• Develop, implement and expand regional image, brand identity of Highlands as a destination.
• Develop a new slogan to be used for all marketing campaigns.
• Develop stylized logo to be used for all marketing campaigns.
• Develop newsletter in conjunction with the Borough to send out to business and residential members of the community.
• Develop a comprehensive marketing campaign for summer and winter.
• Develop promotional video for travel and business recruitment utilizing slogan and logo.
• Improve/enhance the Annual Visitors Guide for 2005.
• Develop VIP card for 2005.
• Develop/maintain mailing list for 2005 summer and winter marketing campaign
• Develop Advertising Kiosk at Seastreak Landing.
• Improve current advertising campaign with better ad placement.
• Develop a new Restaurant/International Food Tasting event for 2005 via WOR Radio Broadcast.
• Develop more sponsorship opportunities with local corporations.
• Maintain 2005 event calendar to include St. Pat’s Parade, Seaport Craft Show, Clam Fest, Twin Light Bike Ride, Oktoberfest, and Holiday event.
• Attend events and other marketing opportunities to promote the community.
• Add a Concert Series in Veterans Park for Summer 2005.Budget Request $40,000 for both Marketing and Events Committee combined. Expenses for Annual Event calendar are funded through income from Vendors & Sponsorship.

• Maintained an eight event full calendar in 2004.
• Enhanced layout of events utilizing scalable maps.
• Worked with JCP&L and Borough to implement permanent electric plans for events expansion and enhancements in the Huddy Park Area and Veterans Park.
• HBP obtained 3 direct sponsors 3 new sponsors and created unique Barter Agreements.
• Every new business was contacted and welcomed by HBP. Business Advocate met with new business owners and provided documentation about HBP including meeting schedules and the NJ SID/BID Statue. Additional information and training was provided for use of free website as well other free marketing opportunities.
• Business Spotlight’s stories were done for several businesses by Terry Gauthier-Muessig of the APP coordinated by HBP advocate.
• Press releases were initiated by HBP advocate and produced by Allen Consulting for any new business in Highlands.
• New Highland’s destination marketing theme – Make Highlands your Destination.
• HBP Advocate worked with small adhoc committee of restaurants owners to attract additional sponsorship.
• Continued to maintain a three-year sponsorship contract with Hufnagel Tree Services for trimming trees on Bay Avenue and other Commercial areas.
• Print Collateral materials were produced.
• 2004 Visitor Guide was enhanced with a pull out local map as well as a regional map.
• Worked with local newspapers especially the Courier and the Asbury Park Press to create newspaper ads and feature stories supporting events and local businesses in Highlands.
• A new look was created to the dining, lodging and shopping sections of our database and webpage. Web site updates have been completed throughout the entire year to promote events, update town profiles, demographics, transportation, historical, HBP BID Facts, HBP agendas, reports, minutes, meetings, newsletters, and photo album files. E-Coupon access is available “free” for all commercial/business operators through the HBP section of the web site.
• Event promotion was and is available “free” for all commercial/business operators and Highlands clubs, organizations, Borough and groups through the HBP section of the web site.
• Had 6 meetings with various Media Companies to research best advertising opportunities for HBP.
• Created an Ad campaign in the New York Times to encourage dining and lodging in Highlands.
• Organized HBP Visitor information and menu board to distribute at events such as Asbury Park Pride, the Lighthouse Challenge, and Bike New York’s Great Five-Borough Bike Race. All of which were visited by thousands of people.

• Continue partnership with the Borough code enforcement officer to promote community safety and maintenance standards.
• Hire a seasonal maintenance employee assigned specifically to clean the streets and sidewalks throughout the business district.
• Other duties may include litter pick-up, graffiti and sticker removal, weeding and watering streetscape planters.
• Hire landscape contractor for seasonal landscape maintenance at Borough Gateway Entrances and parks for weed and litter removal, and mulch replacement 3 times a year at the following locations:
  • Highway sign at Linden Ave. and Rte. 36
  • Linden Ave. jug handle at Rte. 36
  • Huddy Park Gazebo
  • Streetscape Planters
  • Veteran’s Park
  • Cornwall Square Park
  • North Bridge Embankment
  • Ederle Park
• Repair and upgrade Linden Avenue entrance at the highway sign. Replace current dangerously uneven sidewalk bricks with pavers and add a block “knee wall” for hillside retention next to the sidewalk.
• Research the cost and method of installing flowerbed border retaining system for all planting beds at Veteran’s Park to remedy current loss of soil and mulch due to runoff.
• Maintain partnership with the Borough Clean Communities Entitlement Program for annual funding of $5,000 - 10,000.00, amount subject to change as mandated by the State.
• Maintain partnership with the Highlands Garden Club for the purchase of seasonal plant material. In return Club members plant the materials free of charge in the following areas:
  • Streetscape planters
  • Huddy Park
  • Veteran’s Park
  • Kavookjian Field entrance planter (is required)
• Renovate the Highlands entrance Linden Ave. landscape with colorful multi-seasonal interest perennials and evergreens.
• Reassess the parking objectives and needs of the business community and business district residents. Follow up with partnership with the Borough as necessary.
• Evaluate the need for and placement of a business directory kiosk for the more remote parking areas of town to direct visitors to the central business district.
• Budget Request $22,500 for the Visual Improvement Committee.

• Created a Barter System for professional tree services to maintain trees on Bay Avenue and in the Commercial areas.
• Created a Barter Program with Frank Rahm Landscapers for the renovations at Cornwall Square.
• Worked with Borough to facilitate and complete the Clean Communities Program.
• With an excellent Partnership project with the Borough, HBP was able to restore the street planter containers by completely emptying, cleaning and purchasing new mulch and dirt for repotting and planting.
• Purchased all plants/flowers for the street planter containers for each of 4 seasons.
• Purchased all plants/flowers for the public parks in Highlands with the exception of Gertrude Ederly.
• Completed the Street Banner Program already installed.
• Purchased new signs and maintained existing signs for Highlands Welcome Area’s & Parks.
• Completed a maintenance schedule in an effort to follow code for more visual improvements in the business district.
• Continue to update and maintain Way Finding System.
• Worked with the Youth to include them in the holiday decorating plan in an effort to promote awareness and avoid vandalism.
• With permission of the Highlands Shade Tree Commission, we had the large damaged tree from Veteran’s Park removed this summer, improving the safety and appearance of the park.
• The HBP Visual Improvement Committee worked on projects with sponsors and other groups in the borough that foster community pride in Highlands.
• Collaborated with the Borough’s recreational and public works departments to implement the Holiday 2004 decorations and Tree Lighting Program.

Highlands Business Partnership
2004 Summary Report

Business Improvement District
Borough of Highlands, Monmouth County ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Chairmen – Fred Rosiak, Captains Cove Marina
2005 Objectives

• To Implement a project for the business interest in Highlands which will:
• Bring more business and customers to our existing business base.
• Encourage new business and expand existing businesses in town via a Summer 2005 Water Taxi Service/shuttle for the business interest in Highlands.
• Identify the range of issues that create problems or discourage businesses from staying and thriving in Highlands and develop solutions with our Governing Liaisons.
• Budget Request - $50,000 for Economic Development Committee.

2004 Accomplishments

• Collaborated with potential and new commercial investors to bring new business to Highlands.
• Put together a comprehensive plan for a Courtesy Shuttle.
• Facilitated the Two River Banking Breakfast Seminar for Business Recruitment to attract a new bank into town and provide banking information and opportunities to members.
• Tracked commercial property ownership and business operator changes for business recruitment mailing list updates, and on-line business listings.