By PAT MC DANIEL
It was a bit of homecoming for Stuart Koperweis when he addressed the Asbury Park City Council May 22, promoting the creation of Special Improvement District for the city.
During his presentation, he noted that at least 20 years ago he was executive director of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce for a few years.
Now he’s urging the council to consider forming a steering committee to study the creation of what in most states is called a business improvement district, but in New Jersey is called a Special Improvement District or SID.
Koperweis works with many local governments in New Jersey as president of Economic Development Strategists, LLC, he explained.
He’s currently working on creating a SID in Ridgewood in Bergen County, but Asbury Park is special to him, he said. He moved here in 2000, lived here for several years before leaving for Florida. He’s now back in Monmouth County.
“I love this city,” Koperweis said in a separate interview.
According to his LinkedIn site, his company “creates a framework for economic prosperity. Our team identifies your strengths and weaknesses and establishes a clear strategy to solve your economic development issues and concerns,” the site explains.
And his message to the council was that a SID would be a “public/private partnership” for the city. It would work with existing business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Urban Enterprise Zone board.
It would support continued revitalization, all while giving retail owners a say in how their district evolves, he said. It would also need to be compliant with all city ordinances.
The SID could help businesses here “control their destiny,” Koperweis added.
At this early stage, there were few details about how such an idea would work in the city. That would be the job of a future steering committee to determine how the district would function.
But Koperweis sketched out some basics of a SID: For instance, there would be a special assessment on all retail property owners in a SID. The property owner – not the business owner – would be assessed, although that cost might be passed on in some way to a retail business if it is renting space, Koperweis said.
Then the physical boundaries of the district would have to be identified and agreed upon – usually focused on commercial areas, Koperweis added.
But if a district is created, all business properties in it would be assessed – “no freeloaders,” Koperweis added.
And Koperweis’ fee for his company’s role would also need to be determined, he gently reminded the council. He’ll be providing a proposal for his future services, but made his presentation first to give the council an overview of the process.
Council agrees to begin process, seek input
So the meeting was only the first of many steps in the direction of the creation of such a district – although Koperweis recalled that a similar concept came up for discussion several years ago.
Mayor John B. Moor and the other council members were responsive to the idea.
“We should move forward and explore it,” Moor said.
He asked Koperweis to draft a letter to the city manager about the proposal and the “city will go from there.”
Koperweis said in the interview he’ll provide a draft letter the city can send to about 30 business and civic leaders and property owners. Then, depending on who would like to be part of the steering committee, he said it should include about 15 to 20 people.
Council members agreed communication with businesses in the city is key.
For example, input from the city Business Committee and other business leaders would be sought in these preliminary stages.
Koperweis explained the three phases of the SID process – planning, outreach and “legislative authorization”:
Planning would include the creation of the steering committee to study and determine the feasibility of the district.
Outreach would include a “stakeholder presentation and input of property and business owners” to ensure all are fully informed. (Another presentation would need to be scheduled.)
Finally, the City Council would need to “legislate” the ordinance for the creation of the SID. A council member would have a seat on the SID board and approve its budget annually, according to the presentation by Koperweis.
What a Special Improvement District can offer
As part of his presentation, Koperweis presented a talk with several slides that outlined what a Special Improvement District can accomplish, including:
– Enhanced maintenance, landscaping and graffiti removal.
– Services to the public, such as visitor assistance and safety.
– Business development to address vacancies and a “business mix improvement.”
– Marketing for special events, public relations and holiday decorations.
– Capital improvements, such as holiday decorations, custom trash receptacles, flower boxes and more.
– Community service initiatives, such as fundraising events and events for youth, the homeless and other organizations.
Among those in attendance for this part of the council meeting was Bob Zuckerman, executive director of Red Bank RiverCenter, the Red Bank business improvement organization.
Zuckerman, who is also an Asbury Park resident, said he’s “known Stuart for decades,” vouching for his extensive work with other municipalities throughout the state.
And Zuckerman, who himself has extensive downtown business improvement experience, most recently in Red Bank, said a SID can work “hand in hand” with other business agencies in a city, complementing each other.
In Red Bank, he said, at RiverCenter he “works night and day on behalf of the businesses,” and has little or sometimes no contact with the actual property owner.
A Special Improvement District, with local business at its heart, could be a plus for the city, he added: “As a resident, I would love to see one in Asbury Park,” Zuckerman said.
Note: If you would like to see the full presentation by Koperweis, you can tune into the City Council meeting on YouTube.
