ThisWeek UA 3/23/2011
The March meeting of the Upper Arlington Community Improvement Corp. focused on branding and the connection between the business community and overall quality of life for residents.
Included on the March 17 agenda were two financial report issues, the monthly bank reconciliation and payment of an annual maintenance invoice to DynamIT for website hosting and services.
In other business, Matt Shad, deputy city manager for economic development, asked the board to consider placing an advertisement in the May issue of Columbus Monthly magazine, which will include a community spotlight focusing on Upper Arlington.
The advertisement commitment and copy is due April 1, before the next CIC meeting.
In accordance with state transparency laws, the board voted to allow the issue to be considered and acted upon, although it was not originally on the CIC meeting agenda.
The city is purchasing advertising in the insert and an additional 5,000 copies of it for use in community promotion, according to city manager Virginia Barney.
“Upper Arlington is featured about once every five years, so it has a long shelf life,” Barney said. “The city will have a letter and editorial copy in it which we use to market ourselves to new residents and businesses. Our (city) advertising will focus on those things that contribute to the general quality of life.”
Jeff Deleone, CIC board communications chair, asked if the advertising would work with the branding of the organization and said that this might be a chance to show that a healthy business community adds to the residents’ quality of life.
“If the communication committee can put together a good business message, then I make a motion that we give them the option to run an ad,” board member James Sisto said.
The board voted to approve the motion, which included a spending cap of $2,610.
“This could be a chance to change people’s perspective that this is just a residential community,” CIC president Chris Widing said.
Widing commented on the missed opportunity to bring Bob Evans Farms to the city when Tree of Life Christian Ministries purchased the old Time Warner/AOL building on Arlington Centre Drive.
The board committee reports included an update on the city fiber optic installation project, which is currently stalled, according to Shad.
“(The city and schools)are trying to find a plan that meets both our needs and can be financed,” Barney said.