NF Downtown BIA Trying to Move On

Monday, 20 March 2023 07:16

By Geoff Waterfield

Departing city council rep Wayne Campbell isn't too optimistic for BIA's future

Still trying to sort out some of the conflicting messages heard about the troubled Niagara Falls downtown BIA.

Departing city council rep Wayne Campbell says there is no Chair, while Executive Director Amanda says she's reviewing her future relationship with the BIA.

However, Phil Ritchie says he is the Chair, and they are moving forward.

"The BIA has a membership selected board... it's board then hires an executive director, if that's the decision. Typically a council representative is there to serve as a liaison to council, and a neighbouring resource," he says.

As for allegations of threats and shouting at AGM's, Ritchie says the BIA is made of very passionate people, and some of them weren't able to vote on the budget.

He also has a sense of optimism it can start moving forward, amid some board vacancies along with the resignation of the city councillor. "And we hope to add a few members at the AGM... in the meantime, the five members that we have collectively have a lot of BIA experience. We're confident we can function in the short term, we'll hire someone of the short term basis to help with some of the admin."

It's a different story, though, from Wayne Campbell, who tells us the new executives on the board want to cut the budget, and not pay their fees.

"They're trying to change things, they don't even know how to set up a meeting. People were speaking out of line, screaming and yelling at me... there was a motion on the floor, and the Chair at the time refused to accept it... you just can't do that," he says.

He adds he's not too optimistic for the future of the downtown BIA.

He also says Amanda has had a good relationship with a lot of the downtown people.

NF Downtown BIA Trying to Move On

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