StockBIZ: Stockbridge DDA working to make downtown inviting to businesses, residents, and customers

The homepage of the new Stockbridge DDA website, which is still under development, at https://www.stockbridgedda.org/

by Mary Jo David

After living in a suburban community that could never really own up to a quaint downtown, this columnist considers herself quite lucky to reside about a half mile from the small downtown of Gregory and only about five miles from the more stately downtown of Stockbridge.

To a newbie, it’s very pleasant to look around at the dignified buildings that comprise downtown Stockbridge and hear from people about who the original tenants were in those buildings at the turn of the twentieth century—or even midway through that century. As the StockBIZ columnist, it’s also enjoyable to meet today’s business owners and talk to them about why they’ve chosen to do business in Stockbridge.

Occasionally, the Stockbridge Downtown Development Authority (SDDA) comes up in conversation. Sometimes the comments are positive, occasionally they are negative, but most often, there are questions like these: What is the SDDA? How is the SDDA funded? What is the SDDA doing with those funds?

This week, two DDA board members—Daryl Anderson and Geri Uihlein—made themselves available to answer some of these questions. Anderson has been affiliated with the SDDA on and off for many years since moving to Stockbridge in 1984. Recently he was elected Chair of the SDDA Board, following long-time Chair CG Lantis.

Uihlein, a resident of the Village for almost 15 years, is an area Realtor® and was recently elected as the SDDA vice chair. All who serve on the Board are unpaid volunteers, and the SDDA is fortunate to have all nine positions on the SDDA Board filled for the upcoming year.

“I am extremely excited to be a part of this team,” voiced Uihlein, who recently stepped down from her board position with the Chamber of Commerce so she could focus more attention on the SDDA. “Without the DDA, the net effect to the community would be fewer resources because the DDA brings in revenue that might not otherwise flow into the Village. SDDA projects have the potential to help Stockbridge businesses—and the community—well into the future.”

So what is a DDA? Organizations like the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation consider a DDA to be “a catalyst in the development of a community’s downtown district.” Typically DDAs use a variety of funding options, including millage and tax increment financing, for public improvements in an area’s downtown district.

The Stockbridge DDA was officially established by the Village of Stockbridge in November 1986 to focus on a very specific section of the Village (see map)—referred to legally as a Tax Instrument Financial District (TIFD). During the most recent 2019-2020 fiscal year, funding of $158,000 for the SDDA TIFD came from various Township, Village, and Ingham County tax revenues. Of the $68,000 of that amount that came from Village

taxes, a revenue-sharing agreement ensured that $45,000 was reimbursed to the Village in the form of maintenance projects like sidewalk and parking lot maintenance (including resealing/striping), snow plowing, light-fixture and light-pole maintenance, and maintaining park restrooms, the park gazebo, play equipment, and more.

The remaining $113,000, along with other SDDA savings, was used to fund a number of new projects this year, including the paving at Memorial Park, building-façade improvements, community promotion, and sponsorships, to name a few. Additionally, SDDA donations help support quite a few Stockbridge social functions, like the All Clubs Ride and All Clubs Day, A Day in the Village, Harvest Festival, the Open Air Market, and Festival of Lights. The SDDA is also proud of its contributions to seasonal decorations, village planters, park benches, and more.

“The focus of a DDA is to foster economic development and revitalization within a downtown area, explains Anderson, “and that also includes promoting projects that make the area more attractive to families and those who might consider moving their business to Stockbridge. Our goal is to make the Village of Stockbridge inviting and attractive to businesses, residents, and customers.”

The Board does not take lightly the responsibility of overseeing DDA income and expenditures. “Our SDDA plans require Village approval, and to maintain our status as a DDA within the State of Michigan, we must submit to an annual audit of our financials,” explains Anderson.

The 2020 Stockbridge DDA meeting schedule includes monthly meetings on the fourth Thursday of each month at 5:45 pm. (Meetings in November and December are TBD due to holidays those months.) To confirm a meeting date/time before attending, contact the Village office at (517) 851-7435. Meetings are held at 305 W. Elizabeth St., Room 112.

Effective January 1, 2019, Michigan law instituted some new DDA/TIF Reporting and Public Informational Meeting Requirements. As a result, the Stockbridge DDA is in the process of rolling out a new website (https://www.stockbridgedda.org/) for posting meeting dates, meeting minutes, project information, and financials. Some of this information is already available on the site even though it is still under construction.

On December 18, 2019, the SDDA Board conducted a workshop to discuss plans for the upcoming year. Stay tuned as details from that workshop take shape in the new year.

DDA board convenes under new Dec. 18. L-R: Judi Cook, Ed Wetherell, Jon Fillmore, Geri Uihlein, Mandy Urquhart, Rebecca Dunne (Treasurer), Daryl Anderson (Chair), Naomi Carson (Secretary), Not pictured: Molly Howlett (Village President).

Molly Howlett, Village President, welcomes new DDA Chair Daryl Anderson.

The SDDA boundaries of the Village of Stockbridge TIFD are shown in yellow.