The Municipality of North Grenville and Old Town Kemptville Business Improvement Area (BIA) are moving forward following a public disagreement. Back in May, municipal staff recommended changes to the BIA budget, including a reduction in management fees and the elimination of pop-up shop funding.
The decision by council to alter the budget was met with an open letter from the BIA, stating the report was inaccurate and increased the level of difficulty for the BIA as it continues to work on the economic development of downtown.
The Municipality and BIA met to discuss these issues on July 11. According to a release sent out by the Municipality, the meeting was productive and both sides agreed to work on improving the lines of communication.
The release further states that both groups expressed that mutual respect must prevail in all interactions between the two organizations and that they shared the same goal which is the betterment of the downtown core.
Some issues remain outstanding and additional meetings are planned.