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March 2024 BID Meeting Minutes

MONTHLY BID MEETING

(March 19th, 2024)

WYNDHAM GARDEN KENOSHA HARBORSIDE

5125 6th Ave, Kenosha WI 53140

 

CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL – 8:33am

Executive Committee: Chairperson Brit Windel, Vice Chairperson Alex Kudrna,  Treasurer Rajiv Sigh, Secretary Jeanette Kelly
Board Members Present:
Brett Bjorn, Kevin Ervin, Rob Gresoviak,  Maria Caravati, Gus Harris, Mark Wistar, Sharon Rossow
Non-Voting Members: Dennis DuChene, Laura Gregorski, Donny Stancato,  Alderman Bill Siel, Dave Strash

 

  1. Minutes­­ Approval from February 20th, 2024

Approval – Maria approved – Alex Second –

  1. Citizens’ Comments

    Reanna – Happenings Magazine –

    Bill Siel – Flock Cameras approved by the city –

 

  1. Director Comments
  • Updates from the Chairman
    • Camera Update – businesses who are interested in the cameras – move to streets and beautification committee
    • State of Downtown – Recap – entertaining – food was efficient –
    • Additional information – more networking –
    • Facade Program – UPDATE
    • Treasurer Report – audit has been completed and should be completed by May

 

  1. Marketing Updates
  • New Ideas
    Video commercial for Downtown***
    PPC/OTT Campaigns, budget based  (could use commercial)
    Direct Mail – cost prohibitive (4 counties about 70,000 households = $30,000)
    ValPak – $3500 for 100,000 Homes, in with others, need an offer
    Spectrum News & OTT – budget based – need commercial ***
  • Downtown Magazine – do we want to allocate dollars to improving paper quality and keeping costs down for advertisers? – May 9th Deadline – May 17th delivery –
  • Will be going through website to update and add to all landing pages for businesses. Any items for next phase of updates? – main page – featured business – to draw attention to promote new businesses
  • Adding Merch store to website – how much would we like to mark up items? Supports façade program?
  • Any additional items to include in April newsletter? Put videos on website
  • Interested in being on the board?

 

  1. Committees Comments
  • Outreach and Retention
  • Committee is working on distributing basic information to business and property owners
  • One on one touch-base to update database
  • Pulse survey sent in January – included again in March newsletter. People don’t seem to want to share information. Can we discuss reasons for that?
  • Streets & Beautification
  • Would like to plan for larger tree in Friendship Park for holiday season, do we wish to purchase an LED tree? 30 feet tree?
  • Will be contacting Streets to reset all breaks for light post lighting and replace lights that are out
  • Please gather final graffiti list by end of March – use online form or submit Dennis
  • Cleanup Scheduled for April 20th, the Saturday before earth day.
  • Parks/Transit conversation regarding hedges at 6thavenue and 54th Street in progress
  • Trash – pick up a concern. Need to inventory blocks that have issues without dumpsters and discuss with Alderman/PW
  • Events & Promotions
  • State of the Downtown – Thank you everyone for a successful event!
  • Lattes with the Law – March 21, 8-10am, please join us – at the buzz
  • Bunny Hop – March 23, 50 participating venues 10am-1pm
  • Sip & Stroll – June 8, event application being turned in
  • Third Thursdays, adding larger scale quarterly events this year
  • Email will be going out about Sidewalk Sales – application to be submitted for spring/summer/fall months
  • Does BID want to have a presence in the Parade this year? A float? It takes place downtown, so should we be more active?

 

  1. New Items of Business
  • BBC shooting a piece on the riots –positive piece – painting it in a positive light – selling to HBO or Netflix –
  • Proposal for Business Viability Improvement Program (BVIP) – larger scope –
  • Looking to establish and then asking the city for a specific match and to banks – looking to improve this from downtown

 

 

  1. Next Meeting/Agenda

 

  1. ADJOURNMENT  
  • 9:41am
  • Kevinadjourned – Rajiv Second

 

Dates to Know

March 21st– Lattes with the Law

March 23rd – Bunny Hop

April 16th – BID Meeting

April 20th – Spring Cleanup Day