Belleville DDA votes to chip in 10% for grant for Victory Park / Station

At its regular May 18 meeting the Belleville Downtown Development Authority voted unanimously to pay 10% of the matching grant — $27,200 — for the hoped-for $272,000 in upgrades of Victory Park and Victory Station.
The Belleville City Council already agreed to pay 25% of the grant. City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson said he is seeking the grant though Wayne County’s ARPA funds and the grant has a better chance of being offered if the municipality is pitching in.
Deputy City Manager/DDA Manager Tim McLean was asked what changes are proposed under the grant and he responded that there would be utility services, sidewalk, fence, bathroom, kitchenette, flooring, and drywall. Striping for the parking lot was also in his memo.
DDA member James Chudzinski said it says “chainlink fence” on the engineer’s cost estimate which would be more for keeping people out.
City Manager/Chief Robinson said no, that it is for decorative fencing. He added that the cement part would serve the Iron Belle Trail that goes through the city.
The plan is for a separate building for “rustic” bathrooms and the in-station bathrooms to be upgraded. His plan is for a senior center gathering spot at Victory Station, which is a huge part of the grant, he said.
“I want it appealing,” he said, adding that social service groups are interested in holding meetings there.
He said there is a massive development at the bridge and he wants development at this end of town. He pointed out the Sumpter Road Corridor is being developed by Van Buren Township.
DDA member Kelly McWilliams said she thought the Iron Belle Trail had been nixed.
“It’s back on in stages,” Chief Robinson said, noting he had been to a meeting about it.
When asked about the size of Victory Station, he replied it is less than 1,000 square feet. When asked about showers, he said showers are already in there.
Mayor Kerreen Conley, who sits on the DDA, said the fence has needed repair because people sit on it and that’s what breaks it. More benches are to be put in as part of the grant.
The DDA passed a resolution to be sent to Wayne County committing itself to the match.
Also at the one-hour May 18 meeting, the DDA:
• Approved the 2022-23 budget as presented with estimated revenues of $836,000, down from actual revenue of $858,000 in 2021-22. There is a fund balance of $833,136.86, just under 100%. Expenditures are estimated at $920,923.25. Mayor Conley said the estimated revenue may be over-conservative since 100% of the increase in taxes from the new construction goes to the DDA. DDA member McWilliams said she didn’t see any figures for partnerships and marketing in the economic development part of the budget and chairperson Alicia McGovern said they can amend the budget later. DDA District Maintenance paid to the city went from $184,275 in 2021-22 to $296,927 in the new budget. Mayor Conley said this is the first time the DDA passed its budget before the city and before June;
• Approved the purchasing policy created by McLean that allows him to spend up to $2,000 a month getting the best pricing and without approval of the board. “Thank you,” Mayor Conley said. “I think it’s a policy.” Conley had insisted a proper policy be put in place for the spending of the residents’ money;
• Approved the minutes of the last meeting, adding that last year’s Food Truck Wednesday will not be done this year because of often conflicting with events in Van Buren Township;
• Heard McLean report that the city has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the Detroit-Wayne Mental Health Authority for the Summer Youth Employment Program. The city is looking to employ up to ten youths for at least 24 hours per week to help the seasonal DPW crew. Candidates, from age 14 with a worker’s permit up to 26, may apply at city hall or fill out an application on the website. Driver’s license is not required for this job. McLean also said conditional offers of employment have been made to two candidates for the seasonal DPW positions;
• Heard DDA member Jennifer Winter say she is for the youth program, but is someone going to be overseeing them? She said last year she found workers in the alley kicking rocks and talking and she said she told them to get to work. “They will be supervised,” McLean said;
• Heard Treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams report that she saw the outdoor sculptures being installed on May 10 and the zebra was supposed to go to the Davenport plaza. She was concerned the zebra, now at Five Points, might be covered up with bushes once the plantings are done. She said the totem pole was supposed to go there, but she was told it was too heavy. Richardson-Williams said the DDA needs a projector and McGovern said she would donate one;
• Heard Elias Guadalupe, III, president of the Victoria Commons Homeowner Association, ask about the second phase Village Park was supposed to have. He said the play structure there is already broken and it is just for the young. He would like something for older kids, since their parents won’t let them go alone to Victory Park. Also the cement pad at the park is broken up and the restrooms are not open. Robinson said the restrooms are seasonal and are being cleaned up for the season. Guadalupe said someone was injured playing basketball there. Richardson-Williams, who also lives at Victoria Commons, said she posted on the “Next Door” site, asking people to say what should be done with the asphalt area. Should it be a pickleball court or just ripped out? Guadalupe said he thinks it should be a pavilion for parents to sit down and watch their children and have a picnic, a shaded area, maybe with a charcoal grill like at the Metroparks. McGovern said it will be placed on the next DDA agenda for discussion;
• Heard Richardson-Williams say she would like to see one dog waste station each at Horizon and Victory parks and two at Village Park. McGovern said she would like the association to bring a plan to the DDA with budget and ideas as a partnership; and
• Heard Conley say there was a lot of discussion at the last meeting on partnership opportunities. She said she would like to have a report from the economic development subcommittee. McGovern said there also should be quotes for a marketing company to hire.