Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What does "BID" mean?
A. BID stands for Business Improvement District, a small, geographical area limited to Spooner's Historic Downtown. Currently the BID district includes River, Front and Summit Streets as well as their connecting side streets, from Cedar Street on the northern boundary to just south of Hwy 70 on the southern boudary. To learn more about Spooner's BID district, go here.

Q. When and where does the BID board meet?

A. The BID board meets the third Tuesday of every month at 8:00 AM at Nick's Family Restaurant on River Street in Spooner. All interested citizens are welcome at any time. Please join us!

Q. I'm a local business owner. Can I be a part of the BID?

A. As of September 2008, the Spooner City Council voted to expand significantly the BID district to include several blocks of commercial property both north and south of Walnut Street. To learn whether your business is now part of the BID district or to become involved in the BID's decisions, you are invited to attend any monthly meeting (details above) or to contact the City of Spooner at 715-635-2327.

Q. Where can I find buildings and businesses for sale in Spooner?

A. Any real estate broker can help you find available properties. To learn more now, click Real Estate.

Q. Can I renovate my historic building in Spooner?

A. Before renovating or remodeling your exisiting building, please read the Downtown Development Guidelines. These guidelines are endorsed by the BID Board of Directors, and they explain in easy-to-read language what the BID Board recommends for cleaning, maintaining, repairing, and upgrading your building's interior and exterior structures.

Q. I live in Spooner. Did my tax dollars pay for all the flower pots and hanging baskets around town?

A. No. In fact, most downtown beautification efforts, including the flower pots, are paid for by the BID's budget, not the city's budget. The BID's budget is funded 100% by an additional property tax assessed on BID members (downtown business owners) only. For a list of Spooner's BID members, click here.

Q. I'm a member of BID now, but there still aren't any flower pots or baskets in front of my business. When will they arrive?

A. Each year as monies become available to the BID, the board devotes a significant portion of the budget to the flower program. Over the next several years, you will see additional flower pots and more hanging baskets popping up along several streets in downtown Spooner.

In addition to the flower pots and baskets, the BID budget also helps fund several other projects each year: parking and landscaping improvements, Centennial Park upgrades, three billboards promoting Spooner, additional lightpole snowflakes for holiday decorating, and most recenlty the new lightpole banners that read "Welcome" in seven languages.

To submit a question for the FAQ page,

put "BID FAQ" in the Subject line when you click here.