The Downtown Development Authority’s (DDA) access to power was a prime focus of the Blue Ridge City Council meeting Thursday, April 7.
“When the city of Blue Ridge created the DDA, it essentially conferred upon it the powers that were allowed under state law,” City Attorney Chuck Conerly told the council.
City Councilman Jack Taylor expressed concern by asking Conerly if the city had any control of the DDA. Conerly had a simple answer of “yes.”
Unless the DDA has an independent source of revenue, they must derive their revenue from the city itself, according to Conerly.
Taylor questioned again, “we created it; can we dissolve it?” Conerly implied that the dissolving of the DDA is possible.
City Councilman William Whaley was quick to express that the dissolving of the DDA was “not a good idea.”
Taylor continued with questions asking, “so, they want to buy $60,000 worth of signs, and the city council says ‘no,’ do we have that authority?”
It was made clear by Conerly that the council has the authority to deny a check for $60,000 since the DDA receives its funds from the city when he stated, “you have the authority not to write a check.”
City Councilwoman Angie Arp was under the impression that the DDA is not aware that they are not in charge of their funds through the city. Arp stated, “this isn’t the DDA’s money, but Cesar says ‘yes it is.’” Cesar Martinez is the Vice Chairman of the DDA.
Blue Ridge Mayor Rhonda Haight suggested adding a by-law stating that the DDA cannot “enter into a contract unless they have approval.”
“What would resolve it all, would be, is they don’t even go out and start negotiations about something unless they approve it by the city council,” Arp said.
Haight stood for the DDA saying that Martinez did bring the signage project to former Mayor Donna Whitener. Instead of applying the issue of signage to an agenda, Whitener got verbal agreement from everyone on the council during the time. “That’s what made them feel they had the authority to do it,” she continued, “that’s why we have got to get it in place to do it correctly.”
The order for the new signage has already been turned in to Signal Signs and is “waiting in the next que to be created,” according to Haight. She also mentioned that some of the signs may not fit the sign ordinance that Blue Ridge has set in place and that it “could be addressed that way.”
The council then spoke about potential plans to stop the project where it is at until they know more.
“Stop it where it is right now; whatever we owe, we pay,” Taylor concluded, “we take over the project of the signs.”
The council did not reach a final decision and no item was voted on.