001Call the meeting to order. The Oxford Downtown Development Authority August 18th. Please rise and pay respect to the flag. >> Aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Did you >> said one of you? >> Wait, what? What was that? >> I'll do it. >> Oh, okay. >> Um, okay. Scott Taylor, >> he's absent. >> Jay Chow >> here. >> Melissa Camilillis >> here. >> Jacob Nicoia >> here. >> Ashley Ross >> here. >> Marie Powers here. Rod Charles absent, Pete Schultz >> here. Thank you. Any public comment on non-aggenda items? >> Seeing none. Uh consent agenda, approval of the proposed agenda. >> I'll make a motion to approve the agenda as written and
002approve the meeting minutes from July of 2020 2025. >> I'll second it. been moved by powers and second kunelis. Um all in favor >> I oppose something and consent agenda um B C and D. >> Oh, you did receive. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'll make a motion to receive and file agenda items 5, C, and D, the police report, and the code enforcement report. >> Support moved by Ross reported by Nia. Any comments? All in favor? >> I think >> vote on the money. >> No, that's the next one. >> That's the next one. >> Financials. >> Motion uh motion to receive and file uh bills uh 6B in the amount for July 2025 in the amount of $30,691.89. >> Okay. Roll call. U Melissa can present. Oh, someone someone needs to second that. Sorry.
003>> Okay. >> Melissa Canels? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh Scott, uh Jay Chow, >> yes. >> Jacob Nicoia, >> yes. >> Marie Powers. Yes. And Pete Schultz. >> Yes. >> Do we receive in file A? Was that >> 6A? >> I believe so. >> Sounds like it. >> Okay. >> Uh number seven, the DDA reports. the board committee report. >> I was the only one at the thing. >> You get it? >> Port committee met. Um discussion was on the basicformational purposes on the upper grant where we stand on as far as on the sidewalk repairs and also the discussed elimination of the crosswalks and also the gazebo grants. Um and what's the update on those? Those will be covered in the agenda later on tonight. Uh the trolley, same thing. update on that. Um,
004with the insurance and there was discussion about the trolley um, as far as how long do we want to continue working with it? Um, do we want to consider potentially ending at the end of the year and no longer having the trial and putting it up for sale and cutting our losses or cutting our liability responses at that point or what the intent of what we wanted to do. So I think it need further discussion from the entire board and everything later on to that. Kimber. >> Yeah. Just to note the or meeting happened prior to the trolley coming back online. So I think the conversation at that point was a little more >> or a little less optimistic than because there was no line of sight of it coming back online and then the
005following day it came back up. >> Correct. >> Other than that that was pretty much it for the discussion to uh EV committee report we actually had over there had some good things to input. um talked about how our tax revenue from the village um it's mostly for residential see that swing a little bit more towards 50/50 and we offered some good uh incentives to offer business owners and land developers talked mainly about how our DA is main street accredited that's that's a big accomplishment you know that many business owners have benefited from their their help and you know there's a lot of things that they can do for business owners who come into town. Um briefly talked about trying to bring in certain types of businesses that are need in the area and obviously
006it's not that easy to decide which businesses come in. There's still a little bit more conversation to be had there. You put out some great numbers. 34,000 cars drive through downtown Oxford every day and a lot of times we're having a hard time slowing them down to stop in our our downtown. I don't know if it's lack of interesting businesses or whatever they need, but also um he did talk about how there's I can attest to this There's so many people speeding through 24 downtown possibly talking to the village and police department, sheriff's department really trying to enforce kind of like how they do by frosty boy. That's that's like the enforcement zone I feel like in this area. We bring some of that manpower over here to 24. Slow down some of the speeders
007through and you know some of those u air jack brakes from the gravel trucks can be real loud. Disrupts a lot of our events in the park and people just walking through town. I know that that's a big complaint about that was that was I think that was really good for us to hear from him and then After you left, we talked a little bit more about what we can do to bring uh to boost the economy uh in downtown Oxford. Right now, you know, feel like we feel like there's a great base of events like the concerts in the park, the vendor market. What more can we build on top of the foundation already set to really help boost the economy because right now see too much. One idea that he suggested was right
008now the concerts are over next year for the concerts trying to get some zip codes to see where these people are coming from drawing people from to bring them into downtown. I think that would be a good number to look at the future. We also discussed different businesses who can team up and help each other out. Seems like there are some businesses that are already doing this but What more can we do to help not just promote but connect businesses together? Businesses that we believe might help each other prosper, right? So, >> were there any suggestions from the committee of what might make sense to partner or is the committee recommending the DBA staff to put this together? One one uh suggestion that was brought out was having these events like come in the park.
009Um having some kind of promotion with different restaurants and you know different food items because a lot of people come and they just see that pizza truck. the only businesses that really are gaining anything um from speaking with other business owners in town, especially ones across the street foot traffic. >> So, if we can somehow get some sponsors from different businesses around that promote their own items, you know, foods or services, that might be good to get that out there, too. >> And we just as an FYI, we do offer that to any business any food based business, they have the option of setting up in the park over the summer. We just don't get a lot of interest in that, >> which is fine. Um, but we have had conversations for next summer if
010we even want to have food like food outside of the brick and >> doing things like that is more on the side of advertising. So, I mean, they have to staff it. They've got to have food down there. It's got a state attempt for the health department precautions. So, but they know that going ahead. So, but that's discussions directly with the restaurants involved. >> Yeah. And we're happy to help support like a coupon or some sort of like incentive for people to come. This year we did have a table set up which was a new thing. We haven't done that in the past. So, we have a DDA table was literature DDA literature and we could certainly have you know those at our table or have like that as part of the bingo prizes or
011some sort of raffle. >> A bingo prize. >> Yeah. We well we did big bow every week and then and then we did ask for you know donations essentially for the giveaways. So yeah absolutely and they don't have to be donations. I think we can pay for them next year but it's definitely an option. We're happy to help support. you know, that's some of the feedback that we've gotten is, you know, the potential um competition with the brick and mortar on having things at the market or at the concerts or any other event that we have. So, we're really taking a look at that this year and really thinking about how we want to proceed next year. I think we've done a good job of reducing that um from the past this year. Um but
012we're still hearing feedback. Pete, >> right on. >> Uh, just a comment from some of the business owners is that we don't really reap much benefit from events that are free in the park because people tend to just fly in, fly out, and you know, there's really no activity at the businesses downtown. So, we the committee was discussing ways to try to do either something that was ticketed at a business um or some way of generating revenue for the brick and mortars >> can like in the same night as the concerts or a separate >> as a separate as a separate event. >> Yeah. And I think that's something we've talked about. We're talking about it in promo. We'd like to do something different in 2026, especially in Q1. Um the smaller events that we've
013done historically just are not bringing the traffic, bringing the sales in. So we were thinking about potentially larger ticketed event in late January, early February. One last thing I skipped over. The committee wanted to explore more grant opportunities and thought that would be something year. I want to add a caveat to that because I think volunteering Kimberly is a great way to go, but I know in the past like when I was on EV, Kimberly doesn't necessarily have all the time. So like Kelly and I used to just sit and write it together. And so I think it can't just the all of the onus can't just be on him. I think that's part of what this committee needs to do is Kim can help identify, but if the committee can help write or start
014or send stuff even my way or whatever, I think it needs to be collaborative because if you just put all that on Kim, that's like >> your name. Your name did come up, Ashley. >> But I think that's a lot. I mean, I don't have time to necessarily, but I think like that's a big >> knowing that um we discussed possibly hiring a grand writer to have on staff. Discuss that more. So, but you know, one example was paying paying somebody $40,000 to bring in 2003 $300,000 worth of grant money every year might be worth it. But who knows that interesting idea. >> Let's talk about it offline. >> I love that idea. One thing I will note just really quickly, not to interrupt, but there is and we can explore that, but there is
015a resource through um Oakland County Main Street and his entire job is to help businesses in Main Street. So, I would imagine we would be part of that identifying grants and helping to write grants for for those businesses. I would need to do a little bit more exploration to see how much that really would look like. Um I think at this point just it's a part of the conversation. We're administrating a grant right now, a very large grant. So that's taking up a lot of our time, but certainly it's in the back of our minds of grant opportunities going forward. What do we want to focus on for that? Because to Ashley's point, it does take time. So every time and you're not guaranteed to get the application, right? So you submit five applications, you
016get one or two maybe. >> Well, a followup and obviously Rod carried that over to your committee because we talked about the same thing that Rod was driving the train on that one too. And you know, his vast idea is just go get them. There's million of them sitting on the shelf. You should be able to pick 10 of them off a week kind of a thing like that. I think he's reaching for the pie in the sky, but reality is it's a ton of work. Obviously, Ashley can verify that it's a ton of work to do a brand And it's not just sitting down and filling out the blank. It takes weeks and months ahead of time on some of the grants to accumulate the information that you need to fill out the grant
017because there's a whole lot of economic background um history and so on and so forth that goes into filling out a grant. And again, it takes a lot of time if you know we keep throwing and say, "Well, Kimberly can do that." Kimberly can do that. But at the same time, remember that our intern is gone now for the summer. and we don't have that person in the office and you know we still have our other person is working part-time in the office too of 20 hours a week. So you got basically got one and a half people working in the office and trying to run everything and then trying to say well here we'll dump all the grants on that person and tell them to start writing grants and everything. It's not it's not
018realistic with the manpower that we have. If we were going to continue to talk going forward, then maybe we should up, you know, up to a full-time position that we already have for, you know, so we can get stuff done in the office at the same time. Plus, we're on around setting up, you know, for the concert, setting up side, you know, for the for the the projects and everything. So, manpower is you're looking at it right there in the room. Ashley, >> my recommendation since we're talking about it would be that we develop relationships to try out a few grant writers, contract them outside, get obviously there's going to be some starting points of hey, they need to know about the organization to write something. Also there there will be that, but that's going
019to in my mind be the most cost effective. And then you can develop a relationship with that person over time. We don't have the overhead. And then their full job is either you can hire them to find grants. So either find it, write it, submit it, follow up reports because that's what's going to take up all your time, right? If you have somebody, hey, I have this project, find me a grant for it, write it, and then you still have to manage it when it's here. That's a lot already, but I think that would be an option in terms of what what we would all maybe feel comfortable with spending right now. Yeah, and I can definitely reach out to my peer network and see if there's someone that is recommended that is it you
020think there's a conflict of interest but but no I I for any of this I would help you guys out but I don't think that would be the best. >> Anything else on that? um promo committee. >> You'd like me to speak on that since Holly's not here? >> Please. >> I'd be happy to. All right. So, I was in attendance to at the promo committee. Um we had a visit from Eric Phillips. He's from Main Street as well. Correct. >> Yes. >> All right. Super great guy. Um he brought in some excellent data. Um so, actually it piggies back on the the commenting about figuring out where the business and things like that are coming from. So he said what it's they use data from cell phones and determine where the business is coming
021out of. So he did provide some of that data and we're going to be going over that at the next debomb meeting. Um at promo committee we did talk about the downtown day um September 27th um and it's an event to bring awareness to a local downtown. We also initiated some ideas about u maybe reaching out to OCTV or someone local about doing mini videos um to help promote those and spread the word on Facebook or through OCTV and local television. Um we have Scarecrow Fest coming up and we determined the theme this year is going to be video games. So the business owners do have a signup sheet um to go ahead and select which one they're doing which is night out is October 24th. Um, small business Saturdays November 29th this year. And
022um, there we're going to be doing selfies and posting those throughout businesses. Soup and Suites December 5th. Um, we're discussing um, the solar the Polar Express that it's going to be based on the functionality of the trolley. So, so back to that one. We should know more about that in the near future. Um, and then also piggybacking on the Q1 events that we were discussing doing. Um, we had some great talks and ideas about wanting to bring in some more male focused business into town. Um, you know, it the the the brew and the sports and things like that generally t tend to bring in a tie, but we have more success with the women's events in towns. So, piggybacking off of what the Rotary does in Lake Orian, which is a great great great
023program, they have um an a an a ice golf day. Yep. and and it's and it's awesome. The businesses get involved and they have little mini mini putt putt areas in their businesses and it's just it's really cool and it's well attended even though I swear it's negative 20 every year when they do it. Um but we were talking about doing like an Oxford style Olympics day so we could have different types of games in each of the businesses and it'll get people walking around town and have scorecards and all that good stuff. So um we'll be talking more about that in the coming meetings. also um thought of the idea of a progressive dinner. I think thought that would be interesting. That would be a good I mean whether it's Valentine's Day or before
024or after it. Another way to generate some business and advertise to the businesses that don't get touched for some of the free events. Um uh Polar Ice Gold event we have noted as well. Is there anything I missed there, Kev? >> All right. >> Any questions? All right. Thank you. >> Um do we have the design committee report to this? >> Yes. Uh the design committee met on August 5th. I do have an agenda item for a um um board vote, but I'll save that for the end. Uh we discussed the fact that there aren't any current um sign grants or facade grants in motion. Um there's been some work with the Chinese restaurant to get them to perhaps apply for a facade grant. Um, we have the, uh, someone pitched the idea of having
025shipping containers or other kind of small units that could be used as temporary storefronts. And I know this was an idea we had talked about on Berdick, um, a while back. Uh, that was discussed. Um, Scarecrow Fest, uh, as mentioned is October 5th, and I don't know if we have a decor date planned already, but that was an open agenda item that that we captured. I think we were talking mid September, but I don't think >> Okay. >> Wait till you're back on the truck. >> Okay. Uh we talked a little bit about the state of the shed at Washington Square. >> Um and we did uh the design committee did uh refabricate the planter boxes in Washington Square. So I think they look a lot better. And I think that's the highlights for with
026our meeting. But I do want to um ask the board for approval on a um well I'll make a motion to move forward with H&H powder coating. They are going to be refurbishing the uh waste receptacles and the benches. Um the existing 10 benches and 12 waste receptacles at an estimated cost of $14,550. >> That's under new business. We'll cover it. >> Oh, you will? Okay. Good. clarify later details of that. >> Okay, >> very good. >> Home and history subcommittee. >> Yeah, they go. >> Sorry, had a last minute meeting change. Um, Holly and Rod have been sending me a ton of items for the state marker because we were missing a few items or they had requested more information. I shouldn't say we're missing. They had requested more information. So, I have it
027on my calendar tomorrow to sit down and compile all of that and make sure that we aren't missing. Anything I'll send that back to the state. Um, so the mural, the last time we had talked at the board, was a non-starter because we weren't going to be permitted to have access to the roof. Um, we are rethinking the RFP. Um, oh, look at Kimberly and Ashley are preparing an RFP. We're preparing an RFP. >> I feel like that's a great first job for our new consultant. >> I I sent a template that I used for the last mural I did. um for an RFP that I think will cover most of, but I think we should just get maybe Joe to look it over real quick as well before sending it out. And it would
028be using a cherry picker instead of doing any scaffolding. Um and just see what we get. I think that's kind of the starting point is we don't even know what we'll get at this point with understanding and that person would also have to carry their own insurance, meet all of the requirements that we would for the village, be able to get that equipment there. So there's a lot of intricacies. So but last time was kind of DOA. Now we would like to revive it, put out RFP, at least see what we get. Um historical places tour that trolley. Okay. Um Village 150th. That's kind of the next steps after we get through this next kind of last summer push is to start preparing for next year. Um Joe, do you know where the time capsule
029is? I think there's one in the park. There's a little plaque on the ground. >> Okay. >> And I believe there's one in the old here. >> Okay. Get in there. [Laughter] >> Maybe. >> So, I believe that I think it's in park. So that's probably a conversation to take to what let that be promo plan some sort of event around that for next year. So that's forthcoming. Um we haven't had any further discussions on the museum right now and that's probably because they've been busy and haven't had a chance to do anything. So more updates in September. >> Very good. and the executive director's report. >> Okay. So, in the packet, I'm gonna have Jess step up here. She put together several reports, event reports for the conclusion of our summer activity. So, I'm
030going to have her speak to that. But while she's walking up, I'm going to just highlight a couple very quick things in the executive director's report. Um, our OC tech support grant of $10,000 was approved for our trolley. So, we got we will be getting that payment in shortly from Oakland County. So, that's very exciting. Um, we were included in the Michigan Municipal League summer edition magazine for our win at the Main Street Awards, which was a big deal. So, that was pretty exciting. Um, speaking of grant writing, I attended a couple of workshops over the last couple weeks around um, grant training. I will say a lot of it was focused around federal grants and I know that that's not really something we've pursued a lot before that I'm aware of, but it was
031still wonderful information because my background is not and that's what gave me a good framework for what that entails. Um there is a training next week on the 28th through Oakland County that would strongly encourage any new board members or council members to attend. and it's really talking about what the DDA is, what our purpose is, and how we can work well with the m municipality. Um, so encourage you to do that. If you need uh registration information, we can share that. Um, we are planning a volunteer appreciation event for October 8th. We did that just to help support um it's going to be more of a smaller event and we hope to do a larger one after the new year. Um, but we do want to give thanks to all of those that have
032given their time over the last year. So, we're including those that volunteered last fall and scarc etc. Um, and that'll be just a pizza party ice cream at summer Sundays. We're getting discounted rates on both of those items from local businesses. So, we're excited about that. And then we do have um a community space support uh call to action. We now that Riley's out I'm an intern. The next couple of weeks, we still have all the furniture in um the community spaces. We're asking for volunteers to help keep things clean. We can't be out there every day to make sure everything's looking amazing. I got a text on Sunday that we had a rogue umbrella in Washington Square that you were doing out there. I was coming home from vacation with my daughter and I
033was like, "Oh, I have to be driving by no problem." And there's like an umbrella upside down because it was windy. So, rightfully so. customer was concerned and let the business know. Um, but we, you know, having more support is always helpful, especially while we go through the next couple weeks. Oh, and finally, last thing, we did attend um a SEMCOG member meetup a couple weeks ago, and what it was is we walked through downtown Auburn Hills and we really looked at their placemaking and development and redevelopment. So, it was really interesting to see how they chosen to basically create a downtown in a space that didn't have a and how they're utilizing those spaces. So, that was really an interesting um a good use of time. Okay, I will go into super detail because
034there is four of them. Um but one's for the concert, the market, corn, line dancing. The concerts are first. We had eight concerts this summer. They started June 19th and went to this past Thursday, August 14th. And we had um there's everyone sponsored by business downtown because the sponsor breakdown was there. Um and most of them came and had a table at the concert. I think they all were pretty well attended except for um the one on July 24th, but that day was like crazy hot and humid. I think there was a storm that was like hovering. >> Wasn't there like an air quality? >> There was a lot. >> Um but otherwise I think they were pretty well attended. There's also the expenses and profit down so you guys can see it. >> And
035I think just something to note, this is the first year that we're actually really putting analytics around these events. So I did my best to pull data from last year to try and compare it as much as possible just to get a general idea. Um, you know, obviously looking into next year, we'll have more apples to apples type comparison so we can see, you know, where we're spending money. I think there have been an understanding in the past that these concerts were fully funded through sponsorships and I don't know that that's quite the case. Um but the return that we get could definitely, you know, overshadow that. It's just we want to make sure that there's transparency there with information on how the money is being spent and what's coming in out. >> And this
036needed to be built before every counselor. People loved it. Um, so we might >> It was awesome. >> I didn't know we were going bingo. It was so fun. >> Yeah. Who knew bingo would be so popular, >> but there are people that came every week like showed up early for bingo, stayed for concert. So, >> so can I just make a comment? >> Yes. >> Um, I really really appreciate this. I understand that we don't have, you know, metrics from last year. Just briefly, we spent $7,200. That's 20 cents a person. That's >> I think at some point 20 cents a person getting them downtown that even if somebody that's from our expenses, not everyone's going out and buying something, but I feel like there was I don't know if there's a way to
037even do it further out, but there has to be a that's a good ROI. I'm imagining. >> I can tell from the social district cuts that we saw this year. Okay. And not so any other comments or questions about next is the market. It went a little bit later. So it started Thursday um July 10th and went to August 14th. vendors. It was 150 for the whole series and um we had a sponsorship from a bracelet. They sponsored the whole market. So then we gave them a spot in the market for that and they were there almost every week. This last week they weren't due to staffing. Um, and I asked all the vendors, especially if they were here last summer and this summer, like comparison between the two and just in general, and the
038traffic was a lot less this year. They kind of all said they were doing about half of what they did last year. Um, so we we had tried posting in different groups, just advertising it in different ways. So, we're kind of talking about what next. Okay. >> And there were also about half the amount of vendors as last year. >> Say that again. >> There were about half the amount of vendors as LA. No, >> no, I think we had maybe six or seven fewer. >> Okay. This year, >> I know there were a lot last year. >> Looked like a lot shoved into the parking lot. >> Gotcha. Yeah, optically it definitely looked lighter. >> Yeah. Well, and having lighter is not always a bad thing, too. I find at the other market generally
039people spend more when there's fewer vendors to spend with at times. >> So it's not a bad thing. I thought it was a great variety. I enjoyed it when I stopped by. >> Thank you. >> I think the biggest factor, two pieces is one, we did not secure a produce vendor and that is a huge attractor. Um so that definitely could um explain some of it. And I think just in general from what we're hearing from businesses is that sales are down this year. Um so that would that would track Okay. And then we have wine. We weren't sure that we were going to do it this year and then um Nicole staff. She owns the refinery right next to the bike shop. She decided she would head up the whole thing and volunteer. She
040brought in a bunch of people and then like every week there was tons of dropins u on top of the people that had paid for the full series. So it was $60 to pay for the full series and then $10 if you just dropped in. and every week it was great and people really loved it. And then lastly was hole. Um did really well. Also another people get very serious. They did two divisions, a competitive and a rack league or division. Um, and the competitive people were like like one week Riley had texted Kimberly and was like, "Can I go home?" Like they're still playing. It was like 9:00. They were so poor intern she was gone and she's like, "Um, you asked us asked us to stay or asked me to stay until it
041was over, but they're not stopping." was like, "Yeah." >> Um, but people really loved it and I was there for the last this last week for their like tournament and people were hanging out like their tournament there was like, you know, breaks in it. People were just hanging out, having a good time. I know that social district stickers, we ran out of them because those um like tap and grab cap like the people were really enjoying drinks from there. We did have one unexpected expense with the cornhole this year. Last year we had the boards made and they came with um sets of bags and unfortunately the bags just didn't hold up. So it was recommended that we get like a nicer quality professional level bags. So we did do that and we did get
042some sponsorships for that but it didn't cover all of the bags. At the end of the day I think it was worth it because it you know businesses had their their logo additional advertising and you know they're a little bit nicer >> they should hopefully last >> those are some >> thank you director uh moving on to number eight unfinished old business. Um 8ka is the crosswalk project sidewalk project. >> Yep. So where we're at and Joe can maybe speak to it. We um at the last board meeting it was recommended to get an official quote from uh the contractor that we've decided to move forward with to add some additional flags of um the concrete. >> Concrete. Thank you. Um And so we have that in the packet. It's 4 or 54.90 would be
043covering all of that. Um so we wanted to get a motion tonight for that. Chime in the reductions in the saving but we thought last time were I think more than that. I think the motion we kind of thought and Ash if I remember you kind of made it up to a certain amount because we knew it was about X dollars and someone's going to be taken out and then once the other number back in it still came in I you did so we did have a a f like a top number but I think there was a motion to move forward with getting a quote from BSI so um we do have that I don't know if we need an official motion or we're good. >> Is it is it going to go need
044to go to the village anyways? No, >> I would say it's under the 197 what we approved last year, our last meeting for the total project. The only thing I think to make it transparent or at the same time for everybody understanding what's going on is that we were to make a motion to amend the original quote or the original RFP adding the additional concrete squares to it, you know, which >> still brings it up to that to that part of it there. That's the only thing that I think we we need to do is just amend that portion of it. Adding that to it because it is outside of the original. >> Is that additional engineering services basically for >> Nope. It's just a matter of just the additional 300 and some 305 feet
045is what it is what we're adding to it. I think the village has offered to do some of the pre-work >> the demo and the restoration works and that in so there >> well I don't know do we have to have that amount I mean the way that I feel about it is I I think it is a safety concern having a TV right there. Um, so I'm forward. So I would a motion uh motion to uh provide a change order um for the additional um 305 square ft of concrete to address the safety uh concerns with the heaving um in the amount of $5,490 additional. Second >> and moved by Nick Hicks, supported by Ross. Is there any questions? >> Roll call, please. >> Uh, Pete Schultz, >> yes. >> Marie Powers, yes. Ashley
046Ross, >> yes. >> Jacob Naria, >> yes. >> Uh, Jay Chow, >> yes. >> And Melissa Camilles, >> yes. >> Yeah. Thank you, board members. >> While we're at this park, are we still waiting for Ro to get back with us with the updated portion of that? So because I know Tim's emailed today wanting to know where we are. So >> yeah, obviously be a lot less time needed on site plan. So that cost the original estim >> and then I think Tim is looking from Birmingham seal code then as far as the updated whatever for for his contract so he can proceed. >> Yeah. because they were looking to do this when >> he didn't say. >> Yeah, I think he was with August, maybe middle of September. He was talking end of September
047because they were pretty back themselves. >> Yeah, I don't My understanding was that he wouldn't be able to give us a date, >> right? >> So, we'll have to dial in the contract straight away so they can sign it. They'll know. I sent him back the spreadsheet number. >> Okay, very good. Uh, moving on to 8B, the gazebo plant update. >> Yes, the bids are out. They are coming in on Wednesday the 20th. So, we should have more. I would I think we have it on here um about a special meeting. I'm suggesting that once we get the bids in that we host some sort of special meeting either later this week um probably later this week so that we can just make a decision on if we want to move forward with these bids.
048If we do, there's a phase one and a phase two if we want to do both. My concern from a timing standpoint is I once we make a decision, I have to kind of go in through our um prior grant application, make the corrected, make the corrections of what we're doing differently, send that to Oakland County, it has to go to some sort of committee, then that committee takes it to the board of commissioners and that has to be approved before we can officially move forward. Um, so from a timing standpoint, if we wait until next month, then we're just pushing everything out. Okay, good. >> All right. Uh, 8 D probably status update. >> Yeah. So, here we are. It's back. Thank you, Ashley. She used her magic of hours of whatever persuasion to
049what was awfully ironic that mere hours after your inquiry get it resolved. So, the trolley ran this past weekend, which is wonderful. Um, it should be running this Thursday for the National Senior Citizens Day that's being hosted by both Orian and Oxford Parks and Recck and Orian and Oxford DDAs are helping to support that event. Um, and then should be up each weekend. I don't know if we want to have a larger conversation tonight or if we want to just put a pin in it until the season wraps up. At this point, we're planning to end the weekly routes after um the end of September and then just have the trolley run for the special events in in the remainder of the year. So, end of October, potentially end of November for small business Saturday.
050Um and then the polar express. >> Any discussion or any other comments, thoughts? We have to have a discussion on it. >> What are the other options, I guess? >> Well, I believe it was the or committee that had requested me to look into selling it. Um, I talked to Pete offline and said, I'm going to pause on that until we have a board meeting because I want to get feedback. I don't want to pursue trying to sell something if we're not all in support of moving forward with that option. So, I think the options are to sell it, to repurpose it, or to continue it weekly or to continue to run it or to start only running it for special events. I will say having conversations with Lake Orian DDA, they are leaning very
051heavily towards supporting it just for special events in 2026. They're not seeing the return from the weekly, especially with it being offline for about a month. I think that we really should look into partnering with Legacy Center and neighborhoods >> and keeping it in Oxford. >> It's going that include still incorporating them at those few special events. >> Yeah, I think that you could. I'm just saying on a regular basis if they're not interested. We're not getting the back and forth traffic. I think that we were used to it when it first started. >> What I'm seeing now is people from our neighborhoods, why not do a couple stops in Waterstone? They're going to go to concerts in the park and ride the trolley. Why not Oxford Lakes? They're going to go to concerts in
052the park. Do a loop. Hey, you're at 925 jumping, but I don't only want pizza. Let's hit downtown and go to Homegrown instead afterwards. Like, those are the types of loops >> that I think will keep people going and still in the village. But we know most of our people aren't necessarily coming from the village. They're coming from >> the township or you know we have Oxford Lakes which is the village but that's not always necessarily walkable for everyone either. >> Just just a a question on that or comment. Um we would have to change the schedule then to Thursday nights for concerts in the park. Um, right. Thursday night instead of a Friday Saturday, >> right? >> Or maybe we do a Thursday Friday. >> Yeah, we'd have to change it either way. >>
053We have to change the trolley schedule. I am meeting with CJ Gazor Friday because he's National. So, >> um, but I I think that there's ways for us to rethink it that we've been talking about. It's clearly like if it's an event based thing, if that's what Orian's interested in, I don't think that we need to necessarily get rid of it. But if we look at branching out and see then, okay, if we have any partners at the legacy center that might want to sponsor it or maybe we look into something more reliable than our current trolley that if the or try it for a year and see if that works and then look into investing in something that's more >> Yeah, I would just like to keep the focus on helping the businesses though
054>> so that we're not just providing a free shuttle and people stay in the park and listen to concert and go home, >> you know, because then that's just >> defeating the purpose. >> From a financial standpoint, if we're only if we're no longer sharing cost with a partner and then we are now responsible for the full cost, that's going to change our budget because at this point we're spending half of the total. We would be spending probably 80 to 90% of that total. I also think we could get different sponsors if we make a couple different one or two more stops. those very different sponsorship opportunities. >> Yeah, if we're stopping at the Legacy Center, it would likely be at an exchange, I'm sure. And they wanted the trolley there for some time. >>
055I think as far as not and we discussed it at the or committee meeting, too. Scott and I both raised a question that I don't think feasibly we can end it right now. uh if we've already got sponsorships that have been paid and also agreement with or in whatever um and both of us were more inclined to say hey let's finish this season with what you know what we have sponsored and then look real hard at you know at the end of the season to say you know come December okay let's now have hard conversation or more ideas or or whatever back and forth so >> because it'll be offline from mid December correct March potentially >> although we do have heat now so that could I'm very good. >> It's the small wins. >>
056So, at this point, I would say more discussion to follow as as the season plays out. But at this point, we would continue on until the rest of the year and then >> take a look at at that point then. >> Okay. All right. 9B or 9A, excuse me. New business special meeting for updates to ARPA application. >> So I don't know if people have their schedules now. I'm wondering and it can be Zoom, right? >> So that doesn't d >> I don't know what time. Do you know what time? >> 10 a.m. I think. >> Okay, I'll double check. >> Um Sometimes they're kind of clear, sometimes not clear how they lay them out there. But you might have good enough feel to say, "Yeah, we got some good >> Okay. Yeah. I'm just
057thinking. >> Yeah. Well, I'm out of town. I mean, I can always call I could call in. I don't know where Jess >> No, so I'm hoping it'll be pretty clear how we would want to move forward financially because I think that's the biggest challenge at this point um for that particular project because it came back so much higher than we were expecting. Hopefully this time it's a little more in alignment with what we were expecting. So >> you can post the meeting publication hours. You can post it >> tomorrow. >> Okay. >> Or Wednesday. in the morning what time of day on Thursday you have. >> Okay. >> So for a meeting on Thursday, does it work for what time would everybody be able to make it on th afternoon or evening? >> Evening.
058>> Pardon? >> Evening or morning? >> I can't make Thursday evening. >> Um for what day? >> Thursday. >> This week, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Oh jeez. >> That's first day school. That is the first day of school. >> Yeah. So, definitely I would put it towards the evening if we could have a real quick at like 7 o'clock again. I mean, it wouldn't take more than >> shouldn't take more than half an hour max to to do it. >> I'm I'm avail Well, and they have that senior day, too, on Thursday. So, I I'll be doing that a lot of the day. I could do 7 p.m. >> I could not do any time during the day. >> Okay. Yeah, we'll tentatively put it at 7 o'clock and if something happens that
059it can't happen, then we'll get a notice out to everybody to say that we're not going to do it, but we'll plan at 7 o'clock. Thank you. 9B, trash can and bench restoration quote approved. >> Yes, let's try this again. Already spoiled the surprise. Okay. I'd like to make a motion to move forward with H&H powder coatings estimated cost to refurbish the existing 10 benches and 12 waste receptacles at an estimated cost of $14,550. >> Second move by hard supported by Ros. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Uh discussion. Are we still talking at the end of the year or during the winter months to to do it? >> Yeah, I'm thinking after speed. I talked to Rudy today and he seemed in support of that to have anytime after week's over and then bring them
060back March, mid-March to end of March. So that's plenty time. >> Okay. >> So then they'll be storing them during the winter, too. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Roll call. >> Yes. Roll call, please. >> Okay. Ashley Ross. >> Yes. Jacob Nicoia, >> yes. >> Uh Jay Cha, >> yes. >> Melissa Canelis, >> yes. >> Pete Schultz, >> yes. >> And Marie Powers, yes. >> And thank you for committee for taking care of that, doing the leg work on all that. >> Uh moving on to 9C, the civic plus social media archiving approval. That would be Mr. Mor year and a half ago. So um previous director was going through some things, do some town folks and online accusations back and forth and there was screenshots of being taken of social media and things like that.
061Well, City Plus used to be archive social. City Plus took it over and owned it now. Um, and we I'd seen a quote from them a year or two earlier about they archive their social media accounts in near real time. It's only a matter of seconds. So, if somebody was on our police and made a threat on something, then they won't take it down 10 minutes later. We've already capted that and it's one of those almost necessary evils of today in social media. >> Y >> and so about a year ago I revisited the idea and I went to Kelly and here's what it is. It would include their account there both accounts you had a Twitter Instagram along with Facebook and the police Facebook. We don't put much on ours as far as the
062post our our EA I think police does more than we do almost anybody does. So, and I said, you know what, we'll just split it. You know, it's it's one of those things. We were supposed to cause I know a lot of our a lot of communications goes to the PA Facebook, you know, there's a lot out there. So, it was one of those things that we just proposed the 5050 and we did so that first year it is up and they got avoid a couple months in advance for consideration. >> So, >> it's very searchable. You can go in and you can go back and check and I never done it after the training show to me, but it's it captures it and it stores it in large volumes for long. >> And Joe,
063just to clarify, this amount that's on the invoice, we would be responsible for half of that. >> That's that's the total that last year we split it to the shouldents. I believe it is. Does this cover all of our subsequent pages like the business owners page or is it just >> we do own so the DA owns the business owners Facebook page so I don't >> if it's owned by if it's one of your accounts the DA account I think so under our >> under there's like a sub account of your main DA account. >> Yeah, we have like created a page but the DDA is that page. So >> we can confirm. >> Yeah, >> I would confirm just because I could see that also being the spot. >> Thank you. >> That's kind
064of the genesis of the back and kind now you have it because part of the thing you kind of get forced into because we're creating a public record >> and you know acts and record retention and things like that those are records and there certain things that are triggered stuff capturing it archiving it for various reasons helpful >> I'll make a motion for us to move forward splitting the costs with the village of Oxford um 5050 so $21987 70 cents towards civic plus for archiving for the next was this year. >> Okay. >> Next year >> support moved by Ross Nia. Any other comments question? >> Yep. Pete Schultz. >> Yes. >> Marie Powers. Yes. Ashley Ross. >> Yes. >> Jacob Nicoia. >> Yes. >> Jay Chow. >> Yes. >> Melissa Camilis. >> Yes. >>
065Thank you. Board move. Uh 9D. The my PDM program. Yeah. So, this is the program that we talked about when I was applying and received the offer for this position. It's the three-year development program through the Michigan Downtown Association. The application um window is now open for the future class. So, I just wanted to get approval to move forward with that application. Financially, it's not of too too big of a concern at this time. I believe it's like $200 to apply to the program. Um I will also be applying for a scholarship. I'm not sure that I'll get it, but it will help offset some of the classes. Um, but it is again a three-year program and there's I think 12 courses in there. So, each course would have to be paid for as part
066of that program. >> So, moved by Ross. >> I'll support it. So, supported by Scholes. Any comments? Roll call, please. >> Yes. >> Uh, Melissa from Kenos. >> Yes. >> J Chop. Yes. >> Jacob Nicosia. Yes. >> Ashley Ross. >> Yes. >> Marie Powers. Yes. >> Pete Schultz. >> Yes. >> 9 E. Brownfield. Tiff. >> So Joe is going to talk today about this. >> So I think it was Septemberish or August of last year that our planning commission was given a proposal additional resoning. We call it the South Washington triangle. It's part of our future or master plan behind the new car wash down. There's a triangle piece down there. Um it's own single family residential. We had some developers come to the planning commission and for a traditional resoning to put in 32
067condo units in there. Um because it wasn't zoned for that, they they didn't apply for a resoning resone multif family and just anything multif family. go in there. Instead, they took a more narrow approach with conditional zoning request which is allowed by state statute and they pitched this very specific plan commission agreed to it went to the village council council approved it. Um I don't know if anything's ever been built on that property. All I know is vacant for a long time. Um and years ago this TVA was uh outlined and put together. They wrapped their arms around that vacant piece of property in hopes I'm sure down the road it'll be developed and that'll be provide some additional tax capture revenue and so that project was approved as the uh owners began to look
068into it and the cost and the financing and of course running infrastructure sewer and water down Lincoln Street can down inside those costs are large then they became aware I didn't tell them about it they became aware of a new tiff program the state of Michigan has it's called brownfield residential tiff. If you if you're familiar at all brownfield, it's more industrial old industrial sites or contaminated sites that they call brownfields kind of what they are. Um and you do the cleanup and there's certain years of tax capture that you go um to benefit the developer or those doing all the expense of cleaning up that site and helping. The state just kind of went off to the side and created an additional tiff under that same statute in 2023 for residential development because they're
069trying to figure out why isn't there more resment happening in the state of Michigan? And so they did this kind of weird because it's on the brownfield tiff because it has nothing to do with contaminated sites and stuff. It's more to incentivize developers to produce homes in that mid-range like 100 120% median household income range. It's not low housing. It's not $800,000 homes either. It's that middle that your average person is looking to buy. So it is a tip which is like your D financing. That's how they uh they rebate some of those developing those tax future tax costs back to the developer. If this weren't in the DDA district, it would have come to council and council would could just actively approve it, say, "Yep, sounds great. Go ahead and minimum five years, maximum
070of 30 that program can do." These developers have earmarked 15 is what they would need to make their project viable. a portion of those homes would be kind of have to follow certain guidelines of Misha like 20% of those homes or 25% of those homes would have to be like not rent stabilized or something long. They have to be at least earmarked or marketed in that range of the uh 120% household median income. But that's a way to incentivize them and repay some of these property taxes back to the developers to make the development viable. Problem is you already have a on the property and they want to put their tiff on the property. They can't put their tiff on the property unless you allow them to do so. So, next month um hopefully there'll
071be some agreement here this board to consider allowing you to kind of put your tiff in obeyance or off to the side for 15 years. Let that be business development and 15 years they would get that tax capture. Once their tip expires, it goes back to the DEA. And this 32 units of condos now took 15 years of appreciation on top of them. Go back and we capture going to the DEA. The council would have one um resolution of support to do ourselves and one I think share with you guys at least from this. We just got this I think over the weekend maybe Friday. Um Ronald Ree development authority is brand through county. We had an online meeting last week with Brad and Hansen. I think county does it. We kind of hand it
072off to them and they take care of all. So the developers run the meeting. Brad was at a meeting. It sounds fairly straightforward and it sounds fairly straightforward if you all agree and say, "Yep, we would like to help this along by us stepping aside and our tip capture and allowing this development to happen." Then knowing down the road it goes back to the DJ when their tip if approved expires kind of cut and drive. I don't think that they can. I don't with this without this they're going to be able to move forward with the project. >> The only issue I have with this particular resolution is it says outline the plan but I don't think we've all seen the plan and so I know we had talked about 15 years. I think everything
073makes sense. >> Hurry up send me something to share with him tonight so next month we can get maybe more fully fully flushed out. >> I think that's something that >> all to see but >> you'd have to. Is that the plan by design house for uh Oxford town houses? >> Yes, that's the plan. That's that's the building plan, but there also development authority plan perhaps as well. So, we don't have all the pieces yet. So, tonight it's just as like a heads up >> information. This is kind of where it's going next week or next month. We would hope to have all the full details to you for your consideration at the regular September meeting. >> Before one quick question before the next meeting when we when we sit down and really talk about
074this. Is it possible for you or for the village to provide what we the DDA currently captures off that piece of property? >> I think so. I think I had that data somewhere already in the um what was the plan was the the rear the tip plan you just read a year ago, >> right? >> I think every parcel was listed in there of what was current and then maybe projected in the future. One of those many many parcel numbers is this property. >> Okay. Okay. So, I could probably locate that. >> That would be helpful. I mean, just for all collecting $1,000 right now, >> get even vacant property. Um, so it's like, oh, okay, we're going to be about 15 grand over 15 years and then all of a sudden we're going to
075be bringing in $18,000 a year that property in 15 years because now these 32 condos are there. So, that's kind of where it's at. Yeah, I I plan on trying to nail it down for you, provide it to you. Luckily, it's only one parcel, too. It's not like it will make it up to >> um one last question for my own knowledge. Is it 15 years after the unit sell >> or how does >> I don't know what the I can get that through county I don't know if it's because there could be a of the 32 units I think like not even a quarter of them I think have to fall in certain criteria of this. So maybe it's the first four or six built that fall under that criteria. I don't know when
076that clock starts. >> That's all I want to know. When does it start? When does it >> Yeah, I don't know. Again, we just had I think it was Tuesday last week. We had our online team meeting with the gentleman from county and then this came via email. Since then, I didn't say till Monday. >> Okay. And you know, um, we could always share out to you guys or to you about the plan itself. You guys can kind of see what it is that you're >> hopefully helping to get off the ground. >> Kimberly. >> Yeah. And he offered to come tonight. I think we asked we said needed. >> Yeah. Their attorney drafted this out next month. By all means, they could be here and can answer some additional questions. You'll have a lot
077more information to be put in the packet as well. Maybe prior to that >> because of the um I was at the planning commission you know when I went through the whole process was approved and everything and at that meeting he stated that pretty much most of them would be in the average of like you know between 350 and 400,000 is what they were talking about selling these things for us. So now technically it's changed then if he's offering some of these are going to be you know much lower than that. I don't know if it could be much lower, but they have to be within a certain range because as you build out a project like that, all a sudden two years, let's say it's a year down the road and they build eight
078of them and then it's because it takes time to build 10 of them and then next year's ones are 450, then next year they got five more left or 500. There has to be some that come in at that certain cap range and have to kind of stay there some format. I'm not sure how, but I was on the mission thing about a year ago. You know, there was other examples they've done around the state with missions involved. They're involved in this. >> Kimberly, >> um the question that I had, and I don't know if tonight's the night to have the conversation, but do we anticipate any other developments looking for this same >> I would think so because the cat is at the bank. >> That's what I'm wondering. So I think this is
079a pretty big decision because I think it sets the precedence going forward of what we will or will not allow >> it and and the tip program is explicitly for residential because I missed this uh meeting they said the question was asked to developers why don't you build $275,000 homes in Michigan and the developer response was because they cost 300,000 to build and like okay there's a problem how can we find a way to put their program together to get those kind of homes built. So that's how the state of 2023 this came around. The other one that potentially could fall in the same category is the uh they're in no hurry to do anything there. I wish they knocked it down soon, but they're really busy this time of year. I I think they'll
080get that demolished here this fall, but that would be the only other one. I think it would be again Now we're giving up two potential ones. >> There's you've got a piece of property on North or North Glass Street. >> Yeah. The one that >> right at Poland Trail. >> Yeah. >> Bisects the township also. And you got the property out on Lakeville Road. >> Yeah. >> Right now nothing of nothing is still >> right. Yeah. You want all you want? >> So that's kind of where and that's where the state's at too. It's the rates are pretty high right now. These developers and development things, you know, they're not that uh great for them to do it. So, their costs are up for two, right? So, they're looking at how do we make this
081work and and these they said that they were told by their financing people, banks and others, you have to go at least 15 years to nail down before we give you credit for that in your financing scheme. If they went 10 years, they can swing. That's a 10 year tiff. The bank won't give credit for this. So the 15 is the minimum that the bank give them credit into it. They don't want 20 or 30, which the statute allows. So they're going for that's >> okay. >> So yeah, so next was just a real quick heads up. It was less than a week before we had this meeting. Hopefully September will have a lot more information. >> Right. Thank you. More to follow than obviously. Um number 10 on the agenda. Any items removed from
082the consent agenda? There were none. Uh board member comments. Melissa, you can start. >> No comments this week. >> Great. >> I'm trying to think of something. >> That was a great wrap-up for concerts in the park. Thank you for the data. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm curious to hear how you guys got that data. I'm excited. >> Just carry on and uh looking forward to the scarecrow festival. That's always a good event for the downtown. >> Great job on concerts in the park. Um people around town have really been talking about it. So um uh good luck to everyone with young start school this week. Got to get all your school shopping done and get them waking up early. >> Yeah, that's the fun part. >> So much fun. >> I reject that summer is
083ending. >> You did that motion. >> You did such a fabulous job. So, great work. >> Yes. Been hearing from a lot of people um things on the other and went to some of the concerts and it really was great to see hundreds of people, families and kids running around and I think there's a lot more trust into the event of the downtown. looking forward to planning for the second half on all that been really great to work with and just well um a lot of space on one of the committees you were talking about Marie about the temporary sheds and storage containers those probably going to fly with our ordinance those kind of things special events would they come and they set up during that special event time frame and go away Yes. But
084as far as them to be set up and left in place, I think it's a real I don't think anybody that fits in our type thing. >> Okay, good to know. >> Yes. Um Oh, that at Washington Square. I was joking with the camera. I says, "What do you want to do with this?" Raffle it off. >> Sell a couple hundred tickets for a dollar. You win it. Take it. We don't want it back. It was in our DA shed. It came as a last minute thing because where those those greenhouse things that were being set up for Santa blew down about five days before Santa was showing up and I said uh we have a shed over there and that's why it was put there and then we thought well we could possibly use
085it and they had used it but it would be nice to see it going >> I would be so happy that shed >> maybe some firewood for some barrels at a Christmas market. It could be firewood for the barrels at a Christmas market. >> Say you can win this for a dollar. >> Yeah. Fire chief is that >> the u party shop what is it 18 South Washington whatever. >> They they applied for a demo about three or four weeks ago and of course I went back with them. All kinds of things that we need from them. First I got an email from them Thursday Friday over the weekend. They're hoping to get back with us. They met with the owners. The blue started a demo met with the owners. They want to meet with
086us potentially tomorrow dates that see if they're got all their ties that cost things like that. So hopefully the uh come back and solidify that plan and we issue that permit that we the gas and electric have been disconnected. Now we just make sure the plan to take it down is going to work. Have you done blame removal for that? >> Pardon? >> Have we done a blight removal grant on that? >> No, they didn't. >> They talked about it. >> They talked about >> Yeah, we let them know. >> I think we >> you talked when they didn't think we approved it. >> I think we don't think we approved it. >> I don't know anything. We I I thought we did too because I remember you talking about all the the dust containment.
087>> We did. They sent it was an email print out >> for it was a >> Okay, that' be nice. Yeah. But anyways, hopefully you get back this week and we'll get some more. >> Awesome. >> Very good. Thank you, Jess, for the information. I mean, that's something that we talked about way back at the beginning of the year as far as before budget and everything, trying to do an accurate budget when we had a lot of items that we had unknowns on as far as trying to budget around and everything. So, I hopefully that clarifies it going forward. And again, with all of the pri or the the events that we host and everything, you know, are they a true just nothing but a money hole that we're just losing money on doing it
088or are we benefiting from it or is it just people coming down for, you know, an evening of fun in the village and going back home or they're not stopping in, you know, stopping a marines and having a beer or something like that. I think that, you know, that's all good information that we can, you know, go forward or maybe redirect our efforts in different directions or maybe enhance what we've already got or I think that's that's fantastic. And I do remember last year there was information to put out about from the county that they can already they already do capture that money or that information on as far as the cell phone data, who's who's here and everything already. So we should be able to pretty much eat. >> So we can't unfortunately their
089access at the county. They no longer have access to that system. Simco does though and I'm having some difficulty in figuring out who I need to request them from. >> We have a board member who's a member of representative to Simco. >> Gotcha. >> Mr. Charles, that's his job as township trustee on that committee. So >> So I may need some offline support to make that happen. was also on EV when we got those reports initially and loves them. So I think that this is we can't find it >> that place. >> Exactly. >> Yep. So um any extended public comment >> but um I just want to thank all of you for being so supportive of what we're trying to do this year. Obviously provide more information and details for you to make better
090decisions. And I do want to She did a phenomenal job this summer. >> Absolutely outstanding. Beyond my wildest expectations. So, she's here the day after. She made it through her first summer and she came back. So, for all of us. >> Thank you. >> All right. And at that point, a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Motion approve. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. FE