Lake Wales Main Street

Progress Report

August 8 – September 12, 2008

Main Street Management

• Manager researched date and locations for the Main Street Annual Meeting. The Lake Wales Woman’s Club will donate the hall for the evening. Reserved the afternoon of October 16 at the Woman’s Club. Executive Director Wojcik mailed a $150 deposit to the Club. Met with Jessica Bray to discuss Tres Jolie catering the event. Tres Jolie will provide catering and rentals at a 20% discount.
  

• Created an Annual Meeting Sponsor Brochure and sought sponsors at 16 local businesses:
  

oCitizen’s Bank is sponsoring the beer and wine

oProgress Energy sponsoring at $250

oLake Wales Medical Center sponsoring at $250

• Requested the city rename one block of Market Street to “Main Street.”
  

• Created and produced an 8 ft. Main Street Banner at Promotions Committee request.
  

• Created a new map for Brochures, Web and Kiosk. District directory will be added showing downtown businesses, historic buildings and murals
  

• Sorted through Main Street files at City Hall. Three of the boxes taken to Main Street office and filed.
  

• Found almost 3 years of Board Meeting Minutes and organized them into three-ring binders. Organized all past Minutes.
  

• As directed by the Board, Manager delivered $80 to Cliff Tonjes for polyurethane to restore downtown benches.
  

• Discussed obtaining Main Street’s 501(c)3 with Alex Wheeler.
  

• Programmed office and home computer to connect to Chamber server for Main Street file backup and working from home.
  

• Emailed membership, inviting them to submit nominations for the board. No replies received.
  

• Manager spoke to Dr. Gregory Hall at Warner Southern about the college developing a market study of Lake Wales. Also discussed possibility of students having performances or displays on Saturday mornings in the downtown marketplace.
  

• Drafted and mailed letter and invoices to members with dues anniversary date in October. 
  

Promotions

• Held Bike Fest on August 9
  

• Working on panorama of downtown streets
  

• Working on script for Main Street Presentation
  

• BikeFest Ads in August & September issues of the BellTower, Go for a Ride and Today & Tonight Magazines.
  

• Main Street ad as part of cooperative 2-page spread for Lake Wales in the Polk County Vacation Guide.
  

Web Site

Membership updated and put into categories alphabetically. Lake Wales News article added to “in the news” page.

Meetings

• Held Board of Directors meeting on Aug. 8
  

• Promotion Committee met at Main Street office August 13
  

• Organization / Nominating Committee met at Main Street office September 3
  

• Attended City Commission Meeting August 20
  

• Participated in Tourism Committee meeting August 26
  

• Attended City Commission Meeting September 2
  

• Attended City Commission Budget Meeting September 3
  

• Meetings attended to network and represent Main Street
  

oChamber Business After Hours at Lake Wales Hospital August 12

oChamber Business Education Breakfast August 15

oSet up booth at Warner Southern Vendor Day August 22

oChamber Business After Hours at Grove Center September 9

oMet with Tony Otte and Margaret Swanson on Streetscapes September 10

Downtown Survey

Manager continues to work on an in-person business survey and to input information gathered to a database. Park and Stuart are complete.