Downtown Business Improvement District Minutes 02-23-2016

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      Downtown Muskegon Business Improvement District
                                      Meeting Minutes
                                     February 23, 2016
                   380 W. Western Ave., Suite 202 Muskegon, MI at 4 PM
1) Call to Order: 4:00 PM

2) Attendance:
       Doug Pollock (Chair), Justin Clark (VC), Bob Tarrant, Gary Post, Bruce Lindstrom and
       Frank Peterson

       Excused Absent(s):, Mike Hennessy, John Riegler and Connie Taylor

       Guests: Dave Alexander, Downtown Muskegon Now director; Ellen Berends, Downtown
       Muskegon Now events coordinator.

3) Consent Agenda

   a) Approval of Agenda

       Motion: Frank Peterson
       Support: Bruce Lindstrom
       Vote: All voted in favor

   b) Approval of Minutes from the Jan. 19, 2016 Meeting

       Motion: Frank Peterson
       Support: Bob Tarrant
       Vote: All voted in favor

   c) Approval of the financial statement from Feb. 18, 2016

       Motion: Frank Peterson
       Support: Justin Clark
       Vote: All voted in favor


4) Public Comment (on an agenda item) – None. The board chose to leave the floor open for
   the whole meeting allowing attendees to participate as they like.

5) Unfinished Business

   a) BID update from Dave Alexander, Downtown Muskegon Now. The BID assessments
      were sent out Feb. 1 by the city of Muskegon’s Finance Department. An expanded snow
      removal contract for the entire district was signed by H&H for Feb. 1 through April 15.
      DMN will prepare a Request for Proposals for seasonal landscaping starting this spring.
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6) New Business

   a) Dave Alexander presented last year’s spring, summer and fall landscaping RFP and
      contract. Planter flowers and upkeep were provided by O’Henry Gardens in a separate
      quote and contract. BID board members suggested getting prices for additional work
      including a Preen-like treatment for weed suppression, the cost of new weed barriers in
      the planting beds and a request for flowers in the planters to be fuller, earlier in the year.
      Alexander said that the three mowings of the three Downtown Muskegon Now lots along
      West Western Avenue will have a separate line item and be paid for not by the BID but
      the DMDC. No action needed.

   b) The BID board heard from Ellen Berends on the First Fridays events planned to begin in
      May and to expect a $2,500 request from the BID advertising/marketing and events line
      item for the new, family-friendly event each first Friday of the month. She also reported
      on a proposed downtown art sculpture competition of outdoor metal works and a
      planned GusMacker basketball tournament for the community foundation’s Clay Avenue
      parking lot July 23-24. Dave Alexander reported on the need to update the downtown
      map at Third Street and West Western Avenue. He will receive quotes and look for
      sponsorship funds outside of the banners and signage line item in the 2016 BID budget.
      No action needed.


   c) The meeting schedule for the remainder of 2016: The fourth Tuesday of every other
      month. March 22, May 24, July 26, September 27 and November 22. Meetings are at 4
      p.m. in the Downtown Muskegon Now offices at 380 W. Western Ave., Suite 202,
      Muskegon, MI

       Motion: Gary Post
       Support: Bob Tarrant
       Vote: All in favor


7) Other business
   Board members discussed need by mid-summer to begin the process of continuing the BID
   and its assessments in 2017 and beyond. It was suggested that as BID funds services and
   improvements, marketing and promotional efforts point out those investments.

8) Adjournment
   5:10 PM
   No Objection


Minutes produced and submitted by Dave Alexander, executive director of Downtown
Muskegon Now.



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