Main Street Advisory Board Meeting

CITY OF BASTROP MAIN STREET ADVISORY BOARD Minutes of the June 13, 2018 Regular Monthly Meeting Main Street Advisory Board chair Dick Smith called the meeting to order at 5:50 p.m. Attending were members Steve Bridges, Janette Condray, Terry Moore and Jennifer Long. Members absent were Michelle Adams, Sandra Grawunder and Naseem Khonsari. Also attending were BMSP Director Sarah O’ Brien and Bastrop Convention Center Director Kathy Danielson and City Council member/ liaison Bill Ennis., May 9, 2018 minutes: On a motion by Jennifer, seconded by Steve, the Board approved the minutes of the May regular monthly meeting as presented. Volunteer Fair: Dick brief the Board on plans for the First Annual Bastrop Volunteer Fair, to be held at the Convention Center on July 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. He reported that each of the 13 City boards and commissions, including the MSAB, would have table, staff by board members and staff liaisons. Additionally community service nonprofits— more than 20 thus far—would be participating. The come- and-go event is intended to promote community/ civic volunteerism and to serve as a pathway for potential volunteers to learn about volunteer opportunities. Board/ Commission appointments: Dick recapped the June 12 City Council meeting discussing regarding appointments to City boards and commissions: The new application form—with an increased emphasis on the skills and experiences that an applicant might bring to a specific boards— is now available at http://www.cityofbastrop.org/pag www. cityofbastrop. org/ page/ cs.forms. e/cs.forms Materials describing the function of each City boards/ commission, the role of it board, service and residency requires were in preparation. The City contemplated a first of July mailing of this information to City households and to those living in the City’ s extra- territorial jurisdiction. For the present, boards would be constituted as established in their Council approved bylaws or in the resolution initially establishing the board. Consideration of the size of the board and any term limits that might apply have been deferred to a later time. All applications must be submitted to the City Secretary by August 15, and all applicants will be required to participate in an informal screening before City Council late in the month. The Mayor will present her appointments to City Council for its approval in September. New appointees will be seated in October. The service year— previously July 1 to June 30—will now begin October 1 and conclude on September 30. In transition, the service year for incumbent appointees is extended and will end September 30. BastropTX smartphone app: With the completion of the VisitBastrop. com (mobile friendly), the pioneering BastropTX smartphone app has been rendered obsolete and is being retired, reported Sarah. The new website is the successor http://www.visitl to www. visitlostpines and has been recreated and is being updated by the Visit Bastrop destination ostpines/ marketing organization.  http://www.visitbast Users of the website can easily log on to www.visitbastrop. com and click on the green medallion on the right of the opening page. The website rop.com/ includes— as did www. visitlostpines – a widget that allows visitors to plan their entire visit. The next site also includes a calendaring feature whereby organizations may submit events of potential interest to visitors. Sarah encouraged Board members to explore the new website and the widget. With the launch of http://www.visitbast www. visitbastrop. com, the pioneering BastropTX smartphone app ( launched six rop.com/ years ago through Go http://www.visitlostpi Local, a third party developer) and www. visitlostpines. com have become obsolete and, after July 1, will no longer be accessible. nes.com/ Sarah indicated that notification would be posted on the website and that downtown signage regarding BastropTX is being replaced. Director’ s report: Sarah reminded the Board of Main Street’ s next “ Breakfast Bites” ( on Social Media for Small Business) July 20. In other matters, Sarah reported: The development process for the Cultural Arts Master Plan has begun: the master plan task force will next meet on July 12 with consultant Lynn Osgood, to discuss her findings from a “ dive” into data around the arts and the local arts economy. The next phase of the process is to interview arts and community leaders as a prelude to larger community engagement meetings. With the Chamber of Commerce’ s expansion of the Patriotic Festival into a two-day event (June 29- 30) and with many new activities, a large number of volunteers are needed. Chamber President and CEO Becki Womble added that the Festival will begin Friday evening with a new “ Run, White and Blue” 5K fun run followed by a street dance. Activities resume at 10 a.m. on Friday, at Fisherman’ s Park, with the annual Pet and Pal Parade, and continue with a petting zoo, sand volleyball, various children’ s activities, a water wonderland, bingo, a washers tournament and other contests during the day. The event culminates just after dusk with the annual fireworks show. Design Committee: Jeanette reported that all the new signs directing the public to Main Street area parking lots have been installed. She noted that the design for new downtown planters has been approved and that City has purchased a water cart to assist with plantings. Promotions Committee: Terry reported that project teams have begun working on the 2019 Table on Main, on a back- to-school downtown bingo event for BISD teachers and on BMSP Christmastime events. With no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.