REGULAR MEETING OF THE

MIDLAND CENTER CITY AUTHORITY,

TO TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012, 3:00 P.M.

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, MIDLAND, MICHIGAN

 

1.   ROLL CALL

      MEMBERS PRESENT:   Jerry Deming, David Ginis, Joe Kozuch, Jon Lynch, Clifford Miles, and Clinton Struthers

      MEMBERS ABSENT:     Christine Rapanos

      STAFF PRESENT:          Cindy Winland, Consulting Planner, Debbie Marquardt, Technical Secretary, Mike Telliga, Chamber of Commerce, and two others.

 

2.   APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

It was moved by Deming and seconded by Struthers to approve the minutes of the January 18, 2012 meeting.  Motion was unanimously approved.

 

3.   PUBLIC COMMENTS (unrelated to items on the agenda)

 

      None

 

4.   OLD BUSINESS

 

      None

 

5.   NEW BUSINESS

     

      a.   Tax Increment Financing Plan timeline

 

      Ms. Winland stated that at the Governance and Sustainability Committee meeting they talked about beginning the process to adopt the tax increment financing plan and establish a TIF district starting in June.  It will take about four months to complete the process.   

 

      If the TIF was approved in the fall of 2012, the actual capture will be realized in 2014.  Mr. Struthers asked about the timeline and for clarification regarding where the notices need to be posted.  They need to be posted in 20 places in the district but they can post more than 20 places and/or outside the district.

           

6.   COMMUNICATIONS

 

a.    Governance and Sustainability Committee Report

 

i.    Goals and Actions update

 

                  Mr. Struthers stated that they had a discussion with Mr. Duford, the City Assessor, and learned a great deal about current property values and the direction of those values.  They also discussed exploring the relationship between the Chamber of Commerce and the personnel who are assisting us to define what the revenue sources are and how they are being used.  This would allow them to report to the board as they go forward and what this is costing them and how they are using it.

 

They received a listing of other corridor improvement authorities in the state with contact information.

 

They are continuing to discuss the need for and timing of an annual meeting.  This would include the business owners and provide accountability for what they are doing and state where they are going. 

 

      b.   Marketing Committee Report

 

i.      Goals and Action update

 

Julia Jodoin stated that they have invited other people to join the committee.  They talked about the newsletter and planned a subcommittee to meet.  They now have a Center City Authority Facebook page.  They are reviewing another draft of the website and it shouldn’t be too long before it goes live.  The newsletter is scheduled for review next week.

 

The guests that were at their last meeting have some good marketing experience.  They talked about spending a lot of time to get the word out about the corridor.  They talked about the vacant spaces and getting them filled as well as property maintenance.  The target could be business owners and property owners and some absentee property owners that do not know about the condition of their property. 

 

      c.   Physical Improvements Committee Report

 

            i.    Goals and Actions update

 

                  Ann Beck reported on the signage they would like to have.  They would like to place a sign at Ashman Street and Saginaw Road and at the other end of the corridor at Saginaw Road and Patrick Road depending on the approval of engineering. She showed an aerial of the sign locations. They will also be working on landscape design.  The committee discussed the proposed roundabout and its possible impact on the corridor.  They are waiting to get more information and how it will affect traffic at that end of the corridor.  They will have city engineering come to the meetings at least once a quarter to update them on what is going on in the district. 

 

                  They also looked at banner signs and identified where they could put them to help

            encourage traffic flow.  The banner signs are part of the plan and they are over budget so it may go on a wish list. 

                       

7.   REPORT OF THE CHAIRPERSON

 

      Mr. Ginis was looking at videos on DDA websites and he found two that may be of interest.  

One was Michigan Main Street and it spoke to being open to new development and small business ideas.  http://www.michiganmainstreetcenter.com/MainStreetVideo.aspx The second one was longer and it was the Fort Collins DDA video.  http://www.downtownfortcollins.org/index.html They have a very good explanation of what a TIF is and it is very simple.  It was very interesting to see where they started and where they ended up. 

 

8.   REPORT OF THE STAFF

      a.   Proposed changes to Corridor Improvement Authority legislation

 

Mike Telliga stated that there was a bill before the legislation, house bill 5412.  He looked into it to see what it might affect it may have on the authority.  He found that that bill has very minimal affect on the authority.  If passed, it will enable authorities in different municipalities to establish join together and each municipality would each have three board members.  They cannot turn any roads into a toll road within the district.  The bill will be taking up in March and should pass easily. 

 

9.   ADJOURNMENT

      As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:33 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Cynthia E. Winland, AICP, PCP

Consultant Planner  

 

 

MINUTES ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CENTER CITY AUTHORITY.