Council opens EDA enabling‑resolution hearing but tables action until full council can attend

The New Prague City Council opened a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Economic Development Authority (EDA) enabling resolution but tabled any vote until the full council can hear public comment.

Josh, the EDA executive director, told the council the attorney recommended two main edits: add a new Section 5.16 requiring the EDA to review its strategic plan annually and keep the council informed, and remove conflicting language in Section 6.2 and 6.3 while clarifying 6.4 so the EDA may bond for council‑approved projects. “The city council has given the EDA no more power than it had before,” Josh said, describing the edits as “cleaning up language in its enabling resolution.”

Eric Thorson, a resident, asked whether including the city as an economic‑development district would automatically change EDA boundaries if the city annexes new land; staff replied that expanding the district would require the EDA to hold its own public hearing to add newly annexed areas. That process would involve a property‑by‑property review if the council later elects to declare areas slum and blight for certain grant uses.

Councilmembers debated whether to hold the hearing with two members absent. One member argued the council should not vote later without hearing the public comments in full; council ultimately voted to table the matter, keeping the hearing open and instructing staff to reopen public comment at the next meeting so absent members can participate.

Next steps: staff will return the redlined enabling resolution for another council meeting so the full body can act after any additional public comment.