MANSFIELD DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, INC.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Mansfield Downtown Partnership Office

Tuesday, September 2, 2003

 

MINUTES

 

 

Present:          Martin Berliner, Tom Callahan, Dale Dreyfuss, Mike Gergler, Al Hawkins, Janet Jones, Philip Lodewick (by phone), Betsy Paterson, Dave Pepin, John Petersen, Steve Rogers, Frank Vasington, David Woods

 

Staff:                C. van Zelm

 

1.      Call to Order

 

Philip Lodewick called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. 

 

2.   Opportunity for Public to Comment

 

Ginny Walton introduced herself as a member of the Partnership.  (She is also the Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Mansfield).  Ginny said she wanted to advocate for the use of sustainable design in the new town center.  She referred to the Environmental Impact Evaluation done on the proposed town center property and the Design Factors prepared by the Partnership’s Planning and Design Committee that highlight sustainable design practices.  Ms. Walton said the town center project lends itself to sustainability with its proposal for a mix of uses.

 

Ms. Walton urged the Partnership Board to review LEED principles for applicability to the project and to negotiate with a developer who advocates green design.

 

3.         Approval of Minutes

 

Betsy Paterson made a motion to approve the July 1, 2003 minutes.  Dale Dreyfuss seconded.  The minutes were approved unanimously.

 

4.         Update on Municipal Development Plan/Master Developer Interviews

 

Tom Callahan said that 50 to 60 responses to the Request for Qualifications for a Master Developer had been received.  At the direction of the Board of Directors, the Finance and Administration Committee interviewed three firms: Leyland Alliance, Sullivan/Hayes, and Starwood Buckingham.  The Finance and Administration Committee concluded that the Leyland Alliance team had a clear understanding of the project and sensitivity to the community.  The Leyland Alliance team was also cognizant of the plans for a new UConn School of Fine Arts building and the connection with the town center project. 

 

The Finance and Administration Committee directed Executive Director Cynthia van Zelm to check Leyland Alliance references.  Mr. Callahan requested that the Board authorize the Finance and Administration Committee to enter into negotiations with Leyland Alliance, pending successful reference checks.  Mr. Callahan thought the Committee would have a draft development agreement between Leyland Alliance and the Partnership for the Board to review in 30 to 40 days.

 

Mr. Callahan noted that 11 members of the Board had attended at least some of the interviews, and in particular, the second interview with Leyland Alliance.

 

Mr. Callahan asked for a motion from the Board to authorize the Finance and Administration Committee to enter into negotiations with Leyland Alliance for a development agreement between Leyland Alliance and the Partnership.  Ms. Paterson made the motion.  Al Hawkins seconded.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

5.     Appointment of Committee Members

 

David Woods made a motion to appoint Joe Muro as a member of the Advertising and Promotion Committee.  Ms. Paterson seconded.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

6.     Report from Committees

 

Membership Development – Ms. van Zelm gave the report in Betsy Treiber’s absence.  Ms. van Zelm said she and Al Hawkins were meeting with several town committees to talk about the Partnership, hear their views, and determine how they might work together.  She was also attending the school open houses, Know Your Town Fair, and the UConn Open House to provide information on the Partnership, and the town center project, as well as try to garner memberships.

 

Ms. van Zelm said she had also met with UConn student Ryan Jones, and Dolan Evanovich, Associate Provost, Enrollment Management at UConn, about ways to get students more involved in the Partnership.  They discussed the idea of a Clean-Up Day in Storrs Center.  Cleaning up areas in Storrs Center was identified as one of the issues for some of the merchants downtown in a survey that the Partnership Business Development and Retention Committee conducted.  Mr. Callahan said it would be important for the businesses to be involved as well i.e., in providing food, etc.  Ms. Walton said this could perhaps be coordinated with the Solid Waste Advisory Committee’s Rid Litter Day that it may do in October.  It was also noted that the Clean-Up Day, if pursued, should be on a non-football day.

 

Nominating Committee – Philip Lodewick noted that the Nominating Committee had met before the Board meeting to discuss the open position on the Board.  Mike Gergler is stepping down as Chair of the Mansfield Business and Professional Association so will not be able to serve in that ex-officio role on the Partnership Board.  Mr. Gergler indicated, however, his interest in continuing to serve on the Board if possible.  Mr. Lodewick made a motion to appoint Mr. Gergler to fill Wendy Halle’s position on the Board.  Ms. Paterson seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

Advertising and Promotion – Ms. van Zelm said that work on the Mansfield brochure had started.  Laura Butler has been chosen to design the brochure.  Ms. Butler designed the Walking Weekend brochure.

 

The Partnership Fall Newsletter will come out soon.  The Advertising and Promotion Committee will review the newsletter.  Other volunteers to review the newsletter included Betsy Paterson and John Petersen.

 

Betsy Paterson said she will be chairing the 2004 Fall Event Subcommittee.  The Fall Event is designed to bring residents and students to the Storrs Center area to enjoy food and music, participate in games, etc.

 

7.      Other

 

Ms. van Zelm referred to two conferences that Board members may want to attend: the CT Main Street Commercial Revitalization Conference on October 23 in New Haven, and the Connecticut Alliance Program Retail Development Through Public/Private Partnerships Conference on September 25 in Hartford. 

 

Ms. van Zelm told the Board that at long last the Partnership had received its 501 (c)(3) federal tax exemption status.  This will allow the Partnership to apply for more grants that require this status and allows donations to be tax deductible.

 

Mr. Callahan noted that that development of the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) will start to accelerate.  The master developer who will construct, tenant and finance the project will now inform the MDP.

 

8. Adjourn

 

Dr. Petersen made a motion to adjourn.  Ms. Paterson seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.  The meeting adjourned at 4:25 PM.  The next meeting is set for October 7.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Cynthia van Zelm

Executive Director, Mansfield Downtown Partnership, Inc.