Belleville DDA supports Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area

If all goes well in Lansing, Belleville will lay out a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area to help bar/restaurants recover from the shutdown over COVID-19.
The DORA, called “cocktails to go,” would allow people to purchase alcoholic beverages in special cups at bars within the district and then walk to the next bar in the district while enjoying the alcoholic beverage in hand.
At a special Zoom meeting June 3, the DDA discussed the DORA being considered in the Michigan House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee and then approved purchases to support the DORA if approved by the state.
DDA chairperson Alicia McGovern had proposed $13,750 in purchases to help bar/restaurants get back in business and to support DORA.
DDA members separated the purchases, keeping DORA apart from the other purchases, since DORA was not yet approved by the state.
McGovern said she met with a group of people from the city council, chamber, and DDA who were looking at what they can do to help the downtown reopen. She presented to the DDA what she thought the DDA could do.
The board approved buying ten convertible benches at $250 each, five hand sanitizer stations at $75 each, and two bundles of 20 eight-foot barricades per bundle with rack at $2,500 per bundle. An unknown amount for shipping was included in the motion.
Five DORA signs at a cost of $175 each would be required if a district is designated in the city and those also were approved in a separate vote, along with a minimum order of $5,000 in DORA Cups, which are $.65 each. The vote was unanimous.
The DORA Cups would be provided for the local businesses at purchase price and the businesses could charge $1 each for them or whatever they wanted, McGovern said.
McGovern said the purchases would provide extra seating outside for restaurants and barricades if they need them. The barricades could be used for parades, as well.
Treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams asked where this equipment would be stored and McGovern wasn’t sure.
DDA member Kelly McWilliams asked if the plastic fold-out tables are the look they want for the Fourth Street Square.
Steve Jones, chairman of the planning commission and new president of the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce, said the seats could be secured with chains and they possibly could be stored at the city’s DPW lot.
Williams was concerned about the items being stolen.
The DDA would own the items and work out a way to aid some of the restaurants, such as Johnny’s, the Bayou, and Egan’s Pub.
Jennifer Winter of Egan’s, a new member of the DDA, said it would be great if her customers could eat in the square. “We would be willing to buy our own furniture, but not now because we’re not open,” she said.
DDA member Jason Mida said he wanted to make sure the allocation of the equipment is fair. They are not buying things for every business, he said.
When discussing the DORA, Jones described House Bill 5781 and HB 5811 that affect bars.
McGovern said the DORA, if approved by the state, could also affect Music in the Park and the Taste of Belleville.
After the meeting, the Central Business Community agreed to loan umbrella tables and other furniture to put on the Fourth Street Square for the businesses there. And, the CBC said they have other tables to loan as needed until the new furniture is delivered.
In other business at the one-hour-and-44-minute meeting, the DDA:
• Approved joining the Michigan Downtown Association as recommended by chairperson McGovern. The association offers ideas, lobbying, access to conference and other resources. The DDA decided to move forward on the membership and to have DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson clarify how much it would cost. The original estimate of $475 may not be what is needed; and
• Discussed McGovern’s proposal of an independent contractor agreement to offer legal advice or a grant writer to businesses who are having problems with their re-openings. McGovern said the Farmington DDA sent the proposal they have to her and she thought it would be a nice little thing for the DDA to provide to businesses at $285 an hour, “putting a limit on what we spend.” Mayor Kerreen Conley said this is just following the governor’s or CDC rules and there is nothing new. “I hire a lot of attorneys and I don’t pay any of them $285,” Conley said, referring to her job at Canton Township. “Do we really know what the businesses need?” Conley said. She said the DDA would have liability if they were involved with an attorney giving advice and then the business doesn’t follow the advice. She suggested having a Zoom meeting with the city attorney and businesses who are seeking education. “I’d rather provide education than legal advice,” Conley said, adding, “I don’t know if providing legal advice is in our [DDA] authority.”