HUMBOLDT — Instead of hiring a part-time administrator, the Humboldt Business Improvement District is now contracting out those duties to the Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce.
As of Feb. 4, the chamber will do the district’s day-to-day office tasks like paying bills, host their meetings and record their minutes, and be the district’s physical presence in the community. That will be done on a fee-for-service basis.
“We haven't had an office downtown for a couple years now since we closed that one on Sixth Street when the Main Street program ended,” said Jamie Richardson, the district’s chair.
Both the district and the chamber will retain separate and independent boards of directors.
“This is the best possible marriage,” said Brent Fitzpartick, the chamber’s executive director. “It allows the BID to do what it does best, which is work on the beautification of the downtown area, enhance the business community in the downtown [district].
“For the chamber, it gives us that much more power when it comes to marketing, not only the BID, but the entire region.”
For example, the two organizations did a joint campaign last fall focused on encouraging people to buy local during Moonlight Madness.
“We'll have a little more synergy working together instead of everybody doing their own thing,” Richardson said.
The new arrangement will allow the district to save money.
“What that means is that more money is going to be used towards the beautification of the downtown area,” Fitzpartick said.
Richardson said over the next year, the district will partner with the city to complete the improvements on Seventh Street started last year. The goal is to create a more vibrant experience in the downtown through new materials such as planters and benches
“Our aim is to create a more cohesive look while ensuring individual business owners have the opportunity to create their own attractive space in front of their properties.”
This year’s Streetfest is being moved to Aug. 7 and 8 to build synergy with the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament, maximize back to school shopping and reduce event conflicts for some retailers.
The district’s board for this year is Richardson, Erin Strueby, Carrie Hiebert, Lana Muggli and Olivia Coffyne.
