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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.19.2022 Business Improvement District Minutes Downtown Oshkosh BID Board Minutes April 19, 2022 Present: James Evans, Sandra Prunty, David Krumplitsch, Kris Larson, Chanda Anderson, Megan Lang, Marlo Ambas, Jill Anderson, Derek Mulloy, Andy Ratchman, Carrie Olson and Barb Nelson. Excused: James Stapel, Autumn Urban and Aaron Armstrong. Staff: Jessica Meidl – BID Manager, Kelly Nieforth – Community Development Director, Jason Pausma - Economic Development Services Manager, Sean Fitzgerald – Economic Development Specialist, Mark Rohloff – City Manager, and Sgt. Kari Pettit – Oshkosh Police Department. Others: Amy Albright – Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jon Bartz – Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Michael Cooney, Dianna Stiefvater, Rob Ketter, Mike Nelson, Jessica Graf and Kaitlyn Scoville – Oshkosh Herald. I. Call to Order Chairperson Lang called the meeting to order at 8:03 a.m. A quorum was declared present. Lang recognized David Krumplitsch for his service to the board. This is his last meeting as he retires from his position at Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel at the end of the month. II. Approve Minutes of the March 15, 2022 Meeting Larson moved to approve the minutes of the March 15, 2022 meeting, second by Chanda Anderson. Motion passed unanimously. III. Approve April 2022 Monthly Financial Report BID Manager Meidl provided the financial report as presented in the packet. Larson moved to accept the financial report as presented, second by Olson. Motion passed unanimously. IV. Policing/Traffic/Parking/Enforcement Issues Sgt. Pettit informed the board the department implemented its new reporting software and brought a paper copy of a recent report on policing activity in the downtown area for board members to review. She also indicated the county’s new mental health drop-in center opened and offers a safe destination for people to spend time during daytime hours. The new center can handle 15 to 20 people at a time. V. Approve Beautification Grant for $1,000 to Escape Rentals, 423 N. Main Street Meidl introduced the grant request as presented in the packet. Motion by Chanda Anderson to approve the grant request, second by Jill Anderson. Motion passed unanimously. VI. Approve Beautification Grant for $540.93 to Sun Dog Industries LLC, 578 N. Main St. Meidl introduced the grant request as presented in the packet. Motion by Jill Anderson to approve the grant request, second by Prunty. Motion passed unanimously, with Olson abstaining. VII. Discussion of Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) Concept Meidl explained a proposal for a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA, which would enable downtown patrons to carry open intoxicants within a specified container outside of the establishment from where it was purchased. She indicated this proposal is based upon other similar successful programs researched in Ohio and Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Hours of the proposed DORA would be on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. to incorporate the farmer’s market. Drinks would need to be served in a specified DORA cup available at participating establishments for $1. Drinks would not be allowed to be taken into another establishment that serves alcohol without being emptied. Signs would be made available to downtown businesses to allow them to identify whether they allow patrons to carry open intoxicants into their store. Chanda Anderson asked about extending the hours of DORA operation into other days of the week. Lang explained this proposal is being requested as a pilot project for a 90-day period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and given the exploratory nature of this request, will remain on the days being proposed. The proposal will need to be approved by the city council. In order to carry out this proposal as a pilot program over the coming summer months, Lang said the BID has been asked by the city to pay for the costs of overtime for two police officers who will patrol the DORA by foot during its hours of operation. That cost is estimated at about $13,000 per month, according to Larson. He said the BID would seek financial assistance from other partners in the community who would like to contribute to a vibrant environment downtown. Larson indicated a desire to have a general consensus of support from the BID board for the DORA. He said the next step would be to have the BID manager reach out and share this concept with various partners downtown such as the bars and restaurants, other retailers, the farmer’s market and Waterfest. Sgt. Pettit asked about the possibility of offering a cup buy-back initiative to help deter unlawful disposal of the cups. Lang clarified that the pilot initiative is being requested to extend into November to accommodate the end of the outdoor farmer’s market season. City Manager Mark Rohloff noted a concern about the DORA extending too far into the fall months because college students will be back in the community and the autumn pub crawl weekend might experience compounded problems. He said the long term success of this proposal will depend upon the ability to create a culture where patrons behave themselves appropriately with the liberty of carrying open intoxicants outside of the tavern. Olson said she believed most of the concern from other businesses downtown could be the potential mess. She said her business is located next to a tavern and she often has to clean up the following morning from patrons who litter or spill biological materials. Chanda Anderson said she believed the DORA would target a different and better-behaved audience that typically doesn’t vomit in doorways. Motion by Evans to have the BID manager assemble a financial proposal and gather information to advance this proposal forward, second by Chanda Anderson. Motion passed unanimously. VIII. BID Manager and BID Committee Reports  Events  MemberCO  Beautification 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 the MemberCo group is putting together a downtown clean up event for the coming weekend. Other upcoming MemberCo events include Chalk Walk on August 13 and a holiday event in December. Music in the Square is planned for Wednesday evenings between June 15 and August 31. Meidl also sought input from members on what kind of an annual year-in-review event they would like. Board members gave consensus they would prefer some manner of a less formal event in the late afternoon. Meidl also reported a partnership has been established with C.O.T.S. to provide garbage clean up in the BID. She is working to secure a location for a 2022 downtown mural, and Meidl also noted the new street light post banners will be installed by Memorial Day weekend. Lastly, Meidl indicated the seagull mitigation project enters its third year and will begin in late April if the weather cooperates. IX. Other Business (Items not listed on the BID Board meeting agenda) No other business was introduced. X. Identification of Agenda Items for the May 17, 2022 Meeting Lang asked for further conversation regarding the DORA proposal to be placed on the May 17 agenda. XI. Adjournment Motion to adjourn by Larson at 9:11 a.m., second by Chanda Anderson. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted, Sean Fitzgerald Economic Development Division Economic Development Specialist