Rachel Burns makes a bid for BID board

Andrew Warfield Staff Writer

St. Armands Circle Association may be in the market for its third executive director in two years.

In a newsletter to the members of the merchants association, Rachel Burns announced her candidacy for the St. Armands Business Improvement District. If she is selected to fill a vacant seat on the City Commission-appointed board, she wrote she would step down from her role.

Burns replaced longtime Circle Association Executive Director Diana Corrigan, who retired last summer after more than 22 years of leading the organization.

By virtue of being a property owner within the BID, Burns is eligible to serve on its board of directors.

In December 2022, Gavin Meshad vacated his seat on the five-member board after multiple terms because he was no longer eligible to serve.

“Since then, no other landowners have stepped forward and applied for the BID board,” Burns wrote. “I am excited to announce that this week, I applied for that open BID direc- tor position. If appointed by the city commissioners, I will be stepping down as executive director and assuming a part-time position as the marketing and events director.”

The St. Armands BID is chaired by Tom Leonard. Burns and Leonard debated before the City Commission last fall over the St. Armands Winter Spectacular, a six-week festival in Circle Park that supplanted some regularly scheduled Circle Association-sponsored events. The festival was an initiative proposed by Leonard to celebrate the new $286,000 holiday tree, paid for by the city.

The St. Armands BID is a municipal board of the city, representing more than 60 property owners in the 13 acres within St. Armands Circle. Board members manage a budget funded by the revenues from special tax district overlay of the property.

The BID is up for a renewal vote of the property owners in 2023.

Rachel Burns has served as executive director of the St. Armands Circle Association since November 2022.