CID seeks contract with UDA to provide services

Directors for the Community Improvement District in downtown Springfield are pursuing a contract with Urban Districts Alliance for that organization to provide services for the district.

The CID's board issued a request for qualifications April 6, said Alana Owen, city of Springfield planner in charge of assisting the CID board. UDA was one of two organizations submitting an answer to that request for qualifications, and the board voted to pursue a contract with UDA.

The contract, once finalized, will place UDA in charge of administering the services the CID will provide in downtown Springfield. A self-taxing district, the CID collects a special assessment to be used for particular services in downtown, such as parking management and safety services, maintenance and image enhancement.

"Basically, the UDA will oversee the operations of the CID and will be responsible for hiring a director to take on the daily operations," Owen said.

The only other bidder on the CID project was Land Forum LLC, said Mary Lilly Smith, economic development coordinator for the city.

Brian Fogle is now serving as interim director of UDA, but that position is to be filled with a permanent director by the end of May, he said. The CID will need another individual, he added.

"I think in the beginning, we thought the CID might be administered by UDA, but we were naive to think that the UDA director could administer the CID plus perform all the duties relating to UDA. It became clear early on that whoever got the contract to administer the CID would need to hire a director for that district," Fogle said.

Fogle also said the two positions have distinct missions. UDA has a broader mission, since the alliance comprises three center city districts Commercial Street, downtown and Walnut Street. UDA's existing services include event management, public relations and marketing efforts for the three districts.

"The CID position would be more aligned with property management. I would say the director there should have property management experience," Fogle said.

The CID board met April 26 to hash out the finer points of the UDA contract. The board voted in favor of approving the contract with some revisions.

The CID is also set to hold a public hearing on its budget May 10. The district's budget year will begin in July, matching the city's fiscal year, and will comprise $157,543, the total anticipated assessment revenue.