HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-02-17 - MinutesFFEAC Council Meeting Notes
Meeting Facilitator
Susan Norton
Meeting Scribe
Susan Norton
Meeting Date
February 17, 2012
Meeting Start Time
9:OOam
Location
Fayetteville Public Library
Meeting End Time
10:30am
Attending
Pattie Williams, Julie McQuade, Lioneld Jordan, Chung Tan, Susan Norton
Topics
Lead by...
Action Groups and Other Reporting
Inclusion — Pattie Williams
a) The Inclusion Group is in a 3 month transition plan. Julie McQuade will
facilitate through March and in April, new roles and responsibilities will be
assigned. Rachael Townsend will facilitate and Jamie Van Horne will co -facilitate.
Pattie will continue to work with the FFEAC.
b) Gladys Tiffany will propose that the group develop Inclusion Ambassadors to go
out into the community and try to determine how and why people are and are not
being included.
c) Jamie Van Horne gave an awareness session on the transgender initiative.
Chamber Update — Chung Tan
a) The Chamber has started a Business Retension and Expansion Effort (BRE).
Jennifer Irwin will be in charge and spend 20 hours per week in outreach. They
will begin with a survey to discover needs and gaps and ranking of city services to
ensure the businesses can continue to prosper and expand in Fayetteville. The
Mayor is in full support.
1
b) Katherine Brant will spend 20 hours per week to help local residents to become
Susan
Norton
entrepreneurs and start up businesses. There is a new "How to Start a Business'
handbook on the city web site.
http: / / www.accessfayetteville.org / government / development—Services / how_to_s
tart business/ index. cfm
c) Iceberg had a soft opening in the Metro District (co -working space with minimal
fees).
d) Mayor's Corner Feb 22 and 29 will feature entrepreneurs and My Deal Compass,
a new online service for finding deals among businesses in our community, with a
very spiffy mobile app.
e) The Global Education Series at the Arkansas World Trade Center in Rogers ins
bringing in trade delegations who can match up businesses looking for global sales.
There will also be a trip to Panama and Colombia as part of this effort through an
SBA grant from the WTC. There will also be an Entrepreneur Boot Camp June 25-
29 with Fayetteville and 7 other cities with incoming juniors and seniors in High
School participating.
On Behalf of CEAG, Julie announced that World Poetry Slam will be hosted in
Fayetteville October 6 and is looking for an appropriate venue.
FFEAC Council Meeting Notes
Mayor's Comments
Lioneld
a) Recently returned from US Conference of Mayor's, serving on several
Jordan
committees: Jobs, Education, Environment, Alternative Transportation, Arts and
Tourism. The Mayor sees a new vision for how Arts and Tourism can bring in
revenue to help cities and is developing plans for Fayetteville looking at models in
Austin, New Orleans, etc. Highly recommend looking at the Thomas Friedman key
2
note "That Used to Be Us' : http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/303778-2
b) The economy in the region is predicted to grow about 2% which is stable and
going up — good news, but not as good as 2008.
c) A new Ft. Smith/ Fayetteville partnershi8p has been established to help with
getting barge traffic on the river and hooked up by rail to move commerce and help
take the trucks off the road.
Topic # 1—Branding, Community Link, Logo
3
The group tabled this until the next meeting in hopes of broader participation in the
Julie
discussion.
McQuade
Topic # 2 —FFEAC Participation in Earth Day Event
Julie
The FFEAC discussed ways to participate in a Community Celebration during the
McQuade
Earth Day events. Mikel Lolley has carved out a spot for the group on April 5`h
4
from 10 — Noon in which each Group Member can have a table and share their
work. The group agreed to appreciate Julie for taking the lead and organizing on
behalf of the city and allowing us to plug in where we can!