Downtown business improvement up in the air

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Kevin Killough
Staff writer

GALLUP — Whether or not Gallup will have a business improvement district is still anyone’s guess. Instead of a vote, Tuesday the item was placed on the agenda for discussion. And the outcome of the discussion left no certainty as to the future of the BID, but the mayor’s comments suggest he has a few reservations.

Elite Laundry owner Mary Jean Christensen presented the committee’s recommendations. The proposals include a series of events meant to attract more people to the downtown area. These would include summer concerts, art exhibitions, and summer concerts. The committee also suggested enhancements to the infrastructure and cosmetic improvements, as well as a series of promotional efforts and events. The committee also recommended building strong community relationships through goodwill projects such as scholarship funds.

“This project is very important,” Christensen told the committee.

She also suggested that the project be undertaken as a partnership between the city and business owners. Christensen noted that Rep. John Pena had designated $150,000 toward the project, which will be lost if the BID is not created.

The mayor said that he was not comfortable with the 10 percent limit on in-kind services for the city’s matching funds for the BID. He also suggested that the planning committee lacked agreement on certain points of the plan. Christensen said the comment was not at all true and that the committee had worked together well.

Wondering whether those working on creating the BID should proceed, she asked the mayor and councilors if they were planning on voting to approve the ordinance that would create the BID. City Attorney Dave Pederson said that it would be in violation of the state Open Meetings Act for them to do so since the item was not placed on the agenda for action. Therefore, he advised the mayor and councilor to only discuss the issue and not their voting intentions on it.

Christensen stressed that the 10 percent limit would be necessary. With only about $250,000 a year over five years to fund the BID, cash would be needed. Pederson questioned whether that amount was enough to accomplish the plans the committee had recommended.

“That’s a factor the major and council need to take into account,” Pederson said.

The mayor also expressed concern over complaints from business owners he said were worried about having to pay the assessment with current economy. Christensen said that the state of the economy meant that the city needed to “retool” to bring about economic development.

She also pointed out that the mayor has said in the past that Gallup needs attractions to pull people off Interstate Highway 40. The increased retail sales the BID would develop would be that kind of draw, she said.

“You’ve got to have something for them,” she said.

Mona Derizotis, who owns property along Historic Route 66, said that she has extensive problems with flooding in her buildings. These problems suggest that the city needed to address these problems before trying to do a BID.

Nate Haveman, owner of the Gallup Journey, voiced support for the BID, saying that it had the kind of winning attitude that’s needed to bring about positive change.
”Believe in Gallup,” he said.

Pat Gurley, owner of Gurley Motors, said that BID was needed as a promotion for the city.

“I look at this as more of an advertisement than anything,” he said.

The council will not meet on the Nov. 11 because of the Veteran’s Day Holiday. The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 25.