West Bend BID approves up to $5,000 to replace holiday ornaments, directs staff to sort inventory

The West Bend Business Improvement District voted Oct. 7 to authorize staff to spend up to $5,000 from the BID marketing account to replace damaged and faded holiday ornaments and to pursue storage bins to reduce future damage.

The motion, moved and seconded during the meeting, passed by voice vote. Staff will sort the current inventory, identify how many ornaments need replacement, and work with BID President Peggy to finalize purchases by email approval as allowed under open-meetings rules for administrative follow-up.

John, a staff member, told the board that ornaments currently are stored in 5-gallon plastic bags and are carried up and down three flights of stairs and loaded into trucks for events, which has led to cracking and fading. He said he spoke to a vendor who recommended replacing the ornaments every three years; the board was told the BID’s ornaments are about six years old and many red ornaments have faded to orange.

John said shipping for new ornaments would be about one week and that manufacturers typically do not discount holiday ornaments outside of January sales. He also recommended purchasing durable, lidded storage bins to reduce handling damage. He reported having found bins at low cost but noted the largest ornaments (10 inches or bigger) present storage challenges because only two would fit in larger rigid bins.

Board members discussed options for immediate replacement versus waiting for sales and agreed that appearance at this year’s tree lighting was a priority. The board noted approximately $8,000 is available in the BID marketing account; it set a $5,000 cap for ornament replacement and related immediate needs and agreed staff could omit bins from this phase if necessary and prioritize ornaments.

Ashley, a staff member, and John will sort the ornaments to determine exact replacement needs and provide Peggy with a recommended dollar amount for approval. John explained he would not solicit a vote by email from the full board to avoid creating a walking quorum but would seek Peggy’s sign-off on the proposed spend.

Doug, representing the Barton District, clarified that some previously purchased garlands have been authorized for use by the Barton District and are being used on bridge rails rather than downtown lamp posts.

The board also discussed labeling and organizing decorations for future durability and ease of transport. The motion carried by voice vote; the minutes do not record a roll-call tally.