2014-02-06 Edmonds Downtown Alliance (BID) MinutesMinutes from EDBID board meeting on February 6, 2014, HDR conference room at 8
am.
Attendance: Chris, Sally, David, Mary Kay, Pam, Kevin, Juliana, Cindi, Stephen.
Meeting called to order at 8:00 am.
No opening remarks.
Action Items from 1/23:
Kevin and Paul met regarding assessment waiver for new businesses within BID. Report
to follow.
Cadence prepared a draft letter for Mr. Malgarin regarding new business assessment
waivers
Cadence sent delinquent list and follow up assignments to the board for calls and face-to-
face visits
1/23/2014 minutes were approved.
Assessment waiver policy: Kevin provided an update from his meeting with Paul
regarding a proposed policy on assessment waivers. They recommend two full quarters of
exemption from the date the business license is issued. We discussed the possibility of
providing credits for businesses that would have qualified but have already paid their
assessment. Cindi thought it would not be onerously burdensome on city staff to flag
businesses retroactively and into the future regarding a two -quarter waiver. A motion was
made as follows:
As allowed in the RCW 35.87A.170, the board approves a two -quarter exemption of
assessments, retroactively and into the future, to businesses that open since the EDBID's
formation. Qualifying businesses that have already paid assessments will be notified and
may request a credit to be applied to future billings.
Motion was approved unanimously, with Mary Kay abstaining.
Action items include:
• Stephen will confirm that we can apply this policy decision unilaterally, and will
confirm how we should communicate with City Council regarding this policy update.
• Pam will identify all businesses that qualify for the exemption and their billing status
from spreadsheet provided from Cindi
• Kevin and Paul will write letter and communicate to the identified businesses
• Pam will coordinate with city staff regarding credits to be applied
• David and Chris will talk in person with Mr. Malgarin regarding the approved change
regarding the assessment waiver
No Treasurer report.
Delinquent assessments: Board members provided updates on their outreach to
businesses with delinquent accounts. Some payments have been sent and noted, and
many messages have been left without response to date.
Action Item: Cindi will bring updated delinquent spreadsheet to 2/13 meeting. From that,
Board members will continue their follow up with their assigned businesses as we hope
to build goodwill and increased communication regarding the EDBID and assessment
payment.
Branding and Identity: Turnstyle will present their preliminary Strategic Positioning
statement at our 2/13 meeting for the Boards feedback. David will invite DEMA
members during the upcoming DEMA retreat and Mary Kay will write a press release to
notify all members via news media outlet. We will provide a 30 minute + allotment at the
meeting for public comment after the presentation.
Action Item: Pam will provide Turnstyle with the city's Strategic Plan and the
Community Cultural Plan.
Parking Committee: Mary Kay updated that the leader of the city's parking committee
retired in December, and she has sent a letter to the city recommending continuation of
the parking committee, with some additional structure, as well as 4 or 5 top priorities for
parking solutions.
Action Item: Stephen will look into the city's parking fund, which appears to have been
spent in 2013.
New business: Stephen updated the Board on multiple calls he's received from members
concerned about the lack of tangible results from the EDBID to date. He mentioned the
challenge of doing any physical improvements — a directory, member website, garbage
cans, benches etc — before the brand and strategic vision are established.
We discussed ways to improve communication to members regarding all the behind the
scene work of creating by-laws, work plans, the branding RFP and interview process, etc,
so members can see the effort being made to create a solid and thoughtful foundation for
the organization - rather than spending member's assessment money just because we now
have some in an account.
Action Item: Mary Kay will draft a letter to the Beacon regarding our work to date and
upcoming milestones. This will also be posted on our existing website. Language will
also be developed for the postcard to save the date for the upcoming April 30 member
meeting.
No public comment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30am.
Next meeting will be February 13, 2013. The location will be in the HDR conference
room at Sam.