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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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