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Alma DDA Meeting - Jan 12, 2006
Date: Jan 12, 2006
Alma Downtown Development Authority Alma, Michigan January 12, 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, P. Moore, R. Turner, D. Ringle, D. Watson, T. Stuckey. Motion by Lowe, supported by Comer to approve the minutes of the last regular meeting of December 8, 2005 as submitted. YES: Solomon, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Dancer, Lowe, Kline, Ahern, Stacey. NO: None. Public Input & Discussion: • Mr. Watson and Mr. Stuckey were in attendance to talk about the streetscape improvement concepts. Mr. Watson was concerned that the building of the streetscape would take to long and disrupt traffic and close some businesses downtown. Also he was concerned about the parking spaces in front of his business as they come in and out of traffic. Being so close to the light at Woodworth it is sometimes hard for a parked car in front of his business to get on to Woodworth. Report from December 21, 2006 AAA meeting: • January 13th Good Morning Gratiot the AAA will be honoring 30 new and business improvements. • January 28th Chamber Annual Dinner at Town and Country. • March 4th The Chamber Showcase Town and Country. • Review of the Alma Action Downtown Christmas Celebration. • Alma 150th July 11-15, 2006, everyone is encouraged to get involved. The committee meets the third Tuesday of each month. Alma DDA Financial Report • Financial Report was received. The board would like the actual broke out by line item and the actual be compared against prior year at the same month and time. Also would like a break down of the Fringe benefits. Director’s Report: Streetscape Improvement 2007 • Public Services Director R. Turner and City Manager Phil Moore where in attendance to talk about improvements to downtown intersections and alleys. • The City Staff presented a concept for the intersections of Prospect, Woodworth and Gratiot, which included bump outs, stamped concrete cross walks, and a cover pedestrian lighted-alley. Staff feels that these projects could be done with funding from MDOT. • The costs of the intersections are around $84,000 as presented. The staff did not have any numbers on what the covered walkway would cost. • Solomon and Kline were concerned with losing three parking spaces to put in the bump outs. Shafley and the rest of the board were concerned how much time would the improvements take and how would it impede traffic. • Turner stated MDOT wants something done with those intersections and they could function much better for both cars and pedestrians. The Public Services Director also stated intersection construction time is about a month and traffic would flow through the intersection at all times. • The discussion of the covered alley transformed into a discussion about what can be done with the drive-able alleys now. • The whole board felt that something needs to be done with the drive-able alleys. The grant funding available from MDOT does not cover alleys or parking lots, but the match can be money used to fix up parking lots or alleys. • MDOT plans to resurface Superior Street from State Street to Wright Ave in 2007 and Superior Street State Street to Pine Ave in 2008. This is the time to improve these intersections. • The board will speak with those individuals in the public and will discuss the concepts more next month. A decision needs to be made, so an application can be made for the 2007 construction season. Richard Cooper Property • Mr. Cooper asked Mr. Smith’s letter in regard to the property on the corner of Downie and State. • Mr. Cooper will be making the required repairs and marketing the property. • Mr. Smith felt it would be a good idea if the DDA board had some suggestions on what to do with the property. One possibility is to build two offices on the first floor and four apartments on the upper floors. Rail Trail/Riverwalk • The Friends of the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail and the City have purchased the property from CSX for the Rail Trail on January 6th. • The City is working with the Road Commission and the two townships to submit an application to MDOT to pave the rail trail from Alma to Elwell. Adjournment 9:20 am YES: Solomon, Freed, Comer, Shafley, Dancer, Lowe, Kline, Ahern, Stacey. NO: None. ______________________________________ Aeric Ripley, DDA Director/Asst. City Manager
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