6:00 PM – In-Person, DSA Conference Room

The meeting was called to order at approximately 6:00 PM on May 13, 2026. Roll call was conducted and the following Board Members were present:

Board Members Present: Natalia Kleyman, Kevin Sluka, Tania Althoff, Conlyn Chan, Allison Reilly Snyder, Theresa Bonner 

New board member sworn in: Lyndsey Rickards  

Professional Staff Present: Dana Kessel, Leah Horowitz

CHAIRPERSON REMARKS

Natalia Kleyman welcomed attendees and reflected on the continued momentum throughout Downtown Somerville following a highly successful Puppy Paw-looza event. She noted the strong community participation, increasing downtown visitation, and excitement surrounding the upcoming summer event season.

The board voted on a resolution to accept Lyndsey Rickards as a Trustee which was approved unanimously. 

APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES

A motion to approve the April 2026 meeting minutes was made, seconded, and approved.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Finance

• Dana Kessel reported that financial systems experienced a temporary synchronization issue related to bank integrations with QuickBooks, which delayed completion of monthly financial reporting. The issue has since been resolved and accounts successfully reconciled.
• Discussion also included ongoing sponsorship outreach efforts, revenue growth from spring event programming, and continued operational planning for the busy summer season.

Summer Internship Program

• Dana Kessel and Natalia Kleyman reported that final interviews for the DSA summer internship program had been completed. Two interns were selected and offered positions for the summer season.
• Intern responsibilities will include support for summer events, marketing initiatives, International Street Fair operations, and general downtown programming assistance.

b. Design/Infrastructure

Downtown Cleaning & Beautification

• Dana Kessel provided updates regarding implementation of the new downtown cleaning contract beginning June 1, 2026.
• Additional infrastructure and maintenance updates included continued coordination with the Borough and DPW regarding downtown sanitation, increased garbage collection efforts throughout the district, ongoing shopping cart mitigation efforts with ShopRite management, and improvements in public cleanliness and maintenance visibility.
• Board members acknowledged noticeable improvements in downtown appearance and cleanliness.

Main Street Transformation Grant Updates

• Dana Kessel reported continued progress on the Main Street Transformation Grant initiative, including installation planning for new downtown furniture and bike racks, additional grant opportunities currently under review, and continued long-term planning for Division Street improvements and infrastructure enhancements.

Parking & Streetscape Updates

• Kevin Sluka updated the Board regarding Borough discussions surrounding potential parking meter modernization, expanded mobile parking payment systems, and future installation of centralized pay stations downtown.
• Board discussion emphasized the importance of public education prior to implementation, maintaining pedestrian accessibility, and coordinating infrastructure work around major events.

c. Promotions

Social Media & Marketing Report

Leah Horowitz presented April social media and digital performance highlights. Key metrics included significant increases in Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok engagement, strong audience growth associated with Puppy Paw-looza promotions, increased visitor-generated content showcasing Downtown Somerville, and expanded reach through influencer and user-generated content. Additional highlights included over 50,000 Instagram accounts reached, more than 500,000 Facebook views, strong growth in TikTok visibility and engagement, and continued positive Placer.ai visitation trends downtown.

Board members discussed the widespread online visibility generated by Puppy Paw-looza and its effectiveness in introducing new visitors to Downtown Somerville. Theresa Bonner made a recommendation to make the day of event window decals identifying dog friendly businesses larger for visitors to see. It will be reviewed by the committee for next year’s event. 

Upcoming Events

Staff reviewed several upcoming programs and events, including:

• Candlelight Concert Series
• Girls Night Out: Hollywood Glitz & Glam
• Cruise Nights & Summer Stage programming
• Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride
• Tour of Somerville
• International Street Fair
• Pride Festival activities

Girls Night Out Update

Dana Kessel reported strong ticket sales for Girls Night Out, with more than 380 tickets sold at the time of the meeting and expectations to exceed 500 attendees. Discussion included event capacity planning, attraction logistics, wristband-controlled experiences, potential onsite ticket sales procedures, and the success of the Mother’s Day ticket bundle promotion.

International Street Fair Update

Staff reported exceptionally strong participation for the International Street Fair, including:

• 95 outside vendors
• 23 Downtown Somerville businesses
• 8 nonprofit organizations
• 9 international cultural performances
• Family entertainment and sponsor participation

Revenue generated from vendor fees had already exceeded $13,000, placing the event near break-even financially.

d. Economic Vitality

Dana Kessel provided updates regarding continued outreach to downtown businesses, assistance with event participation opportunities, and ribbon cutting coordination for upcoming business openings and reopenings. Upcoming ribbon cuttings discussed included Yoga Odyssey, Middlemist, and additional pending business openings throughout downtown. Board members also discussed strategies to improve business participation and engagement during DSA events and initiatives.

e. Director’s Report

Dana Kessel provided a broad overview of downtown activity and organizational initiatives. Highlights included strong downtown visitation throughout April, significant success of Puppy Paw-looza, continued sponsorship growth, ongoing beautification and maintenance efforts, and continued collaboration with Borough departments and local stakeholders.

Revenue Update

Dana Kessel reported:

• April revenue totaled approximately $11,692
• Year-to-date revenue totaled approximately $58,099
• An additional approximately $32,500 in anticipated sponsorships and pending revenue remains outstanding
• The organization is currently outperforming prior-year revenue totals significantly.

Marketing & Advertising

• Dana Kessel reviewed recent advertising efforts, including Roku commercial placements promoting Downtown Somerville’s dog-friendly initiative, strong YouTube commercial engagement metrics, and continued targeted digital advertising campaigns.

NEW BUSINESS

LGBTQ+ Friendly Community Initiative

• Board members discussed opportunities to further position Downtown Somerville as an LGBTQ+-friendly destination community. Topics discussed included expanding Pride-related visibility and promotion, community branding opportunities, potential tourism marketing initiatives, collaboration with Somerset County LGBTQ+ organizations, and coordination of future Pride-related scheduling and promotions. Board members expressed support for exploring future initiatives that further highlight Somerville’s inclusive and welcoming atmosphere.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

The meeting was opened for public comments. No public comments were made.

ACTION ITEMS

• Finalize implementation of new downtown cleaning services
• Continue Main Street grant application and infrastructure planning efforts
• Coordinate outreach regarding future parking modernization initiatives
• Continue promotion of Girls Night Out and summer programming
• Finalize International Street Fair vendor logistics and mapping

FINAL REMARKS AND ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at approximately 7:07 PM.

The next meeting is scheduled for June 8, 2026 at 6:00 PM.