Economic Development Task Force

Meeting: April 7, 2005, 1:00 pm

Judge Welsh Room

Present: Acting Assistant Town Manager/Grant Administrator Michelle Jarusiewicz, Paul DeRuyter, Candice Collins-Boden/Chamber of Commerce, Ellen Burbank/PMPM, Chris McCarthy/PAAM, Hunter O’Hanian/FAWC, Alix Ritchie/Banner, Dee Morehouse/CDC, Judy Cicero/Chamber, Steve Melamed/VSB, Tourism Director Pat Fitzpatrick, Meri Jenkins/MCC, Janna Schwartz/MCC

Meeting with the Massachusetts Cultural Council [MCC] staff regarding Provincetown’s Adams grant for “Provincetown Strategic Economic Cultural Plan.” Meri Jenkins and Janna Schwartz joined us to discuss the Adams Grant process and program. The MCC received 52 Letters of Intent, 32 final applications, and as a result funded 22 projects. They distributed the comments of our application for our information. No project received the maximum grant amount of $100,000; no project received a perfect score. If funds are available, and assuming that we make progress, Provincetown would be eligible to apply again next year for funding. They recommended that Provincetown should let people know what we are doing – including others in the field and legislative representatives. MCC’s role is to support and assist us, but not direct us. They are available as a resource and can attend future meetings if we would like them to. Early next year there may be a conference profiling all projects.

General discussion about status of project: the Acting Assistant Town Manager has made contact with potential facilitators and survey group and hopes to “procure” both a facilitator and survey organization in April.

General discussion about “vision:”

• Visitor Survey
• Business Survey
• Need key information
• Need key players
• Focus on 10 months [make strong] vs. 12 months [too much]
• Need enough people and activity to maintain balance
• Over time, what would success look like?
• Packaging, neutral broker – who? Funding?
• Build the Brand, not just events
• What is the “sun?” Museums, theaters, etc. are revolving planets, or, are they the sun?
• Need catalyst
• Now have top-notch facilities to back up reputation.
• Signage [“You are here” signs]
• Perception

Sample logo that the town must use on documents related to the MCC grant: