Madison’s Central Business Improvement District (BID)
MINUTES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Noon
BID Offices, Board Room, 615 East Washington Ave., 2nd floor
PRESENT: Tom Beach, Michael Goldberg, Lori Kay, Larry Lichte, Pat McGowan, Maria Milsted, Stacy Nemeth, Rick Petri, Hawk Schenkel, Mary Lang Sollinger, Ald. Mike Verveer
STAFF: Mary Carbine, Mitch Freund, Susan Schmitz (DMI)
GUESTS: Joel Plant (City of Madison Alcohol Policy Coordinator)
ABSENT: Kristine Fauerbach, Sue Krug, Mario Mendoza, Brian Mullins, Gregg Mulry,
I. Call to Order
Stacy Nemeth, BID Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 12:06pm.
II. Approval of Minutes
Larry Lichte moved to approve the minutes from August 3, September 7 and October 5, 2006 meetings. Hawk Schenkel seconded the approval. The motion passed unanimously.
III. Public Comment – None
IV. Report from Alcohol Density Policy Subcommittee
Rick Petri reported the recommendations of the newly formed BID Alcohol Density Policy Subcommittee. The recommendations stated:
- The timeline for consideration and implementation of the City’s proposed Alcohol Density Policy is too rushed and should be slowed down
- Business owners and property owners should be utilized as a resource for information on the day-to-day understanding of downtown and its patrons
- The subcommittee recommends the BID Board requests:
- Council referral of this policy to the BID Board for formal consideration
- That at least two public hearings be organized
- Expansion of the ALRC License Density Policy subcommittee to include additional downtown property and business owners
- Information about enforcement models and alcohol policies from other comparable communities
- The subcommittee also discussed the option of a petition
Larry Lichte moved that the BID Board support and move forward the recommendations set forth by the BID Subcommittee. Maria Milsted seconded the motion allowing “friendly” amendments. Stacy Nemeth opened the floor for discussion.
Joel Plant, City of Madison Alcohol Policy Coordinator, informed the Board:
- With Common Council referrals to subcommittees, the policy would take at the quickest two months to work through City processes.
- The ALRC Subcommittee meetings are open to the public.
- The ALRC Subcommittee cannot be expanded for new members.
Plant then explained the creation of the proposed policy noting a 90% correlation between alcohol-related violence and alcohol licenses. Through graphs and statistics, provided by the City of Madison, Plant proposed that reducing liquor licenses will reduce alcohol-related violence. The policy would also include creating more taxi stands downtown and better enforcement of house parties.
Susan Schmitz introduced the idea of creating “listening sessions” instead of “public hearings.” Mary Lang Sollinger moved to change “public hearings” to “listening sessions” in the motion.
Stacy Nemeth recommended the entire BID district be polled on their views of the proposed policy. Hawk Schenkel and Maria Milsted felt the policy is a “knee-jerk” reaction to King Street incidents of violence. Ald. Michael Verveer acknowledged many neighborhood associations would like the policy even stronger, making no liquor licenses available, and even reducing the number of licenses in the downtown area.
Nemeth restated the motion moving that the BID Board support and move forward the recommendations set forth by the BID Subcommittee amending number 3. section b. from “public hearings” to “listening sessions,” and deleting section c. “Expansion of the ALRC….” Tom Beach seconded the amended motion. The motion passed unanimously.
The final recommendations are as follows:
1. The current timeline for consideration and implementation of the policy is too rushed and should be slowed down. There must be adequate time for the policy to be fully understood and discussed by stakeholders (including downtown property and business owners and operators) and the community in general, and for feedback to be provided.
2. It should be understood that downtown property and business owners and operators are a valuable resource. They have direct, day-to-day understanding of the downtown and its patrons, and can provide insights into how to best address the problems with which the policy is concerned. A range of downtown business, property and bar owners and operators should be proactively involved in consideration of this policy.
The BID Board requests:
a. Council referral of this policy to the BID Board for formal consideration.
b. That at least two public listening sessions be organized in addition to the committee referrals: A business meeting (the BID can organize)
A general public meeting
c. Information be obtained and shared about enforcement models and alcohol policies for other comparable communities (mid-size cities that are also college towns), such as Austin and Boulder.
V. Chair’s Report
Nominations Update:
Stacy Nemeth proposed adding three At-Large Seats to the BID Board. Patrick McGowan made the motion to add three At-Large Seats to the Board. Hawk Schenkel seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Alder Mike Verveer agreed to amend this to the BID Operating Plan at the next Common Council meeting.
Nemeth then reported the list of possible nominees for currently open and expiring BID Board seats: Kelly Meuer (State Street Brats), John Hutchinson (Fontana Sports), Patrick Marsden (State Farm Insurance), Kami Eshragi (Kimia Lounge), Linda Baldwin (Isthmus; as King Street Association Representative), Craig Butterworth or Paul Strong (Jazzman/Soulman), Jack Garver (The Fanny Garver Gallery), Jeanette Riechers (Heartland Birkenstock), Traci Miller (L’Etoile), and Rick Petri (continuation as DMI representative). More nominees than open seats are proposed, so that there would be Board-approved back-up nominees if some do not wish to serve when contacted. Hawk Schenkel made the motion to accept the list of nominees. Patrick McGowan seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Board members will contact nominees, and a list of candidates will be sent to the Mayor for approval. Lori Kay agreed to continue to follow up on trying to get ASM to nominate a student for the empty UW Madison Student seat.
Nemeth listed the nominees for the upcoming open Board Officer seats. Nominees were Lori Kay for Board Chair, Patrick McGowan for Vice Chair (interim), Hawk Schenkel for Secretary, and Stacy Nemeth for Treasurer. Mary Lang Sollinger made the motion to accept the nominees for 2007 Board Officers. Maria Milsted seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
VI. Halloween Report (Joel Plant, City of Madison Alcohol Policy Coordinator)
Joel Plant reported that the Halloween event was very positive. He was especially impressed by student involvement. He stated there were 60% less arrests than in 2005 and they recovered $160,000 through charging admission. There was no property damage or injuries, and displacement was minimal. Overall the event was success. Plant then opened the floor for questions, comments, and discussion.
Mary Carbine asked if there would be a public briefing on the event. Plant reported that police and city agencies are working on their official “after action reports.” Once the reports are completed, there will be official debriefings, and a public briefing for BID members could be organized. Plant will keep Carbine informed on progress.
Tom Beach commented that parking was a major issue, they needed more portable toilets, and they needed to reduce the police presence. Lori Kay was interested in learning the amount of house party citations that were issued. Hawk Schenkel had a “record night” and congratulated Joel Plant and the City on a great event. Michael Goldberg remarked there should be less of a “stormtrooper look” and a reduction in the police presence. Maria Milsted reported the Mifflin Street side of her building was graffitied between 1:00am and 3:00am. Carbine provided the Board with a draft summary of comments and feedback from BID member businesses and property owners, which will be completed, summarized, and presented to the Board and to appropriate city officials and agencies.
VII. Staff Reports
a. Mary Carbine, BID Executive Director
Mary Carbine updated the Board on the 2007 Budget planning, reported on recent State Street Oversight Committee meetings, and invited Board members to the Holiday Shopping Kickoff Event at Uno Chicago Bar & Grill on Tuesday, November 14 from 5:00pm-6:30pm. The Board asked Mary to provide a report from the IDA Conference at the next Board meeting.
b. Mitch Freund, BID Programming Coordinator
Mitch Freund thanked Stacy Nemeth and the Fiore Companies for sponsoring the Ambassador table at the recent DMI Annual Dinner, and Susan Schmitz and DMI for the Special Recognition Award. Freund then thanked Hawk Schenkel for hosting the End-of-the-Season Ambassador Get Together at Hawk’s Bar & Grill on October 11. Freund then reported on the Downtown Information Tables at the World Dairy Expo and the Wisconsin Book Festival during the month of October. Freund also reminded the Board that Ambassadors would be participating in the upcoming snowflake light changeover and working as greeters on the Holiday Trolley.
VIII. New Business
None to report.
IX. City of Madison / Common Council update
Alder Mike Verveer mentioned that the Mid-State Street Parking Ramp will be an issue again for the Common Council, plus the Council recently added an employee to the Mall Maintenance crew.
X. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 1:45pm.
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