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Downtown Kirkwood special business district presents $428,300 budget, farmers market plans
Summary
Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District director Donna Pugh presented a $428,300 FY2025–26 budget that relies on business and vendor funding; councilors asked about cash timing, reserves and the tenant arrangement for the district office building.
Donna Pugh, executive director of the Downtown Kirkwood Special Business District (SPD), presented the SPD’s proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget at a public hearing, saying the organization is budgeting $428,300 in total: $314,300 for the Special Business District and $114,000 for the farmers market.
Pugh told council that nearly all SPD funding comes from downtown businesses, property owners and promotional partners; “None of our funding comes from the citizens of Kirkwood,” she said. The SPD manages promotions and events — including the summer concert series, the Peach Festival and holiday programming — and operates the Kirkwood Farmers Market, which Pugh said had 33 vendors last year and is scheduled to open April 5, 2025, weather permitting.
Why this matters: the SPD budget supports downtown maintenance, events that drive local commerce and partnerships with the parks department for seasonal plantings. Council members asked detailed questions about revenue timing, reserves, rent and the building lease.
Pugh said the SPD employs two full‑time staff, one part‑time staff and an intern; personnel costs are split between the SPD and the farmers market. The budget includes $25,000 to transfer to the parks department for downtown planting and public-area maintenance.
Council questions centered on revenue timing: business-license receipts and many property‑tax payments arrive late in the fiscal year. Pugh explained that business licenses are due February 28 under current practice and typically are received in the city in March, so revenues for the prior fiscal year appear late. When revenues are short, the SPD uses its fund balance; unspent funds revert to fund balance at year end.
Members also asked about the SPD office building at 130 East Jefferson. Pugh said the building is owned by the City of Kirkwood; the SPD is a tenant under a 25‑year lease and rents upstairs space to an outside tenant (Pennington and Shea) to offset costs.
The hearing was closed with no public comment; the council chair said the bill adopting the SPD budget will be placed on the March 6 agenda for first reading.
