Resident urges more Main Street activation and proposes large public viewing screen; board discusses banners and pier repairs

John Nicholson, a resident addressing items 5 and 7 during public comment, criticized earlier property dispositions and urged the board to consider stronger activation of Main Street. "Why you gave away 2 properties in the last year, free of charge," Nicholson said, adding he had not known about those transfers until after they occurred. He urged the CRA to consider using a large blank wall on Wild Olive for a 40‑by‑40 (or larger) outdoor screen to host World Cup, Super Bowl, and playoff viewing events and said the city or CRA could fund the screen while nearby businesses would benefit from increased foot traffic.

Board members and staff responded with a mix of support and procedural caution. A staff member noted the pier is scheduled for major repairs and that banners and murals may need to wait until plywood and structural work are addressed; staff estimated roughly $1,000,000 of improvements on the pier. Members praised recent events (4th of July, Rum Fest), suggested more banner and mural opportunities and asked staff to look into parking‑app coordination and whether banner placements on private roofs had been arranged through the city's business‑enterprise office.

No binding action followed John Nicholson's comments; the board thanked him for the suggestion and encouraged staff to evaluate feasibility and coordination with property owners and the county for any temporary outdoor‑screen location.