MANSFIELD DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, INC.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Mansfield Community Center

Tuesday, December 3, 2003

 

MINUTES

 

 

Present:          Steve Bacon, Martin Berliner, Tom Callahan, Mike Gergler, Al Hawkins, Janet Jones, Philip Lodewick, Betsy Paterson, Dave Pepin, Steve Rogers, Phil Spak, Betsy Treiber, Frank Vasington, David Woods

 

Staff:               C. van Zelm

 

The Board meeting was preceded by a tour of the new Mansfield Community Center led by Curt Vincente, Mansfield Parks and Recreation Director.

 

1.      Call to Order

 

Philip Lodewick called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.  Board members introduced themselves, as there was a large public audience.  Curt Vincente thanked the Board for holding its meeting at the new Community Center and offered to answer any outstanding questions.

 

2.   Opportunity for Public to Comment

 

Howard Raphaelson reiterated his and others interest in pursuing lifestyle housing for the new downtown development.  He said the residents in such housing would support the retail.  The housing could be transitional housing for the UConn family.

 

3.         Approval of Minutes

 

Dean Woods made a motion to approve the November 4, 2003 minutes.  Betsy Paterson seconded.  The minutes were approved unanimously.

 

4.    Director’s Report

 

Cynthia van Zelm referred to the input received from various Town committees and other organizations, which was summarized in a memo to the Board of Directors in the Board packet.  Ms. van Zelm said this input had been forwarded on to Looney Ricks Kiss and Storrs Center Alliance.

 

Ms. van Zelm said holiday lights would be going up on the Town Hall, Mike Taylor and Steve Rogers’ buildings (Storrs Commons, and Health South complex), and the UConn commercial building.  She thanked UConn for all its work putting the lights up on the buildings.

 

Ms. van Zelm introduced Dianne Doyle who has been nominated to be the new Chair of the Mansfield Business and Professional Association (MBPA).  In this role, she will serve as an ex-officio member of the Partnership.  This election will take place at the MBPA meeting on January 7.

 

Ms. van Zelm said that she would be having a conference call with Storrs Center Alliance and Looney Ricks Kiss tomorrow to discuss the status of tasks to be completed as part of the Municipal Development Plan.  Dave Pepin asked that the composition for Storrs Center Alliance be explained for the benefit of the public.  Mr. Lodewick said that Storrs Center Alliance was comprised of Leyland Alliance and Marquette Property Investments.  In addition, Storrs Center Alliance has subconsultants working for them, which include three Connecticut businesses, Herb Newman and Partners, BL Companies, and Robinson & Cole.

 

5.         Update on Municipal Development Plan and Master Developer

 

Ms. van Zelm said that URS, a subconsultant to Looney Ricks Kiss, was continuing to work on the mapping for the project including location of current infrastructure.  She referred to the Market Analysis completed by Urban Partners, which was e-mailed to the Board and available on the Partnership’s website.  The Market Study has been forwarded to Storrs Center Alliance for their analysis.

 

6.         Recommendation to Appoint Leon Bailey to Advertising and Promotion Committee

 

Dean Woods made a motion to appoint Leon Bailey to the Advertising and Promotion Committee.  Betsy Paterson seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

7.         Review of Meeting Dates for 2004

 

Mr. Lodewick referred to the Board meeting schedule for 2004 and asked that Board members let Ms. van Zelm know if they have any conflicts.

 

8.    Report from Committees

 

Finance and Administration – Tom Callahan said the Committee had reviewed the September 30, 2003 quarterly financial report for the Partnership.  Mr. Callahan said that the Town and UConn need to review future funding of the Partnership with the minimal commitment made until June 30, 2004.  Ms. van Zelm is preparing a plan to that effect.

 

Advertising and Promotion – Dean Woods said the Advertising and Promotion Committee discussed the Board’s recommendation to expand the Mansfield brochure to represent businesses more widely than the three Partnership areas of focus.  Ms. van Zelm will be preparing another draft to include more businesses.

 

The third Partnership newsletter will go out in Spring 2004.

 

Ms. Paterson said the Fall Event Committee continued to discuss the timing of the Fall Event.  The plan is to conclude the event in daylight, which ends at about 7:30 pm during mid-September.  Kristin Schwab had prepared some site plans, which the Committee reviewed.  The Committee will begin to meet more frequently beginning in January.  The date and time of the event still needs to be nailed down.

 

Membership Development – Betsy Treiber reported that Partnership membership is now at 251 members.  The Committee will meet next week.

 

Business Development and Retention – Mike Gergler said the Business Development and Retention Committee would meet December 11 to review an outline of Committee work over the next year.

 

Planning and Design – Steve Bacon said the Planning and Design Committee would meet on December 16.  Ed Wilson from Looney Ricks Kiss has invited the Committee to Princeton, New Jersey to visit Palmer Square.  The slide of Palmer Square at the May 1 community workshop was the most well received in terms of achieving the type of style and architecture people would like to see in downtown Mansfield.  The trip may also include seeing some examples of green building technology.

 

9.   Adjourn

 

Ms. Paterson made a motion to adjourn.  Mr. Bacon seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.  The meeting adjourned at 4:25 PM.  The next meeting is set for January 6.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Cynthia van Zelm

Executive Director, Mansfield Downtown Partnership, Inc.