The Mt. Airy Business Improvement District (BID) has been talking about the renewal process it must go through this year for some time now.

City Council approved the BID's initial five-year existence in 2007. It's up for renewal next year, and officials hope the city can renew it for 10 years in 2012. So the BID is planning a couple of public meetings to discuss the matter with residents and stakeholders.

The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 30. The date depends on whether Councilwoman Cindy Bass can attend; it could change if she can't come then.

"If she can't make that, it would probably be at the beginning of February," BID Executive Director Hollie Malamud-Price said at a BID meeting Tuesday at Upsala.

There will be another meeting in April.

BID board members said they want to hear from the public about what they want the organization to be doing differently over the course of the next 10 years.

Board member Bob Elfant, for one, said it was important for the board to make sure it told people it's open to hearing suggestions.

Members also talked about their goals for the future. Board member Elise Rivers said she wants to have more pocket parks throughout the neighborhood and commercial corridor, which would create more open space throughout the area.

Others said they'd like to see quarterly leadership meetings among various Mt. Airy officials from organizations like the BID and Mt. Airy USA.