CENTER CITY COMMITTEE
STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIVES
MEETING MINUTES
November 22, 2005

Present: The Stakeholder groups were represented by the following members: Building Owners, Larry Field; City of Lowell, DPD, Susan DeMari; Non-retail Business, Matt Fitzpatrick; Middlesex CC, Molly Sheehy; Lowell Police Dept., Ken Lavallee; NMCOG, Bob Flynn; Non-Profit Corporations, Bill Lipchitz; UMass Lowell, Dr. Joseph Lipchitz; UTEC, Juan Carlos Rivera; Lowell Festival Foundation; Janet Leggat. Absent: Artists, Steve Syverson; Chamber of Commerce, Jeanne Osborn; Cultural Organizations, L.Z. Nunn; Lowell DNA, Ted Lavash; Restaurants, Frankie Descoteaux; Retailers, Mark Coddaire; LRTA, Jim Scanlan; Lowell National Park; Peter Aucella. Members yet to be appointed: Lowell High School; Lowell Plan; CVB. Also present: Terry Williams, LSBAC

The meeting opened at 8:35 AM.

It was decided that the next monthly meeting will be on Tuesday December 20th at 8:30 am. Molly kindly offered to look into whether the room at MCC in the Federal Bldg will be available. [It is not]. Bill believes the by-laws will be ready for discussion and adoption at that time.

Susan DeMari reported that Thursday December 1 is Destination World-England and the first of four “Downtown Lowell Holiday Strolls”. Each Thursday until Christmas from 5:30 pm to 7:30 PM will feature carolers, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and an elf. Santa Claus will be available for free pictures at different locations each week. The first week he will be at Friends Fabric Art, the second week at Barnes & Noble, the third week at Brew’d Awakenings, and the fourth week at Marx Running. Each week will feature a different set of carolers coming from the Lowell High School Spindlers, Rogers School Choir, and the Pyne Arts Show Choir. Over 28 downtown restaurants, galleries and businesses will remain open until 8 pm. Parking in the John Street and Market Street garages will be free when validated by a receipt from a downtown store from that evening. Maps of the downtown showing which stores are open will be available at each garage and at the retail stores participating. Susan also informed the committee that a new website Lookatlowellnow.com will soon be available with all the information, and that flyers are being distributed through the public schools and CTI Child Care Centers. There will also be combined ads in the Lowell Sun from 19 retailers who are working together on this program.

Larry Field moved and Matt Fitzpatrick seconded that the Committee provide $200.00 to the Stroll campaign as a sponsor. The vote was unanimous.

Committee Members who are available on Thursday, December 1st will meet at Friends Fabric Art at 5:30 PM to kick off the Holiday Stroll and visit several participating stores to show support for the effort to bring shoppers into the downtown this holiday season.

Juan Carlos of UTEC announced that UTEC is in the process of securing a new site and building. They ar ein the negotiation stage and hope to have an announcement by the end of December. Some work may have to be done before they can move in.

Matt Fitzpatrick discussed the work he and several others including Amy Werner of the Lowell Five are doing to create the Young Professionals of Greater Lowell. The group is focusing on organizing Professionals 40 years of age and younger to network, provide assistance to some organizations that may need occasional expertise, and to encourage High School seniors heading to college and those college students from the Lowell area to return to Lowell to build their careers. This organization could also help to find young people who want to volunteer for various organizations, Boards or Committees. A start-up meeting is slated for the Mambo Grill from 5:30 – 7:30 pm on December 12 and is open to any one in that age demographic that is interested.

Janet Leggat announced that the annual Parade of lights will take place on November 26th at 4:30 pm. The parade will march from Jackson Street, down Central Street and up Merrimack Street to Arcand Drive. There is opportunity available for volunteers to carry banners in the parade. Janet praised the committee of Janet Pitzer, Mark Coddaire, Debbie Belanger and Jeanne Osborn who successfully raised money to cover both last year’s debt and this year’s expenses.

Ken Lavallee reported that the LPD, using reverse 911 technology, will be calling appropriate downtown establishments reminding them of parking restrictions and other similar parade related information.

At the last informal meeting, Jeanne Osborn had asked about the parking ordinance that prohibits on-street parking on Middle and Market Streets from 2AM to 6AM between December 1st and March 31st. In response to the concerns raised, Ken reported that he would be meeting with Assistant City Manager T.J. McCarthy and someone from the DPD to see what could be done. Bill said that, in response to the discussion from last week, he had contacted Councilor Jim Milinazzo, Chairman of the Downtown Subcommittee, who indicated he would bring the issue up at the next City Council meeting on November 29th with the expectation that it would be referred back to his subcommittee for discussion and possible changes. Ken said he would give that information to T.J. so that everyone could work together.

The meeting adjourned at 9:20 AM.