From: [email protected]
To: Sarah Glade Gurney; Patrick Slayter; [email protected]; Neysa Hinton; Diana Rich; Ana Kwong; Lawrence McLaughlin; Mary Gourley; Una Glass
Subject: Expanding the BIA (Agenda Item No. 13 public comment):
Date: Friday, March 11, 2022 10:13:39 AM
Dear City Council,
First, why didn't anyone from city council or staff reach out to the Sebastopol Downtown Association (SDA) with regard to the expansion of the Business Improvement Area (BIA) as outlined in agenda item number 13? This has been goal for the SDA for at least 10-years and both city council and staff is well aware of this fact.
Second, the idea that the "relaunch" city council subcommittee would ask Laura Hagar-Rush to re-design the Chamber website makes no sense when the SDA and its former president, have already invested hundreds of hours to develop an excellent and comprehensive business website that links to every BIA business's website, their Facebook page, and their Instagram page. Check it out at downtownsebastopol.com
If the city is going to invest in developing the Chamber website rather than expanding and refining the already "best in the city" SDA website, then the new Chamber website will include businesses outside of Sebastopol city limits. Therefore, this act will be a disincentive for businesses to agree to the expansion of the BIA because the BIA businesses will not agree to pay an assessment which in part, supports businesses outside our city's BIA.
Also, a BIA is just that, it is a "business" improvement district. Therefore, the monies collected from any expanded BIA should only be controlled by an organization whose board of directors is made up solely of business owners. City council should stay out of it unless a council member owns a business within the BIA and is an assessed member.
Absent the above provisions, I will guarantee you a fight against any proposed expansion.
Incidentally, I am reelected to volunteer as a director (most likely the president) of the SDA and I hope that you will personally reach out to me when city council discussion and/or action items directly involve businesses located in the current BIA.
Thanks for considering my sentiments,
Michael Carnacchi