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HomeMy WebLinkAboutKitchener BIA - 2017-10-25KitcFien�r DovNTo)wN- BIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Minutes 8:30 am -10:30 am October 25, 2017 City of Kitchener 200 King Street W Conestoga Room Present: Darryl Moore, Erika Holenski, Domini Baldasaro, Councillor Frank Etherington, Councillor Sarah Marsh, Phong Tran, James Mitchell, Linda Jutzi, Meaghan Hawkins, Hilary Abel, Chelsea Cybalski Regrets: Paul Walman, Ryan Lloyd -Craig, Berry Vrbanovic Guests: Robert Nyman The meeting began at 8:37, with Darryl Moore as Chair. APPROVAL OF AGENDA/DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS Moved by Frank Etherington, seconded by Erika Holenski "That the Board approve the October 25, 2017 meeting agenda." Carried Unanimously No conflict of interest was declared by any Member of the Board at this time. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Moved by Erika Holenski, seconded by Phong Tran "That the Board approve the September 7, 2017 Budget meeting minutes." Moved by Phong Tran, seconded by Darryl Moore "That the Board approve the September 27, 2017 meeting minutes." Carried Unanimously Carried Unanimously Approval of the July 2017 & September 2017 Financials: Linda expressed that the board is on track with spending, and that all funds have been allocated to close out the budget as intended by the end of the year. The last big spends between now and year-end will be Christkindl and the Downtown Magazine. Phong requested a deferral of the approval of the September Financials until the November board meeting. Moved by Phong Tran, seconded by Chelsea Cybalski "That the Board approve the July 2017 Financial Statements." Carried Unanimously WRPS Update James Mitchell shared that the two day community policing conference was a successful event, attended by representatives of 24 different police services. He shared that the perception of the downtown overall was very positive by the attendees. James noted that some services have had luck with apps that allow representatives of downtown businesses to communicate with one another about commonly occurring issues which are also monitored by police for potential response or recommendations to call dispatch etc. and that this is an item that the police are currently investigating as a possibility for the Waterloo Region. Sarah Marsh joined the meeting (9:00am) James shared that there have been some concerns brought forward regarding safety in the evenings. A new inspector is joining the team and will be brought up to speed on current efforts downtown. James & team will be sharing the efforts and steps that have already been taken to ensure a positive relationship between the BIA and the police. It was suggested that some of the positive feedback received from attendees of the policing forum be distributed in written format to be shared with other members of the downtown. James Mitchell left the meeting (8:56am) Town Hall Feedback Linda expressed that she was pleased with the new faces, the positive vibe in the room, as well as the attendance. The board discussed that versus previous years, the shift from micro discussions to sharing in bigger idea discussion seemed to be representative of the investment of the audience. Berry joined the meeting (9:02am) The board discussed the archway signage that was brought up at the Town Hall Meeting as an alternative to road murals and in general, the value of marketing vs. beautification and design. Linda suggested that one alternative could be the two entry points to downtown (Victoria and Market). The board discussed the possibility of reducing to two murals and utilizing the additional funds for a combination of brand identity and business attraction. The importance of utilizing the existing assets — instagram, facebook, and twitter was also flagged as a point for consideration. Linda reiterated that she will come back with a firm plan surrounding the maintenance and lifetime of the murals etc. before further steps are taken. Governance Committee Update Darryl asked the board to read through the "How to be an effective Board Member" template as well as the "Code of Conduct" document and to sign and return this contract, or to come prepared with any questions to the next meeting. Oktoberfest Update Linda reminds the board that there will be a follow up on the Oktoberfest event to work towards a comprehensive plan for 2018. The board briefly discussed the importance of downtown activation, in particular for the 50th anniversary year. Lori Muller and Stef Golling joined the meeting (9:46am) Chriskindl Presentation Lori and Stef shared a report BIA's relationship with Chriskindl over the past years. They reported that the goal of the partnership was to create activity that would draw people onto street rather than to be confined in the City Hall space. To make this happen, 10 huts were commissioned to allow businesses downtown to participate in the retail process, with four more added in 2016. They reported that 156K has been spent to date and that In 2017 the BIA will be partnering with Chriskindl to submit a Trillium grant in the hopes of purchasing more huts. They shared that the community learns about Chriskindl through Snap'd adds, Facebook, Social Media as well as Chriskindl's promotions. Lori & Stef left the meeting (10:03) Chris Farrell & Sarah Bingham joined the meeting (10:05a) Digital Main Street Chris shared stats on the summer company and starter company programs as well as the principles of the Digital Main Street Program which is currently being piloted in partnership with BIAS in Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo. The next phase for those participating businesses would be "Geek squads" which would assist with implementation of the platform. Chris shared that in Toronto the BIAS purchase blocks of time for use by businesses. Free workshops and training are offered to supplement this learning. Chris explained that the ask of the BIA is to promote the program to members, to fund the digital service squad, and to provide a venue for training small groups of members as needed. The first year goal is to work with BIAS directly, then to potentially push out beyond to offer services to businesses willing to make the investment of time and effort. Chris Farrell & Sarah Bingham left the meeting (10:31a) Other Business Darryl requested that Kitchener Rangers buses be added for future discussion at meetings. Domini Baldasaro left the meeting (10:33a) In -Camera There was no in camera session. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Phong Tran, seconded by Sarah Marsh "That the meeting adjourn." (10:33a) Carried Unanimously