By Lookout Staff
March 20 -- The Bayside District’s new 13-member board got down to business last month, electing its executive committee, appointing members to serve on four other committees, reviewing a proposed services agreement with the City and learning about some of the pressing challenges facing Downtown.
It was the first meeting of the new 13-member board under the recently approved Property Based Assessment District (PBAD) that will oversee some $3.5 million in new assessments to spruce up the Downtown and make it more inviting.
At the meeting February 26, Board member Bill Tucker was chosen as the board’s new chair . Tucker, who was elected to the board by property owners, is expected to hit the ground running. He served as chair of the previous Bayside Board, on which he had served two four-year terms.
Serving as vice chairs are three familiar faces from the former Bayside Board: Patricia Hoffman and Johannes Van Tilburg, who were among the six members appointed by the council, and John Warfel, who was elected by the property owners. Council appointee Rob Rader will serve as secretary/treasurer.
The board also made appointments to different committees.
Appointed to the marketing committee – which will oversee an additional $400,000 a year to help market the Downtown among growing competition from neighboring venues – are Barbara Bryan, Todd Flora, Rob Rader, Carleen Robison and Kelley Wallace.
The Finance Committee, which oversees the Bayside’s budget, is made up of Patricia Hoffman, Rob Rader and Barbara Tenzer.
Serving on the Land and Asset Management Committee, which will make recommendations to the Bayside Board regarding issues pertaining to land use in the Downtown area, are Barbara Bryan, Patricia Hoffman, Barbara Tenzer, Jan Van Tilburg, and John Warfel.
Todd Flora, Allan Golad, Carleen Robison, Barbara Tenzer and Deputy City Manager Elaine Polachek, who represents the City Manager, make up the Operations Committee, which will oversee service and operational issues that impact Downtown.
An ad hoc committee was also appointed to review the proposals for the Ambassador Program, which will deploy uniformed staff to greet visitors and keep an eye on the streets. The committee consists of Patricia Hoffman, Barbara Tenzer and Elaine Polachek.
The new board members then rolled up their sleeves and got to work, going over the terms of the services agreement being negotiated with the City. The services agreement must be in place before any new services can be deployed on the street.
The board will be charged with implementing a plan that institutes a $1.3 million ambassadors program, funds $1.2 million in additional maintenance and pumps $500,000 into marketing the Downtown.
Downtown officials say the new district -- which taxes all Downtown properties and not only retail spaces -- is necessary if the area is to remain competitive with newer venues such as The Grove.
