Business Item 5c
STAFF REPORT
City Council Business Item
DATE: January 17, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Merritt Perry, City Manager
SUBJECT: Council Review and Discussion of Fortuna Business Improvement District Advisory Committee Applications and Mayor’s Appointment of Seats STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Review applications for the Fortuna Business Improvement District (FBID) Advisory Committee Discuss and consider approving the Mayor’s appointments for 2023.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Until last year, FBID functioned as an independent non-profit corporation and the City approved the recommended appointments to its board by the executive director of the non-profit corporation. Since that time, the prior FBID board dissolved the non-profit and the contract between the FBID Corporation and the City was terminated.
On June 21, 2022, the Council adopted an ordinance amending the Fortuna Municipal Code to establish FBID as an advisory committee only, and the function of the district to be performed by the city staff.
Interim functions of FBID were contracted out with the Chamber of Commerce, and those efforts will come to a close in the near future. A new FBID Administrator has been hired by the City, and staff are now in a position to proceed with the appointment of an advisory committee and commencing with district function to be completed by City staff.
Section 5.40.050 identifies the number of members and criteria for their appointments and is as follows:
5.40.050 Advisory committee.
A. The authorized number of members of the advisory committee of the district shall be seven unless modified by an amendment of this chapter. The city council shall appoint the advisory committee and prioritize appointments such that the advisory committee is comprised of the following appointments:
1. Downtown core area, one representative;
2. Redwood Village Shopping Center core area, one representative;
3. Strongs Creek Plaza core area, one representative;
4. City council liaison, one representative;
5. Citywide, one representative;
6. Fortuna chamber of commerce, one representative;
7. One person nominated by the six representatives identified above.
B. The city council, in making appointments to the advisory committee, shall endeavor to make appointments so that the following categories of businesses are represented on the advisory committee:
1. Retail, three representatives;
Business Item 5c
2. Professional and service, two representatives;
3. Manufacturing/wholesale, one representative; and
4. Hospitality, one representative.
C. Each member of the advisory committee shall serve a two-year term and may be eligible for reappointment. The city council may stagger terms of the advisory committee members by resolution.
Currently six of the seven of the seats on the FBID advisory committee are open. The City has appointed Councilmember Mobley as the City Council Liaison. We have received five applications for the remaining six seats from the following individuals: Danny Kelley, Frederick Robinson, Michelle Oliver, Amber Woodward, Doug Strehl, Laura Shears. Mayor Trent has reviewed the applications and is recommending the following appointments:
1. Downtown core area – Michelle Oliver
2. Redwood Village Shopping Center – Laura Shears
3. Strongs Creek Plaza – Frederick Robinson
4. City council liaison – Councilmember Mobley
5. Citywide – Danny Kelly
6. Fortuna chamber of commerce – Amber Woodward
7. One person nominated by the six representatives identified above – To be nominated by advisory committee
The terms of office for FBID Board Members are two (2) year terms (terms expiring on December 31, 2024). Additionally, the council also has the ability to stagger the terms to ensure that there is continuity on the board as member’s terms expire. Therefore, the council may want to consider staggering the terms of the committee members. In order to do this, it must be done by resolution. Staff will review the terms with the members at the first meeting of the committee, and identify which terms are recommended by the committee to be shortened to one year to stagger the membership. Staff will then bring a resolution back to council for consideration at a later date.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive staff report and review Council questions with staff.
2. Open Public Comment
3. Close Public Comment
4. Motion to approve the Mayor’s FBID appointments. Roll Call vote.
ATTACHMENTS:
Applications:
FBID: Danny Kelley
FBID: Fredrick Robinson
FBID: Michelle Oliver
FBID: Amber Woodward
FBID: Doug Strehl
FBID: Laura Shears