WESTFIELD – The City Council members were implored to dissolve the Westfield Business Improvement District by speakers dissatisfied with the role and performance of the organization, and others asked the councilors not to dissolve the organization and to allow it to continue its current function
Speakers on both sides of the issue packed the City Council Chambers Thursday night, and stayed, many standing, for more than two hours while BID opponents and proponents alike stepped to the podium to speak.
BID opponents termed the mandatory BID dues “double taxation” and argued that BID was intended to supplement city services to the downtown, not replace them. Proponents argued that the downtown revitalization effort needs an organization to sustain a “cohesive effort” to improve the downtown district.
Opponents said the BID creates higher expenses for its members, longer vacancies in commercial and residential buildings and results in lower rents from tenants.
Proponents argued that the beautification efforts of the BID have made people feel safer coming downtown and that it has fostered the city center as a cultural and entertainment destination which have brought a substantial number of city residents downtown.
One BID supporter, Ann Woodson, whose family owns an Elm Street property, said she is seeing more pedestrian traffic downtown.
“Before BID the downtown was dirty,” she said. “because of BID the downtown appearance has improved drastically.
“BID is not just for businesses, it’s for all of the residents of Westfield,” Woodson said. “The tangible and intangible benefits far outweigh the cost of what some of us have to pay.”
The petition to dissolve the BID was initiated by a group of businessmen and property owners dissatisfied with the recent change in the law establishing Business Improvement Districts within the state.
That group, led by Ted Cassell, Robert Wilcox and Brad Moir submitted a petition to the City Clerk, which under state law, could lead to the dissolution of the Business Improvement District which was established in 2006.
Under that state law (MGL Chapter 400, Section 10) the City Clerk, upon verification of the petition, must schedule a public hearing before the City Council. The City Council, following the public hearing hearing can vote to either maintain or dissolve the BID organization.
Many of the BID opponents made a decision to “opt out” under the original 1994 state law which allowed businesses and property owner not to participate in the BID and exempted them from BID dues.
Those owners and businessmen feel they were shanghaied into the BID, and its dues, when the law was changed in 2012.
“It was voluntary (membership) when BID was formed in 2006,” Attorney Brad Moir, whose offices and property are located on Broad Street within the BID boundary, said. “The 2012 amendments changed all of that. In 2013 BID voted to force all owners who opted out to join, but (the opted-out owners) did not have the right to vote because they were not members.”
That circumstance led to the petition drive, with signatures representing 57 percent of property owners within the district and the public hearing Thursday night to dissolve the bid.
The opponents argued that much of the property within the district is exempt from the BID dues, including municipal buildings, churches, non-profit groups and residential buildings with three or fewer apartments.
“The overwhelming majority who do pay fees, 67 percent, don’t want this,” Wilcox said.
Cassell, who was a member of the BID Board of Directors until he resigned, said there are no “benchmarks to measure the progress of BID” in the revitalization of downtown.
“There has been a huge investment, of private and public money, that has changed the look of downtown,” Cassell said. “It really has nothing to do with BID.”
“Property owners have given BID eight years to prove itself,” Cassell said. “Now 57 percent of them are asking you to dissolve BID.”
Patrick Berry, the owner of the Westfield News and a BID proponent, said he invested his life savings to purchase the business located on School Street.
“Community newspapers can only thrive and survive if there is a vibrant community,” Berry said. “Westfield is on track to becoming a great community. BID is the mainstay of that process.”
Barbara Trant of Westfield On Weekends (WOW) said that group is “distressed about dismantling BID” and that BID has been a “vital partner “ in giving “day-to-day support and services” to WOW and its events.
“Without BID, WOW will not be able to function as in the past,” Trant said. “BID contributes time, resources and financially to sustain a diverse calendar of events.”
The City Council referred the issue to its Government Relations Committee, which includes At-large Councilor Matt VanHeynigan, chairman, and members Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell and Ward 3 Councilor Brian Hoose, for further review and to present a recommendation on a course of action to the Full City Council.
