Mattawan Business Association
Meeting Minutes
February 1, 2006
 
The meeting was held at the Mattawan Village Hall Council Chambers.
 
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Lori Anthony of Lori’s Web Design, Tom Brown of Mattawan Hardware, Jean Gregory of Gregory-Newell Insurance, John Jeannot of John Jeannot Financial Services, Dawn Kobreek of Rhino Refrigeration, Kristine Kounelis of Access First Federal Credit Union, and Mike Miner of Java Joint, Clinic
 
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Barry Cook of Pre-paid Legal Services (excused), Kayla Ranger-Dean of Mattawan Chiropractic (excused)
 
MEMBERS/GUESTS: Jennifer Scholtz & young daughter of Family Relocation, Gretchen Smith of ReMax Relators – Paw Paw, Bonnie Wright of ReMax Realtors – Paw Paw
 
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 12:08 PM by MBA President Lori Anthony.
 
AGENDA
MSC to approve the Agenda with additions to Old Business of line items 5. Lunch and 6. Festival.
 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MSC to approve the January 4, 2006, MBA Minutes.
 
TREASURER’S REPORT
Mike Miner submitted the Treasurer’s Report to President Anthony.
 
NEW BUSINESS
John Jeannot, MBA Council Liaison reported on the last Village Council Meeting that he attended (the 4th Monday of the month, so January 23). Unfortunately, Village Council President Terri McLean was absent. MBA went into “closed door” session (12:20-12:22 PM). Meeting resumed with updates from Jeannot from the Village Council Meeting. Ordinance 65 (Hawkers & Peddlers) will be reviewed by the Village Council as it is outdated and vague. Jeannot also gave an update to the past Paw Paw Chamber of Commerce meeting that he attended. He stated that Mattawan is indeed an “overlooked” business community. Jeannot stated that the Chamber, MBA, and other business organizations should be there to help people outside the area who venture here find out where to go and what to do, etc. He spoke about the “heartbeat” of a community. Mattawan 30+ years or so ago was an “ag community” but has grown and changed due to the school. Our bedroom community needs to turn into a business community. We need to grow the businesses in our community to make this area a thriving business community; after all, all these people based on the numerous homes and neighborhood developments that have sprouted up all around, need businesses and services. Jennifer Scholtz of Family Relocation intercepted that indeed if something does not grow then it dies. Mike Miner of Java Joint stated that Mattawan Consolidated Schools are Class A and support is needed for such a large base of families in the area. Tom Brown from Mattawan Hardware has been in business since 1982 and he said the general public unfortunately does not come to his store but that the small businesses here DO business with him which is appreciated. He wishes that the public would use his store. President Anthony reminded MBA members that is why the MBA exists and also that the MBA Marketing Committee was formed to help come up with ideas and plans of action to put Mattawan businesses in the eye of the public for using. Jeannot stated that he still hope that a Marketing Committee can be formed as he volunteered to Chair this Committee, but is having trouble finding enough help. Sherry from The Party Wagon is involved and is great. Another member has left though (Paula Steffey of Survive, Inc. as she said that this non-profit would probably be closing due to lack of support).
 
President Anthony announced that the Red Arrow Corridor Study had been down about two years ago or so and that the Red Arrow Country organization had been in the works for that long to determine how to publicize businesses along the Red Arrow corridor. The following communities are included: Coloma, Watervliet, Hartford, Lawrence, Paw Paw, and Mattawan. Anthony stated that she and Kristine Kounelis of Access First Federal Credit Union attended the last meeting of this group, and that Anthony is dong the Web site for them which will be www.redarrowcountry.org. It is hoped to mass market these six communities to the public and visitors for their businesses, events, activities, etc. to draw customers and businesses to the area. The key to Internet is LINKS – lots of links for LINK POPULARITY! The more links then the more chances that Search Engines will pick up. Billboards and brochures along Red Arrow Highway and other area highways’ rest stops are being discussed too for this group. The next meeting of the Red Arrow Country organization will be February 23 at 12:30 pm at the Comfort Inn in Paw Paw with lunch served so RSVP is expected. Anthony stated that MBA members will be linked to the Red
 
Arrow Country Web site through the MBA Web site. Events in our community will be listed on this site too. Hartford has already hung the signs for Red Arrow Country in their community along Red Arrow Highway. The Southwest Michigan
Tourist Bureau and the South Haven Visitors Convention Bureau each had representation at the last meeting and wants to link both their sites and the new site to each other. Again, as the more links one can get to their site, then the better chances for hits to the sites! It was also mentioned that the MBA or the Red Arrow Country groups could perhaps get notice of their Web sites on trucks (such as Ralph Moyle’s trucking for an advertising tax deduction possibility to make it a win-win situation).
 
Guests asked what is the correct method for speaking at the MBA meetings. President Anthony reminded everyone of Roberts Rules of Order for business meetings and stated that the MBA does go by an Agenda to keep some formality and official flow to the meetings; however, all members are free to speak, do motions, etc. at any time throughout the meeting. The MBA President cannot make motions or vote (unless as a tie-breaker).
 
MSC to change the MBA account from Kalamazoo County State Bank to Access First Federal Credit Union.
 
OLD BUSINESS
President Anthony asked MBA members about the MBA Web site and stated that currently every Mattawan business whether an MBA member or not is listed on the site. Some MBA members posted this question to the MBA Board and members: Should the Web site listing remain as is or be changed based on a business being posted as a benefit of belonging to the MBA? Mattawan needs exposure, so the more businesses listed, the better for our business community to try to draw in customers. Thus, all Mattawan businesses will be listed. However, to give value to an MBA membership then those businesses who are MBA members will have their business Web sites linked and will also be part of a new Web site page that is an MBA Members Directory. It was also decided that the HomePage would now start featuring MBA businesses on a rotating basis. Thus, MSC for the Mattawan Web site to feature MBA member businesses highlighted on a rotating monthly basis, all Mattawan area businesses listed on the site, and MBA member businesses receive Links and posting on a Directory Page.  John Jeannot of Jeannot Financial Services and Barry Cook of Prepaid Legal Services have posted their own “ads.” President Anthony also stated that MBA businesses will also be linked to the new Web site of the Red Arrow Country which is all the communities along Red Arrow that want to take this “corridor” of businesses and publicize them jointly. Red Arrow Country signs can be posted along Red Arrow to guide visitors along this corridor to businesses and events in the communities. In addition, the MBA Web site registration and hosting fee for the year was mentioned by President Anthony as an ongoing cost. MSC that the MBA would pay the yearly fee for the Mattawan Web site’s domain name registration and hosting. Anthony stated that the fee is about $75 annually.
 
Bonnie Wright of ReMax asked what the MBA membership fee is and President Anthony told her about the ½ off for new member businesses to join the MBA until March. So, for her the $80 fee would be only $40 now to join! Ms. Wright really liked the Web site Link feature for her business! She stated that a Link is very valuable in her business as 75% of buyers look on the Internet. Anthony informed the MBA that she had sent an article about the ½ of membership dues for the MBA to the Kalamazoo Gazette’s West Hometown issue. Also, the MBA survey has received some feedback and she asked others to take time to complete a survey so that the MBA would have more information to utilize for what the MBA offers member businesses as well as meting times, events, and such. Anthony also stated to Ms. Wright and other guests that MBA members receive free booth space at the Holiday Shopping Extravaganza as well, so the membership fee is easily returned in the form of the value of the Web site Link and the booth space with just these two items out of more that the MBA has to offer for member businesses. Tom Brown asked what traffic was like at the Extravaganza and MBA members who participated stated that the heaviest traffic was from 4-7 pm. The 7-8 pm timeslot was dead. He also asked how it was advertised. Anthony said that a press release went out to the Kalamazoo Gazette and the Courier-Leader, fliers were distributed to businesses and handed out by MBA members, the Mattawan Web site listed the event, and e-mail announcements were sent to those businesses that the MBA has addresses for.
 
In going back to the MBA Survey, responses and thus results are still pending. Again, Anthony encouraged everyone who has not yet responded to the survey to do so. So far, nine responses have come in from area businesses. Some responses indicated the following: Looking into providing group health insurance for small businesses, meeting times of early morning or evening meetings, more social hours or after-hours, and that Survive, Inc. may close its doors so they are not renewing their MBA membership, so we lose a business. An MBA Spring event was once again brought up about doing. MBA members will check out school events schedule and community Calendar of Events to see what is going on in the community around March and April such as Easter, spring break, Arbor Day, sports events, etc. to plan around those if the MBA is to have a Spring event. MBA members and other guest businesses also stated that they would like to have another MBA After-hours soon. And even that perhaps an evening planning meeting is in order if we want to do the Spring event. Jennifer Scholtz of Family Relocation offered to join a committee and to even host a meeting.
 
President Anthony asked about lunch being provided at the MBA Meetings and if we should continue it and if so how to plan for lunch quantities. It was informally decided that President Anthony would send out a meeting RSVP that would list what lunch was going to be so that MBA members would need to RSVP to President Anthony if they want the lunch before the meeting so that a headcount for lunch can be completed.
 
Jean Gregory asked if the t-shirts from the Mattawan Days Festival had been paid for yet as she ran into the business owner from the company that did them and thought that the bill had not been paid in full. President Anthony stated that it had and a copy of the check could be provided.
 
Some discussion ensued about the Mattawan Village Park project in regards to beautification. It was asked what happened to the daylilies that were ordered and the Eagle Scout’s project. No one knew whether the daylilies will be placed at the Park as intended. Perhaps the Village Council can address the Park beautification with the daylilies slated for the hillside. Also, discussion about the proposed millage. It was brought up again that the Village of Mattawan has tried to operate over the past 30+ years on 2.5% but that the other Villages operate on the lowest budget at 4.4% up to the highest at 14.4%. The last millage increase was in 1960. Does Paw Paw operate at 14.4%? Worry from businesses about the Mattawan Police Department were also discussed as businesses felt that it is VERY important to maintain the Mattawan Police Department as a positive value and benefit for our community, business, the school, etc. and would be detrimental for trying to get businesses to this community if Mattawan does not have a Police Department.
 
The next monthly MBA meeting is to be at FreightLiner. Dawn Kobreek of Rhino Refrigeration stated that she will not be able to attend next month’s meeting.
 
The next meeting is March 1, 2006.
 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None brought forward as all under OLD BUSINESS.
 
COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS/GUESTS
None as comments and discussion flowed freely throughout meeting from members and guests.
 
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 1:40 PM.