River District Association

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08.13.2004 RDA Activites
08.13.2004 Volunteer Needs

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Membership Update of RDA Activities
Board had a second planning meeting in June – we reviewed Board Goals

Initiative Due Date Responsibility

•	Survey Membership DONE Becky Genoways, Sandi Kohn, Judy Barnard
•	Confirm Funding for Framework Plan 2004 DONE Executive Committee
•	Reestablish the Planning Committee DONE Executive Committee
•	Finalize 3 year Plan for Historical Walk-Abouts DONE Preservation Committee
•	Develop a subcommittee on Code Enforcement and Design Standards DONE Alicia DiBenedetto
•	Change Business Development to Business Liaison Committee DONE Co-Chairs – Sandi Kohn, John Smith
•	Create Residential Committee DONE Marge Bevers
•	Develop policy for adoption of position statements DONE Board
•	Investigate SSA and make Recommendation – decided not to pursue this further at this time REMOVED Executive Committee
•	Evaluate availability of tax-exempt status for RDA July 1, 2004 Steve Moore
•	Review and evaluate mission statement July 1, 2004 Becky Genoways, Lew Crampton
•	Initiate Framework Plan 2004 August 1, 2004 Planning Committee
•	Create property maintenance sub-committee August 1, 2004 Preservation Com.
•	Hold Semi-Annual Membership Meeting – combine with Heart of Rockford Awards event August 12, 2004 Steve Moore & Kim Wheeler
•	Create a Business Attraction package September 1, 2004 Business Liaison Com.
•	Review Special Events, Grant Opportunities/Grant Writer, and Fund Raising Strategy October 1, 2004 Executive Committee
•	User’s Manual for Urban Pioneers June 1, 2005 Lew CramptonMarge Bevers, Bette Spiekys, Sandi Kohn, Chad Bryden
•	Continue to Serve as the Guardian of the Citizen Input Process on Issues of Importance to River District Members ONGOING Executive CommitteeLew Crampton
•	Implement Historical Walk-About development plans ONGOING Preservation Com.

Member Survey completed; semi – annual membership meeting with Heart of Rockford Awards event is a result of the survey.

Framework Plan

a.	It is a guidebook for planning development.
b.	City Council adopted it.
c.	It will be included in City’s 2020 plan.
d.	The plan recommended the City create a Downtown Dev. Mgr. position. Chad Bryden started in February 2004 to fill this position. RDA is pleased with Chad’s work in helping the organization and serving as a liaison between RDA and the City. RDA appreciates the City’s commitment to this and other resources that assist the organization.
e.	City staff has been using it as a reference tool for their planning work and have given it to potential developers.
f.	Next phase status City of Rockford committed to providing funds Funding already received or committed from: YMCA of Rock River Valley, Swedish American Hospital, Rockford Park District, City of Rockford, Burpee Museum, Centre Events, Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Sign removed from Winn Co Sat Jail - We sent a letter to Chairman Cohn that urged
Winnebago County to remove the words “satellite jail” from their building at Church and Jefferson because of the negative perception that was projected by it at a primary entrance to the downtown area.

Traffic and parking study – we sent a letter to the City asking them to do a traffic and parking study, completed, results will available in upcoming weeks.

Held a series of public meetings to gather more information about the catalytic areas listed in the Framework Plan, including the Criminal Justice Center – the six areas in the plan are

•	Davis Park, Fed Courthouse Plaza
•	Main St. Mall
•	Riverfront Museum Campus
•	Ingersoll Building
•	Madison St. corridor
•	East Gateway area by Midway Theatre

Public Positions
Rockford Register Star wrote an article about the River District’s position that the Rockford IceHogs hockey team remaining at the MetroCentre as being vitally important to the health of downtown.

Steve Moore wrote a guest column that appeared in the Rockford Register Star that spoke in support of the Convention Center location being downtown.

Website Updates

a.	Framework Plan online forum with opportunity to see meeting comments and to respond
b.	Member News section – another online forum with opportunities to respond to posted news about River District Association and events
c.	Two streaming video links about living downtown and entertainment options

Marketing Committee

The River District Marketing Committee has been working hard in the past several
months to begin driving attention to our area businesses. Earlier this year, we
conducted research/focus groups with both individuals who regularly come to the
River District and individuals who don't visit us downtown to understand perceptions, requirements, wants, etc. Based on this research and some brainstorming, in the next few weeks we'll kick off an aggressive marketing campaign to provide a image and brand to downtown and drive additional attention and people here. The campaign will include a news conference, posters, bus signage, web site redesign, strong PR efforts, etc. Look for this coming soon. It's going to be exciting!!!!!

50,000 Downtown Entertainment Guides will be printed and distributed via the Rockford Register Star and in other ways throughout our region and city. The design of this brochure is compliments of imicci design group. This advertising vehicle promotes our dining, nightlife, shopping, arts, entertainment, cultural, and recreational assets. We’re at the final proofing stage for the brochure and it will be distributed in September 2004.

Re-initiated Crossings newsletter with new look and design voluntarily provided by ginestrawatson design agency. The emphasis will be on using this as a vehicle to communicate to our members what the organization is doing.

Last year we facilitated a new banner program that continues this year. New banners will be installed the middle of September 2004. We want to thank MedicineMan design agency for volunteering to design our current banners and ginestrawatson for volunteering to design the new banners. Of course we also want to thank the approximately 100 businesses that have sponsored over 175 banners this year and for the upcoming year.

On behalf of River District businesses Kim participated in State Tourism Lobby efforts led by Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. She went on the trip in April 2004 to visit legislators at the Capitol and spoke with them on the importance of keeping the funding in the State Budget. She also wrote a letter to Gov. Blagojevich asking him to keep funding in the budget and stressed the importance of tourism dollars to the many restaurants, shops, entertainment and cultural venues in River District. Then she wrote a letter to him again to thank him after the funding was re-instated.

Boat Docks
With the help and leadership of Frank Schier fundraising for one boat dock was completed this year. The dock was installed on May 1, 2004. It rained a lot in May and then with the closing of the river we had to delay a News Conference and dedication ceremony until July 2, 2004. Frank continues to lead the fundraising for a second dock to be installed on the east bank of the river.