As the new president of the Downtown Loveland Association (DLA), I would like to introduce myself. I am Bob Doolittle. We operate a family owned company, Front Range Containers, LLC. We broker shipping containers, and have been in business for 7 years in the Colorado Front Range area. We moved to Loveland in September 2005, from Woodland Park, CO and I became a volunteer with the DLA in early 2006. In 2007, we joined the DLA. I have served on the Events and Promotions committee, chaired the membership committee and have been a board member for 2 years. Last year, I held the Secretary position for the DLA board. My reason is simple – I love Downtown Loveland. It has been exciting to see all the emphasis on downtown these past several years. That is due because so many people, organizations, volunteers and lovers of the downtown are giving their time and energy.
First of all, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank all the past presidents of the DLA, the current and past board members and all of our membership. This organization is second to none. So many things have come from the DLA, and I am proud to serve this organization for this coming year. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU! Also, I am surrounded by an outstanding board consisting of officers Mary Bahus-Meyer (Vice President), Rachel Lane (Treasurer), Jan Brown (Past President), Randy Cruz, Karen Boyes, Barry Floyd, Linda Larsen, and Don Reilly. Currently, the Secretary position is open and Brian Jarvis is helping us in that capacity until that position is filled.
The first priority for my term is to emphasize communication. We will use an updated web site, Email, an E-Newsletter and community meetings to meet that need. I envision a monthly “Meet the President” coffee where we just get together and talk and have a cup of coffee together. These will be very informal gatherings, at downtown locations. Secondarily, I envision a renewed prominence within our membership by continually asking what you think the requirements should be for the DLA. We need to grow our membership with a combination of residential, business and private partnerships. We need to get back to basics, before we can move forward. And by that I mean we need to ensure that effective planning includes our shared vision, goals, priorities and partnerships which will result in a strategic road map.
Over the next two months, the board will be assessing our mission and will be coming up with a strategic plan. That plan is only as good as our members input, so we will be providing that opportunity to you in the next few weeks. My plan is to use our web page as a point of reference for you to provide that information to the board. It is our intent to have a community meeting in June to share our input, your input and suggestions.
Lastly, but just as important, I have asked two board members to join me in an on-going diplomat program where we meet with our members and potential partners. Another function of this program is that I will be visiting with Brian Willms (Chamber of Commerce) monthly. I have joined Engaging Loveland as a board member so we can strengthen that relationship and stay in step with the on-going events led by this important organization. Also, the DLA is meeting monthly with four organizations which include the Association of Downtown Merchants, The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, The Loveland Downtown Team and the newly formed Citizens for a Vibrant Downtown. The hope here is to work collectively as one voice.
There is a lot going on in downtown Loveland at the moment. The momentum is building. Discussions are taking place at City Council. The Downtown Loveland Association is going to be right in the middle of this momentum. Thanks.