Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Mike Jacobi

Downtown Association board votes to continue

BID reactivation will be pursued

By Dale Bryant

Directors of the Los Gatos Downtown Association agreed at their moment-of-truth board meeting Feb. 14 that they aren't willing to throw in the towel.

Although the organization's membership drive fell short of the $91,000 it hoped to raise when it kicked off the drive on Dec. 5, board members agreed that they could continue on a limited basis with the $42,000 raised. Members also agreed that continuation would be contingent on pursuing the reactivation of the Business Improvement District.

Because the BID caused so much dissension among some in the assessment district from the time it was instituted in December 1991, the town and the BID agreed to put the district "on the shelf" in March 1994. But the district was never actually disbanded for the very reason that it might need to be reactivated some day.

Because the LGDA would like to change the assessment schedule, which some participants felt was unfair, and expand the district itself, reactivation will take six to nine months once the process begins.

LGDA President Mike Jacobi emphasized that BID assessments would be for specific beautification projects, such as sidewalk cleaning. BID assessments, therefore, would not replace membership dues for ongoing operating costs of the LGDA.

Board member Kurt Lemons, who brought up the subject of reactivating the BID, pointed to a list of paid members and argued that many of those whose businesses contribute most to the downtown's dirty sidewalks by selling fast food, which people eat on the run, are conspicuously absent from the LGDA membership roster.

"The only way we'll get them to do their part in keeping the sidewalks clean is to assess them," Lemons said.

Denise Carter, a consultant to the sponsorship segment of the membership drive, said many of those with whom she met were more willing to participate in events or in concrete projects, such as beautification, than they were to make major contributions for operating costs.

"Contributors are the most enthused about having their names associated with beautification projects," Carter said.

Board members expressed frustration, however, that they have been unable to proceed with efforts to have sponsors purchase benches. Executive Director Barbra Toren said the bench project has been put on hold by the town while it awaits the completion of a steetscape design. The town, she reported, is unwilling to allow benches to be placed in temporary locations while awaiting the streetscape approval.

Jacobi said: "We can live with the fact that the town doesn't underwrite us, but it seems like they're trying to undermine us as well."

LGDA board members agreed that continued existence would likely also be dependent on some sort of affiliation with the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce which operates under the auspices of the San Jose Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

"At the very least," said Lemons, who has been involved with the organization efforts of the chamber, "we need to find a way to work with them to avail ourselves of some of their resources, such as printing."

Toren said representatives from the chamber, the LGDA and the Los Gatos Boulevard Community Alliance had been meeting to talk about possible affiliations.