IDA Members Review Proposed Budget

By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor

The Dade County Industrial Development Authority went over the proposed budget for the next fiscal year during their meeting on Monday, May 16

Executive William Back asked members of the IDA to review the proposed budget for the fiscal year starting July 1, to vote on at next month’s meeting.

According to Back, the budget is roughly $10,000 less than this current year, ending on June 30.
Back noted that the amount of some items was reduced, and a big reduction in the income portion of the budget is for the real estate PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) program for Integer.

“The big expenditure is a new roof on the CHI building,” Back said. “We don’t have to do it for a few years, but we know at some point we will, so we’ve got it in there. This isn’t something that we have to specifically plan, but it’s an item that is lurking in the background.”

Also, during the meeting Back told board members that there is a grant opportunity, $17 million for rural development. The deadline is June 30.

“It’s kind of open, they don’t define what rural is, so we make our own pitch. The minimum grant amount is $1 million. It would be appropriate for the historic courthouse,” Back said.

Back noted that one of the pages of the application, in fact, says ‘absolutely no courthouses or city halls,’ but that he wrote to the person who is head of the grant program, and he said that the historical courthouse hasn’t been a courthouse for 15 years.

“I think we’ve gotten a lot of community support just among people I have spoken with. A tremendous number of people would like to see our old courthouse rehabbed in a way that we can be proud of it,” Back said.

“This would really be a win-win,” Chair Evan Stone said. “The courthouse could hopefully turn into an economic engine for the county.”

In addition, County Attorney Robin Rogers informed board members than during the end of April, he, Stone, and Back met with Russ Elliot, who is the agent for CHI, to talk about extending the lease. The current lease expires in September.

“There were some issues, but I don’t think there was anything back breaking, that bad,” Rogers said. “He was going to work on and get back with us regarding some numbers. The ball is in their court, we’ve done what we can do with that.”

The IDA went into executive session to discuss real estate matters. No action was taken afterward.

The next Industrial Development Authority meeting will be June 20.