Minutes: May 2013 meeting

[Christel Manning]

The group met on Monday, May 13, 2013, from 6-7:30 pm at 333 Front Street. Present: Brett Bissell, Joyce Alton, Lisa Fitch, Christel Manning, Don & Nathalie Harvey, Lee Cruz, Sarah Miller, Carlos Galo.

Items discussed:

1      Riverfest debriefing: This really WAS the best riverfest ever!!! We estimated 250-300 people attended (about four times what we got in the past). QWRA said they took almost 70 people out in canoes. The band was great. The food was great. The beer was great, even though it ran out by 1 pm. Ideas for making it even better next year:

a      Advertising: We got a lot of good publicity this year (the posters were everywhere, New Haven Advocate, Channel 8, etc.). Next year, make sure CSNA logo and website address  is on the posters. Additional outlets to advertise in:  school news letters; banners and lawn signs (used very effectively by Westville Artwalk) would be nice but they are expensive (city charges $700 to hang a banner), so we would need to get sponsors. We need to start the planning process earlier to work on cultivating sponsors and meeting publication deadlines for various outlets. We can use positive coverage the event got this year (e.g., Channel 8, New Haven Independent article) to persuade potential sponsors that riverfest would bring positive publicity to their organization. There are many older people who grew up in Fair Haven and moved away when it declined. Now that it’s coming back, would be great to persuade them to have their reunion here as part of riverfest, rather than in Branford or Monroe.

b      Beer-tasting: Lets get Thomas Hooker to come back plus get one or two additional companies. We can use this year’s news coverage to make the case. Also, should ensure that Lisa has bottles of all samples for sale (she had only two of the four).

c      Food: Fixed menu and numbered tags worked well to manage the large quantities of food ordered. Next year have two cash registers instead of one to speed up line. Also, sell sun tan lotion and maybe baseball hats or visors that say “Quinnipiac River Marina” or “Boat House Café” or “Riverfest.”

d      Band: Everybody loved Good Night Blue Moon. Lisa said they never gave her a bill, so we hope they enjoyed themselves too. Let’s try to get them  back next year, plus maybe a second band (since Blue Moon only played for a couple hours and our event is longer. Alternatively, we could set up a sound system to play CDs when the band is not there).

e      River activities: Lots of people took out canoes but event itself could connect better with the river. Possibilities: have people sit where you can actually see the river (set up tables with umbrellas); get Fereshde’s pontoon boat to take a larger group of people across the river to the Nature preserve to see the osprey nests.

f       Organize events for children. These should not be random (like a bouncy castle) but somehow related to our river theme. For example: Coast Guard might offer a child water safety course; Schooner School could come and bring their crab table; Peabody museum has a guy who can come and bring a table with horseshoe crabs and scorpions; a Pirate story teller; a Sea Shanty sing along; Audubon Society might send someone to teach kids about seabirds. Again, let’s start planning earlier so we can reach out to all these folks.

g      Thank you letters: Lee will write to Beer Brewers and to city (for cleanup); Christel will write to QRWA; Carlos to the band; Lisa to Wacoma (for tents) and Coast Guard. Lee will make 6 copies of New Haven Independent article about riverfest to insert with the letter.

2      Strong School update: The project continues with its positive momentum. There is funding available from The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation to help design and some repairs. Phillip Morris, a nationally recognized expert on such redevelopments, will be consulted. H. Pearce Realtors want to help lease out parts of the property. We will need to create a legal entity to take the building or work with an existing NP organization. Marge Shansky a highly respected zoning attorney lawyer and Anika Lemar from Yale Law School have expressed interest in helping with the project.

3      Middletown Bridge Underpass: Grant funding up to $3000 is available for beautifying the area. Christel volunteered to follow up on this. AMR, a company on Middletown Ave is willing to work with us on maintenance of area once it is landscaped.

4      Dining Out Night: This month will be Wed, May 29, 6 – 8 pm at either Guadalupe on Chapel Street or the new Iguana Burrito on Ferry Street. Carlos will talk to Guadalupe soon and then get back to Christel to post event.

5      Soup Night: next one will be in late June.  Ann (from across the river) had said she was interested in hosting. Don will follow up with her. Backup options: Christel & Stewart’s house on Front Street or the Mary Wade Home.