20210304 - CBDAC Minutes

Central Business District Advisory Committee  (CBDAC)

Agenda

Attendees: Jordan Kaufman, Pamela Perron, Katherine Schmidt, Michael Pickholz, Gary Kolesaire, Anastasia Bamberg, Randy Carson, Jeanne Johnson, Joan Groome, Stacey Tsapatsaris, Paul Vagianos, Jacqueline Luthcke, Robert Delcalzo, Philip Davis, Jordan Gladdis, Steve Aspero

Thursday, March 4th, 2021

Zoom Call: 8:30 – 10:00am

• Bollard Posts for Dining Corrals Follow Up-Chris is going to propose a pilot program with one rest Park West (not on busy street and parallel parking) If agreed on, it will be done ASAP. Must order bollards first. Pam will send Jack the cut sheets.
• Website Update. Maintenance will be an issue. Katherine and Stacey will collaborate. Michael is interested in helping as well. Can businesses update their own information? The group agreed to go forward with the launch.
• Vacant Storefronts. Was not discussed at the VC meeting. Samples to cover storefronts are being explored. Email Pam if you have thoughts. The effort has links with the arts initiative.
• Downtown NJ is a great resource for sharing ideas. Monclair, Summit, Westfield are peer towns.
• Transit Village has helped with traffic, affordable housing, access to money, including law enforcement. Very little downside to getting the money. Hardest part is getting the designation. Steve will need volunteers to help.
• Presentation on Community Foundation of NJ (Jordan Glatt).
  • Summit has a SID. Summit foundation funded the SID, which allowed the businesses to contribute to a 5013C. SID is an effective tool for funding a downtown.
  • SID allows different constituents (landlords, tenants) to come together and promote the downtown.
  • Makeup of the SID board is critical. Must have representation of landlords, merchants, and second story tenants as well as members of the community at large. Mayor sits at hoc on board. Council members are also on board.
  • The Summit SID was a way for landlords to pay for a portion of town upgrades.
  • SID pays for business recruitment via a full time employee. This has been very effective, especially having someone hold new merchants' hands while getting set up---builds goodwill and helps recruit more businesses.
  •  SID budget is $200K. SID gets a percentage of the parking revenues but the council regulates.
  • City collects tax and turns over to the SID. SDI (Summit Downtown Inc.) is the 5013C that manages the SID.
  • Community Foundation of NJ--people leave their assets to the community. The foundation gives grants to fund projects and initiatives in the community. Need to have an estate and trust lawyer in the group. Also raise money through donation campaigns. Summit and Westfield both have donor advised funds. Education fund is housed in the Community Foundation.
  • The impetus for forming the SID came from the merchants. Landlords saw it as another tax. VC felt like they were giving up control. Tenants pressured merchants to start it. Merchants who were doing well were more supportive for the SID. Needed to emphasize the notion that working together to promote the village would benefit all. A SID is a way of taxing yourself.
  • Ridgewood SID would not be events based but focus on either issues like recycling, tree wells, getting transit village status.
  • Jordan will send bylaws/articles of incorporation.

Current Membership (13 Participants)

Village Liaison – Pamela Perron

Representative from Chamber of Commerce – Philip Davis

Representative from Ridgewood Guild – Max Viola

3 Business Owners – Gary Kolesaire, William Gilsenan, Michael Velicu

5 Residents – Rob Descalzo, Jordan Kaufman, Michael Pickholz, Anastasia Bamberg, Steve Aspero

Chief of Police – Jacqueline Luthcke

Village Engineer – Chris Rutishauser