Downtown Development Authority Minutes

Absent: Christopher Johnson (excused)

Margene Buckhave (excused)

Also Present: City Manager Gary Word, DDA Director Lori Ward, Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Nickie Bateson, DPW Director Jim Gallogly, Parks and Recreation Director Traci Sincock, School Board Member Martha Nield, Reporter Scott Spielman, Recording Secretary Carol Kasprowicz.

Approval of Meeting Minutes: Jim DeHaan requested a clarification of the liquor license being sought by Cambridge for the proposed restaurant in their project as stated in the February 13, 2001 meeting minutes. Motion Heaton, seconded by LaChance to approve the minutes of the meetings of December 18, 2000, January 9, 2001, February 13, 2001, and March 12, 2001. Voice vote: Yes: all. No: none. Motion carried unanimously.

Request for NCBA Funding: NCBA President Laurie Wyant requested the DDA Board consider releasing the remainder amount left from the funds earmarked for downtown programs. The DDA budget had allowed $10,000 in this line item of the budget. The NCBA had generated funds of $6,979.19, which were then matched by the DDA. A remaining amount of $3,020.81 is left in the budget. The NCBA had recently organized a spring event, Northville’s Hoppin’, and generated $3,400 from their members. The NCBA is now requesting that the Northville DDA match these funds in support of the spring event and release the remaining $3,000+ of the programming budget.

Discussion centered on specifics of the expenses, the amount remaining in the DDA budget, and the amount of money raised by the merchants. Motion Larsen, seconded by Heaton to grant the request of the NCBA for the remaining $3,020.81in the downtown programming budget to be used for expenses incurred in the spring event, Northville’s Hoppin’, without conditions. Amend motion Larsen, seconded by Heaton to eliminate words "without conditions" and state the request is granted as a match of the funds raised by the NCBA members for this event up to the remainder of the amount left in the DDA budget. Voice vote: Yes: all. No: none. Motion carried unanimously.

Request for Ford Field Funding: Director Sincock reviewed the purpose of the request before the DDA Board. Several key components of the Ford Field project were eliminated in the bid process in order to keep the project within the available budget. The items were: boulder retaining wall ($22,400), landscaping ($42,000), masonry piers along Griswold Street ($21,500). Sincock also stated that the funds at hand enabled the project to have a 6% construction contingency, with the hope a 10% contingency could be attained.

Discussion included questions regarding the specific components and the variation in the amounts listed from a January 9, 2001 meeting, the significance of unknown factors of the project which would necessitate the need for additional funds, the identity and background of the construction manager, and the suggestion to request donations from the local nurseries.

Motion Long, seconded by Shaffner to grant the request for $22,400 from FY 2001-02 budget for the building of the boulder retaining wall at Ford Field with the stipulation that the name Ford Field be retained. Voice vote: Yes: all. No: none. Motion carried unanimously.

Review of Draft Budget FY 2001-02: Director Ward and Finance Director Nickie Bateson reviewed the DDA budget for the next fiscal year. Included were revenue and expenditures items, capital improvement plan, debt service fund, and the parking fund. Questions were raised regarding the bond rating and future parking plans. Motion Heaton, seconded by LaChance to recommend to City Council the approval of the FY 2001-02 DDA budget as presented. Voice vote: Yes: all. No: none. Motion carried unanimously.

Committee Appointments: The Mayor has requested three committees be formed to deal with downtown circulation and parking, the Cady Corridor overlay district, and the Cady Street terminus, respectively, with one member from the DDA to be on each of the committees. It was suggested that all three topics are interrelated and the same people should be on all three committees to avoid overlapping of work and ideas. Greg Presley and Lynda Heaton volunteered for the committees.

Cambridge Center Project: Director Ward stated the final plans are being put before the Planning Commission on May 1^st. She stated the project is being considered as a PUD, which requires public hearings from the Planning Commission and City Council.

Post Office: City Manager Word stated the City Council is seeking support and/or feedback from the business community and the DDA regarding the retention of the Post Office at its present location. It was suggested that the DDA avail itself to data that would indicate the effect of a Post Office in a downtown setting. Ward and Word will investigate possible sources. It was suggested and concurred that a special meeting of the DDA take place before the regularly scheduled meeting of May to discuss the Post Office.

A special meeting of the DDA was tentatively scheduled for April 24, 2001 at 8:00 a.m. in the City Council Chambers.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:35 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol T. Kasprowicz

Recording Secretary