PBIA Phase Two Discussion and Board Election Results - September 8, 2026
PBIA Phase Two Discussion and Board Election Results - September 8, 2026
The meeting focused on the ongoing Phase Two restructuring of the PBIA (Parking Business Improvement Area), with presentations from consultant Economic Development Council (EDC) and the Olympia Downtown Alliance (ODA). Key topics included the formation of a leadership advisory group, development of a ratepayer database, survey planning, and communication strategies. The board also announced election results and received updates on the Artesian Commons survey.
Discussion Items
- Phase Two PA Discussion (Item 6A): Michael from EDC introduced the team (Connor, research manager; Desiree from ODA) and provided an update. The project is on track to deliver a product to council in early 2027 (January/February). A leadership group of approximately 7-10 stakeholders (including the two PBIA advisory committee members) is being convened, with outreach underway. The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for the second Friday of the month at ODA offices.
- Database and Survey Work: Connor described a database of current ratepayers as an internal city tool, but emphasized that key decisions (rate structure, assessment method, eligible square footage) will be guided by the leadership group. Surveys are in early development, with respect for business operational hours as requested.
- Communication Strategy: Desiree outlined ODA's role in managing consistent, transparent communications across channels, and solicited board support in sharing information with their networks.
- Board Feedback: Members raised concerns about paperwork burden (prefer simple invoicing), the need to educate new participants about PBIA history, rate structure, and comparisons with other cities. They emphasized highlighting past successes (murals, alley lights, ambassadors) and the challenge of limited funds ($100,000) for clean and safe initiatives. A suggestion to include a downtown resident in the leadership group was accepted.
- Artesian Commons Update (Item 7): Jenica reported on focus groups and a community survey (open until September 7th) to gather input on site priorities and acceptable uses for the space. The most popular ideas were a mixed-use plaza with event programming. An interim use (pop-ups, parking lot) is also being considered. Results will be presented to city council on September 22nd.
Key Outcomes
- PBIA Board Election Results (Item 6B): Monique Osa, Sophia Landis, Anne Gazer, and Alana Carr were all elected with 29-30 respondents. The board is now at full capacity of 11 members, all serving three-year terms.
- Next Steps: The EDC team will finalize the leadership group roster and convene the first meeting in late September. Survey development and database work will proceed with input from the advisory group. The board will continue to provide guidance as the project moves toward a January/February 2027 deliverable.
- Other outcomes: No formal votes were taken; the meeting was informational and directive.
Meeting Transcript
That part. I forget that. So we are now recording. All right. Thank you. All right. Seeing no announcements, we'll go to business item 6A, phase two PA discussion. Thank you. So in a continuation of the phase two restructure work, we're working with the EDC as our consultant and leading this and the ODA supporting the effort. So Michael and Connor and Desre are here. And I'll turn it over to Michael to provide an update of where we are and what's coming out. Yeah, good. Thanks. Thanks for your time. Thanks for your continued interest and guidance in the project. I thought it was important that you see Connor introduced Connor. You may know Connor from his work with the economic development council. Here's our research manager. He was identified in our proposal to Jenica and the work that we do. And he will be integral in how we develop and implement and understand and analyze our survey. He's going to talk a little bit about the database that he's constructing, about that, what goes into it and how we want to use that as a as a resource to help guide this project as well. And that was also important that Desiree join us and the three of us, you'll start seeing us at these meetings as well. Desiree and the ODA is leading the communications and the outreach piece of that, as you know. So a couple of things that just to get you up to date. I don't really know how deep or how uh involved the conversation needs to be today, other than we're moving forward. Um we've talked a little bit about the scope of work and the things that need to be done. Um and now we're in the phase of convening the leadership group, and we'll start convening that very soon. Uh I think we have a date on the calendar that we're going to try to meet and hopefully meet. I got a little bit behind the the cue ball a little bit, but we're there. We'll get there. And I'll ask Desiree to talk a little bit about communication strategy. Um the other thing that I want to talk to you about is that we're starting to um put a little bit of uh items on the wireframe if you sort of if you speak, if you think about the work that we need to do. Um outreach, uh survey work, anal analysis, uh, open house communications pieces. So those things are starting to get framed out and hung on the wireframe a little bit. Um we have created a little bit of a survey work, but I'm gonna hold that back just because I don't want to put out there that's still in a very nascent uh point of being that really not ready for that feedback yet. There are three of us need to start really thinking about it. We'll talk to the um leadership group when we convene, and we'll come back to you and say this is the document um rather than burn your time with that effort. I think that uh it's not I don't nothing here nor nothing there, but I do think um your time is best um best spent elsewhere um and let us kind of do that staff work. Um that's the role that we won't play. Um the other thing is we want to make sure that we've updated and ensured that our work project or RIF program we're still on track uh to deliver product to the council uh first quarter of 2027. We want to shooting for the early 2027 quarter than the last, so think by January, February. Um working backwards in time. Remember, we talked a little bit about ensuring that in November and December, we'll have some drafts and some really meaty things to talk about, and that will go into the final product. Um, but that all needs to be kind of gone through the the working group or the leadership group that we'll convey. So I want to do just a level set, make sure that you were. I know you all know Desiree, um, but I wanted to make sure that you introduced or introduced to uh Connor and a little bit of the work that he does as well. So any questions for me before I ask Connor to talk a little bit about kind of the database work that he's constructing and how envisioned how that might actually be used for us. And then we'll ask uh Desiree to um tight tighten up our discussion with you with a little bit of a communications plan. Are you are you good? Yeah, um one question.
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