11/09/09

Even though some economic observers say the economy is finally beginning to turn around, the current slump is lasting longer than many of us thought it would. That may be the driving part of an effort to do away with a downtown Twin Falls organization. In the early 1980's, a group of longtime businessmen formed the Twin Falls Business Improvement District, in an attempt to improve the business climate in downtown Twin Falls.

Scott Adrus, Owner of Escape Salon says “Names like Eaton, Cain, Earl Faulkner, and Howard Allen from Sterling Jewelry, all of those people were very united in putting the BID together. At this point, there is no such group of city leaders to continue on with the BID, so it's most practical that we simply disestablish.”

Andrus bought the Escape Salon at 347 Main Avenue East from his parents eight years ago. He says back then his BID assessment or dues, cost about $375 a year. But Andrus says now he's paying almost twice that amount.

In some cases, downtown merchants feel that the money they're paying the BID could be better used for something else. But the BID liaison to the city council says the organization is better organized than they've been in several years.

Don Hall, Twin Falls City Council Member says, “I believe that they have done that, that they've laid that foundation so they can move forward. Again, they have plans in place; they have a great representation on diverse people on their committee, that can propel them into the future.”

Andrus is circulating petitions to be signed by BID member businesses to disband the BID, using the method spelled out by Idaho law. He says he's gathered signatures of downtown business people who pay roughly $23,000 in dues and he'll need to get 51 percent of roughly $145,000 before taking the petitions to the city council.

Andrus says, “Going down to my salon, or going to the Music Center, or Desktop by Design, or Native Skin downtown, those are the four of us who are very actively collecting signatures at this point.”