IF Downtown Development Corporation (IFDDC)

Idaho Falls Downtown Development Board Meeting held September 13, 2022, at 9:00am in the Arts Council conference room. Those in attendance: Tasha Taylor, Chip Langerak, Brandi Newton, Antonio Mesa, Kevin Josephson, Jake Durtschi, Greg Crockett, Annie Carbutt – Idaho Falls Magazine, Lisa Farris, Brad Crammer, Kade Marquez – transit Coordinator GIFT and Christian Ashcroft. Staff – Catherine Smith and Mala Lyon Minutes of the August 2, 2022, meeting reviewed; Kevin motioned to accept, Tasha seconded; Board approved. Financial Report – Brandi – Oct 1st begins our new fiscal year and we are in good shape with careful budgeting and spending. Brandi motioned to approve; Chip seconded and board approved Director’s Report - Catherine – proposed budget for 2022-2023 – We have requested $20,000 from the city held BID fund to do a major re-surfacing repair in the B Street Parking lot. We have spent much of our own reserves large scale projects we’ve completed downtown including the corner project and Broadway re-scape. Details for the events include: Oktoberfest, FallBrew, WinterBrew, SpringBrew, St. Paddy’s Day and hope to clear $10,000 in fund raising from grant writing and sponsorships. We will be using the blockades from the police and may have to hire the security team to install and remove them for each event. The police received a grant for the barricades from the INL and this is now the requirement to have them to stop traffic at all events. We were first told we would have to purchase barricades to use, but we can now use the ones the police have which is a huge relief as the cost for the barricades is around $80,000 we have been told. We will put up tents for the SummerBrew as it is very hot and shade is needed. On-Street citation payments being made online and in person or by mail have lagged in what we anticipated. We now have 2 years of data for future casting. Chip asked if it is possible to over sell permits in the lots? We do over sell by 8 - 10 permits in the A Street Lot, but the other lots need space for snow piles and customer parking. When the election office opens, we anticipate more people using the B Street and Capital #2/North parking lots. We are doing a power wash scrub in the Broadway Plaza to get the skid mark off the blue lines and clean up the Plaza. This will hopefully be a yearly effort. The Plaza looks dirty and grimy after a year of heavy use. We will be taking on the monitoring and snow removal of the eastside Yellowstone parking lots and the South Broadway lot behind Chesbro’s starting Oct 1st. Watering the flowers and trees was an $85,000 expense when Parks and Rec was managing the watering in their budget. They now pay us $20,000 and we need to visit about the budget but missed the window for this year. Next year we will have Dave Lawrence Landscaping just water the trees and Sheri with 4 Seasons will do the flowers. That way she can fertilize and watch for bugs. We need to look at getting everything on auto water as this is a big yearly expense. Greg asked if we are budgeting for an event coordinator? Catherine said she is looking for a part time 3 days a week person that will be a marketing and events position. Greg asked about the travel budget? That will include expenses for the Parking Conference which will be in Colorado next year and some other conventions. Brandi proposed that the new budget be approved; Jake seconded and board approved. Catherine said we are purchasing a synthetic ice skating rink that is 32’ x 32’ to place at the Broadway Plaza for the holidays. We are able to do this because it’s been fully sponsored by donors including Steve Carr and The Oppenheimers. It will be open on the weekends and hopefully one or two nights a weekday for 30 minute skating segments. We will have a waiver for people to sign to skate. There will be 30 pairs of skates the public can borrow and we hope to offer this for free with donations accepted from the public. It folds up and is 8’ x 4’ so we will be able to store it in the room in the garage. The Little Art Libraries are going up soon. The Dog sculptures are in Chicago and we are having a hard time getting them here, so they will be done next spring. The north wall of BlackRock will be repaired and painted so we can start doing the pets mural with Marina Zokolova doing the pet portraits – it’s been slow to get it off the ground, but we are hopeful this will be the first project of spring 2023. Page Insurance is still looking at doing a mural on their south wall. Catherine has applied for a grant through Mountain View Charity to help support the contribution from Page Insurance. Oktoberfest is this Saturday from 3:00pm to 9:00pm. Still looking for some volunteers for the second shift. Last Saturday was our High Fitness with Apple Club and we had 35 people come. Kade Marquez, GIFT Transit Coordinator – Sept 22nd GIFT is hosting an open forum meeting to discuss how the GIFT Transportation can benefit businesses. GIFT would like to do some co-branding with the Downtown Development, place some signs and work with you when there is an event offering rides. Brandi said that would be great as they have patrons who do not like to drive at night anymore. GIFT is going to do a promo to have local celebrities ride like Dr. Thomas Heuser of the Symphony, high school mascots, the new hockey team. GIFT would like to encourage employees and customers to use it - the cost is a maximum of $3 for a one-way ride. Lisa Farris – CDBG Funding includes $53,000 available with a few projects pending. IFDDC wants to work on getting more lights in the alleys. We have a few inquires out for projects and are hopeful those applications will come in. Brad Cramer – A group of landscape architect students from Utah State have come to help with some of our Imagine I.F. walkable area plans and this will probably flow into the Downtown area. Catherine and IFDDC have volunteered to be part of the project. It should be interesting. Jake asked about creating an urban renewal district. Brad said that the Northgate Mile and 1st Street property owners said no to creating one. There is one for the south of Candlewood Suites and one west of A.H. Bush Elementary for an affordable housing. Catherine said there is interest to build a parking structure with housing above it, but there are some big upfront costs. Melaleuca is wanting to develop housing for employees. Can we be adopted into an existing Urban Renewal District? No, the state legislature has put a stop to that. Kade Marquez asked if there are plans for ‘pay to charge’ stations for electric vehicles? It has been discussed but no plans are made yet – but we are hopeful that will come to fruition. Meeting adjourned at 10:12am The next board meeting will be held October 4, 2022 Respectfully submitted - Jill Hansen, secretary and Mala Lyon