Loading...
03-25-2015 City of Edgewater 104 N.Riverside Drive Edgewater,FL 32132 T Meeting Minutes Eco-Tourism Sub Committee Wednesday,March 25,2015 8:00 AM City Hall Conference Room 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 8:02 a.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present 2- Jeff Berner and Cecil Selman Also present- Samantha Bishop and Mitch Honaker 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AR-2015-773 Regular Meeting -February 25,2015 A motion was made by Member Selman, second by Chair Berner, to approve the minutes for February 25,2015. The MOTION was APPROVED by the following vote: Yes: 2- Jeff Berner,and Cecil Selman 4. REPORTS: Ecotourism Related-City and Other Reports a. Economic Development Coordinator Economic Development Coordinator Samantha Bishop stated she would provide her report information as it comes up during each of the topics listed on the agenda. b. Report RE: Rails to Trails project in Edgewater The board discussed: Paving and widening of the Park Avenue and Old Mission intersection; the effects on local businesses and mitigation measures taken to alleviate the issues; and the paving project being ahead of schedule Increased marketing opportunities for Edgewater's Rails to Trails project because it is part of a National program Volusia County Leisure Services Director Tim Bailey, working with the City on Rails to Trails Ribbon Cutting ceremonies The Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority (SVAA) will be publishing a "Sporting in Southeast City of Edgewater Page 1 Printed on 412 212 01 5 Eco-Tourism Sub Committee Meeting Minutes March 25,2015 Volusia County" brochure and promotional campaign that will include Edgewater's sporting amenities The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) always looking for stories on new locations and places opening up for their quarterly magazine, and Florida not being listed in their magazine as far as locations of places to go Providing photos and an article to the RTC about Edgewater's Rails to Trails ribbon cutting ceremony Setting the trail apart by having a notable art piece close to the Dale Street trail entrance, e.g. a welded piece of art Trail heads in Edgewater being the only location where the City can place anything Leisure Services Director, Jack Corder looking at garnering pictures and local area history to produce a historical placard to be placed at the Rotary park trail head An article recently published by the RTC in their quarterly magazine on artwork along trails Rather than purchasing or requisitioning art work, the City may want a display location where they could have artwork on loan The City researching the original route of the railroad,- and Mr. Doug McGinnis, Tropical Blossom Honey, stating that he would also do some research and get back with the City c. Report RE: 1st Annual Community paddle for Riverfest March 22,2015 The board discussed: This year's Riverfest being the best attended event that Edgewater has had for the seven (7) year Riverfest history There were over 158 vendors, which is more than double from last year The attendance was great Businesses that participated were all happy with their sales and/or leads There were four(4) Council members who participated, and/or worked the two (2) City booths Chair Berner stated that he actually got a lead on, and hired a new physical therapist that attended the event City of Edgewater Page 2 Printed on 412 212 01 5 Eco-Tourism Sub Committee Meeting Minutes March 25,2015 The board discussed the Annual Community Paddle: There were twenty participants The Blueway community sign was unveiled Great connections were made with the Mosquito Lagoon paddling club One participant, in his seventies, had a handmade wooden kayak; he is world famous for doing the circumnavigable trail four (4) times; and he has made two (2) trips up the East coast to Maine and back It was a very interesting paddle, with novices to very experienced in attendance The City made very good connections with clubs and discussed attending some of their meetings Contacting the web master that almost all paddling clubs use; obtaining a list of paddling club meetings; the links available on the website for all paddling clubs Possibly holding the annual paddle on a different day than Riverfest; the need for an annual paddle committee; Leisure Services being the coordinator for the event; engaging local paddling clubs who know more of how to organize and run paddling events; involve the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority; the Marine Discovery Center making it very clear that they no longer have the assets available to participate. Make sure the next annual paddle has a check-in point; a safety briefing/committee meeting before the launch; and a return checkpoint to make sure all participants return safely Menard-May park concessions; building the excitement, demand and usage of the park; and that having kayak trails may make the concession opportunity more attractive to a vendor The City not being able to promote vendors Trying to get vendors at this year's, and at following year's annual paddle events 5. CONTINUED BUSINESS: a. Progress on GPS Mapping Ms. Bishop stated that GIS Technician Frank Vignati has started the trails mapping process; and that she, and Leisure Services Director Jack Corder have to meet to review the map to make sure they are going in the right direction before Mr. Vignati can continue. Chair Berner commented on the large map that Ms. Bishop brought to the event; the excitement and interest of paddlers with the map and the depicted paddling routes; trying to obtain feedback on the routes after people use them; and listing and quoting their comments on the City's website. City of Edgewater Page 3 Printed on 412 212 01 5 Eco-Tourism Sub Committee Meeting Minutes March 25,2015 The board discussed: Having a link to an interactive map and sending that out to the SVAA, Volusia County, and various paddling clubs; and the link never changing even when updates are done to the map Edgewater's community paddle was listed in the Daytona Convention and Visitors site The number of trails to put on the map; starting with the six (6) that are specifically in Edgewater; and New Smyrna Beach is going to follow Edgewater's lead with the paddling trails and Blueway, and leaving it up to them to add their trails Having links between NSB's and Edgewater's interactive maps so people interested in paddling can navigate back and forth between the two sites Ms. Bishop stated that Volusia County Leisure Services Director Tim Bailey said Edgewater could put their maps on the County's kiosk at River Breeze park Using an etched map so it last longer The map will be put on the new kiosk at Menard-May park Mr. Selman suggested that Edgewater adopt the recognition as the first Bluewater Trail Community in Volusia County; and the board concurred this would be better than the second Bluewater Paddling Community on the East coast. b. Discussion: Menard-May Park concession bid process The board discussed: The concessions request for proposal(RFP)at Maynard-May park The need to build up the demand and usage of the park and kayak trails to make the concessions opportunity more attractive The RFP process The best fit for Menard-May park, and the use of a beach concessions vendor at the park Looking for a currently licensed/registered beach concession vendor Contacting Volusia County to obtain a copy of their registered beach vendor contact information Bringing the idea of the City hiring a beach concession vender for Menard-May park up at an Economic Development Board meeting A motion was made by Chair Berner, second by Member Selman, to bring up obtaining a beach concession vendor at Menard-May park to the Economic City of Edgewater Page 4 Printed on 412 212 01 5 Eco-Tourism Sub Committee Meeting Minutes March 25,2015 Development Board (EDB), and for the EDB to forward the idea with a recommendation for approval to the City Council. The MOTION was APPROVED by the following vote: Yes: 2- Jeff Berner,and Cecil Selman 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion: Share Rails to Trails magazine, and marketing opportunity with artwork The board discussed: The great articles that are found in the RTC magazine NSB's art community, and coordnating with them for something for Edgewater's Rails to Trails trail head Having Leisure Services do the coordination Ideas for what to place at the trail head,- putting a history item at one trail head and artwork at the other; and Ms. Bishop getting with Leisure Services Driector to see if they already have something planned b. Discussion: At what point to invite Advertising Council for brochure and design The board discussed: Talking to the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority(SVAA) about publishing a brochure Ms. Bishop stated that at the Chair's direction from the last Ecotourism meeting, she has contacted the SVAA; she met with their staff; the timing was great; in the SVAA next budget they are adding some brochures that they will have to do with sports in Southeast Volusia County; they will include anything that Edgewater gives them; they are also working on revamping their website; they will have Edgewater's links on their website, as well as any information the City sends them up on their website The Daytona Convention of Visitors Bureau was also very receptive Taking pictures along the trail showing the areas uniqueness along the trail Using the SVAA's professional photography and graphic resources for biking and paddling trails c. Discussion: Promoting paddling trails The board discussed other advertising to use along with the SVAA products Getting more people on the Ecotourism Subcommittee, and dividing up some of the duties City of Edgewater Page 5 Printed on 412 212 01 5 Eco-Tourism Sub Committee Meeting Minutes March 25,2015 At some point in time transitioning eco-tourism over to Leisure Services; Leisure Services being ready and willing to take it over; coordinating the transition with the Leisure Service Director; and who should attend other paddling club meetings Making people aware that paddling clubs exist, and building people's excitement in the sport The section on the City's website under "Leisure Services'; called "Trails" that has a drop-down menu for various trails; and various links that could be added to the City's paddling trails webpage Contacting each paddling club; attending other paddling club meetings; obtaining their club information, and putting it on the City's website Ms. Bishop sent the annual community paddle press release and flyer to the fishing individuals/guides that the City had previously met with 7. ADJOURN There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 8:57 a.m. Minutes Submitted by: Mitch Honaker Deputy City Clerk City of Edgewater Page 6 Printed on 412 212 01 5