Minutes of Eatonton Downtown Development Authority Meeting
Jan 21st 2014 5.30 pm, Plaza Arts Center 305 N Madison Ave.
Attendees:
Name
Phone
Email
AUTHORITY MEMBERS
Teresa Doster ( Chair)
706 473 2040 teresad@mindspring.com
Delacy Leverette
706 816 9127 delacyll@gmail.com
Roddie Anne Blackwell
706 485 7701 roddieanne@eatonton.com
( Treasurer)
Scott Reaves
706 473 0512 Reaves_design@bellsouth.net
(Vice Chair)
Lisa Jackson
706 485 2776 ljackson@putnamga.com
478 223 1264
Steve Sinclair
706 473 5473 dr_sinclair@hotmail.com
Adam Smith
706 816 3115 Adam@smithscoastalgrill.com
( Official secretary)
Others
Shelagh Fagan
706 923 0031 smfagan@mindspring.com
(Project Mgr/Recording
Secretary)
Jenny Clarke, Director
706 749 9150
eatontonmainstreet@eatontonbht.c
Main Street
om
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Lisa could not attend due to conflict with County BOC meeting; Delacy sent apologies due to being out
of country.
1. Teresa opened the meeting at 5.40 pm.
2.
Minutes of Nov 19th 2013 meeting were approved; Scott made motion, Roddie Anne seconded; all
in favor.
3.
Finances.
Shelagh distributed copies of income statement and balance sheet. We have an effective
balance of $32,792.23 in the operating account and $2404.24 in the Parking Lot account. Also
distributed were the current budget for the Parking Lot and what we have spent to-date.
.
OLD BUSINESS
4. Parking Lot
-Teresa reported a 2 month delay. This is primarily due to the need to replace, divert and
otherwise deal with many water and sewer issues buried for many years. Weather is a secondary
problem.
- Paul Simonton negotiated both work and payment for fixing all these issues with EPWSA. The
result was a $22,816.40 change order to ISC (subcontracted to Barnett). However, work has been at a
standstill until EPWSA can install bypass valves. This work was scheduled for this week but weather may
delay it.
- Shelagh reported that the subcontracted water/sewer work had caused frozen or broken pipes
to at least two downtown merchants. They are not happy.
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- Teresa had a long chat to Donna Van Haute ( Director EPWSA) and shared what she( Teresa)
felt were some of the root causes of delayed work and tensions between agencies.
5. Streetscape – on hold
6. Community Garden
- Shelagh said this project is looking for grant money to fund irrigation pipes and tap fees. The
latter are estimated at $2200 for two hook ups. She plans to approach the EPWSA to see if the tap fees
can be waived. Project Orange ( Fiskar) grant applied for Dec 30th ( results available March 31st 2014).
- Four plots have been pre-leased. Cost is $50 a year. Once the weather improves the plots can
be staked out and used. However no-one will be charged until we have water available. The Town and
Country Garden Club voted to fund the Head Start plot.
7. City Strategic Plan.
Teresa will forward suggestion regarding using the RC to project manage the plan to the city at the
appropriate time.
NEW BUSINESS/OTHER/NEWS
8. Shelagh presented a slight change to the by laws such that it was clear that Teresa Doster could be reelected to the DDA. Roddie Ann moved that the change be accepted; Scott seconded; all were in favor.
Roddie Anne then made a motion to extend Teresa’s term for another 4 years. Scott seconded; all were
in favor
9. Main Street News
-Jenny reported that the Christmas celebrations went well, especially the nighttime parade.
Promotions is looking at a new spring event and maybe one around July 4th.
-She also said that we have two new Main Street Board members; Julie McCullough, People’s
Bank Marketing will be Promotions Chair; Becky Toulson ( Heavens Gate-retail) will be Board Secretary.
-Jenny was pleased to announce that Main Street received an A rating on the annual
assessment.
10. Other news & items of interest.
- Stewart Rodeheaver has moved his Vizitech Company to 103 Sumter Street and a ribbon
cutting was held last week. Several people commented on how well his window displays look. Roddie
Anne said they are actually blinds made by The Sign Store. There was discussion around the idea that we
could use old photos or mock ups of people eating using similar blinds in the vacant store fronts
- Shelagh attended a meeting this afternoon with Renee Fontenot ( GCSU Asst Director of
Marketing Studies) along with Stew Aaron and Joe Hudson. Renee will have her marketing class this year
use one or two of Stew’s buildings as the basis for a feasibility study to open a business
incubator/artisan village. Shelagh said she felt the DDA should partner with Stew in this venture as he
cannot get grants as a private individual. Teresa felt we should wait until the study was done ( April/May
2014) before making any commitments. Roddie Anne said that the marketing students were also
working on an overall marketing study for Eatonton.
- Steve to attend DDA training Feb 28th in Douglasville.
NEXT MEETING FEBRUARY 25TH 2014.
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