CENTER CITY COMMITTEE STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIVES
MEETING MINUTES
May 30, 2006

The meeting opened at 8:35 AM.

Present: The Stakeholder groups were represented by the following members: Artists, Steve Syverson; Building Owners, Marshall Field; City of Lowell, DPD, Susan DeMari; Middlesex CC, Molly Sheehy; Non-Profit Corporations, Bill Lipchitz; Lowell Police Dept., Ken Lavallee; LRTA, Bob Kennedy; Lowell DNA, Ted Lavash; CVB, Jennifer Shea, Lowell National Park; Mehmed Ali; Lowell Festival Foundation; Janet Leggat.

Absent: Community Banking, Matt Fitzpatrick; Chamber of Commerce, Jeanne Osborn, Cultural Organizations, L.Z. Nunn; UMass Lowell, Dr. Joseph Lipchitz; Lowell High School, Roxanne Howe; NMCOG, Bob Flynn; Retailers, Mark Coddaire; Restaurants, Frankie Descoteaux; UTEC, Juan Carlos Rivera; Lowell Plan, Jim Cook.

Also present were Alternates Larry Field (Building Owners), Brian Connors (City of Lowell), Sara Khun-Leng (Lowell Police Department) and Colleen Cox (MCC).

The Minutes of the Annual Meeting, On a motion by Mehmed Ali, seconded by Marshall Field, it was voted: to accept minutes of March 28, 2006 and April 25, 2006.

The proposed work plan for the year was discussed. The plan has been revised to focus on three goals – a one-year goal to assist the City in developing a pedestrian-friendly environment, an ongoing goal to help integrate new residents into the Downtown, and a long-range planning goal to assist the City in its efforts to initiate long-term developments to make downtown a better place to live, work, and shop. Each goal has a rationale and activities as per the attached plan. In each case, the CCC will appoint a sub-committee to work on the activities and report back to the whole on a monthly basis.

The Subcommittee for Goal 1, making downtown more pedestrian friendly, will be chaired by Marshall Field and includes Ted Lavash, Sara Khun, and Steve Syverson. An additional member would be either be recruited or would volunteer. The subcommittee is charged with reviewing crosswalk locations, markings, maintenance and educational signage; reviewing traffic flow with the about to be hired Traffic Engineer including signalization, lane markings and right turn (or left turn) on red signage; and reviewing directional and informational signage in the downtown. It would expect to complete its work by March of 2007.

The subcommittee for Goal 2, integrating residents into downtown, will be a standing subcommittee and consist of Susan DeMari, Janet Leggat, Jennifer Shea, LZ Nunn, and Colleen Cox, with a Chair to be chosen by and from the subcommittee. They will be charged with working on Newcomers Night, Destination World, and welcoming new students; and will create informational packets on social activities, cultural events and business promotions and determine ways to distribute them on an on-going basis.

The subcommittee for Goal 3, long range planning to make downtown a better place to live, work and shop, will consist of Mehmed Ali, Bob Kennedy, Molly Sheehy, Larry Field and other volunteers/recruitees. They will be charged with working with the City DPD on changes in and affects on the downtown that projects such as the Hamilton Canal District, the Paige Street Area, and the Lawrence Mills condo development will cause in the areas of traffic, parking, beautification, signage and economic development.

On a motion by Marshall Field, seconded by Janet Leggat, it was voted: to adopt the work plan as presented but adding the Paige Street area to goal 3.

The President asked for volunteers to fill out the subcommittees, and will also recruit members and alternates to serve. In response to a question of the City’s willingness to work with the CCC, Brian Connors said they always welcome citizen input and he sees the CCC as a good sounding board since it is representative of all the downtown stakeholders.

Stakeholder Representatives Reports

DLBA
· New signs in John Street Garage allowing spaces on first floor to be available to shoppers.
· Advertising Book completed and being distributed
· Working on Parking Validation System

COOL
· Destination World meeting held, June is Portugal
· Newcomers Night will be on Thursday, September 7th
· Pam Goncalves hired as DW Coordinator replacing Anna Ross

Lowell Festival Foundation
· Some changes in the stages for the Folk Festival
· Redesigned website www.lowellfolkfestival.org
· Summer Music Series starts June 30th. July 3rd performance by Marcia Ball will be a fundraiser for the festival

ALL
· Lowell Open Studios September 23 and 24
· Western Avenue 3rd floor studios to open in July

CVB
· Downtown walking map to be blown up and put on website

Meeting Schedule

Regular informal meetings June 6,13 and 20, August 29th and September 12, and 19.

Next Stakeholder Representatives Meeting June 27, then September 26.

On a motion by Ken Lavallee, seconded by Janet Leggat, it was voted: to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 AM.