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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_MSTAB_06.13.2014L:\Global\Boards and Commissions\Minutes\MSTAB\2014\Minutes_MSTAB_06.13.2014.doc MAIN STREET ADVISORY BOARD MTG. MINUTES 8:30 A.M. – FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014 WILLIAMSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 710 S. MAIN ST. 2ND FLOOR NORTH CONFERENCE ROOM, GEORGETOWN, TEXAS Board Members Present: Cindy Harrington Julie Laderach, Vicki Jackimiec, Amanda Parr, Jim Wilson, Marcy Urban and David Kellerman Guest Present: Bob Weimer, Roots Bistro City Staff Present: Shelly Hargrove, Main Street Manager; Jack Daly, Exec. Assistant; Matt Synatschk, Historic Planner 1. The meeting was called to order at 8:33 a.m. by Board Chair David Kellerman. 2. Jim moved to approve the May 9th board meeting minutes, with the following corrections: that the pirate ship has been requested to return at homecoming and that Southwestern was preparing for graduation, not the College Town Committee. Julie seconded. All board members present approved (7- 0). 3. Bob Weimer with Roots Bistro (118 W. 8th Street) is applying for a facade grant totaling $2,496.14 to clean and paint his front façade. The projects will be completed by Carnival Painting using a new process that eliminates the need for sandblasting. The building will stay the same colors, so no HARC approval is needed. Julie moved to approve the $2,496.14 grant, Amanda seconded. All board members present approved (7-0). 4. Matt Synatschk gave the monthly HARC report. The June HARC meeting will have one case in Old Town. Staff is working on expanding the Downtown Overlay District to include property to the west of El Monumento and the City Center buildings. The expansion will require the city to notify all property owners within 300 feet and will require an ordinance to be adopted by planning & zoning and city council. Staff is also working on a sidewalk ordinance to regulate outdoor dining. The Tin Barn Alley, 8th Street and 9th Street projects are slated to start in July. They should take about 180 days. Finally, new recycling bins may become available downtown, and once they do, block captains will need to promote them. 5. Committee Reports: a. Design: Amanda reported that the committee is working on developing realtor training for commercial and residential properties in the historic overlays. The plan is to developing a program that qualifies as continuing education credits for realtors. The mural unveiling went well. The mural may need a plaque that identifies the title, name, and a brief explanation. The 2014 ornament will be the old county jail with an antique police car in front. The next step for the 8th Street Courtyard is a meeting with specific property owners to L:\Global\Boards and Commissions\Minutes\MSTAB\2014\Minutes_MSTAB_06.13.2014.doc discuss the project. The committee is also hoping to develop uniform window signage program for vacant properties. The streamlining of the holiday related forms and fundraisers are still underway. This would allow for the combination of Ladies Nite Out, the holiday storefront contest, ornament sales, etc. into one packet and online payment. The committee is also looking at wrapping or screening utility boxes, and possibly trash cans, by the mural and elsewhere around the square. The committee will need to work with GUS to ensure screening is compliant with their requirements. b. Economic Restructuring: Marcy reported that Breakfast Bites will be on June 18th. The panel is called “Ready, Set, Grow Your Business” and was developed after the young female entrepreneurs panel. Cash mobs are also still being discussed. The idea is to host a cash mob to coincide with Small Business Saturday. The committee also did façade photos at Goodwater Wealth Management and Southern Hippie. Jim reported that a Denton, Texas site visit is planned for October 24 – 25. Thursday, June 26th will be the College Town Committee meeting. The Pirate Buc$ program is still being discussed. The current hardware is being phased out and the new hardware will cost $650, but the transaction fee drops from 5% to 2%. The monthly lunch will be held at 11:30 at Nancy Sky Garden on Monday, June 16. c. Promotion: Cindy reported that she is presenting Grape Creek with their Toast of the Town award from Swirl. Ladies Nite Out will be held on Thursday, November 20. Janice Jacoby Parker and Kay Briggs will be co-chairs for the event. The holiday lighting contest will be the same night. The committee is working to clarify that holiday decorations do not necessarily need to coincide with the theme of Ladies Nite Out. The committee is also looking at contracting for the Swirl fundraising this year and would like to develop a cooperative downtown marketing campaign. Finally, the committee discussed giving Geoffrey Batton the Main Street Star Award. Several board members requested that criteria be developed for the award. Vicki moved to nominate Geoffrey Batton the Main Street Star Award. Marcy seconded. Julie said she was not prepared to vote. Amanda moved to table the discussion regarding the Main Street Star Award. Julie seconded. All board members present approved (7-0). d. Organization: David reported that the website needs to highlight what target businesses were requested in the downtown stakeholder survey. It also needs to have the Main Street Advisory Board Action Plan with main goals listed. He would also like to see a list of downtown events. The board also needs to consider developing alternative fundraisers. The two primary candidates are a Main Table dinner or a courthouse lawn picnic basket dinner. The committee favors the picnic basket dinner because of simpler logistics. The board will need to work to get buy-in from the restaurants. David then summarized his annual report to council. It was scheduled to last 20 minutes, but went on for 45 minutes. The major takeaways from council were concerns about overlapping roles between the different downtown organizations and understanding the role of each of them, understanding how much the Main Street Advisory Board fundraises, and having good funding benchmarks with other Main Street cities. David hopes that a part-time administrative position will be funded, along with full funding of the holiday lights. L:\Global\Boards and Commissions\Minutes\MSTAB\2014\Minutes_MSTAB_06.13.2014.doc 6. Staff Report: Shelly reported that the National Main Street Conference in Detroit was good. She especially enjoyed sessions on storefronts, craft brewing and spirits, and learning that parking and signage do not make or break businesses, the key is differentiation. Next year’s conference will be in Atlanta. The American Dream exhibit is at the Art Center. Music on the Square has started for the summer. Tyler’s first Wine Swirl will be on June 28th,, several volunteers are attending. The Texas Downtown Association award nominations are due July 18th. 7. David explained he pulled a façade application from the agenda. The next meeting will be on July 11th. David adjourned the meeting at 9:56 a.m. Respectfully submitted: ____________________________ ____________________ Marcy Urban, Board Secretary Date ____________________________ ____________________ David Kellerman, Board Chair Date