BRADENTON — The Bradenton Downtown Development Authority and the three city community redevelopment agencies are locked into 2015-16 budgets with few expendable revenues, which could change in the next budget cycle with an expiring $1.3 million annual interlocal agreement with Manatee County freeing up money sooner than expected.
That possibility has put pressure on Bradenton City Council to move the transition along. The council assumed control Jan. 1 of the three city CRAs.
The council held a couple workshops on the transition but little progress has been made until recently with a scheduled Wednesday meeting — the council’s first as the CRA board. The council is expected to establish the Central Community Redevelopment Agency Board as an advisory body, but it’s unclear whether the DDA will continue as an advisory board of the Bradenton and 14th Street West CRAs, which it has long overseen.