Batavia looks for ways to let shoppers know bridge construction is over

The Batavia City Council will decide today whether to pump $4,800 into helping to market construction-weary downtown businesses.

For some, it's too much public money to promote private businesses; for others, it's not enough for the people who have borne the brunt of the problems of a year and a half of bridge reconstruction on Wilson Street.

"This is a gesture to show the business community that we care," Assistant City Administrator Randy Recklaus told members of the city council's government services committee last week.

City officials have been meeting with downtown business owners to see what can be done to help, he said. From their suggestions, the city came up with a marketing campaign for all downtown businesses targeted around the completion of bridge construction.

It would include coupons mailed to residents, advertising and promotions. The city would pay for printing and postage, but not any actual product discounts the businesses would want to offer.

The idea is that a coordinated campaign would have more impact than individual businesses trying to get the word out that construction is over.

But none of that will help the owners of the One East Wilson restaurant, which closed last year, said Susan Wicklund, one of the owners of the building.

With no rent coming in and water damage from August's Fox River flood to fix, the owners have lost $80,000 in the last year, she said.

Kirk Jansons, owner of Batavia Creamery, said that while the marketing offer is appreciated, more helpful is deferred utility payments that the city has offered.

He laid off his staff last year and has been working almost every day since then. In one stretch, he estimates he worked 70 to 80 days straight and has still experienced a 30 percent loss in business.

Recklaus said the funding isn't a new idea, but more of an extension of its "Bridging Batavia" marketing program from last year.

That committee of city and business representatives had only planned events through December, when the bridge was originally scheduled to be finished.

The bridge is now tentatively scheduled to open at the end of April or beginning of May.

Craig Foltos, who owns Foltos Tonsorial Parlor, said the extra programs would be good for downtown morale.

"Anything they can do to create a buzz is good," he said.

Originally, the city staff had suggested budgeting $20,000 for the project, but that was when construction was expected to last longer, said City Administrator Bill McGrath.

Some council members had balked at that number and asked for more information on the program.

Alderman Forrest Nelson was the only member of the city's government services committee to vote against the plan. He noted the city had given the Batavia MainStreet group an extra $30,000 this year already.

"I think it's a nice, kind gesture, but they don't need a nice, kind gesture," he said, questioning how much good a small marketing program would be.

"They need help," he said, suggesting utility rebates in place of deferrals might be more useful.

"I feel like they're asking for a hand and we're giving them a cheeseburger," he said.

Mayor Jeff Schielke said that business owners were excited about several events planned for later this year that would bring people downtown.

"There is a desire to let the world know that it's about to dawn a new day in Batavia," he said.

While Batavia residents are familiar with what's going on, a campaign about the bridge being done could bring back regional customers that swore off the downtown until construction was done, he said.

"I think a unified campaign is a much better idea," Alderman Jim Volk said. "Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. It's a gamble, but business is a gamble."