Leesburg CRA priorities: cameras, message boards and neighborhood facilities discussed

At the start of the Jan. 12 meeting, commissioners reviewed goals for the city’s Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) informed by recent attendance at the Florida Redevelopment Association conference.

Commissioner Alderman read a multi-point list of priorities for Carver Heights and surrounding neighborhoods: improved resident communications using electronic gateway message boards at neighborhood entry points, sidewalk repairs and extensions on Tuskegee Street and Waitemann, a multipurpose community center modeled on a nearby community center, a basketball court at Berry Park, a potential speed hump on Simmons Avenue and the creation of dedicated CRA staff or consultant support to assist multiple CRAs.

Commissioners and staff also discussed public-safety cameras for Barrie/Berry Park. City staff described a plan to add six cameras to increase coverage and said the capital cost would be approximately $40,000 and that fiber connectivity would add about $2,000 per year in ongoing costs; staff said the work is within the city manager’s spending authority and budgeted. Commissioners expressed support and asked staff to proceed and to include related items in the upcoming budget planning process.

Commissioners asked for and were promised follow-up: staff will email a more detailed CRA balance and will include these proposed items for discussion during budget preparation beginning in March. The CRA items are advisory direction to staff and budget planners; no formal budget appropriation was taken at the meeting.

Commissioner Alderman said she would provide her written list to the clerk and the city manager for inclusion in upcoming budget discussions.