HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.18.2025 Business Improvement District Full Agenda
TO: Downtown Oshkosh Business Improvement District Board
FROM: Megan Lang, Chair
DATE: March 11, 2025
PLEASE BE ADVISED the Downtown Oshkosh Business Improvement District Board will hold
a regular meeting at 8:00 A.M., Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at City Hall 215 Church Ave. Room
404, Oshkosh, WI to consider the following agenda:
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Police report for Downtown
III. Approve Minutes of the February 18, 2025 Meeting
IV. Approve Monthly Financial Report
V. BID Manager Employee Status
VI. Review next steps for Instagift gift card program
VII. Discuss Non-profit Status
VIII. BID Manager and BID Committee Reports
a. Events – Discuss how to recruit volunteers for events
b. Member Co
c. Beautification
d. Marketing & Communications
IX. Board Member Comments
X. Identification of Agenda Items for the April 15, 2025 Meeting
XI. Adjournment
Downtown Oshkosh BID Board Minutes
February 18, 2025
Present: Megan Lang, James Evans, Marlo Ambas, Barb Anderson, Carrie Olson, Autumn
Urban, Logan Jungbacker
Excused: Chanda Anderson, Jim Stapel, Andy Ratchman, Sandy Prunty, Derek Mulloy
Staff: Jessica Meidl – BID Manager, Jessica Lomena – Events and Marketing
Coordinator, John Zarate – Economic Development Specialist, Kris Larson - City
Council Liaison
Others: Amy Albright – CVB, Bill Bracken - Oshkosh Farmers Market
I. Call to Order
- Chairperson Lang called the meeting to order at 8:04 a.m. A quorum was declared
present.
II. Downtown Police report
- No report.
III. Approve Minutes of the January 21, 2024 Meeting
- Motion made and approved (Olson, Jungbacker)
IV. Approve January 2025 Monthly Financial Report
- Meidl went through the report from the City and explained the amounts in reserves
and the amounts (ARPA and BID Assessments) to be added.
- Motion made and approved. (Olson, Jungbacker).
V. Review 2025 Marketing and Events Plan
- Meidl presented the events and marketing strategies for 2025.
- A quick glance calendar was presented showing all planned events for 2025.
- Wine walks are the biggest and fundraiser for the BID. Last event additional tickets
were added and was sold out.
- Each event was reviewed and shown how the events cost, staff time, impact on the
downtown, community engagement and growth potential.
- Live at lunch will not be part of the 2025 event schedule. The event typically had
low attendance and it is hoped that efforts can be more focused with only having
one music event a week. Music on Main will continue for 2025.
- There will be a new event to go along with Titan week. Lomena will be working on
that for September.
- With the popularity of reindeer in the square staff will be looking at ways to get it
more spread downtown to the businesses. There is a thought to combine with
Festival of Trees and possibly have each business decorate a tree inside their
business.
- Advertising costs for events was reviewed.
- Oshkosh Into The Night sponsorship will be cut in half this year. The sponsor is
hoping BID staff and volunteers will takeover this event like is done in other
communities. Given the departure of the BID Manager and lack of staff time it
wasn’t agreed to be done for this spring. Staff could possibly take over for the end
of summer event.
VI. BID Manager Employee Status
- Meidl’s last day will be February 28.
- Lang thanked Jessie for her service and dedication over the last 5 years. Lang also
thanked Lomena for picking up the extra work while Meidl was off last summer
and also for the extra work she will have to do until a replacement is found for the
BID Manager position. Some duties of the BID Manager have been dispersed to
staff within Convention and Visitors Bureau.
VII. Review New Job Description for Downton Oshkosh Executive Director/ BID
Manager
- A summary of the job description was reviewed by board members. There have
been modifications to the job description based on additional BID staff member.
There was an overall all concern with the Job Title of BID Manager/ Executive
Director that it sounded like it was two positions. Board decided to change the
name to Executive Director and put BID Manager as part of job duties. Motion to
approve new job description. (Olson, Jungbacker) Approved.
VIII. Discuss Non-profit Status
- Consultant has informed sub-committee that she can get the BID through the final
stages of creating the non-profit even with the absence of the BID Manager.
IX. Review Consultant Contract for BID and DOI
- There is additional work that needs to be done to create the job description, posting
and review of applications. Consultant can get this done with a modified contract
for additional amount. Motion to approve additional fees for contract (Olson,
Jungbacker) Approved.
X. BID Manager and BID Committee Reports
- Meidl stated that most topics within the report were covered under item V.
Marketing and Events Plan.
- Larson presented a new gift card program that works through an app on a phone.
The app is called Instagift. Larson has successfully used this app with his
businesses. It is much more efficient than the scanning of current gift cards. The
service is free to use. Board members liked this option and would like to proceed
with next steps.
- Meidl gave an update on Vibrant Spaces project. Because of material delays the
signs won’t be installed until the first week of March. Colored lights have been
received and Window Genie will be contacted to swap out these lights with current
white lights.
-
XI. Board Member Comments
- Evans said that City Staff should address the steel tree grates along the Main St
sidewalks. They have settled and do not lay flat. People have reported tripping on
these.
- Evans stated that the Mural on High Ave will need to be removed as the building
has been sold and the new owner isn’t interested in maintaining it in its current
location.. He asked if there was anyone willing to have it installed on their building
or knew of a place it could be stored.
- Zarate reported that all parking permits and day passes will soon be transferred to
the Passport app. Yearly/ monthly leased spaces will still need to be paid for at City
Hall.
XII. Identification of Agenda Items for the February 18, 2025 Meeting
- Non-profit update
- Review next steps of Instagift gift card program
- Employee Status Update
-Discuss how to recruit volunteers for wine walk under BID Manager Report
XIII. Adjournment
-Adjourned 9:55 am. (Jungbacker, Olson)
Respectfully Submitted,
John Zarate
Economic Development Specialist
Economic Services Division
2025 Assessment 134,832.16
2025 Reserve Balance 123,121.01
TOTAL AVAILABLE 257,953.17
Funds Allocated 269,300.00
2025
Allocation Expenditures Receipt Transferred Encumbered Balance Balance
Leadership
Oshkosh Convention and Visitor's Bureau 128,000.00$ 26,953.93 0.00 0.00 0.00 101,046.07
Website Maintenance/Office Supplies/Strategic Planning 16,000.00$ 864.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 15,135.55
Recruitment/Retention/Beautification Grants 20,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20,000.00
Events
Waterfest 2,500.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,500.00
Music in the Square/Lunch Events 15,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15,000.00
Wine/Beer Walks 10,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10,000.00
Holiday 15,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15,000.00
Chalk Walk 4,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4,000.00
Farmers Market 5,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5,000.00
Chocolate Stroll 500.00$ 625.83 5,540.00 0.00 0.00 5,414.17
Downtown Events 2,500.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,500.00
Advertising 15,000.00$ 1,267.96 0.00 0.00 0.00 13,732.04
Gift Card Program 1,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,000.00
Arts & Beautification
Maintenance 10,000.00$ 1,372.97 0.00 0.00 0.00 8,627.03
Holiday/Seasonal Plantings 20,000.00$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20,000.00
Seagull Mitigation Project 3,000.00$ 3,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Storage Unit 1,800.00$ 450.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,350.00
Revenue - Event Income 43,690.00 (43,690.00)
Revenue - Sponsorship 35,000.00 (35,000.00)
Revenue - ARPA Funding 50,000.00 (50,000.00)
Reserves / Capital Improvements 123,121.01$ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 123,121.01
TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET 392,421.01$ 34,535.14$ 5,540.00$ -$ 128,690.00$ 234,735.87
Postings through February 24th
Downtown Oshkosh Business Improvement District - 2025 Operating Plan