Economic Development Commission

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (EDC) TOWN OF MOUNT AIRY Minutes of 04/20/2015 Meeting Attendees: Andrew Williamson - Chairman Michael VanSant Frank Dertzbaugh Bob King, Council Liaison Paul Clay Bill McCullough Zach Peters Absent: James Linton Also attending were Melissa Hoyle; Larry Hushour, Parks and Recreation; Melissa Wilcox, Market Works; Mayor Pat Rockinberg; and J.A. Burke, Mount Airy Messenger. 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. at Town Hall. 2. During the open session for business concerns, Mr. Hushour briefed the EDC on the current planning related to realigned design for the positioning of a caboose in Mount Airy. Based on comments from the EDC and others, Mr. Hushour and members of his team met with Mr. Rob Scranton to discuss the best positioning of the Caboose currently being restored for Mount Airy. A realigned design to improve site location, making the caboose more accessible and providing better security is being proposed by locating the caboose in the old parking lot of Building 1 South Main Street (former Bank building) vice locating it next to Building 3 South Main Street (Ben Gue Collectibles). 3. Melissa Wilcox, Market Works discussed with the EDC consideration of a project to develop a Market Strategic Plan for Mount Airy to help develop and encourage awareness of the uniqueness of Mount Airy. What Mount Airy will get out of this effort will be a target market profile, strategy objectives, creation of a market plan and recommended plan of actions (e.g. rack cards, etc). Discussion with the EDC centered on an approach to focus on a strategy for marketing the downtown zone and a strategic approach to marketing the entire town. After discussion, the EDC voted to earmark $1,500 for Melissa Wilcox services to make a Market Strategic Plan for Mount Airy, which will look at the downtown zone and all of Mount Airy and help develop a branding strategy to advertise the town’s uniqueness. 4. Minutes for the EDC meeting of 25 March 2015 were approved as written. 5. Melissa Hoyle provided her Economic Development Staff Report for April 2015 that 1 DRAFT included a listing of upcoming events for April through July 2015. She also reported on the success of Chili Cook-off held in Mount Airy; Jon Weetman being scheduled to speak at the next Main Street Merchants Meeting regarding the Carroll County Light up Main Street program; the expected printing and mailing of the Mount Airy Newsletter on April 29, 2015; Town representation at MML Conference June 28 – 1 July 2015; the current effort on updating business listing by category and vacancy listing; and the current status of the Mount Airy Downtown Façade Program. Ms. Hoyle identified a balance of $2,246.18 remaining in the EDC budget with suggestions for considering funding of strategic marketing study, town of Mount Airy Map/Brochure and reprinting of the EDC guide to establishing a business in Mount Airy as candidates for the balance. 6. It has been confirmed that the Carroll County fiber optics is not at town hall. 7. Discussion is continuing, with the town working with the Beck family for development of Center Street. 8. Parking alternatives will continue to be an agenda item for the EDC. A suggestion was made the town should look into a walkway from the municipal parking lot to downtown Main Street with a ramp or elevator for elderly, disabled and other citizens. 9. Creation of an Office Park Employment Zone ordinance by the Planning Commission is continuing and will be discussed by the EDC at future meetings as necessary. 10. Discussions are ongoing regarding APP/Web site improvements and will continue to be an agenda item. It is suggested the Shop Mount Airy APP be incorporated into the Strategic Market Pan. 11. Melissa Hoyle passed out Chapter 2, How to Analyze and Profile a Local Economy for EDC members information. 12. The next EDC meeting is scheduled for 27 May 2015 at the Old Town Restaurant to start at 7:00 p.m. 13. The meeting adjourned at 10:04 p.m. 2 DRAFT