BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Mansfield Downtown Partnership Office
1244 Storrs Road (behind People’s Bank in Storrs Commons)
4:00 PM
Present: Chair: Philip Lodewick, Steve Bacon, Tom Callahan, Bruce Clouette, Dianne Doyle, Barry Feldman, Janet Jones, Frank McNabb, Betsy Paterson, Steve Rogers, Kristin Schwab, Phil Spak, Betsy Treiber, David Woods
Staff: Cynthia van Zelm, Kathleen Paterson, Lee Cole-Chu
1. Call to Order
Philip Lodewick called the meeting to order at 4.05 pm.
2. Opportunity for Public to Comment
Laura Webb with the University of Connecticut Alumni Association introduced herself to the Board.
3. Approval of Minutes
Bruce Clouette made a motion to approve the meeting notes. Steve Bacon seconded the motion. The meeting notes were approved unanimously.
4. Director’s Report
Cynthia van Zelm reported to the Board the following:
The first local Climate Change conference, sponsored by the Town and the University of Connecticut, was held last week. She said the Partnership had a table about the Storrs Center project, with a focus on sustainability. Mayor Paterson and Town Manager Matt Hart spoke at the conference.
She said that she will be on a panel about the Storrs Center project at the First Annual Smart Growth Conference sponsored by 1000 Friends of Connecticut. Macon Toledano, and Geoff Fitzgerald and Andy Graves from BL Companies, will be on the panel as well.
Ms. van Zelm said the community reception for UConn President Mike Hogan went very well. She said that President Hogan spoke very strongly about support for the Storrs Center project. Ms. Paterson said she had received very positive feedback about the reception. Bruce Clouette said he was very pleased with the attendance.
5. Update on Storrs Center Project and Next Steps
Ms. van Zelm said with respect to funding for the parking garage, there may be an update on the federal end by Friday. The US House and Senate are scheduled to mark up the Transportations Appropriations bill at that time.
Ms. van Zelm said she continues to work with LeylandAlliance and Town Manager Matt Hart on financing for the Dog Lane-1 building, and subsequent rental rates. She said that they now do not expect to see groundbreaking until next spring.
Mr. Clouette noted that it is important to show that construction will start for the Dog Lane-1 building. It is important to keep the momentum going. A fence with a rendering of the Dog Lane-1 building would work. Mr. Lodewick agreed that doing some sort of sign or banner that would be placed near the Dog Lane-1 site would be effective.
Mr. Clouette said it is important for the community to understand that the Storrs Center project is moving ahead.
Ms. van Zelm said that LeylandAlliance had submitted its applications to the US Army Corps of Engineers for a wetlands permit and to the CT Department of Environmental Protection for a storm water permit. An application to the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s State Traffic Commission should be submitted by the end of the calendar year.
6. Approval of Partnership Meeting Calendar for 2008
Ms. van Zelm thanked Board member Janet Jones for pointing out that the October Board meeting should be Tuesday, October 7, and not October 2.
Mr. Lodewick asked if the Board was ok with meeting on January 2. Should the meeting date be changed to January 8? Tom Callahan noted that January 8 is the date of the Town/Gown Committee meeting. The Board agreed to leave the date at January 2. Ms. Paterson made a motion to approve the Partnership calendar of meeting dates for 2008 with the correction. Mr. Clouette seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.
7. Non-Discrimination Certification
Ms. van Zelm said that the University of Connecticut (under state law) requires all of its contractors to provide documentation that they have adopted a corporate policy by resolution of its governing body that it will support the nondiscrimination agreement and warranty under Connecticut statutes. Betsy Treiber made a motion to adopt a policy to support the nondiscrimination agreements and warranties required under Connecticut General Statutes Section 4a-60(a)(1) and Section 4a-60a(a)(1), as amended in State of Connecticut Public Act 07-245 and sections 9(a)(1) and 10(a)(1) of Public Act 07-142. Frank McNabb seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.
8. Report from Committees
Executive
Mr. Lodewick said the Executive Committee continued its discussion of the composition of the Executive Committee. Since the Town and the University are principal players in the Storrs Center development, it makes sense to ensure they are represented on the Executive Committee. Currently, the Town is not represented on the Committee. The Committee recommended that the UConn Provost designate a UConn representative and the Mayor designate a Town representative for the Executive Committee – when none exists. These members would be from the sitting Board of Directors.
Ms. Paterson made a motion to amend the Partnership Bylaws to allow for Town and University representation (as described above) and to increase the quorum required from three to four. Mr. Clouette seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously. (The Bylaws change will need to be considered by the Partnership membership at its annual meeting in June).
Mr. Callahan said the Executive Committee also discussed the idea of updating the development agreement between the Partnership and LeylandAlliance. Mr. Callahan said he had spoken with Barry Feldman about the agreement that West Hartford had with the developer of Blue Back Square. Much of the work described in the development agreement has been completed. It makes sense to look at the next steps in the context of setting timelines. The Town and the University need to be involved as they have or will have separate agreements with Leyland related to land acquisition and infrastructure, etc. He suggested that representatives of the Partnership (including Partnership attorney Lee Cole-Chu), Town, and the University meet and come up with an outline of proposed changes to the development agreement. These changes would then be brought to the Finance and Administration Committee for their review.
Mr. Lodewick said the Committee had also been briefed by Ms. van Zelm on the Partnership’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. She had pulled together a list of action plans organized by Partnership committee (from the session in February) and also had a series of questions for the Committee. Mr. Lodewick asked Ms. van Zelm to integrate some of her questions into Committee assignments. If that was not the correct umbrella, the issues of concern would be discussed in more detailed with the Executive Committee. The next step is for Ms. van Zelm to review the Strategic Plan action plans with all the committees.
Membership Development
Ms. Treiber said the Committee is working on updating the membership brochure. It will reflect moving into a new phase – a phase of advocacy. The brochure would coincide with the groundbreaking for Dog Lane-1.
She said that 300 membership renewal letters will go out soon and people who did not renew last year will be asked to renew this year.
Ms. Treiber said the Committee will be reaching out to Windham Hospital regarding membership, at Board member Frank McNabb’s suggestion.
She said a request has been made to help fundraise for CPTV during telecasts of the UConn women’s basketball games.
Nominating
Mr. Lodewick said the Committee continued the discussion of a Board of Advisors. The idea would be to create a Board that would support the Storrs Center project and include people who have specific expertise and knowledge that could be called upon in an advisory role. They would not have an active role at this time. The Board could meet once a year in conjunction with the Partnership’s Annual Meeting. Ms. Paterson recommended that the Nominating Committee begin the process of formulating a Board of Advisors. Mr. Callahan seconded the motion.
Janet Jones asked what the process will be to appoint people to the Board of Advisors. Mr. Lodewick said he envisioned the process being one of identifying people who could advise in an informal role for now. He said he will ask President Hogan first if he would be willing to be counted on as an advisor. Steve Bacon said the Nominating Committee could contact people but the Board of Directors would make the final recommendations.
Mr. Clouette asked for more clarification on what the Board of Advisors would do. Mr. Callahan said an example would be if the Partnership needed people to help move a request through the Connecticut Legislature or review a building plan that Leyland has submitted. He foresees the advice being more from an individual – the Partnership would have the ability to tap into a group of individuals that could help the organization. Mr. Lodewick said that members of the Board of Advisors may identify opportunities, etc., that the Board of Directors might not have thought about in its work. The Board of Advisors may have a different perspective as well from the Board of Directors who has been so close to the Storrs Center project.
Mr.
Cole-Chu said that setting up a Board of Advisors is already allowed under the
Bylaws as the Bylaws allow for the President to identify special committees.
Mr. Feldman said he likes the concept and suggested that UConn students and alumni be engaged. Ms. Paterson said a UConn student representative could be the Undergraduate Student Senate President.
Mr. Lodewick said that as members of the Board of Directors transition off the Board, they could remain involved as a member of the Board of Advisors.
Kristin Schwab said she thought regional representation was very important as the Storrs Center project will need to draw people from the region.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Planning and Design
Mr. Bacon reported that the Committee had resumed meeting since the Mansfield Planning and Zoning Commission approved the special design district this summer. The Committee is currently reviewing the sustainability guidelines. Ms. Schwab asked if the project will follow LEED-Neighborhood Development (ND) guidelines. Mr. Bacon said the feeling is that the sustainability guidelines mirror LEED-ND but also go further in their scope. (LEED-ND looks at sustainable practices on a neighborhood scale rather than building by building). Ms. van Zelm noted that LeylandAlliance had applied for the Storrs Center project to be a pilot project for LEED-ND. Ms. Schwab asked if certification would be possible. Ms. van Zelm said she thought so (CvZ checked on LEED-ND site and certification is the end result if the US Green Building Council (USGBC) determines a project meets the criteria/the information garnered from the pilot program will be used by the US Green Building Council to make further revisions to the rating system and certification process). Mr. Callahan asked if the Dog Lane-1 building was following the sustainability and design guidelines. Ms. van Zelm said the Dog Lane-1 building is not part of the special design district approval so it is not required to follow the design guidelines but in reality, the building will follow many of the guidelines that have been outlined. Mr. Bacon said that cost will be an issue for implementation of some of the sustainability guidelines but even more so for Dog Lane-1 where the desire is to keep the costs down to assist with rent rates.
9. Next Meeting and Holiday Party
Mr. Lodewick noted that the holiday party for Board and committee members will be December 4 at a location to be determined.
10. Adjourn
Ms. Treiber made a motion to adjourn. Ms. Paterson seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 5:15 pm.
Meeting notes taken by Cynthia van Zelm.