Warren Main Street Meeting Minutes
Friday April 29, 2011 6 PM at the Main Street Office
In Attendance:
Julia Tarr-Phase Two, Julie Streich-The Wellness Café, Howard Fyock- Gannon Small Business Development Center, Kathy Johnson-The Point, Jen Rossey-Warren Main Street, Dan Ristau-Ring Around the Rosy, Pam McGarry-Worth It!, Marjorie Lopez-GRO-Warren Board President, -- Barbie Wallin- Herbs R 4 U 2, Kathleen Reitinger Warren County Regional Main Street Coordinator, -Piper Lindell- Allegheny Outfitters, -- Brad Watt- Watt Office & Design , Michael Yahn- Author's Book – Store, Josh Ellis-Allegheny Cyclery, Jeanne Berry Manager & Darren Lobdell Owner- The Brick House, The Tybout House- Priscilla Breeze, Jeremy Jeziorski- Manager Struthers Library Theater
Opening
The meeting was opened by Julia Tarr, owner of Phase Two, who started the meeting by thanking everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend. She said that it was great to see many business owners at this meeting who weren’t able to attend the last meeting. Julia stated that the purpose of this meeting is to follow up on and share our work group efforts that we began two weeks ago and to open the floor to hear input and ideas on how we can collectively work together to drive more business traffic into the downtown Warren area.
Discussion of Upcoming Events and Promotional Ideas:
Ideas presented Included:
~ Using Facebook to “connect” all of our businesses and schedule of events. Options related to all types of Internet marketing were discusses as well as how to accomplish the work necessary to keep Internet advertising and marketing up-to-date
~Having a “One Designated Day” for offering discounts to our customers and the benefit/importance of doing this on the same day.
~Block party on Liberty Street in the Center of Downtown Warren over the 4th of July weekend with the street blocked off at Third and Second Avenues creating a large space to listen to Music, See Old Friends, Celebrate and Dance. This event could be a chance for locals and visitors to come together to catch up or get to know one another.
Upcoming Events Beneficial to Warren Main Street:
Civil War May 19-21, 2011
Jeremy Jeziorski-Manager Struther’s Library Theater
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, May 19, 20, & 21, 2011 @ 8:00 PM & Sunday, May 22, 2011 @ 2:00 PM- Servants of the Wind and 150th Civil War Living History Event
Summary from the Library Theater Website:
In this stunning play the author has stitched together diaries, letters, reminiscences and histories to create a rich, teeming tapestry of the Civil War, all seen through the eyes of Warren County soldiers and “the girls they left behind”. It’s a story of partnership, an alliance of people from our past and the present. The play focuses on the 111th, Veteran Volunteer Infantry, the 83rd, and 150th, and the Pennsylvania Reserves, brave American heroes fighting to save a nation during the American Civil War. This show will be performed in conjunction with the community 150th recognition of the Civil War. Civil War Reenactors will take part in a two day Living History Event in Warren's downtown parks. Tickets for the play will be available at the Theatre office or by calling 814-723-7231. For a list of other upcoming Civil War Events around the country visit the Civil War Reenactment site.
~Other upcoming along with past events at the Library Theater were discussed in regard to the positive impact that they have on the downtown businesses. Jeziorski said that progressively more people from out of the area are purchasing tickets to events at the theater.
Web Links of Interest:
Event Summary:
Images of Civil War Warren County PA
GeoWoodstock IX July 2nd 2011
Kathleen Reitinger Regional Main Street Coordinator
Representing WCCBI Operations
~On July 2nd an Estimated 6000 Geocachers are expected come to Warren County from around the world to this Geocaching event with head quarters at the Warren County Fair Grounds.
~Piper Lindell Owner of Allegheny Outfitters said that they are having a Geocaching Event at their store from 9 AM until Noon on Saturday and that she has been speaking with area Geocachers about how their business and all area businesses can work with the Geocachers and provide great shopping opportunities.
~Lindell pointed out that Warren is within a one day drive of the highest populations in North American. We are located near several international airports. “We could have more than 6000 people show up”.
~Ideas presented included offering geocaching coins, advertising using your GPS coordinates, consider a 4 or 5 piece puzzle coin that the cachers would have to go to multiple stores to secure all of the pieces.
This event is so impressive and a tremendous opportunity to show off all aspects of Warren County!
Geo Woodstock Links:
Agenda Items Covered:
I. Creation of a Board of Directors
a. A New Board of Directors was established during The Warren Main Street Meeting held on Friday April 29th.
A discussion took place regarding establishing a new Board of Directors and Board members to fill positions vacated when GRO-Warren was established. At our first meeting held on April 15th, Chris Cheronis, Executive Director of GRO-Warren explained that when the Gro-Warren 5013c was established, the entire Warren Main Street Board resigned. It was discussed at the April 15th meeting that a new board be formed to provide to establish an organizational structure to ensure that projects are planned and followed through with that support the Main Street Businesses.
A discussion took place regarding establishing a new Board of Directors and Board members to fill positions vacated when GRO-Warren was established. At our first meeting held on April 15th, Chris Cheronis, Executive Director of GRO-Warren explained that when the Gro-Warren 5013c was established, the entire Warren Main Street Board resigned. It was discussed at the April 15th meeting that a new board be formed to provide to establish an organizational structure to ensure that projects are planned and followed through with that support the Main Street Businesses.
b. New Officers:
President: Julia Tarr-Owner Phase Two (Nominated by Julie Streich, Seconded by Darren Lobdell)
Vice President: Brad Watt-Owner Watt Office & Design (Nominated by Julia Tarr, Seconded by Julie Streich)
Secretary: Pam McGarry-Owner Worth It! (Nominated by Dan Ristau, Seconded by Julia Tarr)Treasurer: Vacant Position
President: Julia Tarr-Owner Phase Two (Nominated by Julie Streich, Seconded by Darren Lobdell)
Vice President: Brad Watt-Owner Watt Office & Design (Nominated by Julia Tarr, Seconded by Julie Streich)
Secretary: Pam McGarry-Owner Worth It! (Nominated by Dan Ristau, Seconded by Julia Tarr)Treasurer: Vacant Position
c. New Board Members who Stepped Up to Serve:
1. Julie Streich-Owner The Wellness Cafe
2. Josh Ellis-Owner Allegheny Cyclery
3. Priscilla Breese-Owner The Tybout House
4. Piper Lindell-Owner Allegheny Outfitters
1. Julie Streich-Owner The Wellness Cafe
2. Josh Ellis-Owner Allegheny Cyclery
3. Priscilla Breese-Owner The Tybout House
4. Piper Lindell-Owner Allegheny Outfitters
5. Jeremy Jeziorski- Manager Struthers Library Theater
6. Darren Lobdell-Owner of the Brick House
d. Jen Rossey made copies of the following documents at the request of Dan Ristau for everyone to take home and read over:
i. Warren Business District Coalition, Inc. Bylaws
e. Jen Rossey made copies of the following documents for the purpose of providing more information about the Main Street Program and how it works. Handouts about the Organization and Promotions Committees were also made available for those who wanted them.
i. Board Members’ Handbook (Main Street Guidelines)
ii. Handout of Gro-Warren
iii. Statement of purpose and procedures for the (name) program advisory council
iv. Code of Conduct Agreement
v. Internal Revenue Service/Dept of Treasury –Employer Id information
II. Review Meeting Minutes from April 15, 2011
a. Approved with correction of Howard Fyock’s name and the Gannon Small Business Development Center.
III. Work Group Updates:
a. Open House (Dan Ristau)
i. Dan suggested a change in date from our original plan of May 20th due to many events already scheduled for that day and weekend. Another date will be presented at the next meeting.
b. Map of Main Street Businesses(Pam McGarry & Chris Cheronis)
i. Priscilla from Tybout House presented a map that she had designed that the group accepted as good start that is ready for use at this time.
Additional Information about Maps of Main Street Businesses:
ii. Chris Cheronis had provided a list of the Main Street area businesses to Pam McGarry and suggested that she work with Ines Nelson from Northwest Savings Bank Marketing dept.
iii. Pam and Ines met to create maps that can be easily printed and distributed as well as to discuss ideas for a larger glossy printed map and business list that could be distributed regionally.
iv. Initially two legal size maps: one for shoppers & diners and another that lists all of the services and their locations in the Main Street Area.
c. Farmer’s Market (Julie Streich & Chris Cheronis)
i. Julie Streich spoke of working to move the Farmer’s Market from the downtown parking lot onto the streets of town to encourage interaction between the market shoppers and the downtown businesses.
ii. A meeting with the Farmer’s Market organizers is set for May 10th that Chris Cheronis and Julie will attend. Julie and Chris are meeting on Monday May 2, to work on a plan and layout for the market: Proposed locations are Second Ave. between Liberty & the Point and Liberty St. between Second and Third. We will layout options for one or both depending on Streetscape progress (electricity will be needed) and space needed for vendors.
iii. We will have an update for the next meeting
d. Furnishings/Streetscape (Julie Streich & Chris Cheronis)
i. Julie Streich summarized the city council meeting and the significant progress made in securing approval for the businesses on the Street Scape to place quality furniture in front of their businesses allowing for a minimum 5-foot easement for pedestrians.
ii. She reports that the furniture from the Street Scape Grant is anticipated to arrive in late July.
iii. Julie reports that the City Council states that at this time they see no need for ordinances related to the furniture in front of Main Street stores. They state that they would like to wait a year and see if any ordinances are necessary
iv. Julie states that she and has located a good option to purchase quality outdoor rod iron furniture and that other businesses can join in with her order.
Our Next Meeting to be held:
Friday May 13th, 2011 at 6 PM at Warren Main Street Office
Agenda Items:
~Oktoberfest and creation of fest committee (Julia)
~Summer Clean-up “local mission trip” (Jen & Chris)
~Code of Conduct Agreement
~Bylaws Review
~Seating of Board of Directors
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