Downtown Development Authority Meeting - 2023-04-12

Detailed briefing

Downtown Development Authority Meeting — April 12, 2023 ATTENDEES: Jody Eubank, Matt Bughera, Rocky Beidoun, Rachel Morford, Sarah Afflebrenner, Gail Brown and Ali Ruddy. Amy Gillard, Nikki Law and Cora were absent. • The DDA approved the prior meeting minutes without an objection recorded in the transcript. A city representative said parking remains on the city’s radar for the summer, and the city has budgeted for a mechanism to monitor parking better than phones. • Members reviewed the future of decorative lights on Third Street. The lights, installed in 2017, have required repairs every year; recent repair work cost $900, and replacement of all lights was quoted at $15,000. Members discussed whether continued spending is justified and whether more permanent street or decorative lighting options should be studied. • No decision was made on removing or replacing the Third Street lights. Gail will inspect the lights at night and circulate photos to the board. The board plans to revisit whether to retain or relinquish responsibility for the decorative lights at its next meeting. Members stressed that any public communication should distinguish decorative tree lighting from broader street-lighting and safety needs. • The Merchants Walkway project remains delayed while the DDA awaits a revised design from Vanessa Warren. The DDA has been billed $900 so far, with discussion indicating an expected total of $1,500. Benchmark is expected to mark property lines after access permission was obtained from a neighboring property owner. • The existing pedestrian walkway near the Merchants Walkway was described as crumbling and potentially unsafe. Members discussed obtaining repair quotes, checking grades and drainage, clarifying easement authority, and possibly treating pavement repair separately from landscaping. Cones had been placed near the entrance, and Rocky offered construction-warning signs and signboards. • The hall is reserved for a May 25 joint meeting involving the DDA, city, chamber and planning commission. The time remains unresolved because a senior parade begins at 6 p.m. The group’s stated goal is coordination among the participating bodies. • Staff reported plans to update merchant-license information with the zoning administrator, ask downtown businesses to renew licenses at no fee, and survey businesses about rental costs. The DDA also discussed Main Street garden planting, with the city’s planting date identified as May 24; scheduling may need adjustment to accommodate National Honor Society volunteers. Worth watching: • Whether the board formally ends, replaces or continues maintenance of Third Street’s decorative lights. • Whether a timely design, property-line marking and safety plan allow the Merchants Walkway work to proceed. • Final timing and program details for the May 25 joint meeting. Upcoming: The next May DDA meeting will include its public informational meeting for taxing authorities and the public; a joint meeting is reserved for May 25, with time still to be determined. Why it matters: The DDA is weighing recurring maintenance costs and public-safety needs while trying to move delayed downtown improvement projects into implementation.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.