MANSFIELD DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, INC.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Mansfield Downtown Partnership Offices

Tuesday, May 6, 2003

 

MINUTES

 

 

Present:          Phil Barry, Martin Berliner, Tom Callahan, Dale Dreyfuss, Mike Gergler, Wendy Halle, Al Hawkins, Philip Lodewick, Betsy Paterson, Dave Pepin, John Petersen, Steve Rogers, Phil Spak, Betsy Treiber, 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

 

Mr. Lodewick introduced Lee Cole-Chu, the Partnership’s attorney, who will be assisting with legal issues related to the municipal development project plan.

 

Dwight Damon asked if there could be an update on the May 1 workshop (see below) and the update of the Plan of Conservation and Development.

 

Greg Padick, Mansfield Town Planner, said that Peter Miniutti, Landscape Architecture Professor at UConn, was working on the Lands of Unique Value study which will be incorporated into the Plan of Conservation and Development.  Mr. Padick said that the Planning and Zoning Commission subcommittee working on the Plan had developed a series of preliminary recommended changes to the 1993 Plan of Conservation and Development.  He will get a copy of those recommendations to Cynthia van Zelm.  A public hearing will be held on June 16 on the preliminary recommendations.  Mr. Padick suggested that the Partnership could provide input at the public hearing or subsequent to the public hearing.  There are recommendations related to the three commercial areas of Storrs Center, Four Corners, and King Hill Road.  There will probably be a recommendation to extend water and sewer to parts of the Four Corners.

 

3.         Approval of Minutes

 

Betsy Paterson made a motion to approve the April 1, 2003 minutes.  Tom Callahan seconded.  The minutes were approved unanimously.

 

4.    Update on Municipal Development Plan and Schedule

 

Ms. van Zelm said there were over 70 people who participated in the center character workshop on May 1 at Town Hall.  Attendees responded to several images (architecture, transit, open space, town green) from a PowerPoint presentation and evaluated whether they were desirable for new development at Storrs Center.  She said she had received some good feedback about the workshop.

 

Ms. van Zelm said Looney Ricks Kiss also held meetings with UConn students, and Storrs Center business and property owners to update them on the municipal development plan, answer questions, and hear about any concerns/issues.

 

Mr. Lodewick said that in response to an interest from the candidates for the new UConn School of Fine Arts building, a decision was made to push back the date to June 19 for responses to the Request for Qualifications for a master developer.  This would allow the prospective developers the ability to see the presentations by the architect candidates on June 6.  Betsy Paterson said that all the architects had expressed to members of the Partnership who met with them that they would like the opportunity to meet with Looney Ricks Kiss.

 

David Woods said that the presentations on June 6 will include a presentation of drawings/models/slides.  An outside jury will make a decision later that night on a choice to design the new Fine Arts building for submittal to UConn President Phil Austin.  

 

Mr. Lodewick noted that the Storrs Center project does need to be informed by what is going on with the Fine Arts building and other buildings on the UConn campus.

 

There was some discussion about the low turnout for the meeting with Storrs Center business and property owners.  Solutions centered on continuing to get the word out on the progress that the Partnership is making.  Tom Callahan referred to the approval of the Environmental Impact Evaluation with its support for developing a municipal development project plan as positive communication.  Ms. van Zelm said the Business Development and Retention Committee has surveyed the Storrs Center businesses about issues they have about future development and interest in creating a downtown merchants group.  The Committee will review these results over the summer and plan a course of action. 

 

Phil Barry said he, Steve Rogers, Tom Callahan and others had met with UConn Alumni Association Director John Feudo to brainstorm ways the Alumni Association can get involved in the Partnership.  One of the ways to get involved is for the Alumni Association to sponsor events in Storrs Center.

 

5.     Approval of Resolution supporting Partnership Program 2003 Grant Application to Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc.

 

Martin Berliner made a motion to approve a resolution from the Board approving the submittal of a grant application in the amount of $2,750 to the Heritage Corridor to develop a comprehensive brochure of Mansfield sites, events, and businesses, and design and construct an informational downtown kiosk in downtown Mansfield.  Betsy Paterson seconded.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

6.         Recommendation of Board Members to Partnership Membership

 

Philip Lodewick reported that the Nominating Committee was recommending that Phil Spak be nominated for another term on the Partnership Board through 2006 and that Janet Jones be nominated to fill Phil Barry’s spot on the Board until 2006.  Betsy Paterson made a motion to recommend to the Partnership membership that Phil Spak and Janet Jones each be approved for a three-year term on the Board of Directors.  John Petersen seconded.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

7.         Approval of Partnership Budget for 2003/2004

 

Finance and Administration Committee Chair Phil Barry said that the Committee recommended approval of the Partnership 2003/2004 budget at its April 7 meeting.  Mr. Barry noted the adjustments at the bottom of the Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balance dated March 31, 2003 with respect to attorney and consultant fees, printing, and telephone charges.  He also noted the changes made in terms of adjustments to the Executive Director’s salary.  Mr. Berliner made a motion to approve the 2003/2004 budget for the Partnership.  Mr. Callahan seconded.  The motion was approved unanimously.

 

Ms. Paterson thanked Mr. Barry for his service to the Board.  Mr. Barry said he would stay involved and would be willing to serve on a committee.

 

8.         Update on Annual Meeting (June 12, 6 PM)

 

Ms. van Zelm reviewed the Agenda including votes on the new Directors, and the proposed change to the Bylaws to reflect a change in membership fee to $10 for persons 60 years and above.  She passed around a sign-up sheet for appetizers for the Annual Meeting.

 

9.         Participation in Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc., Walking Weekend

 

Ms. van Zelm said Heritage Corridor staff and Rusty Lanzit, Walking Weekend Chair, had inquired whether the Partnership would want to participate in a tour of Storrs Center and the potential new site during Walking Weekend in October.  The Board agreed that it may be premature at this point, as no new construction has started.

 

10.    Sign-up for Partnership Table at Orientation

 

Ms. van Zelm passed around a sign-up sheet for Board members to help her staff the Parent Orientation table at UConn.

 

11.    Report from Committees

 

Advertising and Promotion – Dean Woods said the Partnership newsletter had gone out in the Chronicle in mid-April.  The Committee continues to discuss options for visibility of the Partnership’s efforts and is looking at holding a fall festival downtown.  Dean Woods said that Betsy Paterson had agreed to chair a subcommittee to work on the fall festival.

 

Business Development and Retention – In Mr. Gergler’s absence, Ms. van Zelm reiterated that the Committee had put together a survey of the Storrs Center businesses to receive feedback on the interest in a downtown merchants group, and on a new town center.  The information was shared with Looney Ricks Kiss.  Most respondents were in favor of a downtown merchants group that would meet monthly or quarterly.  They see one of the group’s main missions to be updated on the municipal development plan.  Issues at Storrs Center for businesses include cleaning up the area, improving access, uncertainty about relocation, competition with UConn and its services, seasonal cycle in Storrs, parking, and visibility.

 

Membership Development – Betsy Treiber said that the letter to over 800 UConn Advocates was sent and there has been memberships received due to the mailing.  We now have a U box at UConn for a mailing to faculty and staff in the fall.  Dean Woods has sent a letter to his fellow Deans about the Partnership and getting involved.  Committee members and staff continue to visit businesses to seek their membership.  The Committee is looking into placing the membership brochure in the paystubs of UConn employees.  The Partnership will have a presence at the school open houses and Know Your Town Fair in the fall.  It has been suggested that the Partnership also have a role at the opening of the Community Center in the fall.

 

Mr. Callahan commended Ms. Treiber and the Membership Committee for all the great work they are doing. 

 

Ms. van Zelm reported that the Planning and Design Committee had met with the Looney Ricks Kiss team prior to the May 1 community meeting to be a test case for the survey.  The Committee was next meeting on May 14 to hear a presentation from Tom Tavella, a landscape architect who is LEED accredited, to talk about the ways that the new town center can be designed to incorporate “green” technology.

 

12. Adjourn

 

Chancellor Petersen made a motion to adjourn.  Ms. Paterson seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.  The meeting adjourned at 5:00 PM.  The next meeting is set for June 12, at 6 PM (Annual Meeting).

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Cynthia van Zelm

Executive Director, Mansfield Downtown Partnership, Inc.