that, if you would please come forward,
- tell us your name, please, for the record, and then you'll have two minutes for public comments. So
- looks like Barry's going to be first. Yes, you already said my name. Hello. I'm going to make public
- comments. Barry, I'm sorry. Give us your full name, please. Why? Because it's required under our policy.
- OK, Barry Herbers. On April 14, the CIB said that it needed Seminary Point for a land swap. John Weickart
- said, I have no interest in making that Joni Mitchell song come true. That land swap did not happen
- because none of the parties involved made a meaningful effort to engage in good faith negotiation. And
- here you all are about to pave paradise. The CIB is no longer even planning to use Seminary Point as
- the site for a subsidized convention center host hotel. It instead appears that the CIB intends to give
- this land away to Dora Hospitality.
- It was a lie that the CIB ever needed this land for the convention center, and that lie is more clear
- now than it has ever been. The idea that 29 units of super affordable housing must be destroyed, several
- beloved businesses displaced, and dozens of people forced to leave their homes was manufactured. This
- is a corporate giveaway. The CIB is a quasi-government entity that is an unelected body with
- no accountability to the public, but which receives millions and millions in taxpayer money.
- They have found a way to give millions in free capital to their business pals like Vincent Dora of Dora
- Hospitality. Seminary point was purchased with taxes, the fabled innkeeper's tax specifically. County
- government repeatedly claimed purchases with the innkeeper's tax were owed to the convention center.
- The actual wording was never so precise, but everyone in this room knows that unelected unaccountable
- bodies like the CIB have a tendency to play fast and loose with the rules. This is not simply a fight
- to save a couple of vacated buildings,
- It is a fight against the abuse of Bloomington's working class and for affordability. When the Save
- Seminary Point campaign was started a few years ago, it was a simple tenant effort to get leases renewed
- for those who needed them. The CIB did not own the property at the time, and the campaign was instead
- fought against the property management company, PMI. Several leases were successfully renewed,
- lives improved, but then PMI retaliated. Charges which had already been negotiated or even paid were
- resurfaced, certain tenants were offered more predatory agreements, and the morale of the block was shaken.
- The campaign to save Seminary Point, as we know it today, started in the aftermath of that. Barry, your
- time is up, please. Thank you. Next speaker, please, if you'd come forward and give us your name, please,
- for the record, and then you have two minutes. I'm Jason McCollick. Several leases were successfully
- renewed, lives improved, and then PMI retaliated. Charges which had already been negotiated or even
- paid were resurfaced. Certain tenants were offered more predatory agreements, and the morale of the
- block was shaken.
- The campaign to save Seminary Point as we know it today started in the aftermath of that. Friends and
- allies of tenants came together to lobby local governments to fix the situation, to follow your procedures,
- and you failed us, to offer security to the people living at Seminary Point. But they were ignored at
- every turn, so the group of advocates instead took matters into their own hands, speaking to mission-based
- investors and affordable housing developers.
- They ultimately devised a cooperative business plan which could ensure the renovation and affordability
- of Seminary Point. And for a moment, it seemed like local government and even the CIB were actually
- listening until they weren't. The land swap to preserve affordable housing in one place and let Dora
- take a corporate subsidy to build a host hotel in another was abruptly abandoned.
- In its place, we are now facing down the barrel of two subsidized hotels, a brutal astronomical corporate
- giveaway that spits in the face of the working class of Bloomington. Neither of the proposed hotel locations
- even overlap Seminary Point. John Weikart stated publicly that the CID intends to demolish Seminary
- Point as soon as permitting processes and bids allow. John Weikart told us he's sympathetic because
- he grew up in public housing.
- But under the C.I.B.'s watch, a 70-year-old woman with cancer out of the home she lived in for 10 years,
- she wanted to stay. Under the C.I.B.'s watch, another young man at Seminary Point had his rent raised
- 20% every month until he had no choice but to move out. Under the C.I.B.'s watch, an impoverished family
- expecting a second child were forced out of their home.
- After so many were forced to leave by the CIB, some folks desperate for housing took up residence in
- the abandoned units. Thank you. Next speaker, please, if you'd identify yourself. My name is Mary Cashman,
- and I'm going to finish what they were saying. After so many were forced to leave by the CIB, some folks
- desperate for housing took up residence in the abandoned units. The CIB then sent the police
- to kick down the doors and throw those people back onto the streets. The CIB claims this was all done
- courteously, respectfully and professionally, but we spoke to the people you hurt. They tell a very
- different story. One says they were given three hours to gather their belongings, but then their time
- was cut short and they were told your possessions will be bulldozed with the buildings. Another told
- us she was at work.
- when the building was boarded up and has desperately been trying to recover her belongings ever since.
- So much for sympathy. These days, John Weickart says the homeless are the city's problem to deal with.
- All this cruelty- Let's not interrupt you. You told me you would not interrupt comments. Don't interrupt
- me, sir. All this cruelty, all this violence because the CIB, an unelected, unaccountable government
- body, wants to give millions of dollars in free capital to Dora Hospitality, a private developer.
- We are homes for all and we are here to interrupt the easy pattern of your life. Everyone deserves a
- home they can afford. The CIB does not deserve the power it has and Dora Hospitality does not deserve
- this corporate giveaway. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you. Next speaker please identify
- yourself for the record. Matthew Joseph. It's also very clear that the subsidy is not just going for
- the hotel. It's very clear that the subsidy is also going for the land that Dora is not using for the
- hotel. And the question I asked at the last CIP meeting was, what's going to happen to Seminary Point?
- Still unanswered, yet at the two RDC meetings ago, Vince Dora made it very clear that they are wanting
- to build housing on top of Seminary Point. Looks like a subsidy
- to door and not for the hotel, does it? That's a subsidy to Dora for market rate apartments. Even if
- they want to build 10 affordable housing, that is not a replacement of what they destroyed. We need
- to set a precedent that if you're going to destroy affordable housing that you're going to build more
- than what you destroyed, double it and make it for those that are most vulnerable. Okay. But the fact
- that this is not,
- having to do with the convention center is outside of the scope of what the land was given for when
- the county transferred it to you. They told you, okay, the expectation from the public was that it's
- gonna be used for the convention center and it's clear that it's not. So we're holding you accountable
- to that, okay? There's a way that the hotel can still be made very easily and still to maintain seminary
- point for what it is. We've given an incredible plan
- for affordable housing and maintaining it and maintaining the local businesses there. And we're also
- working with the Bloomington Housing Authority as well as others to be able to make that happen. So
- there's an option on the table to save it, but you are actively choosing to subsidize for Dora Hospitality
- to make more market rate apartments, which everybody knows, including y'all, that that is not what the
- city needs more of. Thank you. Thank you. For our last speaker, please, if you would,
- Identify yourself for the record please. I'm Mickey Weisstein. I'm not normally a public speaker. I
- realize that according to the description of your entity that you this is not part it's not part of
- your job to consider the well-being of people in the city. However, as a government entity any government
- entity that takes our taxpayer dollars is
- responsible for the welfare of the people in the city. I have lived in many apartments in Bloomington,
- which were on the edge of affordable, and they are all now unaffordable student housing, renting for
- 2,000 a month or so, plus utilities. We need affordable housing desperately. Bloomington's quality of life
- is going to vanish, we will be a shell. And that is what the visitors will see is a shell of what we
- have been unless we address this issue. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay, all right, that concludes
- the 10 minute period. Thank you. Thank you very much. Now,
- Moving on in our agenda, we'll come back to our regular order of business, and that would be the item
- number two on the agenda, approval of the consent agenda. You would have received the minutes of the
- board meeting on July 15th, claims and a financial report. If I could have a motion for approval of
- the consent agenda. So moved. Is there a second? So it's been moved and seconded. Are there any questions?
- Is there any discussion? All right, having heard or seen none, would you please take the roll?
- John Weinkart? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes. Jim Silverstein? Yes. Joyce Poehling? Yes. Jay Baer? Yes.
- Galen Cassidy? Yes. Okay, thank you. Item number three, Treasurer's Report. Mr. Silverstein? Yeah, I
- have a report this time. I'm very excited for that. Jeff Underwood and I will be presenting the 2027
- CIV budgets to the City Council next Wednesday the 26th at 5.30 p.m. in City and Council Chambers.
- And I believe you're first on the agenda? Yes, we are first on the agenda. So you won't even have to
- take a change of clothes or anything. You'll be all set to go. All right, very good. All right, item
- number four. And thank you, Mr. Silverstein. Item number four, Treasurer's Report. The first part of
- my report is change orders. And I think we have a slide.
- Thank you. You see a breakout here of approvals. The line or the three items above the line we'll deal
- with secondly. The items below the line are the items, the change orders that I have approved and signed
- off with my authority that you've given me of $25,000 or less. I circulated all those change orders
- to you prior to the meeting.
- happy to answer any questions. If you have any questions about the ones that I've approved, you can
- see the codes, how they've been coded for either unforeseen condition, error, or omission, or owner's
- request. So you can see how those are coded. So if there are no questions about what I've already circulated
- to you that I've approved, we'll now look at the item. Mr. Bear? Just a quick question on change order
- 57. Did we not anticipate
- needing to anchor the limestone to that we're not we're not there yet this is this is the above hundred
- thousand dollar i'm sorry yeah these are the we dealt with first the ones i approved that are 25 000
- or less and now we're going to move up to the ones that you're going to ask questions about so now the
- three at the top each are over the 25 000 threshold which require your approval so we will look at the
- first one footing revisions fire suppression water line and i think mr
- Sherry's gonna help me with these if I. Yeah, absolutely. I'm counting on him. Yeah, here he goes. So
- the first one here is the footing revision. So the fire suppression lines coming into the building.
- We were hoping to get past the footer and then turn up into the building. After looking at the design
- requirements and friction loss and calculations, we have to come up in the footing. So we'll have to
- alter the footer, bring the water lines in, and then patch back for the fire suppression system.
- that's what that one accounts for. Okay and the second one is adding the pole lights on the on third
- street? Yeah so CA 56 the additional pole lights on the north and south sides of third street so this
- one was a requirement to be met for site lighting whenever permits were getting issued. After that came
- back out there's two additional light poles on the north side of third street three on the south side
- so the cost accommodate
- The light fixtures, which are over $41,000, the electrical labor for setting, the crane, all those things
- of 35,000, and then excavations and boring. So the hardscapes on the north side will have to be popped.
- The boring will have to come up, pour new light pole bases, and then remediate any of the hardscapes,
- and then bore on the south side. So that's what these costs are. And this is a city requirement of it,
- is that correct? Yes, sir. Yeah, so this is a city requirement of it.
- Is it a city requirement we weren't aware of prior? I think that with that coordination, it was BRCJ
- at the very beginning of the job, but it was in order to issue the permits, there was a requirement
- to come back and look at the site lighting requirements as we progressed. And we were not able to pick
- that up at the very beginning of the project. So when they came back with the requirements, this is
- what we landed on. And were we not looking on one side of the street, we ended up having to deal with
- both sides of the street? Both sides, yes, sir.
- Okay, and the third one is the revised feature wall for limestone anchoring. Yeah, so the design requirements
- with the base bid was to have a metal stud wall and sheathing to accommodate the anchors for the limestone
- wall. Because of the quarry face that was desired, we have the panels were designed at three, five and
- seven inches thick.
- But because of the variations in the stone, some of the thicker pieces are 11 and a half inches thick.
- So in order to accommodate that, we'll have to switch the wall based off of engineering requirements
- to CMU fully grouted to be able to accommodate the load of the limestone feature wall. And the cost
- you build in, I believe you built it in
- to be safe, is that correct? Yes, sir. So on that wall we have 64, a little over $64,000 of that is
- Hagerman to do the block work itself, fully grouted. Quality walls is going to remove the framing and
- the sheeting that's there that we've determined cannot accommodate the size of the stone. And then we
- have a structural allowance of over $27,000 because there are still some detailing to be specified by
- the structural engineer for bracing, potentially some footer accommodations. So we've built that into
- this pricing for approval, so we don't have to come back.
- And you may recall that on other projects, especially when we were in the excavation stage, that we
- built in a higher estimate. And when we didn't need all of that estimate, it came back to us as a credit.
- So this $100,000 is a
- is an estimate we hope is on the high end, but we don't want to have to come back to you twice. So we
- hope it's on the high end and we end up later. With any luck at all and good fortune, we'll have a credit
- back from the $100,000. Yes, we would do a deductive change order at that point if we don't use the
- money. Yeah. So, Mr. Leighton, I don't know if you want to add anything to that on the limestone wall.
- Andrew explained it pretty well. I guess it's not a surprise. There'll be a similar process on the west
- wall. We're working on the north wall as a schedule issue currently. So we're trying to get that done
- as quickly as possible. And then we'll shift to looking at the west wall to make similar sorts
- of modifications. And as we've dealt with this, you may recall back to February of 2025 when we approved
- the design, we were looking at
- limestone that had that quarry look to it that's going to have different thicknesses and we intentionally
- wanted that. So this is where we are to make sure that it's a safe structure. We're asking for approval
- for this. So those are the three over $25,000. Mr. Whitlatch tells me unless there are objections, we
- can deal with it in one motion and then we can have discussion. If you want to break them out individually,
- we can. If not, if there's a motion to approve the three, then we can discuss that.
- Okay, so it's moved to approve all three. Is there a second? Second. So it's been seconded. All right,
- now do we have any discussion or any questions about them? Mr. Baer? Eddie, are you suggesting that
- we're gonna have a similar change order for the Westwall? We're working through the details on that.
- It's hard to say for sure, but something like that, yes. Yeah, we could be looking at the same sort
- of condition for the Westwall. Glad we like our limestone.
- Yeah, it's heavy. All right, any other questions? All right, so we have a motion and a second. Mr. Paris?
- John Weichart? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes. Jim Silberstein? Yes. Joyce Polling? Yes. Jay Baer? Yes.
- Galen Cassidy? Yes. Okay, thank you. Now I would like to give you an update on properties and leases
- and I'm gonna keep turning to Cindy.
- Some of this is a reminder, but certainly it's an update on property summary. You may recall we had
- four commercial tenants, four commercial tenants remaining. My sister's closet is relocating to College
- Mall. Friendly Beast is moving to 11th Street. Jeff's Warehouse is found a home in a location on South
- Walnut. Blue Tip Billiards is still looking at several properties, still up against this August 31st
- date. On the residential properties,
- There are three residential tenants remaining in the apartments. Two were sent eviction notices after
- several months rent due, as many as five months in arrears. They have since moved out, although we have
- eviction hearings scheduled for September 17th for judgments and we'll need to decide what we do about
- that as we get closer to that date.
- One of the remaining three has given us notice of moving honored before August 31st. And so one of the
- remaining tenants we've not had communication with, PMI has not had communication with. So that's where
- we are with the three remaining tenants. You may recall all the tenants, residential and commercial,
- were extended two months additional time from their original leases.
- and all of the tenants received a formal legal notice 30 days prior to August 31st of the end of leases
- for occupancy. If we could have the next slide. On July 23rd, as a result of break-ins and vacant units
- and illegal drug activity that had been reported, and I want to point out that it was reported by a
- resident of the apartment buildings
- who was fully paid for the month of July, moved out, concerned for safety, and made a report of drug
- activity. So on July 23rd, we had both our MSI security, BPD, and Weddle Brothers assisted us as well.
- And we went into the apartments, particularly at 432 South College, found them to be occupied by people
- who were not tenants.
- They were over a period of hours moved out. And I would disagree with earlier comments in that I'm aware
- they were moved out peacefully and without incident. And the buildings were secured at that point on
- July 23rd. And again, I want to thank MSI and the Bloomington Police Department, Weddle Brothers, for
- all their efforts in helping us secure those properties.
- Since July 23rd, even having secured the buildings, we've had 23 documented incidents in the last 25
- days. And that number today is now 27. Because since this slide was prepared, we've dealt with one.
- Again, last night where a boarded up apartment was occupied, lights were turned on. And one of the problems
- has been that the utilities to the apartments are like one utility bill for the apartment that's divided
- among the residents.
- One of the issues, of course, is if a resident's not paying rent, they're also not paying the utility
- bills. So we continue to absorb those costs. We've now had 27 documented incidents in the last 25 days.
- They would now be, now we've had 15 trespassing, four vandalism, one missing person that we've been
- involved with looking for, two of drug use, one indecent exposure, one person urinating in public, three
- police calls and one drug arrest.
- So that's what we've dealt with since the 23rd when we secured the buildings. Our security costs, we
- have now contracted with MSI to provide additional security to those properties to view them more often,
- to check them out more often. We're now paying $8,680 per month for eight hours of overnight monitoring.
- distinction, Talisha gets them first, and then I get them second. I get to read all the security reports,
- and so I've read all of these reports of the 27 incidents in the last 25 days. If we extrapolate that
- 8680 out over a period of time that could include up to December when demolition could be completed,
- that means we're absorbing $43,500 in additional security costs. That had not been, it was not our intention
- to have those costs, but we need to make sure that those properties are
- are secured. So that's the report on update. Now I want to share with you some photos so you'll have
- an opportunity to see the conditions of these properties. This is an example of just one apartment we've
- looked at. This is a damp floor. We've seen lots of water damage in these. Next one, please. This is
- simply the way an apartment was left, but you can also see conditions in the apartment as well.
- Here's another apartment with ceiling damage because of water leaking into the building, into the apartment.
- Next one, please. Another, as an apartment was vacated, this is what we're now left to clean up from
- those who have left it behind. Next one. This is from Jeff's warehouse, and there are residential units
- above Jeff's warehouse. This is a pipe replacement, it's about 60 feet, it's my understanding.
- It's an outgoing pipe. Great concern about its leaking and whether or not it would have to be replaced.
- I believe that building is now not occupied, so we're not worried about that so much anymore. This is
- a soft floor joist area. This picture right here, although this you can see is a sunshiny area here,
- this is all a floor that's completely wet.
- from water damage. This carpet, as people were walking on it, the floor is completely squishy, soft,
- as people are walking on it. So that's a condition with the floor joist. Next one, please. Exterior,
- here's an entry to an apartment. Obviously, that door is in bad condition, as is this sidewalk, which
- certainly is a hazard in itself. Next slide, please.
- Here's an apartment that's been vacated. You can clearly see all of the damage from water in this apartment
- and the condition of this apartment. Next slide, please. Again, water damage under this toilet bowl
- here and in these areas. You can see it here, all the water damage that's as a result of leaking into
- the apartment buildings. Here's another
- apartment building that's been abandoned and left behind. This is what's been left for us. Another.
- And then not only vandalism, but you can see the condition of the door. Again, a condition of the apartment,
- and then this is what's been left behind for us. I don't know if there's another slide. Here's another
- slide. You can see the condition of the apartment because of water damage.
- all along this baseboard, along the floor here. Another one, again, you can see water damage to here,
- and again, various spotting on the floor from water. This unit in particular was one that was just abandoned
- yesterday, and the entrepreneurial spirit who lived here had hookups for people to take showers outside
- on our water. Next one.
- These are air conditioning units that are in windows in the apartment buildings. Many of these.
- Next one, please, if there is another one. Is that it? Okay. I thought it might be important for you
- to see the conditions of the buildings that we've heard described often that we're working with and
- would suggest to you again that both the issues we're dealing with of security and the issues with conditions
- of these buildings
- certainly again, more than justify our moving forward to try to get these buildings taken down as quickly
- as we can get them taken down. So any questions about that, Mr. Baer? Just one revision of the first
- slide. I believe my sister's closet is now open in College Mall. I think it said moving. I think they
- have moved. Oh, they are open in College Mall? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. And back
- to Jeff's warehouse. I want to remind all of you that Jeff Schofield, who's been so extremely cooperative,
- had a lease originally that went until the end of February of 2027, and was agreeable to modifying that
- lease to the end of this coming September, September 30th. And he actually wanted the month of September,
- because as I understand it, he may be no longer doing business from the warehouse as of August 31st,
- and he needed the time in September to actually move
- what inventory he wants to move. So potentially he could be out before September 30th, but he hasn't
- until September 30th. So I wanted to catch up on that on that lease as well. Okay, questions,
- anything else? All right. And again, I wanna thank Talisha who probably didn't sign up for all of this,
- but Talisha who's been spending quite a bit of time back and forth on these properties. I wanna thank
- MSI or security.
- PMI, our property manager, who's been monitoring very carefully residential activity, and Weddle Brothers,
- who Mr. Turner has become our plywood expert, and I can't emphasize enough that we've called Weddle
- Brothers, and on less than an hour's turnaround, in most cases, they've been down to those properties
- and helped us secure those buildings with plywood, and I can't thank them enough for that.
- appreciation to all of you. Thank you. All right, item number five, construction update. Mr. Sherry.
- Thank you, John. Andrew Sherry, project manager of Wilder Brothers. Share here. Okay, so today we'll
- talk about the construction progress and upcoming activities starting on exterior concrete. So the east
- exterior site work, the sidewalks and curves are completed on the east portion of the site.
- to the northeast corner. That's our termination point in our site work. Pavers will take place following
- the completion of the remainder sidewalks. So as we get done on the north side and the west side, we'll
- have pavers fall back and do the entirety of the site. The existing courtyard work right out the window
- here. Sidewalks and curbs are nearing completion. That will be accessible next week for pedestrian
- diversions. This is right in front of the convention center now.
- We're gonna pour the remainder of the courtyard out and then again, we'll move our barricades and open
- this up for pedestrian traffic next week. Again, pavers will take place with the remainder of the project
- across the road. The exterior progress, so masonry work, the north and patio columns on the north side
- will be completed this week. West Limestone and Granite is in progress with the west column wraps. The
- photo right here is the northeast entrance, so we do have frames set there and we are getting ready
- to start on the northwest corners.
- The glazing systems, the east and north elevations are completed. They're placing mullion caps
- and miscellaneous pieces of glazing. Northeast entrance has frames installed. The northwest entrance
- frames will be starting next week. And the west elevations are in progress with the curtain wall systems.
- Here are some exterior photos. The left-hand side is the east sidewalk. So you can see the recessed
- portions of the sidewalk that will accommodate the pavers.
- The top right photo is looking down college, so the patio area and the connector with the glass. And
- the bottom right is the south lot, so the loading dock, the ramp coming into the southern portion of
- the project. The concrete that we see at the upfront of these photos will have the brick accessory walls
- built off of that for the trash enclosures. The top left photo was this morning. This is where the connector
- ties into the existing convention center. So I think we're doing, we have crews doing two pours a day.
- to get this area done by next week and then the lower right hand side is the southernmost portion of
- the connector so all the glass and you can see the mullion caps are in progress down there too. Interior
- progress so drywall and framing is nearing or framing is nearing completion in all areas. Drywall finishing
- is completed in the east corridor and progressing in the exhibit hall and north corridor.
- rough ends, both in wall and overhead continue throughout the entirety of the building. We have had
- in wall inspections completed in the East corridor, North corridor, the second floor restrooms over
- half of the exhibit hall in the south mechanical mezzanine. So the photo here on the right hand side
- is some of the overhead work for a restroom. And actually in areas we'll talk about it here in a second,
- but we're putting first coat and primer paint on the walls. Um,
- CMU, so the second floor CMU walls are nearing completion for the unit D stairs. The back of house interior
- walls will be completed this week. We'll have a couple of miscellaneous column wraps, things like that.
- But the kitchen area, the electrical room, the loading dock, all those walls are built and actually
- have block filler and paint taking place right now. The steel, the north staircase that comes off of
- the patio is installed. That's the photo here on the right. That's the doorway out to the patio.
- The south staircase material is on site to start within two weeks. And the monumental stairs are completed.
- The terrazzo will be placed with the remainder of the floor. This is a photo of the east corridor. So
- drywall is completed. You can see them topping some expansion joints out here. Interior painting has
- started in the mechanical mezzanine in the back of house areas. And the east corridor paint will start
- next week, early next week.
- tile work is going to start this week in the North restrooms and progress into the corridor starting
- on the East corridor and working West. So follow with the North corridor and go to the West corridor.
- Here's some interior photos. The photo on the left is looking South. That is the will be the overhead
- door. So the exhibit hall behind you looking South towards the lot. The photo on the top right is the
- whole Southern wall of the exhibit hall, which has been hung and taped.
- And then the bottom right, that is the main entrance into the exhibit hall. So you can see the drywall
- up top and then the dirt rock down low to accommodate for the tile. But on the left-hand side here is
- a south mezzanine mechanical space, which has paint on the walls. You can tell by the sheen here, duct
- work and steel has been painted. The top right is the kitchen and back a house.
- and then the bottom right is the north exhibit hall wall so that's framed and currently being topped
- out with duct work taking place. Upcoming activities for interior work painting is going to be completed
- in the back of house areas along with the east and north corridors, drywall to be completed in the exhibit
- hall walls, ceilings will start in finished corridors specifically starting on the east side,
- restroom and corridor tile to be in progress and mechanical and plumbing equipment will start being
- set on the mezzanines this month. So this photo here on the right hand side is the north mechanical
- mezzanine off of the patio. Exterior work upcoming, north curbs to be in place concurrent with the third
- street improvements which we'll talk about. Curtain walls to be nearing completion on the west elevations.
- masonry work to be starting on the southwest portion of the building, which is the last big portion
- of brick work. Other than accessory walls, water lines and site utilities will be completed. And we
- actually have metal panels starting this month to go around the canopy, the connector and those portions.
- Connector activities. So our artwork connection points will be installed within two weeks. We'll have
- the material delivered this week.
- on friday and i think the installers will be on site monday the remaining glazing will be set on the
- connector following the site work we've got the concrete crews in there right now once they get out
- of the way we'll finish that roof work will start following the art connection point installation and
- then column wraps will start here in the existing courtyard this photo shows utilities being insulated
- in the connector as of this morning
- Here's some connector photos. So the bottom right would be looking south on college. The top left is
- looking north on college. Big talking point is the third street improvements. So third street closure
- will be implemented August 25th and reopen the week of September 8th. While we close third street down,
- we will plan to replace the Northeast and Northwest storm structures and lines.
- due to the Northeast, Northwest curb work and ADA ramps. We will remove the entirety of the median and
- replace. We'll do the bus lane and all asphalt milling and replacement with temporary striping to follow
- with permanent. So big feat to do in two weeks, but planning accordingly. That's all I have for an update.
- Good, thank you.
- Anything for Mr Sherry other than congratulations and well done and. When are we going to be finished?
- January of Elvis's birthday. Got it. I got one question. Is the building closed in for temporary HVAC
- at this point? Yeah, we have temporary units running. They kicked on the last week of July, so we have
- 325 ton units in there right now. Two feeding the exhibit hall and one on the second floor and happier
- workers. Oh yeah, they're very excited. Yes.
- Anything else for Mr. Sherry? All right, thank you. Item six, working group updates. Eddie, anything
- from wayfinding? Nothing graphic to show. The wayfinding folks have been down to the site a couple of
- times to work with Wettle on coordinating locations and that process. So that's going well and getting
- ready for shop drawing review. Okay, thank you.
- Furniture fixtures and equipment JSL. We have a recommendation for a word. Mr. Larson. Are you handling
- that is no I'm gonna ask Julie from relocation strategies come up and run through by all means slides
- From our bid so we had nine total bidders and
- As you can see on the spreadsheet, there was only four that submitted full bids, but we did review the
- ones that had alternates as well. But the one that met all the bid requirements were COE and BFC. COEs
- was quite a bit more price-wise than was BFCs, so we used BFCs as our point of reference
- as the lowest bidder that followed all the guidelines and met all the specifications from the furniture
- package. Oh, and I want to say too that all bidders could bid the furniture packages were all open lines.
- So everybody had the availability to bid all of the items that were in the furniture package.
- So as we did a deeper dive, we measured this for compliance, warranty, delivery, alternates, and then
- the best overall value. There were four packages in a total of 97 items that were bid. And you can kind
- of see the breakdown over there on the left-hand side. So what I'm recommending is that BFC bid the
- package and met all of the
- criteria and compliances. We did find though with the four with company, they had an alternate that
- met warranty, specifications, quality. And so we are, I'm recommending that we award that alternate
- to them, which is on another slide. So it'd be both bidders would be awarded.
- There was kind of a breakdown of the compliance evaluation. So there was the three vendors that bid
- the packages as well, but they had several alternates. So if you look in the second column of the 97
- items, Office 360 did 25 proposed alternates. Paragon had 38 proposed alternates and Forwith had 20
- proposed alternates. And theirs was the one that we did choose one of their alternates
- to proceed with. So over on the side, you can just see construction, durability, all the reasons why
- as we reviewed their alternates, they just didn't match up with what we specified. And then another
- big one was the warranty evaluation. So one of our main lines was KI, which has a lifetime warranty.
- And a lot of the bidders substituted different vendor lines
- but they had limited lifetime warranties, meaning anywhere from five years to 12 years instead of full
- lifetime warranties. So that's kind of how we ruled out some of those that just weren't an apples to
- apples comparison to what was put in the bid specification. And then the final recommendation you'll
- see, we want to award BFC for their package minus the chairs and dollies that we would like to award to
- for with company, and those are their totals. So if we reward the alternate, we're gonna save $197,210.30,
- making the total project $1,113,093.62, which is below the budgeted portion of the bid package itself,
- which was 1.3 for just this package. So it came in less than the package total originally.
- Limestone walls, here we come. Okay. Let me mention before I ask for a motion that the evaluation group,
- the furniture fixtures and equipment evaluation group, included not only our consultant, JS Held, Talisha
- and staff from Convention Center,
- and Joyce and Jim Soberstein and myself. So we were the evaluation group who looked at all of this.
- So with this presentation, I'm going to ask the other two members of the committee if we have a motion
- and a second for this and then we can have discussion about the motion. So is there a motion that we
- approve the recommendation? So moved.
- Okay, so it's been moved and seconded, so now we can have questions or discussion about the proposals.
- Mr. Baer? Just one question, make sure I understand this. So it's 197,000 less if we break it up between
- BFC and then give forward with the alternate versus giving it all to BFC. Is that how that works? Correct.
- Well, that seems like a great deal. Correct. And we did bring in the sample of the alternate chair for
- Talisha and Lisa and the group just to make sure that they approved
- It was approved. Thank you. Any other questions? I only want to mention that the day that we looked
- at chairs, Mr. Silberstein did not appear for the meeting. It's not really a criticism. It's just a
- fact. Yes. All right. So we have a motion and a second. Mr. Parrish, you take the roll. John Weichart?
- Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes.
- Jim Silverstein? Yes. Joyce Polling? Yes. Jay Baer? Yes. Galen Kassidy? Yes. Okay, thank you.
- Art installation, anything, Galen, that you would want to report on? Not at this time, but the BEAD
- committee will be meeting at the end of this month, and my next meeting should have an update. Okay,
- I see you have one of your members here, Jen? You do, Jensen, yeah. And Ajaan, don't forget about him.
- Pardon me, where's Ajaan? Ajaan. Oh, I didn't see you, Ajaan.
- Dinner tomorrow, A. John? It's book club night. Okay, got it. All right. Item number seven, approval
- of Weddle Brothers contract for construction management agent. It says Mr. Whitlatch, but I'm gonna
- have Mr. Underwood present this. Good afternoon, Jeff Underwood, controller for the CIB. As just background,
- as you remember earlier, the board approved agreements with BRCJ and VET Environmental to begin looking
- at the site
- for preparation of the demolition. We reached out to Weddle Brothers for a contract to manage that process,
- and they provided us with a two-phase proposal. The first phase, which we're going to ask for approval
- to this afternoon, consists of coordination of the consultants, pre-construction services and permitting,
- and the pre-construction and preparing the bidding documents.
- document distribution for planning, platform for bidding documents, advertising, the pre-bid information,
- review the bids, and do a draft agreement and recommendation back to the board for the award of a demo
- contract. As we move through that, there are a couple of unknowns. The reason we're breaking this up
- into two pieces is that
- There may be abatement services that may be needed. We're hoping there aren't as well as the process
- to get through obtaining all the permits. So if there's a delay in getting those permits, we didn't
- want to have the construction phase of that ongoing. So as we near the end of this part of the proposal,
- which we're asking for approval of $14,400,
- I know that's not the right amount, $16,400. Then we would come back to the board at a later date and
- ask for approval for the construction services. Andrew is with me. We'd like to thank Whittle Brothers.
- They pulled this together very quickly and worked with us in trying to get this together. And I'll turn
- it over to Andrew. Thank you, Jeff. Yeah, so again, we have already started the coordination with BRCJ
- and BET Environmental as far as their environmental reports.
- It would include the coordination of the consultants, the pre-construction services, and the permitting
- coordination and applications where needed. The pre-construction schedule has been created to account
- for all the permitting, the surveys, the drawings, the title searches, and utility disconnections, which
- currently, based off the schedule and all the dates that we've heard, could happen by November 4th.
- The construction schedule would be to accommodate the goal of demolition by the end of year, so 12-31
- of this year.
- Uh, potential schedule variables again, as Jeff said, would be the permitting management and completion,
- just making sure that everything checks out as we go through that process. And also the environmental
- testing results, um, which, you know, could lead to additional payment pending results. Um, the current
- status, so BRCJ has currently been working on termination and disconnecting utilities, sent out all
- the notifications to everybody that we're tracking, uh, would include water, internet, gas, fiber, electric,
- everything else. Uh, and then
- BTE Vet Environmental is testing and compiling their environmental reports to have the results in October.
- Ken, I don't know if we drifted into item number eight or not. A little bit of both. Let's deal with
- seven, let's deal with the contract issue first. So again, would you please repeat the total amount
- of what that contract? Some amount of 16,400 and there's also an allowance for reimbursables.
- not to exceed $5,000, but that would be paid on actuals. But the lump sum amount for the contract to
- be paid to Weddle is $16,400. Okay, so is there a motion to move forward then with this contract for
- construction management agent with Weddle Brothers? So moved. Second. Second? Thank you. So now questions
- or discussion? Any questions about the first part of this
- contract relationship with well brothers for this demolition activity. Yes, so the reimbursables would
- be permitting costs that sort. OK, so that's not coming out somewhere else. OK. OK, any other questions?
- Alright, seeing none, Mr Paris. John Weichart. Yes, Doug Bruce. Yes, Jim Silverstein. Yes, choice polling.
- Yes, Jay Bear. Yes, Galen Caston. Yes.
- Okay, thank you. And now let's look at schedule for demolition of buildings. And I know you've touched
- on some of this, Mr. Sherry, but if you could walk, so I think what we're probably most anxious to know
- is what you're predicting is an end date when all of this could be completed and when buildings can
- be down. Yeah, so again, we compiled a pre-construction schedule that accounts for around 25 items that
- leads up to the construction activities. That would include the 100-year title search, the parcel surveys,
- compiling all construction documents and then getting in the plan set review and also applying for all
- the applicable permits. We would plan on that and that would also include the environmental testing
- results to be done by November 4th. At that point, construction activities should be able to start.
- pending the results and is that at that point then is that when we get into the bid process is that
- so we would actually do that whenever the plans and documents come together so as we're applying for
- permits we're also reaching out to try to get ahead on that so there are some things happening simultaneously
- yes sir and then and then what would you anticipate if all goes well that this process would be concluded
- in other words we would have
- As I understand it, we would have buildings down and then we need to do some remediation of the service.
- Yes, we would have to stabilize the job or the site after we remove all the buildings and we would plan
- on having that done by December 31st. OK, so by December 31st all of it would be completed. Yes, OK,
- are there questions about the schedule? We don't need to approve it. We just just want to make sure
- you are aware of Mr. Bear. Site stabilization is by ordinance, correct? Yes. Yeah. Which which means?
- planting grass, doing those seed and straw. When we get into the December timeframe, the grass growing
- may be hard, but we'll have mats down, straw placed. Yes, yes, a lot of fertilizer. We cut down on the
- straw, we'll probably cut down on the number of security reports I need to read every now and then.
- All right, any questions for Mr. Sherry about that schedule? And again, it's not anything we need to
- take action on, I just want you to be aware of it.
- And being visual in the next meeting, if we have an update on it, we can have a slide so we can see
- it and then that way. Thank you. All right, item number nine is approval of the letter of intent with
- Dora Hospitality. Mr. Whitlatch, I think we have you. Yes, you do. So we have been working on a letter
- of intent with Dora Hospitality. They have sent that to us and signed the agreement.
- and we have reviewed it. And generally what it is, it's a letter of intent to work towards a definitive
- agreement that spells out the obligations of DORA and CIB towards the construction and completion and
- operation of a host hotel. That letter of intent includes as the guidelines or the basis for that, the proposal,
- that Dora made at their presentation and that we selected in response to our request for proposals.
- That's incorporated into that letter of intent is what we are expecting as the hotel that will be developed
- and the parameters of that hotel. And so we are here today asking that
- that letter of intent be improved and that we move forward with seeking the definitive agreement that
- will spell all of that out. The agreement letter of intent calls for a 90 day period for us to work
- towards that definitive agreement. So at this time I'd ask for approval to allow John to sign that letter
- of intent with Dora so that we can move forward towards a definitive agreement for a host hotel.
- And just so we have it for the record, I circulated the letter of intent among the board members and
- they've each had an opportunity to review it. So if we could have a motion, a motion to approve the
- recommendation and allow me to execute this document, if we could have that motion and then we can have
- discussion if we would like about the letter of intent. So it's moved. Is there a second? Second. It's
- been seconded. So discussion, questions about the letter of intent.
- I'd seen none. Mr. Barris, would you take the role, please? John Weichart? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes. Jim
- Silberstein? Yes. Joyce Poehling? Yes. Jay Baer? Yes. Galen Castee? Yes. Okay, thank you. Thank you.
- Anything else, Mr. Welch? No, I just said thank you. Oh, okay. Thank you from Lake Wobegon in Minnesota,
- right? That's right. Yeah, yeah.
- All right, thank you, Mr. Whitlatch. Item number 10, old business. Is there any old business to be brought
- before the board? Seeing none, item 11 is new business. Any new business before the board? Just a quick
- question. Yes. This is probably gonna be covered, will be covered in the agreement to follow the LOI
- that we just adopted. For the Convection Center, obviously we, CIB is building the Convection Center,
- so we've been intimately involved.
- both yourself and all of your consultants and individuals on design review, picking chairs and all that.
- With regards to the hotel and design review, how do we see our role in that project in comparison to
- our role in this project? Okay, Mr. Whitlatch, you wanna take a stab at that? Yeah, and I think the
- specifics of how we're going to be doing that is what we're going to be working on over at least the
- next 90 days.
- We're going to determine how we're best going to be able to support that project through the real estate
- that we have and how we can best make that support work. In return for that support, we're going to
- have certain expectations on the design and the parameters, the primarily number of rooms, specific location,
- obligations to as a host hotel, to room, holding rooms and room rates and those types of things. So
- those will be the primary issues that we'll be working on as a, as part of our definitive agreement.
- We will not, in my opinion, we won't have as significant of a role, although we will probably reserve
- some rights to
- review the final plan and that type of thing. But as far as the type of involvement we've had in the
- actual building in the convention center, it won't be anywhere near as much as what we've had in this
- project. But we do wanna make sure
- that in return for giving them whatever support we provide them and for naming them as a host hotel
- that we have certain expectations provided back to us in return for that, which is really what the definitive
- agreement will establish. I don't know if there's any other questions from that Jay or anyone else,
- but that's how I would best answer it. Okay, thank you. Anyone else?
- All right, thank you. Any other new business from anybody else? All right, comments from board members?
- Any comments from board members? I just wanna offer one clarification. It is true that I lived in subsidized
- housing. I would describe myself, whether I was a youth or not, I was 27 years old. We were a family
- of three. I was the assistant director for Head Start and I made $4,500 a year. So yeah, I lived in
- subsidized housing when I was 27 years old. Just wanted to clarify. All right, anything else?
- Okay, next board meeting is September 16th, 2026 at 3 p.m. You do not have to stay here. I'm sorry,
- that's not right. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. All right, thank you, we are adjourned.