Kinnickinnic Avenue BID nominates board

Mine board nominees for the newly formed Kinnickinnic Avenue Business Improvement District (BID #44) were selected Jan. 20. About 35 people attended the BID meeting conducted by 14th District Alderman Tony Zielinski at the George Washington Legion Post 180.

After asking for a show of hands by those who wished to be appointed to the board, 10 people introduced themselves and noted the property they owned in the BID area-along Kinnickinnic Avenue between Becher Street and Morgan Avenue. A voice vote was conducted after each presentation. 

In order of their nominations, the 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 current property owner of 2643 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. (Honeypie), 2663 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. (Hair Arkitekts), and 2920 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. (Anodyne).
• Steve Ste. Marie, owner of the Maytag Coin Laundry, 2510 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
• Joyce Parker, owner of Joyce Parker Productions, 2685 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., and the Joyce Skylight Court, 2680 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 at 2242-46 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. (Jimmy John’s and his wife Kerry Yandell’s BYO Studio).
• Mike Marx, King Building and Just Add Soap owner, 2534 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
• Ron Romero, owner of Ron & Russ’s Flooring and Design, and a number of buildings on Kinnickinnic Avenue including 2640 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. (Hi Fi Café).

Jennifer Volz, a manager at Actaea Works, also indicated she wanted to be considered for the board, but was disqualified on the grounds that only property owners in the business improvement district are eligible for board membership. Volz is not a property owner in the BID. While the BID laws state the majority of the board members must own or occupy property within the BID, they also state that “members of the area business association, community development corporation, or a community-based organization are appropriate BID board members.”

Rhonda Manuel, neighborhood and business development manager at the Department of City Development, informed the newly elected nominees they must submit their BID appointment letter and resume to Mayor Tom Barrett. She said 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 appointed Jason Wedesky the BID’s contact person.

All property owners in the BID area agree to an annual tax assessment that the BID board spends on projects to enhance and improve the business environment, including the streetscape, marketing efforts, business recruitment, and security programs.