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Alma DDA Meeting - August 10, 2006
Date: August 10, 2006
Alma Downtown Development Authority Alma, Michigan August 10, 2006 The regular meeting of the Alma Downtown Development Authority (ADDA) was called to order at 7:35 a.m. by Chairperson Shafley at the Alma Municipal Building. PRESENT: Solomon, Kline, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Lowe, Stacey. ABSENT: Kolar, Ahern, Dancer. ALSO PRESENT: A. Ripley. Motion by Comer, supported by Kline to approve the minutes of the last regular meeting of July 13, 2006 as submitted. YES: Solomon, Kline, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Lowe, Stacey. NO: None. Public Input & Discussion: • None. Report from June 23rd, 2006 AAA meeting: Upcoming events: • Legislative Forum “Meet the Candidates” July 27th at 7:00am Masonic Pathways. • AAA golf outing August 23rd Pine River Country Club. • Lucky MacDuck September 9th from 10:00am to 4:00pm. This year will also host a pig roast. • DALMAC August 30th and 31st in Pine River Park. • There is still merchandise from the 150th, AAA will be selling during the Christmas season. • The Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall September 7th-11th at the Alma Elks Club. • Talk a Hike Trail Booklets will be available next month. Alma DDA Financials • Question about the Property Taxes line item. The property tax is on 113 W Superior but should have been prorated from Capital National Bank. The bank sent a check for $637 for the banks prorated tax portion. Director will check with the finance department. • DDA Financials were received with inquiry about the property tax line item. Motion by Lowe supported by Stacey to receive Board Member Kline’s Letter and make apart of minutes: YES: Solomon, Kline, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Lowe, Stacey. NO: None. July 31, 2006Aeric Ripley City of Alma 525 E. Superior St Alma, MI 48801 Aeric, Per our conversation, last Friday, July 28 here is the letter I said I would be sending you. During last month's meeting I suggested that we research our options on the Dominos' building and Lisa's building. I also abstained from voting on the issue but I want to have it noted that I vote no on the project as it was presented. I don't believe that we need to put that much money into the buildings to make them usable. The contractor Cusack is probably one of the most expensive in the state, he typically works on churches and historical buildings. In fact, we once asked him to give us a price on some repairs and he said you probably can't afford me get a regular mason. There are a lot of buildings in the downtown area that could use repairs, however they won't get them because they aren't uniquely connected to a city owned building. I still believe that when this becomes known to other merchants it will create a negative image of the project as well for the DDA board. Should the arrangement be more favorable for the DDA and equally fair to other businesses in the downtown area, I would consider changing my vote to a yes. Please include my letter in the next minutes so, my reasons are documented and on record. Sincerely,Ken Kline Director’s Report: 113 W Superior Building Project • Director took board through the history of the project that led up to the DDA applying for the MSDHA Façade Grant, to address the concerns outlined in board member Kline’s letter. • The property at 113 W Superior was vacant for 3 years and the bank that foreclosed on the property offered to donate this building to the Alma DDA. • CATeam representative Willobee was contacted at MSHDA to see what funding maybe available to help restore the building. Willobee stated that a façade grant program using CDBG dollars was going to open soon. The dollars would be available to DDAs and must have two store fronts, 113 and 111 W Superior is the same building but two store fronts. One side couldn’t be repaired without the other. Both property owners had to agree to match the grant 50/50 and new jobs must be created. • Notice letters for the program came out in April 2006 and were due May 12th 2006. There was one month to put a project together. The property came to the DDA on the 12th of May. • The DDA asked for $130,000. Work on 113 W Superior was budgeted for $80,160 in improvements and 111 W Superior was budgeted for $40,080 in improvements. Each property owner is responsible for their own match and their store front. For grant purposes needed to be one project. The DDA did not get the grant. • Second round for the program will open up sometime in August and is now open to everyone in a traditional downtown. Staff met with the head of the CATeam to show the project and to learn what needed to change on the application to get the grant. • Now that the program is open to everyone is a tradition downtown a letter was sent to ever property owner informing of the program and the requirements if the property owner decided to participate. • Board reviewed the draft letter that is to be sent out to the property owners about the façade program. There was debate on how much history of the DDA’s project at 113 W Superior should be included in the letter. • The letter will include a brief history of the 113 W Superior Project, the requirements for the grant, and to call the DDA office as soon as possible if interested. This is important because it isn’t know when the notice of intent will be available and due at MSHDA. Other Business: None • Adjournment 8:32am YES: Solomon, Kline, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Lowe, Stacey. NO: None. ______________________________________ Aeric Ripley, DDA Director/Asst. City Manager
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