Revitalize Delton Community Project General Meeting Agenda 1/11
1- Feasibility Study Updates
a. We have secured enough funding to get the study started, and will see an initial report come to us in 10 weeks and then 4 weeks to make sure they have everything we want and need included in that.
b. Rotary, DABA, BCF have really helped get it started
c. Need a total of $15,000 to get that finished up
2- BCF Revitalize Delton Community Project Fund
a. We have 10,000 in the fund from BCF to get it started
b. Able to donate to this fund on a tax deductible basis (501c3)
c. This makes us eligible to receive grant funding that is available as well because of the 501(c)(3) status
3- Boundaries of this organization
a. School district
4- Board Member Status
a. Introduce Board Members
i. Jill Steele
ii. Christine Zuzga
iii. Don Perry
iv. Sarah Sandell
v. Marie Ferris
vi. Marsha Bassett
vii. Jerry McCoy
b. Still board positions available
5- Website Status
a. We have a temporary website
b. Permanent website will be complete in the next month
i. Communication tool
c. Calendar will be an integral part of the website
i. Hope people will get more involved in local governments and events
d. Planning to stay on top of keeping things updates
e. Things people want to see on the website
i. Map of the downtown
ii. Housing options- rental and purchase
iii. Photos of the downtown/area
iv. Quarterly newsletter
v. Financial information/budget accountability
6- Fund Development
a. Can access our fund through Barry Community Foundation
b. Go to our website and donate
7- Updates/dialouge from the audience
a. Barry County Economic Development- Antero
i. Antero group is doing the study for the entire area
1. We want to be sure things that are being developed are things that the community wants to see here, not just things that would fit the zoning
2. That will come along with grants, as well as next steps and timelines from the goals that were established in the community study
ii. Antero group did a county wide study about housing stock and a measure of affordability in the specific areas
b. What else are we using the fund money for besides the study?
i. Will need funding for economic development projects in the future
ii. Will be sure that we have a list of what donations are currently going to along with the donation
c. How are we doing in competition for grants
i. Abandoned home grants
ii. Chamber has a grant for voided homes to be purchased and demoed
1. We are having issues getting people to want to sell the property in order to be blighted
2. We still have funding available for that as soon as the proper residents come forward with viable properties
iii. Blight elimination grants
1. Blight elimination 1.0- large industrial structures
a. Has been allocated, no funding left
2. Blight 2.0- abandoned homes
a. This still has funding but are looking for homes
b. No power running for 12 months to be eligible
c. $500,000 left in this fund
3. Cleanup of sights that have environmental contamination
a. This still has funding as well
b. $480,000 left in the fund
i. Go out in $3k-$10k grants
iv. Shuffle houses
1. Through Barry Community Foundation
a. They build a house, sell it, take the money to build another house
b. Looking for sights to build on in the area
d. Developments in the community
i. Clark brothers just built 20 acres on the corner of Keller and Norris to develop a subdivision
ii. Have developers looking to build on the sewer authority land
e. Fundraising Ideas
i. Alumni/Adult Follies
ii. Put up posters and find good ways to do physical marketing
iii. Reestablish the poles in town that are needed to hang up banners for upcoming events
iv. Get events back into the amphitheater
f. Want to revisit with the school district about land behind the soccer field
i. Hoping we can make some walking trails, and make it an ability for kids to walk to school
ii. Can possibly make a park out of that area
g. Want to help keep the building trades program available
i. We have a head hunter working on finding a teacher with a builders license to take the position to be sure we can keep that program going as our current teacher retires
ii. Possibility of having a builder work alongside a teacher to keep that program functioning if we cannot find a teacher with a builders license
h. Water Tower
i. We have it in the town
ii. Planning to get it put up in the spring of this year
i. Looking for some office front on the M-43 corridor to use as a Delton office/tourism place
8- Next Steps
a. Feasibility study is rolling now and will help give a lot of direction to our future projects
b. Website will be live by beginning of February so we hope to now get more momentum going with our other projects
c. We are starting a school committee to focus on education in the community
i. Connect with DKEF
ii. Keep updated things that DK alumni are doing
d. What is the status of the branding
i. Community logo is being refined according to feedback and then will be used
9- Dismissed to convene among subcommittees
a. Economic Development, Affordable Housing, Education and Community Engagement
b. Get organized for the new year
c. Establish meeting cadence and next steps
Next Meeting March 14th
