‘Skin in the game’: Riverfront governing board taking shape

QUINCY – A rough draft for a potential Quincy Riverfront Development Corporation (QRDC) board of directors had certain restrictions when it was presented to the Riverfront Master Plan Steering Committee’s Governance Plan Subcommittee meeting Wednesday evening.

Under the proposal put forth by Quincy Mayor Mike Troup, the board would’ve had five directors: One from the city and selected by the mayor, one from the county with a selection from the Adams County Board Chairman, one from the Park District selected by the Quincy Park Board Chairman, a representative from the QRDC selected by the committee and a representative from a local not-for-profit agency, also selected by the QRDC.

The membership proposal also had a couple of restrictions: Must live in Adams County and couldn’t have a “direct economic interest in the QRDC service area.”

The by-laws had suggested a committee of up to 11 people, which Troup said was too unwieldy, and no restrictions on a person’s residency or their economic interests.

Two of the three members of the subcommittee, Duane Venvertloh and Rick Ehrhart, have business interests in the 89 acre QRDC service area, which stretches north to Spring Street, south to Kentucky Street and east to Third Street. Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Steinkamp, representing the Park Board, is the other member. Venvertloh is the county’s representative and Ehrhart is the city’s representative.

“I’m not sure what’s driving this,” Ehrhart said.

Riverfront Master Plan Steering Committee member Bret Austin asked why there were any restrictions. Troup said he was trying to put forth something he believed could get seven votes on the Quincy City Council. The Council, Park Board and County Board will all have to agree to the formation of the QRDC’s governing body.

Venvertloh and Austin agreed that if the Riverfront project is going to succeed, people with “skin in the game” need to be involved, meaning people who were willing to put more of their resources into making the project work since they are already invested in the area.

“The work is just beginning,” Venvertloh said. “This is going to take 15-20 years. If we have someone who wants to put in a half-million dollars into the Riverfront, don’t we want them to have a seat at the table?”

Austin, who said he doesn’t have any property in the 89-acre zone but would considering investing there in the future, said if someone on the City Council didn’t want him on the QRDC Board of Directors, he wouldn’t serve on it.

The subcommittee ended up recommending the formation of a nine-person governing body that would consist of two city representatives, two county representatives, two park board representatives and three at-large members. The only restrictions left in place were there could only be three elected officials on the committee and all nine have to live in Adams County.

The subcommittee will meet once more before the end of the calendar year.