SOUTH PARK BUSINESS GROUP MEETING - Feb. 29, 2012, at Alchemy Restaurant

  1. Introductions
  2. Police and Safety – Nothing new. Yeah!
  3. Status of Incorporation of South Park Business Group – a. We are Not-For-Profit (group of individuals with common interest, no donations, (dues not tax deductible except as a business expense) filing as a 501c6. Accountants are working on setting it all up. b. Board of Directors chosen – Maureen Ceccarelli (President), Anne Mery (Treasurer), Donna Walker (Vice-President), Jennifer Thompson (Secretary), Matt Thomas, Christie Jaynes (Board members).
    • Board Resolutions have been adopted
    • Bank Account has been opened
    • Bylaws have been adopted.
    • Liability insurance is set up and paid for.
  4. “ASK” campaign for 2012 – pretty much closed for the year. New maps printed – pick them up!
  5. Walkabouts - 2012 Dates: 3/24, 7/14, 10/6 and 12/1
    • Get your information for the 3/24 walkabout to Marsha at SPBG@Lucyslist.net. Plans include Beech Street Barbecue, and the walking tour. We are deciding on a western theme, like a Roundup. Dress-up is encouraged!
    • Voted to hire a “Monitor” to go around and inform sidewalk vendors of their responsibilities, stop people from blocking the sidewalk, etc. Passed. $100 for Mary Jane to start Spring 2012.
    • “Policy” form was distributed. Members are asked to give a copy to any vendor you have allowed to set up near your store. The vendor is to fill out the form, including their business tax certificate number, and give it to the Monitor, so we have them registered. Policy form is available for download at http://www.spbg.yolasite.com/documents.
    • We want to stay under the radar in terms of problems such as open flames, blocking traffic, blocking sidewalks, etc, or the City may require us to have permits, police and street blockage, etc.
    • Reminder -- Walkabouts are to drive people into the brick and mortar stores. We do not want them to have the feeling of “street fairs,” or to draw away from the stores and restaurants.
  6. Old House Fair – Date is 6/16/2012. Web: www.theoldhousefair.com. Opportunities available for booths and sponsorships, Have identified all houses for the Historic Home Tour. Bonus will be tours of the 100-year-old Firehouse No. 9 building, courtesy of South Park Fitness. Also new this year: Foodie Expo exhibits
    • Looking for exhibitors. Anything to do with remodeling, old homes, etc, and any local SP businesses. Sign up for your booth!
    • Looking for advertisers in the brochure. People keep these for years for reference, so it is a good investment.
  7. BID grants going in for the money to fund the advertising for the walkabouts, pay for website upkeep, due 3/12. Anne Mery and Marsha do the dirty work for us and they do it so well – three cheers!!!
  8. Community Reports

a. South Park Community Group – Matt talked to Paul Broadway (president of the CDC) about his desire to see a board member on CDC that also is a member of SPBG to give businesses a better say in the plans for community development. Consensus is that SPBG should send a representative to CDC meetings, but not have an official seat on the CDC Board. If any members are interested, contact Matt at Alchemy.

b. Greater Golden Hill CDC – Remember this is to improve the look and feel of our neighborhood, with better sidewalks, lampposts, trees, etc. CDC gets the money, and then hires developers to implement their plans for community development. Because of problems re use of funds by previous staff in 2010, last year CDC began a major reorganization. They have paid off one of their major liabilities, working on the rest. Concern of some members of SPBG about their handling of money and the priorities. USD business students are interning to help them reorganize. Discussion of potential GH Farmers Market banners going up. SPBG unanimous in agreement that the South Park banners are the only ones that should be displayed on posts in our neighborhood, and that we will communicate to CDC to that effect.

c. MAD – Had operated through the CDC to beautify and maintain trashcans, tree trimming, remove graffiti, etc. Judge has issued an order that MAD be dissolved. Once the final date is set, we then have 30 days to identify new solution for the services previously provided through MAD. Why do we care? Because it affects our business, bottom line. 3 proposals for ways to do it:

1. Do it ourselves, casual, no organization. If you see it, clean it. If it is full, empty it. Concentrate on area by your business, and do extra in the areas not by a business.
2. Hire someone. Mike from the MAD was doing it before and would do it for us for $812 per month ($9600 per year we’d have to find/fundraise for our general budget or $192 ($16 per month) per member of SPBG per year if we have to pay individually). He comes by a few times a week and empties the trash cans and removes graffiti. Power washing, sweeping and litter removal would be extra. This is about 30 trashcans. If the Moose Lodge would let him put a dumpster there, it would be less. Boundaries are Juniper street to A street, 28th to 30th mainly.
3. Organize into block captains and do it ourselves. We would clean what is outside our buildings, since we would likely do that anyway, but also empty the trashcan (decorative ones only. Concrete square ones are the City’s responsibility). Block captain can supervise any trashcans not near a business and maybe talk to business owners who don’t come to the meetings/not part of SPBG (i.e. the liquor store, Laundromat and 7-11) to see if they are willing to empty their own.

Jess Sanders (jess.sanders@gmail.com) of SD Space Emporium volunteered to help organize the block captains.

Discussion: Some of the trash is disgusting, esp by the liquor store/7-11, and some business owners may prefer to hire out more than others because of the “ickiness” of the trash can nearest them – very legitimate concern.
- Hiring is expensive – more expensive than the ASK campaign. It would become our biggest expense. Difficulty getting $100 per business for promotional activity – likely to be difficult to get this additional contribution.
- Doing it ourselves requires us to police each other. Could be awkward.
- Does doing it ourselves then make those trashcans “ours”? Do we then have the responsibility for them and the liability and open ourselves to complaints?
- Why can’t the homeowners help out? They benefit too. Maybe we can pass flyers around letting people know what is happening and ask for volunteers or donations.
- Why can’t CDC take it over?
- VOTE taken was in favor of a TRIAL 3 months of using block captains/ picking up all our own trash/etc. and revisit in June.

9. New Business
- Walmart may be moving in down in the old Farmer’s Market building at Imperial and 22nd street. There will be a meeting about it to mobilize tonight at 6pm at 2258 Island Ave.
- Birch North Park Theatre is inviting SPBG to be involved in the film festival. They invite the members to advertise in the guide for the film festival they hold every year. Over 50 films are shown. 3000-5000 people attend and many keep the guides all year. They offer a full page color ad for $500. If 10 of us sign up, then we will also get a full page South Park collective ad AND put that South Park Collective ad on the screen before every movie for a whole year, in between the “movie trivia” sections. Also, if a person spends $50 or more in one of our businesses, they will donate 2 movie tickets to us. There is a May 1 deadline.
- The owner of the Yard on 30th (Wayne Back) is now a proud member of SPBG. He wanted to let us know he is supportive of our mission and not looking to compete or mess up walkabouts. He sells extra furniture there, and often donates the money. On walkabout he charges $525 for the night and encourages furniture, since that is not sold as much in our stores. He says he will have each of his vendors fill out the form we have developed, and ask for people’s business licenses.
- Graffiti Beach (clothing) will be going into the space where Velo Cult used to be.

10. Announcements
- Oliver’s is moving on 3/16 to Beech street. He will have 300 feet of business area, and it will be “Green”. Exciting!
- The Grove will now be carrying furniture from Circa A.D. and garden and home accessories from DIG. They will host a book signing Saturday at 4pm about traveling in Turkey, so come listen to exotic stories and practical advice.
- Bad Madge is having a reception for its first anniversary in South Park, including DJ on Fri 3/23 at 6-9 pm the Friday before Walkabout. Come and have some wine and good times!
- Our local school, McKinley, is having their Old Hollywood Gala, and invites you all to come and enjoy an evening out. They are also looking for donations for their auction, such as a theme basket, a gift certificate, etc. South Park Doctor donated last year and still gets patients from it, even though they didn’t win the gift certificate. Great Advertising Opportunity. Contact Sandy Mattson at sandywmattson@cox.net 619-640-6781, or Jennifer Spencer Jensabo@yahoo.com 619-733-9024 More information at http://mckinleyptc.com/, or on their Facebook page

Next Meeting Mar 28 at 8:30am at Alchemy

Minutes drafted by Tara Zandvliet, South Park Doctor