Aggie Square EIFD Public Financing Authority Inaugural Meeting - November 18, 2020

The Aggie Square Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) Public Financing Authority (PFA) held its inaugural special meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. via teleconference due to COVID-19. The board consists of Councilmember Jay Schenirer (District 5), Councilmember Eric Guerra (District 6), and public members Nicolina Hernandez and Joni Titherington; Councilmember Rick Jennings was absent. Staff introduced the board, and members shared their backgrounds. The meeting focused on organizational matters, election of officers, and an overview of the EIFD/PFA roles and responsibilities.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1 (Introduction to the Ralph M. Brown Act, Public Records Act, Council Rules, and Rosenberg's Rules of Order): Received and filed unanimously. This item provided background on the legal framework governing the PFA.
• Item 2 (Resolution Directing the Preparation of an Infrastructure Financing Plan, Adopting a Conflict of Interest Code, Establishing a Regular Meeting Date, and Adopting CEQA Guidelines): This item was pulled from the consent calendar for discussion to allow election of the board's chair and vice chair. After electing officers, the board moved to the next agenda item without a separate recorded vote on the resolution itself; the transcript does not show a formal vote on the resolution's adoption, though the board proceeded as if it would be considered later.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were received via the phone line or eComment during the meeting. The presiding officer noted, "We had no callers for public comments on any agenda items."

Discussion Items

• Election of Chair and Vice Chair: Councilmember Guerra nominated Councilmember Schenirer as chair, citing that the EIFD boundaries are largely within District 5. Councilmember Schenirer nominated Councilmember Guerra as vice chair for easier access to staff. The motion passed unanimously (4-0).
• Roles and Responsibilities Overview: David Fama of Jones Hall (legal counsel) provided an overview of EIFDs. He explained that an EIFD is a tax increment financing district that captures increases in property tax revenue (including possessory interest tax from private leases on UC Davis property) within a defined boundary to finance community-wide improvements. The PFA is the body that will form the district after three public hearings, each at least 30 days apart. At the third hearing, a formal protest process occurs: if more than 50% of landowners/residents protest, the district must be abandoned; 25–50% forces a vote; less than 25% allows the board to proceed. The Infrastructure Financing Plan (IFP) is being drafted by a consultant, with a first draft recently released; it is expected to come before the board around January 2021.
• Fund Usage and Boundaries: Board members discussed that IFP funds must be spent per the plan, which can be amended annually, and that funds could potentially be used outside the EIFD boundaries for benefits like affordable housing. The proposed boundaries cover the UC Davis Health campus, some private parcels on Second Avenue, and a corner at Broadway and Stockton, with most property owned by UC Davis.
• Next Steps: The board will hold its next meeting on December 1, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom, where the draft IFP will be reviewed. The PFA will also hire separate legal counsel, as the city attorney's office cannot represent this separate body. Public outreach will include at least five or six meetings (three public hearings plus council and board reviews), and an annual report will be mailed to all owners and residents within the district.

Key Outcomes

• Elected Officers: Jay Schenirer as Chair and Eric Guerra as Vice Chair (unanimous).
• Consent Item 1: Approved unanimously (receive and file).
• No vote recorded on Resolution 2020-1330 (Item 2) in the transcript; the board elected officers and moved on, but the resolution's adoption was not explicitly called.
• Next Meeting: Scheduled for December 1, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. to review the draft IFP.
• Hiring of Legal Counsel: The PFA will contract separate legal counsel (to be presented on December 1).

Note: The transcript indicates no formal vote on the resolution for preparing the IFP and adopting conflict of interest code, despite it being on the agenda. The board may have intended to handle it later; this discrepancy is noted.