Farmington DDA Reconsiders Board Size After Resignations

While two spots have opened up on the (DDA) board, officials may not be quick to fill them. 

The vacancies were created when Greg Cowley took office as a Farmington city council member and when the DDA hired Walter Gajewski last month as market master for the Farmington Farmers and Artisans Market. Gajewski previously served as volunteer market master. 

DDA director Annette Knowles said that before Farmington became a Main Street community, the board consisted of eight or nine members. Officials hoped bumping membership to 11 would promote growth of the downtown redevelopment program, with more board members involved.

"That hasn't materialized," Knowles said.

DDA board president Bob Rock said, from his perspective, an 11-person board is "pretty big", even though it is nice to have a lot of people working together. He said it can be a challenge to get people to make the 4-year commitment to serve, and that service involves a significant amount of time, including monthly meetings.

Each board member is expected to serve on a committee, which adds those meetings and duties to regular board meetings. 

"It can be very time consuming, especially during events," he said, noting some commit more time, while others offer more in that area of a specific expertise. Still, he added, "It is a big time commitment."

Knowles stressed that no final decision has been made. She said the enabling legislation allows the DDA to have anywhere from eight to 12 members. 

The DDA welcomes anyone with an interest in volunteering, which can be a pathway to a higher level of service. Current , for instance, was an active volunteer before her appointment. 

"We're always looking for people to serve on committees, which is a great springboard for service on the board," Knowles said. 

Ultimately, changes to the size of the board would have to be approved by Farmington city council, which also makes DDA board appointments. The majority of members must be either business owners or property owners within the DDA boundaries. The remaining board members aren't required to be business or property owners, but must live in Farmington. Applications are available at . 

For more information, call the DDA, 248-473-7276.