City Council

Clare Downtown Development Authority Memo To: Downtown Development Authority From: Ken Hibl, DDA Chair CC: Jeremy Howard, City Manager & DDA Secretary; Vicki Corlew, City Treasurer & Finance Director; Diane Lyon, City Clerk; Pat Humphrey, Mayor Date: 3/11/2024 Re: Explanation of Agenda Items for the DDA Meeting of 3/14/2024 This memo provides the Board of Trustees a brief explanation and the action (if any) desired for each of the agenda items scheduled for the DDA Board of Trustees Meeting scheduled for March 14, 2024. All action items are boldly italicized. A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – February 8, 2024. The minutes of the DDA meeting of February 8, 2024 are attached for review and approval. The DDA is asked to approve (or approve with correction) the minutes of the referenced meeting by motion and vote. B. TREASURER’S REPORT. 1. Presentation of Financial Statements. Vicki Corlew, the City of Clare and DDA Treasurer, will provide an overview and answer questions regarding the DDA’s current financial statements (copy att’d). The DDA is asked to approve the financial statements by motion and vote. 2. Payment of Bills. The bills for payment for the month of February, 2024 are attached for the DDA’s review and consideration. The DDA is asked to approve the bills by motion and roll call vote. C. OLD BUSINESS. Discussion Topic – Outreach to DDA District Business Owners. I ask that we discuss ways and means by which we can improve communication and interaction with the business community within our district to educate them in our role and to create effective means by which we can solicit their input and comments on how the DDA can help to maintain and improve the vibrancy of our downtown environment, thus helping them succeed. The DDA Trustees are asked to discuss this topic by providing their thoughts and comments regarding this topic. D. NEW BUSINESS. Jay Trucks Building Site Plan. Mr. Todd Trucks, the owner of the Jay Trucks Building, located at 600 Pine Street, has submitted a façade improvement site plan application (copy att’d) requesting approval to allow improvements to the property as outlined in the application. The City Planning Commission is the approval authority of the site plan; however, the property is located within the boundaries of the DDA District, thus requiring review and endorsement by the DDA. The DDA is asked to review the proposed façade improvements/site plan and provide any comments or provide a recommendation(s) to approve or disapprove the proposal by motion and vote. E. NEW BUSINESS. Approval of Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Budget. The DDA’s annual budget year commences on July 1st and ends on June 30th. We are required to approve our annual budget prior to the commencement of each new budget year. But as our budget is a component of the overall City of Clare budget, we follow the Clare City Commission’s schedule to approve the City’s annual budget. The City’s Charter stipulates the City Commission must approve the City budget not later than the first scheduled commission meeting of June prior to commencement of the City’s new budget year. And as the process to  approve the City’s budget is typically about a two-month process, the City Staff generally commences the budget process of reviews and workshops by end-March/early April each year. To accommodate that schedule, I offer the proposed DDA budget (copy att’d) for your review, comment, consideration, and approval. As reflected in the proposed budget, Vicki estimates our year-end balance will be only about $15K. Our current anticipated revenues for the upcoming budget year are approximately $100K. We have bond payments of $70K this year, and our recurring costs, which are outlined in the budget, are expected to be about $30K - leaving a balance of only about $25K to apply to the capital projects we’ve spend the last two months discussing and prioritizing. I am proposing we take that amount and spread it to the projects we decided were our top priority projects (trees, bike racks, and a contribution to public restrooms) and include $700 for sidewalk paint and sidewalk shamrocks. We can certainly spread the available funds any way you would like – or simply not use any of the available funds this year and reserve the monies for subsequent years. Please consider the proposal as the basis for discussion and decision, but our goal should be to approve the budget at this meeting. The DDA is asked to consider, discuss, and approve by motion and roll call vote the Fiscal Year 2024/2025 budget. ATTACHMENTS. 1. Minutes of the DDA Meeting of February 8, 2024. 2. Financial Statements. 3. Bills – February, 2024. 4. Jay Trucks Façade Improvement Application. 5. Proposed FY 2024/2025 Budget.