Ahead of its unanimous vote to reject the Business Improvement District's proposed budget for 2016 Tuesday night, Flemington Borough Council explained it's still pro-BID.
FLEMINGTON -- Ahead of its unanimous vote to reject the Business Improvement District's proposed budget for 2016 Tuesday night, Borough Council explained it still supports the district.
"We don't want to dissolve the BID. If we wanted to do that we would, because we can," said Councilwoman Dorothy Fine.
Council said its decision to hire Administrative Resources, Inc. to consult on restructuring the BID's governance will ensure that big upcoming projects, like the branding effort led by consultant Roger Brooks, are handled properly.
The firm, which was referred to as "experts" by several council members, was hired for three months for a total cost of $6,000 and will look at amending the Business Improvement District's bylaws, establishing a new mission statement, changing the size of the BID's board and creating a more detailed and specific budget, according to Councilman Brian Swingle.
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"I think the problems that exist now are: too large of a BID board, that's largely dysfunctional, you also have an executive board that has some difficult personalities on it, but also some positive personalities," Swingle said in an interview after the meeting. "I think that all of this doesn't bode well for a functioning organization, and often what happens is things that should move relatively fast or expeditiously tend not to."
Councilwoman Michelle Oberst agreed, stating that if the BID cooperates with restructuring, it can move forward with its efforts, like the branding project, and a partnership with council would only make it stronger.
Without an approved budget for 2016, the Business Improvement District can continue to operate using its $101,325 surplus from 2015, but Robert Shore, a member of the BID's executive board and former chairman, said little work can be done without a budget.
"What you saw tonight was a distortion of truth. This is strong arming, and it's about council getting more control over the BID," Shore said. "Council was given every opportunity for recommendations and everything was met with."
Listing the accomplishments of the BID, including the streetscape project and events that drew people downtown, Shore said, "People should be celebrating the results of the BID, but instead the enthusiasm has been squelched."
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That sentiment was also held by several business owners who spoke during the meeting in an attempt to stop the "no" vote.
"This group of people, working so diligently on the board of the BID, this is our chance," said Market Roost owner Carol Todd. "All these people volunteer so much of their time, and (BID Executive Director Megan Jones-Holt) has got to be the best shot this town has ever, ever had. ... We can't stop mid-stream."
Additionally, Roseanna Di Marzio, who owns the Grill Shack on Main Street and volunteers with the Business Improvement District, said the BID should be run like a business, and without the organization and its projects, she may decide to leave Flemington.
"The BID should not be run like a business because it has no customers," said Councilman Joey Novick. "That funding comes from the public and I struggle with putting that amount of money in the hands of folks that sometimes I think have missed the boat on better communication, accountability and governance."
Uncertain of what lies ahead, Shore said he is advising the Business Improvement District to close its office on Main Street until the board has time to meet and discuss its next steps for 2016, while Swingle said the consultants will begin immediately by meeting with council members Wednesday.
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Earlier changes to the budget in November included applying $54,875 of estimated revenue to $220,790 of expected administrative costs, which was originally 63 percent of its $350,000 budget.
Swingle said a new budget should reflect restructuring, and in regard to the BID's few salaried positions, the decision of who is getting paid how much should be left up to the Business Improvement District board.
"However, I think that the overhead, in order to execute a certain mission, should not be out of line with normal non-profit funding. It should not be more than 35 percent of the organizations total budget."
Although present at the meeting, Jones-Holt declined to comment.
Emily Cummins may be reached at ecummins@njadvancemedia.com Follow her on Twitter @EmilyACummins and Facebook.