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Started right. 00:00:04
We are operating on a limited timeline today. This is a special meeting of the Economic Development Commission. Thank you all for 00:00:07
coming. 00:00:11
And joining. 00:00:15
I'll go ahead and call the meeting to order and ask. 00:00:17
We can take a quick roll call. 00:00:21
Commissioner. 00:00:26
Here Commissioner Markowitz. Commissioner Richmond here. 00:00:28
Chamber McMurdo here. Chair Upman President Vice Chair Jacobs here. 00:00:34
And Commissioner Vanut. 00:00:41
So we have a oh, I'm sorry. 00:00:44
And Commissioner Gibbs, I am. 00:00:49
Almost all here. OK. Thank you. Everyone's here. 00:00:52
Excellent. Thank you so much. 00:00:56
OK, we'll start off by submitting the agenda, the agenda and supporting documents in the packet we're circulating in advance of 00:00:58
today's meeting. They're available for download on the EDC page at pacificgrove.org. Are there any members of the public that 00:01:03
would like to make a comment on tonight's agenda? 00:01:08
Seeing none any online Laurel. 00:01:15
We're not doing online. Oh, we're done with the online. OK, well, we're done. Here we are. Thank you. 00:01:19
So is there a motion to approve the agenda report as presented? 00:01:26
Given. 00:01:35
Agenda Item number 9, the QR code project. The subcommittee has met, but we have not been able to talk with city staff about what 00:01:37
we need to talk with them about. So it's not really any progress to report at the moment. So we could just pull that item. The 00:01:43
grants, that would be fine. So a motion to strike item number 9 from the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda with the 00:01:49
removal of item number 9? So moved. Thank you. Take a second. Second. Excellent. 00:01:54
OK. Any further discussion seeing none. 00:02:01
Let's go. 00:02:04
Do a quick roll call. Vote on that, please. OK. Commissioner Mark Woods, Vice Chair, Jacobs. 00:02:06
Aye, Commissioner Vanuti. Aye chair upman. 00:02:11
Commissioner Richmond. 00:02:16
Hi. 00:02:17
Commissioner G. 00:02:19
And Commissioner Mark. 00:02:21
I agree. 00:02:24
All right. OK. The motion passes 7 to 0 to approve the agenda with item nine straight. 00:02:26
Excellent. That takes us to Commission and staff announcements. Are there any announcements from the commissioners present or the 00:02:32
city staff before we move on? 00:02:36
I was going to introduce our interim director, but he just walked out, so he's here. 00:02:40
Lou Bowman, Commissioner Gibbs. 00:02:47
Yeah, I just want to, in terms of announcements on Wednesday, next Wednesday, the City Council will meet. 00:02:49
And I think it's going to be on the agenda. I haven't confirmed the suspension of. 00:02:56
Remote comment, remote public comment I believe will be on the agenda and it is suspended for not only City Council but for all. 00:03:02
Boards and commissions. 00:03:09
I personally. 00:03:12
The comments. 00:03:14
City Council, for example, meets maybe 24 times a year. 00:03:17
There might be 10 on average. 00:03:20
Per year. So 250 to 300 comments. And some of them are evil, wicked, mean, bad, nasty. There's no doubt about that. They're rotten 00:03:23
comments. But the question is, do we silence the many? 00:03:29
Take out a few of the comments that we don't like. So all I'm saying is that if you have a thought about this, beat the City 00:03:36
Council meeting on Wednesday night and let your voice be heard one way or the other. I think that's how democracy works. Thank 00:03:41
you. Thank you. 00:03:45
Commissioner Murdoch. Yeah, I just had a couple of announcements of things that are coming up in the city. This Saturday is a 00:03:51
veteran's day ceremony out at Point Pinot's Lighthouse at 11 AM. So that's 1111 at 11. Easy to remember. We also have a new 00:03:58
business in town named Sharp Corners Cards and Collectibles. He's already open, but he is having his grand opening and ribbon 00:04:05
cutting on December. Oh shoot. 00:04:12
2nd, 1st December 1st at 3:30, yes, First Friday at 3:30. So prior to first Friday is starting. So we would love, since this is a 00:04:19
business Commission, everybody and the public is welcome to come to that. And then there are a lot of holiday activities, but go 00:04:25
to the chamber website to find those, there's so many. 00:04:31
Wonder. 00:04:38
Comments seeing? None. OK, that brings us to the Council liaison announcements. 00:04:40
Yes. I just wanted to make sure that the EDC knew that the council has moved forward with the zoning and licensing ordinances for 00:04:47
the cannabis dispensary in town. So that got past the last council meeting. And so we're on track. Thank you. Thank you. 00:04:55
And on to general public comment. Are there any members of the public that would like to make a comment at this time? 00:05:04
Welcome. 00:05:10
Oh, good evening everyone. Hi, my name is Vince Tumonello, local PG resident. As I've said before, I've been coming to EDC 00:05:22
meetings on and off for the last 30 years. 00:05:27
Back then, Mr. Omar was head of the chamber and he pretty much supervised or many people thought ran the meetings. I'm glad to see 00:05:33
you have independent thought now. 00:05:38
And I'm up here to comment on a change in procedure, which we already heard from the chair. 00:05:43
That there is no zoom public comment tonight is that. 00:05:51
OK, well, I I know the mayor, who's a very good mayor and personally knows me, and I know him. 00:05:56
Publicly as well as as his being in office that he's a fair shooting guy. But when the I guess it was the state or maybe the 00:06:03
federal government financed all others equipment that wasn't here four years ago. All because of communist China's spreading of 00:06:11
COVID around the world. And we know how bad that situation was and this zoom idea really turned out to be a good idea. 00:06:18
I personally think people should come. 00:06:26
Just like would you rather listen to a CD or go to a live concert? It's the same thing if you want to come to a live presentation. 00:06:29
Make your voice known, the people in the eye and so forth, and let them know who you are. 00:06:35
And the reason is look what. 00:06:41
A few weeks ago, with the City Council meeting disparaging. 00:06:44
From a room. 00:06:49
Lunatics who called many other city councils and many other city meetings with obnoxious, distasteful and disdainful words and 00:06:51
comments about people's gender, nationality, race, and so forth, among other objectionable things. So naturally, the mayor in 00:06:59
shock. I watched it all. We watched it all on Zoom on YouTube. 00:07:06
And I see that, you know, something had to be done. Unfortunately, I hope we have enough money to put in a 7 second delay. 00:07:14
To have an opportunity to voice their opinion. 00:08:00
Just banning it is not a good idea, so I support what Mr. Gibbs said. We're on the same page. What a coincidence. 00:08:02
So anyway, thank you for letting me speak, and I hope something more appropriate can be done about that to allow all of the 00:08:09
community the right to free speech. Thank you very much. 00:08:13
Thank you. 00:08:18
OK. Next up is approval of the minutes, the minutes from our October 5th, 2023 EDC meeting. We're distributed in advance. Are 00:08:25
there any questions on the minutes from the committee? 00:08:30
See. 00:08:36
OK, Can we have a motion to approve the Minutes? I move? We approve the Minutes. Commissioner Markowitz, do we have a second? 00:08:39
Thank you, Commissioner Hoops. 00:08:43
We do a quick roll call. 00:08:48
A. 00:08:54
Um. 00:08:56
Commission Chair Upman, Vice Chair Jacobs, aye. Commissioner Venuti, aye. And Commissioner Gibbs, Yes. Motion passes. 00:08:57
Thank you everyone. That takes us to our regular agenda and I'm excited. 00:09:06
Kick off with the first item on our agenda, the grant awardees for the business, businesses serving minority and women. 00:09:11
Program. 00:09:19
This evening we have our two recipients in the room. 00:09:22
And we're going to kind of wing it as we go through this because I don't know that there's a real format for how we go about it, 00:09:25
but just before. 00:09:29
We we get into it. 00:09:33
The first step is officially offering public comment. So is there any public comment before we get into the presentation? 00:09:36
Two in a row. Hi. Anyway, I think it's a wonderful program that you're offering funds or offering them as awards to members, 00:09:49
business, members of the community. 00:09:54
And I hope you continue this type of program. My only criticism would be it should be opened up right from the beginning to all 00:10:00
business. 00:10:05
Owners all businesses in the community not being specific as to sex, race, nationality, religion or anything else. It should be 00:10:11
open to everyone in the community. 00:10:17
Right from the start and there should be promoted. 00:10:23
Aggressively that we have this program and we're looking for participants in the selection process. I know this was your first 00:10:26
time and you had good intentions. You know, we have a woman of color who's Vice President of the United States. 00:10:32
We also had two women senators for a long time. We have a lot of powerful and successful women in business as well as working for 00:10:39
the city. 00:10:43
A lot of successful women working for the city, so I don't think it's necessary to specify women, minority, whatever. Let's give a 00:10:47
ward out. 00:10:51
And publicize it to any business person in the community. In the future. These two people deserve to win. 00:10:55
They followed the rules, they did it fairly and they run great businesses, so nothing against them. I'm all in favor of them being 00:11:01
winners and they might have won anyway, even if it was just open to the community right from the start. But next time you do this, 00:11:07
and I hope you do this once a year at least, maybe twice a year. 00:11:13
Let's start off on the. 00:11:19
Open to any business operator in the community in the city. 00:11:22
OK. That's all I have to say. Thank you very much. Thank you. 00:11:26
So I just wanted to open with oh, please join us. Sorry. 00:11:31
Oh. 00:11:37
So first of all my name is. 00:11:38
And I'm part of them and we're very thankful for you guys taking the time and opportunity to grant to our smaller businesses in 00:11:41
the. 00:11:46
Any kind of assistance and we are very happy to be here in PG and helping people stay well so they can enjoy the beautiful, 00:11:51
beautiful beaches and just everything about it is just beautiful. And we're happy to be part of this community and we're very 00:11:58
thankful that you took the time and in the best of your abilities we're able to put something together that would benefit and 00:12:05
we're here to help everybody who wants to be. 00:12:13
In better shape and be healthier. And Jolene, we've met before when we just came here after convert, she was the first person that 00:12:21
opened her business and we went there to. 00:12:27
Get an ice cream and we immediately became friends. And so we love her shop and we don't know many people that have a very nice 00:12:33
business, but she was one of them and she has all the surfboards and we're surfers and we know. And today as I was going to surf 00:12:40
in the cinema, it was huge and I saw her business and we need to go get ice cream there and then I walked in here and where she 00:12:48
is. So thank you guys very much for the opportunity and anything we can do to help, we're here to be of service. Thank you. 00:12:55
Thank. 00:13:03
To show support for the EPC appreciation for your diligence and continuing this project forward. It really shows the city's 00:13:12
partnership with our wonderful local businesses. And just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the members of DC for your hard 00:13:20
work on this and and very a huge thank you to our local businesses for all you do for our community. Thank you. Thank you so much. 00:13:28
Any further comments from the public? 00:13:38
OK, seeing none, So I just want to take a moment to kind of set this up before we get on with the presentation. 00:13:41
This is a really exciting moment for me personally, but also for the Economic Development Commission. It's been 2 years since we 00:13:48
started this initiative and I'm so thankful to see that we have some members past members of the DC in the in the room with us 00:13:52
today. 00:13:57
We had the the privilege of presenting. 00:14:02
The Business grant today to businesses serving minority and women. 00:14:06
Umm. 00:14:10
And we have our two businesses here in the room with us. So we'll get to that in just a second. I'd like to commend. 00:14:11
The. 00:14:16
Economic Development Commission for unanimously approving our recommendation. Thank you for all the support. Thank you to the City 00:14:17
staff particularly. 00:14:22
Laurel thank you so much and your patience and guiding us through this process and chops thank you Mr. Mayor. Thank you. We also 00:14:28
had. 00:14:32
As I'd mentioned, the the past EDC members who I'm so thankful have been able to join us here in the room with Nicholas Moreland. 00:14:38
He was the former EDC chair who was part of this initiative when we began. 00:14:43
We have former secretary Ariel Zena, who's joined us as well. Thank you. At the time when we began this journey, the council of 00:14:48
the years on which Jenny McAdams and of course our former City manager Ben Harvey was a part. And we're so thankful for all their 00:14:54
support and guidance through this process. 00:15:00
You know, there's many incredible businesses in Pacific Grove is what is the heart of our town and that's why we're all here. 00:15:08
It's the reason why. 00:15:15
You know, we are able to come together as a community and rally around events and all the wonderful memories that we're able to 00:15:17
make. It's just it is the heart of who we are as a as a town. 00:15:23
So it wasn't easy to select the winners in this in this process, but I I hope you both know that we're incredibly impressed with 00:15:31
the submissions that you that you provided, the amount of information that you shared with us, thank you for trusting us and 00:15:37
reviewing. 00:15:42
The applications. 00:15:49
And it's an honor to present these two grants to both of your businesses to Lucy's on Lighthouse and MA Wellness. 00:15:50
So we have a couple of checks for you. I think we'd love to take a couple of pictures. We're going to just break protocol and just 00:15:58
kind of have some fun for a few seconds and then we'll get back to business. Is that all right? 00:16:02
OK. 00:16:07
You have to go to a really big bank. 00:16:17
18. 00:16:20
And since everyone else's. 00:16:25
Sleep. 00:16:42
Chair. Get in the center. 00:16:55
Right all. 00:17:00
Better center under the under the logo. 00:17:02
Awesome. Congratulations. 00:17:26
Yeah. 00:17:37
Future. 00:17:48
I. 00:18:08
And. 00:18:10
Somebody in the city. 00:18:15
Ice cream for everybody. 00:18:55
And now it's now it's official. There you go. 00:19:02
Don't take the other ones to the bank, it won't work. 00:19:04
And I don't mean to put you on the spot, but Jolene, did you want to say any words? OK, it's totally fine. 00:19:11
I'm so glad. 00:19:22
And. 00:19:24
It's hot. 00:19:28
Just listening to. 00:19:31
The history of this like, warms my heart. 00:19:33
I didn't realize this was. 00:19:36
Deep project. 00:19:39
I started it back in November when I got. 00:19:42
The e-mail and have been eagerly hoping I was. 00:19:44
Resonate with you and I'm extremely honored. I love what I do. I feel like I have so much to share with this community and I 00:19:53
couldn't do it without my amazing family. My My kids work with me too, and my husband works with me. They built the studio with me 00:20:00
plank by plank. So this is. 00:20:07
This is really going to help us out a lot, so I don't mean to make you cry. 00:20:15
So, yeah, thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. And we're going to do great things. 00:20:21
So can't wait to share. 00:20:27
Let's go. 00:20:38
So much gratitude. I appreciate it so much. We opened the right smack dab in the middle of COVID in July of 2020 and it's been an 00:20:41
uphill battle back and forth trying to make it and. 00:20:47
Hi. 00:20:55
And. 00:20:59
I'm very appreciative. This will help with a lot of things that we want to do. We love Pacific Grove so much. I raised my kids 00:20:59
here, my mom went to school here. We've been here a long time and having a business in this city means a lot to me. So thank you 00:21:04
guys. 00:21:08
I just like to also just say that. 00:21:20
You, you both have created thriving businesses and I want to congratulate you both for that. This is a little bit of, I'll I'll 00:21:24
say, a little bit of fertilizer on the plant to give you a boost and we hope that you'll come back and share your growth with us. 00:21:31
And we'd love to as part of this also here. 00:21:38
You know your feedback and how we can help to serve you and the business community, so we we would like to of course welcome you 00:21:42
back again in the near future. 00:21:47
Any any further comments from? 00:21:55
The Commission, before we move on to the next agenda item. 00:21:58
Sure, OK, try not to cry. I'm a very emotional Just seeing happy things just makes me so happy. And I understand the struggles, 00:22:01
like these last few years have been so tough, so. 00:22:07
And. 00:22:16
With Captain and Stoker, with my own business, like our whole thing is we just want to like help people, especially those that 00:22:17
might not get help otherwise. So when I got to be on this Commission, that was like the thing I wanted to do most, so like. 00:22:22
I'm a year and a few months into this and we finally got to do something. So it's just like it feels so good to actually see the 00:22:28
final product. So thank you guys. 00:22:32
Any additional? 00:22:54
I just want to say, I know it's been a long journey, you know, probably started before June of 2022. And so you know, tenacity and 00:22:58
persistence is obviously one of the hallmarks of being a great business person. 00:23:04
And I just want to say congratulations, we need more businesses with the verve and enthusiasm that you all bring to the town and 00:23:10
and brought tonight. It's good to see And Margaret Thatcher one time said I think it was her that the pessimist sees problems in 00:23:16
every opportunity. 00:23:22
The optim. 00:23:29
The opportunity in every problem and I think we need more people who see what you see for the for Pacific Row. We love Pacific 00:23:31
Grove, we do too and would like to see more of the same in the future and you bring that. 00:23:37
That personality of the entrepreneurship. 00:23:44
Profile to Pacific Grove and we need more. 00:23:48
Of this exact same thing, so thank you for hanging in. 00:23:50
With that, we'll move on to the next item on the agenda. 00:23:57
Back to business, so you guys are? 00:24:01
Thank you. 00:24:09
Yeah. 00:24:17
Well, that takes us to item number seven on the agenda, which is our Small business Recovery action plan. We had a request to 00:24:38
revisit that action plan and see what we can make of it. There's some recommendations that were shared with our. 00:24:45
Advisors at. 00:24:53
And. 00:24:55
Want to bring? 00:24:57
The table for further conversation so with that. 00:24:58
I will hand it over to Mr. Foster. 00:25:02
Can walk us through and we can discuss a bit more if there's some items that we can identify as potential. 00:25:05
Thank you. I'm happy to come back and and revisit this. I hope you had a chance to go back and look through the the action plan 00:25:15
and we started this a couple years ago and brought it forward to the Economic Development Commission a first time and then we 00:25:20
brought it on to the and that you have some thoughts and ideas. 00:25:26
And then we brought it forward to the City Council. 00:25:32
About a year ago and. 00:25:36
And then we and they and I think overall they like. 00:25:39
And they wanted. 00:25:42
Get some direction in terms of. 00:25:45
And also budget resources for it. And so then we came, we came back to the Economic Development Commission. 00:25:48
And provided an implementation plan. 00:25:55
And then? 00:25:58
Went back to the City Council. I think it was scheduled at least two or three times for consideration by the City Council in June 00:26:00
and then in July and. 00:26:05
Just because of some timing issues never happened. And so I think I'd like to go through that or Laurel if you can bring up that 00:26:11
PowerPoint with the implementation. 00:26:16
Plan they'll they'll give you some of the highlights in terms of the program. 00:26:21
Barry, would it be possible for you to share your screen? I think we may be having a bit of technical difficulties on our end. 00:26:31
Yeah, I don't have it up in mind. I'm sorry. 00:26:34
Are you able to pull it up or? 00:26:40
Laurel's working on it here, so just. 00:26:45
Yeah. 00:26:48
OK. I'll. 00:26:53
You want me just to walk through? 00:26:59
It's it's posted as part of the agenda packet online. So I apologize, apologies to everybody in the room but for this going online 00:27:01
it is available. Yeah I'll I'll go ahead and walk through the. 00:27:07
So there's there's 16 different items. 00:27:13
And some of these just because of the timing of when we started. 00:27:16
Have actually the city staff chose to go ahead and. 00:27:20
And implement some of those things. And so number one is establish one day a week economic development coordinator position and 00:27:24
that's been accomplished with Laurel doing that. 00:27:30
And then? 00:27:37
Is. 00:27:40
To do a monthly business spotlight at Economic Development Commission meetings, that is also happening. 00:27:41
And then #3 was to launch um. 00:27:47
And Economic development web page. 00:27:50
P. 00:27:55
And that also is ongoing and has been implemented and I think that it turned out very, very nicely it's it's a very useful. 00:27:56
Website and I think it once you've got people there, it really kind of drives home. 00:28:05
Why so? How much you consider? 00:28:10
And then #4 is to move the EDC costs into one city department. 00:28:13
Budget and that's economic development that's also been accomplished. 00:28:18
And then #5. 00:28:22
Also started and it needs to continue on, is to hold quarterly broker luncheons. We've had a couple of those already. 00:28:25
And so I think those are really successful in terms and I know we had a number of EDC members that were also participating in in 00:28:33
those. And so I think that that's something that. 00:28:37
Needs to continue on to and then number six is is to do quarterly economic development. 00:28:43
Reports to City Council. 00:28:49
#7 is to initiate a business visitation. 00:28:52
Oh, there it is. 00:28:57
Why don't you go through the page? 00:28:59
You. 00:29:04
Can you go up one more? 00:29:13
The. 00:29:18
Keep going. 00:29:22
1. 00:29:25
There you go. And then. 00:29:29
Is it initiated business visitation program and I've I've I've found these in a lot of communities as being something that that 00:29:32
really is useful is that have an ongoing business visitation program so city staff can go out and and meet with businesses. 00:29:40
Just to share information about, sometimes there's things. 00:29:49
That city or business is kind of struggling with or. 00:29:52
A challenge or a problem, oftentimes getting together with with city people. 00:29:58
Regular basis of having that dialogue, you can you can solve or adjust some things to make those things. 00:30:03
Better. It's always better. 00:30:10
To know about an issue before it's too late where business decided that they're going to close or relocate or something else. And 00:30:11
so I think those visitation programs are really, really important. They can be monthly or they can be bimonthly. 00:30:18
Can you? 00:30:25
Next page. 00:30:27
So #8 is to create a restaurant event series. 00:30:29
And so I. 00:30:34
That that is something that. 00:30:35
Previously it was done with one event in the city. I think doing those kinds of things on kind of an ongoing basis would be really 00:30:38
important. You've got a lot of great, great restaurants. 00:30:44
In Pacific rose, I think. 00:30:51
Highlighting though isn't that all the diversity and quality of the restaurants with with an ongoing restaurant event series is 00:30:53
something that would prove very, very useful. For Pacific Grove #9 is to launch a Shop Local digital gift card program. 00:31:01
We've done a number of these programs in cities, but they really, they really have proven to be quite successful in terms of 00:31:09
helping the small independent businesses. 00:31:14
It's something. 00:31:20
We've kind of gotten past Kovid, but. 00:31:22
There's still some work to be done and so I think keeping those dollars local and. 00:31:26
Having that shop local presence is really, really. 00:31:31
And then number. 00:31:35
Is to continue the Parkland. 00:31:38
That was something that was done. 00:31:42
Back when when COVID hit, and that was the way a lot of best businesses and restaurants stayed open. And so I think having those 00:31:44
improvements and having them where they're a little bit more long term is important. So I know the city's been working on 00:31:51
standards for those parklets. Program #11 is to. 00:31:58
Continue the pretty successful storefront and park the facade improvement. 00:32:06
That that Laurel's been working with for a number of years now and I think that continuing that forward is another major part of 00:32:11
the action plan. 00:32:17
#12 is they're creating music series event. 00:32:22
Program and again it kind of like with the restaurant event program, special events are are are important ways for a community, 00:32:26
especially downtown. 00:32:31
To have. 00:32:36
To have those kinds of things where people can come down and and and get together as a community, all different types of ages, 00:32:38
families, all those kinds of things. I think having that a music series, event program is another way that you can really. 00:32:45
Umm, help your small business community? Just have people gathering coming down into your downtown at #13. 00:32:53
Is the explorer a program you can help with? Something that they can store fronts. 00:33:02
We started that we we have a a company that had some interest that kind of went away. 00:33:07
That would have would have managed that program, but there's a possibility now that they may come back and so I think. 00:33:13
Having a program where you can take some of those. 00:33:21
Some of those taken spaces and and using them on a short term basis with a with a number of kind of entrepreneurial small 00:33:25
businesses that can't afford to go out and get their own space could be a way to. 00:33:31
To utilize those vacant. 00:33:37
But also help some of the small businesses that really kind of need to get going before they can take their own space. 00:33:40
#14 00:33:46
His design. 00:33:48
A shop, Pacific Grove, St. Pole. 00:33:51
You know this has worked in a lot of communities and so I think that again it's how you brand your businesses and in your in your 00:33:54
shop local program is another way just to to create that. 00:34:00
Number. 00:34:06
Next one more. 00:34:08
Is to look at the Monterey Trolley bringing it to downtown Pacific Grove and I know that the previous city manager in Laurel had 00:34:10
kind of worked on that and so I think that's another thing that that little longer term but. 00:34:17
I think it could bring more people into Pacific. 00:34:24
And then #16. 00:34:28
Is is really just to kind of look? 00:34:30
Especially the downtown area, you know capital improvement projects and and look at possibilities to to really help with the 00:34:33
infrastructure. 00:34:37
Needed improvements, sidewalks, tree wells and all those kinds of things just to try to really improve the environment and the 00:34:42
look of it and and make it so people want to come there again and again and again. 00:34:48
So these are the. 00:34:55
The 16 major components, a number of these have been started already, but I think they bring the basis of. 00:34:58
Of the action plan and and. 00:35:05
They're not going to be all done at once, They're going to build down overtime. 00:35:08
So with that, I'm happy to answer any questions. 00:35:11
Before I open it to the Commissioners. 00:35:16
We have had a dramatic decrease in the number of people here in the audience, but I just want to make sure I check the box. So is 00:35:19
there any comments from the public before we move forward? 00:35:24
Discussion seeing. 00:35:29
OK. I'll go ahead and open the floor then for feedback questions. 00:35:31
Thoughts from commissioners? 00:35:35
Commissioner. 00:35:39
Foster, can you explain to me in more detail what a restaurant event series is? 00:35:42
Yeah, it's it's going to be, it's going to be eating structured in a lot of different ways, but it is to look at maybe having. 00:35:48
Kind of ongoing restaurant series that could be in downtown. It could be other shopping areas too, but it would be. 00:35:55
You know, maybe one every quarter or set kind of. 00:36:03
A time frame where you're having these kinds of things, but they really have worked, especially in downtown areas. So you're 00:36:08
you're bringing together. 00:36:12
A number of restaurants to participate in that program. You could have some music be part of it too. You're creating kind of a 00:36:16
festival. 00:36:20
Type environment and and getting people to come down and and. 00:36:24
And and taste the all the different cuisine and diversity you have into restaurants. But it's also another way just to kind of 00:36:28
promote the downtown or wherever that whatever that shopping center you're having the event at. 00:36:33
So are you suggesting that restaurants provide samples? I'm confused why people would come and why this would be different than 00:36:39
first Fridays when there's music and in some restaurants there's music every Friday and Saturday. Yeah, So they they could do, 00:36:44
they could do a way where they have samples, they could do it a way where they're just, they could maybe even sell things You can 00:36:49
structure in a number of different ways. 00:36:54
Just to answer your question, I've been a few of these in few different states now that I've lived quite often it's. 00:37:04
Sometimes it's like a locked off area and you have to buy a ticket, and with that ticket you get a certain amount of like little 00:37:12
tastings and stuff. Yeah. So there's there's a bunch of different ways to do it, but I like that way a little more because then, 00:37:17
you know, you know, you're paying for something good. Whereas sometimes, I don't know, it's like if it's free, I feel kind of bad 00:37:22
taking food from people. I was like I'd rather pay for it a little bit, 'cause then, you know, it's a little curated too. So yeah, 00:37:27
I just wanted to say. 00:37:32
That I've been to them and they have been great, yeah. And having those tickets, you know that's it's again, you're just you're 00:37:37
getting a sampling. It's not a full course meal or anything like that. It's it's you can go around and sample four or five of 00:37:41
them. 00:37:45
OK. 00:37:51
I've seen some. 00:37:53
Ways of doing it too, which are kind of fun where you could have different themes for. I mean if it was quarterly it seems like a 00:37:57
lot, but I mean you anyway. You could highlight local food producers and you know restaurants could feature farmers and you could 00:38:03
you know do events with meet the fishermen or meet the. 00:38:09
Cattle rancher or something like that. And that's a way of just extending community and having fun events and and there's some the 00:38:17
most common way of doing a Restaurant Week is to say it's 10% off. 00:38:23
Come along and try out a restaurant you've been wanting to try and things like that, so there's lots of different ways of doing it 00:38:30
and. 00:38:33
It. 00:38:38
I noticed that there was like no budget for that one. I think was it is that the one? Just a second, Yeah, I I would hope there 00:38:40
would be some budget because marketing and is is probably the key to you know, creating excitement for an event and. 00:38:48
That would be that would be great. I guess another question that I have very is just I noticed that in my. 00:38:57
Previous version of this, the budget was different. It's been cut quite a lot, it's I just was wondering why that is. 00:39:06
I'm not sure if I'll go back and look at it. We've had a couple of different rounds of this, but and some of these programs is, is 00:39:13
I think. 00:39:17
Is once once we have some direction from the City Council, then you have to go back and establish the budget. 00:39:21
OK well this the shop local thing. I've got previous version AT60K and. 00:39:29
Sorry, is so now it's 30 K on this. 00:39:35
In this presentation and the storefront was 50 and now it's 25 S it was cut in half. I just thought maybe it was a because the 00:39:40
time frame was different or something. I don't know. Yeah, I think the, I think the The Shop local program that was reduced. 00:39:47
When Mr. Harvey was there and then I think it was just to try to start with something a little bit, a little bit more modest and 00:39:56
that would fit into a funding source and. 00:40:00
So that was the reason why that was actually reduced and that was that was after we brought it for you last time. 00:40:06
Commissioner Murdoch. All right, thank you, Chair. I just have a general question because we. 00:40:15
Entered down the path of doing a strategic plan. I I had thought that was more the direction we were going to go. 00:40:22
And kind of understand what it is that we need before we did something like this. But I mean, there are parts of this that can 00:40:30
happen simultaneously. I'm just. 00:40:34
Trying to understand where we are in this process versus a strategic plan. 00:40:38
I'll I'll give my answer and then I'll give Vice Chair Jake moment as well because I know that she has some comments I I believe 00:40:46
the the. 00:40:50
The intent here is that this is an immediate whereas the strategic plan, while I I truly believe that, I think it's a great 00:40:55
direction to go and will take time. 00:40:59
And so the hope here is to have a more immediate opportunity to address some of the needs that are currently present in the. 00:41:04
Commissioner Jacobs Yeah, I'm. I'm really excited about this, and I was so sorry when. 00:41:10
You know, we it kind of bit the dust, you know it. 00:41:18
The council and didn't get hurt and I understand there were a lot of things competing and but I feel this is important because you 00:41:22
know one of the things that makes our town unique is the village kind of atmosphere that we have in downtown and the the kind of 00:41:29
really special independent businesses and I would say I don't know every. 00:41:36
World. But in the restaurant world, I do know a lot of other restaurant owners and from you know. 00:41:43
Friends that I know that our managers at Pebble Beach, they say that they've been down 50% in our business, probably close to 50%. 00:41:52
It's just it's been a very like everyone I speak to they're down significantly from past years. So it I feel that it's it's really 00:41:59
important to address this and I'm so glad that you've put the work into proposing something and you know we looked at it before 00:42:06
and I think everything was approved except the gift card thing. 00:42:13
Because we wanted to give the the city time to do something like a homegrown version, which we've not been able to do. So I'm. 00:42:21
Still enthusiastic about the gift card feature as well. And you know I think a lot of businesses loaded up with debt during the 00:42:29
pandemic because the government offered loans and then we had a big economic downturn and although wages increased a lot. So 00:42:37
you're you're seeing pressure from three different areas on businesses and I know everyone is you know. 00:42:44
Finding it difficult. So I feel like now more than ever it's it's really great to to do this So yeah if I can comment just on SO I 00:42:52
think when we do things like this like this is an action plan this is for as. 00:43:00
As the VICE chair talked about, it's more kind of. 00:43:08
It's more of a short term plan and and so this is really meant to be something that can be accomplished in a couple of years. 00:43:11
The the when you're doing a strategy. 00:43:19
It's more long term, it's more comprehensive. It's just it's just for a longer period of time. Action plans are really meant to be 00:43:21
shorter periods of time and where you've really emphasized the word action. 00:43:26
And where strategies are more a little more grandiose and longer term things and just to comment too about the vice chair talked 00:43:32
about. 00:43:36
Just businesses in general, we're still, you know, we do work all over the state and so while sales tax has rebounded and our 00:43:41
company does sales tax for probably 400 cities in California. 00:43:46
Small businesses. 00:43:54
They're not back to pre pandemic in terms of achieving margins and cash flowing all those kinds of things. They've had all these 00:43:57
other challenges with increased labor costs and and and the whole supply chain thing and and more costs have dramatically 00:44:04
increased. And so while sales may be up, you know they're not able to pass on everything that they really need to for to their to 00:44:11
their clients and their customers. And so those margins are still not back to pre Pandemic and so. 00:44:18
Having a having an action plan like this, it has a number of different things in ways that the city can help the small business 00:44:25
community really recover it. It's it's really important now and and it's going to be more important here in the next couple of 00:44:29
years. 00:44:33
So, you know, I pretty much agree with it. Everything people, I said. 00:44:45
Vice Chair Jacobs commented on the difficulty businesses are having, particularly small business. It's. 00:44:50
It is ruthless out there. It's really, really difficult to survive one day to the next. I don't see a lot on here. 00:44:57
That would focus short term on helping a small business get through some of the very specific bottom line issues. A couple of 00:45:04
these things perhaps, but right now if you've taken out loans and you've got to pay them back at higher interest rates are turning 00:45:09
up. 00:45:14
What are we doing to help with that? There are programs where you can renegotiate. 00:45:20
But you need somebody to come in and help you do that, right? Get the small business owners, get a group of five or six of them 00:45:24
who would interested. Let's run a program based by the EDC. Maybe we can add it to this list and have them come in here and just 00:45:30
talk about what's going on. We bring in some experts to alleviate some of that. 00:45:36
Usury interest that they're having to pay and the debt that they're having to pay off, I'd like to see something like that on 00:45:43
here. 00:45:46
You know, we we had these entrepreneurs here. You know, I've been looking at some of the as part of the strategic plan, what other 00:45:50
small towns have done. 00:45:55
And there's sort of a common element and one is let's get new businesses in, let's support them. And the entrepreneurship feel 00:46:00
like we saw here tonight is critical to establishing a very positive vibe in the city. Whatever we can do to support new 00:46:07
businesses, particularly small entrepreneurs. 00:46:13
And so I would ask Mr. Foster, and I don't see it in here, but. 00:46:20
More than a year ago, my business partner and I filled out an application sent. 00:46:25
For I don't know what it was called a makers. 00:46:31
Something like that. I believe that Mister Foster, you were here with somebody from San Jose looking at actually space. 00:46:34
That could be turned into an Event Center or makerspace type of. 00:46:41
Right. And I don't see it on the it's #13. 00:46:46
It doesn't, it doesn't specifically say makers face, but that that would fall into that category and and we did and we did have a 00:46:50
business or a group out of San Jose that was very interested. 00:46:56
They kind of got into some other things and some other communities and. 00:47:03
But I think there's, I think there's a possibility that they they they have some renewed interest but that that would be a part of 00:47:08
that. 00:47:11
OK. So you're telling me that the vacant storefront activation program? 00:47:15
Is the same thing as. 00:47:20
RFI that we. 00:47:25
That we put out that you responded to was part. 00:47:26
OK. 00:47:31
And so there's been no progress, what you're saying? 00:47:32
On this, since then that that group that was originally interested started looking at other opportunities in other cities and kind 00:47:35
of lost interest, but within the last month or so we've had some dialogue with them where they might be interested again. 00:47:43
Is there some way to scale that down and start it on a smaller scale? 00:47:51
Let's get it out there. Maybe we're not talking about two or 3000 square feet. Maybe we're talking about something a little bit 00:47:55
less than that. But common workspaces, some kind of administrative support, you know, fast Internet, that kind of thing. I think 00:48:01
the key thing there, Commissioner, gives is that. 00:48:06
That group was going to take on the role of managing that program. I'm not sure the city staff is in a position to manage this 00:48:12
program. So we're hoping, we're still hopeful that we could find a group or entity that would be willing to take that on and and 00:48:17
manage that process. 00:48:21
So I think my question for you is, understanding the limitations that we have with city staff, what is your recommendation that? 00:48:30
We as a. 00:48:40
Take to to begin to move some of these items forward, understanding that we're an advisory Commission, what would you advise us? 00:48:43
I think, I think we if if the Commission is in agreement. 00:48:52
We need to update this time frame because we've lost some time now, but is to go back to the City Council with an updated time 00:48:57
frame here. 00:49:02
And so you know, some of these are shorter term than others and some of it's going to take. 00:49:08
Some time to do but I think all these are kind of valuable tools. But but then. 00:49:13
Make sure that the City Council agrees with all these and these aren't. They all saw these before. No, I think question any of 00:49:19
these these programs the first time you brought it forward. They just wanted to better understand some of the timing issues, what 00:49:24
would come first, what would come later and and then some budget numbers. 00:49:30
Would it be helpful then for us to designate a subcommittee to work directly with HDL to begin moving this forward? What would 00:49:38
you? 00:49:43
What would you recommend that we do in terms of the actions that we have, the ability? 00:49:48
To take I think, I think, I think that would be a good move. 00:49:53
Chair I think the we get a couple people that could work with our group with Laurel. 00:49:58
With the new interim community development directors, that is to kind of understand. 00:50:05
Make sure these budget numbers are correct and timing is correct. And and. 00:50:10
And try to come forward with with a with an updated recommendation. 00:50:15
OK. 00:50:21
All right. 00:50:21
Any further questions or comments Commission, maybe it's a question for the staff, you know the HDL there was a budget for HDL is 00:50:23
there, Where are we on the budget for this with this consulting? 00:50:28
We we renewed the contract in. 00:50:36
And so we're. 00:50:39
A little over four months into. 00:50:41
We didn't have a specific number in terms of this program. It's it's a number of different services that we provide for the city. 00:50:45
So I think, I think we still have, I think the budget was for. 00:50:53
Umm. 00:50:58
$39,000 for the year and I think to the first quarter. 00:50:59
I think it was like 5 or $6000. 00:51:06
No, there's still money in the budget. 00:51:09
Just. 00:51:13
So how does this work? Do we need permission? 00:51:16
That's not our budget. 00:51:19
Correct. So do we need permission from the city to use them for our purposes? 00:51:21
Are they paying for it? Who's? Who's paying Part of the current agreement that we have? So they are. We are. 00:51:27
Part of it and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Foster, but we are part of the overall scope that they have. Yeah. Yeah, we, we, we 00:51:32
work typically we previously reported. 00:51:38
Mr. Harvey we worked with. 00:51:44
And then but you know the EDC can can also they've asked overtime to to help with certain things and if if. 00:51:48
If staff feels it's appropriate, we can go ahead and do that. 00:51:55
It's it's part of our. 00:51:59
I'm sure, Mr. Jacobs. Yeah. So we had a meeting recently where we looked at. 00:52:03
Expanding. 00:52:10
City staff to work on economic development and kind of looking around at other municipalities. 00:52:13
I don't know. Santa Cruz has eight full time people and we've got one part-time one day a week and I know there are four times 00:52:19
bigger than us, but even if you divide that by 4, you know two full time people would be awesome. But I think we were looking at 00:52:24
expanding laurels. 00:52:29
Review just two more days a week, if possible, one full-time person or. 00:52:36
You know she actually she only works four days a week, so it would be almost full time. So just wanted to say that we had had 00:52:43
further discussions on one of those points in your plan. 00:52:47
So it seems to me sorry I just in the interest of. 00:52:53
We have. 00:52:58
It seems to me that the next step here is for us to decide whether or not we want to create a subcommittee. 00:52:58
To for this conversation potentially offline, I move that we form a subcommittee to prioritize these and, you know, and ask for a 00:53:04
budget. The thing about this is that, you know, the mayors here, Councilman Dory, are here. If I'm sitting in their spot, they're 00:53:10
not going to do this. They're looking at us to say, make a recommendation for a budget or vote it up or down. But if we sit here 00:53:16
and don't give them something to act on, it's on us, not on them. 00:53:23
So I'm make a motion that we do that. 00:53:29
Yeah. 00:53:33
We have any volunteers for the subcommittee, Commissioner Rich. 00:53:35
Oh, sorry, First round we'll take a vote on. 00:53:38
The creation of a subcommittee, Then we'll. 00:53:42
And. 00:53:45
OK. 00:53:47
Commissioner. 00:53:48
Commissioner Van Nudie, Yes. Vice Chair Jacobs. Yes, Chair upman. 00:53:51
Commissioner Richmond aye, Commissioner Markowitz AYE and Commissioner. 00:53:56
Aye. 00:54:02
Motion passes. 00:54:03
Alright. 00:54:07
Commissioner Richmond. 00:54:08
Yes, I would love being on this. 00:54:09
I have a business in the town similar to somebody else on maybe maybe more than one of us, but I just think. 00:54:13
I have so many ideas and I just want to share them, so I think I could be a really good asset to it. 00:54:20
Yeah. 00:54:25
We have two other interested parties. I'm not interested, 'cause I don't have a business downtown, but I think it's important that 00:54:26
people on this subcommittee have a business in town somewhere. 00:54:30
Yeah. 00:54:37
Did you not hear me? Are you? 00:54:40
Yes, I think it's important that people on this subcommittee have a business that they have a vested interest in this plan. 00:54:42
And their stick. 00:54:49
I. 00:54:53
That's my opinion. 00:54:55
That's my opinion, that's all. I'm just I'm. 00:54:57
That's my. 00:55:01
I'm interested in volunteering by the way. I would, I would volunteer also. Everybody else go first, but if you need an extra 00:55:03
member. 00:55:07
I'm. 00:55:12
Willing and able to jump in. Thank. 00:55:13
So I will go ahead and move things along. I'll make a motion for a subcommittee comprised of Commissioner Richmond. 00:55:16
Commissioner Gibbs. 00:55:24
And vice chair. 00:55:26
Do we? 00:55:28
OK. Can we take A roll call? 00:55:32
Commissioner. 00:55:36
Aye, Commissioner Markowitz, Commissioner Richmond. 00:55:38
Chair Upman, Vice Chair Jacobs, aye. Commissioner Van Nudie aye. And Commissioner Gibbs. Yes. Motion passes for the new 00:55:42
subcommittee comprising of Commissioner Richmond, Vice Chair Jacobs and Commissioner Gibbs. Thank you. 00:55:49
Mr. Foster, thank you for your time tonight and joining us. We'll have the subcommittee coordinate and reach out through city 00:56:00
staff and look forward to moving this forward. 00:56:05
Thank you. Have a good night. 00:56:11
You. 00:56:13
All right. Unfortunately, we're going to be tight for time here, but I did want to make sure that we have an opportunity to speak 00:56:16
to the item on the agenda that is speaking to one of the recommendations that we have as part of the previous conversation, so 00:56:21
with that #8 concert Series subcommittee update. 00:56:26
Commissioner Rich. 00:56:32
You present when they get to comment. Well, luckily with our 4 minutes, that's that's more than I need. We don't have a whole lot 00:56:37
on the music series, but not because we didn't do anything on the three of us on the subcommittee all kind of took a portion of 00:56:43
what needs to get done and kind of researched a bit. So we met right before our meeting today to kind of go over those things and 00:56:49
what next steps we need to do. 00:56:56
So. 00:57:02
We're going to do a few different things. We're looking at different locations. I know Chautauqua Hall has been in the works a 00:57:03
little bit as far as talking about it. It turns out there are no. 00:57:08
Issues with Chautauqua Hall like ADA wise that that's what we were told, I think in the beginning and apparently there's no issue 00:57:13
on my business. 00:57:17
Instagram actually Captain Stoker, I put a poll out there for all of our followers because I wanted to know like inside or outside 00:57:22
kind of event and I had almost in the poll for that. I had about 500 something people vote and I specifically said locals, I 00:57:28
didn't want everybody so. 00:57:34
Yeah, about 370% voted for outside. So that's interesting. So we're going to look, we're going to look around. We have, we've had 00:57:40
a few ideas, but we do want to talk to Jenny a little bit, maybe we can. We're still trying to figure out if she can be part of 00:57:48
the conversation or if that throws off the three person rule thing. So but. 00:57:55
Yeah, yeah. So either way though, I'm sure we can just get the information emailed or something. So we'll figure that out. We do 00:58:03
plan to do some walkthroughs of some locations as well and we're going to talk, hopefully meet with Katie Clark, is that her last 00:58:09
name? Katie Clark, who's actually, she's working in the youth center across from us so she can help us out with the event planning 00:58:14
kind of stuff. She's got lots. 00:58:20
Lots of smarts there, so we're going to figure that one out. There are some hold ups, but we'll figure that out too. I'm not too 00:58:27
worried about that. And then also with the. 00:58:33
The. 00:58:40
Whatever it's called, what do we just look at? Business develop. Yeah, the improvement plan, the restaurant series, you know, 00:58:42
that's interesting. And maybe this is a combined effort. I don't know, maybe we can do a more than one thing to get more than one 00:58:47
kind of person there. So maybe we can combine some things. So yeah, we'll come back to the next meeting and hopefully have way 00:58:52
more detail, but. 00:58:57
We're. 00:59:03
Of course. 00:59:07
Yeah, I just wanted to follow up with what Kelsey had. 00:59:10
This is a really good plan and what we're going to be doing is I want to set up a meeting with Katie Clark, special events 00:59:15
coordinator for the city, and we're trying to find out. We got Jenny involved because she's been very experienced with this. 00:59:21
You know, this is let's have music. 00:59:27
We'd like to. This has to go through the City Council eventually and for. 00:59:30
Need 150 days advance time. There are applicants here that we figured out problem is. 00:59:35
The questions on the application, we got to sit down and figure out who, what, where, when and why and what we're going to do. We 00:59:40
had Jewel Park. 00:59:44
We thought of doing something along the terms of Lighthouse Ave. like we do it good old days, shut the street off and have bands 00:59:49
play, and all the businesses in the lighthouse are going to benefit from people coming down. That's one thing. 00:59:55
There are associated costs with all of this. We're talking about police traffic. If we do it outside, can the sponsorship be the 01:00:01
city? Can we wait, get the weight fees waived to be doing this since it is a city project? 01:00:07
Do we do it in conjunction with First Friday? We already have people out there. 01:00:14
Chautauqua is a possibility. We got to look at that. We need to get that. We have to get that. And if we're going to serve food, 01:00:19
alcohol, take tickets, what are we going to do with donations? There's a lot of these little details. 01:00:24
We have to figure out before we even put this we're talking about. 01:00:30
Basically 2024. 01:00:34
Really. Because it's that much lead time. I have a list here if anybody wants to do this. Like I got this. 01:00:37
I think Jenny Do says the special events already. 01:00:44
24th It's already through May. They're already taking a look at applications through the end of the summer for the deadlines for 01:00:48
special events here. So I want to try to get it together with Jenny and Kate and our subcommittee can get together and hammer out 01:00:55
this. And when we come back next month to say this is what we need to do, can we do this? Or are we talking about having a staff 01:01:02
of somebody? There are concerts that take place all over the way and a subcommittee can't put the concert on. 01:01:09
That's the thing that we have to really consider. 01:01:16
Who it Can city staff do this? Can the chamber do this? It's a really good plan, and it's a great idea because it's going to 01:01:19
benefit a lot of people and it's going to be a lot of work and it's going to take a lot of time. And our subcommittee is working 01:01:25
on it. We'll be willing to continue to work and do whatever we have to do to make it possible. But just want to put that out there 01:01:30
so everybody realizes this is not something that we can do next week. This is a long process. So I just wanted to add that. And 01:01:35
thanks, Kelsey. 01:01:41
Just an order of following process. Do we have any comments from the public on this before we open it up for conversation? 01:01:48
Seeing none, OK. Any further questions, comments, thoughts from the commissioners? 01:01:55
Mr. Jacobs Yeah, I love the fact that you're open to the idea of maybe having this be regenerative so that instead of just a one 01:02:01
off putting all this time and work into it, if it's something that really is beneficial to the city, it would be nice to have some 01:02:08
kind of formula or plan that it would. You could do it in, you know, in different ways in different times and. 01:02:15
You know, a series or a whatever. Anyway, I just, I just hope that. 01:02:22
It could be more than just a one off. 01:02:27
More. 01:02:31
Well, thank you all. That brings us to Good of the order. 01:02:35
Is there any final recommendations for future agenda items that we'd like to cover off on? 01:02:39
I know that we will likely have an opportunity to revisit the QR code project, Commissioner Hoops. 01:02:44
Yeah. 01:02:49
OK. And we'll also be chatting more about the strategic plan when we have time to regroup on that and bring back a report. So 01:02:52
those two items for sure, anything further? 01:02:56
So I heard you say you're going to bring the we have an asset and a stakeholder subcommittee. I think it's combined as one. 01:03:02
They'll be bringing a report. 01:03:06
Soon. 01:03:10
OK. And you know, there was an original sub. 01:03:11
Chairman Upman, Vice Chair Jacobson, I think myself and I think you're on one of the subcommittee. So my question is procedural. 01:03:16
Does that mean that the original subcommittee was? 01:03:21
Still. 01:03:26
If. 01:03:27
We're figuring it out as we go, but the intent was to always hand off at least one member for the prior committee so that there's 01:03:30
the consistency in that thread between the entire process. 01:03:35
If there's a need for the original group to facilitate. 01:03:41
We can certainly do that. Well I just I have a thought and and talking to some of the the building owners because that came up 01:03:45
before and. 01:03:49
For the next agenda, if we meet in December, I'd like to have a report on, and I'm willing to do it on three major building 01:03:55
owners, property owners, on Light. 01:04:00
About what their thoughts are, because I know that. 01:04:06
Several people have mentioned empty buildings and. 01:04:11
You know, people that were owners, not necessarily here, and gotten a couple of opinions. I'm not sure it's a report. Might be 01:04:14
interesting to hear what they have to say. 01:04:18
Wendy Giles and a few other people who own major properties downtown. So if you allocate 910 minutes, I can put something 01:04:23
together. 01:04:26
We can talk about that, certainly. 01:04:30
Very good. 01:04:33
OK. I see others in the room that are ready for the next meeting. So thank you all again. This has been a fantastic opportunity to 01:04:34
celebrate the business community today. 01:04:38
And it looks like our next EDC meeting will be at regular time. So we're looking at, please correct me if I'm wrong, December 7th. 01:04:43
At 4:00 PM. 01:04:52
OK. 01:04:54
Thank you. Meeting is adjourned. 01:04:56
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Started right. 00:00:04
We are operating on a limited timeline today. This is a special meeting of the Economic Development Commission. Thank you all for 00:00:07
coming. 00:00:11
And joining. 00:00:15
I'll go ahead and call the meeting to order and ask. 00:00:17
We can take a quick roll call. 00:00:21
Commissioner. 00:00:26
Here Commissioner Markowitz. Commissioner Richmond here. 00:00:28
Chamber McMurdo here. Chair Upman President Vice Chair Jacobs here. 00:00:34
And Commissioner Vanut. 00:00:41
So we have a oh, I'm sorry. 00:00:44
And Commissioner Gibbs, I am. 00:00:49
Almost all here. OK. Thank you. Everyone's here. 00:00:52
Excellent. Thank you so much. 00:00:56
OK, we'll start off by submitting the agenda, the agenda and supporting documents in the packet we're circulating in advance of 00:00:58
today's meeting. They're available for download on the EDC page at pacificgrove.org. Are there any members of the public that 00:01:03
would like to make a comment on tonight's agenda? 00:01:08
Seeing none any online Laurel. 00:01:15
We're not doing online. Oh, we're done with the online. OK, well, we're done. Here we are. Thank you. 00:01:19
So is there a motion to approve the agenda report as presented? 00:01:26
Given. 00:01:35
Agenda Item number 9, the QR code project. The subcommittee has met, but we have not been able to talk with city staff about what 00:01:37
we need to talk with them about. So it's not really any progress to report at the moment. So we could just pull that item. The 00:01:43
grants, that would be fine. So a motion to strike item number 9 from the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda with the 00:01:49
removal of item number 9? So moved. Thank you. Take a second. Second. Excellent. 00:01:54
OK. Any further discussion seeing none. 00:02:01
Let's go. 00:02:04
Do a quick roll call. Vote on that, please. OK. Commissioner Mark Woods, Vice Chair, Jacobs. 00:02:06
Aye, Commissioner Vanuti. Aye chair upman. 00:02:11
Commissioner Richmond. 00:02:16
Hi. 00:02:17
Commissioner G. 00:02:19
And Commissioner Mark. 00:02:21
I agree. 00:02:24
All right. OK. The motion passes 7 to 0 to approve the agenda with item nine straight. 00:02:26
Excellent. That takes us to Commission and staff announcements. Are there any announcements from the commissioners present or the 00:02:32
city staff before we move on? 00:02:36
I was going to introduce our interim director, but he just walked out, so he's here. 00:02:40
Lou Bowman, Commissioner Gibbs. 00:02:47
Yeah, I just want to, in terms of announcements on Wednesday, next Wednesday, the City Council will meet. 00:02:49
And I think it's going to be on the agenda. I haven't confirmed the suspension of. 00:02:56
Remote comment, remote public comment I believe will be on the agenda and it is suspended for not only City Council but for all. 00:03:02
Boards and commissions. 00:03:09
I personally. 00:03:12
The comments. 00:03:14
City Council, for example, meets maybe 24 times a year. 00:03:17
There might be 10 on average. 00:03:20
Per year. So 250 to 300 comments. And some of them are evil, wicked, mean, bad, nasty. There's no doubt about that. They're rotten 00:03:23
comments. But the question is, do we silence the many? 00:03:29
Take out a few of the comments that we don't like. So all I'm saying is that if you have a thought about this, beat the City 00:03:36
Council meeting on Wednesday night and let your voice be heard one way or the other. I think that's how democracy works. Thank 00:03:41
you. Thank you. 00:03:45
Commissioner Murdoch. Yeah, I just had a couple of announcements of things that are coming up in the city. This Saturday is a 00:03:51
veteran's day ceremony out at Point Pinot's Lighthouse at 11 AM. So that's 1111 at 11. Easy to remember. We also have a new 00:03:58
business in town named Sharp Corners Cards and Collectibles. He's already open, but he is having his grand opening and ribbon 00:04:05
cutting on December. Oh shoot. 00:04:12
2nd, 1st December 1st at 3:30, yes, First Friday at 3:30. So prior to first Friday is starting. So we would love, since this is a 00:04:19
business Commission, everybody and the public is welcome to come to that. And then there are a lot of holiday activities, but go 00:04:25
to the chamber website to find those, there's so many. 00:04:31
Wonder. 00:04:38
Comments seeing? None. OK, that brings us to the Council liaison announcements. 00:04:40
Yes. I just wanted to make sure that the EDC knew that the council has moved forward with the zoning and licensing ordinances for 00:04:47
the cannabis dispensary in town. So that got past the last council meeting. And so we're on track. Thank you. Thank you. 00:04:55
And on to general public comment. Are there any members of the public that would like to make a comment at this time? 00:05:04
Welcome. 00:05:10
Oh, good evening everyone. Hi, my name is Vince Tumonello, local PG resident. As I've said before, I've been coming to EDC 00:05:22
meetings on and off for the last 30 years. 00:05:27
Back then, Mr. Omar was head of the chamber and he pretty much supervised or many people thought ran the meetings. I'm glad to see 00:05:33
you have independent thought now. 00:05:38
And I'm up here to comment on a change in procedure, which we already heard from the chair. 00:05:43
That there is no zoom public comment tonight is that. 00:05:51
OK, well, I I know the mayor, who's a very good mayor and personally knows me, and I know him. 00:05:56
Publicly as well as as his being in office that he's a fair shooting guy. But when the I guess it was the state or maybe the 00:06:03
federal government financed all others equipment that wasn't here four years ago. All because of communist China's spreading of 00:06:11
COVID around the world. And we know how bad that situation was and this zoom idea really turned out to be a good idea. 00:06:18
I personally think people should come. 00:06:26
Just like would you rather listen to a CD or go to a live concert? It's the same thing if you want to come to a live presentation. 00:06:29
Make your voice known, the people in the eye and so forth, and let them know who you are. 00:06:35
And the reason is look what. 00:06:41
A few weeks ago, with the City Council meeting disparaging. 00:06:44
From a room. 00:06:49
Lunatics who called many other city councils and many other city meetings with obnoxious, distasteful and disdainful words and 00:06:51
comments about people's gender, nationality, race, and so forth, among other objectionable things. So naturally, the mayor in 00:06:59
shock. I watched it all. We watched it all on Zoom on YouTube. 00:07:06
And I see that, you know, something had to be done. Unfortunately, I hope we have enough money to put in a 7 second delay. 00:07:14
To have an opportunity to voice their opinion. 00:08:00
Just banning it is not a good idea, so I support what Mr. Gibbs said. We're on the same page. What a coincidence. 00:08:02
So anyway, thank you for letting me speak, and I hope something more appropriate can be done about that to allow all of the 00:08:09
community the right to free speech. Thank you very much. 00:08:13
Thank you. 00:08:18
OK. Next up is approval of the minutes, the minutes from our October 5th, 2023 EDC meeting. We're distributed in advance. Are 00:08:25
there any questions on the minutes from the committee? 00:08:30
See. 00:08:36
OK, Can we have a motion to approve the Minutes? I move? We approve the Minutes. Commissioner Markowitz, do we have a second? 00:08:39
Thank you, Commissioner Hoops. 00:08:43
We do a quick roll call. 00:08:48
A. 00:08:54
Um. 00:08:56
Commission Chair Upman, Vice Chair Jacobs, aye. Commissioner Venuti, aye. And Commissioner Gibbs, Yes. Motion passes. 00:08:57
Thank you everyone. That takes us to our regular agenda and I'm excited. 00:09:06
Kick off with the first item on our agenda, the grant awardees for the business, businesses serving minority and women. 00:09:11
Program. 00:09:19
This evening we have our two recipients in the room. 00:09:22
And we're going to kind of wing it as we go through this because I don't know that there's a real format for how we go about it, 00:09:25
but just before. 00:09:29
We we get into it. 00:09:33
The first step is officially offering public comment. So is there any public comment before we get into the presentation? 00:09:36
Two in a row. Hi. Anyway, I think it's a wonderful program that you're offering funds or offering them as awards to members, 00:09:49
business, members of the community. 00:09:54
And I hope you continue this type of program. My only criticism would be it should be opened up right from the beginning to all 00:10:00
business. 00:10:05
Owners all businesses in the community not being specific as to sex, race, nationality, religion or anything else. It should be 00:10:11
open to everyone in the community. 00:10:17
Right from the start and there should be promoted. 00:10:23
Aggressively that we have this program and we're looking for participants in the selection process. I know this was your first 00:10:26
time and you had good intentions. You know, we have a woman of color who's Vice President of the United States. 00:10:32
We also had two women senators for a long time. We have a lot of powerful and successful women in business as well as working for 00:10:39
the city. 00:10:43
A lot of successful women working for the city, so I don't think it's necessary to specify women, minority, whatever. Let's give a 00:10:47
ward out. 00:10:51
And publicize it to any business person in the community. In the future. These two people deserve to win. 00:10:55
They followed the rules, they did it fairly and they run great businesses, so nothing against them. I'm all in favor of them being 00:11:01
winners and they might have won anyway, even if it was just open to the community right from the start. But next time you do this, 00:11:07
and I hope you do this once a year at least, maybe twice a year. 00:11:13
Let's start off on the. 00:11:19
Open to any business operator in the community in the city. 00:11:22
OK. That's all I have to say. Thank you very much. Thank you. 00:11:26
So I just wanted to open with oh, please join us. Sorry. 00:11:31
Oh. 00:11:37
So first of all my name is. 00:11:38
And I'm part of them and we're very thankful for you guys taking the time and opportunity to grant to our smaller businesses in 00:11:41
the. 00:11:46
Any kind of assistance and we are very happy to be here in PG and helping people stay well so they can enjoy the beautiful, 00:11:51
beautiful beaches and just everything about it is just beautiful. And we're happy to be part of this community and we're very 00:11:58
thankful that you took the time and in the best of your abilities we're able to put something together that would benefit and 00:12:05
we're here to help everybody who wants to be. 00:12:13
In better shape and be healthier. And Jolene, we've met before when we just came here after convert, she was the first person that 00:12:21
opened her business and we went there to. 00:12:27
Get an ice cream and we immediately became friends. And so we love her shop and we don't know many people that have a very nice 00:12:33
business, but she was one of them and she has all the surfboards and we're surfers and we know. And today as I was going to surf 00:12:40
in the cinema, it was huge and I saw her business and we need to go get ice cream there and then I walked in here and where she 00:12:48
is. So thank you guys very much for the opportunity and anything we can do to help, we're here to be of service. Thank you. 00:12:55
Thank. 00:13:03
To show support for the EPC appreciation for your diligence and continuing this project forward. It really shows the city's 00:13:12
partnership with our wonderful local businesses. And just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the members of DC for your hard 00:13:20
work on this and and very a huge thank you to our local businesses for all you do for our community. Thank you. Thank you so much. 00:13:28
Any further comments from the public? 00:13:38
OK, seeing none, So I just want to take a moment to kind of set this up before we get on with the presentation. 00:13:41
This is a really exciting moment for me personally, but also for the Economic Development Commission. It's been 2 years since we 00:13:48
started this initiative and I'm so thankful to see that we have some members past members of the DC in the in the room with us 00:13:52
today. 00:13:57
We had the the privilege of presenting. 00:14:02
The Business grant today to businesses serving minority and women. 00:14:06
Umm. 00:14:10
And we have our two businesses here in the room with us. So we'll get to that in just a second. I'd like to commend. 00:14:11
The. 00:14:16
Economic Development Commission for unanimously approving our recommendation. Thank you for all the support. Thank you to the City 00:14:17
staff particularly. 00:14:22
Laurel thank you so much and your patience and guiding us through this process and chops thank you Mr. Mayor. Thank you. We also 00:14:28
had. 00:14:32
As I'd mentioned, the the past EDC members who I'm so thankful have been able to join us here in the room with Nicholas Moreland. 00:14:38
He was the former EDC chair who was part of this initiative when we began. 00:14:43
We have former secretary Ariel Zena, who's joined us as well. Thank you. At the time when we began this journey, the council of 00:14:48
the years on which Jenny McAdams and of course our former City manager Ben Harvey was a part. And we're so thankful for all their 00:14:54
support and guidance through this process. 00:15:00
You know, there's many incredible businesses in Pacific Grove is what is the heart of our town and that's why we're all here. 00:15:08
It's the reason why. 00:15:15
You know, we are able to come together as a community and rally around events and all the wonderful memories that we're able to 00:15:17
make. It's just it is the heart of who we are as a as a town. 00:15:23
So it wasn't easy to select the winners in this in this process, but I I hope you both know that we're incredibly impressed with 00:15:31
the submissions that you that you provided, the amount of information that you shared with us, thank you for trusting us and 00:15:37
reviewing. 00:15:42
The applications. 00:15:49
And it's an honor to present these two grants to both of your businesses to Lucy's on Lighthouse and MA Wellness. 00:15:50
So we have a couple of checks for you. I think we'd love to take a couple of pictures. We're going to just break protocol and just 00:15:58
kind of have some fun for a few seconds and then we'll get back to business. Is that all right? 00:16:02
OK. 00:16:07
You have to go to a really big bank. 00:16:17
18. 00:16:20
And since everyone else's. 00:16:25
Sleep. 00:16:42
Chair. Get in the center. 00:16:55
Right all. 00:17:00
Better center under the under the logo. 00:17:02
Awesome. Congratulations. 00:17:26
Yeah. 00:17:37
Future. 00:17:48
I. 00:18:08
And. 00:18:10
Somebody in the city. 00:18:15
Ice cream for everybody. 00:18:55
And now it's now it's official. There you go. 00:19:02
Don't take the other ones to the bank, it won't work. 00:19:04
And I don't mean to put you on the spot, but Jolene, did you want to say any words? OK, it's totally fine. 00:19:11
I'm so glad. 00:19:22
And. 00:19:24
It's hot. 00:19:28
Just listening to. 00:19:31
The history of this like, warms my heart. 00:19:33
I didn't realize this was. 00:19:36
Deep project. 00:19:39
I started it back in November when I got. 00:19:42
The e-mail and have been eagerly hoping I was. 00:19:44
Resonate with you and I'm extremely honored. I love what I do. I feel like I have so much to share with this community and I 00:19:53
couldn't do it without my amazing family. My My kids work with me too, and my husband works with me. They built the studio with me 00:20:00
plank by plank. So this is. 00:20:07
This is really going to help us out a lot, so I don't mean to make you cry. 00:20:15
So, yeah, thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. And we're going to do great things. 00:20:21
So can't wait to share. 00:20:27
Let's go. 00:20:38
So much gratitude. I appreciate it so much. We opened the right smack dab in the middle of COVID in July of 2020 and it's been an 00:20:41
uphill battle back and forth trying to make it and. 00:20:47
Hi. 00:20:55
And. 00:20:59
I'm very appreciative. This will help with a lot of things that we want to do. We love Pacific Grove so much. I raised my kids 00:20:59
here, my mom went to school here. We've been here a long time and having a business in this city means a lot to me. So thank you 00:21:04
guys. 00:21:08
I just like to also just say that. 00:21:20
You, you both have created thriving businesses and I want to congratulate you both for that. This is a little bit of, I'll I'll 00:21:24
say, a little bit of fertilizer on the plant to give you a boost and we hope that you'll come back and share your growth with us. 00:21:31
And we'd love to as part of this also here. 00:21:38
You know your feedback and how we can help to serve you and the business community, so we we would like to of course welcome you 00:21:42
back again in the near future. 00:21:47
Any any further comments from? 00:21:55
The Commission, before we move on to the next agenda item. 00:21:58
Sure, OK, try not to cry. I'm a very emotional Just seeing happy things just makes me so happy. And I understand the struggles, 00:22:01
like these last few years have been so tough, so. 00:22:07
And. 00:22:16
With Captain and Stoker, with my own business, like our whole thing is we just want to like help people, especially those that 00:22:17
might not get help otherwise. So when I got to be on this Commission, that was like the thing I wanted to do most, so like. 00:22:22
I'm a year and a few months into this and we finally got to do something. So it's just like it feels so good to actually see the 00:22:28
final product. So thank you guys. 00:22:32
Any additional? 00:22:54
I just want to say, I know it's been a long journey, you know, probably started before June of 2022. And so you know, tenacity and 00:22:58
persistence is obviously one of the hallmarks of being a great business person. 00:23:04
And I just want to say congratulations, we need more businesses with the verve and enthusiasm that you all bring to the town and 00:23:10
and brought tonight. It's good to see And Margaret Thatcher one time said I think it was her that the pessimist sees problems in 00:23:16
every opportunity. 00:23:22
The optim. 00:23:29
The opportunity in every problem and I think we need more people who see what you see for the for Pacific Row. We love Pacific 00:23:31
Grove, we do too and would like to see more of the same in the future and you bring that. 00:23:37
That personality of the entrepreneurship. 00:23:44
Profile to Pacific Grove and we need more. 00:23:48
Of this exact same thing, so thank you for hanging in. 00:23:50
With that, we'll move on to the next item on the agenda. 00:23:57
Back to business, so you guys are? 00:24:01
Thank you. 00:24:09
Yeah. 00:24:17
Well, that takes us to item number seven on the agenda, which is our Small business Recovery action plan. We had a request to 00:24:38
revisit that action plan and see what we can make of it. There's some recommendations that were shared with our. 00:24:45
Advisors at. 00:24:53
And. 00:24:55
Want to bring? 00:24:57
The table for further conversation so with that. 00:24:58
I will hand it over to Mr. Foster. 00:25:02
Can walk us through and we can discuss a bit more if there's some items that we can identify as potential. 00:25:05
Thank you. I'm happy to come back and and revisit this. I hope you had a chance to go back and look through the the action plan 00:25:15
and we started this a couple years ago and brought it forward to the Economic Development Commission a first time and then we 00:25:20
brought it on to the and that you have some thoughts and ideas. 00:25:26
And then we brought it forward to the City Council. 00:25:32
About a year ago and. 00:25:36
And then we and they and I think overall they like. 00:25:39
And they wanted. 00:25:42
Get some direction in terms of. 00:25:45
And also budget resources for it. And so then we came, we came back to the Economic Development Commission. 00:25:48
And provided an implementation plan. 00:25:55
And then? 00:25:58
Went back to the City Council. I think it was scheduled at least two or three times for consideration by the City Council in June 00:26:00
and then in July and. 00:26:05
Just because of some timing issues never happened. And so I think I'd like to go through that or Laurel if you can bring up that 00:26:11
PowerPoint with the implementation. 00:26:16
Plan they'll they'll give you some of the highlights in terms of the program. 00:26:21
Barry, would it be possible for you to share your screen? I think we may be having a bit of technical difficulties on our end. 00:26:31
Yeah, I don't have it up in mind. I'm sorry. 00:26:34
Are you able to pull it up or? 00:26:40
Laurel's working on it here, so just. 00:26:45
Yeah. 00:26:48
OK. I'll. 00:26:53
You want me just to walk through? 00:26:59
It's it's posted as part of the agenda packet online. So I apologize, apologies to everybody in the room but for this going online 00:27:01
it is available. Yeah I'll I'll go ahead and walk through the. 00:27:07
So there's there's 16 different items. 00:27:13
And some of these just because of the timing of when we started. 00:27:16
Have actually the city staff chose to go ahead and. 00:27:20
And implement some of those things. And so number one is establish one day a week economic development coordinator position and 00:27:24
that's been accomplished with Laurel doing that. 00:27:30
And then? 00:27:37
Is. 00:27:40
To do a monthly business spotlight at Economic Development Commission meetings, that is also happening. 00:27:41
And then #3 was to launch um. 00:27:47
And Economic development web page. 00:27:50
P. 00:27:55
And that also is ongoing and has been implemented and I think that it turned out very, very nicely it's it's a very useful. 00:27:56
Website and I think it once you've got people there, it really kind of drives home. 00:28:05
Why so? How much you consider? 00:28:10
And then #4 is to move the EDC costs into one city department. 00:28:13
Budget and that's economic development that's also been accomplished. 00:28:18
And then #5. 00:28:22
Also started and it needs to continue on, is to hold quarterly broker luncheons. We've had a couple of those already. 00:28:25
And so I think those are really successful in terms and I know we had a number of EDC members that were also participating in in 00:28:33
those. And so I think that that's something that. 00:28:37
Needs to continue on to and then number six is is to do quarterly economic development. 00:28:43
Reports to City Council. 00:28:49
#7 is to initiate a business visitation. 00:28:52
Oh, there it is. 00:28:57
Why don't you go through the page? 00:28:59
You. 00:29:04
Can you go up one more? 00:29:13
The. 00:29:18
Keep going. 00:29:22
1. 00:29:25
There you go. And then. 00:29:29
Is it initiated business visitation program and I've I've I've found these in a lot of communities as being something that that 00:29:32
really is useful is that have an ongoing business visitation program so city staff can go out and and meet with businesses. 00:29:40
Just to share information about, sometimes there's things. 00:29:49
That city or business is kind of struggling with or. 00:29:52
A challenge or a problem, oftentimes getting together with with city people. 00:29:58
Regular basis of having that dialogue, you can you can solve or adjust some things to make those things. 00:30:03
Better. It's always better. 00:30:10
To know about an issue before it's too late where business decided that they're going to close or relocate or something else. And 00:30:11
so I think those visitation programs are really, really important. They can be monthly or they can be bimonthly. 00:30:18
Can you? 00:30:25
Next page. 00:30:27
So #8 is to create a restaurant event series. 00:30:29
And so I. 00:30:34
That that is something that. 00:30:35
Previously it was done with one event in the city. I think doing those kinds of things on kind of an ongoing basis would be really 00:30:38
important. You've got a lot of great, great restaurants. 00:30:44
In Pacific rose, I think. 00:30:51
Highlighting though isn't that all the diversity and quality of the restaurants with with an ongoing restaurant event series is 00:30:53
something that would prove very, very useful. For Pacific Grove #9 is to launch a Shop Local digital gift card program. 00:31:01
We've done a number of these programs in cities, but they really, they really have proven to be quite successful in terms of 00:31:09
helping the small independent businesses. 00:31:14
It's something. 00:31:20
We've kind of gotten past Kovid, but. 00:31:22
There's still some work to be done and so I think keeping those dollars local and. 00:31:26
Having that shop local presence is really, really. 00:31:31
And then number. 00:31:35
Is to continue the Parkland. 00:31:38
That was something that was done. 00:31:42
Back when when COVID hit, and that was the way a lot of best businesses and restaurants stayed open. And so I think having those 00:31:44
improvements and having them where they're a little bit more long term is important. So I know the city's been working on 00:31:51
standards for those parklets. Program #11 is to. 00:31:58
Continue the pretty successful storefront and park the facade improvement. 00:32:06
That that Laurel's been working with for a number of years now and I think that continuing that forward is another major part of 00:32:11
the action plan. 00:32:17
#12 is they're creating music series event. 00:32:22
Program and again it kind of like with the restaurant event program, special events are are are important ways for a community, 00:32:26
especially downtown. 00:32:31
To have. 00:32:36
To have those kinds of things where people can come down and and and get together as a community, all different types of ages, 00:32:38
families, all those kinds of things. I think having that a music series, event program is another way that you can really. 00:32:45
Umm, help your small business community? Just have people gathering coming down into your downtown at #13. 00:32:53
Is the explorer a program you can help with? Something that they can store fronts. 00:33:02
We started that we we have a a company that had some interest that kind of went away. 00:33:07
That would have would have managed that program, but there's a possibility now that they may come back and so I think. 00:33:13
Having a program where you can take some of those. 00:33:21
Some of those taken spaces and and using them on a short term basis with a with a number of kind of entrepreneurial small 00:33:25
businesses that can't afford to go out and get their own space could be a way to. 00:33:31
To utilize those vacant. 00:33:37
But also help some of the small businesses that really kind of need to get going before they can take their own space. 00:33:40
#14 00:33:46
His design. 00:33:48
A shop, Pacific Grove, St. Pole. 00:33:51
You know this has worked in a lot of communities and so I think that again it's how you brand your businesses and in your in your 00:33:54
shop local program is another way just to to create that. 00:34:00
Number. 00:34:06
Next one more. 00:34:08
Is to look at the Monterey Trolley bringing it to downtown Pacific Grove and I know that the previous city manager in Laurel had 00:34:10
kind of worked on that and so I think that's another thing that that little longer term but. 00:34:17
I think it could bring more people into Pacific. 00:34:24
And then #16. 00:34:28
Is is really just to kind of look? 00:34:30
Especially the downtown area, you know capital improvement projects and and look at possibilities to to really help with the 00:34:33
infrastructure. 00:34:37
Needed improvements, sidewalks, tree wells and all those kinds of things just to try to really improve the environment and the 00:34:42
look of it and and make it so people want to come there again and again and again. 00:34:48
So these are the. 00:34:55
The 16 major components, a number of these have been started already, but I think they bring the basis of. 00:34:58
Of the action plan and and. 00:35:05
They're not going to be all done at once, They're going to build down overtime. 00:35:08
So with that, I'm happy to answer any questions. 00:35:11
Before I open it to the Commissioners. 00:35:16
We have had a dramatic decrease in the number of people here in the audience, but I just want to make sure I check the box. So is 00:35:19
there any comments from the public before we move forward? 00:35:24
Discussion seeing. 00:35:29
OK. I'll go ahead and open the floor then for feedback questions. 00:35:31
Thoughts from commissioners? 00:35:35
Commissioner. 00:35:39
Foster, can you explain to me in more detail what a restaurant event series is? 00:35:42
Yeah, it's it's going to be, it's going to be eating structured in a lot of different ways, but it is to look at maybe having. 00:35:48
Kind of ongoing restaurant series that could be in downtown. It could be other shopping areas too, but it would be. 00:35:55
You know, maybe one every quarter or set kind of. 00:36:03
A time frame where you're having these kinds of things, but they really have worked, especially in downtown areas. So you're 00:36:08
you're bringing together. 00:36:12
A number of restaurants to participate in that program. You could have some music be part of it too. You're creating kind of a 00:36:16
festival. 00:36:20
Type environment and and getting people to come down and and. 00:36:24
And and taste the all the different cuisine and diversity you have into restaurants. But it's also another way just to kind of 00:36:28
promote the downtown or wherever that whatever that shopping center you're having the event at. 00:36:33
So are you suggesting that restaurants provide samples? I'm confused why people would come and why this would be different than 00:36:39
first Fridays when there's music and in some restaurants there's music every Friday and Saturday. Yeah, So they they could do, 00:36:44
they could do a way where they have samples, they could do it a way where they're just, they could maybe even sell things You can 00:36:49
structure in a number of different ways. 00:36:54
Just to answer your question, I've been a few of these in few different states now that I've lived quite often it's. 00:37:04
Sometimes it's like a locked off area and you have to buy a ticket, and with that ticket you get a certain amount of like little 00:37:12
tastings and stuff. Yeah. So there's there's a bunch of different ways to do it, but I like that way a little more because then, 00:37:17
you know, you know, you're paying for something good. Whereas sometimes, I don't know, it's like if it's free, I feel kind of bad 00:37:22
taking food from people. I was like I'd rather pay for it a little bit, 'cause then, you know, it's a little curated too. So yeah, 00:37:27
I just wanted to say. 00:37:32
That I've been to them and they have been great, yeah. And having those tickets, you know that's it's again, you're just you're 00:37:37
getting a sampling. It's not a full course meal or anything like that. It's it's you can go around and sample four or five of 00:37:41
them. 00:37:45
OK. 00:37:51
I've seen some. 00:37:53
Ways of doing it too, which are kind of fun where you could have different themes for. I mean if it was quarterly it seems like a 00:37:57
lot, but I mean you anyway. You could highlight local food producers and you know restaurants could feature farmers and you could 00:38:03
you know do events with meet the fishermen or meet the. 00:38:09
Cattle rancher or something like that. And that's a way of just extending community and having fun events and and there's some the 00:38:17
most common way of doing a Restaurant Week is to say it's 10% off. 00:38:23
Come along and try out a restaurant you've been wanting to try and things like that, so there's lots of different ways of doing it 00:38:30
and. 00:38:33
It. 00:38:38
I noticed that there was like no budget for that one. I think was it is that the one? Just a second, Yeah, I I would hope there 00:38:40
would be some budget because marketing and is is probably the key to you know, creating excitement for an event and. 00:38:48
That would be that would be great. I guess another question that I have very is just I noticed that in my. 00:38:57
Previous version of this, the budget was different. It's been cut quite a lot, it's I just was wondering why that is. 00:39:06
I'm not sure if I'll go back and look at it. We've had a couple of different rounds of this, but and some of these programs is, is 00:39:13
I think. 00:39:17
Is once once we have some direction from the City Council, then you have to go back and establish the budget. 00:39:21
OK well this the shop local thing. I've got previous version AT60K and. 00:39:29
Sorry, is so now it's 30 K on this. 00:39:35
In this presentation and the storefront was 50 and now it's 25 S it was cut in half. I just thought maybe it was a because the 00:39:40
time frame was different or something. I don't know. Yeah, I think the, I think the The Shop local program that was reduced. 00:39:47
When Mr. Harvey was there and then I think it was just to try to start with something a little bit, a little bit more modest and 00:39:56
that would fit into a funding source and. 00:40:00
So that was the reason why that was actually reduced and that was that was after we brought it for you last time. 00:40:06
Commissioner Murdoch. All right, thank you, Chair. I just have a general question because we. 00:40:15
Entered down the path of doing a strategic plan. I I had thought that was more the direction we were going to go. 00:40:22
And kind of understand what it is that we need before we did something like this. But I mean, there are parts of this that can 00:40:30
happen simultaneously. I'm just. 00:40:34
Trying to understand where we are in this process versus a strategic plan. 00:40:38
I'll I'll give my answer and then I'll give Vice Chair Jake moment as well because I know that she has some comments I I believe 00:40:46
the the. 00:40:50
The intent here is that this is an immediate whereas the strategic plan, while I I truly believe that, I think it's a great 00:40:55
direction to go and will take time. 00:40:59
And so the hope here is to have a more immediate opportunity to address some of the needs that are currently present in the. 00:41:04
Commissioner Jacobs Yeah, I'm. I'm really excited about this, and I was so sorry when. 00:41:10
You know, we it kind of bit the dust, you know it. 00:41:18
The council and didn't get hurt and I understand there were a lot of things competing and but I feel this is important because you 00:41:22
know one of the things that makes our town unique is the village kind of atmosphere that we have in downtown and the the kind of 00:41:29
really special independent businesses and I would say I don't know every. 00:41:36
World. But in the restaurant world, I do know a lot of other restaurant owners and from you know. 00:41:43
Friends that I know that our managers at Pebble Beach, they say that they've been down 50% in our business, probably close to 50%. 00:41:52
It's just it's been a very like everyone I speak to they're down significantly from past years. So it I feel that it's it's really 00:41:59
important to address this and I'm so glad that you've put the work into proposing something and you know we looked at it before 00:42:06
and I think everything was approved except the gift card thing. 00:42:13
Because we wanted to give the the city time to do something like a homegrown version, which we've not been able to do. So I'm. 00:42:21
Still enthusiastic about the gift card feature as well. And you know I think a lot of businesses loaded up with debt during the 00:42:29
pandemic because the government offered loans and then we had a big economic downturn and although wages increased a lot. So 00:42:37
you're you're seeing pressure from three different areas on businesses and I know everyone is you know. 00:42:44
Finding it difficult. So I feel like now more than ever it's it's really great to to do this So yeah if I can comment just on SO I 00:42:52
think when we do things like this like this is an action plan this is for as. 00:43:00
As the VICE chair talked about, it's more kind of. 00:43:08
It's more of a short term plan and and so this is really meant to be something that can be accomplished in a couple of years. 00:43:11
The the when you're doing a strategy. 00:43:19
It's more long term, it's more comprehensive. It's just it's just for a longer period of time. Action plans are really meant to be 00:43:21
shorter periods of time and where you've really emphasized the word action. 00:43:26
And where strategies are more a little more grandiose and longer term things and just to comment too about the vice chair talked 00:43:32
about. 00:43:36
Just businesses in general, we're still, you know, we do work all over the state and so while sales tax has rebounded and our 00:43:41
company does sales tax for probably 400 cities in California. 00:43:46
Small businesses. 00:43:54
They're not back to pre pandemic in terms of achieving margins and cash flowing all those kinds of things. They've had all these 00:43:57
other challenges with increased labor costs and and and the whole supply chain thing and and more costs have dramatically 00:44:04
increased. And so while sales may be up, you know they're not able to pass on everything that they really need to for to their to 00:44:11
their clients and their customers. And so those margins are still not back to pre Pandemic and so. 00:44:18
Having a having an action plan like this, it has a number of different things in ways that the city can help the small business 00:44:25
community really recover it. It's it's really important now and and it's going to be more important here in the next couple of 00:44:29
years. 00:44:33
So, you know, I pretty much agree with it. Everything people, I said. 00:44:45
Vice Chair Jacobs commented on the difficulty businesses are having, particularly small business. It's. 00:44:50
It is ruthless out there. It's really, really difficult to survive one day to the next. I don't see a lot on here. 00:44:57
That would focus short term on helping a small business get through some of the very specific bottom line issues. A couple of 00:45:04
these things perhaps, but right now if you've taken out loans and you've got to pay them back at higher interest rates are turning 00:45:09
up. 00:45:14
What are we doing to help with that? There are programs where you can renegotiate. 00:45:20
But you need somebody to come in and help you do that, right? Get the small business owners, get a group of five or six of them 00:45:24
who would interested. Let's run a program based by the EDC. Maybe we can add it to this list and have them come in here and just 00:45:30
talk about what's going on. We bring in some experts to alleviate some of that. 00:45:36
Usury interest that they're having to pay and the debt that they're having to pay off, I'd like to see something like that on 00:45:43
here. 00:45:46
You know, we we had these entrepreneurs here. You know, I've been looking at some of the as part of the strategic plan, what other 00:45:50
small towns have done. 00:45:55
And there's sort of a common element and one is let's get new businesses in, let's support them. And the entrepreneurship feel 00:46:00
like we saw here tonight is critical to establishing a very positive vibe in the city. Whatever we can do to support new 00:46:07
businesses, particularly small entrepreneurs. 00:46:13
And so I would ask Mr. Foster, and I don't see it in here, but. 00:46:20
More than a year ago, my business partner and I filled out an application sent. 00:46:25
For I don't know what it was called a makers. 00:46:31
Something like that. I believe that Mister Foster, you were here with somebody from San Jose looking at actually space. 00:46:34
That could be turned into an Event Center or makerspace type of. 00:46:41
Right. And I don't see it on the it's #13. 00:46:46
It doesn't, it doesn't specifically say makers face, but that that would fall into that category and and we did and we did have a 00:46:50
business or a group out of San Jose that was very interested. 00:46:56
They kind of got into some other things and some other communities and. 00:47:03
But I think there's, I think there's a possibility that they they they have some renewed interest but that that would be a part of 00:47:08
that. 00:47:11
OK. So you're telling me that the vacant storefront activation program? 00:47:15
Is the same thing as. 00:47:20
RFI that we. 00:47:25
That we put out that you responded to was part. 00:47:26
OK. 00:47:31
And so there's been no progress, what you're saying? 00:47:32
On this, since then that that group that was originally interested started looking at other opportunities in other cities and kind 00:47:35
of lost interest, but within the last month or so we've had some dialogue with them where they might be interested again. 00:47:43
Is there some way to scale that down and start it on a smaller scale? 00:47:51
Let's get it out there. Maybe we're not talking about two or 3000 square feet. Maybe we're talking about something a little bit 00:47:55
less than that. But common workspaces, some kind of administrative support, you know, fast Internet, that kind of thing. I think 00:48:01
the key thing there, Commissioner, gives is that. 00:48:06
That group was going to take on the role of managing that program. I'm not sure the city staff is in a position to manage this 00:48:12
program. So we're hoping, we're still hopeful that we could find a group or entity that would be willing to take that on and and 00:48:17
manage that process. 00:48:21
So I think my question for you is, understanding the limitations that we have with city staff, what is your recommendation that? 00:48:30
We as a. 00:48:40
Take to to begin to move some of these items forward, understanding that we're an advisory Commission, what would you advise us? 00:48:43
I think, I think we if if the Commission is in agreement. 00:48:52
We need to update this time frame because we've lost some time now, but is to go back to the City Council with an updated time 00:48:57
frame here. 00:49:02
And so you know, some of these are shorter term than others and some of it's going to take. 00:49:08
Some time to do but I think all these are kind of valuable tools. But but then. 00:49:13
Make sure that the City Council agrees with all these and these aren't. They all saw these before. No, I think question any of 00:49:19
these these programs the first time you brought it forward. They just wanted to better understand some of the timing issues, what 00:49:24
would come first, what would come later and and then some budget numbers. 00:49:30
Would it be helpful then for us to designate a subcommittee to work directly with HDL to begin moving this forward? What would 00:49:38
you? 00:49:43
What would you recommend that we do in terms of the actions that we have, the ability? 00:49:48
To take I think, I think, I think that would be a good move. 00:49:53
Chair I think the we get a couple people that could work with our group with Laurel. 00:49:58
With the new interim community development directors, that is to kind of understand. 00:50:05
Make sure these budget numbers are correct and timing is correct. And and. 00:50:10
And try to come forward with with a with an updated recommendation. 00:50:15
OK. 00:50:21
All right. 00:50:21
Any further questions or comments Commission, maybe it's a question for the staff, you know the HDL there was a budget for HDL is 00:50:23
there, Where are we on the budget for this with this consulting? 00:50:28
We we renewed the contract in. 00:50:36
And so we're. 00:50:39
A little over four months into. 00:50:41
We didn't have a specific number in terms of this program. It's it's a number of different services that we provide for the city. 00:50:45
So I think, I think we still have, I think the budget was for. 00:50:53
Umm. 00:50:58
$39,000 for the year and I think to the first quarter. 00:50:59
I think it was like 5 or $6000. 00:51:06
No, there's still money in the budget. 00:51:09
Just. 00:51:13
So how does this work? Do we need permission? 00:51:16
That's not our budget. 00:51:19
Correct. So do we need permission from the city to use them for our purposes? 00:51:21
Are they paying for it? Who's? Who's paying Part of the current agreement that we have? So they are. We are. 00:51:27
Part of it and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Foster, but we are part of the overall scope that they have. Yeah. Yeah, we, we, we 00:51:32
work typically we previously reported. 00:51:38
Mr. Harvey we worked with. 00:51:44
And then but you know the EDC can can also they've asked overtime to to help with certain things and if if. 00:51:48
If staff feels it's appropriate, we can go ahead and do that. 00:51:55
It's it's part of our. 00:51:59
I'm sure, Mr. Jacobs. Yeah. So we had a meeting recently where we looked at. 00:52:03
Expanding. 00:52:10
City staff to work on economic development and kind of looking around at other municipalities. 00:52:13
I don't know. Santa Cruz has eight full time people and we've got one part-time one day a week and I know there are four times 00:52:19
bigger than us, but even if you divide that by 4, you know two full time people would be awesome. But I think we were looking at 00:52:24
expanding laurels. 00:52:29
Review just two more days a week, if possible, one full-time person or. 00:52:36
You know she actually she only works four days a week, so it would be almost full time. So just wanted to say that we had had 00:52:43
further discussions on one of those points in your plan. 00:52:47
So it seems to me sorry I just in the interest of. 00:52:53
We have. 00:52:58
It seems to me that the next step here is for us to decide whether or not we want to create a subcommittee. 00:52:58
To for this conversation potentially offline, I move that we form a subcommittee to prioritize these and, you know, and ask for a 00:53:04
budget. The thing about this is that, you know, the mayors here, Councilman Dory, are here. If I'm sitting in their spot, they're 00:53:10
not going to do this. They're looking at us to say, make a recommendation for a budget or vote it up or down. But if we sit here 00:53:16
and don't give them something to act on, it's on us, not on them. 00:53:23
So I'm make a motion that we do that. 00:53:29
Yeah. 00:53:33
We have any volunteers for the subcommittee, Commissioner Rich. 00:53:35
Oh, sorry, First round we'll take a vote on. 00:53:38
The creation of a subcommittee, Then we'll. 00:53:42
And. 00:53:45
OK. 00:53:47
Commissioner. 00:53:48
Commissioner Van Nudie, Yes. Vice Chair Jacobs. Yes, Chair upman. 00:53:51
Commissioner Richmond aye, Commissioner Markowitz AYE and Commissioner. 00:53:56
Aye. 00:54:02
Motion passes. 00:54:03
Alright. 00:54:07
Commissioner Richmond. 00:54:08
Yes, I would love being on this. 00:54:09
I have a business in the town similar to somebody else on maybe maybe more than one of us, but I just think. 00:54:13
I have so many ideas and I just want to share them, so I think I could be a really good asset to it. 00:54:20
Yeah. 00:54:25
We have two other interested parties. I'm not interested, 'cause I don't have a business downtown, but I think it's important that 00:54:26
people on this subcommittee have a business in town somewhere. 00:54:30
Yeah. 00:54:37
Did you not hear me? Are you? 00:54:40
Yes, I think it's important that people on this subcommittee have a business that they have a vested interest in this plan. 00:54:42
And their stick. 00:54:49
I. 00:54:53
That's my opinion. 00:54:55
That's my opinion, that's all. I'm just I'm. 00:54:57
That's my. 00:55:01
I'm interested in volunteering by the way. I would, I would volunteer also. Everybody else go first, but if you need an extra 00:55:03
member. 00:55:07
I'm. 00:55:12
Willing and able to jump in. Thank. 00:55:13
So I will go ahead and move things along. I'll make a motion for a subcommittee comprised of Commissioner Richmond. 00:55:16
Commissioner Gibbs. 00:55:24
And vice chair. 00:55:26
Do we? 00:55:28
OK. Can we take A roll call? 00:55:32
Commissioner. 00:55:36
Aye, Commissioner Markowitz, Commissioner Richmond. 00:55:38
Chair Upman, Vice Chair Jacobs, aye. Commissioner Van Nudie aye. And Commissioner Gibbs. Yes. Motion passes for the new 00:55:42
subcommittee comprising of Commissioner Richmond, Vice Chair Jacobs and Commissioner Gibbs. Thank you. 00:55:49
Mr. Foster, thank you for your time tonight and joining us. We'll have the subcommittee coordinate and reach out through city 00:56:00
staff and look forward to moving this forward. 00:56:05
Thank you. Have a good night. 00:56:11
You. 00:56:13
All right. Unfortunately, we're going to be tight for time here, but I did want to make sure that we have an opportunity to speak 00:56:16
to the item on the agenda that is speaking to one of the recommendations that we have as part of the previous conversation, so 00:56:21
with that #8 concert Series subcommittee update. 00:56:26
Commissioner Rich. 00:56:32
You present when they get to comment. Well, luckily with our 4 minutes, that's that's more than I need. We don't have a whole lot 00:56:37
on the music series, but not because we didn't do anything on the three of us on the subcommittee all kind of took a portion of 00:56:43
what needs to get done and kind of researched a bit. So we met right before our meeting today to kind of go over those things and 00:56:49
what next steps we need to do. 00:56:56
So. 00:57:02
We're going to do a few different things. We're looking at different locations. I know Chautauqua Hall has been in the works a 00:57:03
little bit as far as talking about it. It turns out there are no. 00:57:08
Issues with Chautauqua Hall like ADA wise that that's what we were told, I think in the beginning and apparently there's no issue 00:57:13
on my business. 00:57:17
Instagram actually Captain Stoker, I put a poll out there for all of our followers because I wanted to know like inside or outside 00:57:22
kind of event and I had almost in the poll for that. I had about 500 something people vote and I specifically said locals, I 00:57:28
didn't want everybody so. 00:57:34
Yeah, about 370% voted for outside. So that's interesting. So we're going to look, we're going to look around. We have, we've had 00:57:40
a few ideas, but we do want to talk to Jenny a little bit, maybe we can. We're still trying to figure out if she can be part of 00:57:48
the conversation or if that throws off the three person rule thing. So but. 00:57:55
Yeah, yeah. So either way though, I'm sure we can just get the information emailed or something. So we'll figure that out. We do 00:58:03
plan to do some walkthroughs of some locations as well and we're going to talk, hopefully meet with Katie Clark, is that her last 00:58:09
name? Katie Clark, who's actually, she's working in the youth center across from us so she can help us out with the event planning 00:58:14
kind of stuff. She's got lots. 00:58:20
Lots of smarts there, so we're going to figure that one out. There are some hold ups, but we'll figure that out too. I'm not too 00:58:27
worried about that. And then also with the. 00:58:33
The. 00:58:40
Whatever it's called, what do we just look at? Business develop. Yeah, the improvement plan, the restaurant series, you know, 00:58:42
that's interesting. And maybe this is a combined effort. I don't know, maybe we can do a more than one thing to get more than one 00:58:47
kind of person there. So maybe we can combine some things. So yeah, we'll come back to the next meeting and hopefully have way 00:58:52
more detail, but. 00:58:57
We're. 00:59:03
Of course. 00:59:07
Yeah, I just wanted to follow up with what Kelsey had. 00:59:10
This is a really good plan and what we're going to be doing is I want to set up a meeting with Katie Clark, special events 00:59:15
coordinator for the city, and we're trying to find out. We got Jenny involved because she's been very experienced with this. 00:59:21
You know, this is let's have music. 00:59:27
We'd like to. This has to go through the City Council eventually and for. 00:59:30
Need 150 days advance time. There are applicants here that we figured out problem is. 00:59:35
The questions on the application, we got to sit down and figure out who, what, where, when and why and what we're going to do. We 00:59:40
had Jewel Park. 00:59:44
We thought of doing something along the terms of Lighthouse Ave. like we do it good old days, shut the street off and have bands 00:59:49
play, and all the businesses in the lighthouse are going to benefit from people coming down. That's one thing. 00:59:55
There are associated costs with all of this. We're talking about police traffic. If we do it outside, can the sponsorship be the 01:00:01
city? Can we wait, get the weight fees waived to be doing this since it is a city project? 01:00:07
Do we do it in conjunction with First Friday? We already have people out there. 01:00:14
Chautauqua is a possibility. We got to look at that. We need to get that. We have to get that. And if we're going to serve food, 01:00:19
alcohol, take tickets, what are we going to do with donations? There's a lot of these little details. 01:00:24
We have to figure out before we even put this we're talking about. 01:00:30
Basically 2024. 01:00:34
Really. Because it's that much lead time. I have a list here if anybody wants to do this. Like I got this. 01:00:37
I think Jenny Do says the special events already. 01:00:44
24th It's already through May. They're already taking a look at applications through the end of the summer for the deadlines for 01:00:48
special events here. So I want to try to get it together with Jenny and Kate and our subcommittee can get together and hammer out 01:00:55
this. And when we come back next month to say this is what we need to do, can we do this? Or are we talking about having a staff 01:01:02
of somebody? There are concerts that take place all over the way and a subcommittee can't put the concert on. 01:01:09
That's the thing that we have to really consider. 01:01:16
Who it Can city staff do this? Can the chamber do this? It's a really good plan, and it's a great idea because it's going to 01:01:19
benefit a lot of people and it's going to be a lot of work and it's going to take a lot of time. And our subcommittee is working 01:01:25
on it. We'll be willing to continue to work and do whatever we have to do to make it possible. But just want to put that out there 01:01:30
so everybody realizes this is not something that we can do next week. This is a long process. So I just wanted to add that. And 01:01:35
thanks, Kelsey. 01:01:41
Just an order of following process. Do we have any comments from the public on this before we open it up for conversation? 01:01:48
Seeing none, OK. Any further questions, comments, thoughts from the commissioners? 01:01:55
Mr. Jacobs Yeah, I love the fact that you're open to the idea of maybe having this be regenerative so that instead of just a one 01:02:01
off putting all this time and work into it, if it's something that really is beneficial to the city, it would be nice to have some 01:02:08
kind of formula or plan that it would. You could do it in, you know, in different ways in different times and. 01:02:15
You know, a series or a whatever. Anyway, I just, I just hope that. 01:02:22
It could be more than just a one off. 01:02:27
More. 01:02:31
Well, thank you all. That brings us to Good of the order. 01:02:35
Is there any final recommendations for future agenda items that we'd like to cover off on? 01:02:39
I know that we will likely have an opportunity to revisit the QR code project, Commissioner Hoops. 01:02:44
Yeah. 01:02:49
OK. And we'll also be chatting more about the strategic plan when we have time to regroup on that and bring back a report. So 01:02:52
those two items for sure, anything further? 01:02:56
So I heard you say you're going to bring the we have an asset and a stakeholder subcommittee. I think it's combined as one. 01:03:02
They'll be bringing a report. 01:03:06
Soon. 01:03:10
OK. And you know, there was an original sub. 01:03:11
Chairman Upman, Vice Chair Jacobson, I think myself and I think you're on one of the subcommittee. So my question is procedural. 01:03:16
Does that mean that the original subcommittee was? 01:03:21
Still. 01:03:26
If. 01:03:27
We're figuring it out as we go, but the intent was to always hand off at least one member for the prior committee so that there's 01:03:30
the consistency in that thread between the entire process. 01:03:35
If there's a need for the original group to facilitate. 01:03:41
We can certainly do that. Well I just I have a thought and and talking to some of the the building owners because that came up 01:03:45
before and. 01:03:49
For the next agenda, if we meet in December, I'd like to have a report on, and I'm willing to do it on three major building 01:03:55
owners, property owners, on Light. 01:04:00
About what their thoughts are, because I know that. 01:04:06
Several people have mentioned empty buildings and. 01:04:11
You know, people that were owners, not necessarily here, and gotten a couple of opinions. I'm not sure it's a report. Might be 01:04:14
interesting to hear what they have to say. 01:04:18
Wendy Giles and a few other people who own major properties downtown. So if you allocate 910 minutes, I can put something 01:04:23
together. 01:04:26
We can talk about that, certainly. 01:04:30
Very good. 01:04:33
OK. I see others in the room that are ready for the next meeting. So thank you all again. This has been a fantastic opportunity to 01:04:34
celebrate the business community today. 01:04:38
And it looks like our next EDC meeting will be at regular time. So we're looking at, please correct me if I'm wrong, December 7th. 01:04:43
At 4:00 PM. 01:04:52
OK. 01:04:54
Thank you. Meeting is adjourned. 01:04:56
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