What is the B.I.D.?

The Business Improvement District

In the late 1990's, business leaders and merchants began meeting regularly with Future Neenah and the City of Neenah to craft a strategy for the future of the downtown. As part of the effort, a Downtown Task Force, comprised of stakeholders with broad-based interests, was created to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. After a thorough analysis of the downtown corridor, the need for a comprehensive approach to centralized management, supported by a reliable source of revenue, was identified as the most compelling case for the creation of the Business Improvement District.

In November 2001 the Neenah Common Council approved the creation of the Neenah Central City Business Improvement District (BID) effective January 1, 2002. The BID encompasses a 22-block area of the downtown, north to the Canal, east to Oak/Walnut Streets, west to the Main Street overpass and south on Commercial Street to Jackson Street. The Operating Plan for the Central City Management Business Improvement District (BID) creates a stable stream of revenue from a broad base of benefactors aimed at achieving commonly agreed upon goals and objectives.

There are four goals and objectives outlined in the original BID Plan.

1.) Physical Maintenance to maintain an attractive, clean district.
2.) Retention and Recruitment to create and maintain a plan to retain existing businesses and to recruit new destination businesses.
3.) Public Relations and Marketing to develop and maintain the image of Downtown Neenah as a vibrant community center with an interesting, historic retail shopping district.
4.) Centralized Administration coordinated between Future Neenah, Inc. and the City of Neenah to effectively and efficiently implement and manage the goals and objectives delineated by the BID board. There is an 11-member BID board which was appointed by the mayor. This board consists of property owners, business representatives, a community representative and a City of Neenah representative.