At their December meeting, the NDDC Board outlined the organization’s Work Plans for 2009. Moving clockwise and starting from the left are: Mark Quinnell, Leanne Stremcha, Anastasia Balfany, Dave Shumway, Joe Grundhoefer, Mary Rossing, Keith Covey, Dan Bergeson, Rob Schanilec, Greg Kneser, Robert Bierman, and Jessica Paxton.
As is the NDDC’s on-going practice, the projects and programs are organized by the Four Points of the Main Street approach created in 1977 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Board envisions a vigorous start for 2009. The final draft of the Work Plans is presented below:
ORGANIZING:
(Board and Executive Committee)
• Re-establish a finance committee.
• Each board member should take on at least one project.
• Need administrative help for executive director in critical areas.
• Two meetings per year with Boards of Economic Development Partners
• Hold six forums and four Block Head meetings in ’09.
• Conduct Twelve Board Visits to Businesses in ’09.
(PR and Communication Committee)
• Increase regular communication with partners and stakeholders
• Finish update of integrated database of partners, stakeholders, and downtown businesses.
• Begin assembling and analyzing baseline market data
• Ship Beta-Stage Retail Index Reference Project in ’09.
PROMOTING:
(Events and Marketing Committee)
• Continue our sponsored promotions, cooperate with other organizations’ promotions and support collaborative efforts of retailers.
• Make progress on a “Virtual Division Street” program.
• Determine use for the new-resident data we get from Welcome Services for You.
• Hold Annual Meeting in ’09.
DESIGNING:
(Design and Planning Committee)
• Transition from current parking task force into standing committee.
• Advocate for continuing the Streetscape improvement program and a more active downtown maintenance program.
• Revive effort for Newspaper Corrals: Revive this effort. Note: We will need an ordinance requiring all distribution boxes to be located only in corrals.
• Continue advocating for public toilets downtown.
• Promote, support, collaborate in, and contribute to erecting a permanent, changeable copy sign at 5th and Hwy 3 in Ames Park.
(Arts and Culture Committee)
• Serve as Organizational Entity for Sixth Annual ArtSwirl
• Research and Plan, through Task Force, a new Art Fest, possibly for 2010
• Work Collaboratively to Achieve an Intentional and Publicized Calendar for Gallery Crawls
RESTRUCTURING:
(ER Team)
• Revisit outside dining ordinance; it sunsets in ’09 and will have to be readopted.
• Continue working on property tax reductions.
• Continue working (collaboratively) on In-Fill and Redevelopment Initiative.
• Turbo-Charge efforts on Retention, Recruitment, Restructuring.
• Continue working toward NDDC participation in a high priority development project.