PBIA Advisory Board Meeting – July 27, 2026

The PBIA Advisory Board, chaired by Jacob David, met to discuss a restructuring of the organization (Phase 2), recent controversial parking changes, and board member recruitment. The meeting featured extensive debate on the composition of a new leadership group and significant frustration from board members regarding a lack of communication from the city's Parking Services. A note on the schedule: the official minutes and transcript for this specific agenda are dated July 1, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• The meeting agenda and the minutes from the June 3, 2026 meeting were both approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No formal public comments were made at the start of the meeting.
• During the Phase 2 discussion, Boardmember Sophie Landis made a statement explicitly as a member of the public, strongly advocating for the inclusion of small, independent "mom and pop" businesses in the leadership group to ensure it is not dominated by larger corporate interests.

Discussion Items

Board Nomination Discussion (Item 6A)

• Jennica Machado reported four open PBIA seats. To expand the board's diversity, board members suggested candidates beyond the one formal survey applicant, including Alana Carr (Catherine Little/Compass Rose), a neighbor named Tanner, and Luis, who owns a bar, a barbershop, and a tattoo studio downtown. The goal was to finalize nominations to send ballots immediately, with elections in July and seating in August.

PBIA Phase 2 Discussion (Item 6B)

• Michael Cade from the Thurston Economic Development Council presented next steps for a complete financial and structural overhaul of the PBIA, aiming for a Q1 2027 presentation to council.
• Leadership Group: A 10-member leadership group was proposed to guide the project. Jacob David and Alden Davis volunteered to represent the board.
• Composition Debate:
  • Alden Davis argued the group must consist primarily of ratepayers, specifically those who are currently disenfranchised or frustrated, to build genuine trust and address the "alienation" felt by the business community.
  • Jacob David countered that the group needs "influencers" and civic advocates (such as Daniel from the Heel Oli project) to champion the changes, gather support, and effectively communicate the mission to a wider audience, advocating for a focus on people who are "bought in immediately."
  • Anne Gavzer suggested former board members like Melissa (BroCo) and Connie (Fuli Fuli Pizzeria), who have deep institutional knowledge of the board's history and frustrations.
  • Other candidates discussed for their sector representation included Olympia Federal Savings, Ember Coffee, Olympia Coffee Company, and Childhood's End Gallery.
• Outreach Strategy: The board advised Michael Cade that "boots on the ground" outreach by trusted peers is the most effective method in Olympia, recommending Monday/Tuesday afternoons for visits and suggesting "action teams" of industry peers (retail talking to retail, restaurants to restaurants).

Parking Services Update (Item 6C)

• Chelsea Baker von Drood and Gustavo Del Castillo Ramirez presented on recent parking changes.
• Core Issues:
  • Payment Crisis: The transition to the District Court has made it impossible to pay tickets online or at City Hall, causing widespread customer anger. An online payment fix is not expected until mid-2027.
  • Communication Breakdown: Board members reported hearing about changes (like the court transition and meter removal) from customers or tickets, not from the city. They expressed intense frustration at the operational impact of this silence.
• Meters and 15-Minute Parking:
  • New Loading Zones: The city is replacing 15-minute meter spots with "curbside pickup" zones.
  • Language Dispute: The board universally panned the term "curbside pickup" as confusing and outdated. They demanded the signs simply say "15-Minute Parking" to ensure regular customers understand it is for quick errands.
  • Free Parking Demand: The board strongly pushed for the direct return of free 15-minute parking. Parking Services stated that transaction fees for free transactions alone would cost the city over $30,000 per year. A proposed PayByPhone validation program was rejected by the board as too administratively complex and burdensome for small businesses to feasibly use.
• Path Forward: Parking Services acknowledged the communication failure and committed to using the PBIA newsletter as a channel for immediate updates. The board offered to serve as a formal, ongoing feedback loop for parking policy.

Key Outcomes

• Board Elections: Ballots for the four open board seats were ordered to be sent out immediately following the meeting.
• Phase 2 Leadership: A leadership group was initiated with Jacob David and Alden Davis. Michael Cade will build a participation matrix to identify additional members based on the board's input.
• Parking Communication: A new direct communication channel was established to share parking updates via the PBIA newsletter. Parking Services agreed to review the signage language for the new short-term parking zones based on the board's strong objection.
• Sales Tax Increase: The board reminded all businesses that the sales tax rate increased to 10% effective that day and urged everyone to verify their POS systems.