Minutes: March 2015 meeting

[Christel Manning]

The Economic Development group met on Monday, March 9, 2015, from 6 – 7:30 pm at 333 Front Street. Present: Christel Manning, Diane Panasci, Donna Cappuzo, Lisa Fitch, Lee Cruz, Nathalie Bonafe, Tambira Armmand.  

 

1. Riverfest Planning.

Donna reported on children’s activities. Peabody Museum has said yes to bringing sea-critters, but they can’t commit formally until April (this is no-cost to us). Daisy the Clown is willing to come for 5 hours, it would cost $600; a really good deal, but we need to raise the funds. The magician we had last year will be at the FH Family stroll this year, which is the day before our event, so we will skip him this year. A caricature artist will cost $100/hr, we could charge $5 per picture, and if he does two pictures per hour we break even. Hope Depot will come and do a kiddy-build event, perhaps build little wooden boats or bird houses. Elm City Kettle Corn will come. Would be nice to have cupcakes, maybe ask Katalina? An ice cream cart would be cool too, Hope had a local guy for her birthday party last year, let’s find him. Sheila and her friends will run her crafts table again, making mini-aquariums in plastic bottles. Need to buy supplies for this.

Tambira reported on bike tour that will end at Riverfest. May is National Bike Month, where they run various bike oriented events all month, so this fits right in. They will have a ride that meets at New Haven Green, and then there will be two rides to Fair Haven, one short and direct to Riverfest, the other longer visiting various points of interest along the way. Can we get a mobile bike rack from the city?

Lisa has not nailed down an agreement with Kevin yet but promises to do so by next month. She also discussed layout issues. The barge will hopefully be gone, there was a report on Fox TV (“Hidden History”) on the efforts to save and move it. This will give us more space. Lisa suggested having the band up against the big gray building, leaving the waterside for guests to sit, good idea. She also reminded us that we need to procure tables. Tambira has some leads to get some.

Christel reported that Carlos is unable to participate in coordinating beer and breweries this year. Lisa volunteered to take over the beer part; she suggested we go with only 2 companies, each doing multiple samples, this makes it easier to procure beer bottles for sale from distributors. Tambira will follow up on bands.

 

Action steps for next month:

--Christel will get Carlos to send beer and band info to Lisa and Tambira

--Lisa will make agreement with Kevin regarding food and bev sales

--Lisa will get commitment with 2 brewing companies to give samples, and arrange for bottles to be available for sale

--Tambira will follow up on bands; discuss connecting an i-pad to their sound system, so that we can have music while they take breaks

--Christel will contact Kathy Riegelman about cupcakes and Hope Metcalf about ice cream vendor

--Christel will contact magician to confirm that we will not be using him this year

--Christel will get together with Diane to update Riverfest website

--Christel will follow-up w. Tambira on getting tables

--Donna will follow-up with Peabody and Home Depot

--Diane will solicit funds from Fair Haven Furniture

--Lee will approach Trail Blazer for funds

--Nathalie will ask Grand Vin for funds

 

2. Main Street program. Diane and Nathalie are co-chairs. They met with city and discussed a plan to work towards a “twenty minute neighborhood” (where everything you need is within 20 minute walk) in Grand Avenue area. First step is to fill empty stores. Would like to involve various businesses in this effort, so it may be helpful to have Economic Development Meeting in a larger, more professional space (rather than Christel’s living room). They have been offered a space on the corner of Grand and Front. We will start meeting there in May (after Riverfest planning is over).

 

3. Dining Out Night will be Tuesday, March 24, at Park Place (the new restaurant in the former Humpries space), corner of Lombard/Humphrey and East street. Tambira will notify the restaurant; Christel will post the event.