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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20090330BHTminutes.pdf Prepared: 4/2/09 Page 1 of 5 BETTER HOMETOWN BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Minutes: March 30, 2009 DIRECTORS PRESENT: John Yarborough, Cullen Chambers, Judy Malins, Patricia Wann DIRECTORS ABSENT: Alan Fleming, Erin Sheldon, Dick Smith VISITORS PRESENT: Dianne Otto CALL TO ORDER: Chantel began the meeting at 9:00am. BETTER HOMETOWN DESIGNATION START UP CHECKLIST REVIEW (Agenda Item 1): The Board of Directors (hereafter referred to as the Board) and Chantel reviewed the Better Hometown start up checklist prepared to track assigned responsibilities, deadlines and completion dates. Designation is desired by December 17, 2009. Following are the to-do checklist items reviewed and discussed: Community Education 1. Program research, including community visits to three (3) ODD recommended Main Street/Better Hometown cities a. Board discussed possible cities to visit could be Vidalia, St. Marys or Sylvania. Other cities will be considered. 2. Educate the community on the Main Street Approach 3. Hold a stakeholder meeting (Town Hall Visioning) to ensure community support 4. Build broad-based community support 5. Involve key stakeholders 6. Join the National Main Street Center’s membership network 7. Downtown manager and 1/3 of the Board of Directors must attend Main Street Institute a. Chantel reported that Sherry Evans, our regional representative with Department of Community Affairs (DCA) emailed her about this requirement. Sherry informed us that board members not attending the March Institute could attend the Downtown Association Conference in Roswell to fulfill this requirement. Conference dates are October 7 – 9. Prepared: 4/2/09 Page 2 of 5 Board/Organizational Development 1. Develop organizational structure based on the four-point approach 2. Provide job descriptions for Board Chair and Board Members a. Descriptions will be decided at the next Board meeting. See Agenda Item #4. 3. Create Board of Directors 4. Develop by-laws a. The Board reviewed and discussed the National Main Street Center’s sample bylaws and bylaws from other Main Street / Better Hometown communities such as Hapeville and Darien. Chantel reported that the City Attorney will assist in this matter so that the bylaws will be acceptable to Council. 5. Establish the Main Street area boundaries a. The Better Hometown designated area starts at Byers Street and continues through the South End Business District. This encompasses the developing North End Business District within the C2 zone, along Hwy 80 / 1st Street, continues down Butler to encompass the South End Business District. The connectivity of the two main business districts is vital. 6. Provide job descriptions for committee chairs a. See Agenda Item #4. 7. Appoint Committee Chairs a. Discussion ensued regarding the four points: organization, design, economic restructuring and promotions. Island pole banners and lit decorations have been discussed at the holiday meetings. Some of those participating may be possible volunteers on the Design committee. Chantel asked that a board member be a liaison or head these committees. Some promotional ideas discussed were Second Saturdays, restaurant promotions and possible performances. Participants from the Holiday Planning meetings may be possible volunteers for the Promotions committee. 8. Establish a volunteer base 9. Adopt vision and mission statements a. See Agenda item #3 Prepared: 4/2/09 Page 3 of 5 10. Complete online Economic Activity Reports as established by the Georgia Main Street/Better Hometown Program. The three (3) months immediately prior to onsite assessment must be complete. Budget and Financing 1. Set-up three-year verifiable funding with commitment to long-term funding (3-year projection regarding source of funding/budget accompanied by a letter of commitment by funding partners) 2. Separate downtown budget and accounting system Personnel 1. Provide job descriptions for downtown manager 2. Post job/begin interview process/hire manager 3. Manager must be on board at least eight continuous months to be eligible for designation 4. Manager must be in place at the time of the program’s final assessment 5. Manager must be paid a salary consistent with those of other community and economic development professionals within the region. 6. In a Main Street/Better Hometown office staffed with more the one person; the manager must serve on average a minimum of 75% of their time on downtown related tasks and duties. Office Environment 1. Ensure that the office is adequately equipped, including e-mail account for program manager 2. Establish regular office hours 3. Secure visible office space within the downtown district Work Plan Development 1. Create start-up work plan for “to do list” (leading up to designation) a. Chantel reiterated that Sherry said we do not have to wait to start a work plan. However, she would like to be present because it would be helpful for her to communicate our progress when it comes time for her to recommend Tybee for designation. 2. A minimum of 2 items must be completed from work plan 3. Develop downtown building / business inventory with base maps and boundaries a. Brannyn Allen is working on this inventory. Chantel is keeping track of vacancies. Prepared: 4/2/09 Page 4 of 5 4. Begin the process of listing the downtown district on the National Register of Historic Places and/or the process of adopting a local historic district with guidelines a. Cullen expressed concerns with pursuing the National Register from his experience in 1996. Cullen feels adopting a local historic district with guidelines at a city level would be more likely. 5. Conduct local survey assessing needs and wants for downtown district a. The Board and Chantel discussed that the Master Plan, the HDR Plan and the Strategic Cultural Heritage Tourism Plan are critical tools to use as we move forward. State Mandated Compliance 1. Comply with DCA's Comprehensive Planning Minimum Planning Standards and Procedures, which require maintenance of an up-to-date approved Comprehensive Plan and establishment of regulations consistent with the approved Comprehensive Plan. 2. Comply with DCA's Solid Waste Management Minimum Planning Standards and Procedures, which require each local government to have or be a part of an up-to-date and approved solid waste management plan. 3. Comply with House Bill 489 (the Service Delivery Strategy Law) which requires that each local government have a DCA verified Service Delivery Strategy. Local governments not in compliance with Service Delivery requirements are not eligible for state administered financial assistance, grants, loans or permits. 4. Downtown Development Authorities: Comply with the Authorities Registration Act, O.C.G.A. 36-80-16. This act requires all local government authorities to register with the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) by January 1st of each year. Authorities failing to register annually shall not incur any debt or credit obligation. 5. Comply with O.C.G.A, 36-81-8, which requires local governments to provide DCA with a report of their services and operations. Local governments not in compliance with this reporting requirement are not eligible to receive state-appropriated funds from DCA. 6. Comply with O.C.G.A. 36-81-8, which requires each local government in the state to annually submit a Report of Local Government Finances to DCA. Local governments not in compliance with this reporting requirement are not eligible to receive state-appropriated funds from DCA. Prepared: 4/2/09 Page 5 of 5 Community’s Final Checkpoint Community Meets Georgia Main Street/Better Hometown Program Minimum Standards CONFERENCE UPDATE (Agenda Item 2): Chantel updated the Board about her attendance at the Main Street Institute. She reviewed the agenda. Day 1 consisted of a Main Street Overview, Effective Board & Leadership Development, and Historic Preservation as an Economic Development Tool. Day 2 consisted of sessions about Organization/Outreach, Economic Restructuring, and Promotion. Day 3 consisted of a session on Design and graduation. WORK ON MISSION STATEMENT / VISION STATEMENT (Agenda Item 3): The Board reviewed mission and vision statements from other Georgia Main Street and Better Hometown cities. The Board liked the vision and mission statements from Rome, GA. Chantel will send the statements to the Board again. The vision and mission statement for the Tybee Island Better Hometown Program will be decided at the next Board meeting, April 14. REVIEW ROLES FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEES (Agenda Item 4): The Board and Chantel discussed selecting a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer at the next meeting, April 14. The Board and Chantel also discussed that the Committees for the 4-points will need a liaison or a chair from the board. The Board will consider their roles and their participation with the four (4) committees before the next meeting, April 14. OTHER BUSINESS (Agenda Item 5): The Board discussed regular meetings. The Board will meet the second Tuesday of each month at 9:00am. Meetings will be in room 6 at the old school unless notified otherwise. Board members are subject to the Ethics Ordinance and a copy was given to each. MEETING ADJOURNED: The meeting ended at 10:30am.