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MAIN STREET ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES
8 A.M. – JUNE 13, 2007
WILLIAMSON COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM
Board Members Present: Gordon Baker, chair; Kirk Kriegel, vice chair; Ellen Davis,
secretary; Beverly Adam; Terri Countess; Gary Leissner;
Janlyn Ross
City Staff Present: Shelly Hargrove, Tourism Director and Main Street
Manager; Rebecca Rowe, Historic District Planner; Tom
Yantis, Assistant City Manager; Michael Seery, Capital
Improvements Project Manager
Guest Present: Margie Ranc, Ranc Associates
1. Meeting called to order at 8:03 a.m. by Chair Gordon Baker.
2. Gary made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 15 meeting and Janlyn
seconded it. The minutes were approved by all present.
3. Shelly introduced Margie Ranc. Margie has been hired on a contract basis
through the end of September to do media relations for the CVB. The goal of her
work is to help attract visitors who live within a 50‐200 mile radius.
4. Tom Yantis gave an update on the Downtown Master Plan and the TIF District.
He said the Master Plan is achieving what the Main Street Program set out to do
25 years ago by providing an overarching plan to guide development of
downtown. He said much has happened to implement the plan in the past three
years. Work on the Main Street streetscape project should be completed in
August. Parking is the hardest part of the plan. He said the city may work with
the county to fund a parking garage near downtown. The TIF will eventually
finance improvements in the Master Plan. For the next 20 years, any tax revenue
over the amount collected in 2005 will go back into this district.
5. Michael Seery gave a presentation on the city’s new wayfinding signage. The
first “monument” sign has been placed on Highway 29 near D.B. Wood Road.
Other signs will be made to direct people to downtown and to help people find
L:\Global\Boards and Commissions\Minutes\MSTAB\2007\07-6-13 M.doc
their way around downtown. Final decisions are being made on design of these
signs.
6. Larry McCormick gave an informational slide show about Hill Country Art
Space’s proposal to develop the alley space behind the buildings on 8th Street.
HCAS want to try and make this space, along with an adjacent warehouse,
available to artists. At a future meeting, he would like to get the board’s input on
whether we would approve grants to help building owners restore the facades
that face this alley.
7. Rebecca Rowe passed around drawings of projects that have recently been
brought before HARC. She said the owner of the Car Quest building that fronts
Main and Austin Streets wants to improve this property and divide it up for
several businesses, including a restaurant. She said the new sign subcommittee
created by HARC is not working. Rebecca also said that a new Historic Resource
Survey was started on Monday. The same firm that did the original survey in
1984 is doing it again. All buildings that are over 50 years old will be
documented. The survey should be complete in October or November. It could
lead to the creation of one to three more historic overlay districts in town. June 15
is Rebecca’s last day with the city. Elizabeth Cook will take over her duties.
8. Committee Reports: All committees have recruited volunteers. The first meeting
of the Promotions Committee was held June 8. The Design Committee hopes to
bring in a speaker in for a breakfast workshop on July 25. Business owners
would be invited to learn about how to maximize their window space.
9. Shelly presented her staff report. She said invoices are still coming in for the 25th
anniversary celebration, but the event may have raised about $8,000 for the Main
Street Program’s Facade and Sign Grant Program. The Program of Work for
2007‐08 is being printed and there will be extra copies to give to City Council.
July 27 is the deadline to submit entries for the Texas Downtown Association
President’s Awards. Georgetown has eight projects that could be winners. Sept. 8
is the new date for the courthouse opening.
10. Meeting adjourned at 9:54 a.m.
_________________________________ _____________
Gordon Baker, Board Chair Date
_________________________________ _____________
Ellen Davis, Board Secretary Date