Downtown Development Authority - Regular Meeting

All right. So 6:01 we'll call our regular DDA meeting to order. Um we'll start with our pledge of allegiance. Ah that's what you could I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Right. And then uh Mr. Pash, if you could do the roll call. Yeah. Uh Mayor Jacobs here. Chairperson Taylor here. Vice Chair Bayun here. Secretary Walconus

here. Trustee Haidider here. Trusty Barry uh stated that he will be here. Uh Trusty Nasser Dean here. Trusty Peridor here. And we have quorum. All right. So, we are looking to approve our agenda for this evening's meeting. So, moved. All right. Moved by uh Trusty Wonus. A second. And seconded by Trusty Haidider. All in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. So, that passes and we do have a presentation today. We have our city manager. Welcome.

Thank you, board. Um, I just wanted to stop in tonight and discuss something uh the board was made aware of in between meetings. U Matt Miller uh is scheduled to retire in September of 2026. So, it puts us in a position of um hiring a new community development director. Now, because of the cost sharing agreement we have between the DDA and the city, we share that position where both our community development director acts as a runs our building department, runs our planning, u does economic development for the city, but also serves as the executive director of the DDA. So, this puts us in a position to um you know, appoint a new hire a new person as a community development director that will also serve for the board. Um just wanted to come and give an update kind of where we're at. We put out applications the moment we realized Matt would be leaving September. The idea being we could put someone in place hopefully sometime by the summer so that they could he can get trained and learn the job from a person who's doing it pretty well. Um but uh also wanted to come and just kind of uh you know touch base, let you know what we're looking for. The ads been up for a little bit. The reason being though just trying to get someone in as quick as we possibly can because it's it's just it's a heavy learning curve and we have a pretty good person in place right now. So um we're going to be seeking that. But I also wanted to come and talk to the board about perhaps just getting some input. Well, ultimately it's the city's employee and the city makes the hiring decision. What I'm looking for from the board um is is really just to offer the opportunity to if you'd like to put a liaison to the city in this decision uh from the board that could participate in the interviews and the selection. Um wanted to put that out there and then really just discuss what I'm looking for going forward. I'm looking for someone who can do the above all that Matt does. Um and you know the question will be can the job market as it currently stands produce that and we don't know. Um you know you have to hire a person who can do all of these things and be successful because it's a very important role within the city. So we're going to work to identify that and um touching base with the board really right now just to let you know what we're looking to do and uh we did have a candidate that came out of uh actually parks and rec director interviews was

really wellqualified for the position. um I wanted to wait to appoint that person or hire that person until I had time to communicate with the board to have them allow them to have part of the decision. Unfortunately, that person obtained employment elsewhere during the course of that period of time. Um so what this opportunity gives us and I just wanted to come and put it out there to the board. Hopefully by the end of the meeting you guys could give us some direction um and let us know where you'd like to head with the position going forward. I do believe we have a very um smart way of doing business with us having a community development director that's also your executive director. It serves a dual purpose that we both can essentially compensate one person a little higher because we share our resources to get the more qualified higher person that we're looking for. Um you know Matt Miller uh has a degree in PL urban planning. He's got a tremendous amount of experience in municipalities with brownfields tiffas um grant writing and administration special projects. he's sort of done it all. So, you know, if we can find a person to replace him that can do all those things, I think it's a win-win for both the board and the city. Ultimately though, it's a marriage between the city council essentially and the DDA board to come together to share this resource. So, um as I go forward looking to hire this position, where the board stands on that and what and what their input is will weigh heavily. Like I said, ultimately it's our decision to hire our person because and they provide the service to you, but I do think it's important to get your input as we make the decision to make sure we're all on the same page here. All right. And really that was my stop in tonight. Um, you know, I will continue over this time to also commit uh Matt Miller to staying forever. I don't think I convinced him to do so, but I will I will endeavor to try. But um, in the interim, we should be realistic and try and find a person uh that fills this role quite well.

Question. When is uh Matt coming back? Uh Matt will be back Monday. He'll be back on Monday. Yep. Yep. And Matt has been working this entire time. He's been working on special projects. He's been communicating um with in fact the sidewalk plan uh gr uh program that's going on in the city right now. He's been instrumental in continuing to get that fired up for the summer. Do you have a time frame in in your head? I know that it's approximate. It's very dependent upon who we can find. you know, when the proper person applies for the job, you know, ultimately there's going to be uh sometime midsummer. I definitely want to have this position in place, but I also want to give a proper amount of time to uh the website says it's going to expire on the first, but the Do we have applicants at

We have applicants. I don't think we have anybody that um you know, is a home run for us. Um I want to find the right person uh because of the nature of the the job. And with Matt coming back into town, we'll continue to do. We've already done one interview when that one person showed up who I felt fit the bill really well. Uh didn't work out. So when Matt's back in on Monday, we're going to pile back up the applications and take another look. But I don't want to force it either. Um it's it's, you know, uh sometimes you got to make sure you have the right position to navigate this type of particular uh role. You know, this isn't uh this isn't just a we can train you on the job. you have to come with some knowledge and ability uh to do it right. And you know ultimately some sort of connection to uh the Garden City way of doing things. And it may not be just from Garden City. It might be from um you know a town that's similar to ours. But what I'm looking for is someone with those skills who also understands our midsize Michigan towns. So

So if you don't get someone with that building um license that Matt obtains, what will you do? I'll find somebody uh who then we can train. You know, ideally we hit someone that that checks all the boxes, but then we just have to say, "Okay, well, we can't get all the boxes. If we get 75% of the boxes checked, then that's what we'll do."

Okay. So, and as a board, we need to keep in mind that um when Matt was hired, that was on a contingency basis as well as um because they combined u both positions seeking someone for that role, but we gave up our DDA director doing that. I I know some of you were still on the board at that time. Um, so I think we need to think about that too because certainly John would make an interim director, a wonderful interim director. He's been with the board for so many years. Um, I really felt like he should have had the job. Uh but again I think that that's something that the board needs to discuss as well because what we are contributing towards this position that ultimately as the city manager said they'll hire to run our board. Um we would be paying the same amount either way. For instance, the uh previous director before Matt came on board uh was director about I don't know seven years or so and was making 60 60 $62,000 a year with no benefits, no health benefits. Um, so in light of that information, I think we need to think about what's best for us as a board for the DDA, even if it doesn't help out the city because ultimately they need somebody with that certification and we do not.

So you're thinking that we should revisit the position? Yes. because we have always had our own DDA director until Matt came aboard.

So I guess let me ask the question because I am fairly new to the board. Um and maybe um maybe you can also address that the with putting the changing the position from having a DDA director to then having the liaison that does both city and then acts as the executive director. Um what were the pros of doing that? Well, I think what it does is allows you to offer a greater compensation package to someone who can bring a a much higher set of skills. I, you know, I don't know what and the job market dictates, but what does a $70,000 a year position as we are currently paying the city? What does a $70,000 a year position get you as far as qualifications and talents and abilities and and experience? So, really, that's a board decision. um you know whether that value is there. The idea is that we combined two positions into one so we can compensate someone one person higher who brings a much broader set of skills and and um experience

which makes sense. Yeah. But also keep in mind that it has been said by the previous um mayors that the DDA director is really a part-time job. And in light of that, and I guess really confirmed by the fact that we are now down to four meetings a year, because there isn't that much, right, for us to do it. It's a part-time job. I think $70,000 for a part-time job would certainly yield us a very viable candidate. And I really think that we should look at John and offer him the job.

Okay. So my thoughts were I would love to see a liaison to work to see to be in the loop if you will as to what's going on. If for some reason a candidate cannot be found let's say by our next meeting in July then I think we should start having the conversation about maybe having to split back off. So that's the way we were always run. And you notice that things are different now right? No, I'm We're not hiring the We're not hiring our director. The city's hiring our director, but we have some input. Not really. Well, that's why he's here. He's going to take one person from the board as a liaison and the board

and then that person would report back to the board. I wish you were here for the I watched it all. I watched it all.

You missed a lot. Wow. Well, and ultimately, um, as Miss Parador stated, you've got a meeting in July. Um, you can evaluate the candidate we're planning on selecting and with some some direct input and part of that process and then you can make a decision. You know, with 30 days notice, you can cancel our uh cost sharing agreement and go back to the way it was. Certainly an option. What I would say is I, you know, I don't know what's out there and I don't know if you'll be happy with our selection or not, but you still have the option to stay in or stay out. Um, if we identify a person with Matt's qualifications that have the ability to do the job, I would recommend you get a tremendous amount of value. But ultimately, that's for the board to decide. I have to represent the city's aspects in this, but there's a heavy interest in the city in having a viable well-run DDA that can take advantage of the things that uh someone like Matt can bring such as, you know, uh dealing with the residential the brownfield at uh the corner of Ford and Middle Belt and, you know, seeking a grant for um you know, the parking lot repairs and things that they've done in the past and things he can do. So, you know, ultimately I I you know, I think it's it's it's early to say whether you'll be happy with that, but ultimately this board decides you're meeting now and you're meeting again in July. Um

Well, and correct me if I'm wrong, but at any point we could split back off. Absolutely. So, even if the new person's hired and then 6 months down the road, we're not crazy about that person. We could split off at that point. So, it's not the DDA board.

It's not extent stuff. the DDA board has get skin get in the game because you're contributing and that contribution helps us decide, you know, how much we can compensate our particular employee. So, I want you guys to be satisfied with that and to stay into this agreement because I want to hire a person that both satisfies yours and our desires in this arrangement, you know. Um, and that's why I say, hey, pretty much by the middle of the summer, I need to know my my ideal is that that selection is made by the next board meeting. Gives us a time to see what the job market really can produce. like you know it's hard to speak on what we can do without knowing what's really out there. Um you know if if ultimately we can't obtain the person that meets those qualification that makes and that would satisfy both the board and the city that allows us to decide how we want to proceed. You know because your $70,000 contributes realistically though with pay benefits and everything the city pays actually more towards that employee than um the DDA pays. So, we've from a economic standpoint, we've got a little more vested. Um, but I do believe we all benefit because this city, you know, a ra rising tide raises all boats and the better our DDA is, the better off we all are. So, we have something um some some we have both have an equal amount of uh need to have a successful EDA director and a successful community development director. But that said, it's got to be good for everybody. And I don't want anyone to feel, you know, it seems as Lori stating that the way the previous process was. No, what I'm looking for is a pretty transparent open. Honestly, if I uh with that previous person that was available for the job that I wanted, had I not been concerned to make sure the DDA board felt respected in my decision, I probably would have hired him even sooner. But uh I I was I was hesitant to immediately hire because I wanted to make sure you guys felt as if you had a little bit of input in the decision and was really well informed on it. I you know, I I'm a little bit uh lamenting a missed opportunity there, but you know, I resp I'm I'm a process person. I respect the process first and then the results come if you get the process right. So,

so the the so you're asking for a potential liaison that we select. Yeah, I would hope that maybe during the course of this meeting and timing wise would be great is if the the board could select a liaison that could participate in the interview process, provide some feedback on some resumes that we would look at and then help us make that decision and then bring that information back to the board on the meeting where we would discuss a potential hire. We as a board need to motion today to so only one person only one person from this board. Yeah, it would be a liaison to to to get I would love that position. Well, can I can I ask a question? Um because it is the city working with the DDA. Would that be a position that Mayor Mark could do as far as

because he has the city side and the DDA side and I think maybe out of the board would maybe be the person who would know the best questions to ask in those potential situations. Certainly whoever the board selected for that someone else. Yeah. most definitely. I would. Yeah. I'm just thinking because he would have the background of both the city and the DDA since he sits on both sides. That was my thought. And I certainly whatever whoever the board is already represented. So I think we just need the DDA represented. Whoever the board, as far as I'm concerned, whoever the board puts as their person um is who we work with. So no opinion on that. Now be the appropriate time to make a motion.

I suppose it would be. So would would we just vote for that or would anyone would Well, I guess that's what you want to move it to. You might want to move it to a little later meeting with new business or something like that just so it gets brought up or something. Maybe move it to I would move it to the action items as far as action item uh nine. Okay. Seven, eight, nine. I would make it to action item nine. Okay. So we will work on the liaison. All right. And any of us spell it properly.

I would say that I know this mayor has never said the DDA director is a parttime job. So if you're going back previous mayor, that's fine. But I've never said that this is a part for that person. Okay. If that is all if there's no more questions, I I appreciate all your guys' efforts. just uh I'll u I'm heading out, but let me know if there's any uh more input you need from the city and uh look forward to continue to work with the EDA. Thank you guys. Thank you so much.

All right, so then we move down to number six, community events. I don't I'll be talking we're not covering any of that. Um our items for consideration today, we need to approve our consent agenda. Need a motion in order. Move to approve the consent agenda. All right. Second. So, it's moved by the mayor and seconded by Trusty Walonus. All in favor? Any opposed?

That will pass. Um, we jump down then to action items. We also have elections today for the board. So, we have uh we'll start with the first is the chair position. So, I guess we need nominations. I would nominate and I have no problem continuing. I don't either, but I think I'll do it, right? Okay.

I just have a comment if you don't want. Um, I think that it should be in our our bylaws here that obviously you've had the position for a year now, so you're uh you're comfortable in it and you've gotten to learn some, you know, what happens with the board and what we do. But I think going forward I think that the position should require at least a minimum of a year on the board. Is is there something in the bylaws? Is there something in the bylaws currently that lists? There is nothing in the bylaws about anything. Okay. So should we make that a 10 for action items at the bottom? Okay.

So we'll amend the bylaws. We'll make that another action item. All right. So back to the original one. So there is um I think the motion for nomination was by nominate I nominated you. Anybody else want anybody else want the job interested? All right. I will second the nomination. Okay. Somebody second it. I second fourth and fifth it. I just asked if anyone else want if nobody wants it then we can I think we can just vote to give it back to Missy. All right. So all in favor of me retaining chair I.

Any opposed? All right. So that one will carry. Jumping down to vice chair. Um currently is Trusty Bun. Do we have any nominations? Will you do it again? I'll nominate him. Yeah, I'll do it. All right. Oh, you want to do it? No, no, I'll nominate him. That's and I'll second that. All right. So, and Trusty Bun, you're going to accept that? All right. All in favor of of keeping Trusty Bun as the vice chair. Any opposed? All right. So, that motion will carry. Just remind me who motioned that was trusty Nazerdine. Yes. Correct.

And seconded by Trusty Haidider, right? Sure. Works. All right. And then the position of secretary currently held by trustee Walonus. What I never wanted. Are you going to do it again? You can have it. No, ma'am. Would you like secretary? No. Would someone else like to be the secretary? I am very bad at that job. You don't want me to do that. Would you like to retain the position? Okay. Can you go ahead? It doesn't require anything. No, it doesn't really. You don't have John takes all I don't care. I just said that's why I said I don't care though.

He does the notes anymore. Are we motioning that trusty paridor is trusty paridor is fine I don't care that's fine did you want to did you want doesn't matter okay so the nomination I suppose was made by trusty walonus seconded I'll second it by trustee haidider all in favor of our secretary being trusty paridor does I don't have to take minutes

any opposed all right so that motion will carry all right so now We can jump down to the chili cookoff community event budget which I'm looking at it um 2025. Are we we're looking at the old budget and calling it a proposed budget. Is that what we're doing? We took last year's budget and compared um uh all the financials and set this budget according to uh what the outcome of last year was.

Okay. So these are uh proposed uh budgetary numbers in most all of the categories for the 2026 not to exceed 38,000 uh in its entirety. This just makes it easier for uh instead of going through and action item every single thing that we just keep within a budgetary uh uh number. Uh overall uh last year we were able to uh with sponsorships and income be able to have a a zero debt, zero income. So we we broke even with last year's uh actions and numbers and we plan to do uh the same or better this year according to sponsorships. We have some returning sponsorships already and uh as as you know we're not meeting as often so we're just doing this sooner because we have to get moving. So

makes sense. So we're looking for a motion to approve then this budget for I make a motion. All right. So we have a motion. I second and seconded by Trustee Haidider. All in favor? I have discussion. Oh. Oh, sorry. Any discussion? So, we're doing 38,000, right? That's Yes, sir. 38,000. All right. All in favor of that budget. 38,000. Any opposed? All right. That motion will carry. Moving down to the chili cookoff volunteers.

Yeah. as as in years past, we get volunteer groups and volunteer individuals that uh would like to work the event and help us to make it successful. And in in return for that, we uh we support their decided uh nonprofit uh with uh an per hour rate. Uh we're looking for a $20 per hour rate this year for each person for uh giving back to those nonprofits. And is that similar to last year's? Is that the same figure? Last year was 25. The year prior was 20. All right. So, as long as it's a 5013C, correct?

Okay. So, TW back to 20. That's fine. Hey, John, why why are we going this year? Uh that was Matt's suggestion according to the uh the budget that we had last year. So that's up for discussion. Personally, I guess I'd like I'd rather see the same as last year at least because obviously inflation's going up, everything's going up. Why not uh offer at least the uh same thing that we offered volunteers last year? That was our number last year. And we were to use more volunteers.

Correct. Uh we also uh as I stated earlier uh we did this without incurring any like debt. So uh if the board chooses 25 fine. Last year was 25 though. Correct. But Matt made it 20. Did he say any and give you any reason why he put it back to 20? No. Do you know how many like labor hours we paid out last year? If you give me a second, I might be able to find it. Interesting. I know what that $5 that $5 difference $5,000 total or is that $5 difference$500 total? Well, if you last year, it's going to be the same basically the same number as last year. Yeah.

So, I guess if you want comparison, you have to go two years back compared to last year. Yeah. Or just how many hours we paid out. Yeah. Right. How many hours? Yeah, $5 difference. And you know, is it even worth the savings? Because if it's $1,000 savings, no, it's better. Get more people. You can definitely I thought we had it at $20. You can afford more people. We We $20. Go ahead. We paid out 350 hours worth of uh volunteer hours at 25 an hour. Yeah. 16 I think put 17. I'll make a motion to put it at 25.

But if you guys I don't know. I think I think took I'm going to trust Matt more. I'm going to trust Matt. Would the $20 afford us to hire more? I That's almost $2,000, right? That's 1750. 1750. 1750. So that's almost 2,000. That's not like it's $500 more. I'm going to trust Matt on this. Now, how much do we increase the budget from last year? The budget, how much we increase it from last year? And there's a motion been made, I believe, by trusty Bun who suggested that we should put it at 25. So, I second the motion of 25 for 25 increase this year. And I'm with Jackie at 20. Okay. So, we'll put

So, we take a vote right now. Right now, there's a motion. Wish we could hear from Matt on this and why he, you know, is suggesting 20, but he is the director though, so there must be a reason. He's the one that that that that we trust to run our board and this is his suggestion and we can't hear from him. So, I mean, that's really a shame to hold on what we want so we can vote on. Okay. So, we have a motion that it's up to 25 and it is second been seconded by Trusty Haidider. So, we'll ask who's all in favor? I of making it a $25 an hour. I So, we have I'm sorry. Was there an I here? One, two, three, four eyes. Wait, you did you

I said I Four eyes. Those opposed? Why don't you do a roll call? Sure. Uh, the motion is for $25 an hour volunteer hours. Um, motion moved by Trusty Bayon, seconded by Trusty Haidider. Roll call. Mayor Jacobs. Hi. Trusty Wonus. Nay. Trusty Barry. Hi. Trustee Nazerdine. Hi. Trusty Peridor. Nay. That's a five to two. Chair person. Correction. Chairperson. Do I have Oh, I have a vote. Yes. I will say I. Six to two. Motion carries. Here we go. All right.

Democracy and action. Yes. make we will make that $25 per hour for volunteers. All right. Uh down to the special license application we will need for the chili cookoff. Yeah. As part of the process to the state of Michigan, uh the liquor control commission requires a a vote from the board that's running the event. And uh that's what this is for the special license for uh beer sales at the event and we did this last year. Correct. So we need a motion to approve this application. So move. All right. Second.

So we have a motion by trusteeor, seconded by trustee Walconus. Any discussion? All in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. That one will carry. And then autos for autism sponsorship item seven.

Yeah, there's some uh documentation in your packet for the autos for autism. This is a a very big uh fundraiser for the autos for autism. Um uh it's done every year at the middle school. Uh it's a car show and uh we have uh sponsored this event in the past. Uh the recommendation is for a quarter page uh for the DDA uh for $200 for the 2026 car show. All right, pretty straightforward. So, we need a motion to approve this sponsorship. I move to approve that $200. All right, I'll second that. Seconded by Trusty Nazerine. Any discussion? I have a question.

Yes. The ad is it an ad for DDA or is it an ad for Chile? What what have you done in the past? It would be a DDA ad. Just a DDA ad. Okay. DDA won't create one. We'll probably get somebody to create a nice little ad or maybe look at what we did last year's and just duplicate it for the program. Oh, I don't disagree. I just wondered what kind of ad it was. Could be from the DDA. Just DDA. Okay. I've never seen it. We also been asked uh uh to have a judge for their event as well. So, we plan to do that also. Cardinal judge. All right. Um, okay. So,

I guess we can do that later, but does anybody anybody Is anybody planning on going there that would like to be a judge? Where is this going to be at? It's at the Red Center. Well, outside of the Red Cliff Center Middle School. Red Cliff and Ford behind the McDonald's there on Ford Road at near Wildwood. I go every year, but I know nothing about cars to be a judge. Do you know what pretty looks like? My favorite color. Would that do exactly? I I mean, I will be there, so I can do it if um I don't know why I'm picking a car other than pretty I'm already judge different. Okay. Pick the one with the fuzzy dice.

So, that is um that is on what date is it? That is on June 15th. June 15th. Okay. And I tend not to go for the music in the park. 15. I will be there and I will be there and I will vote. I don't know what I have to do to do that, but I will be there. Do we need Do we vote on the So, we have a motion. Yes, we have a motion by the mayor and it was seconded by Trusty Nazerdine. So, all those in favor? I. Any opposed? And we have the sponsorship. All right. And then item eight is the uh Garden City Police Officers golf outing. And that's a sponsorship as well, I'm guessing. Yes,

that's correct. This is our 35th uh annual golf outing held on June 5th. Uh proceeds from their event go directly to benefit local initiatives such as the our home food pantry uh project grad scholarships at the high school, American Cancer Society, the GCYA youth sports programs and adopt a family for the holidays. I would move to support $300 sponsorship to the police officers. All right. So been made. Second question. Seconded by trusty paridor and your question. So this is for autos for autism.

Correct. And we agreed to $200. So we're getting a quarter page. Correct. Why didn't we raise that to 250? Give them $50 and take a half a page. Already been voted on at this point. I'm guessing it's what we did last year. So, I guess they're probably I didn't see this in front of what we were voting for. This was behind what we were voting on. Oh, that's for the uh previous We're going previous. Yes, that was that was to show you the size of the right when she's saying should we get a bigger ad. Oh,

well, let's let's vote on the current one and then we'll go back. So, we have a motion uh by the mayor and seconded by Trusty Peridor to offer the $300 sponsorship for the Garden City Police outing. Uh any other discussion about that? All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. So, now if you have your question about the Yeah. And then we're going to go to nine and 10 there, right? Yeah. Do we want to revisit the audit for autism or do we want to do that later? Do we want to know? Is this current? Is this outdated? No, this is this year's. Okay. It is interesting that they have a I don't understand that. Well, right because I mean if the way they do this I don't understand why you give somebody an option.

There's Right. Look at the look at the discrepancy in price here. But I mean if they're So somebody pays $125 and gets the same ad as someone who pays $249 is how it reads. That's currently that's the way it reads. So that's why I'm saying we should up it to 250. And if they're, you know, if they say, "Hey, we're out of room." They could come back to us and if they said, "We don't have room for another half page." Great. We'll we can either donate that extra $50 to the Autos for Autism or take a smaller ad. It's a dollar.

It's penis. You said 200 giving 200. She suggested 250 to go to the half page ad. Well, if you did the half page, you could do both DDA slashpromoting chili. You'd have room for it in the same ad. Oh, that's a good idea. What do we You'd have room for it. We can quote whatever we want on the ad. On the ad. So, like even the lucky squirrels, etc. You're running out of time to uh Yeah. June 15th. what it's to we don't have another meeting before they need an answer on No, I'm saying make Yeah,

that's that's what we're we're talking about visiting our We'd have to amend the motion. Correct. I just think we can have a page for a business that is really wanting to be I mean we're the DBA. We're not trying to sell anything. That needs to be for somebody that's trying to sell something promote themselves. So maybe we'll leave it as is and then revisit it for next year. Yeah. And maybe we'll look more into why the discrepancy in the numbers. I I've never understood why they do it this way. I don't I don't Who was the half page last year? They it we depending on how many sponsors they get, they make the paper. They make more pages.

Yeah, they make more pages. So, it's not like they're I see. Depending on how much on how many they get. I think Don, what are you thinking over there? Because it looks like your wheels are spinning. No, it's up to the board what what they want to use for if you want to do the extra $50. I wouldn't do it for the extra half page. Do that. I would do the extra $50 for the goodness of Right. Well, just to bump this up for the not for the extra page. Well, but the maker of the motion and the seconder would have to amend the motion. You have to take back the previous motion that was already passed and then change change it to

but I think it was wiser to put that money towards uh extra dollars for per dollar like for volunteer hours. So, but it's 50 bucks. It's 50 bucks. I I don't see they take they the halfpage ad and you can people that come for that they come from all over and we can have our dates in there of our chili cookoff of our lucky squirrels and things that bring the people in the small one at the bottom they might not even see it this they'll see. So are we interested in entertaining going back cuz u mayor you made the original motion. I'm I'm good with the the original motion. If the board wants to because now you're going to have to create a new line item,

a new Well, no, you're create a new ad. You're not going to get board approval on it, which we're not going to get anyways, but we can blow off of what we did last year's ad. And then moving forward with more time, we can look at next year possibly doing something else. Why would we not get board approval? Time frame. because it was behind that's why it wasn't in front. It was behind everything. Well, I didn't. You know what? Okay, I guess you want to make a new bowl. I do. I think it's worth it.

It's a few more dollars for them. It's It's good advertising for us. This is due. Wait, what is this? This is due like right now, isn't it? Right. Do you know but right now you pass? No, that's the date of it. But we can amend it. So I'm I'm going to make a motion to amend. So we have to make it another item. Motion to override the I'm not I'm not prepared to resend mine. Uh my motion for $200. Okay. So there's one vote against. So it's not a vote against. It's my motion. It was seconded and it was voted on.

Okay. So, the motion it once it goes, you either have to make a new motion and I don't know the technical rules for that. Oh, that's my question. The original cast motion um for the $200. So, so I'm not sure how to proceed. Do we have I don't I don't think you can I'm not resending mind if the second person uh whoever seconded the motion wanted to change it. It's trusting Nazertine I believe. We should get both the motions. By the way, just look at it next time. The motion is going to next time around. Next time. Next year. Okay.

Next time around. Okay. We'll look at it next year. I'm going to make a note so that make a note and then make sure we visit it for up increasing. Okay. Okay. So, we're done with policemen. Okay. Okay. So, now we have the two items that we've kind of added to the agenda. We're jumping to number nine, which is trying to find a liaison to help with the process of um the application search for the development director. And I think if you were a liaison for the last one, then I think that somebody different should go forth.

Do we have to have a motion? I did ask to be a liaison in the looking at that last time and I guess I didn't make the cut but I would like to to be that liaison. Do we know who has been involved in the past uh application process? When we hired the other one uh brought to the board there wasn't a liaison. It was brought to the board for our approval. Uh and they they just gave us the credentials of Matt and we voted on it as a board and again going going forward the board you can always opt out so at any point

technically I guess if we even didn't have a leazison and they said we're hiring John do off the street if in 30 days we don't like them we would give a notice and say we're opting out and we're going to hire our own of which we'll have to put out. We can do whatever we want to, but basically we'd have to put out a uh RFP for uh a director and the board or either select a uh committee. We could hire or have our attorneys uh interview the people and make a recommendation to the board. Um, we can make a recommendation, bring it to ourselves to vote on. Uh, there's a lot of different options there. Uh, city, they're they're trying to find somebody that can fill the entire role. Uh, make it cohesive. Um, again, there is a lot to do with it. Um, I think Matt in his capacity as being a clerk, as being uh in charge of the building department, as being involved in the city, uh, was a perfect fit. Um, hired from outside, it's going to be harder. Um, I'm I personally am willing to let the city uh see if they can find someone. um if they they don't or we don't like who they they bring before us, we can opt out and move on move on our way. We have till September.

How much is that job paying the entire what Matt's getting is about 110 without benefits. So benefits that the city's paying um I'm going to say 180ish. That's what I thought I remember. Right. Please don't quote me for the pennies or, you know, dollars, but it I'm going to say it's right around there. I believe his salary is 110. Okay. Um, plus benefits plus benefits. So, whatever our package is through him, um, now typically, previously, our previous DBA director, I believe, was 70,000 with no benefits,

right? 60. I'd like to make a motion that we have a liaison working with the city so we're kept in the loop as to what's going on and who the candidates are. Yeah. Last time last time that's exactly what we had. I thought we had to make a motion. So last time we had three people that went into the interview process. So they only the mayor plus two. Can can the director be leazison? No. No.

No. Matt Matt won't be in there. Um, John can't in case he wanted to apply for it. Um, typically for hiring, it's a city manager and the HR director and possibly a How about Jackie? I'd like to uh Jackie, would you like to be lazy on? That would be fine with me. Yeah. And then you would like to be lazy. I would like to be lazy. So, can we vote for whoever? For one of you, two. That would be fine. Y for one or two? So, they're only allowing us one. They're going to allow us basically is can they both go? We have two people. I believe it's going to Can they Can they both go?

Can they both go? I don't believe so. No, cuz you're going to get too many people in the room. Yeah, we had three last time from the board. That was a question we probably should have asked. And maybe that's something we should ask. That was different, I think. They're they're going to let us in the one. So, we have a record and they're going to come back to the board who who was interviewed and they may it may be a vote that our liaison does not like that person. They may come back to us and go, we don't like we don't think this person's a good fit. And if we the city hasn't hired by our next meeting, then we need to have a conversation as to what we want to do. Then we would have a special but that would be July 21st

right we need a leazison in there and certainly what match until September so that would be perfect timing to have the conversation if need be okay so let's vote for leazison okay so I guess we have two anyone else interested in taking on that role of liaison besides

if I could interject I think you're talking about two things right here one is a liaison to assist or help with the city deciding who they're going to hire. That's level one. The other level is you don't know maybe maybe you learn about personality of that person, but you don't know their work ethic and their ability to achieve success in the position. So, the other conversation is you have a a 30-day reoccurring contract with the city on services, right? At any time you can resend that with 30-day notice, but you haven't even there's there's got to be a point where you let this person dig in and show their skill.

What I was saying was if there were there were no prospects by correct, then we should have a conversation. If no one applies for the position, if there are no candidates, viable candidates by July 21st, then I think this board should have a conversation. That's all I'm saying, which we can. Yeah, it's that's all I'm saying. If there's no viable candidates,

even if the city doesn't find anybody in the DDA, we want to have discussion. Um, obviously, we have somebody that we could make an intro until we make a decision. So, it's not like this is a we have to do something right this um we we have time. Um again, the city city's got ads out. I don't know who they have. I know they have some applicants. I don't know. Well, and and if I can I went through the qualifications. It would behoove all of you to go on the city's website and look at the qualifications that they're looking for. the job description. Well, they want they want that. They want Matt.

That's because they need that building license. Oh, absolutely. So, that's why the description is like that, but that's not what we need. Just to be clear, right? We ran completely different and that changed when they combined the posi the position and brought Madden because that covers the city part. Because it covers the city part. But you know what though? But we lost some independence there too. We were an independent board and somehow we just feel like we're meshed with the city and everything. What what do you what there's Why keep bringing that up? Like this is this is out of respect for all the board members here. You keep bringing that up and there's no reason for that. I'm sorry.

Okay. There's really no reason. We have the just as much autonomy as anybody can have. You keep bring What is it that we're trying to be autonomous to do? What are you trying What are you trying to signify? Dr. Haidider, you've been on this board a long time and we're fine and I and this is great to have us that we are part of the city. We are garden city working hand in hand.

We are we this is we are a symbiotic relationship. We need to be we are not our own entity out in Westland. We are are we are together with the city. We need to be together and that conversation needs to stop because I'm not part of a board that's like that. We need to be part of the city hand in hand working together. This cannot be this sensitive. We cannot be sensitive here, right? We are we are together. This is money that comes from the residents that gets put into this city and we are part of the city to give to to deliver back. We can't have this negative this negative tone happening. I I believe it's Matt Miller has represented the DDA very very well,

amazingly in everything. I believe he's done a great job. I believe Matt has represented the city very very well. I think it's worked out perfectly. I don't see any any issues going either way. Um, having said that, obviously we could opt it out and and gone our own way and not have Matt. Um, if the city can find somebody else that can fill Matt's shoes with that, um, I I don't have an issue with that. And, uh, like Dr. Hider said,

I think it's worked out well. I think we're all one big happy family right now together. So, I don't I don't see an issue. Uh the way it ran in the past, it was a separate entity. Uh DDA did their own thing. City did their own thing. But I think since we hired Matt, I see a lot of properties that have been vacant for many, many, many years. And everything's I mean, who thinks that Garden City property selling for over a million bucks? I mean, that's wrong, but okay. I mean, that's that's amazing, right? Amazing. And it's happening and it's a good thing,

you know, that we're getting people that are vibrant trying to get their businesses going. And I don't see any properties that are vacant. You know, everybody's renovating. This is a good thing. So this is well and I think this the city manager I think said it best too is that they're they're the thought of having both working together is also to be able to find the best people out there because you have to pay that money to get the best people you're going to get. And Garden City unfortunately being so small has that problem of not being able to match a Leavonia or whatever dollar for dollar with salary.

Well I hope they can fill Matt's shoes cuz they're going to they're big shoes to fill. Um, and I think Matt brought a lot to the position which was very a very unique situation and I hope there's another individual out there. I'm sure there is who's like him. So I hope they can that wants to work together and this we're here for them. So Yep. Okay. So I guess the best way to do this then is we have two who are interested in one position. So I guess we might have to do a roll call to see who we're going to offer as our liaison. School ground picking. That's what we're doing. Thanks, J. Mayor, do you think this is appropriate how we're handling this here? We we've never had these issues, but uh

we're making it up as we go along. Say you have two candidates that that are want position. I would do a roll call for one one or the other or actually both. You know, do Jackie first, I guess. Whatever. Lori first and all in favor. All paper eyes uh and then go for the other person and whoever has the most votes gets a position. They will be the leazison. Uh who made the motion? Uh the motion either I think you had two volunteers. No, there's two volunteers. I was just bringing up the two volunteers. There's really not a motion or support. It's just we're just trying to select

volunteer to do the position like the elections. Uh it's up to the board to select one or the other. All right. Uh roll call for uh liaison position uh uh to represent the DDA with the city. Do we abstain? For your own. For your own. Yeah, we should not vote. Right. Coach yourself in. No, you couldn't get a vote. All righty. You volunteered. That's kind of your vote. Right. Okay. I'm just I'm just asking the question over. Uh in favor of Jackie Peridor. Uh Mayor Jacobs.

I chairperson Taylor. I trustee Walonis. Hi. Trustee Barry. Hi. Trustee Bedune. Hi. Trusty Haidider. Hi. Trusty Nasser. Hi. Trusty Peridor. I uh in favor of trustee Walonus. Mayor Jacobs. Nay. Trustee uh chairperson Taylor. Hey. Is it really necessary? Trusty Walconus I. Trusty Barry. Hey. Trusty Bayon. Trusty Haidider. Trusty Nesser Dean. Hi.

Trusty Peridor. Jackie Peridor for the city liaison position. And I also ask though that if we can if there are an is an opportunity for both to go if that could happen because they both showed interest. So certainly if further down the road we know they're both interested and they will take both then perhaps they can both attend. That's a fair. Okay. So that might have been something we should have asked procedurally after whatever first meeting or whatever I should then report to John. Correct. So then he can let everybody know what happened. Correct. Yeah. Okay. You

whenever the interviews happen, uh like I say, I don't know that they've actually gone through the application. Typically what'll happen is HR and city manager will go through the applications uh set up interviews if there's anybody right that has the the credentials that they're looking for. Um, and then they'll obviously reach out to you, right? And that's what I'm saying. After whatever happens, then I'll get with John and let him know what happened. I'll take notes like you would as a secretary, DA secretary. I'm going to put my phone on your

report that John will send out an email and if we have to, I believe it be July. Yeah. Right. If the city's like, "Hey, we we found a candidate and we want to do it right now. We want to hire, we may call a special meeting." Right. Right. So we don't miss out like the last time. Yes. Okay. I think we're done with that action item. Um so then we will finish the action items with our next uh suggested one new for the evening is number 10 to amend the bylaws to suggest that the person chosen for the chair position should actually be on the board for at least one year. So I think we need a motion for that.

Wait, I think the bylaw should be amended period because we've changed our meetings to quarterly yet if you read the bylaws it says you can miss like up to four or something. So, we need a bylaw revision anyways. Okay. So, I don't think it's that specific.

Typically, in the past, when the bylaws need to be reviewed and or amended, a committee from this board is put together to do that. In the past, it's been three people. Basically, you go through the bylaws, review them, look for any uh amendments or updates, bring that back to the board for uh vote and discussion, and then once that happens, then they can get amended. So, should we suggest an overall um check of them instead of this one particular item that we do an overall correct

bylaw? I would also Don't we have to vote to add that in though? Any additions? Wouldn't we have to vote to add in additions? Yes. They're looking changes to the bylaws have to be voted on. What I'm saying is you should put together a committee of board members to review and suggest amendments and then they come back to the board and they vote on those to vote them in or not. Would you like to do that, Jackie? I have a question. Would the new director be part of that committee? in the past to review. Has it just been

people on the board or was that three with the director? It's not with the director. Okay. You can get input from the director because you're potentially going to have a new director here pretty soon. The director director works for us, right? But wouldn't you want their input if you're going to go through the bylaws? No. What what John is saying is what we should do now is get a committee of three three members that want to go through the bylaws, see what changes they would like to see. I understand all that. And then bring that back to the board for us. Right. I just didn't know if you should wait until you have a new director. I I don't think it matters. Okay. That's what I was asking because

they want the director doesn't really have he doesn't have a vote. He doesn't have a say. So, does anybody want to volunteer for being one of the three? Do we all think we need it? Yes. The last time these bylaws were amended or updated was 2016, right? I think when I read them, it had a lot of old references. So, like that's what the committee's for to recommend because there was like citing something from 2016 that it's no longer in effect today. Right. There was a lot of those that I had to ask Matt Well, obviously because it didn't make sense since we combined the position. Right. Right. Right.

You know, there's So, would you like to work on that committee to amend bylaws? Sure. Yeah. All right. And what what and what you could do since obviously everybody has full-time jobs and everything else. Uh each person that that is on that committee can go through make recommended make notes and then at one time get the three together. So you're not going meeting today, meeting next week, meeting next week.

Right. Right. Right. Right. each each of the members of that committee can get together or can look at the bylaws, circle what they think should be changed. Everybody when everybody has that those three people have that uh time to go over it, say two weeks, 3 weeks, a month, whatever. Then those three can get together, make their recommendations together back to the bring it back to the board all at once, right? So it's not like you have to meet three, four, five times and everybody can go through it at their own pace. So who wants to do this?

Lori, would you like No, I'm sorry. So Jackie is volunteering. I will volunteer. We need one more, guys. Are are you doing it, Jackie? Yeah, I'll do it. Okay. All right. So, I have volunteered. Um, mayor has volunteered and trustee Peridor has volunteered. So, you need a motion and a second and to vote that in. And then once you come back uh to the board with any updates or amendments, then you can vote on those amendments to the bylaws at that time. second motion

and I believe to amend the bylaws. I'm not sure what we might have check with the attorney. Uh it might be a super majority to change by that one more time. It might be what it might be a super majority to change. I know if we make a charter change with the city, we have to have a it has to be a super majority. What's super? Oh, like more than half more than bring something back. We might need uh five volts. Yeah, I believe five. So, I'll motion that. We'll we'll probably have to check with the attorney on it to be sure. But,

okay. So, we have a motion by Trusty Nazertine, seconded by Trustee Haidider, um for the committee of Mayor Jacobs, Trusty Parador, and myself as a review committee bylaws. I need further discussion. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Um now we're on to the other business and I guess John, this is going to be your

Yeah. Item 88, 2026 Hometown Hero banners. We have 36 out of 40 banners uh spoken for. Uh we already have uh those in production at the sign company. So Matt told me today that he has a line on possibly four more. We had a conversation with a straight farmhouse museum and they were able to produce and um submit uh some killed in action. So, we haven't had any of those in the past years, but we designated their banners slightly different to represent their killed in action. Uh, so that's in process and those will go up uh just before Memorial Day and then they'll stay up till Veterans Day as in the past.

I heard that. That's that's a great Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I do too. Did we have We didn't have any of those last year, you know. Can we make a note to maybe designate set so many aside for those because I know Straight has a lot of them. Sure. Yeah. I think they supplied us with like 11. So quite a few. And maybe next year we open it up to um more first responders as well. Well, this town's only so big. We we discussed that. But if we can get actual That's true. that transfers. Yeah.

Uh item B, the Lucky Squirrel events, May, July, and September are moving right along. The May event is full for vendors. The other two are at 65% full. Uh our new system this year of registering and having the hours of operation at the Radcliffe Center has been very helpful and it's actually streamline registration for everybody that's involved. So, we just been staying on top of that. So, we look to have those those will be full. Uh item C, uh lighting repairs. Today, we had a company out. Uh there was a lightning strike during one of those storms and it fried some underground wire. So, a little bit more involved than changing fuses and breakers in the past. So, they had to pull a couple poles, yanked some new wire underground. Uh but that was everything on the north side of Ford Road on east and west side of Middle Belt. If you notice in the night, it's been pretty dark down there, but you should see tonight that all those lights are back on. Uh the other update is we have three poles that are ordered. We're waiting for them to be delivered to be installed from three different accidents over the winter. Uh and item D, the alley. There's a uh north south alley uh that is city-owned property behind uh the bike shop, Cafe Europe, Fatima's Bakery, that whole area right there. Uh the grade of the ground is pretty rough and we're getting some dangerous icy icy spots in the winter. We're waiting on Hennessy to give us back some engineering plans according to that with the drainage and as soon as we have that then we're going to do a request for proposal to repave that alley proper. So that'll be all situated. So that's in the works. So that's happening. An additional item uh that I talked with Matt about today is the parking lot on the north west

corner. Uh, everybody knows it as the Kmart lot, but we're specifically talking about the space uh over in front of the muscle car part shop. We have a little bit of property there, the city does, and then we own some property behind uh the banquet center and that whole area back there. Uh he applied for a grant through SAMCOG um that we're hoping that we can get some money uh to help uh facilitate fixing that that pavement area over there. So, so that's in the works with a with a grant that we submitted for. Also, we're going to start putting together some financials of what it looks like costwise. And then we're also going to go uh with the business owners and make them put some skin in the game. So, if the city's able to get a grant and have some money, say, "Hey, we're going to we're going to do these easements and we're going to do this, we're going to put this much money and then according to the parcel that you have, you know, a percentage will come from you to help."

So, it's everybody working together, all the businesses and the city to improve that lot back there. It's pretty It's pretty banged up. Road to the street behind Beachwood. Yeah, I believe that would also be part of that plan. Yeah. So, uh, that's happening. Or you could just sell the property. All right. Thank you. All right. So, um, public comments, we have our liaison from the city council. Anything tonight? Nope. Okay. Um, director report. I think John, do you have anything since Matt's not here to put in there?

Uh, no. That's it right now. Matt will be back on Monday in office. Uh, I've been in constant contact with him. um you know work working remotely as well. So uh things are moving forward and uh we're ready to have a good summer. All right. Thank you. Uh so we'll do board comments starting down here with the mayor. Anything? Trusty Bun. No. Trusty Barry. Trusty Walonus. Nothing. I have one. Okay. Um at the council meeting there was the master plan draft amendment. Once that's out, can all the board members get a copy? Great. That's all. Okay. Just online already.

Oh, really? Okay. You're talking to master housing plan. Yes. I believe it's it's going online. Okay. Okay. It'll be available to the board of animals, but if I can get a uh a paper copy of it, I will uh I'll let John or Missy know and she they can email and that would be great. Somewhere in the office or for you guys to pick up. Thank you, Trusty. Uh I'm good. Thank you, Justin. Okay. Thank you.

And I have nothing else to add either. So, we will adjourn or I'm sorry, our next meeting is Tuesday, July 21st. Um, we will adjourn this one at 7:10. Have a great night, everybody.