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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcoa.cclc.min.100709COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF OCTOBER 7, 2009 Chairperson ,Terry Butler called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. Commissioners in attendance: Bill Dinsmoor, Andrew Kole, Don Sheeley, Fred Ayarza. John Starr and Mark Goodman were excused. Staff: Kathy Strickland, Chief Deputy City Clerk Agriculture board president: Dave Whittlesey Saturday Market Update: Kathryn Penn artisan vendor said a lot of her regular customers are coming back. Madelyn Albright said she loved the market. Senator Susan Collins and Jane Harmon have been to her booth. My price point is a little higher. What I see is that we have an extremely higher end clientele than other farmer markets. People come here even though they have markets in their own home towns. The market is a juried event. Kathryn said Kathy does a great job and we get an e-mail every Friday about the weather and wind conditions. Teny pointed out that Kathryn started her own store here from the clientele of the market. Kathryn said she had an $11,000 day and the next week it was $2,500. I feel I am not consistent in sales but not down in totals for the season. Bill asked Kathryn how many customers avoid sales tax. Kathryn said there are people that want to avoid sales tax and it is usually over $700. Andrew said he talked to people and it seems like everything over $500. they want shipped. Kathryn said she charges $10.00 for shipping. Most of my sales that are shipped are due to the special orders, such as designing a necklace that needs shortened etc. Cynthia Bye, artisan vendor said she is a full time vendor and since that happened this year I have doubled my sales. Table runners and hand bags are a new item. The market has helped my creativity. I was pleased to get in every week. I have paid sales tax to Aspen on everything I ship. My average sale is $300. I am starting to get a following. It is good for business in Aspen when we show patrons a festive atmosphere and are good liaisons COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF OCTOBER 7, 2009 to the City of Aspen. I have also been approached by the Red Brick Center for Arts to participate in a show and they have asked me to teach a class. I am committed to doing things for our community. Andrew said everyone is happy and they love Kathy. Some are down 10 to 20%. The new food court in Conner Park with Crave and paella are doing great. The chicken wings went well. People like having something to eat at the market. It keeps them at the market. The public is huge and a lot of them will go back to their city or town and talk about it to others. Bill asked about booth space and if the vendors preferred more space. Cynthia and Kathryn and Dave said having a little walking space around the booth is good. Andrew said if we expanded we could have 2 feet between each booth. Kathryn said she has applied to juried shows around the states. It is better for me to view my jewelry from all sides. I have a little extra spreading around due to the flower vendor next door. Fred pointed out that Boulder has space around each booth. Cynthia said space around your booth helps. I have curtains around my booth and light is important. Bill said sunlight can be oppressive and it is hot sunny and bright. Cynthia has a rug on the ground that protects the products if someone drops one . I even have elderly people on the street come in. Kathy pointed out that she has water stations and rugs for the dogs on hot summer days. There are also signs in the summer indicating that the asphalt is hot. Dave Whittlesey said the majority of the canopies are white. When we switched to blue tents it dropped the temperature 10%. Terry said she puts information on her hotel doors every Saturday. This year I took a customer from France and they loved the paella at Conner Park. Dave Whittlesey said the issue of the time change came up because the agriculture vendors are coming so far. They get up at 2:00 a.m. The drive is 2 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF OCTOBER 7, 2009 2 'h hours each way. Dave said a survey was done and the outcome was 29/29. The board determined that there was not enough difference in the numbers and that the market will remain the same next year regarding hours and starting date. The market will start the same time as the Food and Wine festival. Bill asked if you were queen for a day what would you do to change the market. Kathryn said people said there are too many jewelers but jewelry is a product that sells. Kathryn also suggested having the park all food. Bicycles should not be allowed to be ridden in the market, it is too dangerous. I love being in the market and how social it is. I love my relationships with my customers. I did a thank you card to all of my customers and will send it out at the end of the market. Cynthia said if we expand it would become more of a draw in the State of Colorado. If we advertized in Colo. Springs they would come up here. Kathryn said we are not like Vail. Our market is different. Vail lets vendors sell imports. It is great that our market vendors are juried. Dave said they have a lot of people coming from Colorado Springs and suggested that we advertise in Colorado Springs. Cynthia said our hotels are cheaper in Sept. and Oct. and if we advertise in Colorado Springs we will get that draw. Fred said the market is very social and very positive in this respect. Cynthia said she loves her location and people are lining in but I am on full alert with people lined up for the adjacent booth which sells muffins etc. Dave suggested bringing in food the week ahead for food and wine. The agriculture vendors would like to capitalize on Western Colorado for food and wine. Maybe more local people and restaurants could use our products. Dave said if the market expanded they have people that are interested in applying. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF OCTOBER 7.2009 Andrew said if we expanded we could spread the food out so people will walk through the market to get to the food. We could also take ten by tens tents and spread them out with chairs underneath for people to sit under. Bill said we will have to have council members on board and they need to buy into the idea of the expansion. Dave said we have exotic growers that are not in the market that would enhance the market if we expanded. Kathy said she will talk to Randy Ready, assistant City Manager. I suspect we will need to send out a memo indicating the pros for the expansion to the appropriate departments and see if we get their support. Then we would have to schedule public hearings. Kathy asked about moving the deadline for the application up. Many jewelers need to know if they are in early on due to different bead shows that are in January. Cynthia and Kathryn said earlier would be better. The board felt that people are tied up in December with XMAS etc. and that it would be better to have the application available for the Month of November. Vendors have more time to compete the application appropriately. Kathryn suggested as a revenue idea the market charge anon-refundable fee for the applications. All fairs that she has ever entered charge an entry fee. The market is the best added value to the city. Bill talked about a stamp called wick, a food stamp for women infants and children. It is sponsored by the Federal government. Dave said he is aware of the stamp but it is too costly for farmers to implement. Bill and Don said they were opposed to the application fee without a proposed budget. Dave said the agriculture vendors are also opposed to the fee COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF OCTOBER 7.2009 Andrew, Terry and Fred said the increased fee, could be used for advertising in Colorado Springs or tents etc. if we expand. Andrew said even if you are anon-profit you can carry over funds. MOTION: Andrew moved to have the application filled out for the month of November with a $30non-refundable application fee provided the fee issue is signed off by the city attorney and based on the market being a non- profit. Motion carried 3-2. Yes vote: Fred, Andrew, Terry. No vote: Don, Bill 12 days of Aspen Terry said she went to the council work session and Don and Andrew were present also. The ACRA will run the event. $14,000 of city funding was given to the ACRA. A proposed budget was presented: Don pointed out that when the CCLC or anyone has to go before city council you need to be very organized. Meeting adjourned 11:00 a.m. ~/ ~ ~r-~ ,z~2.ll~e-<~Y Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk