Belleville DDA members dispute payment to local social media director

At the Nov. 20 meeting of the Belleville Downtown Development when it came time to approve payment of the bills there was a long discussion about the $1,400 allocation to Kathleen Springer.
Treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams asked about the payment since it hadn’t been on the original accounts payable list.
Assistant city manager Steve Jones, who serves as DDA Director, said he just got her bill and she helped him set up the DDA’s social media site.
“We didn’t approve hiring her,” said DDA member Kelly McWilliams.
Jones said they don’t have a longterm agreement.
McWilliams said she asked him directly earlier if he hired her and, “You avoided the question… You can’t ask us for our opinion and then go behind our backs and hire someone.”
DDA chairperson Alicia McGovern said two months ago the DDA had a conversation and the majority of the board was not comfortable with Springer.
DDA member Mike Gatteri recalled that they agreed and the DDA asked Jones to reach out and find another company and if he couldn’t find someone they could decide what to do.
Chairperson McGovern said they agreed Jones would look for someone out of this area and the issue would be brought back to the DDA.
Mayor Ken Voigt said they were going to look at the Visioning report they already had, but it didn’t have specifics. Mayor Voigt said Jones has the right to spend under $5,000 without approval of the DDA board.
McGovern said the DDA didn’t have that further conversation, but she knows he can spend that amount without DDA approval.
“You smacked our committee in the face,” McWilliams said. She said they didn’t need a local social media person.
Jones said he asked for other suggestions from the board and got none.
McWilliams said Jones gets paid for his job and she works many hours as a volunteer and this was showing disrespect for her as a volunteer.
DDA vice chairman John Winter, who was chairing the meeting because chairperson McGovern had been delayed, said, “We sit here for two hours and it should be 45 minutes. He made a decision.”
Treasurer Richardson-Williams asked the DDA if they were going to approve Springer’s check.
Board member Chris Donley asked if it was $1,400 a month and Jones replied that was the setup fee and then it goes to $800 a month for management.
McWilliams said Springer always worked for Van Buren Township and was paid by them. [KSpringer Media Management was on the accounts payable list for Van Buren Township on Nov. 19 for $600 and $400 for “social media ambassador and consulting.”] “We can continue or not,” Jones said of the agreement with Springer.
“Steve took it upon himself to do this,” said Mayor Ken Voigt. “He went ahead trying to get the job done.”
McWilliams said she personally asked Jones if Springer’s been hired and he said she hadn’t.
“We just pay her? A donation?” McWilliams asked.
“She submitted a bill,” Mayor Voigt said. “… This could have been handled better.”
McGovern said to Jones, “You didn’t follow through on what we talked about.”
Chris Donley, chairman of the Marketing Committee, said he has been on the DDA for eight months and he came up with zero progress. He said he pushed to get something done and now they are doing Step 1 for social media marketing.
“This was a way to get the ball rolling and you have to pay to advertise on the site,” Donley said.
McGovern asked who manages the site and Jones replied, “I have to manage it now.”
“We can all agree to disagree,” McGovern said. “I haven’t seen this much discussion on the board in 13 years.”
“What’s really going on?” asked Richardson-Williams and Winter said it could be explained over coffee. “It’s too late at night now. There’s school tomorrow.”
Richardson-Williams presented for approval accounts payable of $202,365.97, which included the payment to Springer. The amount was approved by the board, 7-1, with McWilliams voting no. DDA member Valerie Kelley-Bonner was absent.
In other business at the one-hour-and-54-minute meeting, the DDA:
• Heard a half-hour presentation from Leigh Young on “Michigan Main Street,” a program of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., part of a program that also runs nationwide. To get the grants offered, the DDA would have to have a full-time executive director and a dedicated budget. The goal is renaissance of healthy, vibrant downtowns. Donley asked for a copy of the slides she presented and she said she would send them. Voigt said the council had agreed to move forward on Michigan Main Street;
• Learned a city person reached out to Jones to support the city clock project at some level. Jones was directed to get the total cost of the Howard Replica clock the DDA favored and then talk to the benefactor about the level of support and bring everything back to the Dec. 18 meeting;
• Took no action on the hardware store wall repair. Jones reported the city engineer believes the lower cost option would be an effective solution and it would be under $50,000. Voigt asked if they don’t need to put in a new footing since the present footing is over 100 years old. Jones said they’ll have someone cut the floor to inspect the footing and Voigt said to cut it in a couple of places. The DDA, which purchased the hardware store, is seeking the proper repair of the wall that is next to the former drug store wall, but not connected;
• Took no action, saying it needed more precise information before deciding to approve more than $100,000 for an outdoor fitness court at Village Park to get a $50,000 grant from the Priority Health Campaign. Voigt said the city thought it was an opportunity it didn’t entirely like to pass up so it asked the DDA for help;
• Agreed to go out for bids on the phragmites removal from Victoria Commons ponds. Jones said the water landscape company that services the ponds said it could burn the phragmite and follow up with chemicals at a cost of $11,500 to start. When McGovern voiced concern about the longterm effects of the chemicals, Voigt said the state sets the rules on the chemicals. Richardson-Williams said the back pond is almost full with phragmites and resident Tara Edwards and another Victoria Commons resident were present to voice their concerns on the plants that were clogging their ponds. Voigt said that not much will be done with the ponds until spring. He said they want to make sure they get the best price;
• Heard McWilliams give a report on Economic Development and said the Fourth Street Square needs to be better maintained and, “We have to focus on keeping it clean and looking nice… It’s our center and looks unmaintained a lot.” She said the benches have been moved and Jones said after Thanksgiving the benches will be pulled out, repaired, and stored for the winter. The benches were moved because they were in the way of activities, it was noted. She also said she got calls from people about the Scarecrow contest and she thinks the DDA should send out a letter to those who entered to thank them. Jones said he would send out an email blast to participants. McWilliams said the scarecrows were picked up unexpectedly and Jones said if there are things on the scarecrows people would like to retrieve the scarecrows are at the DPW lot;
• Heard Donley report on the Marketing Committee. He said he attended a meeting at the Holiday Inn Express and they talked about how to market restaurants and events in the city. The three motels, all owned by the same company, do shuttle runs into the city. He said city businesses need to formalize what they can offer for a fun night out to these transient visitors from all over the world. He also said the two-page spread in Van Buren Today magazine turned out nicely;
• Heard Richardson-Williams report for the Arts and Culture committee that she called the high school principal and the principal called back about a project with students. The principal named two people who will call her to continue project plans. Richardson-Williams also said there is no need to hang drapes behind the art on the hardware store windows since they can be seen. DDA members thanked artist Vera Redden and said the art looked great;
• Heard McGovern say an annual review for Jones should be set soon; and
• Heard artist Redden say she has a degree in graphic communication and design and would be glad to help the DDA.