Kinnickinnic Avenue BID #44 selects board nominees

Nine board nominees for the newly formed Kinnickinnic Avenue Business Improvement District #44 (BID) were selected tonight at the George Washington Legion Post 180. About 35 people attended the meeting conducted by 14th District Alderman Tony Zielinski.

Zielinski asked for a show of hands by those who wished to be appointed to the board. Ten of these individuals introduced themselves and nine noted the business and/or property they own in the BID area—Kinnickinnic Avenue between Becher Street and Morgan Avenue. A voice vote was conducted after each introduction.

The board nominees are Jason Wedesky, owner of Actaea Works, 2173 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Mike Krolick, Branch Manager, M&I Bank, 2701 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Tim Dertz, owner of Fifth Ward Development, 347 E. Lincoln Ave, and owner of a number of properties including 2663 South Kinnickinnic that houses Hair Architects; Steve Ste. Marie, owner of the Maytag Coin Laundry, 2510 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Joyce Parker, owner of Joyce Parker Productions, 2685 S. Kinnickinnic and the Joyce Skylight Court building, 2685 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Bill Doyle, owner of the Eschweiler House, 2445 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, and numerous residential properties in Bay View; Ken Yandell, owner of Third Coast Investors, LLC, and the buildings that house Jimmy John’s and BYO Studio, 2242 and 2246 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Mike Marx, King building and Just Add Soap owner, 2534 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; and Ron Romero, owner of a number of buildings on Kinnickinnic including 2640 S. Kinnickinnic that houses Hi-Fi Café.

Jennifer Volz, a manager at Actaea, but not a property owner in the BID, who also indicated she wished to be considered for the board, was disqualified.

According to the BID Handbook distributed at the meeting, “members of the area business association, community development corporation or a community-based organization are appropriate BID board members” and “a majority of the board members must own or occupy property within the BID district.”

Rhonda Manuel, Neighborhood & Business Development manager at the Dept. of City Development informed the newly elected nominees that they must submit their BID appointment letter and resume to Mayor Barrett. She stated that no board nominee will be appointed to the BID board if their property taxes are delinquent.

Executive officers will be elected at the first BID meeting from those board members approved by Mayor Barrett.

Future BID meetings will be announced by the city clerk’s office two weeks prior to the meeting date.

Alderman Zielinski designated Jason Wedesky as the BID’s contact person.

Property owners in the designated geographic areas—the BID—agree to an annual tax assessment that the BID spends on projects to enhance and improve the business environment, including the streetscape, marketing efforts, business recruitment, and security programs.

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