An open letter to the Mayor, Council, downtown businesses and residents
I have some serious concerns regarding the transparency of the current Owen Sound Downtown Improvement Area (OSDIA) Board of Management and their ability torepresent the residents and businesses of their mandated area.
At the Annual General Meeting held March 27, 2018, Councillor O'Leary suggested the OSDIA could pay the City of Owen Sound the majority of its funding – a levy paid by downtown commercial properties - and provide complimentary 2-hour parking throughout the downtown. Currently OSDIA pays the City $25,000 annually for the 2-hour free parking on 2nd Ave. E.
At the June Council meeting I questioned why there hadn't been any 2018 OSDIA minutes presented to Council for approval thus making them available to the public. The City Clerk confirmed that none had been submitted. Since the Annual General Meeting there have been four OSDIA Board of Management meetings, none of which were held on their scheduled dates, and all without full public notice. Notice of two date changes were a single line on the bottom of an unrelated email. It might be noted that it is against the Municipal Act, as well as the OSDIA's own policy manual, to hold meetings without public notice.
In the May and June meetings, whose minutes did not come to council until July 23, City staff brought forward a report on how the OSDIA could be completely changed. $185,000 of the OSDIA levy could be given to the city to pay for 2-hour street parking and 9-hour parking in the city lots, draining the OSDIA of resources while continuing inconsistent parking rules in the downtown.
According to the minutes of the June 27th meeting: "Mr. Ritchie explained the importance of having a voice by the Downtown Business owners and the importance of maintaining a Board to deal with issues and express that voice." I would suggest that the OSDIA is not the representative voice of the many varied and unique businesses and fails even worse regarding the residents.
The City and OSDIA plan to have a public meeting on August 30th at 5:30 pm (Yes, this is the Thursday of the long weekend) at the Bayshore to sell the future path of the OSDIA. The OSDIA delivered notice of this to some; two of the three businesses in the Chicago Building did not receive it, nor did I as building owner. As someone who is outspoken about our OSDIA, one must wonder if this is intentional or just poor management. Either case is inexcusable.
The OSDIA was formed in 1973 and was one of the first in Ontario. It is time for a change. This November with the change of City Council the Management Board of the OSDIA will be dissolved and a new board put in place. It's time for members across the mandated area to step forward and take an active hand in shaping the future of the OSDIA; to step forward and create a Management Board that is creative and inclusive; one that truly represents the entire mandated area.
With the future disruptions of the 10th St bridge replacement this is not the time to gut the OSDIA and use it as a revenue source for the city to balance its parking budget.
Now is the time to step up.
