CITY COUNCIL: Receive Report from Ad Hoc Downtown Event Committee & Provide Direction

Meeting Date: October 2, 2012

Prepared by: Molly Laughlin

City Council

Agenda Item Summary

Name: Receive report from the ad hoc Downtown Event Committee and provide direction.

Description: For some time, there has been public interest in developing ongoing outdoor events to showcase the downtown area, and in particular, to highlight the City's food, restaurants and burgeoning wine tasting businesses. It was noted that having regular outdoor downtown events was frequently mentioned during the April election season.

Based on this interest, at the May 1, 2012 Council meeting, Mayor Burnett appointed Council Members Beach and Hazdovac, David Fink, Eric Schlosser, and Assistant City Administrator Burch (working in conjunction with the Community Activities and Cultural Commission) to serve as the ad hoc committee to begin exploration of developing a downtown event, with the request for a report to Council at the July 3 Council meeting. Mayor Burnett also said there also should be coordination with other local groups, including the Carmel Residents Association and Carmel Chamber.

At the July 3, 2012 Council meeting, Council Member Beach provided an update during Council Announcements. She said that more than 50 people had joined the Committee's e-mail distribution list and she encouraged others to submit their ideas to her. Council Member Beach also reported that the Committee was working on a draft of consensus of what people would like to see in a downtown culinary event and had initiated a search for a professional manager through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process.

Overall Cost: N/ A

Staff Recommendation: Receive the report, provide direction, and refer it to the Community Activities and Cultural Commission.

Important Considerations: The ad hoc Committee report, including its recommendations, will be presented orally at the October 2, 2012 meeting. The Committee has held 15 meetings, involving almost 200 people.

Decision Record: The ad hoc Committee was appointed by the Mayor at the May I, 2012 meeting.

Reviewed by:

Jason Stilwell, City Administrator  Date