Bridgeport DDA Meeting November 10th, 2021

On the Agenda:
Approval of Agenda begins at 0:45
Approval of Minutes - October 13th, 2021 begins at 1:07
New Business:
1.  Beautification Sub Committee Report begins at 2:25
2.  2022 Meeting Schedule begins at 5:08
3.  DDA Grant Program - add Demolition Section begins at 6:20
4.  Herbert Roofing DDA Grant Request begins at 9:29
Old Business:
1.  Lamplighter Flower Shop begins at 14:19
2.  RRC/MEDC Update - CEDAM Fellowship - Michelle McGregor begins at 15:18
3.  Economic Development Plan and Studies Update begins at 18:55
DDA Coordinators Report begins at 21:00

First let me apologize for being about 28 days late in posting this meeting!  I got it onto YouTube and then shared it on my Carla Citizen Facebook because I couldn't get to the blog post right away.  Then I just forgot about it.  Note that I always put the meeting videos up on YouTube before I post them anywhere else, so check there first.  https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlaCitizenMI/videos

First up for discussion from the Beautification Committee was the flower pots that beautifully adorn our township.  Sadly Abele's can no longer provide the service of delivering the pots each year and then picking them back up in the fall.  So the DDA will be working with other departments from the township and do that themselves.  They will be going down to about 65 pots instead of the 100+ pots they have been doing.  The pots will go from I-75 down to Gretchen St and Dixie.  Also they will put them at the bridge area, the township offices, and the North Gateway area. They also talk about the Asphalt Art project they are working on bringing to our community.  Looking at doing it around the bridge area first.  I have checked out that project online and it is some beautiful artwork.

The last topic from the Beautification Committee is the Earth Day Community Cleanup that will be held on Friday, April 22nd, 2022. I will have to clarify the date of the cleanup because looking at the calendar, it looks like Thursday the 22nd is Earth Day; Friday is the 23rd.  They are looking to get volunteers from the community residents, businesses, and maybe the schools.  They will be providing dumpsters and will include tires, also maybe looking at disposal of mattresses.

They also updated their DDA  Façade Grant Program to include demolition. They also awarded the grant to Herbert Roofing.  Herbert Roofing will be demolishing the old house that sits between their business building and Drakes Bar.  

Next up was the announcement that they have purchased the Lamplighter Flower Shop.  They have made the first payment on it and will make the final payment in March 2022, then they will take possession of the property.

Some updates from Michelle McGregor and Township Manager Adrianna Jordan on the various projects/studies like the Capital Improvement Plan they are working on, and they have received a total of $100,000 in grant money to help with these.

Updates from the DDA Coordinator Bill Wheeler, he also talked about the cleanup work that was just completed at the old Gobeyn's Service Station.