2021-03-12 · City Council · Transcript · Main Street Advisory Board Meeting

--- title: Main Street Advisory Board Meeting date: 2021-03-12 source: 2021-03-12_Main_Street_Advisory_Board_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:10, 0:00:10]: Yeah. [0:00:25, 0:00:30]: All of those things um and uh will be uh completed. [0:00:30, 0:00:33]: Uh as I mentioned, I anticipate being completed in that time frame. [0:00:37, 0:00:40]: Looks like it looks like Anika has a question also. [0:00:41, 0:00:46]: Thank you. Um, Mr. Knighton, I have a really quick question that may be a little premature. [0:00:46, 0:00:53]: But I'm thinking of the downtown Main Street area when I'm asking this to get a feel of what kind of [0:00:53, 0:00:54]: Um [0:00:55, 0:01:05]: Um let's see, individual in terms of their aesthetics and interests will be coming into our area in the beginning aspects of the stadium. I'm sorry, amphitheater. [0:01:06, 0:01:14]: Does the city have any particular talent already lined up or considering performing here? So we can [0:01:14, 0:01:16]: uh kind of entertain again. [0:01:17, 0:01:24]: what age, what demographic, what interests might be in um coming into our city um late summer or uh early fall. [0:01:25, 0:01:37]: One of the things and let me turn that off. One of the things that I think we want to do and has always been I think the vision of the council is to provide a diverse offering. [0:01:38, 0:01:42]: of um genres that will perform at the amphitheater. [0:01:42, 0:01:51]: Because what we want to do is create something for everyone, everyone in Stockbridge, Henry County, and the region to be able to come into our downtown area. [0:01:52, 0:01:54]: And in order to do that, in order to expand um [0:01:55, 0:01:58]: We want in order to expand uh our our [0:01:58, 0:02:01]: Have a broad base from which to draw on. [0:02:02, 0:02:04]: Uh we'll have a uh we intend to have [0:02:05, 0:02:07]: different offerings of uh [0:02:07, 0:02:09]: Styles of music, entertainment, et cetera. [0:02:10, 0:02:11]: Um [0:02:13, 0:02:14]: One of the things that's been a challenge. [0:02:15, 0:02:17]: uh related to [0:02:17, 0:02:20]: Anything right now is the pandemic. [0:02:20, 0:02:23]: And how things will unfold after the pandemic. [0:02:24, 0:02:29]: Um, you know, we're we're starting to trend downward in terms of COVID cases, everybody knows. [0:02:29, 0:02:31]: One of the issues though is [0:02:31, 0:02:35]: When we're ready to open the amphitheater at what capacity will we be able to open? [0:02:36, 0:02:39]: I honestly doubt that we'll be able to open [0:02:39, 0:02:41]: Initially um [0:02:41, 0:02:43]: At full capacity. I'm I'm just [0:02:44, 0:02:49]: just projecting where we are and what I what I would intend based on some other conversations. [0:02:50, 0:02:57]: with other people who are looking at different venues and so forth. So I don't know if we'll open at full capacity, be able to open at full capacity. [0:02:57, 0:03:01]: Um we'll have to phase it in at you know forty percent, fifty percent, so forth. [0:03:02, 0:03:04]: Or capacity in the amphitheater. [0:03:04, 0:03:06]: But yes, we we plan to certainly have. [0:03:07, 0:03:09]: various opportunities for [0:03:09, 0:03:14]: different types of uh entertainment at the amphitheater. And hope I hope it answers your question. [0:03:16, 0:03:18]: Thank you. Yes. Sure. Okay. Thank you. [0:03:19, 0:03:29]: Okay, Mr. Knighton, if you can return back to our um All right. Okay, one one other thing real quick. I'm sorry. Oh okay. No, that's okay. [0:03:29, 0:03:33]: Now one of the main ponds over here, we will have walking trails. [0:03:33, 0:03:40]: I think it's twelve foot, I believe, walking trails around um ponds here and there'll be an elevated view. [0:03:40, 0:03:44]: Somewhere in this area where you can look down into the pond. [0:03:44, 0:03:48]: Um i as a water feature. And once these are all done, of course they'll be [0:03:48, 0:03:56]: Essentially amenities for the amphitheater project. But as people are able to walk from the parking area, there'll be an elevated area here. [0:03:56, 0:03:59]: Um it'll provide an extremely nice view. [0:04:00, 0:04:05]: um into the the uh one of the ponds and then of course there'll be walking trails in and around the areas. [0:04:06, 0:04:07]: Thank you for allowing me to share that. [0:04:08, 0:04:17]: And Mr. Knighton, I just have a special request that you make sure there are enough receptacles for people who are walking on that trail who walk with dogs. [0:04:17, 0:04:18]: Mm-hmm. [0:04:20, 0:04:21]: All right. [0:04:21, 0:04:22]: Duly, duly noted. [0:04:22, 0:04:23]: Thank you. [0:04:24, 0:04:26]: Thank you all for allowing me to to share that with you. [0:04:27, 0:04:32]: And uh Mr. Knighton, before you um totally go away, I wanted to um [0:04:33, 0:04:46]: Also um ask if you could give just a quick update on the alleyway project. I know that we've submitted several task orders. Have you received any um additional update from um Falcon Design? [0:04:50, 0:04:52]: You're on mute, Mr. Knighton. [0:04:54, 0:05:00]: I'm sorry, apologize for that, that they're working on the construction documents that are associated with the project. [0:05:00, 0:05:03]: Um obviously those have to be in put in place in order to [0:05:04, 0:05:05]: Execute. [0:05:05, 0:05:07]: Um construction [0:05:07, 0:05:14]: Um they will be providing me with a more substantial update uh next week on uh their progress. They understand the [0:05:15, 0:05:20]: important nature of of the project, Falcon Design I'm talking about, who's working on it. [0:05:21, 0:05:25]: And so they're moving, they've got uh members of their staff moving and working on that project as well. [0:05:26, 0:05:31]: And if I can prov I'll provide I'll be able to provide uh to you, Kira, a more substantial update next week. [0:05:31, 0:05:35]: Okay, thank you. And I'll be sure to share that with the board. Okay. [0:05:35, 0:05:41]: All right. Thank you, sir. I appreciate your um willingness to to share with us. Thank you. Thank you. [0:05:43, 0:05:52]: Okay, um the next um update that I had um w is with regard to our um public art initiative, our mural update. [0:05:52, 0:06:06]: And if you all recall at our last meeting we did um pinpoint the location and we talked a lot about the um theme and what our uh mural would [0:06:06, 0:06:11]: Um look, we kind of came to um a design, a preliminary design. [0:06:11, 0:06:22]: Um and then we tasked a committee to meet to further discuss the mural, um, the concept and um the content. [0:06:23, 0:06:38]: Uh well the committee has met. Um they've actually met um two times, and um we've got a little bit of um a change going on that we wanted to um share with you all. Um we've made some decisions that um [0:06:39, 0:06:53]: We wanted to share with you all because we feel like we need to revisit the the mural and the concept that we had initially started working on. So I'm going to share my screen. [0:06:54, 0:06:57]: Um, so that you all can um [0:06:58, 0:07:03]: s kind of get an idea of what the committee has been working on. [0:07:09, 0:07:10]: Okay. [0:07:14, 0:07:14]: Okay. [0:07:19, 0:07:22]: Okay, Lisa, i are you all able to see my screen? [0:07:23, 0:07:24]: Okay, fabulous. Okay. [0:07:25, 0:07:29]: Stockbridge mural project. When we um came to you all [0:07:29, 0:07:33]: Um last month um we had [0:07:33, 0:07:34]: Um [0:07:34, 0:07:40]: Three things happened. We um selected where we were going to place the design and we talked about um [0:07:41, 0:07:44]: The design theme, and we also shared. [0:07:44, 0:07:47]: kind of a concept that the um [0:07:47, 0:07:55]: artist had come up with, and that was the whimsical train idea for that particular mural, which will be our first mural. [0:07:56, 0:08:01]: Well, as the committee um began working on this and further developing it. [0:08:01, 0:08:07]: We found that most people uh were just kind of ambiguous and I'll say [0:08:07, 0:08:10]: Дефені а вас абigіус. [0:08:10, 0:08:11]: about [0:08:11, 0:08:13]: The concept and [0:08:13, 0:08:20]: Um Willie Hopkins, who um is also serving on the committee. [0:08:20, 0:08:28]: He asked us a bit the big question. And the big question was: what are we trying to accomplish with this first mural? [0:08:28, 0:08:32]: And um, you know, everyone thought about this and we were um [0:08:32, 0:08:34]: Asked to think about this and [0:08:35, 0:08:39]: Um, Willy came up with the fact that we must tell Stockbridge story. [0:08:40, 0:08:41]: And [0:08:41, 0:08:50]: Definitely that is something that we kind of took to heart as a committee and said, let's rewind, let's rework this because. [0:08:51, 0:08:54]: This particular mural with the train um [0:08:54, 0:08:58]: Theme was not really telling Stockbridge's story. [0:08:59, 0:09:02]: So we kind of went back to the drawing board. [0:09:02, 0:09:03]: Um [0:09:03, 0:09:08]: And we came up with some inspirational words that [0:09:08, 0:09:11]: Um, we wanted to [0:09:12, 0:09:12]: Um [0:09:13, 0:09:16]: draw from with regard to the mural design and [0:09:17, 0:09:25]: Um, what it was that we wanted to say, what story we wanted to tell. And so these are the words that the committee came up with. [0:09:25, 0:09:27]: that describe [0:09:28, 0:09:31]: The feeling or the impact or the [0:09:32, 0:09:38]: the overall um theme that we wanted to um convey through the mural. [0:09:42, 0:09:55]: Then we looked at different examples of murals. These are some murals that I j just kind of call the word-word-word murals. These are murals that just basically [0:09:56, 0:10:02]: let you know that you are coming into a particular town or a particular space, a particular district. [0:10:02, 0:10:10]: Um the one on the left is one that I picked up from um Tallahassee. I see that every time I go. [0:10:10, 0:10:15]: to that city when I'm taking my daughter back to college. The other one is from Philadelphia. [0:10:15, 0:10:16]: Um [0:10:16, 0:10:28]: And the committee was just tasked to find murals from all over that spoke to them in some kind of way. This is um one in Atlanta, one in park, but again, I call these um. [0:10:29, 0:10:32]: Informally word murals. [0:10:32, 0:10:34]: Where the words are what [0:10:34, 0:10:41]: really grab you more so than the pic the picture is secondary to the words and that the message is trying to convey. [0:10:42, 0:10:48]: Then we also looked at what I call postcard murals. Um, you know, here's one from Orlando, here's one [0:10:48, 0:10:50]: Um from El Paso. [0:10:50, 0:11:01]: that just basically are welcome, welcome meant, something that you would just basically see as a kind of a gateway sign into a community. [0:11:03, 0:11:18]: And we actually um had something very similar proposed to us by the artist. Our number two concept was kind of a welcome to Stockbridge postcard type mural. Um you see one at the top that's in Atlanta on the west end and [0:11:18, 0:11:23]: Um then again our um second concept that we kind of considered. [0:11:24, 0:11:37]: Then we also have the single subject murals that we looked at. This is the one on the left is one in Seattle, and the one on the right is the sixth concept that the artist provided for us. [0:11:38, 0:11:46]: And um, you know, you see that there is um one predominant iconic figure or um person. [0:11:46, 0:11:46]: Um [0:11:47, 0:11:50]: event building that is taking um up [0:11:51, 0:11:57]: the um primary real estate on that particular mural. So this is another design that was considered. [0:11:57, 0:12:00]: Um here are some other single subject murals. Um [0:12:01, 0:12:03]: Downtown Atlanta on the right, um [0:12:04, 0:12:07]: Конгресмен Лус, а не о курс. [0:12:09, 0:12:17]: You know, this the one on the left is in Philadelphia. I I'm assuming this is a person that's in their community that they hold in high esteem. [0:12:19, 0:12:39]: Um, and then we have collage type murals. And out of all of them, I think that these were the mural, these this style of mural is the one that spoke to the community. Um, the community, to the committee most. Um, it evoked um feelings of excitement and engagement. And so I think that. [0:12:39, 0:12:39]: Uh [0:12:39, 0:12:40]: Um [0:12:41, 0:12:45]: This was the one that people just kind of focused on and just kept coming back to. [0:12:45, 0:12:53]: So we're interested in doing the same type of collage mural here in the downtown area. So that is departing from [0:12:53, 0:12:54]: That [0:12:54, 0:13:04]: um style the whimsical train um concept that we were looking at before. Of course this means that it's going back to the drawing board. [0:13:04, 0:13:13]: And realizing um a concept and a design, we spoke with the artist. Um, he is on board for going back and [0:13:13, 0:13:19]: redoing some of the work and coming up with some different concepts. I actually have a another meeting. [0:13:19, 0:13:24]: a telephone conversation with him, but I wanted to point to this Knoxville mural. [0:13:25, 0:13:28]: If s you look at the knocks via mural. [0:13:29, 0:13:35]: You can see that there is a lot of things going on and it's very engaging. It almost just pulls you in. [0:13:37, 0:13:39]: Um, why we like this mural? [0:13:40, 0:13:53]: We like it because it's vibrant, it has bright color, it has movement, it packs a big punch. You can see what there is to do when you come to Knoxville. You get a pretty good idea. [0:13:53, 0:13:57]: of what Knoxville has to offer just by looking at this image. [0:13:57, 0:14:08]: Um it blends old with new. You see the trolley car, you see the river boat, and then you see the iconic um aquarium building and the sphere. [0:14:09, 0:14:15]: Um, it also includes people doing a lot of things. And that is one of the things um that [0:14:16, 0:14:20]: Through the surveys that Lisa and I conducted, um [0:14:20, 0:14:24]: during the RSVP and other community engagement activities. [0:14:24, 0:14:25]: Um [0:14:25, 0:14:27]: community and visitors [0:14:27, 0:14:35]: our events and activities and parks and active items in our that our community have to offer is what engages people. [0:14:36, 0:14:42]: And so this mural spoke to us because it shows people doing lots of different things. [0:14:42, 0:14:50]: You immediately feel the spirit and culture with this particular mural. You see that they have a music culture, you see that they have [0:14:50, 0:14:53]: An outdoor culture that they have. [0:14:53, 0:14:57]: Um, a creative culture. And so those are things that [0:14:58, 0:14:58]: You know. [0:14:59, 0:15:01]: We want to be able to [0:15:02, 0:15:03]: Um evoke as well. [0:15:04, 0:15:12]: It gives a shout-out to the arts and it acknowledges community icons. You know, you have the guy, there's an artist there, there's a guy playing the [0:15:12, 0:15:18]: Um, saxophone. We're thinking that maybe he's someone from Knoxville that the community [0:15:18, 0:15:24]: um holds in high esteem. We don't have the entire mural. So there might have been a caption or something there. [0:15:24, 0:15:28]: Um and but most importantly and going back to [0:15:28, 0:15:40]: Um, the slide that I showed before, when we asked the big question, it tells a story. And so this is the type of mural that we would like to start working on as a committee. [0:15:41, 0:15:44]: And um kind of get you all's um [0:15:44, 0:15:46]: endorsement as the [0:15:47, 0:15:49]: Main street advisory board. [0:15:49, 0:15:57]: to move forward with because we feel that though the whimsical train was cute and um we felt that it was going to [0:15:57, 0:16:01]: Really have a connection or at least provide a connection to [0:16:01, 0:16:05]: The school yard and um being near the school. [0:16:05, 0:16:06]: Uh we felt that [0:16:07, 0:16:21]: This is our big chance. This is our first chance and our biggest chance to really make an impact with a mural. We've got a very talented mural artist and we've got a great space. We think that we can do just so much more with that. [0:16:22, 0:16:30]: So um I'm gonna just open it up to any comments. Um some of the mural design committee members are here on the call. [0:16:31, 0:16:35]: And um if there's anyone else that has some comment that they would like to offer. [0:16:39, 0:16:59]: Yeah, I just wanted to add comments to support kind of what you presented there. Um, I liked the new idea of where it's going. Um, I didn't get a chance to attend the last meeting or give feedback, but I did get to look at some of the other options. And I do like where it's going because of the color, um, because of including the story that it's telling. [0:16:59, 0:17:19]: instead of um it just being one particular story of trains or you know daddy king it was like you had to kind of like pick um between and there's much more to it as well to Stockbridge so I totally agree I love the idea of telling the story with the collage look and the vibrant colors. [0:17:18, 0:17:22]: So I think that was something that was missing out of the other ones as well too. So um [0:17:23, 0:17:25]: That's my two cents. I think I think that was good though. [0:17:25, 0:17:29]: Okay, fabulous. Anyone else want to comment? [0:17:32, 0:17:33]: At the murder. Anika. [0:17:34, 0:17:54]: Yes, um, thank you. I just wanted to echo everything you said, uh, but also speak to I don't know if I heard you mention that in our mural, we want to make sure that the story of the past and the future are also incorporated. So there will be we would love to see nods to our rich heritage as well as. [0:17:54, 0:18:14]: nods to what we will continue to grow to be. And again, as a member of that committee, we really want to make sure that this first effort is is is a good representation, as I say, a brand of what the city is aspiring to be. So um thank you guys for your feedback and we're super excited about this. [0:18:14, 0:18:16]: Yes, thank you. Anyone else? [0:18:20, 0:18:21]: Okay. [0:18:22, 0:18:36]: All right. Well I did want to add that um we uh I've had a meeting with the um principal at Stockbridge Elementary School, Mr. Jermaine Os Armore, and he is very excited about the project as well. [0:18:36, 0:18:43]: Um he is actually interested in um serving on the design um mural design committee. [0:18:44, 0:18:54]: And um I invited I invited him to be a part of that since it is going to be um essentially a part of his campus. Um I thought it would be a good idea for him to [0:18:54, 0:18:59]: you know, see what we're doing and um have some input if you know if necessary to [0:19:00, 0:19:03]: Help us come up with something that is gonna just be iconic. [0:19:04, 0:19:06]: And um he was very um [0:19:06, 0:19:07]: Glad and [0:19:07, 0:19:11]: to be invited and very interested in helping us with that. [0:19:11, 0:19:13]: Um any other comments? [0:19:15, 0:19:23]: Okay, I'm gonna move on from the mural and I'm gonna ask Greg to just give us a very quick update about the um [0:19:23, 0:19:38]: Henry County Arts Consortium project that we're partnering with them on. We mentioned it a few months back, but I just wanted to bring it back up because it's actually being initiated now and um [0:19:38, 0:19:39]: Greg, I'll let you take it. [0:19:42, 0:20:02]: Okay, um, so uh I'm serving as co-chair on the artist consortium on the Henry County Artist Consortium, um, which is a group of art-minded people who want to bring together the art community, uh Henry businesses and uh Henry local governments um through public art and and become [0:20:02, 0:20:22]: Group that those local municipalities come to to help uh establish public art across the county. Our first project is the squirrel table, what we call the squirrel table project. What we're doing is taking squirrel tables, and if you're not, everyone's not familiar with what that is, it's actually a little picnic table. [0:20:22, 0:20:42]: Scale down to the size of a squirrel, which has become actually an Instagram phenomenon over the past year. People taking pictures of squirrels and chipmunks on their squirrel tables in their backyard. The artist consortium saw a way for the community to become engaged with public art through. [0:20:42, 0:21:02]: using squirrel tables and we've we've pushed the project forward as kira mentioned uh um the uh main street program managers have uh engaged with us and decided to partner with us um and help us with the rollout of this project in uh installing squirrel tables in the [0:21:02, 0:21:10]: The different municipalities and across uh the county and the parks. And Greg, these are Main Street managers at all of the cities, correct? [0:21:11, 0:21:31]: Um uh we haven't been able to engage with McDonough Main Street. Um because the artist consortium in its present state is is uh supported and funded by Visit Henry County, which is you know the rebranding of the of the Henry County CVB, um and McDonough has their own. [0:21:31, 0:21:51]: owned. So they they kind of excluded themselves a little bit, though we are working with the county parks and recs to try to get squirrel tables in the McDonough area through the county um aspect instead of the city aspect. But Hampton has fully engaged with us Kira as as as you and and the Stockbridge Main Street [0:21:51, 0:22:11]: Street has, and we're still working through things with Locust Grove, but we think all three of those are going to engage with us fully. So the project has begun and the first 10 tables are now being installed. We've actually installed a few and Kira and I are meeting to install the first one for Stockbridge Main Street. [0:22:11, 0:22:18]: Next week. We have selected a location at JP Moseley Park to install. [0:22:19, 0:22:25]: And and so we're excited about that. The tables are artistically decorated. Um they're not just plain tables. [0:22:25, 0:22:25]: Uh [0:22:26, 0:22:46]: tied to a tree. We actually select artists from the immediate area. So the stockbridge tables are decorated by a stockbridge artist or someone at least as as close to the area as as possible, and so on with Hampton and Locust Grove. And we hope to have the first 10 tables phase one [0:22:46, 0:22:52]: uh completed by March 17th. So 10 tables uh will be installed and there'll be a scavenger hunt. [0:22:53, 0:22:53]: Uh [0:22:54, 0:23:07]: for for the community to help the community engage by uh asking people to go discover the tables, find out where they are. We'll give little hints, but we're not telling people exactly where they are or exactly what each table looks like. [0:23:07, 0:23:23]: So the scavenger hunt will involve the public going and finding them, taking pictures of themselves or selfies and hopefully with squirrels there as well and posting those and and they can win prizes uh for discovering uh a certain amount of tables or all of the tables and and then we'll [0:23:24, 0:23:40]: release a map showing where they are to help engage with tourism. And the idea is to be able to promote local businesses and municipalities and art through this project. So that's where we are so far. [0:23:41, 0:23:51]: Hey, thank you, Greg. I think it's a really, really cute project and um I'm hoping that all of the cities will come on board, but Stockbridge is definitely behind it. [0:23:53, 0:24:13]: Okay, um Barber, um as you all saw in the chat, she did say that she had to leave the meeting. Um, and she told us prior to the meeting that that would probably happen. Um, so I wanted to just give you all um a quick um just the meeting date for the DDA will be March. [0:24:13, 0:24:32]: the 16th if you all are interested in attending. Um I will not be able to attend that particular meeting. I have another commitment outside of um work, but Lisa will be attending in my place to that meeting. So if anyone else is interested I'd encourage you. [0:24:32, 0:24:35]: to um attend the DDA meeting via Zoom. [0:24:36, 0:24:37]: On march the sixent. [0:24:38, 0:24:41]: And they start at um, is it six o'clock? [0:24:41, 0:24:43]: I think they start at six o'clock. [0:24:44, 0:24:44]: Okay. [0:24:45, 0:24:54]: Um any announcements? Um I see that um Anika had to leave, so I'm gonna just move on through the agenda. Any announcements? [0:24:57, 0:24:59]: Okay, seeing that there are none. [0:24:59, 0:25:01]: Um, I am going to [0:25:02, 0:25:03]: Um [0:25:03, 0:25:08]: go on and move that we adjourn because I don't have anything else to report. [0:25:09, 0:25:09]: [1510.0, 1515.6]: So I'd like to entertain a motion for um adjourning the meeting of the March twelfth. [0:25:15, 0:25:18]: Twenty twenty one Main Street Advisory Board meeting. [0:25:19, 0:25:20]: I motion to adjourn. [0:25:21, 0:25:22]: Okay, Shamarine. [0:25:23, 0:25:24]: Is there a second? [0:25:28, 0:25:31]: Second. Okay, great. [0:25:32, 0:25:37]: Okay, we stand adjourned. Our next meeting will be on April 9th. [0:25:38, 0:25:40]: At nine o'clock via Zoom. [0:25:41, 0:26:01]: Thank you, everybody. I really appreciate you all being available today. It's been a busy week, at least for the Main Street staff. And it seems like it's a really busy time for everyone else. Um, so enjoy your remainder of the day and the rest of your uh week. And we'll see you all again. [0:26:01, 0:26:02]: Again. Um [0:26:04, 0:26:05]: Next month [0:26:06, 0:26:09]: Enjoy the weather. Right. Yes. Enjoy the weather. [0:26:12, 0:26:13]: Mr. Thomas? [0:26:14, 0:26:15]: Mr. Thomas? [0:26:19, 0:26:23]: Yes, yes. Hey, how are you doing? I haven't seen you in forever. [0:26:25, 0:26:26]: Are you are you? [0:26:27, 0:26:28]: Calling on me. [0:26:28, 0:26:32]: Yes, I'm talking to you. I said I haven't seen you in forever. [0:26:32, 0:26:35]: I I'm I'm puzzled by that. [0:26:37, 0:26:38]: I've been here. [0:26:38, 0:26:46]: I know I'm just saying we haven't talked in a while. Oh, well, that that's that's true also. Are we are we adjoined? [0:26:46, 0:26:49]: Yeah, we're adjourned. Everybody's gone. We're not required.