May 23, 2019

Main Street Complete Streets Construction Project

This project is currently in design and plans can be found at HQ at 119 W. Main. The design engineers and the City's engineering staff had been hard at work on the storm drain improvements part of the design. Additionally the traffic engineering department and the design engineer have been working on the design for the off-site signage project and wayfinding signage. Would you like to learn more about our efforts to revitalize the downtown area please visit the Complete Streets Headquarters at 1119 W. Main.

Dear Downtown Business Owner,

The Main Street Complete Streets construction project will be here before you know it! Don't let it sneak up on you. Are you ready? Are you in the strongest position possible to weather the impact? Have you begun your mitigation efforts? Don't wait to create positive changes, many of our downtown merchants are experiencing an increase in revenues now as a result. The City, the MainStreet program, and other resource partners want to walk along side you, see you come out the other side better for it, and help you celebrate your success.

- Sincerely, the MainStreet program, the project team, and BRP resources partners.

2019 Construction Season Update:

Water line installation continues along San Juan Boulevard from Scott to American. Construction is estimated to complete in September 2019.
Concrete replacement repairs and asphalt patching continues in the alleyways.
Please be advised a major street maintenance project will begin Tuesday, May 21, 2019 through Friday, October 25, 2019. Mill & Inlay will be completed on several streets throughout the City, including Broadway and Arrington. Click here for map.

Should you have any questions regarding this project, road closures, or street restrictions, please do not hesitate to call Public Works Dept at 505-599-1308 or visit http://www.fmtn.org/633/Projects-and-Construction for all the latest on road projects.

Public Safety in the Downtown Corridor:

Downtown Farmington to see an increased uniform presence from FPD

Downtown merchants will be seeing more of the Farmington Police Department beginning in July. The department is hiring six new park rangers, two of which will be dedicated to patrolling the downtown coordinator Sunday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This is in addition to FPD’s District Coordinator Unit bike officers who patrol the area along with their regularly assigned duties. The new ranger program will provide an increased uniform presence for downtown businesses and patrons.

The Farmington Police Department would like to remind merchants to report suspicious and criminal activity as this helps the department adjust their patrols appropriately. Emergencies should be reported by calling 911 and non-emergency situations should be reported by calling dispatch at 334-6622.

Our department recognizes one of the concerns in the downtown area is aggressive solicitation, often referred to as aggressive panhandling. While panhandling (asking another person for money) isn’t criminal, aggressive solicitation is a criminal offense under Farmington Municipal Code.

Aggressive solicitation includes the following:

Blocking or impeding the passage of the solicitee intentionally.
Touching the solicitee with the intent to intimidate or coerce.
Following the solicitee, going behind, ahead or alongside of him or her, with the intent to intimidate coerce or threatening the solicitee, by word or gesture, with physical harm.
Abusing the solicitee with words which are offensive and inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.
Coming closer than three feet to the person solicited unless and until the person solicited indicates that he or she wishes to make a donation.
Engaging in solicitation activity in any of the following prohibited places specified: Bus stops, public transportation vehicles or facilities, a vehicle on public streets or alleyways, public parking lots or structures, outdoor dining areas of restaurants or other dining establishments serving food for immediate consumption, within 50 feet of an automated teller machine or a queue of five or more persons waiting to gain admission to a place or vehicle, or waiting to purchase an item or admission ticket.

The Farmington Police Department would like to emphasize the importance of reporting aggressive solicitation and other crimes. Making an official police report allows the department to track occurrences and adjust services accordingly.

Working together helps make our community a safe place to live, work and play!

Weekly Happenings:

Wednesdays: Jazz Jam has returned to the pocket park behind Studio 116 from 7pm-9pm. FREE!
Thursdays: Maker's Market begins June 6th, 4:30pm to dusk. The Maker's Market features handmade, homemade, or homegrown items. Also features live music and is voted a JOLT-WORTHY EVENT! You can download the vendor contract from www.fmtn.org/downtown, click on the events tab and then the makers market. Drop it in the mail or bring it by 119 W. Main, Farmington 87401. It’s $8 to set up or if you want you can buy a 5 market pass for $25 so it’s $5 a day.
Fridays: TGIF begin's June 7th at 11am-1pm and will be held at the Civic Center's front outdoor plaza this season. Dickey's BBQ and The Chile Pod will provide food on alternating Friday's. Live music by Jose Villarreal on June 7th.
Saturdays: Saturday Dances at Bonnie Dallas Activity Center from 7pm to 10pm. Shine your dancing shoes and come on over.

Upcoming 2019 Events:

Summer Downtown Stroll & Artwalk: Downtown, Friday, June 14th, 2019 from 5pm to 9pm. Contact Tara at Artifacts Gallery and Karen at Studio 116 to sign up to host and how to be involved. For more info: http://www.fmtn.org/823/Downtown-Art-Walks
LGBT Pride Parade - Downtown, Saturday, June 15th, 2019 from 10am to Noon. This is a short road closure, traffic control will be removed immediately following parade.
Electric Light Parade: Downtown, Thursday, July 4th, 2019 at 9am. Road Closure is usually in place 1.5 hours prior to parade.
4 Corners Rod Run: Downtown, Saturday, July 20th, 2019 from 5pm-10pm. Click here for more information: http://www.fmtn.org/496/Rod-Run
Connie Mack Parade: from Downtown to Ricketts Park, Thursday, July 25th at 10am. Road Closure is usually in place 1.5 hours prior to parade.
San Juan County Fair Parade: Downtown, Friday August 9th at 6pm. Road Closure is usually in place 1.5 hours prior to parade.
Downtown Off Road Takeover: Downtown, Friday, September 6th from 5pm-10pm. 4x4 Off Road vehicle descend on the Downtown for food and fun and flex ramps. For more information.
NEW - Four Corners Film Festival: Downtown, September 10th-15th. This is a five day festival centering around the Civic Center and Downtown areas. On Saturday evening the 14th, there will be a Block Party on Main Street which requires a small road closure. Click here for more information.

Pick up your copy of the Merchant's Guide to Downtown Events from Michael at HQ at 119 W. Main. This a great resource for merchants, it has plenty of ideas on how to make the most of downtown events. Included in this guide are the upcoming 2019 event dates.

For other activities around town, find a full Gateway events guide here: https://issuu.com/fmtn2/docs/gateways-summer-2019/56

Do you have an event you want to tell the 4 Corners about?

Submit your event to our Convention & Visitor Bureau calendar:
https://farmingtonnm.org/events/submit-an-event

Did you know? Memberships to the FCVB start at $50/year. This is a great way to get your business listed on one of the top performing websites in our community.

2019 Vacation Guides are out! Pick up a free copy at HQ or order a box through the FCVB, 1-800-448-1240.

Want to know the benefits of being a member of the Chamber of Commerce?

100 W. Broadway | 505-325-0279 | chamber@gofarmington.com | www.gofarmington.com

Small Business Resources:

We have been busy promoting our downtown businesses and events through our Instagram or Facebook Page; Downtown Farmington: A MainStreet project. Please like and follow our page for cross promotion opportunities and to add your event to our calendar. You can also tag us or invite us to your event to bring it to our attention. Don't forget to submit events to the Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau as well for a larger audience. Additionally, remember to help out your neighboring businesses by leaving a 5 star review on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and other social media outlets. We are beginning to see out of town and international visitors to the downtown area. Are you ready? Need ideas? See Michael for more information.

Business Resiliency Project (BRP):

Registration will be through our Facebook page or Eventbrite link and all classes are FREE. Registration is highly recommended for a headcount.

*All classes are held at HQ at 119 W. Main at 8AM on dates listed below unless otherwise noted. Mark your calendars!

June 17, 2019 - (NEW) The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness as presented by the Farmington Library
July 22, 2019 - Market Research Basics presented by SBDC and the Library
August 19, 2019 - Business Credit presented by Wells Fargo

The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness, is based on the book by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval. This uplifting and motivational class discusses why it pays to be nice in business.

Other upcoming topics may include Marketing Plans and Business Plans. If you have a specific need for a training in an area not listed here, please contact us.

New Mexico MainStreet Program:

Downtown Farmington: A MainStreet Project is part of the New Mexico MainStreet Program (NMMS). New Mexico MainStreet works throughout the state and partners with designated organizations to create a strong economic business climate while preserving cultural and historic resources. https://www.nmmainstreet.org/

The NMMS uses a Four Point Approach® to implement the goals and support the vision to transform downtown districts. These four areas are Organization, Design, Promotion, and Economic Vitality.

Do you have an idea for economic growth that qualifies to be a recipient of this program? Find out by contacting Michael Bulloch, NMMS Director, at 505-599-8442.

Arts and Cultural District:

Want to get involved? You do not need to be a committee member to be involved or to attend the meetings. Contact the Executive Director, Michael Bulloch at 505-599-8442.

FY2020 Budget Presentation

City Manager Rob Mayes provided the FY2020 budget presentation during the May 14th City Council meeting. The presentation is available online at http://bit.ly/FY2020COF.

The City of Farmington live streams and records City Council meetings for those who are not able to attend public meetings. To view meetings, visit fmtn.org and click on the COF LIVE link.

Stakeholder meetings:

Next meeting will be June 10, 2019 at 10am.* Bring your questions and concerns about the Complete Streets construction project.

Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency meetings:

NEW DATE: Tuesday, June 11th, 2019 at 4pm.*
Tuesday, July 16th, 2019 at 4pm.*

Now that there is an updated MRA plan, the board is prioritizing the projects identified within the plan. Join in on this discussion and help shape our three districts, the Civic Center, the Downtown, and the Animas Districts.

*All meetings are held at HQ at 119 W. Main unless otherwise noted. All meetings are open to the public.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Opportunities to volunteer are available. This is a way to help out along side your fellow downtown neighbor. Contact Michael for more information.

Help out artists with upcoming mural installations.
Labor for future grant funded projects in the downtown area.
Our local non-profits can always use a hand! Contact Hustle Kindness Headquarters or The ARC of San Juan County.
Mayor's Volunteer Program - an opportunity to put your knowledge, talent, and energy toward improving the quality of life in our community.

Our Goal:

The purpose of this newsletter is to be transparent and open about our plans for this large-scale infrastructure investment with the downtown stakeholders. We recognize the potential for economic growth that could result from a project of this magnitude, but also the challenges that come. Additional details on any of the above referenced items are on file at HQ at 119 W. Main or on our website. Feedback is always welcome and participation is always encouraged!

Contact Us:

Michael Bulloch
Downtown Coordinator & Executive Director for MainStreet Program and Arts & Cultural District

119 W. Main Street
505-599-8442 office
505-716-6057 cell
mbulloch@fmtn.org

Sherry M. Roach
Project Coordinator
119 W. Main Street
505-599-8443 office
505-427-1512 cell
shroach@fmtn.org