MONROE - If the Monroe Main Street Board gets bigger, will the Business Improvement District need to be so large?
The Monroe Main Street Board proposed Monday night to add two new positions on its board. One of those seats is reserved for a representative from Green County government.
Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh was at the meeting with a change of heart. Marsh had approached the Business Improvement District (BID) and MMS about combining their boards, on the advice of Arnett Muldrow and Associates, who helped assess the city's downtown needs and develop an improvement plan.
But Monday night Marsh told the MMS Board that, after conferring with City Attorney Rex Ewald, he suggested leaving the boards separate.
The board voted to recommended to the city Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee and City Council that the MMS bylaws be amended to allow two more members, one of which will be from the Green County Board, presumably from the Property and Grounds Committee, and another member at-large.
Marsh suggested the MMS board be increased by one or two members, with one member representing the county, and the second a downtown business owner/operator. The MMS board has seven members.
Marsh suggested the BID board be reduced to a minimum of five members, as per state statues requirements, with three officers and two members at large. The present BID board has 12 members. Marsh also recommended the BID board reduce its meetings to one annual meeting, instead of quarterly meetings.
Ewald told the MMS board that the BID board is a "creature of Statute, with certain rights," one of which is to assess its property owners. The BID board also is necessary to vote on the transfer of those funds to MMS for projects.
Chairman David Riese will send a letter to the county about the proposed addition and request its input.
Marsh will make the same presentation to the BID meeting in March.
On Monday, the Monroe Main Street Board of Directors also:
• Reviewed the proposed budget for 2008.
• Elected Riese as chair and Ryan Wilson as vice chair for 2008.
• Set up committees and chairpersons.
• Heard an update from Ryan Wilson on the Badger State Trail trailhead development. The city is taking the lead on the project and will be applying for a matching grant from the Department of Natural Resources.
Tentatively, plans to build a structure near Twining Park, with bathrooms and areas for storage and vending machines, will go through the design committee by July, and construction started by fall, for completion by spring of 2009. Wilson said MMS could participate in the project with some TIF funding, for the purpose of developing the economic well-being of downtown.
City Administrator Mark Vahlsing said the proposed structure would be built on city property to bypass the need to get involved with trail land that is leased by the DNR from the Department of Transportation. Wilson noted that a southern trailhead would be a shelter with information only.
• Reviewed initial steps of the Downtown ... and Beyond work plan. Vahlsing identified appropriate MMS and city committees which could begin work on several areas.
• Noted Vahlsing's upcoming trip in March to visit culinary centers and gather information as to how other out-of-state communities have developed their centers.
The Monroe Main Street Board proposed Monday night to add two new positions on its board. One of those seats is reserved for a representative from Green County government.
Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh was at the meeting with a change of heart. Marsh had approached the Business Improvement District (BID) and MMS about combining their boards, on the advice of Arnett Muldrow and Associates, who helped assess the city's downtown needs and develop an improvement plan.
But Monday night Marsh told the MMS Board that, after conferring with City Attorney Rex Ewald, he suggested leaving the boards separate.
The board voted to recommended to the city Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee and City Council that the MMS bylaws be amended to allow two more members, one of which will be from the Green County Board, presumably from the Property and Grounds Committee, and another member at-large.
Marsh suggested the MMS board be increased by one or two members, with one member representing the county, and the second a downtown business owner/operator. The MMS board has seven members.
Marsh suggested the BID board be reduced to a minimum of five members, as per state statues requirements, with three officers and two members at large. The present BID board has 12 members. Marsh also recommended the BID board reduce its meetings to one annual meeting, instead of quarterly meetings.
Ewald told the MMS board that the BID board is a "creature of Statute, with certain rights," one of which is to assess its property owners. The BID board also is necessary to vote on the transfer of those funds to MMS for projects.
Chairman David Riese will send a letter to the county about the proposed addition and request its input.
Marsh will make the same presentation to the BID meeting in March.
On Monday, the Monroe Main Street Board of Directors also:
• Reviewed the proposed budget for 2008.
• Elected Riese as chair and Ryan Wilson as vice chair for 2008.
• Set up committees and chairpersons.
• Heard an update from Ryan Wilson on the Badger State Trail trailhead development. The city is taking the lead on the project and will be applying for a matching grant from the Department of Natural Resources.
Tentatively, plans to build a structure near Twining Park, with bathrooms and areas for storage and vending machines, will go through the design committee by July, and construction started by fall, for completion by spring of 2009. Wilson said MMS could participate in the project with some TIF funding, for the purpose of developing the economic well-being of downtown.
City Administrator Mark Vahlsing said the proposed structure would be built on city property to bypass the need to get involved with trail land that is leased by the DNR from the Department of Transportation. Wilson noted that a southern trailhead would be a shelter with information only.
• Reviewed initial steps of the Downtown ... and Beyond work plan. Vahlsing identified appropriate MMS and city committees which could begin work on several areas.
• Noted Vahlsing's upcoming trip in March to visit culinary centers and gather information as to how other out-of-state communities have developed their centers.