Kathy Ballard<[email protected]>
City Clerk <[email protected]>
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Dear council,
I'm writing in regard to our PBID for downtown asking for a raise in funding.
This revenue is an increase in property tax. This to improve the district that it covers within those boundaries.
Our city is currently the major owner of property in this district therefore the largest contributing entity, and the deciding vote for how these funds are used. of the 176,000.00 received, we contribute quite a bit.
improvements we have seen:
1. garbage can replacement. although we lost our recycle containers.
2. rusty planter boxes. these are full of basic green plants and are staining our already abused sidewalks
these also need to be hand watered at a cost of over 25K a year. 3 lights across 6th street. These are on 24/7 and powered by our city.
4. Christmas lights. these are also powered by the city.
5. last but not least. a gateway welcoming people to downtown. wait that was also paid by the city.
I feel we have put the horse before the cart. We draw travelers and tourist to downtown and stores are closed, by appointment only or not what they are interested in. Bars and ATM's are what is mostly available.
In looking at plans for the future you could copy the year before and it would be the same.
Where do we advertise to get tourist and travelers to even know about us. Special events are for local citizens. We know what we have and that doesn't change very often. Unless a business closes.
I could tell you stories of impressions made on visitors.
We need to attract businesses like Fleur De Lis or
Country Duck, something that is always changing and one of a kind. eateries that are different or quaint.
We can only do that with updating property that is ready for a renter to just move in. Not start off with tenant improvements being more money than the original business.
Kathy Ballard