View the PDF version Google Docs PDF Viewer
Downtown Muskegon Business Improvement District
Meeting Minutes
Feb. 24, 2020
Muskegon City Hall
933 Terrace Muskegon, MI 49440
Room 103
1) Call to Order: 8:00 AM
Attendance: Bob Tarrant, Bruce Lindstrom, Frank Peterson and Mike Hennessy.
Excused Absent(s): Phyllis Watson-Laudermill, Kathy Denison and John Riegler.
Guests: Dave Alexander, city Business Development Manager and LeighAnn Mikesell, City
Development Director.
2) Consent agenda
a) Approval of the agenda
b) Approval of the Minutes from June 28, 2019 special meeting
Motion to approve the consent agenda: Frank Peterson
Support: Bruce Lindstrom
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.
4) New Business
a) Accept the financial statement dated Jan. 31, 2020 and review
of financial position.
Motion to accept: Frank Peterson
Support: Bruce Lindstrom
All voted in favor
b) BID-City DPW 2020 landscaping agreement
Dave Alexander presented the 2020 BID-City DPW landscaping agreement. There
were no work changes from the previous year but a 5 percent increase in the BID
payment to DPW was added. The total cost for the season is $24,050.
1
Motion to approve the agreement: Frank Peterson
Support Mike Hennessy
Vote: All voted in favor
c) BID-Barry’s Flowers planter agreement for 2020
Dave Alexander presented the board the 2020 agreement for
72 planters in the downtown for materials and seasonal
maintenance. The quote was $13,485, which was 8.4 percent
increase over last year. The increase was due to increased
cost of flowers and labor, according to Dawn Berry.
Motion to approve the agreement: Frank Peterson
Support: Bruce Lindstrom
All voted in favor
d) Harmony Park
The Muskegon Rotary Watch Muskegon Play instrument/public
art initiative asked for the BID to contribute to a $100,000 effort
that had already raised about $75,000. Of the five locations that
the city has agreed to install the artwork instruments, three are
within the BID. Dave Alexander recommended $1,000 donation
to assist the placement of the three within the BID, being at
Seventh/Shoreline, Olthoff Stage and the Farmers Market. BID
board members discussed more but came to the consensus
that $1,000 was appropriate, leaving potential future
contributions to other public art projects within the BID.
Motion to approve the public art contribution: Bruce Lindstrom
Support: Frank Peterson
Vote: All voted in favor
e) Dave Alexander presented the BID board and overview of the
potential for paid parking on downtown streets within the BID as
a potential parking structure is developed. This is potential
source of downtown revenue in the future. The item was for
discussion, no vote taken.
f) Dave Alexander presented a potential three-year renewal of the
BID beginning in Jan. 1, 2021. LeighAnn Mikesell gave a city
staff perspective on the need for continued revenues to support
downtown services in the next three years. Now that downtown
is in full development, there are property owners, investors,
businesses, institutions and residents counting on the current
level of service downtown, especially in landscaping and
sidewalk snow removal. The BID board had a full discussion
with no one happy about having to again have special property
assessments in the district but no one wanted to walk away
from the progress that has been made downtown. The three-
2
year BID renewal proposal calls for $115,000 in revenues,
down from about 165,000 in the current BID. With the same
rates, the reduction was created by shrinking the size of the
BID to include just Western Avenue, Third Street, Clay Avenue,
Pine Street, Terrace Street and Third Street. The work plan
was reduced to just landscaping and sidewalk snow removal
within the smaller district. If the BID board will recommend this
plan, there should be a public information meeting prior to
sending the plan to the Muskegon City Commission, which
would have two public hearings before voting on the renewal. A
final decision would be needed by Oct. 31 if a BID special
assessment was to be implemented for 2021. A robust
discussion concluded on a general consensus in support of the
outline staff presented. No vote was taken but staff was
directed to start the renewal process.
g) Changes to downtown snow removal plan
There was some concern discussed on Facebook of weekend
sidewalk snow removal services during heavily attended
events. Downtown, the city DPW and venues will try to better
handled weekend snow storms. As the current snow season
comes to an end, what was learned this year will inform how
the service would be structured going into the 2020-21 snow
season if the BID was renewed. No vote was taken.
h) Marketing and events update
Dave Alexander provided the BID board with an update on
marketing and events for the remainder of the year.
i) Downtown project update
Dave Alexander provided the BID board an update on
development and construction projects in the agenda packet.
5) Other Business
a) Next meeting is Monday April 27, 8 a.m. at Muskegon City Hall Room 103
6) Adjournment
9:10 AM
No Objection
Minutes produced and submitted by Dave Alexander, city of Muskegon business development
manager
3
Sign up for City of Muskegon Emails