More Oversight for Downtown Association

Giving the struggling Downtown Association more money for
unplanned events and programs that the public had no input on is
irresponsible and a waste of taxpayers’ money
The latest Morgan Hill Redevelopment Agency allocation of $20,000 for a part-time Downtown Association events coordinator, on top of another $75,000 to run the agency this year and pay the director’s salary, needed to have been preceded by, at least, a public meeting or some concrete answers from city leaders about how successful the agency has been at promoting the city’s core.

It left us wondering what exactly are we going to get for a total of $95,000 this year. 

Merchants continue to complain that business is difficult right now. Many fear harder economic times in the future with other competing businesses opening at the new Cochrane Road and Madrone Village shopping centers. 

So far the only event sponsored by the downtown association, that seemed more like a big children’s street carnival, was last fall’s annual Safe Trick-or-Treat party. The festival drew many children to the downtown area, but it didn’t do much to promote all downtown merchants and the unique goods and services that they offer. 

That’s why the RDA, whose directors are the five members of the Morgan Hill City Council, needs to closely scrutinize the association’s work to evaluate its effectiveness, impact and areas of improvement. If the association’s leader and board of directors need assistance to better help the merchants, then the council must figure out who will help the agency and what steps need to be taken to lift the downtown from its struggling state.

Downtown signage, decorative flowers and free candy on Halloween aren’t enough to bring in much-needed dollars and traffic to our city’s core.

Based on recent findings, it’s obvious the city’s main drag, from Main to Dunne avenues, needs help promoting its businesses during the evenings and weekends.  

Giving an unfocused and struggling agency additional money for more unplanned events that we have no assurance will promote and help downtown stockholders is irresponsible and a waste of taxpayer money.

The RDA also needs to demand Teresa Kiernan, the association’s new director, release her salary information to the public. Her statements to the newspaper that her compensation was not a matter of public interest show a dangerous lack of knowledge about the state’s public records law that classifies her performance and her salary as belonging to the public. 

Knowing Kiernan’s goals and accomplishments would also be good. Dan Craig, the previous agency director, worked hard to get the agency off the ground. The association was also involved in last year’s passage of a downtown Property Based Improvement District. Fees from the district will eventually fund the association’s work, but more oversight is needed.

Once the improvement district begins to generate money to fund the association, the questions about its performance need to continue as the money for its operation will come from downtown property owners. They, like taxpayers now, have a right to know what their money will be used for and how those handling those funds are performing their duties.

It’s all about accountability, transparency and treating public money judiciously.