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DDA approves $9,500 tree-trimming contract, adjusts fiscal lines; discusses TIF options
Summary
At the March 17 Downtown Development Authority meeting members approved a $9,500 contract to prune downtown trees, agreed to increase the landscape-maintenance budget to $20,000 for next fiscal year, and discussed tax increment financing as a long-term funding option; the board also reviewed a planned monument payment of $17,004.25.
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) on March 17 approved a $9,500 contract with Aspen Tree Service to prune trees in the district and directed staff on several budget-line adjustments ahead of the 2025–26 fiscal-year submission.
Brandy, the DDA’s financial staff representative, told the board the masonry monument project remains in progress and that an additional payment of $17,004.25 will likely be paid before the fiscal year ends. "I will plan for that additional payment of $17,004.25 to clear before the end of this fiscal year," she said.
On budget lines for 2025–26, the board agreed to keep the Saginaw Street corridor allocation in the $30,000–$40,000 range, left community decorations at $10,500 and operating and miscellaneous lines at $500 each, and settled on a landscape and maintenance total of $20,000 for the coming year. Board members discussed using internal transfers to cover urgent work before a formal budget amendment.
The board voted to hire Aspen Tree Service for $9,500 to prune corridor trees. The motion carried after roll-call voting that is recorded in the transcript: Steve Coats voted yes; Gary Henry voted no; Martz voted yes; Baralisky voted yes; Wagner voted yes; Richvalski voted yes. The chair declared the motion carried.
Members also discussed tax increment financing (TIF) after a board member returned from a Michigan Downtown Association conference. Board members were briefed on how TIF would let the DDA retain increases in taxable value to fund projects; Brandy said implementing a TIF plan would require retaining a consultant and city-council approval, and it would not require a public vote.
Legal/administrative practice was clarified during the meeting: Brandy said the city attorney issued an opinion that the DDA’s funds are not subject to the city’s competitive-purchase rules, meaning the DDA can select contractors without following the city’s procurement thresholds.
The board also discussed adding a training line to next year’s budget; members suggested amounts during discussion but the final transcript records only that a training line was added without specifying a final dollar amount. The board agreed to finalize and incorporate these numbers into the citywide budget submission by April 1.
The meeting closed with miscellaneous updates including that Motor City Construction purchased a property that may be remodeled in line with the DDA’s visioning plan.
