Downtown Development Authority Meeting - 2025-01-15

Detailed briefing

Downtown Development Authority — January 15, 2025 ATTENDEES: DDA board members, city staff, a police representative, business owners and other members of the public; at least one participant joined by Zoom. • The board approved the consent agenda after noting corrections, including changing references from January 15, 2024 to January 15, 2025 and correcting a member’s name. No opposition was heard. • Gail Brown was reelected chair. The incumbent vice chair was also reelected, though the transcript does not clearly preserve the full name. The existing promotion and enhancement committee slates were retained. Regular meetings will continue on the second Wednesday of each month at 8 a.m., with no July meeting. • In a unanimous roll-call vote, the DDA approved the enhancement committee’s downtown streetscape unification and beautification plan, with spending not to exceed $100,000. The presentation estimated the project at about $96,280, compared with $125,000 budgeted. Proposed elements include self-watering planters, a four-basket hanging-planter trial, black benches, trash cans and bike racks, and repainting 39 lamp posts slate blue. Existing usable fixtures would be relocated rather than discarded. • The planter vendor had extended a substantial discount through the meeting date. Staff said the vendor would be contacted that afternoon following approval. Lamp-post painting remains uncertain because no contractor or final price had been secured; the estimate used was $1,000 per post. • Keep It Real Social has begun managing the DDA’s Facebook and Instagram presence. Planned work includes regular posts, a photo library, monthly analytics and a survey identifying businesses open year-round. Board members were asked to share usable downtown and event photos. • Ice Fest planning included approximately 26 or 27 sculptures, two Fire and Ice shows, games, snow painting, free ice cream and hot dogs. The transcript references the event as occurring on the 7th and 8th but does not clearly identify the month. • Two public commenters said downtown skeleton displays had become excessive, dark or morbid and suggested alternatives such as scarecrows or pumpkins. Members noted that the broader skeleton event belongs to the chamber, while the DDA’s contemplated display remained on hold. Worth watching: 1. Whether lamp-post painting can be contracted and completed within the project budget and seasonal timeline. 2. How the city addresses the mayor’s three DDA meeting absences, since staff said the bylaws do not clearly resolve the situation. 3. Whether the amended merchant-walkway contract is signed and first-phase work proceeds. Upcoming: The next regular DDA meeting remains scheduled under the second-Wednesday, 8 a.m. schedule; Ice Fest was announced for the 7th and 8th, with the month unclear in the transcript. Why it matters: The DDA committed substantial public funds to reshape downtown’s appearance while leaving contractor timing, board attendance and several event details to follow-up.

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