Meeting Minutes: Feb & Mar 2021

[Christel Manning]

The Economic & Community Development group met on Monday, Feb. 1, at 6 pm, and on Monday, March 8, at 6 pm on Zoom. Present: Lisa Fitch, Christel, Lee, Kirk, Margaret, Kathleen, Alex, David Hunter, Natalie Coe, Mark Duda.

RIVERFEST: We discussed various options, including in-person social distanced event, a substitute zoom event, or cancel at the Feb. meeting. Various substitute options were floated, including on online bazaar for vendors who normally attend and having a film made about the river and then doing a zoom premiere. At the March meeting we took a formal vote to cancel Riverfest and not do a substitute event. Instead, we discussed planning a Fall event to coincide with the opening of MWH expansion. This might include a community cleanup of adjacent Chatham Square park and setting up tables for local businesses and non-profits to provide info about their goods and services to people coming to check out MWH. David needs to check out this plan with the director of the new building to make sure it doesn’t conflict with her plans. He will report back in April meeting.

SOUP NIGHT AND DINING OUT NIGHTS: Christel has been posting Dining-In week events. Alex suggested we might also include Bakeries. Natalie Coe volunteered to take over posting these events.

OTHER BUSINESS: Kathleen’s grant application to have IRIS women make quilts for the opening of MWH was only partially funded, so she will not move forward with the plan. She also reported that the Growing Entrepreneurs will take up her suggestion of building clothesline racks.