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BAC Marketing pitches outreach, merchant-match grants and administrative support to Michigan City Urban Enterprise board
Summary
BAC Marketing proposed to provide marketing, outreach and administrative support for the Michigan City Urban Enterprise zone, citing merchant-matching grants, county contract experience and a small printed-materials budget; board members asked for clarification on confidentiality and public access but took no action because there was no quorum.
Carlton Bishop, owner of BAC Marketing, told the Michigan City Urban Enterprise Association at a June 29 informal meeting that his firm could jump-start outreach and business recruitment for the zone by combining direct business outreach, a merchant-matching initiative and administrative support from MJ and Associates.
Bishop said BAC Marketing has been operating for about 15 years and that he and his colleague, Michael Blakeley, live in the urban enterprise zone. “We actually got a grant this past year in 2025 and again in 2026 to do something called the merchant initiative,” Bishop said, describing a program in which merchants pay a $300 fee and receive a matching grant of roughly $300 to $600; he said the program reached more than 20 businesses on Franklin Street.
The proposal drew support from several board members who said marketing and outreach have been gaps for the zone. “One of the roadblocks that we run into with the Urban Enterprise Association is the marketing,” board member Nick Pollock said. Pollock and other members pressed Bishop for details about compensation and growth incentives built into the proposal; Bishop said the contract could include incentives tied to measurable growth.
Board member Bruce raised a concern about a contract sentence that could be read as limiting disclosure of prospects. “Because it says ‘shall be disclosed to the board,’ and I think what you mean is that there may be times where we might get information but you don’t want us to talk about it,” Bruce said. Bishop replied that the language was intended to protect private businesses while they are negotiating deals and that disclosure would follow the company’s consent or formal filings: “The way we work is a little different… once they file the form, you know, we’re good to go.”
Bishop also described past work with LaPorte County through MCR Partners on business expansion and retention and said his team had obtained parcel and tax-base data from the county auditor to inform targeted outreach. He said MJ and Associates would handle minutes and state-level compliance filings under the proposed arrangement; Bishop noted that LaPorte’s enterprise work returned about $900,000 to the community in 2024 as an example of potential impact.
Michael Blakeley, introduced as a BAC team member, said social channels matter for local outreach. “A lot of people in Michigan City use Facebook,” he said, urging more consistent online postings to reach residents. Board members replied that the urban enterprise does not maintain its own Facebook page and that most official outreach is routed through the city website and city-managed social channels; members suggested the contract could include periodic in-person office hours or an accessible phone line to help residents complete forms.
Because the meeting lacked a quorum, the session was informal and the board did not vote on or authorize any contract. Chair Tristan Smith closed the meeting after questions; board members will consider next steps at a future meeting with a quorum present.
