Downtown Development Authority Minutes

Discussion ensued as to what specific recommendations the DDA should propose to the City Council at the May 2^nd City Council meeting with regards to strategic planning services. Comments included:

- The role and authority of the DDA is to guide and shape the development of the downtown.

- If the scope of the strategic plan is limited to the downtown, the prospective strategic planner is answerable to the DDA. If the scope of the plan is broader, the planner would be under the direction of the City Council.

- The Downtown Steering Committee is a representative body encompassing the varied areas of responsibility regarding the City’s interests.

- It is imperative to maintain the momentum generated by the Downtown Steering Committee’s work, and a Request for Proposal document should be prepared for discussion at the May 2^nd meeting.

- While it might be more expedient to utilize in-house experts to facilitate the process, it is important to solicit proposals from outside firms.

- The RFP should focus on a physical plan and not include a marketing element.

Further discussion dealt with dissemination of the RFP to the appropriate parties prior to the May 2^nd meeting, the format of the upcoming special meeting, and the follow through on the assignments outlined in the DSC Final Report.

There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol T. Kasprowicz
Recording Secretary