Downtown Development Authority
Meeting Minutes
May 8, 2003
Attending: Wayne Bronner, Judy Keller, Gary Rummel, Jerry Blohm, Art Loeffler, Randy Bierlein, Al Zehnder
Absent: Bud Anscomb, John Benson, Mike Galsterer, Dave Johnston, Leone Koester, Bill Mossner
Also attending were Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Tebedo, City Manager Charlie Graham, and Sheila Stamiris.
Minutes of the DDA meeting of April 10, 2003. The minutes were approved as presented. Bierlein moved; Rummel seconded.
Finance Reports. As presented, the Finance Reports of March 31, 2003, for the DDA General Fund and Construction Funds were received. As intended, the Construction Fund is very low in funds as constructions projects are nearly completed. The General Fund will begin making large payments in the debt service funds on outstanding TIF and Special Assessment issues in the next two months.
The Accounts Payable listing for month ending April 2003 were approved. Keller moved; Blohm seconded.
Project Reports. Most recent schedules and completion dates for the mast arm project at Main and Jefferson, the MEDC/CDBG grant funded plätze and the MDOT lighting project from Cass St. to the Cass River were received.
Weiss Street Project. In response to the request from Stamiris to present an updated contract, MC Smith Associates presented a contract addendum in the amount of 8% of the total construction costs including contingencies. (The total project cost is estimated at $1.54 million with design, construction document preparation and oversight costs estimated at $123,556.) The contract was approved and recommended for City Council approval. Blohm moved; Zehnder seconded.
In-town Public Transit. At the request of resident and MDOT official Dave Geiger, the board discussed STARS and the opportunity to run an in-town shuttle within the commercial district. Comments were not favorable to doing this:
Visitors are from metro areas and do not perceive a traffic/parking problem here to use the service.
Tourists are not likely to ride the bus; more unusual forms (i.e. trolley) might be more attractive.
Free transportation is already offered.
No member was interested in pursuing this request.
North End Traffic Study. Graham reports the charette and initial stages were positive. Final report is expected in September.
Special Assessment Rolls Copies of each phase of the streetscape project were distributed for information and received.
Communications: From Stamiris to Rausch. Stamiris’ letter was received. This letter prompted board member Leone Koester to contact her attorney Bob Stroebel to write a letter on her behalf acknowledging her strong concerns for safety due to sight-lines and the intersection of Nickless and Main (the southeast corner of Rausch project area.) The letter was received with these comments:
There has been no incident or accident reported since first installed in September 2000.
MDOT reviewed the plans from their Right of Way perspective and did not analyze the condition for street access from Nickless. The plans were approved.
We agreed to wait for the all the project to be done, why are we discussing this now?
Chief of Police Jim Pettys approved the banner location in 2000; Chief of Police Don Mawer has also reviewed the banner location with approval.
After discussion, it was considered that Mrs. Koester was most interested in this and we should wait for her attendance at the next board meeting to discuss. Therefore, board members were asked to review the condition and consider their opinion by the next board meeting. Stamiris is to contact Sheriff Brown for his opinion, as well.
Director’s Notes and an analysis of the City of Frankenmuth General Assessment Roll were received.
The meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheila Stamiris, Director