Downtown Development Commission

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Committee Room - Hartley Dodge Memorial Building Date: November 21, 2019 Time: 7:15 pm MEETING MINUTES: 1) CALL TO ORDER: Chair Suzy Whitehorn opened the meeting at 7:17 pm. 2) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3) ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: J. Hoover, B. Cramer, J. Hollenbach, R. Landrigan S. Whitehorn, M. Tomaszewski, , P. Flemming, L. Lajewski, J. Morris D. Starker, E. Range, R. Stern, M. Fabyanski, C. Brady, Michael Pellessier MEMBERS ABSENT: R. Conley, T. Honohan, R. Rocco, G. Herzog ALSO PRESENT: Lisa Ellis, Director of Business Development MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: None Present 4) OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT: In compliance with the open public meetings act, adequate notice of this meeting of the Downtown Development Commission was provided by distributing the Annual Meeting schedule to the Madison Eagle and Morris County Daily Record, posting a copy on the bulletin board at the main entrance to the Hartley Dodge Memorial Building, posting a copy on the Borough website, and filing a copy with the Borough Clerk, all on or about the first week of January 2019. Copies of said notice were made available to members of the general public. 5) APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 2019 MINUTES: (There are no minutes for October, as a quorum was not reached. The meeting notes are attached here) Motion to approve September 2019 Minutes as presented Moved by: E. Range and Seconded by: P. Flemming Voice Vote: Unanimous 6) TREASURER REPORT: Brad Cramer shared the monthly financial reports and noted that year over year 2019 was very close to 2018. 7) FOUNDATION REPORT: The Foundation will meet after the DDC’s December meeting to approve the grant request to the Borough Council for 2020. 8) MAYORAL REPORT: There was no report. 9) COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT: There was no report. 10) CHAIRMAN/EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORT: a) 2020 DDC membership: Chair Suzy Whitehorn requested that any commissioner whose term is up at the end of this year to let her, Mayor Conley and Lisa Elis know whether they would like to continue on the DDC in 2020. b) Borough Council Committee on Committees – Request minor adjustment to new bylaws: There was substantive discussion on the changes proposed by the Committee. The consensus was to accept the change to the voting status/title of the Director of Communication and Technology from Advisory Member to Ex-Officio with no vote. The proposed change to permitting only residents to serve in the four At-Large Member slots was rejected. A compromise was reached, 1|Page  two of the four slots will be required to be residents and the other two can go to either residents or non-residents. These positions are Mayoral appointments, so it will ultimately be the Mayor’s decision. 11) MADISON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REPORT: John Morris reported on Madison Area Chamber of commerce activities including Rosie the Rose City Reindeer, the annual ornament that will feature the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts and participation in the Christmas Parade. The new Chamber website should be completed in early January. John also reminded everyone about the importance of shopping locally. 12) PLANNING BOARD REPORT: Peter Flemming reported on the parking improvements approved for Giralda 1, 3 and 7. 13) DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REPORT: Lisa Ellis shared the following items of interest and reported on recent business activity. a) Best Practices, Ideas, Information Sharing: i) “Murphy signs bill to expand electric vehicle infrastructure: The move marks a minor victory for environmentalists” https://njbiz.com/murphy-signs-bill-expand-electric-vehicle-infrastructure-minor-victory- environmentalists/ ii) “A Closer Look at Cranford’s Downtown Boom” https://jerseydigs.com/cranford-new-jersey-downtown-retail-real-estate-renaissance/ b) Articles/Information of Interest: i) “Complete & Green Streets For All: Model Complete Streets Policy & Guide” https://www.state.nj.us/transportation/eng/completestreets/pdf/CS_Model_Policy_2019.pdf ii) “From Dead Store to Pop-Up ‘Social Infrastructure: ’A Boston nonprofit called CultureHouse is demonstrating how empty storefronts can be transformed into instant “social infrastructure.”: https://www.citylab.com/solutions/2019/09/retail-vacancy-business-public-space-culturehouse- boston/597724/?utm_campaign=citylab-daily- newsletter&utm_medium=email&silverid=%25%25RECIPIENT_ID%25%25&utm_source=newsletter?ut m_source=twb&mc_cid=a2f0871a2c&mc_eid=3db5bbf82b 14) STANDING COMMITTEES (CURRENT): Informational only, no discussion planned except as highlighted a) Sign & Façade: Suzy Whitehorn, Eric Range, Leslie Lajewski, Tom Honohan, Karen Giambra i) There have been seven applications reviewed and referred to the Borough Zoning Officer since the October DDC meeting:  Verizon, 10 Park Avenue - Replacement  Force Financial Associates, 78-80 Main Street – New  Modern Men's Barber Shop, 3 Waverly Place – New b) PIC (Public Improvement): Suzy Whitehorn, Chair; Russell Stern, Bob Rocco, Peter Flemming, Brad Cramer, John Morris, John Hoover: There is no report. c) Marketing and Economic Development: Suzy Whitehorn, Eric Range, Bob Conley, Russell Stern, Leslie Lajewski, Deb Starker, Carla Brady, Melanie Tomaszewski, Jim Hollenbach, John Morris, Michael Pellessier, Karen Giambra: there is no report d) Arts & Events: Suzy Whitehorn, Deb Starker, Melanie Tomaszewski, Carla Brady, Tom Honohan, John Morris, John Pietrowski, Jerry Vezza, Karen Giambra, Michael Pellessier, Eric Hafen i) Madison Community Arts Center Upcoming events (For Ticket Information: http://www.madisonartsnj.org/)  Saturday, November 23 Arts By The People & Brick City Collective - Across The Platform 2|Page  7:30 pm  Sunday, December 1 A Work of Heart Productions - A Merry Holiday Concert in Madison 5:00 pm  Monday, December 2 Rio Clemente - Impressa-RIO Holiday Concert 7:30 pm  Sunday, December 8 Impresiones inspiradas - Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey 15) AD HOC COMMITTEE AND PROJECT UPDATES: These are listed primarily for informational purposes only the items highlighted will be discussed. a) Taste of Madison (March 23, 2020 Tentative): There is no report b) May Day (May 2, 2020): There is no report. c) Madison IntoYellow (TBD): There is no report. d) DDC/MACA Sidewalk Art Gallery & Gala (inactive) e) Farmers Market (Thursdays, May 23 - October 24, 2019): There is no report f) Drew University Town Tour (August 24, 2019): There is no report. g) Bottle Hill Day (Saturday, October 5, 2019): There is no report. h) Downtown Concert Series w/METC: There is no report. i) MACA/DDC Holiday Arts Festival (Friday and Saturday, November 29 and 30, 2019) i) Access the schedule here: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AnwS_DqnT6nMiGHbLp6- 4vtWSLUX?e=QXGHQl j) Rose City Summerfest: There is no report. 16) OLD BUSINESS: Lisa Ellis thanked the volunteers who helped hang the lights on the lampposts including Karen Giambra, Chuck Ellis, Jen Palumbo, Rachel Barry, and Don Finnerty. Bows will need to be straightened and replaced if you can volunteer this coming weekend, let her know. 17) NEW BUSINESS – OPEN IDEA SHARING a) Proposal from Vicky Samori: The overall concept of this proposal was very well received. It was decided that this should be added to the Marketing and Economic Development agenda for 2020. b) Annual Christmas Parade: The DDC will giveaway small bendable Christmas figurines. The Chamber and DDC will walk together. Everyone can wear their elf shirts from last year; there are extras for anyone who needs one. The meeting time will 5:00 pm in the Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Parking Lot. c) Council Member John Hoover noted that the Madison Community Arts Center needs signage and perhaps lighting improvements. Lisa Ellis noted that there is still major fundraising that needs to be done to complete the space. 18) INVITATION FOR DISCUSSION FROM THE PUBLIC: No one from the public was present. 19) ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn at 7:48 pm Moved by: E. Range and Seconded by: R. Stern Voice Vote: Unanimous NEXT MEETING: Thursday, December 19 at 7:15pm, Committee Room - Hartley Dodge Memorial Building. Executive Board Meeting TBD. 3|Page 4|Page