The St. Joseph Downtown Development Authority is expanding.
City commissioners on Monday voted to increase the nine-member DDA to eleven members to help ensure a broader range of voices will be part of it.
City Manager Emily Hackworth tells us this all comes out of the paid parking issues the city encountered this year. When paid parking began back in May, the owners of some businesses on the west side of Main Street complained the DDA was comprised of too many business owners from the east side of Main.
“The DDA is a really hard-working, dedicated board, and having more members there will be wonderful,” Hackworth said. “I think we’re going to end up with great representation throughout the downtown.”
Mayor Brook Thomas told us having eleven DDA members will give commissioners a better picture of sentiment throughout the downtown.
“In order to get more voices onto the DDA, get more businesses, people from different demographics or different business types, expanding to more people will just kind of get that diversity of thought,” Thomas said. “I think it’ll be helpful.”
The DDA can have a maximum of twelve members, but it’s recommended going with eleven because that will prevent tie votes.
Hackworth said there’s currently one vacancy on the body, and the city has received nine applications for it. With Monday’s action, not only can the vacancy be filled, but two additional members can be selected by the authority. She described all nine applicants as “really strong candidates.”
