05/12/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Anderson shared Ms. Weston's concerns. He expressed disappointment at lack of unanimity in the Commercial Activities Committee or in willingness of downtown interests to extend commercial activities into the mall area. He added that if this request was approved it should be understood that the city would expect in- creased participation by the merchants and/or others to develop commercial activi- ties into the mall, that a manager if appointed would develop that type of program, as well as cultural and recreational activities. ** Councilwoman Shirey felt that spending public money as proposed was not wise, that it was no~ consistent with expenditure of public funds~* She suggested that before any action was taken the matter of the charge to the Committee to consider com- mercial activities should be addressed. Also, she thought some process for re- view of the mall manager's activities and feedback perhaps after a year should be provided for. Mr. Farina called attention to the difference between a shopping mall, such as the Valley River Center (private property) where tenants are governed by lease terms and the downtown mall (public property), maintained and operated by the parks dep~rtment under a permit procedure. He quoted statistics indicating 7% of the city's property ta~s were paid by .04% of the land area downtown, and said that a strong thriving downtown area was necessary to a thriving city. He noted the many changes which had taken place downtown and looked forward to more, but at the same time suggested since it was city property, .the city should work with the merchants and other businesses to make it healthy and thriving. Mayor Anderson asked Mr. Farina whether the EDA and the mall manager would be willing to develop a program of expanding commercial activities into the mall area ~ithin the next year if the request before the Council was approved. Mr. Farina said there already was some of that type activity. The EDA had al- ready hired a person half-time for the commercial type activities. But any type of commercial activities allowed on the mall, he said, should be subject to the same type of. licensing requirements other businesses there have to meet. He thought there could be expansion through a meeting of the Commercial Activities Committee and EDA or its mall manager. Mayor Anderson pressed for a response - whether the EDA would accept that expansion as a part of the contract covering a.llocation of room tax funds. Al ton Lenhart, president of the EDA, didn't see a.ny problem. He said the Assocjation could work with the city, wanted to, in fact that was the goal. Councilman Murray thought expenditure of funds for this purpose was appropriate in view of the community goal to promote a strong, lively core center - "the heart of the city." However, he had reservations about combining commercial and cultural/recreational activities management in one job description. He called it a "blurring" of functions. He preferred the city's hiring a mall co-ordinator in a half-time position, if that was all that was needed, and at the same time encourage the EDA to hire a half-time'market development specialist. Councilwoman Beal expressed conc~rn about where responsibility would lie - who would select and hire the manager, who would give instructions, etc. Mr. Lenhart answered that the half-time job now is paid by EDA. If the other half-time is approved by the city, cultural/recreational activities not heretofore pursued because of lack of funds could be worked out. He thought the EDA was in better position to observe, would be in constant contact with the manager. The program, he said, should be given a try to see how it worked, changes could be made if necessary. Assistant Manager added that contractual arrangement required for allocation of room tax funds would provide for city veto. There would be firm commitment and a joint decision before any money was appropriated. John Perry, present mall manager, suggested provision in the contract for a steer- ing conmUttee comprising city representatives and downtown businessmen to give direction on mall activities. Mr. Hansen couldn't see how a manager could represent both the city and the business interests downtoWn. And he said whoever was manager was going to look out for the interests of "whoever had the clout," and that would be the businessmen. 5/12/75 - 10 255'. -- **See correction page 11 these minutes. e e