Henry Mestetsky, Carmel’s redevelopment director, briefed the council on commission activity, listing progress on City Center, Monon Square North, Magnolia unit construction, Hamlin Crossing, Presidium property status and work on the AT&T site and Audelon Plaza. He noted new retail openings (a sushi restaurant at The Muse and 1933 Lounge) and reported Civic Square condo sales and construction timelines for Icon and other projects.

Mestetsky also told the council the redevelopment commission plans to shift most regular meetings from 6:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. next year to save operating costs and because meetings are usually sparsely attended. Several councilors responded: one councilor said "I do not like when opinions are passed off as facts" and warned that moving meeting times could hinder public input; the presiding officer and other councilors said they had checked state law and city attorneys that indicate meeting hours are set by the law and by council authority. Mestetsky disagreed with the council’s legal interpretation, saying the CRC "may vote to set hours" and argued quorum and notice determine whether a meeting will take place.

Why it matters: Redevelopment projects described by Mestetsky cover substantial downtown and commercial parcels and will influence construction timelines and future council actions on bonds, term sheets and approvals. The meeting-time dispute raises transparency and access questions: moving regular daytime meetings may reduce in-person public participation on redevelopment votes that have statutory public-comment components.

What's next: Mestetsky said public-noticed meetings that require public input will still be scheduled later in the day on a case-by-case basis; councilors asked for additional clarification of legal authority and implementation details before the change takes effect.