HomeMy WebLinkAbout9-16-2022 Michigan ave minutes1
Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority Board of Director’s Meeting
Friday, September 16, 2022 – 8:30 AM Armory Building 330 Marshall Street 3rd Floor Board Room
Lansing, MI 48912
Members Present: Yvette Collins, Jon Lum, Laurie Baumer, Scott Gillespie,
Joan Nelson, Elaine Barr, Dr. Andrea McSwain
Mayoral Designee:
Members Absent: Joe Ruth (excused)
Facilitator Present: Aurelius Christian (LEDC)
Public Present:
Recorded by: Yvette Collins
Call to Order / Roll call / Overview Chairman Lum welcomed everyone and called the MACIA Board of Directors meeting
to order at 8:35 a.m. Approval of the August Minutes (Action)
MOTION: Baumer moved to approve the August MACIA Meeting Minutes pending a
typo correction. Motion seconded by Nelson.
YEAS: Unanimous. Motion carried.
Projects Discussion
Ken from the architectural firm and Jen (from The Green Door) are meeting. They have
a discussion plan for next week. Drawings will be put together after next week per Charlie
Krupka. It is anticipated that maybe 30 days after the drawings are obtained, the process
to open the work up for bids can begin. Lum asked what the process is for reviewing and
approving the bids. The general discussion was that the city has a process and Ken is
familiar with working with the city. Baumer suggested we invite Ken to the October
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meeting so he can educate MACIA on the process and Christian committed to issuing
the invite.
Updates from Charlie Krupka
Krupka shared the brick surface on The Avenue (the business) is coming along. Krupka
shared a bit more information about Voyages and shared that he would suggest the
owner have a discussion with SBDC so that they may offer some support he might be
able to use.
Other Business
Gillespie may be able to make some connections with some of the other small businesses
in the area. Nelson suggested making use of a listserv for businesses to connect. Baumer
volunteered that Krupka can do a map of the businesses along the avenue. There was
a lot of discussion about finding ways to provide information and resources to businesses
along the avenue, as well as to potential customers. There was discussion about having
a quarterly resource fair for businesses – maybe have the city assessor’s office in
attendance and other resources from the city. The discussion was focused on how to
get the businesses connected and networked along the avenue.
McSwain offered to pull together a page for customers, business owners and potential
business owners to aggregate a lot of useful information. Nelson suggested that website
development to create a presence for eastside businesses would be useful and to do
some work on becoming an entity for resources via a newsletter (online). Nelson also
committed to sharing an existing list that Allen Neighborhood Center uses (information
from Matt). Krupka offered to pull together information regarding existing businesses
which might assist as good data or a clearinghouse for Holly (McSwain’s employee) to
use to build a website. Discussion was heavily focused on different ways MACIA might
work to help businesses connected via a webpage.
Brian McGrain will be invited to attend the next meeting. Aurelius confirmed that the
MACIA doesn’t have the authority to add another person to the authority, but he can
reach out to Tri County Planning Commission (Tri County) to invite them to attend a future
meeting (or future meetings). It is recommended that there be some engagement with
Tri County because of the work they are doing. Krupka agreed to reach out to Nancy
Maidlow to engage her as well.
Adjournment
Chair Lum called the Michigan Avenue Board of Directors meeting to adjourn at 9:53
a.m.
Jonathan Lum, Chair
Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority