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WGBPA to hold meeting Nov. 8
Only six merchants have responded to new questionnaire
By Moryt Milo
In an effort to maintain momentum in the restructuring of the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association, executive board members have scheduled a Nov. 8 meeting at 7 p.m., at Washington Mutual, 1402 Lincoln Ave.
The main items slated for discussion are modifications to the bylaws, which include changing executive board elections from February to December and creating a better system of financial checks and balances.
The association will also present tallied merchant responses to a revised questionnaire, a preliminary version of which was distributed at an Oct. 4 general meeting.
San Jose's Office of Economic Development, which sent a letter dated Sept. 27 to the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association requesting copies of the association's minutes, bylaws and financial documents, met with the association's executive board on Oct. 18.
Economic Development Officer Chris Coggins said the main points of discussion were amending the bylaws and moving elections.
"The association wants to have more control of their money," Coggins said. "They want the treasurer to review the checking account before anyone enters into a contract. They want to establish executive-board approval before entering into any contracts, and they want to require two signatures on a check."
The association has fallen on hard times in the past couple of months, with the cancellation of Founder's Day, Willow Glen's annual street festival, the resignation of its association president, Karen Naegeli, and growing concerns from merchants about the association's direction.
The association manages Business Improvement District funds on behalf of the Office of Economic Development. Lincoln Avenue merchants pay fees to the city, which are then used by the association to sponsor programs and events.
The major issue members need to resolve is determining the association's future direction.
Mimi Braatz, owner of Mimi Braatz Advertising, who is helping Gary Garchar, owner of shopwillowglen.com, distribute revised questionnaires, said, "I think one of the things that could come out of the questionnaire is whether the association should continue [to take the lead] on Founder Day's and Dancing on the Avenue, or to find a way to split up the burden financially and physically."
The merchant questionnaire, which is online at www.shopwillowglen.com, now asks six revised multiple choice questions and includes a space for comments.
As of Oct. 25, only six merchants out of 300 association members had responded to the questionnaire, Braatz said. She is hoping that the merchants will visit the website and voice their opinion. Braatz also plans to hand out questionnaires to merchants on Lincoln Avenue. Hicklebee's co-owners, Valerie Lewis and Monica Homes, are helping Braatz canvass the avenue and hand out questionnaires to encourage a better response.
The questionnaire has been completely modified from the one distributed at the Oct.4 meeting by association vice president Chris Carris.
"Most of us who sit on the board think the questionnaire is too soft," Carris said of the revised version.
Braatz said she wants to have the questionnaire results available by the Nov. 8 meeting.
Along with the questionnaire results, Coggins said it would also be helpful to know at the Nov. 8 meeting if anyone is interested in running for the executive board, especially if elections are moved forward to take place in December.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
