MANSFIELD DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, INC.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Mansfield Downtown Partnership Office

May 1, 2007

 

MINUTES

 

Present:          Stephen Bacon, Thomas Callahan, Barry Feldman, Mike Gergler, Matt Hart, Al Hawkins, Janet Jones, Betsy Paterson, Frank Vasington, David Woods

 

Staff:               Cynthia van Zelm, Kathleen Paterson

 

1.                  Call to Order

 

Steve Bacon called the meeting to order at 4:08 pm in President Philip Lodewick’s absence. 

 

Kathleen Paterson was welcomed as the Partnership’s new Administrative Assistant.

 

2.                  Opportunity for Public to Comment

 

There was no public comment.

 

3.                  Approval of Minutes

 

Betsy Paterson made a motion to approve the minutes.  Dean David Woods seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

4.                  Director’s Report

 

Cynthia van Zelm said she is still collecting grassroots letters to send to Senators Dodd and Lieberman and Congressman Courtney regarding funding for the parking garages.  She asked Board members to send letters based on the template e-mailed a few days ago.  Ms. Paterson said she had a positive conversation with Congressman Courtney about his support but nothing was moving in Washington as all the focus was on the war in Iraq.

 

Ms. van Zelm said the monthly open house is Thursday, May 3 at 5:30 at the Partnership office.

 

5.                  Update on Storrs Center Project and Next Steps

 

She said the Mansfield Planning and Zoning (PZC) public hearing last night went well.  It has been continued to May 21 at 7 pm during a regular PZC meeting.  Ms. van Zelm said the team is putting together written responses to the PZC’s questions and will share them with the Board. 

 

Mansfield Planning Director Gregory Padick (who was in the audience) said he thought the PZC would hold at least two more meetings to discuss the Partnership and LeylandAlliance’s zoning applications.  Typically, one or more PZC members would make a motion on the applications and work with staff to present to the full PZC.  Mr. Padick said he would think a decision might be made by mid-June.

 

Tom Callahan asked if there was a PZC meeting between now and the 21st?  Mr. Padick said there was a PZC meeting on May 7 but no testimony would be received on the Storrs Center project until May 21.

 

Mr. Callahan said there would be a public meeting tomorrow night on the University and Town water and sewer master plan put together by Milone & MacBroom.  He asked Mr. Padick if he would be giving a report to the PZC.  Mr. Padick said he would be giving the PZC the Executive Summary from the report, and perhaps pull relevant pieces from the report for the PZC to review.  Mr. Callahan asked what the University should provide to the PZC.  Mr. Padick said the Milone & MacBroom study could stand on its own or the University could send a letter to the PZC specifically addressing Storrs Center.  The report indicates water has been committed by the University to the Storrs Center project.

 

Barry Feldman asked if not having the parking garage up early in the project is a constraint to moving forward.  What is back-up plan?  Ms. van Zelm indicated that it was necessary to have the parking in place early on to accommodate the commercial and housing development.

 

Mr. Callahan said the zoning approvals and the parking garage are key to moving forward.  He said the Town submitted the Urban Action Grant almost two years ago and is waiting for the Office of Policy and Management to make a decision on the request for funding for the parking garages.

 

6.            Volunteer of the Year Nominations

 

Ms. van Zelm asked for any further nominations for Partnership Volunteer(s) of the Year by early next week.

 

7.            Report from Committees

 

Advertising and Promotion

 

Ms. van Zelm and Committee members gave the report, as Dean Woods could not attend the last meeting.

 

Ms. van Zelm said the Committee reviewed the draft CD/Video prepared by the University of Connecticut students, and that they were doing a good job.  It is close to being completed.  Ms. Paterson said the students were very accepting of comments.  Janet Jones said the video is not as archival about the project, as originally conceived, but more of a promotional piece.

 

Mr. Bacon said he thought it might be helpful to send the video to our legislators.

 

Festival on the Green

 

Ms. Paterson said the Festival on the Green Committee had met with the League of Women Voters regarding the League’s inquiry about having Know Your Town Fair and the Festival on the same day.  The Committee did propose having the events at the same time on the Festival grounds but this was not considered a great alternative at this time by the League.  This will be evaluated again for next year.

 

Ms. Paterson said she is still seeking sponsorships for the Festival.  She said the budget for sponsors is approximately $20,000.  Partnership member Dee Goodrich is now on the Committee and is a valuable asset.

 

Mr. Hawkins requested a list of previous sponsors.

 

Finance and Administration

 

Mr. Callahan said the Finance and Administration Committee, as part of its role, asked Ms. van Zelm to check in on how other LeylandAlliance projects are proceeding.  Ms. van Zelm spoke to contacts in the various communities where Leyland is working.

 

Mr. Callahan said Leyland’s Madison Landing project has faced some hurdles.  They are trying to develop a former airport in Madison.  Leyland received tentative approval from the CT Department of Environmental Protection for its proposed sewer system but members of the local conservation community have opposed this system.

 

Mr. Callahan said that Leyland has positive relationships in the other communities where they are developing property.

 

Mr. Callahan said the Committee has quarterly meetings with the Leyland team and Ms. van Zelm’s calls to other communities adds to the Committee’s role of providing due diligence on Leyland’s work.  Ms. van Zelm passed out some copies of the most recent literature about the other Leyland projects.

 

Mr. Callahan said that UConn and the Town have both doubled their contribution to the Partnership for the next fiscal year.  Is there a role for Leyland?  Mr. Callahan said the Committee has taken the position that it is important to keep Leyland at arms length, at this point, in terms of funding the operations of the Partnership.

 

Mr. Callahan said Governor Rell has been invited to attend the Partnership’s Annual Meeting on June 5.  Since June 6 is the end of the Legislative session, the letter to the Governor suggested that she offer an alternative date for the Annual Meeting.

 

Membership Development

 

Al Hawkins gave the Membership Development Committee report in Ms. Treiber’s absence.  He said the Partnership is closing in on 400 members.  He said approximately $17,000 in memberships for the year has been collected.  Mr. Hawkins said that there is a concentration in looking at the UConn community for more memberships.

 

Nominating

 

Mr. Bacon gave the Nominating Committee meeting in Mr. Lodewick’s absence.  He said with the assistance of Board members, the Committee, through Mr. Lodewick, had contacted potential candidates about serving on the Board.  Mr. Bacon said that timing will preclude the ability to send a proposed slate to the Board at its regular meeting date since it will not meet again until after the Annual Meeting.  IT is likely that a special meeting or a conference call meeting will need to be held to vote on the slate.  He asked that Board members look for an e-mail re: process from Ms. van Zelm.

 

8.            Adjourn

 

Mr. Callahan made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Mr. Hawkins seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.  The meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm.

 

Meeting notes taken by Cynthia van Zelm.