It’s fair to say that our BID Street Team are the most visible element of the Business Improvement District (BID) with a measurable impact on the approximately 20 block area of downtown. And this is not only through their work to help make it a cleaner and safer district but in their efforts to make a friendlier downtown. It is not uncommon to see a member of the BID Street Team handing out parking tokens, giving directions, providing a personal escort, helping a business owner move a heavy item, help tow-out cars on especially snowy days, or helping an at need individual to a resource agency. The team’s motto of “better than it was” is reflected over and over in their committed to achieving a higher standard in the delivery of services offered in the BID work plan.
The original scope of work for the BID Street Team was relatively basic, involving emptying pedestrian trashcans, plowing a 4 foot path on all sidewalks on snowy days, sweeping litter, and other general cleanup. These things are still very much in the work plan, however, the BID continues to expand their scope of work and have added public art, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)program, maintenance for downtown’s Public Restroom, and water and upkeep of the Downtown Flower Basket Program. Street level graffiti removal is another skill and downtown clean-up task that the Street Team has honed over the years. They can completely remove graffiti tags from a myriad of surfaces; including bare brick, concrete, bare metal, masonry, glass, and many painted surfaces. Unfortunately, sometimes painting-over the graffiti is the only solution, but they give it their best shot before doing that! While the BID is limited to ground level work, they consult with both the City of Billings Code Enforcement and property owners for graffiti located higher up.
The Street Team does all mentioned above and more on a tight budget, but thankfully as a team they are extremely resourceful! They build and maintain the majority of their own equipment, including their handy water trailer they haul around the Clean and Safe Zone daily in the summer behind their four wheeler. plumbing, electricity, a pressure washer, a toolbox, and a standard garden hose and sprayer. This one trailer has plumbing, electricity, a pressure washer, a toolbox, and a standard garden hose and sprayer to help clean sidewalks, street level graffiti, and water the 185 flower baskets.
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