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Home My WebLink About02-12-2018 Minutes � ,� e��r�� ,,,,�� .�- . • BIA Committee of Rate Payers IVleeting ��li��V -"� February 12, 2018— 1:00 PM � � � � y�':w �u� �,�,,��,�t�� Auburn City Hall Council Chambers MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Roll Call The meeting was called to order at 1:06 pm by Chairman DiQuaftro. Committee Members present: Chair Giovanni DiQuattro, Vice Chair William Cowart, Kelly Gordon, Darren Jones, Bob Klontz, Laura Theimer Excused Absence:Josef Forsberg, Ronnie Roberts, Megan White Unexcused absence: Kirk Lantier and Ruth Neil-Stover Staff present: Doug Lein, Economic Deyelopment Manager; Lorraine Chachere, Tourism Coordinator; and Holly Ferry, Committee Secretary II. APPROVAL OF MIIVUTES Committee Member Gordon moved and Member Cowart second to approve the January 8, 2018 minutes. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-0 III. FINANCIAL REPORT Manager Lein shared the budget update and informed the Committee that he will be working with Finance to develop a one-page financial report that will be provided at each meeting of the Committee; showing the current year's budget, what is approved for expenditures, and year-to-date expenses. IV. OLD BUSINE55 A. Ordinance#6658 Update 1. 90-Day Update at February 26 City Council Study Session Chairman DiQuattro reviewed the topics that the Committee had decided they would like to present to Council. Manager Lein reminded the Committee that this list of long-term ideas would be presented to Council to discuss what could be budgeted for and worked on as funding would come available. Speaking points will be made available to those who will be speaking at the February 26 meeting. There was discussion regarding additional Iighting down the side streets on each side of Main Street. Manager Lein reported that the Police will complete their detailed lighting report in about a week. B. Main Street Design 1. 2018 Fa�ade 6rant Program Manager Lein informed the Committee about the Fa�ade Grant Program, explaining that there is$100,000 available in 2018. The City will pay 100% up. to the first$5,000; anything above that, up to $10,000, is a 70/30 match; and the maximum per business is $30,500. The money that is awarded must be ' spent within 24 months, and if it is not, it will go back into the fund and rolled back out to another business. An audit will be done this month to see what will be pulled from 2016 and put back into this year's balance. He also reported that possibly, within the next 30 days,the City will do a workshop on the fa�ade program, and if businesses are interested in participating and applying for the grant,they can come to the workshop where the Planning Department will talk about;their requirements and the design help that can be given that would come out of the grant.The focus area is downtown. C. Disbursement of BIA Funds Discussion on this topic will take place after meeting with Smarthouse Creative. D. Marketing and Branding Smarthouse Creative is in a 90-day period of doing research. Sometime within the next 30 days,they will have a workshop with the BIA Committee. By April 1 they will give their report on what they recommend from a regional City branding campaign. They will also meet with the Committee and present a wb- proposal with recommendations that the BIA can do to raise its awareness as ' they co-op with the ADA.The Committee agreed to allot one hour of the next meeting to Smarthouse. E. Heritage Fire Update The insurance company has not settled with the building owner so there has �, been no determination as to whether it is a total loss or not.The SBA was here ' for two weeks to meet with businesses who had direct damage, indirect damage � or economic loss. Businesses have up to two years to file for that application. F. BIA Newsletter The template for the new BIA newsletter was presented. The first couple months � it will be mailed out. After email addresses are known to be accurate, it will be sent electronically. There was discussion about having a section showcasing the new businesses within the BIA each month. It was then stated that businesses other than new businesses should also be included. Manager Lein said for right now, new licenses that have been issued can be listed by name of the business, the kind of business it is, and their address, welcoming them to the BIA. Member Theimer expressed her concern about including the ADA in the newsletter and requested that it not be included in order to prevent confusion about the different roles of the BIA and ADA. It was suggested that the first issue include a section describing the difference between the ADA and the BIA. It was agreed that that should be included. Manager Lein explained the features of the new Buy Local Program database. V. NEW BUSINESS A. BIA Rules of Procedure Chair DiQuattro addressed the issue of Committee members who are no longer eligible to be on the Committee and the need for their replacement.There was discussion about non-BIA members being eligible for membership in the ADA. Manager Lein suggested that the change to the ADA by-law could read that, if you are not within the boundary of the BIA but would like to be a participant of the non-profit of the ADA, their cost would be equal to the same amount as if they were a BIA rate payer. It was also suggested that the members of the Committee who haye resigned should be taken to the City Council with the request to remove them from the Committee. Manager Lein said that he would find out from Legal within the next couple days whether the alternates could be elevated to Committee members and would let the Chair and Vice Chair know. Vice Chair Cowart motioned and Member Jones second to request that Josef Forsberg and Kirk Lantier be removed as members from the BIA Commiftee. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-0 Manager Lein reminded the Committee to look over the Rules of Procedure draft before the next meeting, when the Committee will be asked to vote to put it into effect for the March meeting. Member Jones motioned and Member Cowart second to move the item of Rules and Procedure to Old Business and to vote on it next meeting. MOTION CARRIED UNANiMOUSLY. 6-0 VI. BIA PARKING SUB-COMMITTEE UPDATE Manager Lein presented the City of Auburn's Comprehensive Downtown Parking. Management Plan. A memo with up-to-date suggestions from the City's department directors to alleviate some of the current parking problems will be made available to� the sub-committee after it is approved by Mayor. Manager Lein informed the sub- committee that Acting Community Development and Public Works Director 1eff Tate said that he would be willing to talk more in-depth to the sub-committee anytime they would like. Discussion followed regarding how employees of downtown bwsinesses would be affected once the new equipment is installed on the two parking enforcement officers' vehicles. The idea of employee parking permits and fees was addressed and the suggestion made that a proposal could be made to City Council to designate a cerfain number of parking spaces for employees. It was requested that "permit parking for downtown employees" be added to the list of items to take to City Council at the Study Se"ssion meeting on February 26. Manager Lein reported that, for the last couple years, a test Program has been run on street parking. Opening all the side streets is being looked at by Planning for on-street parking permits. VII. AUBURN DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION UPDATE Committee Nlember Theimer gave the update, reporting that a membership meeting was held. Nominations for the ADA Board are due either today or tomorrow. The by-laws will be rewritten so that businesses can pay a fee to be a member. The Mardi Gras event was a success. Another event will happen on July 14. It was suggested that tables, chairs, and tent:s for events be put on the list to present to Council. VIII. TOURISM BOARD UPDATE Coordinator Chachere reported on the Meet & Greet.The advertising that was done on the Tourism website for the Mardi Gras event was presented. She encouraged the Committee to designate about an hour of their March meeting to a workshop with Smarthouse Creative. She will provide some questions prior to the meetingto consider. She informed the Committee about her findings on signage along the freeway and within the city. More research will be done. Efforts to obtain tourism development grants will be made, which would allow for signage at the airport, digital marketing campaigns, and commercials to get the word about Auburn out. ' The video that was made to inform the publie that businesses downtown were open after the Heritage fire was shown and statistics were shared. The exploreauburn.com and Buy Local websites were viewed. Coordinator Chachere encouraged the Committee to share things with her that they would like featured about their business, which would be promoted at no cost to the business. � IX. ADJOURNMENT I There being no further business to come before the Committee,the meeting adjourned at 2:39 pm. APPROVED this 12th day of March, 2018. e _ t A � Giovanni Di4uattro, Chair Holly err , Committee ecretary