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Home My WebLink About2026-03-27Orono DBIA Monthly Meeting Minutes Date: Friday, Mar 27, 2026 Time: 08:30 AM Location: Harmer Wealth 1. Land Acknowledgement The Municipality of Clarington is situated within the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas and Chippewas (chip-uh-WUH) of the Anishinabeg (uh-NISH-in-NAH-bek) known today as the Williams Treaties First Nations. Our work on these lands acknowledges their resilience and their longstanding contributions to the area now known as the Municipality of Clarington. 2. Call to Order & Welcome • Time: 8:35 a.m. • Roll Call: • Present: • Orono Events Committee: • Absent: 3. Approval of Agenda: • Motion: • Seconder: • Carried: (had Quorum?) 4. Approval of Minutes (January 2026): • Motion: • Seconder: • Carried: 5. Treasurer’s Monthly Report • Summary of income and expenses for the past month • Total Estimated Balance: $ • Update on outstanding invoices and payments • Status of grant funding and sponsorships • Budget forecast for upcoming projects and campaigns 6. Delegates Presenting • Samantha Aitken (Orono Library) (5 mins) • Spring Story Walk (April 23 – May 7 2026) • Laura Knox (Invest Clarington) (5 mins) • Rhonda Armour (Clarington Board of Trade) 7. Action Items & Updates Formal Motion – Reserve Fund Request ($7,500.00) Motion: That the Orono DBIA approve the allocation of $7,500.00 from the DBIA Reserve Fund to support essential infrastructure and seasonal asset repairs for 2026. Purpose of Funds: • Repair of existing Christmas light infrastructure, which sustained damage and requires refurbishment to ensure safe and reliable installation for the upcoming holiday season. • Coverage of the DBIA’s portion of the community CCTV camera project, supporting improved safety and monitoring within the downtown core. The cost to the BIA is $1,375.00 • Purchase of new Christmas tree lights to replace aging décor and maintain consistent, high-quality seasonal lighting throughout the village. Rationale: This investment addresses immediate operational needs while maintaining the visual appeal and safety of Orono’s downtown. Drawing from the reserve ensures the DBIA can complete necessary repairs and enhancements without interrupting ongoing programming or exceeding the current annual budget. Orono Town Hall Collaboration – Wedding Venue Marketing Update • The Orono DBIA and the Orono Town Hall continue to work together on a joint initiative to market the Town Hall as a destination wedding venue through the development of all-inclusive wedding packages featuring local businesses. • As part of this initiative, the Town Hall hosted its first Wedding Showcase, which proved to be a major success. The event drew over 30 couples, generating strong community interest and engagement. As a result of the showcase, the Town Hall and participating vendors have already secured two all-inclusive wedding bookings, demonstrating the effectiveness and market demand for this collaborative approach. • Given the success of the event, the DBIA and Town Hall would like to make the Wedding Showcase an annual feature to continue growing visibility and attracting couples to Orono as a unique wedding destination. • Stay tuned for more updates as this collaboration progresses. ROD Program – Funding & Project Update The Orono DBIA is pleased to report that our submission to the Rural Economic Development (ROD) Program has been approved for funding by both the Province of Ontario and the Municipality of Clarington. This approval confirms that the strategic marketing framework submitted earlier this year meets the requirements of the program and is ready to advance to implementation. Work will now begin on developing a comprehensive strategic marketing plan designed to enhance the visibility, social media presence, and overall awareness of Downtown Orono and our community partners. This initiative will include coordinated promotion for: • Orono Fair Grounds events • Orono Town Hall • Downtown Orono businesses and services The goal is simple: to build a unified, modern, and impactful marketing strategy that strengthens Orono’s identity, expands digital reach, and promotes community assets through consistent and professional storytelling. The new marketing plan is expected to launch in late 2026. Stay tuned for ongoing updates as the project progresses. Motion – Appointment of Timothy as Social Media Manager Motion: That the Orono DBIA appoint Timothy to a paid position responsible for managing the DBIA’s social media pages, effective upon approval. Budget Allocation: The annual DBIA budget has allocated $900.00 to support this role. Position Framework: The full framework outlining duties, responsibilities, and expectations for this position will be developed as part of the Strategic Marketing Plan currently being initiated under the ROD-funded project. Training & Integration: As the strategic plan is developed, training and onboarding for this role will be incorporated to ensure consistency with the new marketing strategy and long-term goals for growing Orono’s digital presence. Brad Beckstead – Orono Sign Project Update • Municipality has picked up the sign, currently being held at the works department on Taunton Rd • Municipality has not accepted the sign as a donation. Therefore, the installation is still pending. • Next Steps: • The executive will draft a letter to present to counsel at an upcoming counsel meeting. We will be requesting the municipality accept our donation 8. Events Committee • Committee Guidelines: o Define roles, decision-making authority, and reporting structure. o Include policies for sponsorship, signage, and compliance with municipal by-laws (e.g., sign usage rules). o Digital invoices preferred (dedicated email pending) o Written requests for payouts with estimates o Appointment scheduling with executive • 2026 Event Calendar: o Confirm dates for key events (festivals, markets, seasonal promotions). o Assign leads for planning and budgeting (Scott, Shelly, Samantha) • Update: o Volunteer update (Scott?) 9. Open Floor • Time allocated for members and attendees to raise new business, share community updates, or propose future agenda items. - 10. Closing Statements • Summary of key takeaways • 2026 meeting will take place on the following dates @ 08:30, location is Harmer Wealth • Jan 23, 2026 • Mar 27, 2026 • Apr 24, 2026 • June 26, 2026 • Sept 25, 2026 • Oct 23, 2026 11. Next Meeting Date: Friday, Apr 24, 2026 Time: 08:30 AM Location: Harmer Wealth Management