HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.min.110701 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 7, 2001
Vice-chair, Bill Dinsmoor called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. Members
in attendance were Eric Cohen and Terry Butler. Jori Busch, John Start and
Andrew Kole were excused.
Bill aske~d staff to check on the interview date for board members. Staff will
report at the next meeting.
Bill said the board talked to Sarah Oates at the last meeting and it was
mentioned that possibly the Parking Dept. could help with the enforcement
issues for signs, right-of-way issues and to help other departments out.
Sarah has difficulty with the complaint driven notion that the city had
adopted years ago. It is difficult for her to get out and do the enforcement
and it takes away from her other job.
Tim Ware, head of parking informed the board that they have expanded their
horizons this year by picking up the trashcan violations and bear
enforcement. They help with the Environment Health Department, Brian
Flynn. The parking officer spends from 6 a.m. until NOON daily with that
enforcement. Regarding the signs, right-of-way, construction his employees
are finding or rather locating the violations and reporting them to the proper
department before a complaint call is made. His employees do not have the
authority to enforce right now. Numerous times it is just checking permits.
It would certainly take a step off the process if they could give them a notice
at the site.
Bill said enforcement was brought up by Heather Isberian regarding people
having perpetual for sale signs in their windows.
Terry mentioned that this might not be the time to come down on people
who have for sale signs in the windows longer then allowed.
Bill said it would be nice to have someone address code issues to the
businesses and explain it. What would be getting in the way of this concept?
Tim said the only thing in the way would be training.
Bill said the t~aining would cost more money and it would create employees
being more valuable and that would increase salaries.
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MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 7~ 2001
Tim said his employees would have to be changed to an enforcement officer.
This would include not only parking but sidewalk encroachments, sidewalk
sales, etc. Tim said he believes in the enforcement officer and numerous
cities do it.
Bill said right now individuals wait till they get caught and it is cheaper to
get away with it and pay a fine then to pull a permit. Tim said encroachment
permits cost $350.
Tim said community safety, zoning and other different enforcement
departments would become one. Tim said he would need direction from
Steve Barwick. Tim said he feels he would be able to recruit more if the job
description is widened. It would also help people get things done.
Bill asked the difference between red tagging and siteing or noticing? Tim
said red tagging is shutting down a project.
Bill felt that it is better to be pro-active.
Tim said it is difficult for his employees to break off everything they are
doing, come back and notify the right dept.
Terry said giving a sense of pride in your job and actually communicate with
the businesses would help our community. It is a matter of training, finesse,
and can develop a rap pore with businesses. Tim's dept. is the natural
department. Terry said she has seen a great change in his department lately.
Terry said rents are dropping and they are getting cooperation from
landlords. Terry said Tim would be good at the job himself as the code
enforcement.
Eric reiterated Terry and Bill.
Charles suggested getting a list of other communities' job description on
code enforcements.
Bill said he also feels that parking officers should be the ambassadors of the
city to give information to tourist etc.
COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 7~ 2001
Tim said it is in their job description already. Part of the uniform selection
is how important we can make them and invite individuals.
Tim said he doesn't feel the funding is an issue or the increase of personnel.
Possibly in the summer add another person.
Lee Cassin, Environmental Health Director said Tim's employee is already
doing enforcement for Environmental Health six hours a day and she
supports the idea.
Staff was directed to have either the City manager or the Assistant City
Manager at the next meeting.
VALET PARKING
Tim brought up the Valet contract, which will be increased from $1:50 to
$2:00 per.car in the garage for next year. They have eliminated the City of
Aspen valet parking sign that they used last year.
Terry said parking is a problem downtown. The only negative is; it is one
more raise in the price of something in Aspen. We need to care about
everything in Aspen.
Tim said it is not a raise to the people it is a raise to the operator. We should
discuss what he is charging people to park the cars. There is no restriction
on what he can charge.
Eric said he has no problem with what they charge because people do not
have to valet park. If you don't like the price don't use it.
Terry said she is talking about the perception that it is one more thing that
we have raised the price of in Aspen but she is not saying no.
Tim said the valet charges depending upon the season. He has heard up to
$18. to $20. a day to park your car. The charge is by the car.
Tim said his department is starting to plan because the bond is running out
and the garage needs to be a self-supporting entity. We will loose the
quarter penny sales tax funding. There is only one vendor and it runs one
COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 7~ 2001
way when he is there and a different way when he is not. If there is an issue
he takes care of it relatively quick.
Bill suggested that the prices be fixed and posted and Tim should discuss
this with the valet. A posted price that people can anticipate.
Tim said that would solve the traffic problem because you get a lot of people
that pull in there and get shell shocked.
Terry said people coming from New York who pay $40 there to park might
park if the sign is posted.
Bill suggested that Tim work with the Valet and come up with a price that is
suitable for him.
Eric said the city is granting this guy a monopoly then we have the right and
reasonable argument to say OK we are granting you a monopoly and this has
to be a fixed price. We need to have some control or rather posted price.
FARMERS MARKET
Chris gave an overview of the farmers market. The name has been changed
to the Aspen Saturday Market. The goal is to fill up the market with
farmers/and other vendors. There will be a portion of agriculture items and
a portion of other items.
There was a discussion about prepared food. Lee Cassin said it could be
defined as potential hazardous and not potentially hazardous. Hazardous
would be things that have to be prepared off site at another licensed facility
and sold as a take home item. The agriculture side will be managed by the
farmers.
Bill said he feels the farmers market people do not want food or meals
prepared on site. The board is not in favor of full meals.
Terry said ne one is interested in having ham burgs on site. Tent asked Lee
how she handles the food lest on the mall. Lee said people prepare their
food at their establishment and then bring it out and they have the facilities
to keep it warm. They serve mini portions.
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COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 7, 2001
Chris said with the local booths that gives local people a chance to
participate and not be excluded. Once a year CCLC could put an add in the
paper stating what booths are available.
Eric said we could deal with food by weight. That gives you the tasting
aspect. That puts a parameter on a tasting vs. a hot dog.
Bill said this also opens up a new area of food safety. The vendor needs to
be aware of it.
Chris said he bought meat because he could be able to sample it. The
vendor would have to be informed of the state health requirements.
Eric said the board should only allow samples and demonstration for local
booths in the Taste of Aspen. Eric said the meaning for the Taste of Aspen
is the samples and you show the menu etc. It is not to sell meals. The local
vendor would have to comply with the state regulations. It is not the
business of the local restaurateurs to be selling take home prepared meals.
Terry agreed that samples and demonstrations are the meaning of the Taste
of Aspen.
Eric said no matter what is sold or tasted it must comply with state and local
health regulations.
The board discussed the bathroom issue and staffreported that a toilet would
cost $80. a month for service. Also, if tables are purchased they could be
charged under the entry fees. The board chose Conner Park and wrap
around the front of City Hall as the expansion area for the market.
Terry felt that the $80. for the toilet would be the best service for our
community. Wagner Park will have toilets next summer.
Chris said regarding the management CCLC could handle anything not
related to the agriculture. Initially it would have to be the CCLC. At some
point a market coordinator could be hired. Eric said it could be spread
around the board initially. The term could be five years with two automatic
extensions and the farmers market should go through October.
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Larry Thoreson, Finance Department relayed with the numerous potential
vendors one person needs to be in charge with a list of the vendors and who
is allowed and who isn't. He is looking for voluntary compliance on the part
of the vendors. Larry suggested one license holder and they collect the sales
tax from those individuals cormng and going within that booth.
BUSINESSES
Bill said one of the by products of restaurant failure is they walk away from
the business and leave employees etc. unpaid. They walk away from sales
tax etc.
Larry said when restaurants close they normally get sales tax because
technically they are escrowed funds. The Restaurant collected funds that did
not belong to them and so payroll and sales tax are the first things to get
paid. Larry said he still has to go over the business in order to get the money
and he files a lean.
Bill suggested that the restaurants be bonded.
Eric asked if restaurants could escrow more money?
Bill asked if a business could buy an insurance policy or similar to bonding?
Staff was directed to check with the city attorney.
Terry said she is in the small small lodge industry and every year she gets
stiffed $40,000 by people canceling at the last minute. She has to fight hard
to get any money back at all. She would take out an insurance policy to
protect herself.
Larry suggested that perhaps an additional step should be added to the liquor
license process that they be required to provide evidence of some type of
msurance. We could escrow earnings that upon the cessation of the
business, and then wait for a period of time to see if there are any claims the
money would go back to the restaurant owner.
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DOGGIE BAG AREAS
Staf£relayed that the bag container runs around $200. and the bags are. 12
apiece.
Terry said she did a search of the city and the mall is covered well. The
outer lying streets have a tremendous amount of dog excretion. One area is
in front of World link caf6 in the little park area. Across the corner from
Don Liemus's parking lot on Hunter Street. Right in front of Little Annie's.
Another area is Hyman right before you get to Wienerstube there is a
parking lot and dog pop piles up on the actual sidewalk.
On the corner of the Wienerstube and Spring Street one could be used there.
On Cooper near Chocolate factory, Tuscanno.
In from o£Aspen Square one in the middle of that whole area would work.
Corner o£Mill across from Fox photo.
On Hyman past Mill down by the Crystal Palace on either corner.
A lot o£dogs play in Bass Park but there might already be one there.
Bill said to get progress we need to educate people and have them available.
Terry said it is hard to just get one bag out. She is willing to negotiate with
the company and thc Parks Department.
Terry asked to check i£the sign would come out o£our budget? Staff will
check with Parks.
Ten~y said the question is how clean do we want downtown.
MOTION: Terry made the motion to spend up to $1, O00 for dog dispensers,
second by Bill.
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COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 7~ 2001
Yes vote: Bill, Eric, Terry
Terry said she would work with the Parks person on the appropriate
locations.
Charles had an idea to check with the t~vo pet stores in town and maybe they
would like to buy advertising.
Bill said in Paris the city spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in
the emergency room treating people who have fallen because of dog feces.
They hired a company with special scooter that have vacuums on them.
That became too expensive so they are on an educational campaign.
COMMISSIOENR COMMENTS
Eric said the Wagner Park project is several thousand over budget. McCabe
thought that the expense for renovating the playground could be adjusted
and that was an area to save money.
The playground is in violation of safety regulations and that was dismissed.
Eric said doe to the violations the playground will probably be upgraded due
to liability issues at stake2 Eric said he appreciates the fact that they are
trying to adjust and getting back down to budget.
MOTION: Bill moved to adjourn; xecond by Eric. All in favor, motion
carried.
Meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.
Kathleen J. Strickland, Chi&Deputy Clerk
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