Minutes of Latest CoRMA Meeting

Cortelyou Road Merchants Association Meeting: CoRMA
May 18 at The Farm on Adderley

In Attendance:
Jane/T.B.Ackerson Wines; Mannix/FDC, Economic Development Director; Gabe/Gabe’s Camera Shop, Gilbert/Belle & Maxie; Gary/The Farm on Adderley; Kazi/Seby Mortgage, Roma & Vipin/Picket Fence; Leon/The Associated; Jabir/Greenfield Pharmacy; Jan/Brooklyn Hearth Realty

Agenda:

Street Cleaning, Midwood Development Corporation: CoRMA budget has run out for this year; Membership voted on whether to pay June dues out of CoRMA Treasury; strong support for continuing Street Cleaning:
10 Yes
1 Abstention
Call Midwood Development and resume immediately!

CoRMA currently has 35 paid members; list of 2007-08 members will be published for businesses and residents to see, and sticker will be provided for store windows to identify who supports CoRMA and who doesn’t.

Dues:
Discussion of current dues ($120/year), and whether to raise them or remain at current level. Dues used for street cleaning, marketing, special events. Vote on raising dues to $240/year.
11 Yes (Unanimous!)


Dues will be collected by block Captains for the year June 1, 2007 through May 31, 2008. Members can pay in one or two checks. List will be published in July of all businesses that have, and have not, paid. And stickers will be provided to all dues-paying members to put in store window. Gilbert (Belle & Maxie) will develop design ideas for 4-inch circular stickers. Most merchants wanted a small decal.

Block Captains:
Gary/The Farm……………………Coney Island Ave. to Westminster
Jane/T.B.Ackerson Wines….…… Westminster to Rugby
Leon/Associated………………….Rugby to E. 16th St.
Jabir/Greenfield Pharmacy………..E. 16th to E. 17th St.
Gabe/Gabe’s Camera Shop………..help Leon and Jabir

Printed minutes of last meeting and announcement/agenda of next meeting should be distributed by block captains to each store. Email is also good, but shouldn’t replace printed announcements.

Ask Philip Kellogg to write a press release for our street, focusing on the special events.

Flatbush Frolic: A Country Fair with a Cortelyou Flair…vendors will be in middle of street; dues-paying members of CoRMA get a special break (don’t have to pay for booth? Booth right in front of their stores?)
Gary said Frolic committee needs new volunteers (lost Brian/Cornerstone and Mark/Flatbush Food Coop)---Roma/Picket Fence and Mannix/FDC both joined volunteer committee. Not clear if there’s a paid FDC staff member working on this, or if it’s being organized totally by volunteers. Should clarify!
We want the Frolic to be on an “open sidewalks” day. Mannix is looking into this for the House Tour: June 10.
NEXT FLATBUSH FROLIC MEETING FRI, MAY 25, 9an at The Farm

Need a flyer aimed at potential vendors: booth size? Cost? Paperwork to sign? Other? Can Philip develop this? Who do potential vendors respond to?
Who earns the money from the Frolic?

Streetscape: 2 big issues…

A. Large beautiful clocks have disappeared as elements in our streetscape project; EDC says cost overruns eliminated the clocks. No consultation! Merchants want to see the entire budget, expenditures; want EDC to explain to us what happened to the clocks.
In addition, the Cortelyou Library didn’t want the clock on “their” property. We should talk to the person at the BPL who’s in charge, and see if we can make it work; need a point person!!!

B. Parking Meters
Parking meters on Cortelyou (in front of Associated) were removed in December, and have not yet been replaced! This is very hard on grocery business; customers want to park and put their groceries in their cars. We requested a meeting with all of the interested, accountable parties (EDC, Design Firm, DOT, construction manager) in order to straighten this out. Scheduled for 10am, Brennan’s office on Cortelyou, if all parties will attend. Most people felt that otherwise they’ll just come and blame the one who’s not there, as they’ve done in the past.
We want a schedule of when the remaining work will be completed!

Victorian Flatbush House Tour: June 10

CoRMA wants sidewalks to be “open” for that day; Gary was working with Cathy on this.
Raffle Prizes: Merchants can donate good prizes to the Raffle; Philip Kellogg has more detailed information on what can be donated, minimum value, etc. This is a good opportunity to bring people back after the day of the House Tour.

NEXT MEETING: Friday, June 15, 9am: The Farm on Adderley. All member merchants of CoRMA are invited, as well as any merchants who are thinking about joining.