HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.17.2022 Business Improvement District Minutes
Downtown Oshkosh BID Board Minutes
May 17, 2022
Present: James Evans, Autumn Urban, Sandra Prunty, Kris Larson, Chanda Anderson, Megan
Lang, Marlo Ambas, Jill Anderson and Carrie Olson.
Excused: James Stapel, Aaron Armstrong, Derek Mulloy, Andy Ratchman and Barb Nelson.
Staff: Jessica Meidl – BID Manager, Sean Fitzgerald – Economic Development Specialist,
Jennifer Messerschmidt – Assistant City Finance Director, and Sgt. Kari Pettit – Oshkosh
Police Department.
Others: Amy Albright – Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau, Michael Cooney, Rob Ketter,
Dianna Stiefvater, Jessica Graf and Rob Kleman – Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce.
I. Call to Order
Chairperson Lang called the meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. A quorum was declared present.
Meidl congratulated Dianna Stiefvater and Rob Ketter for completing the Leadership Oshkosh
program and thanked them for their term as adjunct board members.
II. Approve Minutes of the April 19, 2022 Meeting
Prunty moved to approve the minutes of the April 19, 2022 meeting, second by Larson. Motion passed
unanimously.
III. Approve May 2022 Monthly Financial Report
Assistant Finance Director Messerschmidt reported one of the key findings of the city’s recent financial
audit was the MemberCo checking account being off of the city’s financial ledger. This concern will be
addressed by setting up a segregated “project fund” on the city’s books. Transactions from the account
will still occur seamlessly from the perspective of the BID organization as it had in the past.
BID Manager Meidl provided the financial report as presented in the packet. Larson moved to accept
the financial report as presented, second by Jill Anderson. Motion passed unanimously.
IV. Policing/Traffic/Parking/Enforcement Issues
Sgt. Pettit indicated there wasn’t anything of significance to report on it the downtown area.
Lang said she noticed an increase of people sleeping overnight in Opera House Square and asked if
there was any particular response from the police department. She noted there is a challenge in where
else to move the city’s homeless population when the parks officially close for the evening.
V. Approve Beautification Grant - $1,000 to Franki Muscato Foundation, 452 N. Main St.
Meidl introduced the grant request as presented in the packet. Motion by Jill Anderson to approve the
grant request, second by Larson. Motion passed unanimously.
VI. Presentation from Oshkosh Farmer’s Market on its 2022 Season
Michael Cooney from the Oshkosh Farmer’s Market board of directors gave a presentation on the
coming 2022 summer season. The first farmer’s market is scheduled for Saturday, June 4.
VII. Discussion of Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) Concept
Meidl noted the proposed Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, or DORA, would enable downtown
patrons to carry open intoxicants within a specified container outside of the establishment from where
it was purchased. The proposed plan for this year will not involve the ability to carry beverages into
another retailer within the DORA. Additionally, the footprint of the proposed DORA would be
expanded to include a handful of businesses in the 700 block of North Main Street. The current DORA
proposal will first be presented before the city’s common council at its May 24 meeting.
Larson reported there have been some conversations with various legislators to clarify the state statute
regarding the ability to carry open intoxicants into a consenting private business that does not have a
beverage serving license.
Lang invited other BID board members supporting the DORA concept to join Meidl at the city council
meeting on May 24 to share their enthusiasm for this proposed initiative.
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 reported the Spring Wine Walk in early May sold
out a couple weeks prior to the event and netted more than $10,000 in proceeds.
Music in the Square is tentatively going to be pushed back to August and September so that it
competes less with other live music events occurring downtown during the summer. There’s a general
consensus to hold Music in the Square on Thursday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. during August as a
complement to Waterfest and to take advantage of the proposed DORA.
Meidl also said the downtown campaign has started advertising on city busses. She proposed an
advertising campaign in vacant storefronts downtown promoting the state’s Main Street Bounceback
program grant and will seek funding to create large banners for those windows. Richards School of
Dance on State Street agreed to have a mural drawn on its southern exterior wall facing the 200 Block
North Main East public parking lot.
Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau donated $25,000 for the BID to manage a beautification grant
program specifically with blade signs and flower pots. Grants of up to $1,000 would cover 75 percent of
project costs. Lastly, the seagull mitigation consultant started his work for the 2022 season and noted 79
nests and 214 eggs on downtown building rooftops, which is far less than a year ago.
IX. Other Business (Items not listed on the BID Board meeting agenda)
Olson mentioned the Hope Fridge located downtown and passed out flyers on the Fill the Fridge Daily
Challenge organizers currently have underway.
X. Identification of Agenda Items for the June 21, 2022 Meeting
Lang asked for further conversation regarding the DORA proposal to be placed on the agenda.
XI. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Larson, second by Ambas. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at
9:33 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sean Fitzgerald
Economic Development Division
Economic Development Specialist