HomeMy WebLinkAboutcoa.cclc.min.02012006 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
.MINUTES OF FEBRUARY IT 2006
Chairperson, Bill Dinsmoor called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
Commissioners in attendance were: Mark Goodman and Stan Hajenga.
Don Sheeley, John Start, Shae Singer and Terry Butler were excused.
Staff in attendance: Kathleen Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk
Public Comments:
Casey Kaufman, owner of Takah Sushi restaurant voiced her concern that the
bathrooms at Wagner Park were not open after 10:00 p.m. this weekend during X
games and the concert in Wagner Park. Casey said the City invites these people to
come to town for special events but we do not provide the services that are needed.
It is such a disservice to our community and visitors not to provide services. They
had porta potties inside the venue but not outside. Individuals were using the
alleys and restaurant bathrooms and sleeping in cars.
Casey said the restrooms at Wagner Park should be open until Midnight. It is so
unfriendly.
Bill mentioned that the City Manager talked about adding bathrooms in Conner
Park for next year. Bill feels public bathrooms should also be built at the Rio
Grande Park.
Bill directed staff to contact the Parks Dept. to come to the next meeting to discuss
bathrooms.
Casey also pointed out that here should have been numerous more trash containers
at events held in Wagner Park.
Casey said her concern is the perception that the City of Aspen is giving. You
can't say we love the sales tax but the venue has to take care of everything else.
Stan said he would like to know when the follow through from the event at X
games occurs.
Casey said numerous people were sleeping in their cars.
Shirley Tipton said she and Steve Barwick, the City Manager did a walk through
after the event and noted quite a few improvements. There was a lot less broken
glass this year. The VIP tent had numerous porta potties on the east side of
COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF FEBRUARY L 2006
Wagner and there were an additional 6 porta potties on the west side. People were
not admitted to the event if they were already intoxicated.
DOWNTOWN CATALYST
Kathy relayed that Shae met with the City Manager to discuss the idea of bringing
back a "catalyst" for our community. Shae' expressed her concern that there is a
lack of communication from the businesses to CCLC, to ACRA etc. She feels a
catalyst could unify communication throughout the City. The City Manager
recommended that the CCLC draw up what the catalyst position would do. He
would review it and try to find funding or a person to be the catalyst. Kathy stated
that the catalyst would be separate from the BID.
BID UPDATE - SHIRLEY TIPTON & KATHERINE SAND
Bill said the catalyst job is involved with the BID. Shirley Tipton stated that their
proposal includes a catalyst portion and it was presented to the BID steering
committee.
Mark asked if the catalyst would be a temporary position until the BID is complete.
Shirley said yes. Bill said a lot of what the catalyst does is incorporated with the
BID in a separate capacity.
Bill said wouldn't the catalyst already being doing part of what Lisa Baker did in
the BID.
Stan said we have lost some of that energy when the catalyst position ended. Stan
said the primary thing right now is to get the BID completed.
Katherine Sand said she would like to talk with Shae' to see what gaps are missing.
Stan said the catalyst came to lodging meetings to update them as to what is going
on in the city. That was very beneficial.
Stan said he feels that some of the work that the catalyst did needs to continue.
Bill said the catalyst job is identified in the service plan presented to the steering
committee by Shirley and Katherine.
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COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1~ 2006
Katherine said the steering committee met and they are charged with working out
how much ~unds the BID would raise. In parallel with that and more importantly
we were asked to come up with what the BID would and could do. The BID is a
public private entity. What is the BID going to do.
Katherine said the steering committee needs to decide what they want out of the
BID. The BID is a long term view and that is what it does. A flare issue is the
parking garage.
Stan said the specific list will be very valuable. Katherine said the BID is about
much more than one issue such as the growth down valley, such as Burlingame and
where are people going to shop etc. The creditability of the BID is critical.
Bill said why would I tax myself to the BID when I am giving to the ACRA, that
comes up a lot.
Stan said we all know how difficult it is to get downtown people together and the
BID will be the place where people can go that have an inherent stake in it. We are
never going to get downtown business to come together without a BID.
Mark said community involvement is essential for the BID.
Katherine said we are opening doors gently right now, but the BID is not ready to
go forward with a work session with council yet.
Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy City Clerk