Board of Directors Meeting of the Downtown Wheaton Association

January 11, 2017

Called to order: 8:00am

Attendees: Donna Hesik, Jim Mathieson, Dick O’Gorman, Diane Moore, Ron Diener, Tonya Parravano, Cheri Armstrong, Richard Card, Mike Benard, Jim Kozik, Kerry O’Brian and Paula Barrington,

Downtown Wheaton Association
8:00am
Wednesday, January 11,2017
108 East Wesley Street, Wheaton, IL
8:00am
Meeting Adjourned: / Call to Order
President Donna Hesik called the meeting to order.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the December board meeting were reviewed. RDmotioned to approve the minutes and seconded by DO. Motion passed.
Treasurer’s Report
RD presented the P & L report and corresponding reports for the month of December, 2016. He noted that the $40,000 supplemental funding from the city had been received and deposited in December. Based on the current cash flow and anticipated expenses for the remainder of the fiscal year, the Association was in a good financial position. He noted that the expenses for the Living Wheaton Magazine would be divided into each respective issue in the next month’s financial reports.
It was noted that TIF #1 had expired at the end of December and the payout of TIF #1 funding would continue till 2018.
Discussion then turned to the establishment of SSA#8 upon expiration of SSA#7. JK recommended that the DWA meeting with the city’s finance director in advance (in the latter part of 2017) to consider a fixed levy amount rather than a rate for SSA#8. It was noted that it is important to maintain a financial record that clearly delineates between event income and city funding received by the DWA.
RC noted that it appeared that the DWA gift certificate program generated more revenue in 2015 than in 2016. Members of the board suggested that more needed to be done to promote the gift certificate program and increase sales. PB stated that she would also look into setting up an online POS on the DWA website to promote the program and make it easier for customers to make purchases (rather than having to visit the DWA offices during business hours to make a purchase).
JM motioned to approve the financial reports and DO seconded the motion. The motion passed.
New Business
None
Old Business
None
City Report/ Economic Development Committee Report -Jim Kozik
JK reported that The Burger Social will be moving in 108 North Hale Street. The building was purchased and work is proceeding on building out the restaurant space. He noted that preparations are moving forward on introducing the new employee parking plan for Downtown Wheaton. A pay box has been installed on the top deck of the north side parking garage which will allow employees to parking on the top deck for $1 a day. The lower levels of the garage will be reserved for customers only. Signage is also being changed out on outlying downtown streets in preparation for the new parking plan.
The city is moving forward with plans for a new streetscape on Front Street. An engineering firm has been hired to begin surveying the street. Plans call for underground utility work starting in late October or early November. Major streetscape work will resume in the spring of 2018. JK stated that starting on Front Street rather than with The French Market site was due to cost factors and the importance of having to address infrastructure in Downtown Wheaton before proceeding with the marketing and festival streets as originally called for.
He noted that the new Front Street plan calls for wider sidewalks, larger trees, improved lighting other improvements.
Wheaton Chamber of Commerce –Kerry O’Brien
KO reported that the chamber is working on the Best of Wheaton awards at this time. The chamber has invited the DWA and management from both Wheaton Town Center and Danada East and West to partner on this awards program. Nominations for Wheaton businesses are being accepted through January 22nd. On Jan. 24th, the chamber’s Business After Hours event will be held at Ivy Restaurant and the official ballot for Best of Wheaton will be announced.
JM stated that he would like to nominate the DWA for the nonprofit category.
KO noted that the Business Resource Center in the Wheaton Public Library should be open by the end of February or early March. The chamber will be inviting business leaders, members of SCORE and other organizations to host the center during office hours. MB stated that the Wheaton Park District would also be willing to volunteer time to help man the center.
The chamber will be publishing its membership directory earlier this year in order to have the publication ready for distribution during Taste of Wheaton in June.
The Taste of Wheaton committee is already underway with a planning meeting in January.
Wheaton Park District- Mike Benard
MB reported that the two ice rinks at the Central Athletic Complex are now open for skating. A special ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanquinetti will be held Saturday, January 14th at 11am. DO stated that Ivy was hosting s’mores on the patio after the ribbon cutting.
On Feb 4th the rinks will host a 24 team hockey tournament. MB encouraged the businesses to be creative with promoting themselves to the attendees and all skaters throughout the skating season.
The site features bathrooms and warming trailers. The rinks are open until 10pm and there are supervised and unsupervised hours. MB noted that the flying of the green flag means the rinks are open to skating and the red flag means that the rinks are closed. He noted that the DWA is welcome to display posters and other promotional materials in the warming trailers.
Events Committee- Dick O’Gorman
DO reported that the Ice Festival was scheduled for Saturday, January 28th. To date, 11 sculptures have been sponsored and there is still time for merchants to sign up as sponsors. Ivy will also be hosting its annual Ice Bar on the patio on Jan. 27th and the 28th.
TP noted that she was not seeing any promotional mentions for Downtown Wheaton in the local and regional magazines. She encouraged the DWA staff to increase its efforts to have events included in the magazine community calendars and to consider expanding its advertising efforts to once again include the local magazines. Do suggested that the DWA should have its own ‘You’ve Been Glanced’ page with pictures of people attending the DWA events.
DO noted that this year’s Holiday Stroll was not as well attended as the previous year and that the committee would be exploring ways to improve on this event for 2017. The DWA should look into the success of Geneva’s holiday stroll and determine what would work best for Downtown Wheaton.
The In Good Taste ‘Toast’ event that serves as a kick off to Restaurant Week in Downtown Wheaton is set for Thursday, Feb. 23rd at Toms-Price Home Furnishings. DO recommended a strong PR push for restaurant week to increase follow up reservations after the ‘Toast’ event.
There was an inquiry from one board member about capitalizing on Ground Hog Day as a downtown event. It was also suggested that the DWA work with the new city communications director on an upcoming Sister Cities events that Wheaton may be observing.
Marketing Committee – Donna Hesik
DH stated that she would like to set up a meeting with the new city Communications Director, Arin Thrower, to discuss how the city can become a partner and future editor of the Living Wheaton Magazine. The committee would also review the media/public relations contact list that the DWA is currently using and provide any updates.
. Additional Business / Adjournment
KO noted that the Chamber would be hosting the State of the City address the following Thursday at Cantigny.
No additional business. RD motioned to adjourn and TPseconded. The motion passed.