DUBOIS — The DuBois City Council expressed mixed feelings Wednesday regarding the potential implementation of a Business Improvement District (BID).
BIDs are organizations formed by private property owners and businesses within a specific city district. Members pay a special tax to fund services beyond what local government provides, such as area improvements or marketing to draw in customers.
Lisa Schaefer of Kafferlin Strategies presented the concept to the council. Kafferlin Strategies is the firm currently managing the City of DuBois, represented by Interim Co-Managers Ben Kafferlin and Lisa Hagberg.
Schaefer explained that a BID would include business properties within the district, with each charged a fee based on assessed property value. She cited Oakland, State College, and York as Pennsylvania communities with successful BIDs.
Implementing a BID takes time, Schaefer said, noting that a preliminary plan requires a minimum of 57 days for steps and meetings before final approval.
The goal of Wednesday’s presentation was to gauge if DuBois businesses had enough interest to begin a study for an initial plan, which carries an estimated cost of $6,000 to $10,000. Schaefer said the city would pay the upfront cost, but the program would eventually become self-funding. She noted that in Lancaster, a property assessed at $500,000 paid a maximum fee of $200 per year.
“We can’t say right now what it would cost or not cost,” Ben Kafferlin said.
However, business owners at the meeting pushed back against paying additional fees for a plan that does not yet exist.
Mayor Barry Abbott said if he proposed a new tax as presented, he would be “hung.” Abbott asked Kafferlin and local business owners to meet and discuss the proposal further.
Council member Shirley Dahrouge said she opposes the proposal without a concrete plan, noting that $200 could be a “make or break” amount for some city businesses.
When audience members questioned if Dahrouge had a conflict of interest due to her role as executive director of Downtown DuBois Inc., the council stated no conflict exists because a board of directors oversees her position.
