HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.18.2022 Business Improvement District Minutes
Downtown Oshkosh BID Board Minutes
January 18, 2022
Present: Marlo Ambas, James Evans, Sandra Prunty, Jill Anderson, Derek Mulloy, Barb Nelson,
Aaron Armstrong, James Stapel, David Krumplitsch, Andy Ratchman, Carrie Olson,
Autumn Urban and Kris Larson.
Excused: Chanda Anderson and Megan Lang.
Staff: Jessica Meidl – BID Manager, Sean Fitzgerald – Economic Development Specialist, and
Jeff Nau – Associate Planner/GIS Specialist.
Others: Amy Albright – Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau, Rob Ketter and Mike Nelson.
I. Call to Order
Vice Chairperson Larson called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. A quorum was declared present.
II. Approve Minutes of the December 21, 2021 Meeting
Prunty moved to approve the minutes of the December 21, 2021 meeting, second by Jill Anderson.
Motion passed unanimously.
III. Approve January 2022 Monthly Financial Report
BID Manager Meidl provided the financial report as presented in the packet. Armstrong moved to
accept the financial report, second by Olson. Motion passed unanimously.
IV. Policing/Traffic/Parking/Enforcement Issues
No representative from the police department attended the meeting. There was no report.
V. Approve Retention Fund Grant for $1,000.00 to Tennie’s Jewelry, 523 N. Main St.
Meidl presented the grant request as provided in the packet.
There was some discussion among board members whether the invoice for services covered a vehicle
wrap for the applicant, which all indicated they would not support approving a grant for such an
expense. Meidl indicated she will reach out to the applicant to confirm the details of the signs covered
under the invoice.
Armstrong made a motion to approve the grant request contingent upon the invoice not representing a
vehicle wrap of any kind. The motion received a second from Prunty. Motion passed unanimously.
VI. Report from Day By Day Warming Shelter on plans for a new facility near downtown
No representative from Day By Day attended the meeting. Board members reported some confusion in
extending an invitation.
VII. Review of BID financial assistance programs.
Meidl indicated the BID’s Retention Grant Program has been primarily used for purposes of renovating
and replacing signs in recent years. Additionally, Meidl referenced the Roger Brooks presentation and
the BID’s desire to attract more blade signs and other enhanced signs to the downtown. She suggested
evolving the retention grant program into an initiative focused specifically on signs.
Larson suggested further modifying the program to being an overall beautification program, which
could include signs as well as planters. He suggested lowering the grant amount for the program and
then allowing grants to be issued to applicants more frequently than current program guidelines allow.
Meidl will develop defined modifications to the retention grant program to present to the board for its
consideration at the February meeting.
Meidl said a sub-committee of the board recently met to discuss the BID’s Recruitment Grant Program.
She indicated there has not been an application submitted for this program in at least a couple of years.
The members suggested simplifying the application process and simplifying the program structure. It
was noted the grants available through this program are technically considered forgivable loans.
The board discussed reaching out to include Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corp. and
asking it to participate actively in this program as part of its business attraction efforts. Board members
also discussed reducing the size of the grant application from 10 pages down to two or three pages.
VIII. Review 2021 activities in the BID.
Meidl prepared a PDF presentation to share with those attending the meeting. She provided highlights
of all the beautification efforts initiated by the organization during 2021. She also shared the proposed
calendar of downtown events for 2022.
Meidl indicated she has been working with Marlo Ambas on a video presentation highlighting all 2021
activities in the BID. She said she will share that video with board members once it’s ready for release
in a couple of weeks.
IX. 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 said conversations continue to move forward with
the city parks department on the new horticulturalist position who will tend to plantings downtown.
Meidl also indicated she participated in the orientation session for the Wisconsin Main Street Connect
Communities program last week, and looks forward to the opportunities this initiative can bring in the
coming year.
X. Other Business (Items not listed on the BID Board meeting agenda)
Prunty mentioned there had previously been an annual “state of the BID” event and asked board
members if they might considering resuming that concept in some format. Larson suggested bringing
this up as an agenda item at the next board meeting in February.
XI. Identification of Agenda Items for the February 15, 2022 Meeting
Agenda items identified for the February 15, 2022 meeting include:
Review and approval of proposed modifications to BID financial assistance
programs.
Discussion regarding a possible “State of the BID” event for later in spring.
Overview of the proposed creation of the Downtown Neighborhood Association.
Report from Day By Day Warming Shelter on its plans for a new shelter facility
near downtown.
XII. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Stapel at 9:03 a.m., second by Jill Anderson. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sean Fitzgerald
Economic Development Division
Economic Development Specialist