Belleville DDA agrees to help put asphalt on neglected city alley

The Belleville Downtown Development Authority voted to pay up to $20,000, and not more than 50% of the total cost, of putting a 3” asphalt cap on the alley between Wabash and Henry streets.
This was the only action at the Sept. 18 regular meeting, besides approving accounts payable and routine meeting steps.
Assistant City Manager Steve Jones, who is part time director of the DDA, at the meeting asked that the item be added to the agenda.
Jones said the alley has been in poor repair for years and the DPW was working earlier that day to grade it and put stone on. The 3” cap would give it a hard surface. He said the DDA could share the cost 50-50 with the city, not to exceed $20,000 for the DDA’s share.
He said that area had been added to the DDA district.
Jones said the stone portion is done and the the stone was purchased from Osborne.
Mayor Ken Voigt, who sits on the DDA, said the city will get bids on the work.
Jones said if the DDA, which only meets once a month, approves the payment, the city can consider it at an upcoming meeting so the work can get done before the asphalt plants close for the season.
In other business at the Sept. 18 meeting, the DDA:
• Learned that an Apple Pie Contest will be part of the DDA-sponsored book signing by Lance Parrish and Tom Gage from noon to 2 p.m. on Oct. 19 in the Fourth Street Square. DDA member Kelly McWilliams, who is setting up the event with her own funds, said there will be one category and each pie baker will bring two pies, one to test and one to sell to raise funds for the Belleville High School baseball and softball teams;
• Heard DDA Chairperson Alicia McGovern report that she received a call from City Manager Jason Smith, who told her he wants Jones back full time as assistant city manager/DPW director, and the DDA could have somebody full time. She said she gave Jones the offer to stay with the DDA full time and Jones said he is still contemplating the situation and needs to talk with Smith on how that would work. McGovern said she would contact the financial consultant Kelly Howey on the costs. DDA member Chris Donley asked if there’s enough to do full time for the DDA and Jones said that person could be looking for grants, planning improvements to parks, managing not neglecting DDA maintenance, attend meetings with other entities and do more with the Van Buren Township DDA. McGovern said there is so much the DDA could do and said, “We need more of you,” to Jones. “Ultimately, it’s his decision,” said Treasurer Sabrina Richardson Williams. McGovern said she would discuss the legacy costs with Howey and Mayor Voigt said they would double;
• Discussed removal of phragmites from the Victoria Commons pond. Jones presented a quote from Water Landscapes, LLC of $11,500 for the initial cutting/mulching, and removal of the phragmite and $650 a month from May through October 2025 for monitoring and treatment. Jones said these plants are like at the high school. They grow quickly, to 15’ tall, are hard to get rid of, and destroy the natural vegetation. McGovern asked if this was the only quote and Jones said he reached out to them because they were familiar with the ponds. Donley said he has those on his property and the roots grow underground sideways. DDA member John Winter said EGLE suggests chemical treatment and then a controlled burn in the winter, which could be by the fire department. They will ask EGLE if there is financial assistance available and Donley asked if goats eat this. McGovern said they will dig into the details a little more for spring action. Mayor Voigt checked on his phone and said the phragmites started here in 1910 and there has been some success with goats;
• Heard Donley give a report on possibly veering away from the plan to hire someone for a development plan, since the plan takes over 6 months and then would be given to them and they would pay $40,000. He suggested hiring Springer Media to market the town and to put advertisements in Today Magazine and tri-fold brochures in rest areas in multiple states. McGovern suggested they paid a professional for a strategic planning session and report. “I would like to tie it to the strategic plan we agreed to,” she said suggesting that everyone read the strategic plan again. “I agree we should look at the strategic plan,” said Mayor Voigt. “Let’s get this done. We’ve been dragging our feet”;
• Heard Richardson-Williams report from the Arts & Culture committee that Vera Redden will start painting the hardware store windows on Sept. 19 and they asked her to be done by October Festival. Heard Valerie Kelley-Bonner give a report on her SOOAR after school program at McBride encouraging students to discuss vaping, suicide, what they would like to see, and other things on their minds. She said, “We miss out on an opportunity if we don’t train our kids in leadership” and listen to them; and
• Heard Jones report that the playset and swing set at Victory Park needs repair and was the subject of complaints on social media. He said he ordered new replacements and found that the employee who had been working with the city on the previous order had been fired. He said that Councilwoman Kissel found the 2015 plans for the Horizon Park irrigation system which will make repairing and replacing it a whole lot easier.