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Alma DDA Meeting - November 2, 2006
Date: November 2, 2006
Alma Downtown Development Authority Alma, Michigan November 2, 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 Book Shoppe 316 N State Street. PRESENT: Solomon, Kline, Shafley, Freed, Comer. ABSENT: Kolar, Ahern, Dancer, Lowe. ALSO PRESENT: A. Ripley. Motion by Stacey, supported by Solomon to approve the minutes of the last regular meeting of October 5, 2006 as submitted. YES: Solomon, Kline, Shafley, Freed, Comer. NO: None. Public Input & Discussion: • None. Report from October 20, 2006 AAA meeting: Upcoming events: • Come Home to Alma For the Holidays December 8th from 5:30pm to 8:45pm. Christmas Cash gets started November 1st. • Home Tour: 5281 Luce Road, Saravilla, Masonic Pathways, Smith Memorial Hospital. Member Kline – State that the stone above the entrance of the home should be looked at. Director will forward message to zoning department. • January 12th Good Morning Gratiot County Court House – Business Awards. • January 27th Chamber Annual Dinner. Silent Auction Packages are needed for the dinner. • Alma 150th Merchandise is still for sale will make great gifts. What is remaining: 100 plates, 90 coffee mugs, 200 pins. • Brent Neubecker Director of Alumni Relations – Discussed the Alma College Community Day. The college wants to make it more of a community event and wants to work with the downtown. The activities include free food, free entry into a the football game, free climbing wall, and kids games. Looking at doing it on the first game of the year, better weather. This could be a big event for the downtown and the whole community if we work together. Alma DDA Financials • The Democratic Party will be using the building for another month, so there will be a total of $1,600 collect in rent. • There will be a loan made through the low interest façade program to Paul Ross, this loan is being administered by Commercial Bank. • Question from member Kline what is “Due to primary government” it is budgeted for $810. Director will research and bring the answer to the next meeting. Director’s Report: Riverfront Demolition • The low bid from MacKenzie Environmental of Grand Ledge ($478,750.87) for the riverfront demo was accepted by the City Commission. A pre-construction meeting is set for November 6, 2006. • The first phase of the demolition will include: the Robinson building on Mechanic Street, the rest of the demo work will happen on the interior of the property, which will include four small buildings, four debris piles, and three concrete pads. • The second phase will include the main buildings on the west side of State Street and the storage building on the east side of State will come down. Five concrete pads and to scale foundations, three smaller interior buildings, an oil/water separator, the railroad ties and the concrete wall around the property. The concrete wall on the south side next to the river will be saw cut one foot above grade to be used as a soil erosion control and keeping any contaminates on site. The site will then be seeded and fenced. There is still clean up that needs to be done on site. This project doesn’t include the buildings owned by Atchinson on Mechanic and Lincoln. • Member Solomon- was the project under budget? The bid was $42,000 more then the estimates from NTH. Member Kline- How much dirt will need to be excavated from the site. The building will be removed and then backfilled. The site will then have top soil applied and seeded. The city currently doesn’t have enough funds to do a full clean up. Phase IV Riverwalk • The City Commission has approved the low bid for the lights and the construction of Phase IV of the Riverwalk. • The low bid for the 28 lights needed was received from Standard Electric of Mt. Pleasant ($60,787). • The low bid for the construction of the riverwalk was received from Rivertown Contractors from Hudsonville for $224,405.00. • Construction will most likely start in the spring, but the contractor could do some boardwalk and clearing of brush. Demolition Riverfront • The Riverfront Demolition bid opening is set for October 11th. The pre-bid walk through took place on September 19th and 12 contractor were in attendance. • The old middle school is set for demolition before the first of the year. Remus Hog Farm Visit • The Alma City Manager arranged for a group of about 15 people to go on a visit to River Ridge’s Remus Hog Farm on Thursday October 26th. The thought being the best way to know what to expect from the operation west of town is to visit one like it that is owned by River Ridge Farms. The owners of the property west of town are looking into building a 2400 hog farrowing operation. • On the tour were the CEOs from Gratiot Medical Center, Masonic Pathways, and representatives from: Alma College, Gratiot Area Chamber, the Seville Township Supervisor, Commercial Bank and Firstbank, Morning Sun, Greater Gratiot Development, MSU Extension, Dr. Austin, Farm Credit and the City of Alma. • The Director was please with what was witnessed at the farm. The smell wasn’t bad even being in between the hog barns and the waste lagoons. The owners are using the newest techniques and are looking into a waste separator. There have been no final plans for the separator or even if and when the facility will be built. At present time the only thing they have done is purchase the land and the soil borings to see where and if a facility like this could be built. The owners seem to be willing to work and answer any questions the public may have. Other Business: Stacey – How is the Energy Park coming along? As far as the Director was aware the developers have gotten the land they need to build. They have stopped pursuing two of the properties. The next step the developers are waiting on is the federal tax credits, which won’t be announced until after the election on November 7th. Director requested feedback from the board on the Gratiot Area Chamber’s idea to have a sit for each of the DDA Director as an Ex-Officio member. The members in attendance felt that was a very good idea. This way the DDA Directors are always plugged into what is happening at the chamber. • Adjournment 12:55 pm YES: Solomon, Kline, Shafley, Freed, Comer. NO: None. ______________________________________ Aeric Ripley, DDA Director/Asst. City Manager
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