IF Downtown Development Corporation (IFDDC)

Idaho Falls Downtown Development Corp board meeting held January 8, 2019 at 8:30am in the Syringa Networks board room. Those in attendance: Antonio Meza, Mark Munoz, Steve Fischbach, Tasha Taylor, Lisa Farris, Jake Durtschi, Kevin Cutler, Cindy Napier, Catherine Smith and Mala Lyon. Minutes from December 4, 2018 were reviewed – motion by Kevin to approve; Jake seconded and board approved Financial report – We have a balance of $35,330 in the Money Market Savings Account; check for $11,000 to David Lawrence has been sent for the landscaping on Park and A Street; the $36,000 spent on Capital and A Street will not be reimbursed because it wasn’t included in the IFRA request, but the money spent for Park and A Street will come back to us thru the IFRA. We have to pay first and then they send us a reimbursement check. We will then use that same money over and over at each intersection. We have $100,000 earmarked for parking improvements and Jake has agreed to be the parking committee chair. We will focus on the re-landscaping of Broadway first and then the intersections and then parking so we don’t have too many things being juggled at the same time. These are all big projects and we want to stay focused and do them right. We are dividing out the expenses on the reports in Maintenance & Repair so snow plowing expenses, purchase of new flower pots and Yellowstone sign repair show as different things. This will help keep things very clear on where the money is going. We have received the January BID assessment payment from the city - $25,000; $8,500 from the CHC grant is coming for the Traffic Cabinet Public Art project. All the $13,000 spent on that project is funded by grant dollars; Taxes have been completed by the CPA, Shanon reviewed and they have been filed. About $8,000 of BID delinquent payments have come in. Those that still have not paid will be turned over to the county and it will be added to their taxes with interest fees. Catherine has had several conversations with property owner who have said they want to opt out of the BID, but that is not an option. They need to pay just like everyone else so that everyone pays their fair share. Tasha made a motion for the financial report to be approved; Steve seconded it and board approved. Catherine – Broadway landscaping project – working with Public works Kent Frugel and Yvona Gunderson on the design and talking with property owners on their concerns of the placement of trees so signage is not covered. There is a meeting today at 2:00 and we will be doing a walk thru of Broadway. Everyone on the board is invited to come, so that you can stay informed and help us stay true to our vision of this project. The city and several property owners will be there, and questions will be addressed with everyone there to hear and understand the issues. Parks and Rec horticulturist Delbert Lloyd will explain why none of the trees can be saved as they are assuming, they are all planted in a ‘coffin’ box underground making the trees root bound. If there is a way to save some of the trees that will be great for our budget and we can possibly install some bollards. One property owner has expressed concern that with the planter boxes and trees gone there will be no buffer and cars may hit their buildings. Many of the Broadway property owners opposed the renewal of the BID and so we want to work closely with them so they can see the benefit of the BID. We need to decide on the size and design and order the new flower pots that will be along Broadway. The city has asked that we order them from Sybertech out of Canada – this is the company that provided the round conical pots we bought that are at the intersections. The pots will be attached to a self-watering system. We will have the same round conical pots at the intersections, but we can opt to have rectangular ones that are 48” long placed along Broadway. We will not be using clay pots as they just don’t hold up. Kevin - Having the rectangular ones will help pedestrians feel safer and away from the traffic. Cindy – rectangular ones will also give a bigger show of flowers too. The IFRA money will go directly to the city, so we won’t have to redirect any for the costs of the work. Catherine – Parking Facebook page – there is a need to get more parking information out to the public and so we are looking at creating a Facebook page called ‘I.F. Park’ it will have maps and info and we can give people feedback and help us brand the downtown. We are concerned that people will use it as a page to gripe on, but if we can respond we hope it will help. Catherine is meeting with the Mayor to get the city’s approval as the info will also include on street parking info. Jake – is doing a drone video that will go up from the DEC and then link to a google map that will point to places to park. He is willing to make it available to others. Our parking committee includes Mike Allen, Greg, Shanon and Jake – all other board members are invited to be on this committee also. Antonio thanked Steve and MCS Advertising for all their support and help with the downtown events. Lisa – we still have $625 from the 2017 budget; MCS Advertising has a project ready to be done this spring; 2018 has Dave’s Bike Shop and Persnickety Lemon, but we need more applications. Catherine said the Ming’s and Krung Thep buildings have been sold and maybe they will want to use some of the grant money. Vogue and Cardamom’s expressed interest but have not put in an application. Catherine said she would follow up with them. Meeting was adjourned at 9:10. Our next board meeting will be held Tuesday, February 5, 2019 Respectfully submitted by Kevin Josephson, IFDDC secretary and Mala Lyon