Belleville DDA votes to buy second property

After a half-hour closed-door session on Nov. 15, the Belleville Downtown Development Authority voted to move forward with the purchase of the property discussed in the closed session.
DDA chairperson Alicia McGovern responded to a question from the Independent, saying this is not the property at Third and Main, but another property. She said the Third and Main purchase has been delayed.
In the minutes of the Oct. 18 meeting, after a 47-minute closed-door session, a motion passed unanimously to make an offer of $90,000 for the property located at the corner of Third Street and Main Street, pending appraisal and results of an environmental study on the land, with an allotted 180-day inspection period.
On Oct. 24, the DDA held another meeting, just for a 12-minute closed-door session, and adjourned without public action.
On Nov. 15, the DDA voted to pay accounts payable that included payments of $2,300 and $1,600 (totaling $3,900) on Nov. 3 to Collins Appraisal Group for appraisals of “improved commercial property.”
There was no other comment at the Nov. 15 meeting concerning the properties being considered for purchase.
Bleachers for Winter Fest
The DDA also approved, on a 5-1 vote, paying $1,500 to put up bleachers seating 280 at the large vacant corner of Third Street and Main Street for Winter Fest with the permission of property owner Belleville Main, LLC.
DDA vice chairperson Kelly McWilliams said this was brought up at one of the DDA’s economic development subcommittee meetings and so they reached out to the Chamber of Commerce.
McWilliams said the DDA also suggested a warming tent, but the chamber felt the bleachers were better this year.
John Winter, at his first meeting as a member of the DDA, said they should charge $5 a person for a seat because people save seats and then the seats don’t get used. They should have an master of ceremonies telling who was coming by in the parade.
Treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams said she thought the first year should be free.
Winter said at his business (Egan’s Pub) they charge for seats and they have the best seats in the house for the parade.
McGovern suggested just supplying the seats and see what happens.
Winter said he’s seen people line up for this parade at 1 p.m., referring to the 5:30 p.m. lighted parade.
“We charge and the Belleville Main LLC lets us use the property free?” asked Richardson-Williams.
DDA secretary Denise Baker noted a warming tent would need electricity.
Assistant City Manager Steve Jones suggested they try the bleachers this year. When asked about the fire pits that the chamber uses for warming, Jones said they belong to Brad Traskos.
Winter was the only no vote on the motion to pay for the bleachers.
In other business at the Nov. 15 meeting, the DDA:
• Learned the DDA attorney agreed to be at the group’s regular Jan. 17 meeting to refresh DDA members on the law. Members also agreed to set a 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, strategic planning session at the library, as they did last year;
• Heard Jones report that at the DDA’s economic development subcommittee meeting, an idea was proposed to put on a new October event next year sponsored by the DDA. It would kick off the month of Booville with an Oct. 5 event like a Maker Faire that would have demonstrations of ice carving, wood carving, and other things in multiple locations including Victory Park. Winter said if they had it later in the month they could use the tent Egan’s is putting up for the Witches party and share the cost, but McGovern said she liked it being early. It was noted that Maker Faire is trademarked and Jones said the DDA could possibly join it and pay a fee. The DDA voted unanimously to have a hands-on demonstration festival on Oct. 5 and look into information on Maker Faire;
• Heard Richardson-Williams ask when this economic development subcommittee meets since it is putting forth all these ideas. McGovern said it meets at 8 a.m. Monday at her office. Richardson-Williams said she has been asking about an alley party for some time and she’d like to come to the meeting. McGovern said only so many DDA members can come because of quorum rules, they should ask chamber members to serve on the subcommittees. She also noted they had talked about a yearly calendar. Martha Hanoian, executive director of the chamber, said she puts events on her online chamber column and would put out the call for members to help on the DDA subcommittees. “Be sure we’re getting people informed and at the table,” she said.