TESTIMONY
Melissa Tucker, Executive Director of Belmont Business Improvement District (BID), on Enhancing Support for Small BIDs
1:16:09
·
123 sec
Melissa Tucker discusses the need for increased support and strategic planning for small Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and makes recommendations for the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS).
- Tucker appreciates the council and highlights the role of Belmont BID in supporting local businesses and maintaining community safety.
- She emphasizes the critical role of SBS in supporting BIDs and small businesses, particularly through the small bid grant which helped expand Belmont BID's services.
- Tucker proposes the introduction of a multiyear grant for additional staffing to help BIDs better serve their districts.
- She addresses challenges in contracting with the city and suggests more direct grants to small businesses for improvements.
- Tucker also requests a review of the BID trends report, emphasizing the unique needs of different districts.
Melissa Tucker
1:16:09
I'm Melissa Tucker.
1:16:11
I'm testifying as executive director of the Belmont bid.
1:16:14
I congratulate council member Feliz on his appointment as chair of this important committee and congratulate all the council members for their new terms.
1:16:22
The Belmont bid works to advance the economic well-being of local businesses in the community at large.
1:16:27
We work daily to support and promote our small businesses and help keep our neighborhood clean and safe through our supplemental services.
1:16:35
SBS helps build thriving neighborhoods and abundance of ways, most notably by supporting bids and small businesses, and we are appreciative of the work they do daily.
1:16:45
We are especially supportive or thankful for your advocacy and support surrounding the additional funding for small bids of which we are.
1:16:56
And fiscal year 2324 funding from the small bid grant enabled us to expand on our critical services and broaden our initiatives.
1:17:05
If this program were to be baselined, it would create more certainty for small bids and allow us to strategically plan to use the funding for the most important needs of our districts.
1:17:15
It's challenging to introduce new projects or expand operations.
1:17:19
Even with additional funding due to limited staff.
1:17:22
If SBS were to introduce a new multiyear grant specifically for additional staffing, I believe it would significantly help bids better serve our districts.
1:17:31
While we are grateful and commend SBS for their work, it has been challenging contracting with the city due to time lead contracts ready stations.
1:17:39
We believe SBS should offer more grants directly to small businesses as well, things like on storm, and storefront improvements, equipment, and safety upgrades.
1:17:50
The Belmont bid also respectfully requests SBS review the bid trends report.
1:17:55
Just as our neighborhoods are unique, our bids are too.
1:17:57
And what is needed in one district doesn't necessarily mean it's needed in another.
1:18:01
A similar budget doesn't mean similar needs.
1:18:04
We questioned its value, particularly after it was used to provide data for a controller, lander's analysis of the financial and operations practice.