RF Helm Mtg –

Present: Michael Montgomery, Gil Kelly, Stephanie from Vision PDX (last name?), Rick Bastasch, Jeff Henderson, Alan Horton, Wisteria Loeffler, Ken McClarty

Date/Event Concept:

Gil – excited about RF plans, leveraging partnerships and community action, highlighting work and fun in Portland…here as RR visionary and portland’s public planner… here to help with CoP funding… understand overall budget is $250K, asking $50K out of general fund from RR partners etc… should be able to find some cashflow ahead of time… get bureau directors excited – Zari Santner at Parks, Dean Marriot at BES already looped in…originally thought RF would be ten day set of events from recreational to educational to entertainment… Portland’s chance to own it’s own kind of festival… more than triathlon, muddy boots, dragonboats… etc.. more than just a one weekend event, river focused field trips that week, educational stuff that city bureau’s do etc…

Group is open to 10 day concept if way to manage…and even if not full scale week could co-brand already existing events etc. – possibly thin the first year…but then room to grow and fill in in future years…

What is value added for smaller groups to get on board with ‘Riverfest’ brand…

… community understands that we are celebrating the River in a cohesive way…

… partners get value add of shared PR and promotions etc.

Idea of extending in to include Symphony on Thursday before labor day – through, Sunday of Dragonboat festival etc…

Get to incorporate Native community etc.,

Community events as Coop.

DECISION: 10 day event… means we are going to have to re-do the budget etc…add in a lot more for marketing budget etc.

Note: good to get leveraged budgets from community partners etc., make sure to highlight work with schools, eastside communities, kids etc.,

Event Elements and Planning Steps:

-Wisteria to send event plan & core meeting agenda to helm for feedback

-Jeff to share 10day event concept with core

-Ken to reach out to Symphony

-Wisteria to reach out to Amy re: educational partner meeting

-Wisteria to reach out to PR & Graphics/Web partner Garett Brennan

-Wisteria to set up Devo meeting end of January/February…

note:

-Stephanie willing to to help with some funding, connecting with community groups/managing RFP with community partners…graphic time from internal staff for initial fundraising docs…

-logo to be outsourced

-S. Waterfront boat regatta

-connect with Trimet for advertising partner and transporation partner…

-one of ten days is car free day in Portland!!!!

Budget Review/Fundraising:

-wl draft budget for one day event was $127K… Alan adds in amounts for Ken’s application to Bill Healy Foundation…

-thinking that moving up to 10 day festival will bring budget up to $250K level