31 January. 2007 | Spinal Column Online

Walled Lake taps firm to take over DDA duties

By Andrew Sawmiller 

The Walled Lake City Council has authorized a new contract with McKenna Associates to essentially handle some of the Downtown Development Authority's (DDA) duties while the authority remains in a debt-paying mode.

The council didn't approve the DDA's budget for the current fiscal year, leaving the DDA powerless to spend any money other than on debt retirement.

The new contract with McKenna Associates calls for the city paying a $3,900 monthly retainer and $85 an hour for work that goes beyond the scope of the current contract. The money will come from the city's general fund.

“Basically we're keeping on with the Main Street Oakland County program and the good ideas from that and building a new program,” said Mayor Pro-tem Monica Lesnau. “We've hired McKenna because that work doesn't stop.”

The new contract will bring back business reinvestment, marketing, and promotion activities in an effort to bring dollars back into the city, after some of those activities took a back seat due to the DDA budget stalemate.

“Our municipal neighbors didn't wait for us, while Walled Lake was derailed by arguments, attorney's fees, and lawsuits,” Lesnau said. “There's a lot of competition out there. Walled Lake must develop and nurture its position in the neighborhood market place.”

DDA Board of Directors Chairman Casey Ambrose agreed.

“We're happy something is getting done, as opposed to what's been going on for the last two years," he said. "We're happy McKenna is on board, as well, since they have a lot of history in the area. These are people who are passionate about what they're doing. Had it been some outsider just coming in to collect a paycheck, I probably wouldn't be as excited about it.”

Ambrose and Lesnau both spoke highly of the main consultant hired to head the new program, Devany Donigon, a senior planner with McKenna Associates.

“With my personal familiarity with the city, I think we'll be able to move forward," she said. "I think it's time, and I think people are ready.”

Acting also as a liaison between the city and DDA, Donigon is committed to guiding the ship into calmer waters.

“I'm here to get a job done, to get my job done,” she said. “I'm not concerned with becoming embroiled in the politics. I do believe people are on board and ready to move on.”

While not without its scars, that may be the correct assessment.

“If the council feels this is the right direction to spend the same amount of money to hire somebody to do the job that was already being done, then it's their prerogative,” Ambrose said. “To go spend city money and give up the money we were receiving from the county ... if they think that makes sense, than so be it.”

Andrew Sawmiller is a staff writer for the Spinal Column Newsweekly