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Alma DDA Meeting - Feb. 9, 2006
Date: Feb. 9, 2006
Alma Downtown Development Authority Alma, Michigan February 9, 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, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Dancer, Lowe, Kline, Ahern, Stacey. ABSENT: Kolar. ALSO PRESENT: A. Ripley. Motion by Lowe, supported by Comer to approve the minutes of the last regular meeting of January 12, 2006 as submitted. YES: Solomon, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Dancer, Lowe, Kline, Ahern, Stacey. NO: None. Public Input & Discussion: • None. Report from December 21, 2006 AAA meeting: • Business after hours February 16th at CrocRox – Olympic Events and prizes. • Annual Chamber Showcase March 4th. • Alma Highland Festival and Community Day May 26th, 27th and 28th. • Alma 150th Celebration meetings third Tuesday each month at 6pm city hall. • Presentation by Ron Radamacher from michiganbackroads.com. He did a presentation on terrific town promotion on the website. Alma DDA Financials • The financial report was received. This month’s financials have the comparisons for this month in 2006 at the same month in 2005. Also the fringe benefits were broken out into to show what is being paid for under that line item. The board was please with the new layout of the financials and encouraged to make comments for any other changes to the layout. Director’s Report: Streetscape Improvements • The improvements are to happen at the intersections of Prospect, Gratiot and Woodworth. • The Improvements to the intersection need to happen in the next couple of years as MDOT resurfaces Superior Street. Also part of the improvements would be a covered alley between Church’s Jewelers and The Cobbler Shop. • The director brought up to the board the possibility of putting in the limestone light bases with the grant funds from MDOT. K. Kline asked what the actual material would the bases be made out of? The public service director figured the costs of the bases on the lime stone being a stick on face stone. • Other concerns of the board members for the improvements: Andy, Lisa and K. Solomon the lose of the parking at the intersections. The parking letter to be sent out will hopefully encourage those business owners parking downtown to move to the back lots. Lisa - Only time business owners on State Street is an issue is Sunday. J. Ahern – if business owners are parking behind their stores this may encourage them to fix up the back entrances of their businesses. A. Shafley – An option is to add signs to the 2 hour parking signs that state on street parking is “Customer Only Parking”. T. Lowe – A lot of the problem of the parking downtown comes from a perception of a problem and business owners and employees just not wanting to walk to work. • The work needs to be done on the intersections to increase the sight distances – the board supported the submission of a grant application to fund the improvements. EPA Riverfront Clean Up Grant • The director has been working with the reviewers of the two EPA clean up grants for the Downtown Riverfront Brownfield remediation. • The initial review showed that the applications were complete. The second review asked for more detail and clarification on three items. The backup questions are a good sign the applications are considered good projects. • The backup material has been submitted and the applications are on to the next step to the national review committee. Downtown Merchant Meeting Appointments • The first week of February the director sent out a letter and return postcard to everyone in the DDA district, to set up a monthly meeting with those who are interested in doing so. • The director hopes this will create better relationships and be more productive then just stopping by in the middle of the day. • The director will update the board next month. Downtown On-Street Parking Letter • Director has written a letter to address concerns many individual business owners have about downtown parking. • The main theme of the letter asks business owners to park and have their employees park in the back lots. Adjournment 9:00 am YES: Solomon, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Dancer, Lowe, Kline, Ahern, Stacey. NO: None. ______________________________________ Aeric Ripley, DDA Director/Asst. City Manager
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