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HomeMy Public PortalAbout300_Better Hometown 1-19-11 minutes Approved: February 16, 2011 Page 1 of 3 Better Hometown Board of Directors Meeting Minutes January 19, 2011 Directors Present: Cullen Chambers, Stephen Palmer, Shirley Sessions, Dick Smith, Peggy Stone, Patricia Miller Wann Directors Absent: Judy Malins, Monty Parks, John Yarbrough Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 6:11pm by Cullen Chambers. Welcome Chantel welcomed everyone. Approval of Minutes Patricia commented that she did not make the comment regarding Riverview being a not for profit and requested it be stricken from the November 17, 2010 minutes. Dick made a motion to approve the November 17, 2010 Better Hometown Board of Directors meeting minutes with the requested correction. Peggy seconded the motion. The vote passed unanimously. Peggy made the motion to approve the December 15, 2010 Better Hometown Board of Directors meeting minutes. Dick seconded the motion. Chantel confirmed Judy emailed her approval. The vote passed unanimously. Committee Work Plans/Updates Design Trash/Recycling Containers: Chantel has quotes from Victor Stanley for 24 gallon (½ trash & ½ recycling). Victor Stanley is the company used by Savannah. Chantel has written a DNR-Coastal Incentive Grant for funding to help with litter awareness and containment. Chantel said at least six more containers are needed. Cullen said the Historical Society will commit to two contingent upon money being raised for the other four. Economic Restructuring Chantel gave an update about the Locals Appreciation Card. Thirty four people have obtained cards thus far. Most of them read about it on the back of the water bill. The majority are long time residents and comments are that the program has been a long time coming. A couple more businesses have inquired about it. Chantel will update the list as more businesses participate. Stephen and Chantel reported that the Season Preparation business meeting was attended by 30+ people. Stephen made sure we had the meeting in January in order to be prepared for the season. There was good conversation about parking, litter and aesthetics. Memorial Park and Orange Crush were also discussed. Sergeant Heckman was there to let the businesses know about police services. Stephen said that Chantel did a great job. Chantel thanked Judy for making the food for the meeting. Chantel is trying to set up another meeting with SBAC, Savannah Bank and Accountants on Tybee for mid-February. Organization Thus far, Chantel only knows of one person, which is Judy; that has submitted for the available 2011 Board Appointments. The Council will consider the applications at their February 10 meeting. Dick said that the Savannah Bank wants to be more involved with BHT. Chantel and Brooke are having lunch soon. Approved: February 16, 2011 Page 2 of 3 Promotions Stephen presented pictures of the wall along Tybrisa in order to progress the project of the Tybrisa Wall Art. Stephen would like to do something that is changeable because the wall is textured and pieces could be sponsored and could feature different artists. Island Villa Developers Inc. owns the wall. They have a PO Box in Savannah according to Stephen. Cullen said the first step is get permission from the owners. Ideally, he would like the design committee to be active in the project. His major concern is vandalism and maintenance. He asked if there is a vine or plant that could grow over the wall to enhance. Chantel said that it would be beautiful in spring and summer but may become unattractive in the winter. Cullen said planters would be a liability unless they were placed and secured in safe places. Patricia said she would contact her contacts in Colquitt, which is Georgia’s Mural City, and then the board would put an official letter together for the the owners. Stephen said Tybee for the Holidays was awesome! Chantel said that the BHT application to Tourism for ad assistance with Tybee for the Holidays and Third Thursdays on Tybee were tabled. Cullen said our request was the last to be considered. Chantel was excused during that portion of the TITC ad meeting because she submitted the requests. They are only distributing $20,000. Pirate Fest and Mardi Gras got the lion’s share and there was a lot of dissent as to whether TTT met their criteria for funding. Some thought that not enough people from out of town were attending and Cullen said that we have data refuting that. Cullen said that he knew people who were staying in Savannah that came out and the TITC ad members said that the TITC main focus is to put heads in beds. Cullen said that our focus with economic development is to put feet on the street. The TITC ad committee said if it is that good then the City should spend its part of the Hotel /Motel tax on it. Cullen discussed that those dollars are spent on beach nourishment, life guards, etc. The TITC ad meeting attendees said it is out of their mission range and they tabled the requests until their next meeting. They want to refine Tybee for the Holidays and consolidate more activities into one weekend. There is less support for TTT. Cullen said they want to assist in all aspects for Tybee for the Holidays. Cullen said we need to get beyond the point of whether the City is doing this or that and make sure we are rowing in the same direction. He said it was disappointing that there were such little dollars left in their line item, but any assistance will be helpful. Chantel said that we do have a little money left in the BHT budget. They do not want to support TTT in peak season, only in shoulder season. Chantel said that she and Lindsey worked together very well for Tybee for the Holidays. She said the TITC wants to have more input with the design so that there is continuity and consistency in the design of all events of which they provide assistance. Cullen said he has been on board with condensing Tybee for the Holidays down to a single weekend. Stephen said we did have many activities in one weekend, with the exception of the Realtor Holiday Tour of Homes being cancelled. Stephen said he understood that we had website issues and he & Chantel made a Facebook page until the website went live. Cullen said that we need to better communicate when the site is ready and some of the other things were outside BHT’s realm. Chantel said Tybee for the Holidays is an umbrella for holiday activities throughout the month. Cullen said he thought it was much better this year. He said he is an avid supporter of TTT and he does not have the influence to sway the Tourism Council to change their minds. Chantel said that there needs to be more of a partnership with the Tourism Council. Shirley asked if there was a plan to make that happen and suggested someone from the TITC board attend the BHT Board meetings. Chantel stated that Lindsay came to one meeting. Cullen said said he sits on both boards. Shirley and he discussed having the person who is least supportive on the Tourism Council attend BHT Board meetings. Chantel presented the responses of the Holiday Parking Survey which she sent out to businesses three times throughout the month. There was not a huge response and the Approved: February 16, 2011 Page 3 of 3 responses were as follows: 81.8% respondents were business owners; 27.3% respondents were from the South end of the business corridor, 18.2% were from the mid section of the corridor, 54.5% were from the North end of the corridor; 54.5% said their sales are impacted due to free parking during the holiday season; 66.7% of those that said sales were impacted said there sales increased 25% in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009; 36.4% said their business would be negatively impacted without free holiday parking, 18.2% said somewhat, 45.5% said not really; 72.7% felt free parking should be offered during the holiday season and seven wrote responses. Cullen said she did an excellent job on the survey. Chantel said Survey Monkey is a wonderful resource and is free with certain limitations. Cullen and Shirley asked if the information would be made available to Council and the public. Shirley said when results like the ones provided gives cause to pause. Savannah did not offer free meter parking this season, but free parking was available at garages. Council may have to fine tune holiday parking and only offer limited free parking, which loses the City revenue while more services are being demanded. The board and Chantel expressed their understanding that the city budget is extremely tight. New Business: Cullen reported that he would like to step down as Chairman. We made the cut right under wire to receive the BHT designation. He is a Preservationist and finally has a full complement on Board Members on the Historic Preservation Board. He says he needs the time to focus on that, but does want to stay on the BHT Board. He feels that other members of the Board who are more visionary will step up and provide more leadership to help move BHT to the next level. He commended Dick Smith for keeping BHT alive. He took the Chairman position as a part time initially. Chantel said that without Cullen’s support and leadership we would not be where we are. Cullen commented that this is a real opportunity for Tybee, as he has never seen such progress bridging the gap between government and business. He hopes that the City will continue to fund this program. The Mom & Pop stores feel represented now. He acknowledged that the City is having financial difficulties. Shirley said that she would like specific examples from the people who are complaining about how the City has not supported BHT. Shirley said that she does not see the ongoing reporting from Tourism that BHT does regularly and does so well. Chantel said she could include the information she provides in the monthly reports to DCA in a report to the Council. Chantel said that the BHT program spending has been very fiscally conservative and has been successful in raising money for work plan specific projects. Shirley said that maybe she could get together with Chantel to talk about what information would be good to give to the Council. Stephen gave the board an update about the nursing home. The nursing home would love to be in both the Mardi Gras and the Irish Heritage Parades. He has the trolley on board. He would like a banner to put on the trolley. Cullen and Dick said that they would contribute money. Patricia discussed the bike accident today and the need for bike riders to obey traffic. Chantel updated the board that the police department is doing a helmet fitting on January 25 and the bike rental companies have been invited. Adjourn Patricia made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:15pm. Dick seconded the motion. The vote passed unanimously.