DDA Approves Budget, Appoints New Member

The Monticello Downtown Development Authority handled some much needed business during their meeting Monday evening including establishing a budget and naming a new director to the authority.

A 2021 fiscal year budget was set at $67,261. Starting from a financial balance sheet of the authority’s expenses and income, DDA members went through each line item evaluating the figures.

With a current balance of $26,754 and anticipated funds of $30,000 from the City of Monticello and $27,000 in rental income from The Shoppes, the authority is looking at $83,754 in 2021 fiscal year income.

Expenditures in the budget include $26,000 for salary contract, which includes an increase from $20,808; $1,500 each for the annual audit (which may not be needed) and building repair; $1,000 for signage; $5,000 each for marketing/promotions, events, and miscellaneous; $2,500 each for facade grants and training.

The budget also includes the revolving loan payments for 139 Washington Street for $8,186, $2,100 for insurance, and $3,000 for parking lot rental.

Authority members also took time to review some administrative business including to appoint a new director Shekenia Lynwood, owner of K & P Printing which is a graphics business operated locally. She also operates a booth in The Shoppes.

Mrs Lynwood replaces one of two outgoing members, Gail Harrell and Judy Hunsucker, that both resigned from the board recently.

Also, Towonder Dennis agreed to another term on the authority after announcing last month that she would not seek reappointment. Director Dennis and Chairman Wendell Yoder are both up for reappointment approval to the authority by city council.

Additionally, some vacated officer positions were voted on by authority members. As Mrs. Hunsucker was vice-chairman, that position needed to be filled and non-board member and volunteer Molly Walker was seeking to relinquish her duty as secretary. Mrs. Dennis was voted new vice chairman and Jennifer Stanley as secretary. Daniel Jeffries remains treasurer.

Mr. Yoder remains chairman and will assume the role as the authority’s tax credit representative formerly held by Mrs. Hunsucker. The chairman thanked Mrs. Hunsucker for her years of service to DDA and her commitment to the community.

In other board affairs, members voted to alter the monthly meeting start time to 6 p.m. instead of the current 5 p.m. meeting time in an effort to allow the business owners time to close their offices before rushing off to the meeting.