CRESTVIEW — Citing the potential for violations of state Sunshine Law, city attorney Jerry Miller suggested the Community Redevelopment Agency "re-evaluate" a recently appointed citizens advisory committee.
With board member Joe Blocker casting the lone dissenting vote, the CRA board voted 4-1 to heed the attorney's advice, and dissolved the committee on Monday.
Miller suggested the Main Street Crestview Association could serve in the capacity as the advisory committee, which it already does to an extent.
But board president Robyn Helt said the association's purview doesn't cover the entire CRA district.
"I think they (the Main Street Association members) do a great job in promoting the Main Street area, but having more people involved would give us a broader perspective," Helt said.
Miller said the composition of the board, including a member of the media, WAAZ-WJSB radio's Cal Zethmayr, and merchants who might inadvertently discuss ideas, could be a "perfect storm as far as public meeting law is concerned."
After the vote dissolved the committee, Helt asked that the board itself consider several projects previously discussed, including a linear park connecting downtown and Twin Hills Park.
Helt said she had recently discussed the project with city consultant Jack Dorman, who said, "the state loves them" (linear parks) and called it, "one of the best ideas he's heard in a long time."
Helt also reported the Economic Development Council has been asked to assemble a workshop to gather experts in "kind of a roundtable forum" to suggest effective uses for leveraging CRA funds.
The workshop could be held soon in 2014.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Potential Sunshine Law conflicts lead CRA to dissolve advisory committee