Economic Development Commission

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (EDC) TOWN OF MOUNT AIRY Minutes of 04/23/2014 Meeting Attendees: Andrew Williamson - Chairman Frank Dertzbaugh James Linton Bill McCullough Absent: Michael VanSant Chrissy Jongezoon Dan Curtis Scott Strong, Council Liaison Also attending were Bob King, Town Council member, Ken Phebus, Sharon Baharoff, and Melissa Hoyle, Town Staff. 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m. at Mount Airy Town Hall. 2. During the open session, Sharon Baharoff described the business she and her husband have established on Backacre Circle called The Big Show (an indoor softball and baseball training facility, 5,000SF). The facility will provide indoor/outdoor batting cages for teams/individuals to use. Her purpose for speaking to the EDC was to make members aware of the business and encourage thoughts of promotion supporting the facility. One suggestion made was she should look at the Mount Airy APP program being developed as a means of advertising and incorporating discount coupons to encourage use. She indicated that they are in the planning stage for a grand opening sometime later this spring. 3. Minutes for the EDC meeting of 26 March 2014 were reviewed and approved. 4. Melissa Hoyle provided EDC members with an invitation from Bill Butts, Chairman of the Planning Commission and Andrew Williamson, Chairman of the EDC inviting commission members to participate in a Mount Airy Commission Exchange to share goals and priority projects planned for the next six months/next 12 months (FY 2015). The meeting is tentatively scheduled for 16 or 17 June 2014. Melissa Hoyle also provided the Economic Development Commission with a Staff Report for April 2014. The report included a summary of upcoming events within Mount Airy for May. She updated EDC members on the current status of funds for FY 2014 identifying a balance of $141.60 that the EDC members agreed should be held in reserve. She also briefed EDC members on proposed line items for the proposed FY 2015 budget that will support EDC efforts in 2015. A public hearing will be held on the proposed budget in advance of the Town Council meeting scheduled for 5 May 2014 and voted on by the Town at that DRAFT meeting. She noted that a new business Jessica’s Snoballs is in the works for opening within the Food Lion Shopping Center. 5. Melissa reported the mobile APP developed for Mount Airy is up and running. Letters have been sent out to town businesses informing them of the APP. Interested users of the APP should go on the Mt. Airy web site and fill in a form for submission to town staff as appropriate. 6. Wi-Fi in Mount Airy will continue to be an item of discussion for the EDC, with the EDC looking at how other towns are handling public Wi-Fi connectivity and a look at basic costs. It was agreed by EDC members that Mount Airy should look to including the goal for Public Wi-Fi in the town master plan and budget. 7. EDC members were advised the Town Council will be tabling the Sign Ordinance until review and passing of the Town Master Plan update is completed. 8. EDC members discussed the effectiveness of handing out promotion materials at the Chili cook-off, which was reported to be effective by EDC participants during the event. It was agreed that a stock of items should be held for future events. 9. EDC members discussed the need for examining parking as it might impact the downtown zone of Mount Airy. Members were provided with a table of Studied Parking Locations (as of Sep 2007) as a baseline for discussion on parking availability in Mount Airy. Further discussion on parking will be on the May EDC agenda. 10. Discussion regarding how to encourage development of Center Street focused on consideration of town easements and construction of a road by the town with recoupment of the costs through development fees as a way to encourage development. This item will be on future agendas. 11. EDC members were reminded that a town election would be held on 5 May 2014. 12. The next EDC meeting is scheduled for 28 May 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Airy Town Hall. 13. The meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m. DRAFT