Old Takoma Business Association
General Meeting
* Minutes *
November 11, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. at Sangha
Present: Bob Atwood, Susie Baker, Bodile Meleny, Veronica McCandless,
Bobbi Kittner, Sam Kittner, Pennye Jones Napier, David Eisner,
Philippe, Jennifer Carter, Faith Wheeler
1.0 Holiday party: Bobbi Kittner reported
that it would cost an estimated $750. We would not charge attenders.
A draft of the OTBA map would be on display.
1.1 Promotion of party: We need to develop a list of benefits
to promote the party and, of course, OTBA. Bobbi will create
flyers to advertise the party.
1.2 Jennifer Carter would contact a piano player to play at
the party.
1.3 Guests: Be clear that home-based businesses are included.
2.0 Membership letter: All are asked to review
the letter and email Bobbi with comments, edits. Bobbi’s
email: marketing@takomaonline
3.0 Banners:
3.1 Along the streets from Takoma Theatre to Takoma Junction
3.1.1 Sponsorship: Look into corporate sponsors, neighborhood
grants, National Main Street grants, “buy a banner”.
3.1.2 Installation: TPMD Fire department could install them
on TPMD side.
3.1.3 Design examples: Baltimore, Wheaton, Silver Spring.
3.1.4 Concerns:
v Focus on design.
v OTBA is the “contrast”; We’re “small
business, USA”.
v Keep off the name of the sponsor.
3.1.5 Manufacture: Sara Daines has a Buffalo contact
3.1.6 Requirements: Approval by cities – TPMD, WDC
3.1.7 There are banner sponsorship programs; the banners, themselves,
are inexpensive.
3.1.8 We need a game plan: cost, presentation to the cities.
3.2 At the Gazebo
3.2.1 Rob Inerfeld asked Bobbi to design a banner to substitute
for the missing letters.
3.2.2 Resources:
v Jennifer’s vinyl guy
v Bodile – Eric Gilbright
v David Eisner – Master Graphics
3.2.3 Make it two-tiered in order to change the bottom tier
according to the occasion.
3.2.4 Bobbi, David, Faith will meet after the meeting to plan
Gazebo banner.
4.0 Promotion
4.1 Image:
4.1.1 Retail: “the face of Takoma”
4.1.2 Offices benefit from a vibrant downtown.
4.1.3 One small grouping of businesses: Westmoreland Commons
4.2 Modes for general promotion:
4.2.1 Brochure:
v Benefits
v Bullets with benefits list (source: Oct. 23 minutes)
v Clip-off form; fill it out to join
4.2.2 Sticker: Create one to put in store/home window
4.3 Modes for Holiday Party
4.3.1 Flyer: Send a letter with the flyer
4.3.2 Takoma Voice: Use flyer and ask Eric to put in ad
4.4 Committees
4.4.1 Bobbi will assign the coordinators
4.4.2 Bodile volunteers to be a gopher
5.0 Matching funds:
5.1 Sources and amounts:
v Street Festival: not yet known
v Raffle: $1260
v Dues: $ 965
6.0 Meetings:
6.1 Executive: Monday, November 17 at 9 a.m. at TPSS
6.2 General: Tuesday, December 9 at 9 a.m. at Sangha
v Jeannine O’Donnell, guest of Leslie Riehl and expert
on group insurance options, will attend.
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 20913.
