DDA 10.11.23 Meeting

Detailed briefing

DDA Meeting — October 11, 2023 • The DDA said future public comment will be limited to three minutes and generally will not be a back-and-forth with the board. The chair reiterated that comment at this meeting was for matters not on the agenda. • Downtown trick-or-treating is planned after the school children’s parade, which starts at 1 p.m. Staff will email downtown businesses about participating. Main Street parking will be blocked that day. Members said participation and candy demand were limited last year, but described the event as a positive downtown activity. • Main Street flowers still need to be removed. Staff discussed having National Honor Society students help on a weekend morning, while the DDA would still make the donation it had planned. Staff said dates would be shared with the student representative. • Rock on Ice planning is underway through the I-Trust Committee. A committee member will contact Rock on Ice to confirm the event date. The group discussed keeping it on the second weekend in February, identified as February 10-11; the following President’s Day weekend is expected to host “Studying and S’mores.” • County TIF settlement negotiations are continuing. Staff said paperwork has been sent to the county and an answer is hoped for late this fall, with the matter expected to go to a November county board meeting. The DDA reported about $9,800 in legal fees connected to the county TIF issue. • The Merchants Walkway engineering survey is complete. Staff expects OHM Advisors to bring design material at 60% and 90% completion stages, with a late-winter bid and an early-spring construction target. During public comment, a resident questioned the amount of proposed ceramic tile and said property owners had not been adequately notified. Board members gave differing descriptions of how much the concept could change, but said the 60% review would allow comments. • 3rd Street lighting remains unresolved. The board had previously authorized up to $2,400 for repairs, but repeated attempts to secure repairs have not produced results. Members cited dark conditions, damaged strands, and concern about appearance before the holidays. Staff will contact the city electrical department, seek other possible providers, and report back. DPW is expected to install holiday lights on 3rd Street. Worth watching: • Whether the county board acts on the TIF settlement in November. • Whether 3rd Street lighting can be repaired or requires a broader replacement decision. • What changes, if any, appear in the 60% Merchants Walkway design. Upcoming: Downtown trick-or-treating will follow the 1 p.m. school parade; Rock on Ice planning is targeting February 10-11. Why it matters: The DDA is balancing near-term downtown maintenance and events with major project design, funding, and public-input questions.

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