The Richmond Main Street Initiative, Inc. Revitalizing Historic Downtown
1015 Nevin Avenue, Suite 105 Telephone: (510) 236-4049 Richmond, CA 94801 Fax: (510) 236-4052 Web: www.richmondmainstreet.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS RETREAT NOTES Friday, March 17, 2017 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Mechanics Bank Hilltop Community Center, 3190 Klose Way, Richmond, CA 94806 Present: Billy Ward, Charlene Smith, Cindy Haden, Gina Fromer, Grayling Harris, Tami Steelman Gonzales, Xavier Abrams, Zakhary Mallett. Staff: Amanda Elliott, Alicia Gallo Absent: Susan Bain, Virgil Weekes 10:15am - Open Amanda - Announcements ● Women of Impact event and Art In Windows opening reception events that took place earlier in the week were a very successful. ● Current work overview: ○ PBID renewal is underway: the MDP is complete and the petition process is forthcoming. The City will help with the petition process and staff will need support from Board (such as meeting with stakeholders). The stakeholder meeting is scheduled for April. ○ Staff is currently working on completing two grants: Community Wins and ECIA. The LOI for SF Foundation was submitted; awaiting a response. ● Update on 12th & Macdonald Development: Planned: 256 mixed income housing and 60k sqft. retail. Timeline is 2 years. The developer, Ernst Valery, has been chosen. He is relocating his family to the Bay Area and is committed to long-term, community-oriented development, uplift local business community, and prevent displacement. Charlene shared that Ernst has been meeting with neighborhood stakeholders; recently met with East Bay Center for the Performing Arts staff, very cognizant of design for 11 th Street side of development; sought input from parents. Ernst is also interested in developing the BART retail space and is in talks with BART. Current plans include a coffee shop (Red Bay Coffee), CoBiz Richmond, and another business. Timeline: 1 year. Amanda - Check-In & Goals for Retreat ● Xavier: Goal is for the board to hold each other accountable for goals set today and to commit to the work defined. ● Gina: Seconded accountability; request for reminders/call for help from staff. ● Grayling: Accountability and set clear goals for 2017. ● Cindy: Committed to attending as many events as possible - important for the board to be visible in the community; board moving forward with goals. ● Alicia (staff): Seconded Xavier’s comments.
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Zakhary: For RMSI in 2017: increasing marketing/name recognition of the organization, increasing active participation of PBID members, especially with new development coming. ● Billy: Follow through throughout the year, members holding selves accountable and board holding each other accountable. ● Charlene: For today: accomplish very clear, focuses goals and priorities. For year: distinguish between work that is “must do” vs. “would be fun/cool to do”. Better understanding, connection between work for 2017 and next 3 years. Reflection on 15th Anniversary Video ● Xavier: People know Main Street; RMSI gets people out; our events are at the nucleus of bringing people Downtown. Small business events are crucial to economic development work. ● Zakhary: Proud of events, which are a good temporary attraction method. We also need economic development/attraction for the city. ● Charlene: Events are an important tool to introduce newcomers to historic Downtown and current community members. Reflection Exercise Who Are We What/Who People Think We Are ● Community revitalization organizer ● Events ● Place-based initiative ● People don’t know the exact role RMSI ● Economic revitalization thread, but not at plays Downtown expense of historic places and people. Small ● Not 1st thing people think about when business programs are high quality and seeing issues, opportunities important component to inclusive work. ● People know some of what we do, but not ● Changing perception depth Opportunities ● Investment ● Fundraising - need for diversification ● Promote work - community events, small business programs ● Communication ● Visibility
Challenges ● Staffing ● Expensive to fundraise ● Communication - identify target audience ● Diverse work can cause disconnect messaging, how public sees RMSI
11:30am - Introduction Moderator, Barrie Hathaway Barrie - Reflection on Board RMSI Board is engaged (some very engaged), well structured, well informed, clear about the goal of the organization, good job at fulfilling work. Board responses included: some members are engaged, expectations of members is unclear, enforcement is a challenge, call for using board meeting to delegate tasks and hold members accountable. Role of a Board: thought partners, promoters/advocates, engagement, fundraising, fiduciary. Discussion about goals and topics of discussion for the day resulted in an agreement on: ● Identifying individual member’s commitments, strengths ● Designation of commitments will be based on coalition of the willing, access to resources, and leadership roles ● Visioning and setting 2017, 3-year, and 5-year goals
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Developing a focused list of achievable goals with definition and clarity of responsibilities; how board members relate to each other individually Discussion of PBID requirements regarding board recruitment and onboarding
Goals Visioning Exercise Through discussion, the board identified the following goals as top priorities for the agreed upon timeframes. Blue text = identified as important, board wants to be part of Strategies/Goals
2017
Within 3 Years
Economic Development
1. CoBiz ● Defined plan ● Identify ‘drop dead’ date
1. CoBiz is operational
2. Merchants Association ● Community leadership ● Visibility ● PBID
2. Established Merchants Association
1. Raise $200k ● Already at $25k ● Need $175k by end of year to have balanced budget
1. Increase by 30%
Fundraising
PBID
1. Renewal ● Board visibility to all stakeholders ● Financial stability ● Community leadership
Board Leadership (community, board, increase visibility)
1. RMSI seen as leader in community 2. Roles & Responsibilities ● Staff events ● Volunteer ● Loud & Proud 3. Board members leading within that role 4. Members see & be seen
Within 5 Years
3. Macdonald Avenue Redevelopment
2. Diversified 3. Solution to cash flow gap
1. New board members 2. Structure & active roles for emeritus/alum members
Additional findings: ● Unanimous decision to dedicate next board meeting, or set another meeting, to discussing PBID renewal and board roles ● Develop clear, achievable goals, roles, responsibility, expectations of board members and staff
Focused 2017 Goal Setting Exercise Through discussion, the board identified three goals as top priorities for 2017, and identified members who would volunteer as champions and resources for achieving these goals. Goal
Board Strategy Brainstorm/All
Develop ● Merchants Association ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Raise $200k
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PBID Renewal
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Board Strategy Distilled/Targeted
Champion
Resources/ Help
Develop uniform message, incl. Benefit for merchants Define geographic boundary Develop accurate contact list Personally invite Coordinating with Chamber Shop/support merchants (mention RMSI, leave business cards) EDC & C&S Committees to champion Define goals & purpose Resources list
1. Develop Message, Pitch
1. Charlene & Cindy
1. Billy
2. Build Contacts
2. Charlene & Cindy
2. Billy
Training: how to ask, research Internet research Each board member Give/Get Strategic attendance at non-RMSI meetings/function - exposure to key people, networking Everybody, everyday, 2 mins Network/engage new companies Identify connectors to $ Strategy
1. Organize/Train
1. Tami
2. Raise $
2. Tami
1. Charlene Tami 2. Staff Gina*
Meet with councilmembers, Mayor, City Manager Attend stakeholder meetings Attend council meetings Define goals & purpose Education (board)
1. Engagement
Zakhary (Strategy)
2. Coordinate & Educate
1. Board (all members) 2. Zakhary Gina*
1. Xavier
2. Xavier
Next Steps for Champions: At next board meeting, each champion brings: 1. Definition of what he/she is doing, view on project 2. Timeline 3. Who is helping and how 4. Help needed Unanimous decision to re-schedule next board meeting: Monday, April 10, 2017, 12pm. Additional discussion: Support for restructuring board agendas: 1. Public Comment 2. Board minutes 3. Champion Report Outs (Develop Merchants Association, Raise $200k, PBID Renewal) 4. Other necessary, strategic business (Financials, etc.) Ongoing business updates (administrative, committee, etc. updates) shared via email, not reported out at meetings. 2pm - Meeting adjourned