MONTROSE -Historic Montrose Downtown held its general meeting yesterday and members were updated on the organization's recent move, and short-term and long-term fund-raising plans.
The group, whose goal is to promote the downtown business area, moved its headquarters in January from Cascade Avenue to 200 S. Townsend Avenue, Suite B.
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"They've remodeled and modernized it. We have a meeting room there that we can use. It's just a very nice place," she said.
The group also hired Wendy Jackson as its part-time secretary, although her hours may increase once an executive director is hired.
One of Jackson's main duties will be to orientate the new director with the office. That would hopefully allow the director, whose position will also be part-time, to focus on public relations, recruiting new members, and raising funds.
Another change for the group will be the decrease in funding it receives from the city.
The city provided much of HMD's funding from 2001 through 2003, and allocated $30,000 to the group in 2004.
This year funding from the city will shrink to $10,000, according to Rose.
She added that the change would not be a difficult adjustment for HMD since it only spent $10,000 from the city's allotment last year.
HMD's current recruitment efforts suggest that the organization will not suffer too much from the decrease in municipal money.
The group has already equaled the amount of money it raised from last year's membership dues, according to Price.
"It's looking good because we're only in February," she said. "I'm excited about that because we are a membership driven organization."
HMD hopes to build on that base with its spring and summer fund-raising efforts.
On April 15, the group will host its annual meeting in conjunction with "Moonlight and Roses," a party with wine, hors d'oeuvres and music. The location and ticket price for the event have yet to be set. It will also host a Cinco de Mayo dinner at Friendship Hall, Monte de Rosas on June 11, and sponsor an activity at every other Main-in Motion event, starting on June 2.
HMD spent a good deal of yesterday's general meeting discussing long-term sustainable fundraising.
Priscilla Fry presented the group with research about using a carousel as a funding tool for HMD.
She originally came up with the idea because her hometown of Mansfield, Ohio has a carousel that is run by a non-profit group. The group brings in $250,000 in annual net revenue for charging 25 cents a ride and renting the facility out for special occasions.
Fry has contacted vendors looking to sell old carousels and looked into building one from scratch. She has contacted carousel operators in Burlington and Des Moines, Iowa to determine how they run things.
If HMD built one from scratch, the animal figures on the carousel could reflect local species and the paintings on the interior hub could reproduce local scenery, she said.
But after painting the picture of what the carousel could be, Fry pointed out that finding a location for the carousel would have first priority.
"That's got to be the first thing," she said.
In addition to the prospect of stable funding, HMD members felt the project would fulfill the goal of drawing people to downtown.
According to Price, having a carousel would also jibe with the group's general purpose.
"To me it has that historic feel, and that's what we're about," said Price.
HMD will provide the city with an update on its plans at tonight's city council work session.
Contact Matt Hildner via e-mail at matth@montrosepress.com
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