VBT DDA OKs sidewalk repairs for next construction season

Because of the upcoming reconstruction of the East Huron River Drive bridge over the Huron River, and the resulting detour of traffic to Belleville Road, the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority decided to wait until 2021 to repair the sidewalks in its district.
At its regular meeting on July 28, via Zoom, the DDA voted unanimously to spend an estimated $180,000 for costs associated with sidewalk repair and ADA accessibility. This includes a contingency, construction engineering, and administrative/legal costs.
At its June 20 DDA meeting, Wade Trim engineers provided an update on the drone flight to evaluate existing sidewalks along Belleville Road. There was not a large area where repairs were needed, and there was $200,000 set aside in the budget for sidewalk repair, so they went back to evaluate all of the existing sidewalks within the DDA boundaries.
The following projects were approved:
• Belleville Road south of I-94, $45,000
• Belleville Road north of I-94, $70,000
• Tyler Road west of Belleville, $10,000
• Van Born Road east of Belleville, $13,000
• South Service Road west of Belleville, $15,000
• North Service Road east of Belleville, $4,500
• North Service Road west of Belleville, $9,500
• Tyler Road east of Belleville, $9,000
• Ecorse Road west of Belleville, $4,000
Carmelle Tremblay of Wade Trim told the DDA that some are trip hazards, some are just cracks, and some present more of a danger than others.
DDA member Mark Laginess asked if it would be better to repair the sidewalks in 2021 when the detour is not in place.
Tremblay said the amount they contracted with Wade Trim is for one year and they would need another contract.
Tremblay presented a map, showing ADA ramp standards that were out of compliance, other problems, and branches over the sidewalk that is impeding walking and just needs trimming.
“I think this is an important project,” Laginess said. “We’ve been working to make our downtown district walkable.”
The DDA voted to authorize Wade Trim to do the project and to put it in the 2021 budget.
In other business at the July 28 meeting, the DDA:
• Approved the 2020 DDA Amended Budget and the 2021 Proposed Budget. DDA executive director Susan Ireland said next year’s revenue is kind of neutral and it is estimated at less than the 2020 amended because they don’t know if people will be going to the tax tribunal. She said there is not a whole lot of difference in the two budgets, with $1.96 million tax capture in the 2020 amended budget and $1.9 anticipated in 2021. The anticipated ending fund balance in 2021 is $4,565,568. VBT Supervisor Kevin McNamara said Ireland and assistant executive director Lisa Lothringer did a lot of work on the budget and he worked with them three times. Supervisor McNamara praised all the detailed comments that made the numbers understandable. “They did a great job on that budget,” he said;
• Approved Supervisor McNamara’s request to advertise in an “elite trade journal in government and the development world.” He said Business View Magazine (a digital publication) wants to do a story on Van Buren Township and how it jumped into land development with the Ford Motor Co. and DNR sites. He said Romulus, VBT and Huron Township are some of the key municipalities around and the magazine wants to talk about all the wonderful things we do. “I want to make sure we get noticed for developmental purposes,” McNamara said, and that is why he asked the DDA to put an ad in the View. Lothringer, who recommends promotional pieces for the DDA, said she was not familiar with the magazine and didn’t get good answers when she asked them questions. “They said, ‘I’m looking into it,’” she said. She said they had a base of 845,000 and McNamara said, “With 845,000 alone, it would be more than enough people to be worth it.” Ireland said since they are not doing public safety day this year they have enough money in the budget for an ad. “Allow us to tell our story,” McNamara urged. Laginess made the motion to approve a $4,800 full-page, full-color ad and a 200-word editorial, with approval of editorial content. That was seconded by Helen Foster and approved by the DDA;
• Heard Carol Bird say she had a Corvette group use Harris Park behind her business and they will be back again. Lothringer said at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, a brass band will do a concert there. Ireland said she has had an inquiry about a drive-by baby shower at Harris Park;
• Heard McNamara say that hundreds of children every day are enjoying the splash pad behind his office. He can hear them when he comes and goes. He said there are 40 to 50 kids, changed out all day long;
• Heard Ireland announce the repairs to Belleville Road from the I-94 South Service Road to Belleville Lake bridge has been put on hold and this information has been relayed to Wayne County. It has been confirmed the the Huron River Bridget project, between N. Haggerty and S. Haggerty is out for bids with the repairs beginning in August/September. Belleville Road has been designated as the alternate route when Huron River Drive is closed for bridge restoration. She said staff has been advised that when the resurfacing of the road proper begins, Huron River Drive will then be open on one side;
• Heard Ireland announce that staff has requested the overgrowth on the fencing along the Harmony Lane area of Belleville Road be trimmed back and Pioneer Landscaping will do this. She said she has some endcaps for the posts to replace ones that are missing, but more will have to be ordered;
• Learned Aerotropolis is in the process of expanding the LDFA District to encompass the participating communities of Huron and Van Buren townships and the cities of Romulus and Taylor. An LDFA is not permitted to capture taxes against property already subject to capture, like the Van Buren DDA. As a “Next Michigan Development Corporation” an LDFA such as Aerotropolis is authorized to capture SET and school operating taxes (limited to 50%) for a period of 15 years, subject to approval of the State Treasurer. Currently there are projects in Huron Township and the City of Romulus that are being considered; and
• Heard Lothringer announce that Suzanne Harris has dropped off photographs to donate to the DDA along with a video interview with her father that will be available on the TV in the conference room in the DDA office building.