The Board and Committees are made up of volunteers who give their time and talents to help make a positive impact on the Downtown.

If you have any questions, or concerns, or would like to get involved, please reach out to Donna Gross, Downtown Tiffin Main Street Manager at gross@tiffinseneca.org or any of the Board members. 

Downtown Committees

  • Development Board and Operations Committee is responsible for short-term and long-term planning as well as developing and following the vision and mission. This Board will assist the Director of Downtown Revitalization with maintaining full Main Street Status.
  • Business Enhancement involves strengthening the existing economic base of the downtown while diversifying it. Business enhancement activities include helping existing downtown businesses, recruiting new businesses, providing a balanced mix, converting unused space into productive property, and sharpening the competitiveness of downtown merchants.
  • Design involves improving the downtown’s image by improving its physical appearance – not just the appearance of buildings, but also of street lights, window displays, parking areas, signs, sidewalks, streetscapes, landscaping, promotional materials, and all other elements that convey a visual message about what the downtown is and what it has to offer.
  • Marketing involves marketing the downtown’s unique characteristics to shoppers, investors, new businesses, tourists, and others. Effective promotion creates a positive image of the downtown through retail promotional activity and special events utilizing the downtown as a stage area of community activities.
  • Merchants - this is not part of one of the Heritage Ohio 4 points but an extremely important group for Downtown Tiffin. This is open to any brick & mortar business owner in Downtown Tiffin.

Downtown Street View
Development Board

 

Development Board and Operations Committee Accomplishments

  • Establish downtown goals and direction annually
  • Plan annual fundraising events: St. Paddy’s Day 5 and downtown Tiffin banner sales
  • Annual Main Street Trip: visiting another Ohio Main Street community each year to bring back best practices and new ideas to continue to enhance Downtown Tiffin.
  • Plan the annual Main Street Celebration & Summit to celebrate the successes downtown each year and present the annual Downtown Tiffin Awards.
  • Prepare the awards submissions to Heritage Ohio to continue to get Downtown Tiffin recognized at the state level for the great work going on locally.

Development Board and Operations Committee Scope

  • Downtown Celebration & Summit
  • Annual State Awards
  • 5K Fundraiser
  • Recommendations from Committees to City/County
  • Annual Accreditation

Development Board Members

  • Greg Dell, chair
  • Vickie Wilkins, vice-chair
  • Marisa Stephens
  • Molly Armstrong
  • Dustin Ritchie
  • Sam Smith
  • Bryan Smith
  • Dave Spridgeon
  • Kit Tiell
  • Dale Depew
  • Josh Randell
  • Brian Perrine
  • Nevin Martin

 

Business Enhancement Committee

 

Business Enhancement Accomplishments

  • Business outreach called INSIGHT - each year the committee members reach out to all downtown businesses to see how they are doing, if they are aware of incentives, if they are receiving the Downtown Digest (monthly e-newsletter), and determine if we can do anything to assist them.
  • The Student Discount Cards are prepared by this committee to encourage college students to shop downtown
  • Trivia Nights in Downtown Tiffin is an initiative that this committee manages each month. It takes place monthly on Third Thursday in a different location to get community members into different shops and restaurants to create awareness.
  • DORA was an initiative that this committee put together. They worked on the details, application, and final information for the City of Tiffin.
  • Food Truck policy recommendations were put together in this committee and the City of Tiffin implemented based on those recommendations.
  • Recruitment Survey
  • Merchant Education during monthly merchant meetings including: tax tips, social media tips, etc.

Business Enhancement Scope

  • INSIGHT visits 
  • Business Recruitment
  • Trivia Nights Downtown
  • Discount Cards
  • Recruitment Packets 
  • Recruitment Survey 
  • Merchant Education

Business Enhancement Committee Members

  • Molly Armstrong, chair
Design Committee

 

Design Accomplishments

  • Downtown Wayfinding and parking signage
  • Completed the Clouse-Kirian Leadership Park project in conjunction with Leadership Seneca County
  • Cherry Alley renovation project
  • Art Policy recommendations to the City of Tiffin
  • Window Mural for vacant property at 33 South Washington Street
  • Planning downtown Clean-ups/Litter League
  • Acquiring downtown Bike racks, picnic tables, and planters through grants

Design Scope

  • Alley Investigation: Court Street early investigation with stakeholders
  • Art Policy recommendations 
  • Continue the Facade Program
  • Downtown-Cleanups/ Litter League
  • Priority List of Projects (e.g., parking lot design, car charging stations, lighting, bikeshare investigation, streetscape items)
  • Streetscaping
  • Zoning Code
  • Public Arts Policy  
  • Parking Lot Lighting & Design
  • Entryway into Downtown (investigate)
  • Wayfinding Updates

Design Committee Members

  • Dustin Ritchie, chair
Marketing Committee

 

Marketing Accomplishments

  • Downtown Events: 
    • Third Thursday’s focused on bringing people into downtown on a regular basis to learn what we have to offer (human nature - you don’t go to unfamiliar places) and encourage them to come back and support our small businesses. 2023 Third Thursday includes: Artist Stroll, Fete de la Musique, Barking Lot Party, Christmas in July, Taste of Downtown Tiffin, SCYP Pizza Party, and Downtown Trick or Treat/ Pumpkin Drop, Sip & Shop/Holiday Window Reveal.
    • Kris Kringle Markt
    • Promote Retailer events:  We also highlight live music, Farmers Markets, and other events that the merchant business add to Downtown Tiffin. 
  • Downtown Tiffin Facebook page where we promote downtown events, projects, and businesses
  • Maintain downtowntiffinevents.com and track major events for the year (printed event rack cards or QR code stickers)
  • Update downtown maps and kiosks annually
  • Create social media and radio commercials to promote downtown as a whole. 

Marketing Scope 2023

  • Welcome Binder 
  • Education of Main Street to Community: Informational/ welcome packet
  • Video Advertising: 2023 Downtown Tiffin 3rd Thursdays
  • Digital Marketing
  • Social Media
  • Marketing Budget
  • Events - Raise Funding
  • Rack Cards, Maps & Posters
  • Outdoor Advertising
  • Radio Advertising
  • Third Thursday Planning/Event Coordination with Retailers

Marketing Committee Members

  • Marisa Stephens, chair  
Merchant Meetings

Downtown Merchants meet on a monthly basis.  This is an opportunity for downtown businesses to get together and plan the best ways to support each other and the downtown business community as a whole. They plan events that support each other and create business collaborations. It is also a good way to stay in touch with the main downtown activities through TSEP and the Main Street program (downtown revitalization), collaborate with the downtown Marketing Committee (they manage the Downtown Tiffin Facebook page, radio and social media commercials, provide support of downtown events when needed, put together 3rd Thursday’s, and more), hear updates from the Chamber of Commerce and more. 

MERCHANT gOALS

  • Continued Education
  • Provide business support for each other

Merchant Chair

  • Sam Smith