Old Takoma Business Association
General Meeting
* Minutes *
March 9, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. at Sangha
1.0 Jan Schwartz (VP) announced the Takoma Community’s
Silent Auction to be held on May 16. It will benefit both the
Takoma Foundation’s Community Grants Program and the Old
Takoma Business Association.
2.0 Bob Atwood reported on a Main Street meeting that he attended.
Four key points were presented:
1. Reflect the organization’s overall goals and membership
base of your community.
2. Make personal contact – always be visible.
3. Demonstrate the benefits and keep in consistent communication
with members
4. Organize a method of tracking members
2.1 We should know the decision on our application to the Main
Street program by the end of April.
2.2 Pennye Jones-Napier explained that we just applied for the
Main Street Maryland program. We will apply to the DC Main Street
program in June.
2.3 Organizational Structure:
1. Elections for Board members of OTBA
* Three for 3 years, three for 2 years, three for 1 year.
2. The Board will elect the officers
3. There will be 4 main Committees, which follow the Main Street
Four-point Approach.
a. Each Committee will have 8-10 members
2.4 It usually takes over 2 years to “get off the ground”.
3.0 Financial report
3.1 Membership
1. We’re now getting more service businesses
3.2 Report
· Income: Membership dues
· Expenditures:
o Food for Main Street Town Meeting
o Postage
1. Now the Treasurer has the statement for July of last year,
so we can proceed with the matching funds from the City of Takoma
Park.
4.0 OTBA Plans & Projects:
4.1 Main Street Maryland application – Thank you to Sara
Daines
4.2 Parking Committee
1. Developed several recommendations.
2. More work to do on the DC side.
4.3 Educational meetings
1. As a 501(c)3 corporation, we’ll have educational meetings.
Thus, we’ll have dual purpose meetings.
2. We’re developing a list of topics:
a. Executive training
b. Marketing issues: e.g., direct mail
c. Insurance
5.0 Next Main Street Maryland informational program will be
on Design
5.1 Series:
1. June – streetscape
2. July – Promotion
3. September – Sponsorship
4. October – Event Planning
5. etc.
6.0 OTBA brochures: an important tool for membership
6.1 Only a few are left before new ones are printed up
6.2 Pay your dues in order to get your name & telephone
no. on the brochure’s map
1. April 1 is the deadline for OTBA dues
6.3 Distribution: at events
6.4 Council Member Joy Austin Lane reports that the Takoma Park
City Council was impressed.
7.0 Promotion: Film spots: Chip, son of Leon of Reruns, did
3 spots highlighting TP businesses.
7.1 Check with Lonnie Moffit to see if it fits into TP City’s
cable.
7.2 Can it be looped to a CD and shown at the Takoma Childrern’s
School Auction?
8.0 Promotion: John Hume, of Sligo Creek Tile Company, offered
to make a 4” x 4” OTBA tile for each member to display
in their businesses. It could say: “Member since _____”
8.1 Pennye Jones Napier, the Treasurer, asked him to keep track
of the cost so that we can record it for “in-kind”
matching funds.
9.0 Fundraiser: Takoma Foundation Silent Auction & Wine-tasting
at the Savory
9.1 The Takoma Foundation proposes to organize this with OTBA
and give half the proceeds to OTBA.
10.0 Montgomery County Council: Sara Daines reported that Council
Member Tom
Perez wants to know what OTBA concerns are.
11.0 Takoma Park City Streetscape:
11.1 There have been 6 or 7 meetings on this issue. The final
discussion will be presented before the City Council next Monday,
March 15, which starts at 7:30 p.m. The streetscape discussion
will take place at the beginning of the meeting.
11.2 There was some discussion about the use of mosaics. Reference
was made to Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and the fact that we have
3 full-time tilemen in Takoma Park.
12. 0 Laurel Avenue commercial development and parking garage
behind the Post Office:
12.1 Presentations and plans:
* John Urciolo wants to present a conceptual plan to OTBA members
– of the size, height, envelope. David Eisner suggests
to fold it into the regular OTBA meeting. Joy Austin Lane said
that we’d need at least an hour to allow time for questions
after the presentation. The City of Takoma Park needs to hear
from OTBA.
* On March 21, during the Farmers’ Market, John will host
an open house to show the plans.
* The plans are for a 3 level structure with no internal ramps.
12.2 Financing the project:
* John Urciolo would finance it at 0% interest
* The state would loan $300,000 at 0% interest
* The City of Takoma Park would have to pay back John Urciolo
* The City would use it as a leased purchase
12.3 Concerns, stated by Sara Daines:
* General: Stormwater runoff, Number of spaces, How to structure
partnership.
* Historic Takoma Inc: Commercial development on Laurel &
Parking
12.4 The proposal needs to be presented before Park & Planning
and Historic Takoma Inc.
12.5 OTBA
* Both Joy Austin Lane and Sara Daines said that the City needs
to hear from OTBA
* Larry Silverman suggested that OTBA send a letter stating
support for the need for more parking and for the parking garage.
We would consider the specifics later.
* Those present voted to support that suggestion.
13.0 Takoma Park Film Festival at Columbia Union College
13.1 Entries accepted until August 1, 2004
13.2 Filmmakers will talk about their experiences
13.3 TTAP will sell concessions
13.4 The Festival hopes to outgrow the College
14.0 Travis Price is moving out today, Joy Austin Lane said.
The City of Takoma Park wants to recognize them for their contributions
to the City. For example, they were instrumental in establishing
the streetscape.
15.0 Gazebo in Takoma Park
15.1 The missing letters around the roof edge have now been
replaced.
15.2 Although it’s a County park, the Takoma Park City
Council agreed that the City would empty the trash cans.
16.0 Subway store on Carroll Avenue, Takoma Park, was vandalized
16.1 Support:
* The City Council of Takoma Park took a strong stand.
* The Takoma Park police offered an award.
* The community, church showed a lot of support.
* Bobbi Kittner wrote an article about not focusing on the negative
* The Silver Chips website stated that the fact the business
is in Takoma Park will make it unique
16.2 Cost:
* Total cost of damages was about $3,000
* Rizwan wrote a beautiful letter about the cost of doing business
here
16.3 Vandalism at other area businesses:
* Woodmore
* Einstein Bagle and Subway in Silver Spring
* ATM machine at the Bank of America
17.0 Hours of businesses
17.1 Complaints: Businesses aren’t open when people can
shop
17.2 Some specific stores:
* Savory: open until 10 p.m. weekdays, 11 p.m. on week-ends.
* House of Musical Traditions: 11 – 7 p.m., Monday through
Saturday. They tried staying open until 9 p.m., and averaged
$30 worth of business.
17.3 Survey: Bobbi Kittner suggested that we should do a survey
on hours and business protocol.
Mission Statement: The Old Takoma Business Association brings
together businesses and community organizations dedicated to
developing a vibrant market center, from Takoma Junction Maryland
to the Takoma Theatre DC, to enhance our unique and historic
town setting.
Post Office address: Old Takoma Business Association, Post
Office Box 5440, Takoma Park, Maryland 2091
