Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Management Planning Commission
Minutes of Meeting July 15, 2009, Portland Fire Hall
Meeting was called to order at 9:05 AM by Chair Kurt Lindstrom. Also present: Andrew Nixon (CCVB), Robert Paterson, Sr. (Portland), Kathy Tampio (Hanover), Rick Dunst (Cornell Grape Lab), Debby Hunt (Ripley), Bob Green (North East), Martha Bills (Westfield), Pat Lynch Christina (Pomfret), Don McCord (Westfield) and Andy Dufresne (CGBHA).
Minutes of last meeting were approved.
Report on Meeting with Chautauqua County Planning and Economic Development Director Bill Daly & Deputy Director Mark Geise:
Martha Bills reported that she and Andy met with Bill Daly and Mark Geise yesterday to discuss support from the Chautauqua County Planning and Economic Development Department for the Commission’s Management Planning development work (re – Kurt Lindstrom’s letter asking for involvement by Don McCord and others). Response was positive though the department is reluctant to make specific commitments due to a heavy work load at the current time. Mark said he would help review the RFP and that some assistance by Don to facilitate focus groups, attend meetings and other work as well as other staff support to generate some GIS maps and provide resource inventory information is likely.
Initiating the Westfield Management Planning Grant:
Martha indicated that the Department of State Contract for up to $75,000 of cash assistance for the development of the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Management Plan has been signed and returned to DOS for their signature. First task is to develop a Request for Proposals to recruit and interview interested consultants. Don shared his experience with the Westfield / Ripley Opportunity Plan RFP, which has since been used by Syracuse University as a model RFP request, and other projects RFP’s. Don said he would help so that we might quickly have a RFP for NYSOPRHP / DOS approval. Andy is to send Don a digital copy of the Contract’s work plan. It is hoped that this effort can move forward at a good pace with a target of having much of the plan completed within the next year.
Discussion on Mission Statement:
As requested at the last meeting, Andy combined some of the ideas discussed at the last meeting and revised the proposed Mission Statement. Pat said she could tighten up the wording and would do so in the next few days.
The Mission of the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area is to preserve, support, and promote the area’s unique grape production, products, and related industries. The key objective is to encourage and support sustainable and compatible economic vitality by building upon the grape agricultural heritage, the cultural and natural resources of the area, and its history to enhance the quality of life for all the area’s citizens; to preserve, protect, and promote the assets and interpret the history that sustain the proud sense of a unique place experienced in this Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area.
The revised statement will be shared with all for consideration and comments.
Discussion on Focus Groups:
Andy reported that plans to hold three small focus groups of senior grape growers / grape industry people were being developed and likely will be held the week of August 10 to 14. It is expected that there will be an eastern section group in Hanover Town Hall, a central section group maybe meeting at the Portland Fire Hall and a western section group meeting maybe at the Northwest Savings Bank Community room in North East.
- Other focus groups will consist of school teachers that will provide insights into displays, exhibits, and programs for young people. This group should meet before schools open.
- Another focus group(s) of town historians and museum people will be organized.
- After the summer is over, focus groups of current grape industry people will focus on the economic opportunities of a Heritage Area as will a tourism related focus group.
Record keeping:
Andy said he has set up a database to report and summarize in-kind contributions of services, mileage, and other contributions. To date, 260 man-hours of service has been documented at a value of $6, 976 and $716 of mileage and $27.54 other (postage) are recorded. He encouraged all to keep records of in-kind contributions and share with Andy for the database.
Other items:
Andrew Nixon noted that there is confusion because of all the different names and terminology used. Examples: the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area Management Commission, the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association, the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt, America’s Grape Country.
These are recognized confusions:
The membership organization’s official name on incorporation papers is Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association, Inc. Members often refer to the organization as the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association and the area is often referred to as the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt and used that wording on its logo.
The application to be designated as Heritage Area used the wording Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area (or was it Corridor?) The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has listed it as the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Area and alphabetized it under C. [there may be need to review the legal records of the creation documents to see if we should be adding Lake Erie in the Management Plan and also if the legislation used the term Corridor instead of area – sometime I will try to get a clarification from NYS OPRHP before we start drafting the Management Plan Document].
The Commission is a separate body organized by the Association for the purpose of completing a Management Plan for the Association.
America’s Grape Country is a regional branding effort to promote the region. It is another name for the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt and omits the specific grape variety. Andrew commented that for promotional purposes it may be best to use America’s Grape Country with Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt as a sub-title to clarify location.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Commission is planned for September 3rd, 9:00 AM at the Pomfret Town Hall in Village of Fredonia.
By Andy Dufresne
