The Grosse Ile Downtown Development Authority approved a professional services agreement with OHM Advisors that creates an ongoing services contract and a task order for a DDA tax-increment financing (TIF) plan update, the board decided at its Aug. 27, 2025 meeting.

Ross, the DDA director, described the structure: "the main the main grama, essentially, is an overarching ongoing services agreement" that the DDA can use when it wants planning or engineering work, and task order No. 1 covers the specific DDA TIF plan update.

Board members noted that the DDA had previously approved the dollar figure for the work at an earlier meeting. A motion to approve the agreement language — including the overall services agreement and the TIF task order — was moved by Mister Anderson and approved by voice vote; board counsel had already reviewed the draft contract, staff said.

Why it matters: the ongoing services agreement allows the DDA to retain OHM Advisors for future planning, zoning or engineering tasks without negotiating a separate master contract for each small project. The TIF plan update will provide the engineering and financial analysis needed to move specific streetscape or redevelopment projects forward.

The board approved the language of the agreement and authorized staff to finalize the task order for the TIF plan update. Staff will return with scheduling and any required procurement paperwork as the work moves from planning to implementation.

No statutes, ordinances or specific procurement codes were cited during the discussion; staff said the DDA’s attorneys had reviewed the document.