Downtown Business Improvement District Minutes 05-20-2015

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      Downtown Muskegon Business Improvement District
                                   Meeting Minutes Form
                                        May 20, 2015
                   380 W. Western Ave., Suite 202 Muskegon, MI at 4PM


1) Call to Order: TIME 4:02PM
   Board Members Present: Doug Pollock-Chair, Mike Hennessy, Bruce Lindstrom, Gary Post,
   John Riegler, Bob Tarrant, Connie Taylor

   Absent: Justin Clark-Vice Chair, Frank Peterson

   Staff: Jonathan Seyferth, Executive Director Downtown Muskegon Now

2) Consent Agenda:
   G. Post motioned to approve the agenda and minutes as presented
   Support: B. Lindsotrm
   Vote – All voted in favor


3) Public Comment (on an agenda item) – The board chose to keep the floor open throughout
   the meeting allowing property owners to speak on any of the below issues as the board
   discusses each.

   No meeting attendees asked to speak at this point

4) Unfinished Business

   a) Discussion of Services
      Board members discussed how the billing would be handled.

      Staff let the board know that initially the discussion regarding billing had focused on
      issuing one assessment per year and attaching that to the winter tax bill mailed by the
      city. This would allow the Downtown Muskegon Business Improvement District to save
      on the cost of mailing a separate bill.

      Board members brought up the option of doing two bills, one in the summer and one in
      winter. It was thought this would be easier for property owners to manager.

      There were questions about developing a committee to look specifically at adverting. It
      was decided that a subcommittee would be formed to make advertising/marketing
      recommendation.



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Staff asked if the board was comfortable with the budget as presented.

G. Post noted that it might be a good idea to add a downtown art line item to the budget.
       There was a general discussion about this.

C. Taylor asked if there should be a discussion/planning before a final assessment is
set. Could we put out a survey from the property owners to get some additional by in.

M. Hennessy thought it could be a good informative step as well.

D. Pollock agreed that we could do a survey and that being proactive with a survey and
pushing more information out.

There was a question about creating committees to really dig into a few things and
making recommendations.

There were questions about the budget breakdown and if some of the categories
There was a question if advertising should be changed to advertising/marketing and
events.


New Business
                  a. Discussion of recommended assessment
                  Staff recommended an assessment/services based in Memo 2
                  Property owner, Alan Jager (owner of the Press Lot – at 1st and Clay)
                  brought up concerns about the assessment level (and the assessment
                  in general). He asked if his property could be zoned residential so he
                  wouldn’t be assessed. He’s concerned that Muskegon is going in the
                  wrong direction and is concerned this will drive away business and/or
                  force downtown property to become residential.
                  D. Pollock responded to Mr. Jager’s questions/statement and
                  explained that the desire is to do help enhance aspects of the
                  downtown and make it more attractive for investments of all kinds. It
                  was noted that we have the same goals to make things better.
                  G. Post – respectfully disagreed with the stance that Mr. Jager took.
                  He noted that not all the property in the downtown would be
                  residential.
                  D. Pollock – noted that it was important to hear these concerns from
                  owners in the district.
                  B. Terrant motioned that a 2015 assessment be recommended to the
                  city commission as outlined in Memo 2 from staff.
                  Support by B. Lindstorm


                                        2
                        All Voted in favor



   b) Setting annual meeting schedule
      The board chose not to set their annual meeting scheduled at this meeting. They felt
      waiting until September to have another meeting was too long of a break between
      meetings.

      Next meeting date was set for Wednesday, July 22 at 4PM


5) Other Business - NONE


6) Adjournment : 5:11PM

   No Objection




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