(Posted Feb. 18, 2019)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
The city of London now has a Historic Downtown Revitalization Commission.
On Feb. 7, city council approved Mayor Patrick Closser’s appointments to the commission. The five-member board is made up of London residents and individuals who own buildings or businesses in the downtown area. Members are Jackie Bryant Call, Todd Fisher, David Mabe, Joe Russell and Shannon Treynor. Each is serving a two-year term.
The commission will work with business owners and property owners to:
- create a list of needed renovations in the historic district;
- develop strategies to attract business;
- identify policies or regulations that interfere with business;
- create a strategy to deploy targeted resources; and
- bring recommendations to city council for consideration.
Appointments to the commission have been a long time coming. Council approved creation of the group in 2015. At the same time, they approved creation of a Historic Downtown Revitalization Fund.
Money for the fund comes from collection of delinquent income taxes. The fund is set up to receive 100 percent of the first $50,000 collected by the Central Collection Agency, a company the city hired to pursue delinquent taxes. After that, 50 percent of the money collected will go to the fund. Distributions to the fund began in 2015; it currently stands at $12,081.
The commission’s first meeting is tentatively set for 5:30 p.m. March 12 in the council conference room at city hall, 20 S. Walnut St.
Other Appointments
Council also approved the following appointments recommended by Closser:
- Donald Hawkins to the Board of Zoning Appeals, five-year term;
- Christie Adkins to the Playground and Public Recreation Commission, three-year term;
- Phil Taylor to the Historic District Review Board, three-year term; and
- Gary Peters, Tom Cox and Steve Lelonek to the Income Tax Board of Review for two-, four- and six-year terms, respectively.
