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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-17-21 Meeting Minutes Downtown Oshkosh BID Board Minutes August 17, 2021 Present: Marlo Ambas, James Evans, Sandra Prunty, James Stapel, Jill Anderson, Chanda Anderson, David Krumplitsch, Barb Nelson, Megan Lang, Carrie Olson, Derek Mulloy, Aaron Armstrong, Andy Ratchman, Autumn Urban and Kris Larson. Excused: None. Staff: Jessica Meidl – BID Manager, Kelly Nieforth – Economic Development Services Manager, Sean Fitzgerald – Economic Development Specialist, Sgt. Kari Pettit – Oshkosh Police Department, and Jeff Nau – Associate Planner/GIS Specialist. Others: Amy Albright – Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau and Kaitlyn Scoville. I. Call to Order Chairperson Lang called the meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. A quorum was declared present. II. Approve Minutes of the June 15, 2021 Meeting Prunty moved to approve the minutes of the July 20, 2021 meeting, second by Larson. Motion passed unanimously. III. Approve July 2021 Monthly Financial Report BID Manager Meidl provided clarification on the seagull mitigation expenses as presented in the packet. Stapel moved to accept the financial report, second by Larson. Motion passed unanimously. IV. Policing/Traffic/Parking/Enforcement Issues Sgt. Pettit provided an overview on a recent incident regarding an airsoft on Main Street in downtown. She reported 186 calls came in for the downtown area during July 2021. She also indicated an internal staff meeting will be held late in August to discuss potential traffic enforcement options on North Main Street through the downtown. V. Approve BID Mural Grant application for the amount of $1,000.00 to Emma Daisy Gertel for a mural at 440 N. Main Street Meidl presented the grant application and explained the project financing. She indicated the mural project had been vetted and approved by the BID Beautification Committee. Motion by Olson to approve the grant, second by Larson. Motion passed unanimously. VI. Approve BID Mural Grant application for the amount of $1,000.00 to Joshua Marquardt for a mural at 523 and 525 N. Main Street Meidl presented the grant application and explained the project financing. She presented the mural project and explained it will be located within the private pedestrian space between the two buildings at 523 and 525 North Main Street. Motion by Jill Anderson to approve the grant, second by Prunty. Motion passed 14 to 0, with Kris Larson abstaining from the vote. VII. Farmer’s Market Presentation The representative from Oshkosh Farmer’s Market was not present for the meeting. VIII. BID Manager and BID Committee Reports  Events  MemberCO  Beautification  Marketing & Communications Meidl provided her management and committee report as presented in the packet and offered an update of her activities during the past month. She reported the number of Instagram followers for Downtown Oshkosh has doubled since the beginning of her tenure and explained the detail of the upcoming Titantown event on September 3. Meidl explained the electrical box wrap pilot program is set to move forward. Nieforth indicated the city will not allow any manner of sponsorship recognition on the wraps in accordance with the city’s policy on advertising within the right of way. Members questioned the city policy and cited other examples in which sponsorship recognition has been provided for items within the right of way. Nieforth discussed the flower pot pilot program and clarified the city code requires a 5-foot walking path clear of any obstructions. She said starting the pilot program this fall would allow the city and the BID to identify any issues which might preclude potentially expanding the program as a permanent ordinance following this one-year trial period. Each participating individual business owner or building owner will need to sign an encroachment agreement with the city as part of this pilot program. There was additional discussion among members regarding federal Americans with Disability Act accessibility guidelines. Chanda Anderson has been moving forward on a blade sign outside her shop. Business owners along Waugoo Avenue are also collaborating to design and install blade signs for their storefronts. Meidl reported the Chalk Walk event held August 7, 2021 had a record number of votes cast, despite the event ending early due to rain. She indicated Jazz in the Square will begin on August 25, and mentioned ticket sales for WineWalk have sold well within the first four days of availability. IX. Other Business (Items not listed on the BID Board meeting agenda) Nieforth reported the city has restored its mask requirement in all city-owned buildings through at least October 1, 2021. X. Identification of Agenda Items for the September 21, 2021 Meeting Chanda Anderson requested having some discussion about a “Welcome to Downtown Oshkosh” mural in the central city. Members indicated a more robust discussion about murals in general would be in order. Lang asked for some discussion requesting a grant to finance the electrical box wrap pilot program. Lang also requested an item to further discuss code enforcement issues downtown, particularly in regard to logos and sponsorship in the right of way as well as federal ADA guidelines. Chanda Anderson also asked the board or budget committee to hold an upcoming conversation regarding additional staffing for the organization. Lang said staffing issues are attempting to be addressed through the collaboration with Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the CVB staff could provide an update on its staffing initiatives in September. XI. Adjournment Motion to adjourn by Stapel at 9:07 a.m., second by Larson. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted, Sean Fitzgerald Economic Development Division Economic Development Specialist