Belleville DDA allocates $1,000 to cover band for First-Wednesday event

On May 19, members of the Belleville Downtown Development Authority discussed at length the First-Wednesday summer event that was to kick off June 2 and feature a live band on a stage with four or five food trucks nearby to serve the public.
This First-Wednesday event has been approved to take place from about 6 to 9 p.m. on Fourth Street Place, in front of the district library. The next events are July 7, Aug. 4, and Sept. 1.
After much discussion, the DDA voted unanimously to allocate up to $1,000 for the band.
DDA chairperson Alicia McGovern said the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce will host the event, so the DDA isn’t hosting events.
At the April meeting, Ken Voigt, representing the Belleville Area Council for the Arts and Music Lakeside, asked the DDA for $3,000 to cover bands for the four events. The DDA needed more information and agreed to vote on it at its May meeting.
Voigt did not attend the May 19 meeting.
Treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams had concerns about whether the $3,000 was just for the band. She asked if they could cut a check only after they know what the cost is. Voigt had said some bands are $750 and some are more.
Jason Mida agreed that Williams had legitimate concerns and the DDA doesn’t have hard figures. “I don’t think we should just cut a check for $3,000 … but break it up into four bands and separate motions.”
Mayor Kerreen Conley said when Music Lakeside was starting, the DDA helped with donations, but required details, such as just who was coming and the exact amount. She said they could require details now and write the check the night of the event after they were sure the band was there and was performing. She questioned giving $3,000 and noted this needs to be transparent.
She said a lot of groups became successful after the DDA helped them start up.
DDA member Kelly McWilliams said she was working with a group called Food Trucks to You and she is trying to get three to five trucks for the June 2 event. She said Wednesday is a popular day for food trucks. McWilliams said the money they were seeking from the DDA was just for the bands and the trucks would come without cost to the community.
There was a lot of discussion and then Mayor Conley asked if anyone has talked to the library and McGovern said, “Not to my knowledge.”
“We’re closing the entrance to the library,” said Mayor Conley. “Don’t you think the library should know we’re closing the street?” McGovern said she would let them know.
Williams said she asked that question at the last meeting and, “It’s only a courtesy to let them know.”
Nobody knew of any plans for a rainout and McWilliams said, “I sure they don’t want food in the library.”
After more discussion Williams made a motion to write a check for up to $750 for the band and Mida seconded it. After more discussion, that motion was withdrawn and a motion was made by McWilliams, seconded by secretary Denise Baker, to write a check up to $1,000. This motion was passed.
In other business at the one-hour-and-14-minute zoom meeting on May 19, the DDA:
• Approved the 2021-22 DDA budget, as recommended by the Finance Committee, made up of Treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams and Secretary Denise Baker. William said it was pretty much like last year. Total revenue and expenditures balanced at $835,445, with revenues up from last year’s $806,738;
• Heard Mayor Kerreen Conley report that the city council wants to try to get the DDA budget to it by April, so it can be included in the city budget that goes to a public hearing June 7 without having to be amended. DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson said the DDA doesn’t get the revenue numbers until the end of April. She said the city has not been able to give the DDA the numbers it needs to complete the budget and, “It has to be a push on either side.” Mayor Conley said the city can give the DDA its budget schedule next year so the city budget, which contains the DDA budget, can be adopted at the first meeting in June. “We can work together and get this done,” said DDA chairperson Alicia McGovern;
• Discussed the city’s help with interim support in light of Thompson’s resignation as of June 1. Chairperson McGovern said he reached out to City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson and he offered the services of police records clerk Brianna Hootman to make sure the notes and agendas for the DDA meetings are prepared. McGovern said she hopes to have something put together in a week and a half and a special meeting may be set;
• Heard Thompson report that Van Buren Township has started work on the Iron Belle Trail connector from Van Buren Park to downtown Belleville and the DDA should be looking at signage it wants to erect for this. Also, paddle boats are a new business in the city, putting people out on the lake. They are based on lawn space behind what used to be Chesley Odom’s office and now is a medical health professional’s office. Also, the placemaking on the Fourth Street is on the edge of completion. She said a tree had an altercation with a car and the landscaping guys are working with the tree. The benches are in and there are flowers to plant; and
• DDA members thanked Thompson for her service since this was her last meeting. Thompson said she was going to take some time, be Up North this summer, and figure out her next move. Williams said she is not happy with Thompson leaving and tried to get her to stay, but she knows herself that when it’s time to go, it’s time to go. Mayor Conley read a prepared statement on Thompson’s value to the community and how she will be missed. “It’s been an incredible ride,” Thompson said, “working with people who want the community to be the best it can be.”
[On Friday, a special DDA meeting was announced for 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 26, via zoom to consider the DDA coordinator’s position. According to the agenda, one of the options to be presented was to have the soon-to-be-appointed assistant city administrator share this DDA position along with whether to have this a full-time or part-time position.]