Board of Directors
Meeting Minutes
Chesapeake Heritage and Visitor Center
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Board Members Present:
Bill Stoops, Chairman
Helen Bennett
Steve Donovan
Kate Gray
Don Gross
Jeremy Reynolds
Bill Tumulty
Ed Vitalos
Board Members Absent:
Andrew Hansen
Eric Hoffman
Vicki Paulas
Liaisons Present:
Commissioner Comfort
Linda Friday, QAC Chamber of Commerce
Michael Dugan, Chesapeake College
Bob Wilson, Mears Point
Tom Davis, Mears Point
Tom Rider, DLLR
Uma Thomas, USRC
Guests Present:
None
Staff Present:
Jean Fabi, Business and Economic Development Liaison
Debbie Birch, Tourism
Holly Tompkins, Planning & Zoning
Call to order and approval of the agenda and minutes
Chairman Stoops called the Executive Session to order at 8:30 am.
Approval of the minutes
A motion to approve the minutes from the November 19, 2014 meeting was made by Bill Tumulty,
seconded by Ed Vitalos and unanimously carried.
Finance Report
The balance in the account is $5754.92
Presentation
Mears Point Presentation
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Davis gave an overview of the Mears Point Project Concept Plan. The project will be
a partnership with Southern Management. There will be a total of 200 apartments spread between 4
buildings. Annie’s Restaurant and Red Eye’s Dock Bar will both be removed and a new waterfront
restaurant will be part of the plan
Department Reports
Jean Fabi reviewed the department report that was sent electronically to the EDC prior to the meeting.
Debbie Birch reported on the following Tourism activites:
 In December, QAC Tourism hosted the production team for the upcoming Fireball Run. The
team toured the county to evaluate potential locations for stops during the event.
 Staff will be attending the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg. For three days Debbie
will have the opportunity to promote hunting, fishing and shooting sports in QAC
 QAC Mobile App -- working on getting all tourism attractions, events, businesses on app.
Reports/ Roundtable Discussion
Delegate
Not present
County Commissioner
Commissioner Comfort reported on the following:
 The Commissioners are currently taking applications for the Economic Development Director
position. The person hired will be told to "focus like a laser" on bringing new businesses to the
county. The plan/timeline for filling the position is: the County Administrator will do the initial
screenings, from there a panel will pick the candidate. The selection panel will be made up of
Commissioners Comfort and Buckey, Bill Stoops, Gregg Todd and Dick Story, Howard County
Economic Development.
 Hotel tax- $480,000 hotel tax monies will be used to fund the Economic Development and
Tourism Departments. The money will be divided between the two departments. There will be a
bonus system set for the Economic Development Director along with their salary.
 Senator Hershey was elected as the Senate Minority Whip.
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SKI project: next step is engineering; staff is recommending Earth Data.
Infrastructure Funds/ Grants- The new Economic Development Director will be in charge of
disbursing funds. Applications will be brought to the EDC for their approval. The EDIF does not
want to handle/review these.
Commissioners Buckey and Comfort will be going up to meet with DBED to "unlock" the door to
Queen Anne's County. They want DBED to know that the Commissioners are "in favor of big
business coming here." Mindie Burgoyne has told the current Commissioners that "the door has
been closed in QAC and that no money was coming our way."
Commissioner Comfort is working to elevate QAC TV. The Commissioners are pushing to get it
added to the channel guide and listed in the high definition channels. Would like to see more
programming. Had great success in Charles County with their TV station. Linda Friday's son was
the station manager there.
Would like to look at Planning & Zoning to see what bottle necks there are to the process. Jean
Fabi added that she has been working on a guideline sheet for this.
Chamber of Commerce
Linda Friday reported the following:
 Chamber guides are out
 Was a sponsor of the bridal show at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club
 Attended the MD Association of Chambers
 Following legislation for schools opening after Labor Day
Business Queen Anne’s
Steve Donovan reported the following for BQA
 Following Wheatlands project
 Anne Arundel County has signed onto the Conowingo Coalition
KNDF
No report at this time- the KNDF will need to appoint a new liaison since Jody Schulz is no longer on the
EDC.
Chesapeake College
Mike Dugan reported the following:
 2.1% was cut from the state budget for Community Colleges
 The EDC will meet at Chesapeake College for a tour of the new building, more information will
follow.
Upper Shore Regional Council
Uma Thomas reported the following:
 The Youth Retention project has been completed for Kent, QAC, Caroline and Cecil Counties
DBED
No one present, no report at this time
DLLR
Tom Rider reported the following:
 JDNEG- Job Driven National Emergency Grant
Unfinished/Old Business/New Business
Strategic Plan
Goal is to present to the new Commissioners with the Kent Narrows Development Foundation. Bill
Stoops will coordinate with Dick Smith for when.
Jeremy Reynolds said he would help work on communication, getting the word out to residents about
the Strategic Plan/ Economic Development.
Planning & Zoning “Fast Track”
Jean Fabi will work with Bill Stoops, Kate Gray, Steve Donovan and Steve Cohoon to come up with a
"Fast Track" for the permit/planning & zoning process. Their recommendations will be made to the EDC
in March.
Public Comments
None at this time
Adjournment
A motion was made by Steve Donovan seconded by Bill Tumulty, to adjourn the meeting.
The next regular meeting will be on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 8:30 am at the Chesapeake
Heritage & Visitor Center.
Respectfully submitted,
Debbie Birch
Queen Anne's County Department of Tourism