City DDA denies chamber request for free police, fire, DPW

On Feb. 16, the Belleville Downtown Development Authority was about to approve the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce request for a $2,000 grant for marketing of the Belleville Lake Fest, when Mayor Kerreen Conley stopped the vote.
She pointed out that at the bottom of the request was this statement:
“DDA funds requested *** $2,000 PLUS a commitment to provide in kind contributions for Police, Fire, Maintenance, Garbage.”
Mayor Conley said the DDA can’t waive costs of the city and the $2,000 grant from the DDA was not a problem. She said there is no number provided with the services they are requesting, which could be something like $6,000.
Mike Kole, who filled out the request form for the chamber, was not present at the meeting to explain.
City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson said last year the city only charged for police overtime because the city has to pay it some way. He said it was $5,000 to $6,000 and the fire department was about $1,000 more.
Chief Robinson said last year when it was raining at Lakefest, he sent people home to save money.
He said the city was of the understanding that Lakefest is not hosted by the chamber and the chamber is simply a fiduciary and was supposed to create its own 501c3 for Lakefest.
DDA members agreed they have seen nothing that shows the chamber has created a 501c3.
DDA member Denise Baker pointed out in the request it says the applicant provides security.
DDA chairperson Alicia McGovern suggested the DDA send it back to the chamber for a proper request.
DDA member Kelly McWilliams asked if the application says it’s for marketing only and she was told this application needs to be updated.
DDA member Jennifer Winter agreed with Mayor Conley that they need a number on how much the chamber is requesting.
“They can’t just tack on a gift,” McGovern said.
Baker repeated that the DDA grant is only for marketing.
Mayor Conley said the DDA could approve the $2,000 grant and not the other request. She said the DDA doesn’t know if the chamber needs the marketing money now for the event in June.
McGovern said they could approve the grant without the gift of police, fire, and garbage.
Baker said last year the DDA made an exception and give two grants to the chamber – one for Lakefest and one for Winterfest – based on the understanding that the chamber was making an application for the 501c3 so Lakefest would be a separate entity in the future.
“Just send it back,” said DDA member Valerie Kelley-Bonner.
DDA Treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams agreed that the application said the grant was just for marketing.
McWilliams said it was the wrong application, but it was pointed out just the dates on top for application needed to be changed.
Richardson-Williams’ first motion to approve the application, seconded by McWilliams, was reworded to, “approve $2,000 for Lakefest, period.” This motion passed unanimously.
Councilman Steve Jones, who is a chamber officer and listed with Kole as in charge of Lakefest, entered the meeting at this point. The DDA asked him if the 501c3 application had been filed and Jones said he didn’t know the status.
The DDA was about to consider the chamber’s request for Winterfest, which also included the request for free services.
Richardson-Williams said the DDA has the rule that you only can apply for one grant, she said of the chamber.
McGovern said the chamber is applying for the 501c3 although it has been a year since the chamber said it would do that to make Lakefest a separate entity.
“We had COVID,” said McWilliams, a member of the chamber, trying to explain the delay. The rest of the DDA board members laughed at this excuse.
Richardson-Williams asked if the DDA wanted to make another exception to give two grants to the chamber.
Baker said the DDA doesn’t want to continue this year after year.
McGovern said they could table the Winterfest grant until the 501c3 application is filed.
“When will it stop?” Richardson-Williams asked.
“Winterfest will always be a chamber event,” Jones stated.
“If they get that 501c3 that will be another entity,” Winter said.
Mayor Conley said they could provide the Winterfest money as long as action is being taken on the 501c3.
Baker said, “No gifts.”
Tom Fielder called out from the audience, “Point of order.” He said they needed to rescind the Lakefest motion claiming the wording called it a chamber event. They rescinded the motion.
McWilliams said she was in the chamber and Mayor Conley said she might have to recuse herself unless the DDA allows her to vote. They voted to let her vote.
Mayor Conley made the motion to approve $2,000 for advertising/marketing for Lakefest, contingent on evidence on the 501c3. That was seconded by Winter and approved unanimously.
Then a motion was made to approve $2,000 for advertising/marketing for Winterfest, without gifts, and it passed unanimously.
In other business at the one-hour-and-40-minute meeting on Feb. 16, the DDA:
• Unanimously approved the request of the Belleville Central Business Community for a $2,000 marketing / advertising grant, as submitted;
• Unanimously approved setting aside $5,000 for DDA Director Tim McLean to begin maintenance projects that have been listed as needed within the district. McLean said he would put together a policy on how the money for maintenance will be allocated by the DDA and board members can consider the policy at the next meeting. This will give McLean some funds to get started and if more funds are needed before the next meeting they could have a special meeting;
• Approved Pioneer Landscaping of Van Buren Township, the lowest of two bidders, for landscaping and maintenance in the district at a cost of $735 per mowing with edging at $1,400 for 2022. Costs were given for three years. Fresh mulch will be applied annually and fibar put in Victory Park playground area at a cost of $2,700. The DDA received no bids on contracts for applications of fertilizer and crabgrass killer. Randy Brown did not bid on mulch and bid $21,248 for mowing, weed trimming, and edging;
• Heard McLean report that he will start soliciting bids that week for the restriping of Main Street. Fielder said the cost had doubled for restriping and that’s why DPW Director Rick Rutherford backed away from the project. McGovern said it still needs to be done because you can’t see parking lines. Fielder said the last time it was done was in 2017-18;
• Heard McGovern say the maintenance agreement with the city is old and hasn’t kept up. They are looking at hiring employees for the city to take care of this. McGovern said based on the numbers she has seen, the DDA’s maintenance money paid to the city is underpaid. “It’s going to cost money to have the city look great,” she said. Later in the meeting, Winter said, “We can’t have Disney if we don’t have money,” referring to Robinson’s statement that he wants the city looking like Disneyland;
• Heard McGovern set a special meeting for 6 p.m., March 9, to discuss the maintenance agreement. Fielder called out from the audience that they had to vote on it, so they voted to hold the meeting; and
• Heard Fielder report that fentanyl is now being found in marijuana. He said, “Marijuana isn’t always wonderful stuff to make us money.”