Should the DDA be dissolved or at least restructured?
Few things are more frustrating than observing a meeting of Royal Oak's Downtown Development Authority. Making it worse is that it is impossible not to recognize the lack of cooperation and animosity between CITCOM and the DDA. Nor is the phenomenon new. Versagi Voice first paid serious attention to the situation in 2006.
DDA's July 2012 meeting ended with emotions showing over CITCOM's decision to form an ad hoc committee to develop a Downtown Master Plan. Ire was caused by someone mentioning that CITCOM has said something like the committee "may include the DDA, the Chamber, and the like."
"The DDA is supposed to address downtown issues," someone reminded the city manager who sits in on DDA sessions. Over the years, we have watched the city commission turn the switch on and off about the simple matter of the DDA's role over parking, as one example of the city's dismissive attitude. It could be worse; former commissioner Terry Drinkwine detested the DDA and attempted repeatedly to demonstrate its subordination to CITCOM.
This meeting's philosophical discussion led to the practical complaint that the Department of Public Services is redoing crosswalks near parks and at other places in town but not downtown on Washington or Main.
Real work included reports on updating the DDA's website, both for desktop computer and mobile devices; attempts to clear up confusion over the state's policy about transferring liquor licenses from other parts of town to downtown; the success of and retailers' pro-active cooperating with the Chamber's annual garage sale (which will be returned to the Center Street Parking Structure next year); creative disagreement over what should be illustrated in advertisements; the seriousness, or not, of Royal Oak's rodent problem.
An observer comes away from meeting after meeting of the DDA with the impression that most of the volunteers arrive without having bothered to look at the agenda or having done any homework. Coincidentally, before the advent of laptops at the CITCOM table, several commissioners, both male and female, became notorious for not having opened their packet until they were seated at The Table.
BUT DDA pays for such things as a substantial portion of the salaries of the Planning Department; 3 cops dedicated to the Central Business District; court debt. Its collection of TIFA funds (Tax Increment Financing Act) is apparently indispensable for the city. But the group has lost focus. It no longer employs a downtown manager; it blows hot-and-cold about sponsoring events; it certainly has lost its founding emphasis on bricks & mortar. Perhaps an outside consultant would help come up with a restructuring plan. While she's at it, the consultant might redesign the meeting agenda so the city manager isn't sitting there when they are discussing in-house trivia.
Frank Versagi is the editor of Versagi Voice.
Debbie Campbell
1:23 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
So the City Commission plans to rewrite the Master Plan downtown vision, goals and objectives in a vacuum-- with absolutely NO input from residents—And then expect residents to pay for cops for the bar-owners with a big fat millage increase…
If anyone is interested in learning about where Royal Oak’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) gets it’s money and what they spend it on please read the following articles—Notice how the Millionaire owner of Emagine Theater was gifted a $300,000 tax rebate to install sidewalks and landscaping(which is being allowed to dry up and die)—Meanwhile residents are special assessed to pay for sidewalks around our homes…
I’m sure the DDA is keeping quiet about the amount of $$$ big bucks “partnership” gift they’ll throw at a hotel developer until after residents vote on the millage increase…Instead of allowing the DDA to “partner” with yet another wealthy developer the Mayor and Commission need to contractually bind the DDA to pay for the dedicated police unit the consultant said was desperately needed to patrol downtown bars.
DDA should pay for cops first—then give partnership tax rebates away to wealthy developers.
continued--
Debbie Campbell
1:24 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Learn more about DDA $$$ “partnership gifts”:
candgnews.com May 9, 2011 article
http://www.candgnews.com/news/emagine-open-charity-event-weekend
May 9, 2011 – $300,000 tax abatement from the Downtown Development Authority… The first $300,000 the complex pays to the DDA will be returned to the business for work it did improving the sidewalks around the development.
Patch May 15, 2012
Can Tax Increment Financing Help Build a Hotel in Royal Oak?
http://royaloak.patch.com/articles/developer-explores-tax-increment-financing-to-build-hotel
Patch May16-2012
Royal Oak DDA Interested in Hotel Development on Former Fresard Site
http://royaloak.patch.com/articles/royal-oak-dda-interested-in-hotel-development-on-former-fresard-site
"The intent here is to figure out if the DDA would be interested in helping with this project financially,” unidentified owners are looking for incentives or financial assistance”
Rick Karlowski
6:03 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
We do not have a Downtown Development Authority, we have a Downtown Special Event Planning Authority.
Other DDA's have a business recruiter who's job it is to market the Central Business District (CBD) to potential retail and office clients. Birmingham's DDA has been very successful in this area when the recession caused a number of businesses to close or relocate.
D. Webb
12:09 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
The DDA needs to be restructured od dissolved.
It is a board made up of non-elected individuals who have control over millions of dollars. Since they are appointed, they have no accountibility to the taxpayers who own the assets of the DDA.
Laura Harrison
2:15 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
The DDA was a good thing when it was organized in the 80s and managed by the likes of Tom King, Bob Klebba, Jim Dobie, Jim Johnson, Jim Smith, and Ilene Hill. All property and business owners downtown. Along came the 696 mess and after 30 years of political bickering what does the downtown have to show for it. Get the right focus back.
Ryan A.
12:19 pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
The DDA needs to be disbanded. They are siphoning too much money from the general fund.
Raven's Football
12:18 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
The DDA has lost its way.
The DDA was originally formed to work on brick and mortar projects. It has morphed into a marketing committee focused on holiday parades and street fairs.