Category: Business

Heritage destination location: Pottstown

The Borough of Pottstown recently received a $2,000 Trail Towns and Tours Grant from the Schuylkill River Heritage Area (SRHA). Pottstown resident and biking and greenway advocate, Tom Carroll, and I have been retained by the Borough to implement this grant, and this blog post is meant to kick off that process and give some details about how it will work. Along the way, we’ll keep the community informed via this blog. For a good summary of the purpose of the grants, see Evan Brandt’s article from January 29th here.

The Trail Towns and Tours Grant is to be used to create a 30-page Heritage Action Plan (HAP) by the end of April 2011. It’s a deliberately short time frame in order to get results and for the SRHA to meet the William Penn Foundation’s time limits for spending the funds.

The overall intent of creating the HAP and going through a planning and consensus-building process (however quick) is to identify and leverage existing cultural resources, market Pottstown as a heritage destination, and get Schuylkill River Trail users (and other visitors) into the downtown to spur economic activity. Just as important will be the chance to develop and formalize solid working partnerships among individuals, organizations and businesses committed to promoting downtown Pottstown. This is what we’ve all been talking about for quite a while, and this grant gives the community a chance to try it out – working together and presenting a new image to potential visitors, outside governmental agencies and funders, as well as residents themselves.

It should be noted that heritage tourism IS economic development, but that it should be considered just one prong of a multi-pronged economic development strategy for Pottstown. There is still plenty of room to develop and promote Pottstown as an arts community, or one that values and hosts sustainable technology companies, or whatever other approach comes out of other visioning/planning efforts.

So, what is a heritage or cultural resource? I’ll just give a few examples: the River and its trail; historical architecture, markers & walking tours in the downtown; arts organizations; restaurants, including “heritage eateries,” such as The Very Best and the diner; the Historical Society; The Hill School; Pottsgrove Manor; Riverfront & Memorial Parks; a completed Carousel & mini-golf, etc. Visitors want an authentic experience when they decide on a destination and how to spend their money. Pottstown has loads to offer and the point of this grant is to identify and package it all in a way that will appeal to these visitors.

Another key part of this planning process will be looking at what needs to be done to make it very easy for people biking or hiking on the Trail to know what’s available in town and then actually direct them off the trail and safely to High Street. This whole approach is based on the idea of making the Pottstown Business Loop – a stretch of High Street – an official part of the River Trail, since it’s unlikely a right-of-way along the river will be available from Norfolk Southern anytime soon.

We’ll be helped along in this process by using what’s known as the Heritage Towns and Tours Toolkit, provided by the SRHA and created by their consultants, Peter Johnston & Associates of Easton, MD. From a planning perspective, this Toolkit is just amazing, allowing communities (& consultants, I might add) to dive in where they might otherwise be totally intimidated. The Toolkit lays out a step-by-step process to create a HAP with the rationale, forms and examples that make it seem do-able. Even better is that the SRHA grant comes with $5,000 worth of consulting services from Peter Johnston & Associates. They will be in Pottstown at least once for a 3-4 hour workshop to help us work our way through the Toolkit. We’ll also have support from the SRHA staff, who are right around the corner at 140 College Drive.

Basically, we will go through the following 5 steps:

1. Organize & Plan – What do we want for our community as a heritage destination? Form Useful Partnerships; Create a Vision & Goals, and Define Partner Expectations.

2. Identify & Assess – What do we have to offer as a heritage destination? Identify Heritage Resources; Assess Heritage Resources; and Bring People and Ideas Together.

3. Market & Improve – What do we need to market our community and what has already been done? Create an Image; Market Your Community; Improve Effectiveness.

4. Protect & Manage – How do we get there? Build Public Support, Look at Ordinances & Other Regulations, Make Any Recommendations That Will Help Protect Resources.

5. Prepare & Implement – How to complete the Heritage Action Plan?
Define Projects and Activities, Assign Costs, Manage Resources Over Long-Term

By the end of this process, Pottstown will have:
• A List of Partners and Stakeholders
• A Vision, Goals, and Objectives
• A Summary of Stakeholders and Assigned Jobs, Tasks, and Other Duties for Partners
• An Inventory of Heritage Resources, which have been Evaluated and Assessed for the Heritage Program
• A Marketing Plan Summary including an Image/Brand
• A Listing of Current Government Protections for Heritage Preservation and Tourism
• A Summary of Needed Policy and Regulatory Protections for Heritage Resources
• A Project List, Description of Projects, and Budgets
• A Final List of Recommendations or Strategic Actions including projects; and
• An Organizational Structure for the Long-Term Management and Oversight of the Heritage Program

The HAP will then be used to make another application to the SRHA for $25,000 in implementation funding to carry out the top priorities in the Plan. Those activities must be completed by May 2012.

The next step for Tom and me is to get in touch with folks from an initial list of local “Partners,” inviting them to participate in the process and start filling out a Partnership Form from the Toolkit. Please give me a day or so to get that email out. We invite others who want to participate to get in touch with us at PtownHAP@gmail.com.

Obviously, I think there’s a lot of potential here to get some solid forward movement on the economic development front. I appreciate the Borough giving Tom and me the chance to work on the project and rally the community around common goals – an improved local economy, stronger partnerships and more positive exposure and marketing of all that Pottstown has to offer.

WPAZ –Community Radio for Pottstown

Before I tell you all about WPAZ and their really cool vision for what community radio is going to be in Pottstown, I have to make a confession:  I am a total radio geek. I love radio.  Don’t ever ask me who is on Dancing with the Stars or American Idol because I actually have no idea when or where to find those shows.  But, if you want to know what’s on NPR at 2pm weekdays or who the guests are this week on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me, well, you’ve come to the right person.

Ross Landy, Station Manager of WPAZ

So, when I got the chance to visit the WPAZ studios last week and see what’s going on, I was pretty excited.  Actually, everyone in Pottstown should be pretty excited about what the new WPAZ radio (1370 on you AM radio dial) is doing here in town.

Station Manager, Ross Landy, who worked hard and long with General Manager, Rick Rodgers, to get WPAZ back on the air as a local station, is absolutely passionate about what radio can do for Pottstown.  “We are Pottstown people,” he says. And the station is going to be about local issues, organizations, businesses, musicians.  It has the power to raise awareness and cover topics with a local focus and be entertaining at the same time.

Station Manager Ross Landy and morning DJ Brian James

While I am not old enough to have sat around the radio at night instead of the television, I do have a real appreciation for radio shows.  I remember fondly listening to Rock and Roll Roots, an old WMMR show that was hosted by Earle Bailey.  It kept me company for many Saturday mornings when I had to be at work.

For me, good radio is conversation. It’s not about someone pushing the shuffle button on an enormous playlist and then jumping in every now and then with a commercial break.  It’s the idea that the person playing the music has something to share with the audience.  WPAZ gets it.

WPAZ is offering plenty of good radio and tons of conversation.  I took some time during this, their inaugural week, to listen to the station and you should, too.  It’s not like a regular broadcast station where you know exactly what you are in for when you choose country music or Top 40 or even Oldies.  Instead, you will be part of a conversation which might include music or talk or a little bit of both.

Here’s a look at some of what’s lined up at WPAZ so far:

6-9 AM           The morning show with Randi Ellis and Betsy Chapman

9-Noon            Brian James –an eclectic mix of music with a little extra

1-3 PM             Ken’s Koffee Shop-music and call in conversation

You can also tune in Wednesday nights for Notes from Home with Mike Holliday, a live music show featuring local musicians. And, look for much more in the future.  The Hip Places to be Scene in Pottstown girls, Janet Flack and Gina Stango will have a show soon.

Landy and his crew of radio aficionados have big plans to make WPAZ both a voice for the community and part of its ongoing revitalization. You can look forward to live appearances in the spring at events and a real presence on the local music scene.  The station is broadcasting 24/7 right now and will offer live internet streaming in the near future.

So, even if you aren’t a self-professed radio geek like me, it’s worth tuning in to see what’s happening over at WPAZ.

WPAZ Radio   1370 AM

www.wpazradio.com

find them on facebook:  www.facebook.com/wpazradio

Call the station at 610-326-4000

WPAZ is back!

Pottstown’s got its radio station back. After going silent more than a year ago, WPAZ at 1370 AM returned to the airwaves yesterday afternoon. Check out The Mercury’s coverage here.

After months of hard work and negotiations, the nonprofit WPAZ Preservation Association changed its name to Community Broadcasting Group and recently purchased the station from Four Rivers Broadcasting.

General Manager Rick Rodgers and Station Manager Ross Landy have planned a line-up of old and new shows and increased local sports coverage within a 24/7 interactive format. The tentative official “opening” will be January 8th; keep an ear out then for new and returning personalities and shows. In the meantime, they’ll be running music and promos.

The station’s website is wpazradio.com. And you can find them on Facebook here.

Congratulations to Rick, Ross and everyone involved – looking forward to the programming!

SCORE scholarship deadline: Dec. 28

There’s still time to fill out the quick-and-easy application form to be considered for a scholarship to the upcoming Small Business Workshop Series taught by the local chapter of SCORE.

SCORE is run by volunteers who have had successful careers in business; they pass their experience and knowledge on to entrepreneurs in workshops and through individual counseling sessions. Positively!Pottstown is offering two scholarships to Pottstown-based businesses for the next series, which begins on Jan. 10th at the Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce at 152 E. High Street. The 4-workshops and business plan manual offered by SCORE have a $100 value.

For more info, click here.

The application can be downloaded below.

SCORE Scholarship Application (pdf)

SCORE Scholarship Application (Word doc)

You can either email it to positivelypottstown@gmail.com by midnight tomorrow, Dec. 28 or get it in the mail so that it’s postmarked by Dec. 28th. Mail it to Positively Pottstown Blog, P.O. Box 1509, Pottstown, PA 19464.

(I was originally going to announce the winners on the blog, but in the interest of discretion, winners will only be announced if they specifically agree!)

Last minute shopping on High Street

Last week I made a mad dash to The Gallery to do some holiday shopping and was once again astonished at the totally cool, handmade jewelry and fused glass that they offer at really reasonable prices. They had these cute magnets – perfect stocking stuffers – for just $5!

I got a couple of glass items and a pair of earrings with prices ranging from $15-$30. They were also offering some Christmas-themed glass (shown below) in the same price range.
 

This week you might get an even better deal. Today through Friday, 12/24 the Gallery is offering 25-40% off a wide selection of items. No coupons needed, just stop and shop. They have gift certificates valid for any item or for one of their many classes, so you can give the gift of art this Christmas!


The Gallery‘s hours are: Tuesday-Thursday 10am-4:30pm and Friday 10am-2pm. They are closed 12/25. They are located at 254 High Street. Phone number is 610-326-2506.

And if you need to add that special, finishing touch to your Christmas table or are looking for a lovely plant as a hostess gift, stop by the Pottstown Florist at 300 E. High Street in the Farmers’ Market building at High and Charlotte Streets. Or check out their website – www.pottstownflorist.com – and give a call to place your order (610- 323-0101).

Joint School Board & Borough Council Meeting this Monday

This Monday, Dec. 20th, there will be a joint School Board & Borough Council Meeting at 7:30pm at the Pottstown Middle School in the 2nd floor LGI room.

The agenda will include an update to the community on the PAID partnership, a presentation about a Community Land Trust for Pottstown, and tax assessments. I will be part of the group that is doing the Community Land Trust presentation.

A community land trust (CLT) is a nonprofit model that offers flexibility for engaging in housing, neighborhood stabilization and economic development activities that are appropriate for a particular area. A few notable features of CLTs are:

  • setting & implementing goals with community input
  • having CLT homeowners & other community reps. on its board
  • undertaking an active acquisition program
  • selling buildings at affordable prices while the CLT retains ownership of the land beneath the buildings
  • being stewards of the land and neighborhoods
  • increasing homeownership
  • preventing foreclosures

While most CLTs have as their main goal the creation of permanently affordable, owner-occupied housing in places where housing prices are high or escalating, a CLT for Pottstown would undertake a broader range of activities such as community gardens and economic development initiatives to help bring back market-rate activity.

With input from the community,  a CLT for Pottstown would undertake activities in a targeted way to slow the negative fiscal spiral and coax the market back. Many aspects of this approach have been recommended in study after study.

I’m certainly looking forward to carrying on this conversation & to hear questions and observations from the larger community about how this could work. Hope you can make it Monday night!

Added after original post:

Here’s a link to the Pottstown CLT website.

It’s at www.PottstownCLT.wordpress.com.

It’s a work-in-progress. A PowerPoint presentation will be posted there after the Monday meeting.

 

High Street or bust!

I’m hitting the road now to head to Pottstown, where I will do some window-gazing and actual shopping. 🙂

Thanks for all the replies regarding the Happy Hour. We’ve got at least 28 revelers, who will be hanging at The Brickhouse tonight from 5-7 pm. If you’re inclined to get out of the cold before heading home, no need to RSVP at this point, just show up!

For the many folks who can’t make it, I look forward to seeing you at the next event: Friday, January 28th, location TBD. In the meantime, enjoy the holidays, be safe, and I hope 2011 is good to you and your loved ones!

SCORE Scholarships

I’ve now added a tab at the top of the blog for folks to easily find the info and application for two SCORE scholarships – each valued at $100 – for the January Small Business Workshop Series. The scholarships are for anyone running a Pottstown-based business who would like to learn, or brush up on, solid skills needed to succeed.

I have also been contacted by a donor who has offered $100 toward another scholarship. Depending on how many applications we get, we may use it now or use it for the next workshop series in April/May. It would be great if we can get a couple different donors for each series and keep this going to support local business.

SCORE Scholarships Available

POSITIVELY!POTTSTOWN
SCORE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
January 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2011

Positively!Pottstown, a community blog dedicated to promoting Pottstown, is offering two $100 scholarships for an upcoming Small Business Workshop Series taught by members of Pottstown SCORE. Positively Pottstown scholarships are available to anyone who is already running a business in Pottstown or who is planning to open a business in Pottstown.

SCORE is the Service Corps of Retired Executives, a nonprofit association sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Association. Course instructors are experienced practitioners who teach practical, real-life skills and strategies for those interested in starting a business or learning how to run their business better. By attending a SCORE workshop, entrepreneurs will also be introduced to a network of supportive professionals who want to see you succeed.

The next workshop series will be held on January 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2011. Registration begins at 6:45 pm for all workshops, which then run from 7-9:30 pm. The course includes a manual on preparing a business plan.

January 10 – Sources of Information, and the Tax and Legal Implications of the Different Legal Structures
January 17 – The Business Plan and The Business Loan
January 24 – Sources of Market Information and Marketing
January 31 – It’s All About Profit

For more detail, visit SCORE’s website at http://www.pottstownscore.org. Please note: The January workshops will be held at the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce Conference Center, 152 E. High Street, Suite 360, Pottstown, PA 19464.

To be considered for a scholarship, please cut-and-paste and fill out the application below in Word or an email. On a separate page, write a few paragraphs about your current business or your business plans; include some information about your past business/work experience. You do not need to submit a résumé.

Please mail or e-mail the application and your written statement by December 28, 2010 (e-mail & postmark deadline) to one of the addresses below. Winners will be contacted and announced here on January 3, 2011. Visit www. PositivelyPtown.com. Questions? Call 609-658-9043.

Sue Repko
c/o Positively Pottstown Blog
P.O. Box 1509
Pottstown, PA 19464
OR
positivelypottstown@gmail.com

POSITIVELY!POTTSTOWN
a community blog at http://www.PositivelyPtown.com

 

 

POSITIVELY!POTTSTOWN

SCORE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

January 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2011

Positively!Pottstown $100 scholarships for SCORE workshops are available to anyone who is running a business in Pottstown or planning to open a business in Pottstown.

Please type or print clearly:

Name:___________________________       Phone:_____________________

Address:__________________________       Mobile: ____________________

City:_____________________________       E-mail: _____________________

State: ________________ Zip:________        Website: ____________________

Business Name:____________________     Phone:______________________

Address:__________________________       Mobile: _____________________

City:_____________________________       E-mail: _____________________

State: ________________ Zip:_______           Website: ____________________

The following information must accompany the application:

□ Write 2-3 paragraphs about your current business or your business plans; include some

information about your past business/work experience. You do NOT need to submit a

résumé.

□ Is your business or proposed business located in the Borough of Pottstown?

Circle one: Yes   No

□ Would you be willing to be quoted in future press releases about SCORE workshops or the

Positively!Pottstown scholarship? Please note: This is NOT required to receive the

scholarship. Circle one: Yes   No

□ I certify that the information provided in this application is true & complete.

Signature________________________  Date ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________

Send to:

Positively Pottstown Blog

P.O. Box 1509

Pottstown, PA 19464

Or

PositivelyPottstown@gmail.com

Must be postmarked or received via e-mail by: December 28, 2010

(Scholarships are non-transferable. Recipients will receive a certificate good for the

January 2011 Small Business Workshop Series, including manual.)

 

Economic & community development… To-do list

I feel like I’ve been neglecting this blog. On the other hand, because of this blog, the seeds of a whole bunch of ideas and activities were planted and now they need some cultivation & tending… which is happening out in the real world, not online. So, here’s my list of things to do ASAP. I will put up related posts as quickly as I can. Maybe by posting this & being held accountable to you, my readers, I can check some of these things off the list!

1) Announce SCORE scholarships! Two $100 scholarships for Pottstown-based business owners to attend the January workshops to be held at the Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce. (Positively!Pottstown now has a Pottstown P.O. Box — 1509. I’m still trying to convince myself that that’s a lucky number…)

2) Highlight all the awesome things happening this weekend in P-town.

3) Finish my part of a grant app. to get visitors off the River trail and into the downtown. Marketing the arts, historic, recreational & culinary resources — yeah!!

4) Make edits to Community Land Trust powerpoint & get back out to working group.

5) Send out eVite for Happy Hour! This has been posted here (see right sidebar) for several weeks but I forgot to send out the eVite!! (Happy Hour is this Wed., Dec. 15, 5-7 pm at The Brickhouse. Take time out from the insanity of the holidays to hang out! Nothing fancy, just a good, old-fashioned Happy Hour. Reduced prices on drinks & appetizers. (Happy Hour certificate donated by Katy Jackson – thanks, Katy!) I have some petty cash from the last Happy Hour, so get there early to take advantage of some free appetizers until the $$ runs out!

6) Housing data analysis… totally unrealistic to think I’m going to get to this today… but it goes on the list!

Is this insane? I don’t know. I learned to multi-task while waitressing, scooping ice cream and washing dishes at The Cup at the corner of Charlotte & Wilson way, way back in the day. You had to do everything… always with a smile. 🙂 (I would love to see that place open again.)

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