The Stewart Community Redevelopment Agency on July 28 approved business improvement grant awards for FY2025 cycle 2 and unanimously approved a budget amendment to advance an East Stewart demolition and new construction project, conditioned on receipt of external funding paperwork. CRA staff said the recommendations followed CRB review and a unanimous CRB recommendation for option 3 on the grant awards.

Staff told the board the packet before members included two eligible small-business grant applications for the cycle; the CRB had recommended funding and the CRA approved the awards and a small fund transfer (staff cited $6,151 to cover potential maximum match scenarios). The CRA vote to award the grants and make the funding transfer was unanimous among voting CRA members.

On a separate item, staff requested authority to amend the FY2025 CRA budget to accommodate a pending $4,000,000 award for East Stewart demolition and replacement construction. Staff said the external paperwork for the grant was expected imminently and asked the CRA to approve a contingent budget amendment so procurement and construction deadlines would not be missed. The CRA approved the contingent budget amendment and staff said the item will also appear before the City Commission for execution of contracts and transfer of funds; staff said title to the property and completed facility would rest with the City of Stuart.

Board members asked procedural questions about ownership and timing. Staff clarified the CRA would provide funding and the city would receive title and manage contract execution; staff also said the city commission item could be rolled to Aug. 11 if required. The budget amendment vote passed on a unanimous voice/roll-call vote of the CRA members present.

Ending: The CRA's actions allow staff to proceed with the two business grants and to move forward with procurement steps for the East Stewart project as soon as the expected external funds arrive and the City Commission completes required approvals.