LAKEPORT— The Lakeport City Council approved a new 3-year professional service agreement with The Retail Coach during their Tuesday City Council meeting. The approval will allow Retail Coach to continue their efforts to revitalize and expand the local retail market with a contract valued at no more than $27,000 annually.
City Manager Kevin Ingram said this decision marks a continuation of a productive relationship that began back in 2019, when The Retail Coach first partnered with the City of Lakeport.
“The initial aim was to develop a retail recruitment and marketing strategy that would attract new retailers while supporting the city’s existing local businesses. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic Retail Coach adjusted its services to accommodate these unprecedented times, including extending their previous contract by an additional year at a reduced rate,” Ingram said.
The newly approved contract emphasizes a comprehensive approach to boosting Lakeport’s retail sector. Retail Coach will collaborate closely with city staff and property owners to recruit new businesses and provide ongoing support to local enterprises by helping them capitalize on current market trends and emerging opportunities.
During the council meeting, representatives from Retail Coach outlined the achievements of the past years and presented a detailed plan for further strengthening Lakeport’s retail market.
“Lakeport has a higher foot traffic trend now than it did even pre pandemic,” said Charles Parker, Retail Coach representative said. “We will focus on key areas of focus for retail growth, development, or redevelopment and analyze existing retail, cannibalization effects of new businesses, and submarket viability in relation to Lakeport as a whole.”
Parker added that some places they are looking to focus on in this contract renewal are Downtown, Vista Point Shopping Center, West Lakeport, 11th Street Plaza and South Main Street.
According to Ingram, their strategy aligns with the core goals of the Lakeport Economic Development Strategic Plan, which focuses on expanding and supporting business retention and attraction efforts.
For other council business, the Lakeport City Council also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Lakeport Unified School District (LUSD) and the City of Lakeport Police Department (LPD) for the services of a School Resource Police Officer (SRO) from August of 2024 through June of 2026.
They also approved Reimbursement Agreement with the Lakeport Fire Protection District.
The next Lakeport City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at the Lakeport City Hall at 6:00 p.m.
