MONROE - Businesses have seen the value of sponsoring Main Street events. But is a Monroe Main Street event funded by membership or sponsorship, taxes or donations, public or private money?
New policies for seeking private funds and procedures for handling TIF funds will give Monroe Main Street a better overview of its money, and its sponsors.
David Riese, chairman of the Monroe Main Street Board of Directors, is seeking to prevent some business from being asked too often to pony up some money for an event. "No member of Monroe Main Street should be going out and seeking private funding," he said.
The board gave Karen Stollenwerk of the Main Street Promotions Committee approval to add two more Concerts on the Square events, which she said have been "received fabulously," in August.
But the promotion committee asked that she seek private funding for the extra concerts.
"Private funding is not at all difficult," she told the board Monday. In fact, businesses have been asking to sponsor the events as a marketing tool, she said.
But Riese said all funding requests must go though Monroe Main Street director Barb Nelson, so the organization can keep track of who is being asked to donate.
The Main Street board will also become authorized to approve expenses from the Taxation Increment Fund (TIF) District No. 7 for programs and projects under taken within the Main Street district. The resolution needs the approval of the Common Council.
The resolution, drawn up by City Attorney Rex Ewald, is scheduled to go before the council June 17.
The city will have five days to respond to written notice of any expenditure approvals by the board, if it wishes to review a project or expense. The review may go through a committee or by council.
Nelson will be responsible for notifying the city.
Ewald said the city doesn't want to see every little expense request, and therefore established the procedure to handle most requests at the board level.
Riese said the resolution would streamline the expense request procedure. The resolution does not alter the Main Street Facade Improvement Grant program, nor limit the city from approving an expenditure from the TIF fund.
New policies for seeking private funds and procedures for handling TIF funds will give Monroe Main Street a better overview of its money, and its sponsors.
David Riese, chairman of the Monroe Main Street Board of Directors, is seeking to prevent some business from being asked too often to pony up some money for an event. "No member of Monroe Main Street should be going out and seeking private funding," he said.
The board gave Karen Stollenwerk of the Main Street Promotions Committee approval to add two more Concerts on the Square events, which she said have been "received fabulously," in August.
But the promotion committee asked that she seek private funding for the extra concerts.
"Private funding is not at all difficult," she told the board Monday. In fact, businesses have been asking to sponsor the events as a marketing tool, she said.
But Riese said all funding requests must go though Monroe Main Street director Barb Nelson, so the organization can keep track of who is being asked to donate.
The Main Street board will also become authorized to approve expenses from the Taxation Increment Fund (TIF) District No. 7 for programs and projects under taken within the Main Street district. The resolution needs the approval of the Common Council.
The resolution, drawn up by City Attorney Rex Ewald, is scheduled to go before the council June 17.
The city will have five days to respond to written notice of any expenditure approvals by the board, if it wishes to review a project or expense. The review may go through a committee or by council.
Nelson will be responsible for notifying the city.
Ewald said the city doesn't want to see every little expense request, and therefore established the procedure to handle most requests at the board level.
Riese said the resolution would streamline the expense request procedure. The resolution does not alter the Main Street Facade Improvement Grant program, nor limit the city from approving an expenditure from the TIF fund.