SheilaO'Malteg Chief Admin.

Affien

cifu| af DetuY

August 73,2013
To: ]osephBomba, Chairman and Members of the ned11eloryent Agency

From:Sheila
Re:

Redevelop*** Activities

"ry

Month after month I go to the Board of Alderrren meetings and have listen to someone who represents his dients and stands to make a profit o{f of the sale of their properties te1l us how to do redevelopment It is difficult for me to sit by and listen to advice I have given out and then hear it reused by someone else incorrectly' I appreciate the opportunity to make certain clarifications with respect to all of this.
Please be aware that

I am not motivated by making a profit. My rnotivation is to help the Mayor accomplish his main priority which is the redevelopment of downtown
Derby.

I am not a firm believer in publicizing redevelopment activities, because of the nature of t]'re transactions, the delicate line with respect to tenant negotiations, the difficulty in acquiring land and the necessity to do so in private. I believe none of this should be done in the public eye. It poses a problem for developers and could potentially disrupt or destroy dea1s. Having said allthat,I want this Board and the Board of Aldermento be assured that Mayor Stalfieri and the Office of Economic and Community Development' along with and his staffhas beenworkingdiligently ontryingto redevelop the downtown property. Because I do not publicize my efforts does not mean that nothing is being
d.one.

Shortly after I beganworking in Derby, I stated clearly in a redevelopment meeting that the site known as the Redevelopment Parcel is in an advantageous location wit-h

high visibility and easy on and easy off access to the highway. Beyond that, there are marry, many obstacles, tlre least of which is both publidy owned land and privately owned land arail spor, a sewer treatunent plant, a dikewhichprohibits development in certain areas/ the widening of Route 34 and how t}at will interact with the project an oddly shaped parcel of land land that is well below the grade level of the road, driving up cost and other considerations such as relocation of utilities, etc. Let me reassure you thatthe Mayor's Office and I are intimately aware of all of the details of these issues and are working on trying to resolve each one of them for purposes of redevelopment.

Lefs look at a simple timeline.

I began worklng in Derby tr.2007
.

The Mayor, the Corporation Counsel and the former and currerrt Redevelopment Agenry $DA) members spent two years terminating a contract thatwas completely disadvantageous to the City of Du"by,

h 2009 and for the next two yearc we marketed and bid out the redevelopmerrt
parcel.

During that time, I have worked on securing and have secured several grants. I continue to pursue any and all grants thatmay help with the tedevelopment efforts including, but not limited to brownfields' assessment grants, brownfields' remediation grants, park grants, demolition funding, etc. I am actively pursuing demolition and acquisition funds for the redevelopment area. Some of these efforts have been stymied due to a lack of an overall plan and private funding commitnents. Nevertheless, I consider fundingfor dolmtown the top grant priority.
The Mayols Office and I are currently working with three developers on three separate concepts for the redevelopment parcel. I have put these developers in touch with each otlrer and have suggested collaborative ways to redevelop. Whether collaboration is feasible or not is solely up to the private developers. Th"y are in turn, working with their potential tenants and financial partners. It serves no purpose for me to spe1l out or disclose any of those conversations until and unless the developers are ready to make their proposals to this board. Again, redevelopment should be kept confidential until all tenants are secured. Unfortunately, the public iikes to hear about tenants and equates that with work being done. I can assure you that there is a great deal of work that goes on behind the scenes before any of that can happen.

And to the issue of the Cify of Derby purchasing all of the private property - let me remind you that veqy generous offers wre rnade to the private landowners in the redevelopment area by the City of Derby and were fiutly refused. ff we were to go back and make offers, that would be asking the City o{ Derby taxpayers who can il1 afford to pay more in taxes to buy and sit on large parcels of land with no short or long term plan for realizing the benefits of acauing taxes on that properfy.

The Housatonic Railroad Company has beencontacted by the City of Derby on numerous occasions. hr fact, the City of Derby has made an offer to the rail company io no avai. There response was to leave empty rail cars out on the spur. We have also asked the State delegation to call and send letters - they did and there was no response. We are working with VCOG whose job it is to administer and oversee the finai design of Route 34 to incorporate any modifications that a developer may need to complete his developrnent. have met personally with the Commissioner of the Connecticut Deparhnent of Transportation and his Deputy Commissioner on several occasions. We have asked for the State Delegatior/s help on this project and we have contacted the Governor's Office. I am in constant contact with the Rights of Way point person at DOT - a name and m:mber which Attorneys and developers have gottenfromme. We have also brought developers to DOT to discuss redevelopment.
lAy'e

I am

a member and participant in the International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc, (ICSC). I have contacted and continue to remain in contact withpotential tenants that I believe the City of Derby would like to have in its downtovrn.

Mayor Staffieri and I believe strongly in the redevelopment of this parcel and will do in our power to see thathappen, however, it is my personal opinion that the City of Derby has a lot to offer regardless of the future d.evelopment of this piece.