09.e Minutes Tourism Committee 08.26.2025 DRAFT
Scandia Tourism Committee, Community Center Hall August 26, 2025
Members in Attendance: Sue Dickens, Jaimin Brown, Lynne Moratzka, and Sarah Porubcansky.
Absent: Renee Lee (Zoom.) Additional Attendees: Brenda “Bee” Stignani (Office Assistant).
Call to Order –Chair Dickens called the meeting to order at 4:14 p.m., a quorum is present.
Approve the Agenda –Dickens moved, Porubcansky seconded, to approve the agenda with
Flexibility. Motion carried unanimously.
Approve the Minutes – Dickens moved, Moratzka seconded, to approve June 24, 2025
minutes. Motion carried unanimously.
Update List of 2025 Community Events –
Vinterfest Support Ideas Update – Dickens reported Zauner, clarified his request for TC
to organize an activity on Sunday for adults as the children/family events are planned on Saturday.
Sunday events would be leading up to BINGO. Discussion focused on options of trivia or a food
demonstration; group consensus to organize a food demo.
Fall Crawl – Dickens expressed a need for more help for September to November events.
Dickens provided a brief explanation of Fall Crawl, Scandia Evening Adventures, and VinterLights!
Discussion around VinterLights! concluded to continue offer Artisan Vendors and Community
Organizations to participate, each with clearly defined parameters. Artisan Vendors to sell only items
personally produced listed on their applications with 8’ tables provided and a meal ticket with their
registration fee. Community Organizations to provide their own 6’ tables and their material to sell or
otherwise distribute with no registration fee. And all to adhere to the floor plan provided by the
organizers. Sixteen registered artisan sellers so far, requested staff to assist getting the word out for
more applicants. Discussion around SEA and Fall Crawl concluded Brown will contact individual
business to seek more participation with a personal call or visit to explain how the events work and
the minimum requirements to be included in advertisement (mark off the punch card for the
participant drawing.) Connect these events with a flyer to be distributed at VinterLights!
2026 St Croix Valley – Scandia Advertisement –
Staff provided the 2025 advertisement and asked for feedback. Add Fall Crawl to both the
list of events and as a bolded event in the paragraph descriptions. Replace new playground photo
with new multi-purpose courts. Directed Dickens to work with staff to provide suggested changes to
the editor and request photos from Gribble or Zauner.
Banners –
Tourism Committee – Table/Events - Dickens facilitated discussion on a drape or table
runner with the City Logo and “Tourism” for future planned participation in National Night Out and
host of the community table at one date of the Scandia Farmer’s Market each year. Concluded
Dickens will collect cost estimates for further discussion at a later date.
Recap of National Night Out – Dickens reported the luggage tags were well received, by more
adults than children. Suggested improvements for the bookmark. And commented the bubbles were
fun. Moratzka observed a lack of opportunities for children too young for the bouncy house, or too
old. Concluded NNO planning to be on the January agenda for further discussion. Possible ideas
include: Corn Hole, make smores, trivia games, scavenger hunt, snow cones, sprinkler/ice cream party,
hula hoops, gunny sack races, wheelbarrow races, egg races.
Recap of Scandia Farmers Market Table – Dickens reported distributing a few flyers before
being forced to leave early due to a bee sting.
Scandia Tourism Committee Minutes
June 24, 2025
2 | P a g e
Fall Crawl activity suggestions – scarecrow competition or weekly winner of a garden
competition.
Tourism Committee T-shirts – Dickens explained the process she went through to create a
simple Tourism T-Shirt others observed her wearing. Dickens offered to help other committee
members who provided their own T-shirts.
Garage Sale – Replace banners – “Thursday, Friday, Saturday after Memorial Day.” Dickens
requested all committee members bring back to the next meeting ideas of how to repurpose the 4
current banners. Moratzka suggested a raceway for a duck slip ‘n slide at NNO as a starting point for
brainstorming.
FLEXIBILITY – Add Digital lighting – Dickens reported Mayor Kronmiller has asked for feedback
from TC regarding the current discussions regarding digital, lighted signs. All committee members
expressed their opinions, concerns about light pollution, distraction for drivers, eroding the rural
landscape, and complexity of allowing certain standards in certain areas with fairness. General
consensus for Dickens to report back to council, move forward with a Master Sign Plan with
uniformity in signs that allow some change with clear restrictions in few zones only, without being
focused on one use or type of lighting as technology changes. Restrictions to consider, signs turned
off at the close of a business’ hours, not to exceed a certain set time.
DLEXIBILITY – EDA & Tourism Joint Meeting – Dickens reported City Administrator Morell
requested TC consider a joint meeting in September to determine guidelines between the two entities.
Suggested September start a brief TC meeting, then a combined meeting September 23rd, all consented.
Adjournment – Motion by Dickens, seconded by Porubcansky, to adjourn the meeting
Motion carried unanimously.
Meeting adjourned at 5:37 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Brenda “Bee” Stignani, Office Assistant