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October 19, 2023 Meeting at Riverview Cafe Sheena Pendley Pledge of Allegiance 1. Previous Minutes No corrections Approved: Snookie Seconded: 2. Treasurer’s Report: Margaret went over budget. Update on Alderson books, nothing out of the ordinary for September. In October: no major expenses at Visitors Center this year, but will need a roof eventually. $1400 carry over for Strawberry from last year and year before. Fall Festival brought in $900+ for vendor fees, we made $292 on cook books and highlight books at the festival at the AMS tent. Porta potty bill, etc is yet to come. Next month we will have a full recap on funds brought in from the fall festival. Approved: Doris Kasley Seconded: Mary Dailey 3. Depot Visitor Numbers: Don: Total for season 553 Fall festival - counted 97 but likely more 22 at last open mic 4. Old Business: Bricktop concert 2024 Mary - talked to Cathy Sawyer who used to be at GVT, she wrote a Bricktop performance that was spoken word and singing. Cathey said yes she’d be willing to be involved, as long as Bricktop is represented by a person of color. Speaking on grants and what we could do to improve the event and its attendance. Talk about Festivals - maybe a Spring festival, or highlight stories and artwalks, etc. Maybe reinstate Cub Club or similar. We will have a Festival Planning meeting to talk about all of the festivals as a whole. Christmas Tea recipe book No update. Annual planning calendar (cy 24 draft) Don will present this next month. Information kiosks Don cleaned up mini park kiosk, put up new map. Fall Festival recap Don filled us in on how the festival went. Music was grant funded. The festival brought in some money, full recap will be complete for next meeting. Mayor has asked that vendor who cooks to not be on the bridge. Just in case we need a firetruck, there is no way through if they are on the bridge. We need: designated parking for vendors and visitors. One restroom on each side of the bridge. Scout group or church group to help vendors unload onto bridge. Don has gotten in touch with a scout group and has a church youth group which might help . Need signage for restrooms and parking. Ice cream truck parked on side road, maybe have them closer to the depot. We need more people to help with traffic control. We should utilize space that community market does. It was empty this year. Fruits of Labor reported that Strawberry Fest and Fall Festival are their best days of the year. Jo Perez reported that they had a lot of great little sales during both festivals. The Grand Opening was a success. Sophie reported that we had fewer children coming out. Fawn - possible chairs setup at the Gazebo to encourage people to sit and listen. Maybe more speakers or a sound system. Lamp posts - some were not decorated. Don spoke with Girl scouts and they are willing to decorate any left over lamp posts. We will keep an eye out and try to keep from having any vacant lamp posts in the future. Move to annual fund drive vs event by event sponsorship Don took info Sheena mentioned and put together a sponsorship yearly rate sheet. Member $20/year Bronze $50/year email list, on donor page on facebook Silver $100 name and logo 1 event Gold, Platinum, Gem of the Hills, and so on. Feedback: Prices are reasonable Change names to Gems and largest will be Gem of the HIlls This would start in January of 2024 Accepted by: Mary Seconded: Snookie Motion to Create a new logo Sheena is willing to create a draft for approval Approved by everyone Gem of the Hills planning meeting Don created a schedule for Gem of the Hills He has moved a lot of reindeer out of green building so the town can get the arches out. Nov 25th - Community Decorating Day - Alumni Park -- Dec 1st - Parade and Grand Illumination AMS Parade Float - Sophie has a carport shelter for decorating. Sophie will gather support for float. Barbara has a trailer that we can use for the float. Decorating Contest - Fawn and Don will coordinate and figure out a deadline/judging date. Methodist Church Bazaar - waiting to confirm times, etc. Dec 10th - Christmas Tea Doris - tickets will sell based on seat numbers to be sure people purchase tickets together. 30 seats, 2 seatings. $20/ticket Menu - savory, sweet, scones Old Victorian Inn will need volunteers to help decorate before parade. Need Volunteers Saturday Dec 9th, the day before and Servers Sunday morning Dec 10th through afternoon Margaret will take care of tickets and flier for Christmas Tea. Tickets will be available soon! Stay tuned! Dec 17th Cantata - no answer yet on live nativity. Talked to Charlie to move Fireworks to 7:30 pm Gem of the Hills as a whole - we will send out a press release once we have all event dates and times. Sponsors - Sheena will round them up!! Dec 2nd Train Show and Santa Photos 2pm Gazebo renovation/refresh Don has been working with Rexroad on a pricelist on shingles and other materials to repair gazebo. Cost will be around $10k. Rexroad will donate the lumber for the wheelchair ramp. Don will present roof samples to council. Fundraiser for new Christmas tree lights in the median strip Not sure we have time for. 5. New Business 6. Next meeting: 16 Nov, Big Wheel, 10 am