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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-14Historic Downtown Bowmanville Business Centre (BIA) Board of Management Meeting Minutes Tuesday January 14, 2025; 6:30pm Virtual Meeting 1. Attendance In Attendance: Ron Hooper, Chair Laura Holmes, Secretary Gerri Lucas, Treasurer Cathy Holmes, Director Edgar Lucas, Director Bonnie Wrightman, CBOT representative (departed 7:48pm) Laura Knox, MOC Ec Dev representative (departed 8:00pm) Amber Ross, owner Pink Lemon Sarah Gerdy, owner Markets (video not working) Regrets: Lloyd Rang, Council Representative Erin Kemp, Director Delegations Present: none 2. Call to Order The Chair called the meeting to order. 3. Land Acknowledgement The Chair read the land acknowledgement statement. 4. Presentation bV Delegations The Chair recognized that no delegations were present. 5. Updates from Community Partners (a) CBOT B. Wrightman wished everyone a Happy New Year. Brighten up Blue Monday event is mostly sold out on Monday Jan 20. March 4 in Council Chambers partnering for Safety with Invest Clarington will have Crime Prevention from DRPS, Fire and Emergency Services. CBOT will have some stickers provided by DRPS available. March 19 Generative Al (ie. Chat GPT) with two specialists from IBM for hands-on session. March 25 First Aid recertification. Will share information to be distributed to BIA members. (b) Economic Development L. Knox shared a New Year greeting. Full team is comprised of Paul (manager), Laura, Braden, and Darryl. The Vendor Directory has launched. Any local business can be listed to be considered for procurement from MOC staff. Postcards will be shared with BIA, CBOT, and distributed at events. Willing to facilitate a presentation with Planning on what's coming up in Bowmanville. Mystery Wheel Pizza is open. KeepFit HQ will open soon. Invest Durham will be hosting a Doing Business with the Film Industry session, Feb 11 at Parkwood. Will send invitation around. Construction at Town Hall will be completed soon. Historic Downtown Bowmanville 2 Business Centre (BIA) JANUARY 2025 The Chair shared that a presentation on Economic Development was shared at Council Committee. 6. Adoption of Minutes Moved by L. Holmes, seconded by G. Lucas THAT the minutes of the meeting of Tuesday November 12, 2024 be approved as circulated. CARRIED 7. Business Arisine from Previous Minutes (a) Feasibility of Historic Designation Councillor Rang sends his regrets. The Chair shared that the Secondary Plan discussions have taken precedent and no update is available. (b) New Parking Meters The Chair will request an info sheet from K. Bergeron to be distributed to BIA members. 8. Consent Items - Correspondence Correspondence was received from i. MOC Planning Department regarding BEUC Secondary Plan Update Nov 18 meeting ii. MOC Operations regarding new garbage receptacles iii. MOC Traffic Services regarding Moonlight Magic traffic notice iv. MOC Planning Department regarding BEUC Secondary Plan Update deferral to Dec 9 meeting V. MOC Planning Department regarding NOA ZBA 2021-0017 & PD-095/PDS-050-24 re: Trulls Rd, Courtice vi. MOC Economic Development regarding Clarington Warming Centre poster vii. MOC Economic Development regarding Clarington Vendor Directory viii. MOC Legislative Services regarding Parking Meter Update and copy of presentation from November 12, 2024 meeting Moved by E. Lucas, seconded by L. Holmes THAT the correspondence be received for information. THAT items 8.i, 8.iii, 8.iv, 8.vi, 8.vii have already been distributed to members due to time sensitive nature CARRIED 9. Consent Items — Discussion 8ii. Garbage receptacles The Chair spoke with the Director of Operations regarding potential locations for install and requested that advertisements be tasteful and in keeping with the ambience of downtown. 10. Treasurer's Report The Treasurer presented the following: i. Preparations for Audit are underway ii. $101 000 in current account Historic Downtown Bowmanville Business Centre (BIA) Moved by G. Lucas, seconded by L. Holmes THAT the Treasurer's Report be adopted as presented. CARRIED 11. Directors' Reports (a) Council Liaison — No report (b) Events — JANUARY 2025 C. Holmes reported that Moonlight Magic was busy but that weather was cold and windy. There were social media comments about the tree. Visit Santa raised $2875 donation for The Salvation Army Bowmanville. The photos were scheduled 1pm-4pm and Santa and photographer indicated that 3-4pm is not busy and tends to get darker and colder, so for 2025 the time frame will be shortened. Closure of Division St for Maplefest and Applefest is planned. Grinch Giveaway was successful but we struggled to obtain donations from businesses this year. Shoppers were very appreciative for being rewarded for spending local. Santa donated his fees to Salvation Army, Bethesda House, Big Brothers. Ashley Kielbiski has left MOC so we will be working with someone new for events this year. 2025 event dates will be circulated. (c) Membership Relations — G. Lucas reported that KeepFit HQ will open later this month. Royal Crown has opened in former Endivine. Many businesses will be taking vacation this month. (d) Streetscape — E. Lucas reported that garlands are removed. Lights in garland seem to be holding. Will obtain pricing on shooting star repairs. Several hanging baskets have broken and have fallen. May require replacement of baskets. Lights/banners will remain in place until March. Repairs on GFI have helped but there are some locations that are still problematic. There are a few 4x8 signs that will need replaced. There is graffiti on the back of one sign that will be repaired in Spring. (e) Communications— L. Holmes reported that relevant updates have been distributed to members, including a reminder about responsibility of snow/ice clearing. (f) Website & Social Media — L. Holmes reported that our online payment processor is required by legislation to verify our account. Verification process has been underway since November with more documents submitted this month. Our account is currently paused until the review is complete. As a result, applications for Maplefest cannot be launched until resolved. The business directory has been updated to reflect new and departing business. Photos still need updated, but spring will be better aesthetically for photography. Historic Downtown Bowmanville 4 JANUARY 2025 Business Centre (BIA) 12. New Business (a) Graffiti A property owner received a notice of non-compliance for graffiti on side of building, resulting from a complaint to bylaw from a community member. The property owner was upset that a fine was pending and took the issue up with the Mayor. In the past several months, there has been an increase in graffiti downtown. L. Knox reports that CIP could cover 20-30% of cost to cover/remove graffiti. This falls under fagade updates. Members will report back on products that may be helpful in removal of graffiti. (b) Tree at BMO The tree on the BMO property is shabby and likely needs replaced. There were lots of negative comments on social media about the state of the tree and decoration/lights. Suggestion to hire an arborist. Suggestion to hire a new company to install lights. BMO leases the property. Permission would be needed from the property owner. Investigation will be undertaken, will report back next meeting. (c) OBIAA Membership renewal is due. Question whether it is good value for money. Moved by E. Lucas, seconded by L. Holmes THAT the membership application for 2025 will be submitted CARRIED 13. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting of the Board of Management is scheduled to be held on Tuesday February 11, 2025 commencing at 6:30pm, virtually. 14. Adjournment Moved by L. Holmes, seconded by E. Lucas THAT the meeting adjourn. CARRIED The meeting adjourned at 8:14pm.