INFORMATION 02-06-2012INFORMATION
RiversEdge January 11, 2012 Meeting Minutes
Present: Tanna Anderson (First National Financial) John Stander (Arts Alliance), Tony Mikols
(Dares Funeral Home), Frank McCoy (McCoy's Pub), Jeremy Barnhart (City of Elk River
Planning), Clay Wilfarht (City of Elk River EDA), Wendy Simenson (Kemper Drug), Deb
Rydberg (Elk River Chamber of Commerce), Sandi Yeado (Edward Jones Financial), Neal
Gagnon (Bank of Elk River), Tamara Ackerman (Avalon Salon), Annie Deckert (City of Elk
River EDA)
Meeting was called to order at 2:35PM at the Edward Jones Conference Room in Beautiful
Downtown Elk River.
Treasurer's report: Neal told us that there is currently $3,093.30 in our bank account. Fred has
bills for the holiday newspaper ads and the tree that need to be turned in for payment. First
National Bank and The Bank of Elk River will split the cost of the Holiday Flyer that went out in
the newspaper. They will need to be invoiced for that amount. Once again we sincerely thank the
Bank of Elk River and First National Financial for their support of downtown businesses!
Secretary's Report: The minutes were approved as written.
City Update:
Downtown Task Force: Jeremy Barnhart reported to us that the Downtown Task Force has been
reconvened by City Council to help the City plan for future changes coming to the downtown
area. The task force will meet monthly to help develop a long range vision for downtown. They
will look at the impact of changes to highway 10 on Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods; any
redevelopment that could take place downtown; items that need attention downtown; identify
problems downtown; identify opportunities to reinvigorate and invest in downtown.
The city could have hired an outside consultant to do this work, but preferred to have people who
are connected with the downtown make the recommendations. These stakeholders are business
owners, property owners, individuals representing various boards and commissions, residents,
and council members.
The plan is for the task force to come up with a plan that will be presented to the community for
comment. The plan would then be presented to the City Council for approval.
Jeremy will provide us with a list of people who are serving on the task force. An agenda item
will be added to our RiversEdge Agenda each month so that someone from the task force can
report back on the group's activities.
General Update: The demolition of the buildings next to the meat market took place as planned.
The area has been leveled and will be blocked off from parking. It could potentially be used to
put parking lot snow but parking will not be allowed on it at this time. Future plans for the area
would be for paving for additional parking spots and adding some green space to it to make it
aesthetically pleasing. Additionally it could be used as a farmers market location, or a space for a
street dance or other gathering. The area is 13,000 square feet and could offer 30 more parking
spaces.
An offer has been made on the First National Bank Building by a Church Group in Elk River.
1St stage of the Gateway Industrial Project (171St Ave by Elk River Ford and the Train Station)
has been funded.
Elk River Energy Commission is hosting a free event recognizing Faribault Foods for earning the
Energy City Five Star Award. The event will be Thursday Feb 23 from 11:30Am to 1PM.
Park and Rec: Stephanie Alban's husband passed away last weekend. Our Sympathies go out to
her. We will send a memorial gift/flowers to her.
Website/Facebookc Clay is spearheading the effort to make the website and facebook work in a
more automated fashion and will help us figure out the best way for RiversEdge members to post
information on their businesses facebook page that will be disseminated to RiversEge's facebook
page and easy to update. We need to be monitoring our facebook page to make sure that general
posts are appropriate.
Holiday Downtown Celebration Recap: The weather was great. The line to see Santa stretched to
the bakery most of the day. Probably the best turnout so far! Santa and Mrs.Claus did a great job.
The animals were cute. People enjoyed watching the dancing of the nutcrackers in front of
Edward Jones. Goldenman's gave us a great deal on the tree. They delivered it for $150.00. We
will need to arrange help from the City Utilities department to help put the tree up and safely
secure it next year. Next. year we need to get it up sooner (Weekend after Thanksgiving) and
leave it up longer. At the price of artificial trees, we will continue to get a live tree. We should
plan a downtown tree lighting ceremony when the tree goes up. Thank you to all who helped
make arrangements for the tree and decorate it!
Chamber Update: Shiver Elk River will be held on 2/25/2012. Organizations who are SOlc3 can
take pledges for a member of their group to take the polar plunge. 90% of Pledge money will be
given to the groups. BusinessBnergy Expo will be held on March 25, 2012. A motion was made
and carried to pay the fee to have a RiversEdge Booth at this event.
Downtown Retail Directory: Wendy has been updating the directory and is waiting for an
updated map from Chris Leesberg from the City of Elk River. We will print out 1000 glossy
color directories to have on hand to give out at the SnoCross Event.
Downtown Promotions for SnoCross Race March 9th through 11th: Fred has been talking to a Bus
company about having a shuttle bus loop from the Holiday Inn in Otsego (Host Hotel for the
event) through downtown to the Race Track and back during the event. He will talk to Chris
Carlson, participating hotels and possibly Buffalo Wild Wings to see about sharing the costs. It
would take some of the parking pressure off ERX if some of the visitors could park off site.
We will have a table at the host hotel to promote Downtown Businesses. Please prepare
promotional items for your business -business flyers, special offers, coupons etc that can be
passed out to visitors. They are expecting 6,000 to 10,000 people to come to Elk River for this
event.
New Business:
ArtSoup 2012: ArtSoup is becoming an annual event! This year's ArtSoup will be held
Downtown on Saturday, June 16, 2012. Please let John Stander at the Arts Alliance know how
you would like to help with this years event.
Planters Downtown: It was suggested that we get a bid from Flowers Plus to Fill the planters
downtown for summer. Some businesses are still interested in purchasing their own flowers and
planting the pots in front of them. Some businesses don't mind paying $20 to have pots planted
and some pots are not adjacent to specific businesses. Wendy will get a quote from Flowers Plus.
This is your life at Pullman Place: Financial Solutions for Seniors: Sponsored by Edward Jones
January 21St 1 to 4PM Featuring Bill Hudson. Refreshments served and Prize drawings.
Phone: 763-633-0999 Fax: 763-633-0966 email: ]hielmstad ,~a-er.org for more information.
r-
Rivers Edge Meeting Minutes December 8, 2011
Meeting was called to order at 2:30PM at the Edward Jones Conference Room: Those attending were:
Sandi Yaedo (Edward Jones), Wendy Simenson (Kemper Drug), Fred McCoy (McCoy's Pub), Marcy
Vanvalkenberg (Elk River Travel), Tanna Anderson (First National Financial), Nikki Blake Bradley
(City of Elk River Project Conserve), Stephanie Albans (City of Elk River Park and Rec), John Stander
(Arts Alliance), Tony Mikols(Dare's Funeral Home)
Treasurers Report:
Secretary's Report:
Park and Rec Update: RiversEdge Commons Concert Series has been funded and planning is in progress
for 2012. Winter Spring Guide book will be available soon. Possibility of Farmers Market relocating to
downtown.
Website and Facebook: We need to reimburse Nicole for her payment to webhosting provider. Will need
to get someone else set up as contact for the account
Wendy and Clay met to discuss keeping website going and how to make our facebook page for
RiversEdge Downtown more active: Please post your own content to the facebook page when you have
an event planned or have been featured in the newspaper or magazine -toot your own horn! ! !
Sandi will check with Penny to see if she has time to add content to website and let us know at the next
meeting. Wendy will keep a Downtown page active on Kemper Drug's website with a link to official
downtown page.
Halloween Downtown: Was the busiest ever! Agreed to keep it on the Friday Prior to Halloween, even if
Halloween falls on a different week day. Thanks to Donna for helping decorate the park downtown for
Halloween (And Park and Rec) It looked great!
Xmas planning: The price of an outside artificial was $13,000 to $35,000. Will approach Goldenman's
and see if they can lend us a bigger tree this year. Sandi will work with Fred to get it put up on Friday
December 9th and decorated. Wendy will work with John to get enlarged list of what is happening
downtown printed to put on sandwich board signs. Concern about increasing visibility at Main and
Jackson cross -walk, Steph will ask the City to block off parking space on either side of intersection to
improve visibility and close the driveway next to Sunshine Depot. Edward Jones will have Nutcracker
Dancers dance on a small stage in front of their Office. They will also be passing out hot cocoa.
Stephanie will put the sound system on the corner by Edward Jones.
Other Xmas: Park and Rec will provide Hay Bales for atmosphere and to block wind in park. Also will
bring portable heaters, Chair for Santa (and Mrs. Claus), The Sleigh to fill with gifts for Gifts
Anonymous, 300 Gift Bags with contributions in them from downtown businesses, sound system,
decorations for tree.
Hemker Animal Farm will bring the animals -including Camel and Reindeer with enclosure and a
sleigh and will be in Park from 12 to 3 with Santa. Flyers went out in the Star News on December 3`d
with list of all that was happening downtown on the 10th -paid for by Bank of Elk River and First
National Financial. Save the date ad went in the newspaper on weekend after Thanksgiving. Tanna made
a poster for the event and posters went to Daycares and were put up in Downtown Businesses and
elsewhere around the city and on Facebook. The Command Performance Choir scheduled to perform in
Old Main and sing some caroles in the park. Holiday Harp music at Daddy'Os. Volunteer from Spectrum
school to help pass out lists of what was happening downtown.
Lights on Downtown Boulevard Trees: on Sunday Nov, 20th John Houlton, Fred McCoy, Wendy, and
Frank Galli braved the cold and put lights on the trees.
Planters: Some businesses will decorate the planters adjacent to their businesses for the holidays. Robin
(Don's Bakery) will collect $20 from other businesses and get decorations in before Downtown Holiday
Celebration.
Downtown Promotions for SnoCross Race March 9 - 11, 2012: Will talk to local hotels and ERX about
running a shuttle that would go through Downtown. Will have promotion table at host hotel (Holiday
Inn in Otsego). Encourage downtown businesses to offer special promotions and events that weekend.
Organizers expect 6,000 to 10,000 people to come to Elk River for this event.
Downtown Directory: We are working on updating the downtown business directory. Chris Leeseberg
from the City of Elk River is helping update the map.
New Business:
Parking Permits should be in your mail boxes soon.
Demolish Schedule for buildings next to the Meat Market. Buildings will be demolished after December
25th.
Project Conserve: Nikki Blake Bradley came to the meeting to talk about Project Conserve and to talk
about how we had progressed with it Downtown when Steve Pomeroy was interning for the City.
Meeting was adjourned at 3:15PM