August 2022 Meeting Minutes

Freeport Merchants Association
Meeting Minutes
August 18th, 2022

Present:
Chase Barfield
Ethan Barfield
Yolanda Ellis
Aaron Ellis
Bill Blanken
Lori Logue
Nanci Spears
Josh Spears
Sam Gipson
Marion Gipson
Rebecca Ison
Clayton Hicks

Next meeting: August 18th, 2022, 8:00am, Blount House

1. Announcements

• Current Membership Total: 91 Members

• Current account balance: $13,021.69

• Expenses:

o Membership works, Food for Meeting, Snyder app

Events Committee:

• Evening Social Updates:

o August Social was canceled – the host was out of town and all the back-to-school madness

o September: Bill and Odd Pelican – at Odd Pelican Brewery

o October: Freeport Flooring

o November and on is open

An Evening Social can be as elaborate or simple as you want, a presentation for your business.

Membership Committee:

New Members:

• The Savage Project

• Westbrook Insurance Agency

• Serve Pro

General Topics:

• Mayor Russ Date of the City Address:

o 10,636 people in Freeport

o Added 1898 new water and sewer customers

o Budget for 2021-22 = $22M

o American Bearings company – 100 years old from CA – Government Contractor

average 50 employees is coming to Freeport with 20 Employees – they will hire the rest. 65k-100K per year starting wage. Current clients are Navy, Airforce, and NASA

o Mayor went to Springfield for the National City of the Year Award

o They passed “The Safe Route” to build sidewalks from the elementary school to 331/20 – slated for 2023 construction.

o Marquis Way Expansion – 3.1M acquired budget for the expansion

o And approved 1M for sewer installation down 331 corridor

• HWY 331 and 20 Corridor Overlay District:

o We are in data gathering mode

o The county had an informal meeting back in May

o They previously wanted to make every business do Monument Signs – we petitioned and got it shut down.

o Seems as though this is another “Scenic Initiative” to try to dictate what businesses can be on 331

o Will talk to Latilda and Meghan Harrison to find out more about what is going on

o Our concerns around this are that they are fast-tracking the approval of certain businesses to be on 331 and 20 and blocking other businesses. It seems as though they want more housing but to funnel the business and entertainment to the beach.

o There are 2 more meetings – 1 for those affected on 331 and 1 for those affected on 20

o We as a membership – the board and officers are here to serve you – We will go and fight according to the majority of people and commonly for the rights and freedoms of the merchants.

o Historically they have tried to incorporate Freeport to look and feel like Santa Rosa Beach

o Our biggest concern is them trying to dictate rules outside of the city to be applicable to businesses inside the city.

o 331 is a state road. The county does not have the right to dictate inside city limits.

o Freeport does not have much in the area of entertainment – part of the meeting they said they do not want to allow fun type entertainment businesses in Freeport. No Family Fun place – they want them to be prohibited.

Open Discussion:

• Magnolia Tribe Chiropractic:

o Ribbon Cutting in September – they moved to 227 Bay Grove Blvd. (near Signarama)