1. January 9, 2008 Board of Directors Meeting Agenda
2. Minutes from December 12, 2007 Board Meeting
3. Status Report
4. DDA Financials – December, 2007
5. DDA Meeting Schedule for January & February
6. Committee meeting minutes
§ Economic Restructuring Committee
8. December Website Usage Statistics
AGENDA
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Wednesday, January 9, 2008, at 3:00
p.m.
Council Chambers, City
Hall – Midland, Michigan
1. Roll
Call
2.
Approval of the minutes from the meeting of December 12,
2007
3.
Financial Reports from December 2007
4. Reports
a) Design Committee Report
b) Organization Committee Report
c) Economic Restructuring Committee Report
d) Creating Cool Promotions Committee Report
e) Midland Downtown Business Association Report
5. Public
Comments
6. Old
Business
-
Strategic
Planning, January 30, 2008 from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm, RSVP needed
7.
New Business
Adjourn
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
WHICH TOOK PLACE ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2007
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, MIDLAND, MICHIGAN
Denise Hufford read Roll Call.
PRESENT: DDA MEMBERS – Bo Brines, Doug Chapman, Fr. Fleming, Mike Hayes, Jon
Lynch, Jack McCandless, Sue Rabbage, Mark Ruhle, Claudia Wallin
ABSENT: Jenny Anderson,
Paula Liveris, Ranny Riecker, Jim Stamas
PRESENT: STAFF – Denise Hufford, Stephanie
Szostak, Keith Baker, Margaret Maday, Bradd Maki
PRESENT: OTHERS –
John Palen (Midland Issues)
Wallin called the meeting to order
at 3:00 p.m.
1.
Approval of past meeting minutes
Motion
to approve the November 14, 2007 meeting minutes by McCandless. Seconded by Hayes.
Approved unanimously.
2. Financial Reports
for October 2007, November 2007
Maday
presented the October 2007 and November 2007 financial statements. Motion to
approve statements by Hayes. Seconded by Fleming. Approved unanimously.
3.
Reports
a)
Design Committee
Chapman reported
that the Design Committee is looking at a revised design for the downtown
benches.
Chapman
reported on the three kiosks for downtown. Cost is approximately $5,575 per
sign or $16,725 for all three signs. Changing the business information was a
bit costly so committee worked with sign manufacturer to bring the cost down
from $800 per sign to $400 per sign each change.
b)
Organization Committee
Wallin
reported that the Strategic Planning session will be held on January 30, 2008
from 9:30 am – 1:30 pm at the Currie Clubhouse. Board and Committee members are
invited to attend along with MDBA members. Please RSVP to Denise if you plan to
attend.
Baker
reported that the search committee for the Executive Director interviewed 5
candidates and identified one as their choice to be the director. The city and
the candidate could not come to agreement on terms and so the candidate
declined the offer. The committee did not identify any of the other 4
candidates as having the skills and/or experience necessary. The committee
would like to rewrite the job description to include a different skill set and
repost the job position in January.
c)
Economic Restructuring Committee
Hayes
reported that Ashman Court Hotel has been renamed and is now the H. It also
named its upcoming restaurants as the Table, Café Zinc, and Oxygen. Restaurant
projects should be completed by April, 2008 with the full renovation completed by
end of 2008 or early 2009.
Hayes
reported that a new business, Willow, is now open on Main Street. It is an
impressive and lovely store that carries unique women’s apparel.
Hayes
reported that the Midland Area Community Foundation will be leaving downtown
sometime in the spring for their new location in the old Community Drug
building on the Circle. At this point it is unclear if the property on Main
Street is available for lease.
Hayes
reported 8 downtown vacancies for lease and one property for sale.
Hayes
reported that the 2nd story renovation above Willow is not yet
complete, but scheduled to be completed by spring, 2008. It will be an exciting
and new way to look at 2nd story residential in downtown.
d)
Creating Cool Committee
Wallin
reported that Breakfast with Santa (12/1) was a fun event held at the H Hotel
and was sold out. Special thanks to the Midland Daily News for a nice feature
story about the event.
Wallin
reported that the 2008 Summer Sculpture Series theme will be Summer of the
Dragons. Artists are needed to create these creatures and the deadline to
submit a proposal is January 31, 2008. Dragon sponsorships are now available.
Previous sponsors receive priority, but all sponsors are welcome. Please
contact the DDA office for more information.
The 2008
Calendar of Events is now out - many events including the Great Lakes Loons All
Star Game on June 16 & 17 with the grand finale of the week featuring the
popular MCV Summer Solstice Stroll on June 21.
e)
Midland Downtown Business Association
Hufford
reported that there is only one more Holly Jolly Day this Saturday, December
15. From noon – 4 pm Downtown will host free horse and carriage rides, 25 cent
hot cocoa available at Pizza Sam’s, Daddy O’s, Espresso Milano, and the United
Way Building along with strolling carolers. A $5 coupon (off a $25 purchase) is
available on the downtown midland website.
MDBA
members are putting together a winter sidewalk sales event to be held at Dow
Diamond. The event will be titled “Deals at the Diamond” and will be held on
Saturday, February 2, 2008. Center City businesses will be invited to
participate along with other retails businesses in the area. More information
will be available in January.
Public Comments
None.
Old Business
None.
New Business
Wallin wanted
to thank the many businesses and individuals who volunteer their time and
contribute to making Downtown a wonderful place.
Adjourn
There was
no further business to come before the Board. Fleming moved that the meeting be
adjourned. Brines seconded. Meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.
Reports
Design Committee
Organization Committee
-
Executive Director
Search
Economic Restructuring Committee
-
Space available downtown
Creating Cool Promotions Committee
-
Summer of the Dragons
Sculpture Series – Artists Needed
MDBA Report
-
Deals at the Diamond
January
2008
January
2................... Organization
Committee....................................................... 3
p.m.
January
8................... Economic
Restructuring Committee................................... 3
p.m.
January
9................... DDA Board
Meeting - Council Chambers.......................... 3
p.m.
January
15................. Creating Cool
Promotions Committee....................... 11:30
a.m.
January
22................. Design
Committee................................................................ 3
p.m.
February
2008
February
6................. Organization
Committee....................................................... 3
p.m.
February
12............... Economic Restructuring
Committee................................... 3
p.m.
February
13............... DDA Board Meeting
- Council Chambers.......................... 3
p.m.
February
19............... Creating Cool
Promotions Committee....................... 11:30
a.m.
February
26............... Design Committee................................................................ 3
p.m.
*All DDA committee meetings are held at the DDA office at 300 Rodd
Street, Suite 201 in Downtown Midland unless otherwise noted.