City Downtown Development Authority to set up committees

At its last meeting of the year on Dec. 21, the Belleville Downtown Development Authority agreed to set up sub-committees to study, brainstorm, and bring back recommendations for projects to the full DDA board.
Mayor Kerreen Conley, who sits on the DDA, presented the Committee Engagement item on the agenda, suggesting it is a “divide and conquer” project.
She referred to the strategic plan session the DDA had in early 2022 and said she took components of the strategic plan and broke it down into five sub-committees.
Because of the Open Meetings Act, a DDA quorum would require posted meeting notices and other things for an official meeting, she said.
Any number of community members, not on the DDA, would be free to serve on the sub-committees, she said.
Mayor Conley said the Economic Development sub-committee (DDA chairperson Alicia McGovern and Kelly McWilliams) and Budget/Finance sub-committee (treasurer Sabrina Richardson-Williams and secretary Denise Baker) are already functioning, but each sub-committee could use one more member.
The proposed Community Engagement sub-committee would work on how to help other organizations in the community to succeed, Mayor Conley said.
She said the Arts and Culture sub-committee already has Richardson-Williams on it, but two more could serve. Richardson-Williams has been supporting art in the community and wanted to have a large mural on a building. She has helped select the leased sculptures and will work with the Detroit Institute of Arts Displayed Masters project which is returning next spring.
The proposed Marketing sub-committee was also listed.
Mayor Conley said DDA members can decide to be on one or two sub-committees, but there shouldn’t be enough on a committee to make a quorum. She said they can meet independently or by zoom. Ideas would be generated and suggestions and recommendation would be best in writing, with background. She said experts could be used to get information, if necessary.
Then the committees would bring their work to the DDA and the DDA would take it from there, all in cooperation with the city, Conley said.
“Everyone felt they had a part,” she said of the results.
DDA members should consider where they want to serve and give the information to chairperson McGovern in January.
DDA member Jennifer Winter asked which sub-committee the electric vehicle charging stations would be on. She said her husband offered to help with EV charging stations months ago and told the previous assistant city manager about it and nothing happened.
It was suggested that would be on the Economic Development sub-committee.
Baker suggested there be a Parks and Recreation sub-committee and Mayor Conley said the city has a Parks and Recreation Committee, but it hasn’t been active and “didn’t have a lot of purpose.”
McGovern asked if that group could be present at the January DDA meeting and City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson said first they have to find out who’s on it.
Mayor Conley said Tom Fielder is on it.
McGovern said one of the DDA members could work with that group.
“We need help from all our board members,” McGovern said.
“If people get an idea of where they’d like to serve, they should send it to Alicia and we can figure out where we can get additional resources,” she said.
In other business at the Dec. 21 meeting, the DDA:
• Considered the new DDA Follow-up List compiled by Baker that lists descriptions of proposed projects in various areas and the status of each proposal. She said the Nov. 21 walk through the parks taken by DDA board members showed a lot of things that needed attention;
• Heard the newest DDA member Ivan Ankwatsa pitch software called Monday.com that organizes tasks, ideas and follow-ups. He said for, example, they could set up a community day to clean up the parks and everything would be listed on the site including deadline, equipment, supplies, etc., and everyone can monitor the progress. The DDA members’ information would be separated from the part where everyone else could view. He said it would cost $1,500, but you can “see what’s happening in real time.” Conley asked for a demonstration at the next meeting and Ankwatsa agreed to show it. McGovern said somebody would have to enter the data from meetings, but Ankwatsa said instead of minutes it could all be loaded on the site. Mayor Conley cautioned him that some minutes are required by law. She said it sounded like a “handheld project management company,” and Ankwatsa agreed, saying it puts everyone on the same page;
• Heard McGovern present the DDA Year-end Report. She said Belleville is the heart of the tri-community and can provide resources for the communities. She said it has been suggested that Cobalt ping people who come into the community, so the DDA will know where they come from and where to focus its promotions. She said the strategic plan drew the board together. She is grateful for all of the businesses in the community, grateful for the residents, the organizations, the city, and the vendors. She said Whitney Beaubien is putting a community calendar together. Concerning the list of events McGovern listed on the report as being sponsored by the DDA, DDA member Jennifer Winter said the DDA does not sponsor the Main Street Car Show. That is sponsored by Egan’s Pub, she said, but she’d be glad to talk to the DDA about sponsoring it;
• Was advised that at the Jan. 18 meeting of the DDA there will be election of officers. McGovern said, although her term expires Dec. 31, she has advised the mayor that she is willing to continue serving on the DDA. The officers now serving are McGovern as chairperson and Richardson-Williams as treasurer. The seat of vice-chairperson is open. Those offices will be voted on Jan. 18; and
• Heard City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson announce that the city now has a contract with Steve Jones, who is the project administrator, a new position replacing the former deputy city manager position. He said the Monday.com software can be one of Jones’ first assignments. Robinson, who coordinates the DDA along with being city manager and police chief, said he remembers everything by sticky notes and this software might be the answer for the city to stay organized and save money on buying sticky notes. Robinson said, referring to his last hire of an assistant, “I will not make the mistake of turning things over to someone until I know he has the ability to get things done.” Richardson-Williams said she would like to have the weekly reports the DDA used to get advising them of what was going on with their money. Robinson said with all the stuff in the DDA he had to do, he doesn’t have the time currently for a director’s report. He pointed out he emails members every single thing he does. McGovern said when Tim McLean was removed, that weekly report was lost, but it’s not off the table. Ankawatsa said with Monday.com everyone can see what’s going on and Robinson wouldn’t have to do that weekly thing. Winter said she thought weekly reports was micro-managing.