Title
Downtown Ambassadors And Downtown Welcome Center Status Report
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive the Information. Briefing only; No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive the update on the Downtown Welcome Center, Clean Team and Downtown Ambassadors
Staff Contact:
Mark Rentfrow, Downtown Liaison, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3798
Presenter(s):
Mark Rentfrow, Downtown Liaison, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3798
Downtown Ambassador Teal, Downtown Ambassador Katherine
Background and Analysis:
The City of Olympia contracts with Capitol Recovery Center (CRC) to operate the City’s Downtown Ambassador Program, Clean Team and Downtown Welcome Center. This provides a variety of services to Downtown Olympia including human waste abatement, graffiti removal, trash and debris removal, recycling, cigarette butt collection container maintenance, community outreach and a variety of other related services.
The Welcome Center opened in April 2015 and has now been in operation for the last two summers. Working from the Welcome Center, the Downtown Ambassadors provide downtown business and service information to visitors and residents of Olympia and the greater Thurston County area.
As we continue into the second year of operation of the Welcome Center, the Downtown Ambassadors and the Clean Team continue to meet their objectives and expectations. The Ambassadors have clearly articulated performance measures which help to ensure that the program is meeting those objectives. Metrics for services can be found in the attached document “Clean Team, Ambassadors, and Welcome Center Metrics.”
City Staff and CRC leadership continue to look at opportunities to identify a new location for the Welcome Center that has the potential to offer public restrooms and may also provide for co-location with other service providers.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Downtown Welcome Center employs two Downtown Ambassadors, six Clean Team members and seven regular volunteers.
Financial Impact:
The projected cost of the Downtown Ambassador Program, Clean Team and Welcome Center for 2017 is approximately $357,497
Attachments:
Downtown Ambassador and Welcome Center Stats