Business Improvement District

MINUTES Gallup BID Board of Directors meeting, Rico Motors, Wednesday, January 24, 2018, 3 PM Call to order. Motion to accept of Minutes of December 21, 2017 BID Board meeting: S. Gurley; 2nd: M. Ustick. Approved. Motion to accept monthly financial report: A. Baca; 2nd: A. Biava. Approved. Reports: Stan Henderson, City of Gallup Public Works Director: Alley Improvement Pilot Project updates – design work almost completed, still plan to issue RFP in March for construction, which may commence in April. Estimate for construction time is six months, depending on weather. Once this (first) phase is completed, the design for the second phase (second alley) can begin. City has funds for the 2nd phase design process, does not currently have funds for construction for second phase. Second phase alley is between 2nd & 3rd, between Coal & Aztec. Gallup Land Development Standards process update – there have been weekly conference calls involving Bohannan - Huston, City staff, mayor and member s of a small steering committee. When the committee has created a draft of the LDS update, the City will schedule a Public meeting to present and discuss. Group is relying heavily on existing national standards (the Green Book) to avoid having to start from scratch and create new 100 page document. The committee will work on a “Downtown Overlay” for the downtown district. It will conform to the boundaries set for the MRA plan district. City is striving to have this plan completed in May. Downtown Skate Park update – contractor has installed the base for the foundation. The project is currently suspended until end of winter weather. Construction may resume in March (or in April if weather is poor). Plan to have Park completed by 4th of July. SWIF Foundation contributed $100,000 to the project and plans to hold a large celebration for the grand opening. Coal Avenue Event Street project: HPD letter of concurrence received, awaiting letter from National Endowment of the Arts with NEPA approval. NEA approval will take 30 -45 days from their receipt of paperwork from Wilson & Company, architects on this design project. NEA time frame will be affected by any US Govt. shutdown(s). Once the design phase has been completed, City will have “shovel-ready” plans to use in searching for construction funding. Budget for construction is now estimated to be approximately $3,000,000. A more accurate figure will be known at the end of the design phase. It will take a minimum of one year from then to secure funds for construction. Funding will be sought from multiple sources. It may take several years to secure the all of the needed funding. Much will depend on changes to government programs as a result of the new Federal Budget. Clean & Beautiful grant project, beautification of RT 66/NM118 pedestrian improvement area – update will be provided at February Board meeting. Report on December 21 GEDA meeting, which included an overview of the Legislature’s budget proposal for FY 19. Update on Buxton Company analytics: December 28 meeting of local working group – update: 1.specifics of the proposal, 2. cost-sharing by local organizations and 3. the type of agreements needed by City of Gallup (as Buxton’s “customer of record”) and participating organizations for this specific application, next steps. The working group will continue to meet. Next meeting is scheduled for February 2. January 2 meeting with Samia Nassar, Silver House Trading Co., 209 W. Hwy 66 to review lien process and payment plan. Mr. Nassar agreed to resume paying BID assessment and create a payment plan to address the arrears. Mr. Nassar requested that the BID find an affordable method to advertise the downtown jewelry and retail stores as a shopping destination to source markets. Update on the confusing situation involving the transfer of the Doty property to Kevin & Tammy Sullenger and the assessment fee arrears. L. Bonaguidi and F. Bee will meet again next week with Mr. Sullenger to clarify the ownership of the property. If no progress is made during the meeting, City will re-file the lien. January 3 F. Bee met with Jeff Kiely, ED NW NM COG, to discuss uses for 106 W. Aztec building. Mr. Kiely is examining two options for the building – 1. sell and relocate to a smaller, less expensive office space; 2. Contract with consultant Elmo Baca to develop a plan for best use of the building and develop a funding plan. It is likely that COG will ask BID to help pay Mr. Baca’s fee. In recent years, Mr. Baca has heavily discounted his fees for work in Gallup where he started his career 35 years ago. F. Bee will meet with Mr. Baca in late January to discuss. January 5 Legislative Finance Committee meeting on budget January 10 – Budget was presented. Barbara Stanley show: L. Bonaguidi and F. Bee were interviewed. Ms. Stanley asked us to return to further discuss all of the work being done by the BID. January 12 BID Executive Committee met to review Downtown Revitalization process and working group. The working group that has met several times during the past 12 months to examine Gallup Downtown District’s business retention, expansion and recruitment needs and the merits of using data and services from Buxton Company will continue to meet on a monthly basis, as possible. u The working group includes BID, Chamber of Commerce, GGEDC, RMCH Hospital and City of Gallup Manager and Marketing & Tourism Director. u This team will follow the guidelines contained in “Downtown and Business District Market Analysis Toolkit”, a collaborative effort produced by University of Minnesota Extension, Ohio State University Extension and University of Wisconsin Extension. The toolkit also contains metrics to be used to measure success. IRS 170 tax credit program update – letter received from BID CPA Tony Gonzalez. He has studied the program and believes that it can help some property owners rehab some buildings. He cautions against the BID organization acquiring a stock of buildings. He will follow the changes contained in the new Federal tax laws to make sure the IRS 170 program remains active.  th Situation report for (former Lowe’s) property at 4 & Aztec. Sacred Heart Parish has not yet decided on a course of action for this property. Sign Grant participants: Gallup Custom Tinting sign will be installed. Other interested business owners have not yet moved forward to completion. BID was asked to share the cost to have Evan Williams, Assistant Executive Director of NWNM COG, in Santa Fe to provide technical assistance during Legislative Session: $650.00. Several Gallup McKinley organizations will contribute the same amount. Downtown Night Out continues to be a popular event bringing extra business to downtown on the last Saturday of the month. Art Crawl update – community brain storming session was held in the Second Street Event Center on January 13. Gallup ARTS will distribute the schedule of monthly themes for 2018 Art Crawl events. Main Street Arts & Cultural District continues its search for an Executive Director. Semi-annual GGEDC Economic Development Roundtable meeting in Santa Fe will be held on January 26. The topic will be Workforce Development. There will be presentations from Kellogg Foundation, Innovate – Educate, educators and business/industry leaders. February 1 will be Gallup Day at State Capitol with Gallup Day reception for legislators to be held at El Dorado Hotel. BID Board reviewed the 2018 Gallup McKinley Legislative Priorities brochure, which will be distributed to Legislators, Governor and her staff. Date of next BID Board meeting: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Motion to adjourn: S. Gurley; 2nd: A. Baca. Approved