LULA — Mark Lusink wants to put Lula on the map when it comes to destinations.
Lusink, of the Lula Downtown Development Authority, said even city leaders may not be aware of all that Lula and the surrounding area have to offer.
"I don't think you guys realize what we have here," Lusink said. "We've got the Healan Mills — that project coming along; Jaemor Farms; a new winery; North Georgia Canopy Tours; a pottery industry — Crocker Pottery.
"We've got Napoli's coming in" to offer Italian dining, Lusink said. "Besides that, I will meet with someone on Wednesday about turning the Poole Building into a restaurant. [The chef] plans to put $20,000 into it putting in the equipment, and it will cost me another $10,000 to bring it up to standards for the health department."
Seeing all that's going on in and around Lula, Lusink said the city needs a structured approach to marketing itself and special events.
"What I want to do is revisit what the DDA does," Lusink said. "If you step outside the city limits of Lula no one knows what we're doing, no one knows who we are, no one knows anything about Lula. We've got lots to offer in Lula, but nobody knows about it."
Lusink asked Mayor Pro Tem Mordecai Wilson and the city council to consider changing the way the city is promoted.
"I would like to make the DDA responsible for marketing and promoting the city," Lusink said. "We've got a lot of talent right now that's just sitting in the wings waiting for us to have something to do."
Among those DDA members are Larry Ledford, Scotty Poole, Bobby Miller, Amy Miller, Clint Pruitt, and the DDA still needs a member from the city council, Lusink said.
"What I need to do now is to ask the city council to accept the following things ... I'd like for you to acknowledge that the DDA has responsibility for promoting and marketing the city. I would like to have [Councilman] Vince Evans appointed to our group as your representative for the city council. I would like to get Jim Chapman, whose family has been here in Lula for ages, to be allowed to come in and act as a representative ... he's also excellent in social media skills and so forth and would be a real asset to our group."
Lusink said the public relations professional he has talked with stressed the importance of updating and upgrading the city's website as a resource for those interested in visiting or doing business in the city.
"If we get this going and we get the website up, I would like for y'all to provide me with timely information concerning city activities," Lusink said.
City Manager Dennis Bergin said the DDA publishing the city council meeting agenda would be helpful, as well.
Lusink asked that the city council designate a discretionary budget to be used by the DDA for marketing the city.
"I would like for y'all to approve this, then when we have this sum I would like to have the ability to write checks on this amount so that we don't have to go back and forth to the city council to get something approved," Lusink said. "This check writing would be overseen by Vince and Dennis."
Bergin said should Lusink's proposal proceed, the council would provide guidelines on how the money is spent and to what extent it's spent, and possibly could approve a separate checking account.
"They'll give you the parameters you can work within," Bergin said. "If you're working within the parameters and the submittals made, and you're responsible to what the dollar amounts are, that's what your goal should be."
Lusink said they would have Evans and Bergin to ensure that the money spent is appropriate.
As an illustration, Lusink mentioned area publications focusing on tourism, events and living that don't mention Lula.
"We're not even in any of these things," Lusink said. "I don't think it would take a lot of effort to correct this, and the DDA can do this and we would like to have the responsibility and the backing of you guys. Let's get Lula going."
Bergin said the challenge currently facing the city is limited expertise on managing an effective website.
Lusink said he has someone who can help with that.
No action was taken since the council doesn't vote during its work session.
Bergin said the matter could be discussed during the called budget meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 11. Additionally, the council's regular monthly meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, May 16.
