June 2022 Meeting Minutes
Freeport Merchants Association
Meeting Minutes
June 9th, 2022
Present:
Chase Barfield
Ethan Barfield
Yolanda Ellis
Aaron Ellis
Bill Blanken
Lori Logue
Nanci Spears
Josh Spears
Sam Gipson
Amelia Beard
Karissa Thompson
Adrienne Reilly
Rebecca Ison
Mary Ambercrombie
Derek Hill
Next meeting: July 14th, 2022, 8:00am, Blount House
1. Announcements
• Current Membership Total: 89 Members
• Current account balance: $7848.52
• Expenses:
o P.O. Box, FB Ads, Event Expenses, Shirts, Website Hosting
Events Committee:
June – no social – instead we have Night Out for Freeport – all info on website – sponsorship etc.
https://thefma.online/events/2nd-annual-night-out-for-freeport
• Night Out For Freeport – 6/18/2022 4PM – 8PM
• 20 Vendor Booths so far, lots of silent auction items, Cert Emergency response to do security, Signarama donated the event Banner,7:30Pm for the Auction, Punch cards – to win Basket with FMA members donated items.
• Hosts for Upcoming Socials:
o July - Smart Green Clean
o August – Estelle Studio & Gallery
o September – Blanken Management
o October is Open
• New Members will be welcomed in July! Please attend Julys meeting to receive your New Member Packet and take some photos with new and current members.
• Please be sure to follow BOTH Facebook pages to stay in the loop and see what current members hate to offer. Mare sure you are on both – Member Page and Community Page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/660122681333148
https://www.facebook.com/FreeportMerchantAssociation
Membership Committee:
New Members:
• Abide Coffee, DR Horton, Hillary Pierson, Keller Williams, PC’s Italian Ice, Freeport Massage, Odd Pelican, The Rutile LTD, Freeport Flooring, Mitchell Land and Title
• Carissa Thompson – Massage therapist – Jennifer Laird has office upstairs that she is working from.
• Rebecca Ison – The Rutile LTD – Ecommerce Jewelry – no overhead savings past on to you.
Custom Jewelry design and creation. www.therutile.com
• Freeport Flooring – Derek and Clayton – building their location behind Taco bell – a current warehouse on Bay Grove road off 331. www.freeportflooring.us
• Mary Ambercrombie – Mitchell Land and Title – Shared office space with Studio Panache
Guest Speaker: Amelia Beard w/Moorhead Law
Offices in Santa Rosa Beach and Pensacola. Real estate Development and litigation, Closing commercial and Residential, Estate Planning.
Discussed the importance of Estate Planning. It’s not just at Death – there is so much to do before death. You want to care about how you are treated prior to death. Advanced Directives – very important documents that deal with incapacity – someone who can make decisions for you if you can’t. A living will – Power of attorney – Health Care. Make sure assets are title properly. It you want will and probate as most fall in this category. Some should have a trust. – A Trust has to do with the age of children and health, not wealth
General Topics:
Chase:
• Gov. DeSantis directed 3.2M to the Shoal River Ranch (Florida’s Gigasite). They are a 10,000-acre place in Okaloosa – starting as an industrial complex. Expands both sides of I-10 towards Crestview. https://www.florida-edc.org/okaloosa-county/available-properties/landing-pages/shoal-river-ranch-gigasite
o How do we get funding and promotion for our own industrial complex(s)
o We have everything the Gigasite is going to have – fiber optic, gas, etc. and an industrial park with open space.
• Big uptick in memberships due to the 2nd Night Out...
• Stopped FB ads for the moment because of uptick – there is such an influx of organic media due to the event. Will turn the ads back on after the event.
Open Discussion:
This Saturday at the VFW – retirement ceremony – commander got pulled away – I am senior vice commander – any flags that need to be retired – ceremonial burn – doing it this weekend.
Reach out to Bill