Holly DDA Director Nick Klempp Leaving for New Position
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Sept. 5, 2024)
Holly, MI – Holly Downtown Development Authority Director Nick Klempp’s last day with the DDA will be Sept. 13 as he’s leaving to take a position with Michigan Works. The DDA will soon be releasing the job posting for the position, with Chairperson Linda Stouffer taking on executive duties while the board searches for the next Director.
Klemp has been the DDA Director since 2020, where he’s been part of many projects to help the downtown and it’s businesses. He’s also been a longtime volunteer with the DDA and other community events for over 25 years.
Working with the DDA Board, business owners, and a number of community volunteers has led to a number of accomplishments for the organization.
When Klemp accepted the Director position in 2020, one of the first tasks was reviving four volunteer committees and taking a fresh look at the DDA’s mission. They worked through a marketing analysis, rewrote the vision statement, and set goals for the district that included increasing volunteer efforts and seeking outside grants.
A facade improvement grant program added new signage for businesses, sidewalks got replaced, and more visual features were added such as flowers, newly planted trees, and street light repairs. Most recently, grant funding helped to replace trees in Ganshaw Park and soon new planters will be added to Battle Alley.
Charperson Stouffer touched on some of the bigger tasks, telling Oakland County “We are truly saddened to see Nick leave the DDA. His leadership and dedication have been instrumental in advancing our mission. He helped steer our businesses through the COVID pandemic and then with the devastating fire that we experienced in our historic downtown.
“Through his grant writing, he has brought over $1 M to the Village for projects such as the move of the depot. We sincerely appreciate all of his hard work and commitment to our community. While he will be missed, we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
The Holly Train Depot relocation has been a huge project for Klempp, which started even before he was Director. The historic depot currently sits between two railroad lines and is not able to be utilized because of that fact. The DDA has been raising money to move the depot closer to the other buildings of the historic downtown so that it can be used for a visitor center.
But perhaps the most visible part of his experience has been the plethora of events that bring people together in the downtown.
Klempp recalled several, stating “For the last 25 years I have had the pleasure to work closely with the Village of Holly through volunteering for events, for the DDA, task forces, park clean ups and through working with The Holly Community Coalition and then, for the last 4 years, working for the DDA.
“Through those years helping with events like Dickens Festival, Hollydays, Hollyween, Ladies Nights and more, always brought me and my family great joy! It was always a family affair for us, and we will miss all the great connections we made through our time here.”
Klempp added “I have done everything for the last 25 years to make Holly a better place to be. My hope is that someone will take my place with that goal in mind!”
Once the job listing is public, Oakland County Times will share that. Sign up for daily headlines here. Learn more about Downtown Holly at https://www.mainstreetholly.com/.
