Apr. 11--The crowd cheered Tuesday night after the Key West City Commission unanimously approved Tax Increment Fund money to rehab Bahama Village landmarks Cornish Memorial AME Zion Church and Bethel AME Church.

But then, as Tuesday's vote on a similar allocation for the Masonic Lodge came up, Commissioner Barry Gibson raised a question about oversight. He noted there is no language in any of the relevant documents regarding money management.

All of a sudden, the mood of the crowd turned. Eyebrows arched and the two dozen Bahama Village residents, most affiliated with one of the three organizations up for funding, began to whisper.

Gibson later told the Keynoter, "Somebody has to manage the contractors. I'm not sure the church elders are construction managers."

One of the projects, $417,000 for a three-phase renovation of Cornish Memorial AME Zion Church on Whitehead Street in Key West's Bahama Village, includes everything from repairs to the bell tower and turrets, new siding, refurbished stain glass and Americans with Disabilities Act improvements.

"I don't think that taxpayer money should be wasted," Gibson said. "This is looking out for the church and looking out for the TIF fund. Oversight is so important."

In the commission chambers on Tuesday, Pastor James Thornton from Cornish told the commission that he would oversee the project. That didn't seem to sway a majority on the dais.

After some discussion, Commissioner Teri Johnston ultimately directed city staff to act in an oversight capacity for how the money is used.

City Manager Jim Scholl looked slightly puzzled, now asked to oversee three construction projects with a total budget of $539,000 -- the work at Cornish as well as $62,000 worth of improvements at Bethel AME, 223 Truman Ave., and $60,000 in improvements at the Masonic Lodge at 328 Truman

Gibson said the oversight would probably fall to Assistant City Manager Mark Finigan, who oversees city finances, among other things.

"It's not his job," Gibson said. "They're busy in there. All we're doing is giving more work to staff and it's a problem." But "there's just not a whole lot of regulations attached to this money."

The so-called TIF money is a special property tax fund that can be used only for redevelopment projects in Bahama Village.

Before the approvals, there was $610,000 in the fund, rolled over from the previous fiscal year.

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