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1) Lownkown
muskegon
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Downtown Muskegon Business Improvement District
Special Meeting Agenda
July 18, 2022
4 p.m.
Muskegon City Hall
Conference Room 204
933 Terrace, Muskegon, MI
1) Call to Order
2) Public Comment (on an agenda item)
3) New Business
a) Request for funding for immediate upgrade to downtown maintenance (staff)
b) Staff preparation for bidding of downtown landscaping for 2023 (information)
4) Other Business
a) Next meeting Sept. 26, 2022 or the call of the chair.
5) Adjournment
To: Downtown Business Improvement District board , ed .
W
/
From: Dave Alexander, city business development manager
Re: Downtown stakeholder request for immediate upgrade of downtgwn landscaping and
beautification
Date: 7-14-22
City DPW Director Leo Evans and Muskegon chamber President Cindy Larsen called together a
meeting of downtown stakeholders. A robust group met this week including representation
from city management, city DPW, city parks, city clerk, the Downtown Muskegon Development
Corp., Muskegon community foundation, MuskegonCity Public Art Initiative and the chamber,
representing several of its members who are downtown and pay BID special assessments.
The reason for the meeting was to assess the less than acceptable look of the downtown this
first half of the summer and how to rectify it. The consensus was that the condition of
downtown this summer has not met expectations of past years. The consensus was that the
downtown remains very important to the community prosperity and image and must look its
best. The group agreed that work needs to be done to improve downtown from now through
fall.
The BID pays the DPW for landscaping services and Barry’s Flowers for planter services. The
planters were a bit delayed this year but are in and flourishing. The landscaping mulch, weeding
the landscaping beds and irrigation has also been behind schedule. Those items are not up to
the standards expected.
City staff owns the current situation and agrees to work on improvements. | offer the following
reasons not as excuses but as explanations of why this year has been different:
e Personnel has changed dramatically from last summer. Two retirements and one
resignation left two new managers and an irrigation technician doing first-time work.
e Barry’s Flowers has new ownership and management.
e As with every organization and business, labor has been difficult to secure and DPW has
partially relied on youth crews from the Boys and Girls Club and Community enCompass.
e Downtown’s Western Avenue had sidewalk construction and two buildings under
construction that caused disruptions.
e Michigan is in a mild draught and sprinkling delays has resulted in issues with the grass
in the medians.
e DPW has put undue time toward getting the children’s splash pad up and operating as it
was totally inoperable to start the season.
e Anewmayor and city commissioners have directed staff to concentrate more on
neighborhood parks which has taken focus away from downtown.
For the second half of the summer, there is a commitment to get downtown back to the
standards and look of the past few years. As the current landscaping matures, more time and
materials will be needed to keep that look. The plan is to make improvements between now
and fall with the hopes of having the downtown in a better position next spring.
Some immediate work can be done by DPW and some by private contractors. The BID is being
asked to financially support that additional work. The staff recommendation on funding is
found on the agenda request sheet.
In the meantime, city staff will work on bid documents to solicit private landscape contractors
for the summer of 2023. Once the cost is known of creating the downtown that is desired by
all, the hard work begins of putting a funding plan together that is sustainable for the long
term.
Finally, the boulevard on Shoreline Drive is actually looking worse than Western Avenue. But it
is not in the BID and not a “downtown issue” even though it reflects on downtown. BID funds
cannot be used outside of the BID and can’t help solve the Shoreline Drive landscapng issues.
Muskegon Downtown Business Improvement District
Agenda item A for 7-18-22
Request for additional funds for summer downtown maintenance
Requesting party: City Economic Development
Outline of request: Staff is asking the BID board to release funds from its fund balance to
augment the $26,500 already approved for downtown landscaping.
Background: Please see financial statement, DPW-BID letter of understanding on 2022
landscaping, Barry’s 2022 downtown planter agreement and a staff memo.
Staff comments: A financial statement from June 30, 2022 shows the BID has $170,241 in the
bank on account with the city. That does not include payments owed city DPW for winter
sidewalk snow removal ($43,145 plus up to $6,000 for pet friendly de-icing materials) and for
this summer’s landscaping ($26,500). That would bring the BID bank to $94,596. Going into this
next winter the BID would pay about $20,000 in snow removal by the end of the calendar year.
That would give the BID $74,596 in fund balance as it enters 2023, the last of its current three-
year special assessment. Staff estimates that the additional downtown work by DPW and/or
private contractors would cost $30,000.
Staff recommendation: To approve $30,000 from BID fund balance to improve the look of
downtown Muskegon from now until early fall, preparing the landscaping for 2023.
Suggested motion: | move to authorize up to $30,000 in BID funds for additional
landscaping/beautification for immediate use in the downtown.
07/12/2022 02:52 PM GL ACTIVITY REPORT FOR CITY OF MUSKEGON Page: 1/2
Whee FROM 297-00000-1101 TO 297-00000-1101
= g TRANSACTIONS FROM 07/01/2020 TO 06/30/2022
Date JNL Type Description Reference # Debits Credits Balance
Fund 297 DOWNTOWN MUSKEGON BID
Assets
Department 00000
07/01/2020 297-00000-1101 CASH IN BANK BEG. BALANCE 176,812.99
07/13/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 21964 (E) 42.34 176,770.65
07/24/2020 CD CHK MUSKEGON ROTARY CLUB 541135 1,000.00 175,770.65
07/27/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 22044 (E) 65.00 175,705.65
07/31/2020 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6310 73.44 175,.779:.09
08/10/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 22191 (E) 45.00 175,734.09
08/31/2020 GJ JE SUMMER 2020 BID SERVICES 6342 24,050.00 151,684.09
08/31/2020 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6407 68.22 151,.752..31
09/08/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 22496 (E) 45.00 151,707.31
09/21/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 22557 (E) 112..50 151,594.81
09/25/2020 CD CHK MUSKEGON COUNTY EQUALIZATION 541404 400.00 151,194.81
09/25/2020 CD CHK MUSKEGON ROTARY CLUB 541405 1,000.00 150,194.81
09/30/2020 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6443 62.91 150,257.72
10/05/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 22701 (E) 1,042.88 149,214.84
10/09/2020 CD CHK CITY TREASURER 541444 203.88 149,010.96
10/19/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 22800 (E) 70.97 148,939.99
10/28/2020 GJ JE ADMIN FEES FOR BID REIM TO DDA 6367 50,000.00 98,939.99
10/31/2020 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6444 51.92 98,991.91
11/02/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 22923 (E) 45.00 98,946.91
11/13/2020 CD CHK MUSKEGON MUSEUM OF ART 541650 200.00 98,746.91
11/27/2020 CD CHK JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS INC 541695 4,365.00 94,381.91
11/30/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 23039 (E) 545.00 93,836.91
11/30/2020 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6511 40.17 93,877.08
12/11/2020 CD CHK LAKESHORE CREATIVE SERVICES 23089 (A) 500.00 93,377.08
12/11/2020 CD CHK CHRISTMAS CREATIONS BY BAILEY 541728 9,675.00 83,702.08
12/11/2020 CD CHK RAMOS AND SONS 541773 350.00 83,352.08
12/22/2020 CD CHK IHEART MEDIA 541812 700.00 82,652.08
12/22/2020 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 541831 2,670.00 79,982.08
12/22/2020 CD CHK TERRASCAPE ARCHITECTS INC 541832 2,200.00 77,782.08
12/28/2020 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 23234 (E) 375.00 717,407.08
12/31/2020 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6538 35.68 77,442.76
01/22/2021 CD CHK CITY TREASURER 541883 300.00 77,142.76
01/22/2021 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 541938 2,615.00 74,527.76
01/31/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6909 31.66 74,559.42
02/12/2021 CD CHK TERRASCAPE ARCHITECTS INC 542049 2,200.00 72,359.42
02/26/2021 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 542135 3,735.00 68,624.42
02/28/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6910 29.83 68,654.25
03/12/2021 CD CHK BARRY'S FLOWER SHOP 542148 7,000.00 61,654.25
03/12/2021 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 542200 4,215.00 57,439.25
03/23/2021 CR RCPT SUMMARY CR POSTING: 03/23/2021 SPEC 418.18 57,857.43
03/29/2021 GJ JE 2020 BID PAYOUT TO CITY 6629 98,351.35 156,208.78
03/31/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6912 46.85 156,255.63
04/23/2021 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 542362 75.00 156,180.63
04/30/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6913 65.09 156,245.72
05/17/2021 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 24309 (E) 35.00 156,210.72
05/31/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 6949 65.10 156,275.82
06/25/2021 CD CHK BARRY'S FLOWER SHOP 542605 2,000.00 154,275.82
06/30/2021 GJ JE TO RECORD BID PYMT TO CITY FOR SNOW 6878 35,000.00 119,275.82
06/30/2021 GJ JE SUMMER 2020 BID SERVICES 6915 2,884.72 116,391.10
06/30/2021 GJ JE DIST OF FUNDS FROM 2019 SETTLEMENT 7044 16,537.02 132,928.12
06/30/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS Tis 60.25 132,988.37
07/01/2021 2021-22 Fiscal Year Begin 132,988.37
07/30/2021 CD CHK MUSKEGON LAKESHORE CHAMBER OF COMM 24898 (A) 2,000.00 130,988.37
07/31/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 7464 55.00 131,043.37
08/31/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 7465 54.60 131,097.97
09/30/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 7467 54.59 131,152.56
10/08/2021 CD CHK WEST MICHIGAN RUM COMPANY 543357 4,000.00 127,152.56
10/26/2021 CR RCPT SUMMARY CR POSTING: 10/26/2021 SPEC 3,972.68 131,125.24
10/29/2021 CD CHK WEST MICHIGAN RUM COMPANY 25798 (A) 1,202.26 129,922.98
10/31/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 7505 54.39 129,977.37
11/01/2021 GJ JE RECORD SPRING/SUMMER WESTERN AVE COS’ 7319 20,239.06 109,738.31
11/26/2021 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 543578 1,335.00 108,403.31
11/30/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 7556 49.66 108,452.97
12/13/2021 CR RCPT SUMMARY CR POSTING: 12/13/2021 SPEC 662.11 109,115.08
12/21/2021 CR RCPT SUMMARY CR POSTING: 12/21/2021 SPEC 975.74 110,090.82
12/31/2021 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 1837 45.51 110,136.33
01/14/2022 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 543794 560.00 109,576.33
01/28/2022 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 543861 2,455.00 107, 7121-33
01/28/2022 CD CHK TERRASCAPE ARCHITECTS INC 543864 4,400.00 102,721.33
01/31/2022 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 7637 44.35 102,765.68
02/09/2022 CR RCPT SUMMARY CR POSTING: 02/09/2022 SPEC 801.51 103,567.19
02/18/2022 CD CHK DOBB PRINTING 26789 (A) 73.90 103,493.29
02/25/2022 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 543991 3,895.00 99,598.29
02/28/2022 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS tiey 42.16 99,640.45
03/08/2022 CR RCPT SUMMARY CR POSTING: 03/08/2022 SPEC 100.90 99,741.35
03/11/2022 CD CHK BARRY'S FLOWER SHOP 544014 7,750.00 91,991.35
03/31/2022 GJ JE INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS 77192 39.92 92,031.27
04/19/2022 GJ JE 2021 BID PAYOUT TO CITY 7776 97,908.56 189,939.83
04/22/2022 CD CHK BARRY'S FLOWER SHOP 544202 6,000.00 183, 939.83
05/23/2022 GJ JE ADMIN FEES FOR BID REIM TO DDA 7860 17,000.00 166,939.83
06/01/2022 CR RCPT SUMMARY CR POSTING: 06/01/2022 SPEC 1,742.40 168, 682.23
* 06/13/2022 CD CHK BANK OF AMERICA 28129 (E) 3,000.00 165, 682.23
06/24/2022 CD CHK SUMMIT LAWNCARE & SNOWPLOWING 544547 6,470.00 159,212.23
06/30/2022 GJ JE DIST OF FUNDS FROM 2021 SETTLEMENT 7994 11,028.77 170,241.00
06/30/2022 297-00000-1101 END BALANCE 233,570.52 240,142.51 170,241.00
07/12/2022 02:52 PM Page: 2/2
GL ACTIVITY REPORT FOR CITY OF MUSKEGON
User: jessica. rabe
FROM 297-00000-1101 TO 297-00000-1101
DB: Muskegon
TRANSACTIONS FROM 07/01/2020 TO 06/30/2022
Date JNL Type Description Reference # Debits Credits Balance
TOTAL FOR DEPARTMENT 00000 33,070.52 40, (42Z735T
TOTAL Assets 233,570.52 240,142.51 170,241.00
TOTAL FOR FUND 297 DOWNTOWN MUSKEGON BID 233,570.52 240,142.51 170,241.00
Letter of Understanding
City of Muskegon DPW and Muskegon Downtown Business Improvement District
This is a Letter of Understanding between the Muskegon downtown Business Improvement District (BID)
and city of Muskegon Department of Public Works (city) concerning landscaping in downtown
Muskegon for the spring, summer and fall of 2022. City and BID officials will work together to provide
superior service for the best presentation of downtown possible.
The BID board voted in 2018 to accept the offer of the city of Muskegon to provide landscape services
through the summer of 2020. This agreement continues those services through 2022. That offer excludes
preparation and maintenance of the flower planters throughout the BID district. The planter work will be
done for the BID by Barry's Flower Shop of Muskegon for summer 2022,
The city will perform the work below in the areas shown on the accompanying map on a time and
material basis not to exceed $26,500. Note that that the agreement and price for 2022, like 2020 and
2021, includes maintenance of new landscape areas in Midtown along Third Street from Muskegon to
Merrill avenues. However, it removes weeding of the rock beds in the DMDC parking lot behind the Hines
Building and the Russell Block buildings (Morris Avenue Second to Third).
Scope of Work
Lawn Fertilization/Weed Control
- 4 fertilization applications on medians and terraces between Third Street and Terrace Street
along Western Avenue
o Spring (completed by June 1)
o Early Summer (completed by July 30)
o Late Summer (completed by September 30)
o Fall/Winterized (completed by Nov. 30)
- Atthe same time, apply liquid weed control to the service area including:
o Cracks
o Curb lines
o Landscaping beds
o Along buildings
o Alcoa Celebration Square rock beds at First Street and West Western Avenue
Spring Clean Up
- Removal of lawn and landscaping area debris
- Cut all ornamental grasses and annual plants to spring start height
- Remove all day Lilly dead loss and cleanout beds
- Removal all trash from landscaped beds, curbs, & open fields
- Haul all yard waste from site
- Clean-up of curb lines and dress property for appearance
- Clean-up landscaping rocks (moving back into islands) in the parking lots behind the Hines
Building & Russell Block
Hardwood Mulch Installation & Bed Prep
- Pull weeds, and remove all debris from bark beds
- Install sod cut edge and prep all corners of landscaping beds
- Haul and spread shredded hardwood bark 2” deep in beds on Western Avenue between Terrace
and Third Streets, Including around the Third/Western traffic circte.
Trimming and Pruning
- Trim & prune shrubs, bushes & trees to promote healthy growth and uniformity
- Remove and dispose of trimming debris
Fall cleanu
- Leaf removal from plantings between Terrace Street and Third Street along West Western
Avenue and in the Olthoff Stage area of Third Street between West Western and Clay avenues.
Special Instructions
Downtown Muskegon hosts several festivals thought out the summer, set up for these festivals begins on
the following dates and efforts should be made to ensure regular maintenance doesn't interfere with event
setup/activities, COVID-19 public health restrictions might force the cancellation of events for the summer
of 2022. The city will turn off irrigation the day before the noted set-up start dates.
Event Set-up Starts Event times Breakdown
Parties in the Park Fridays 3-5 pm Summer Fridays 5-9 pm Same night
Taste of Muskegon Thursday, June 9 June 10-11 11am-9pm Sunday, June 12
Lakeshore Art Festival Friday, June 24 June 25-26 10 am-6 pm Monday, June 27
Muskegon Rebel Road Wednesday, July 12 July 13-17 10 am-11 pm Monday, July 18
Dave Alexander, Downtown Development Authority and BID manager, will be the city’s contact
concerning BID landscaping in downtown Muskegon. DPW Director Leo Evans or his designee will be the
contact person for the city.
On behalf of the city Department of Public Works:
Date: By22:22
Frank Peterson, Muskegon city manager
On behalf of the downtown Muskegon Business Improvement District:
ket f Yar Date: 3/3] ZZ.
Bob Tarrant, BID board chair
Orange — Parking lots behind Russell Block & Hines Building
Blue — areas to receive landscaping maintenance
Dave Alexander
From: Dave Alexander
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2022 5:53 PM
To: Dave Alexander
Subject: FW: FW: Downtown Planters
To print
From: Bob Tarrant <bob@familyfarmandhome.com>
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2022 1:42 PM
To: Dave Alexander <dave alexander@shorelinecity.com>
Cc: barrysonline@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: FW: Downtown Planters
Dave & Dawn,
Your plan looks good to me and | will echo Dave's comments that we've been thrilled with the work Barry's has done on
our downtown planters and I'm sure it will continue under new ownership.
Dawn - best of luck in your transition out of the business and | wish you the best in wherever the future takes you.
Thank you both, dy 1S. VS?
Bob cA
6 (we XO DO-
Bob Tarrant
Co-President & Chief Operating Officer
oo DR west
Bel 3-9-0982
On Mon, Jan 24, 2022 at 1:13 PM Dave Alexander <dave.alexander@shorelinecity.com>wrote:
| Dawn:
| | hope your year has started well,
The downtown Business Improvement District wants to continue using Barry’s for our elo planters. You have
done exceptional work and no matter what, they've looked great right along with your work in Hackley Park.
Your proposed total of $15,750 fpr 2022 is reasonable, a 5 percent increase from the $15,000 the BID pald for your
service in 2021. It is my tention to have Barry’s provide the BID downtown planter service in 2022 for | believe 72
planters. As was the case last year, | cannot give you a definite answer or provide the first payment until receiving BID
board approval. The BID meets Feb. 28 and will vote on the planter quote. With anticipated approval, | would suggest a
payment of $7,750 processed by the city Finance Department ASAP after the Feb, 28 meeting. | believe this is what we
did in 2021.
| have CC'd BID board chairman Bob Tarrant on this email to get his input if he has anything to add.
1
Please let me know if this will work for Barry's.
As for the sale of your family business, as a loyal customer the city would hope a new owner with your employees will
provide the same great product and service that we have enjoyed. Good luck in finding the right buyer and keep us
posted on your progress.
Thanks. Keep in touch. Have a great week.
Dave Alexander
Business Development Manager
City of Muskegon/DDA
(234) 215-8827
From: dawn barry <barrysonline@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2022 3:45:13 PM
To: Dave Alexander <dAlexander @downtownmuskegon.org>
Subject: Downtown Planters
Hi Dave,
| hope you are doing well, As you may have heard, after 45 years, we have put our business up for sale. We do not
have any offers yet, and regardless, are planning, planting and growing everything for this year as needed. As for any
changes in the future, our employees plan on staying with any new owners and maintaining the high level of
quality and service we have always provided. We will keep you updated of any changes in ownership.
Let me know about this payment plan for 2022:
$2750. Due January 5
$2000, Due February 5
$3000. Due March 5
$3000. Due April 5
$3000. Due May 5
$2000. Due June 5
Thank you,
Dawn Barry
Barry’s Greenhouses Inc.
3000 Whitehall Rd.
Muskegon, MI. 49445
231-766-3031
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