Elgin renews downtown association contract; reboot expected
The city of Elgin plans to continue funding a downtown group for another year, with the expectation the group will revamp itself to provide new economic development initiatives and regular, measurable performance reports.
Council members unanimously voted Wednesday night at their committee of the whole meeting to approve a $135,000 contract for the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin, the same amount as past contracts. A final city council vote is expected later this month.
The new contract would be retroactive to April 1, when the last one expired.
Association board member Ben Glunz said the group is committed to rebuilding and serving all of downtown effectively - including residents, business owners and property owners.
"We are in the process of giving the organization a reboot with a renewed vision," he said. "We need to chart a new course for the next 20 years."
The association has revamped its mission statement, which highlights economic development, community building and collaboration, perception and promotion of downtown, and beautification and physical enhancement.
Concrete initiatives and measurable goals will be developed once a new executive director is hired, hopefully soon, Glunz said.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association hasn't had an executive director since January, when Deirdre White left to take a new job. Final candidates have been selected, but the board wanted to wait for the new contract to be in place before hiring someone, he said.
City Manager Rick Kozal said he's convinced the association is "on the right path." The one-year contract "is as close as you can get to 'try before you buy,'" he said.
The relationship between the association and the city has been tense at times in the past, but Glunz and board Vice President Mark Novelli have worked hard to push the association forward and meet with lots of different people downtown to assess priorities, Kozal said. "There is the sense that we can start something new again and create something even better," he said.
Before White's departure, the association had been working on a plan to establish a new tax paid by downtown property owners to would fund the agency. But that plan hit a wall when council members last summer indicated they wanted a majority of downtown property owners to support the new tax, which the council has the authority to create.
The Downtown Neighborhood Association's contract - which largely mirrors past contracts - is funded by $120,000 in money from the Central Area Tax Increment Financing District, which uses tax money funneled into development rather than local governments, and $15,000 from the general fund.
The agency is entrusted, among other things, with providing assistance to current and prospective businesses and helping them navigate the city's permitting and licensing process. It also organizes events like the Winter Wonderland, pub crawl and small business Saturdays.
Councilman Corey Dixon said he was "very happy and pleased" the association is taking a new direction.
Councilwoman Carol Rauschenberger agreed but also said she hopes the organization will present more specifics soon.
Councilwoman Tish Powell suggested the group bring back its First Fridays events and focus on organizing events along the Riverside Drive promenade.
The association also hasn't had an events coordinator since late April, so its salary expenses have been lower for the first half the year, Glunz acknowledged. When asked why new the new contract wasn't lowered to account for that, Kozal said more money helps the organization attract qualified candidates.
Strategic planning advisory commission member Todd Martin said he initially was skeptical about continuing to fund the organization, because in the past the agency has failed to deliver measurable analytics. But he's changed his mind, and he and his fellow commissioners unanimously support the new contract, he said.
"(Glunz) won everybody over," he said. "We are convinced that with the right leadership, DNA is the right tool to move downtown forward."