Move to dismiss redevelopment firm fails

A company that Pompano Beach pays to direct tens of millions in taxpayer money toward reducing blight and stimulating economic development is facing questions about its directors.

The city pays Redevelopment Management Associates $1.2 million a year for overseeing the investment of taxpayer money in the northwest section and beachside.

In 2015, the directors of the company, Kim Breisemeister and Chris Brown, purchased three parcels in the redevelopment areas under the names of two companies they own: Old Towne Flagler LLC and East Village 2300 LLC.

After discovering these purchases last week, Commissioner Michael Sobel called for an emergency meeting on Tuesday, asking to terminate the redevelopment company’s contract with the city. There’s an appearance that the directors might be choosing projects with their personal interests in mind, Sobel said.

And Commissioner Perkins agreed.

“They are here to work for us, not against us and not for their personal pockets,” Perkins said.

Sobel said he wants to protect the city against charges the money has been misused. The commission should have been informed of the company’s interest every time the commission considered any city-funded improvements that might change the value of those properties, he said.

Breisemeister said Beverly she followed all the rules, however. The previous city manager received written notice about the properties’ purchase and she sought a legal opinion on whether it was proper.

“We’ve but said.

The effort to dismiss Breisemeister and her company as the city’s redevelopment company ultimately failed. No laws were broken, according to the city lawyer who oversees the city community redevelopment agency. And the majority of never been anything transparent,” she the commission agreed.

Mayor Lamar Fisher and Commissioner Rex Hardin said they were verbally told about the property purchases. And a number of people stepped forward to praise the redevelopment company’s efforts.

“I’ve seen a lot of cities that spent a lot of money [on redevelopment] and you’d look around and say, ‘Where’d that money go?’” said Greg Lieberman, of 26 Degree Brewing Co.

After talking to Redevelopment Management Associates, Lieberman said locating his business in Pompano was “a no-brainer.”

Whitney Rawls is the chairman of the advisory committee for Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency’s northwest district, which contracts with RMA. He said finding out about the property purchases was “heartbreaking.”

“It puts the company in direct competition with what we are trying to do,” he said.

ageggis@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6624, or @AnneBoca .