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.