Kickoff Meeting Agenda

Camden Downtown Guild
Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
8:30 AM / 3:30 PM
1011 Galleria

I. Welcome and Introduction
II. Strategic Planning Process
a. Purpose / Mission / Goals
III. Membership Drive, Leadership Council, Committees
a. Main Street 4-Point Approach
IV. City Initiatives
V. Written Comment Submission
VI. Conclusion

New Downtown Manager

On behalf of the City of Camden I would like to introduce our new Downtown Manager, Wade F. Luther, II. His start date was August 10, 2009. Wade is a native of Columbia, SC and comes to the City of Camden from Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), a transportation engineering and planning firm. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of South Carolina and his Master of City and Regional Planning from Clemson University, where he specialized in real estate development and market analysis. He is an urban planner with over six years experience in both the public and private sectors of planning. He has worked as an urban planner in communities, such as Richland County, South Carolina; Asheville, North Carolina; and North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As a consultant, Wade has had the opportunity to write a variety of plans for communities throughout the southeast, including two plans which have received “Plan of the Year” awards from the South Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association (SCAPA). It is my hope that his knowledge and skills will have a profound impact on the economic development, growth, and marketing of the City of Camden through the Downtown Manager position.

W. Kevin Bronson
City Manager

Look for more information about Wade and the Downtown Camden Guild in this Friday's edition of the Camden Chronicle-Independent.

Meeting Minutes from August 11, 2009

Meeting Minutes
Downtown Camden Merchant Association
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
8:30 AM
1011 Galleria

Attendees: Jonathon Bazinet; Dot Goodwin; Lisa Adams; Amy Scofield; Pat Herlong; Linda Branham; Steve Van Horn; Dennis Stuber; Shawn Putnam; Wade Luther

I. Introduction of Members
II. Introduction of Downtown Manager
III. Oranizational Structures of Other Merchant Associations
a. Committee Systems
i. Marketing
ii. Membership
iii. Appearance
iv. By-laws
1. Ask City Manager about potential for non-profit designation – Action Item: Wade Luther
v. Strategic Planning
IV. Marketing Opportunities
a. Logo/slogan
b. Target markets
i. 4 major events
ii. Northeast columbia
iii. Equestrian
iv. Motorsports racing
v. Hunters
V. Discussion of Name
a. “Camden Village Project”
b. “Camden Revolution”
c. “Destination Camden”
d. “Venture Camden”
VI. Discussion of Mission/Goals
a. Re-Draft Mission and Goals – Action Item: Wade Luther
VII. Closing Remarks

Minutes taken by WL

Next Meeting: Tuesday, September 15th, 2009; 1011 Galleria; 8:30 AM