City Commission Quick Hits: Arts, Beats & Eats Extension Tabled

Members of the Royal Oak City Commission agreed Monday night to table discussions on amending the city’s contract with the Arts, Beats & Eats festival in downtown Royal Oak, including extending the agreement to six years beginning in 2011.

City Manager Donald Johnson made the request to continue the partnership with changes after calling the 2010 event an “unqualified success.” Johnson said attendance at the Labor Day weekend event doubled from the previous year, when it took place in Pontiac, bringing 425,000 people to downtown Royal Oak. The event was a “boon” for most businesses in the community with the city and the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority recognizing a slight profit, Johnson said.

Moving forward, Johnson recommended the commission approve changes to the contract, including extending the festival agreement to six years beginning with 2011 – the original contract was for five years beginning in 2010 – and expanding the festival footprint. Expansions proposed to eliminate overcrowding experienced last year included adding Main Street, Fourth Street from the railroad tracks to Main Street and Center Street from Fourth Street to Third Street. Johnson would also like to add Lincoln Avenue from Washington about halfway to Main Street.

Commissioner Patricia Capello said she would like more time to investigate all of the proposed changes; the commission received notice of the proposed contract amendments at the end of the day Thursday.

The festival agreement is a tri-party agreement between the city of Royal Oak, the Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority and Arts, Beats and Eats Inc. Changes must be approved by all three parties.

The economic impact of the event was about $23.69 million, according to Oakland County Planning & Economic Development Market Research Services using the Michigan tourism spending and economic impact model, Johnson said. The city’s net income before distribution for the 2010 event was more than $155,000 on revenues of $531,788, he said.

One resident cautioned the commission that just because the first year of the event went well, it doesn’t mean future years are immune from taking a hit from such variables as the weather, so jumping into a contract extension after one good year is premature.

“We are not a one-hit wonder,” festival producer John Witz responded. Extending the contract would have a very positive effect on the partnership, he said.

Commissioners hope to bring back the agenda item for the next meeting March 21.

Other Monday night action included:

• Approving a Civil War monument between Campbell and Alexander. The Royal Oak Memorial Society will pay for the monument. The group will dedicate the monument during the 2011 Memorial Day service.
• Approving a special event ordinance applicable to the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise setting late applications. Under the new ordinance, applications submitted after the deadline must pay a $200 late fee, and city employees can accept the application, review it and then place it before the commission for final approval. This is a departure from the commission being responsible for accepting the application.
• The will host a rabies vaccination and dog license clinic April 9 at the . Late license application fees will also be waived during the event and a licensed vet from the Oakland County Animal Shelter will administer the vaccinations.
• An ordinance allowing dynamic billboards passed its first reading with a 4-2 vote. Commissioner Terry Drinkwine was absent. Dissenting were Commissioners Patricia Capello and David Poulton. Poulton said he does not believe these types of billboards belong in a community setting. An example of a dynamic billboard may be seen at Interstate 75 and 12 Mile Road in Madison Heights. Mayor Jim Ellison, who supports the ordinance, said the billboards would be regulated with images on the electronic billboards not permitted to fade in and out, scroll or be animated. Ellison said the billboards would only be approved for applicants able to trade in two nonconforming billboards, which extremely narrows who would be eligible to erect dynamic billboards in Royal Oak.