Board Meeting Minutes - January

Board of Directors Meeting
Chattanooga BID/Downtown Chattanooga Alliance
Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Time: 2:00 p.m.-3:07 p.m.
Location: By Zoom

1. CALL TO ORDER

Kelly Fitzgerald, Vice Chair of the DCA, called the meeting to order. Board members attending were Adam Kinsey, Kevin Love, Lisa Maragnano, Matt McGauley, Donald O’Connor, Charles Perry, and Gordon Stalans.

Not attending were Pierre Dabit, Steve Hunt, Darian Scott, Ember Souchet, Erskine Oglesby, Todd Gardenhire, and Robin Smith.

Also present was Steve Brookes, Executive Director of the DCA.

2. The Board minutes of December 16, 2020 (with two abstentions by A. Kinsey and K. Love, who were not on the Board in December) and the Executive Committee minutes of January 13, 2021 were approved.

3. OLD BUSINESS

(a) S. Brookes reviewed the concept of a Cash for Trash Program. Under this program individuals could receive $4 for each trash bag filled up to a limit of 5 bags per day. The payment would be in the form of a credit card which could only be used in the DCA district with purchases of alcohol prohibited. Brookes emphasized that this is a redemption program targeted toward the homeless, and the individuals involved would not qualify as employees of the DCA. Brookes also added that possible results of the program would be a cleaner district and a reduction of aggressive behavior/panhandling.

A motion to implement a Cash for Trash pilot program at the cost of $10,000 for two months with metrics collected and further consideration of the idea at the end of two months passed unanimously.

(b) A RFP for help from a public relations firm will be launched in the next week.

4. NEW BUSINESS

(a) Ember Souchet has decided to roll off the board.

5. FINANCE COMMITTEE UPDATE

G. Stalans reported that as of December 31, 2020 approximately $517,000 was in the bank. A $230,000 reserve fund is in process of being set up. For the year total revenue was approximately $942,000 and expenses approximately $460,000. $50,000 of assessments remain uncollected from 2019.

Stalans reported that any requests for abatement/reduction for non-profits are due by January 31, 2021. The requests should include a statement on the impact of Covid on their budgets.

6. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE

(a) S. Brookes reviewed the successful E-Gift Card program and referred the board to his posted report for other updates on DCA activities.

The meeting adjourned at 3:07.