Downtown Development Authority Meeting - 2026-02-11

Detailed briefing

Downtown Development Authority — February 11, 2026 ATTENDEES: Roll call recorded Laura Smith, Sarah Michelbrenner, Chuck Kremers, Barbara Creighton, Maggie Lacey and Allison Larson. Karen Offield of West Travers Township participated by Zoom. • The board approved the consent agenda after correcting the January 14 meeting minutes, which had been labeled February 11. The financial report was not included because it was not yet available, so it was excluded from the approval. • The board accepted GC Painting’s lamppost proposal. The project was described as totaling $30,000 for labor and materials other than paint. A $7,500 credit from prior work will be applied, City Council has approved $15,000, and the DDA will provide the balance plus the paint. Three sample lampposts in shiny black, Dragon’s Breath and Harbor Blue are to be painted before May 15. The final color must be confirmed by August 17, with the larger project planned for fall. • The board approved Beckett and Rader/BRI to develop a downtown streetscape master plan. The written scope was presented as not exceeding $22,500 and includes existing-condition work, stakeholder input, a public open house, an online survey, concept development, a City Hall display, preliminary construction costs and a final report. The spoken motion and its restatement said $22.5 million, creating a discrepancy that should be corrected in the official record. • Streetscape topics include electrical service for decorative tree lighting, irrigation, and the configuration of tree grates or wells. Members said burying existing utility power lines is outside the DDA’s current financial capacity and would require city leadership. • IceFest drew strongly positive comments from merchants, participants and city staff. The drone show was praised, and members discussed whether a larger show could be considered next year. Organizers reported about 400 hot dogs distributed and more than $300 raised for the food pantry, but final attendance, traffic and financial figures were not available. • Promotions plans include retaining Santa’s Workshop, continuing the shopping map, sidewalk sales and the sculpture tour, and dropping Downtown Day. A merchant workshop on social media and Canva is planned through Keep It Real Social after Memorial Day. Worth watching: 1. Reconcile the $22,500 written streetscape fee with the $22.5 million wording in the motion. 2. Determine the still-unknown paint cost and confirm the lamppost project’s specific start date. 3. Produce hard IceFest figures on costs, volunteers, attendance and business activity before planning next year. Upcoming: An IceFest wrap-up meeting is planned for the following week; enhancement meetings are held the first Wednesday at 9 a.m., and Zoom access will be considered. Why it matters: The board committed funds to visible downtown improvements while acknowledging that clearer costs, public engagement and measurable event results are still needed.

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