Council Approves Funding for Downtown St. Charles Partnership

St. Charles officials approved $275,000 in funding for the Downtown St. Charles Partnership.

Council already approved $40,000 in funding for the organization, City Administrator Brian Townsend said. On Monday the organization was seeking the remaining $235,000. The partnership’s funds come from proceeds from Special Service Area 1-B. The organization’s total budget is $390,000, with the remaining portion provided by the membership, said Chris Woelfer, the partnership’s treasurer.

, executive director for the partnership, said there are four main areas the organization will focus on, including marketing and promotions, business development, business education, which includes various training activities including social media training, and promoting downtown events, such as RiverFest and Holiday Homecoming.

Alderman Dan Stellato said he had the pleasure of working with the organization over the past six months and said the group is “approachable and easy to work with.”

Alderman Jim Martin, who also worked alongside Stellato and Alderman Cliff Carrignan to help the partnership develop its core mission, said he was initially concerned about the organization’s future. However, after seeing the group reorganize itself, he said he sees a “great future” for the partnership and is glad to “see something that will be sustainable in the future.”

The partnership is also seeking use of unoccupied office space at city hall. Townsend said there is office space in the building that cannot be used by the city due to lack of handicap accessibility.

Last week the DSCP announced , former development manager for , will assume the role of marketing and development director later this month.