Rock Island Today

City of Moline Moline Centre Main Street Commission Board of Directors met Sept. 16.

Here is the agenda provided by the commission:

COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT

Ajay Singh, Heart of America

Lora Adams, Black Box Theater

Eric VanSpeyBroeck, Rouse Consulting Group

Pete McDermott, McDermott Construction

Andrew Sivertsen, Planning Center

Dave Parker, City of Moline (2nd Ward Alderman)

Chelsey Hohensee, Metrolink

Chris Mathias, City of Moline

COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT

Amanda Bautista, Café Fresh

STAFF PRESENT

Geoff Manis

AGENDA ITEM #1 – CALL TO ORDER

Meeting called to order at 4:02 p.m.

AGENDA ITEM #2 – PUBLIC COMMENT

None

AGENDA ITEM #3 – Approval of Minutes

A motion to approve the minutes from September 16, 2020, was made by Pete McDermott. Dave Parker seconded the motion. Motion was approved unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #4 – MULTI-MEDIA ADVERTISING DISCUSSION

Manis updated the Commission on the completion of the video production with GunterSchwarz Advertising showcasing how safe it is in Downtown Moline during the Pandemic. Manis immediately marketed Downtown Moline by doing a giveaway on Facebook for a free night stay at The Axis Hotel and included a $50 gift card to any downtown business. Between the Moline Centre, City of Moline, Community & Economic Development Department and Moline Police Department Facebook pages, the giveaway post received a total of 415 likes, 299 comments, 339 shares, 15,100 views and 35,100 in reach. Manis showed the video to the Commission and would like to take it to the next level and market Downtown Moline by putting it on TV as a commercial. He presented two-month runtime proposals from WQAD, WQPT, KWQC and WHBF. The commercial would air after the election and pricing is for peak hours of viewing in the mornings and evenings. Funding would come from 2020 budgetary dollars. If the commercial does well, the Commission can also look into continuing into 2021. The Commission was concerned that the video was geared more towards Summer than Winter so Winter shots may have to be spliced in. They would like to continue with the commercial but would like to wait to decide following the election to see where we are in the pandemic. Hohensee stated that Metrolink is also doing a video with GunterSchwarz with shots of face coverings that could be used to update the video.

Manis stated that MidAmerican has sponsored Lighting on the Commons in the past and will sponsor $5,000 again for 100 scavenger hunts in Moline setup by their employee volunteers. The Dispatch Argus/Quad City Times has offered advertising for the holiday scavenger hunts at the cost of $4,400. Funding is available in the SSA #6 budget since the summer events guide did not print this year. The Commission liked the encouragement for people to get outside and would like to push shopping Downtown Moline to avoid COVID shipping delays during the holidays.

A motion to approve moving forward with spending $4,400 towards holiday advertisement with The Quad City Times was made by Dave Parker. Pete McDermott seconded the motion. Motion was approved unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #5 – HOLIDAY LIGHTING DISCUSSION

Manis reported that the normal lighting will go up in Downtown Moline as it was not equipped for RGB lighting. However, the Historic Block Plaza has all the infrastructure to do the RGB lighting. He would like to reallocate funds from Holiday Hop and Lighting on the Commons at the cost of $5,500 to light up the Historic Block Plaza for the holidays and call it MidAmerican Holiday Plaza with all promotions being held there. If continued, this would be a yearly cost.

A motion to light the Historic Block Plaza with festive lighting was made by Dave Parker. Eric VanSpeyBroeck seconded the motion. Motion was approved unanimously.

AGENDA ITEM #6 – DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Manis stated that at the next meeting, he hopes to bring a proposal to put up a donated tree in lieu of the TaxSlayer tree. He is currently working on a deal with a crane operator and semi driver to help get the tree downtown and All Around Town to string up the tree’s lights. This would complete all of the downtown lighting as seen in the past. He also reported he tidied up the downtown outdoor dining where fencing had shifted and bags had broken. Outdoor dining will be finished with the first forecasted 2” of snow. Lastly, the new website will be a winter project since the pandemic had put it on pause.

AGENDA ITEM #7 – OTHER BUSINESS

None

AGENDA ITEM #8 – ADJOURN

Next meeting is November 18th, 2020.

Pete McDermott made a motion to adjourn. Chelsea Hohensee seconded the motion. Motion was approved unanimously. Meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m.

https://www.moline.il.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6662