Downtown Business Improvement District Minutes 11-27-2018

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Downtown Muskegon Business Improvement District
                                     Meeting Minutes
                                      Nov. 27, 2018
                          380 Western Ave., Suite 202 Muskegon, MI at 4 PM


1) Call to Order: 4:01 PM
   Attendance: Clyde Whitehouse, Bob Tarrant, Gary Post (Vice Chairman), John Riegler,
   Bruce Lindstrom and Doug Pollock (Chairman)

       Excused Absent(s): Phyllis Watson-Laudermill, Frank Peterson and Mike Hennessy.

       Guests: Dave Alexander, Downtown Muskegon Now director, Karen Benson of GROW,
       Dennis Lohman.

2) Consent Agenda

       a) Approval of Agenda, minutes May 22, 2018, and acceptance of the financial
          statements as of Aug. 31 and Oct. 31, 2018. Without a quorum at the Sept. 25,
          2018 meeting, approval of the snow removal plan for 2018-19.

       Motion: John Riegler
       Support: Clyde Whitehouse
       Vote: All voted in favor


3) Public Comment (on an agenda item) – The board chose to leave the floor open for the
   whole meeting allowing attendees to participate as they like. Karen Benson from GROW
   introduced herself. She is a Muskegon-based business development specialist for the
   business financing agency in Grand Rapids.

4) New Business


     a) Dave Alexander provided an update on the Downtown Muskegon Now and Downtown
        Development Authority merger that was agreed to among the two boards. There was a
        general discussion and how the BID might fit into the new downtown management and
        policy-making arrangement. The increase in downtown resources through the DDA is
        a good issue to face. Alexander said it was anticipated that he would move his work
        from DMN to the DDA, remain in his current location and continue to provide staff
        services to the BID. Details will become clearer as DMN and the DDA move toward an
        anticipated July 1 merger.

       b) Dave Alexander presented the 2019 BID budget. It is a status quo spending plan
          from 2018. He suggested continuing as if the merger was not going to happen and

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           then readjust if need be after July 1. The budget showed $161,647 in anticipated
           revenues down due to unfavorable Michigan Tax Tribunal decisions for the BID.
           The spending plan for was reduced to $161,647 with a $3,147 contingency. The
           major cut was done in the marketing, events and promotion line item reduced to
           $15,500. The estimated fund balance at the end of 2018 was approximately
           $50,000.

   Motion to approve the 2019 budget: Doug Pollock
   Support: Bob Tarrant
   Vote: All voted in favor


     c) Dave Alexander gave an update on the new community Christmas Tree for Hackley
        Park. The BID contributed $5,000 from its 2019 streetscape fund and committed
        $5,000 from its 2019 streetscape fund. The tree was unveiled for this season at the
        Nov. 24 community tree lighting event that kicked off Holidays in the City. raised the
        issue of planter locations for this summer. After some discussion of the options for the
        61 planters, a consensus formed to move about five planters from Western Avenue
        and Third Street and place them along Second Street from Western to Clay and along
        Clay Avenue at Jefferson. The board directed Dave Alexander to make those
        adjustments to better spread out the BID landscaping through the district. No formal
        action was taken. Alexander also shared with the board the downtown decorations
        contract with Christmas Creations by Bailey for $8,650, the same vendor the BID has
        used the past two years and longer.

       d) The BID board reviewed its 2019 meeting dates having the board meet every other
          month on the fourth Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of
          Commerce Training Room, 380 W. Western Suite 202, Muskegon, MI 49440. Those
          dates will be Jan. 22, March 26, May 28, July 23, Sept. 24 and Nov. 26.

   Motion to approve the 2019 meeting dates: John Riegler
   Support: Clyde Whitehouse
   Vote: All voted in favor

5) Other Business

     a) Dave Alexander gave a report on Holidays in the City and the marketing efforts DMN is
        taking on behalf of the BID to support downtown retailing this Christmas season.
        $2,500 of the marketing, events and promotion budget cover those expenses. No
        action was taken.


6) Adjournment
   4:59 PM
   No Objection
Minutes produced and submitted by Dave Alexander, executive director of Downtown
Muskegon Now.
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