By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Economic Development Board members on Wednesday discussed a pair of applications to the panel’s Tourism Committee, which is responsible for advising the board on efforts to boost visitation to the city. Both were approved by board Chair Kimble Goodman.

Appointee Deanna Baillie was named to the committee’s marketing position.

“Deanna Baillie was an existing Tourism Committee member and missed a meeting, and failed to get in her application,” Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani told board members during their regular meeting.

Pat Ryll was already in the marketing position, Giuliani pointed out, but was willing to move.

“I’ve spoken with Pat, and she’s willing to move to another position, most likely as a representative of the Downtown Business Alliance,” he said.

The other appointee, Judith Keyes of Smyers Glass, had applied to fill the vacant and Glass Arts position on the Tourism Committee.

Both applications received the support of board member Ellen Kolowich.

“I recruited Judy and I think she would be an excellent addition,” she said. “I didn’t realize Smyers was the original glassblower in town. I thought it was Nourot. Judy has tremendous history of the whole area.”

“What is Deanna Baillie’s background?” board member John Johnsen asked.

“She is responsible for the Local Happenings Magazine,” Giuliani responded.

Goodman added that Baillie is heavily involved in the arts community in Vallejo.

In other business, Bonnie Silveria presented Benicia Main Street’s quarterly update for November 2012 to January 2013. She also spoke a little about the nonprofit’s planned February’s events.

“We sold out on candy for Valentine’s Day,” she said.

Silveria added that the Wine Walk on Feb. 9 was very successful.

“We didn’t sell out, but we did sell 282 tickets. Seventy-five of those were on the day of,” she said. “That’s good for us because we charge a little more on the day of.”

Silveria said Main Street’s Pamper Me First event will be Saturday. “This was previously Galapalooza, but a lot of people didn’t like the name, so we changed it to Pamper Me First.”

Kolowich wanted to know if Main Street intended to keep organizing Cash Mobs, events organized to get shoppers to give a specified downtown retail establishment a boost in sales.

“I think right now we look at it as an ongoing thing,” Silveria said. “The merchants are very happy with Cash Mob, especially the merchants that get picked.”

Silveria said the number of participants seems to stay steadily within the 20-25 range, and Main Street would like to see the number grow.

Leah Shelhorn, owner of Studio 41 and chair of the newly formed Downtown Business Alliance, was in attendance, and spoke during public comment about the Wine Walk.

“I believe this is the third Wine Walk, and each one is getting better and better,” she said. “We’ve never had anyone unhappy with the event.”

Shelhorn said she would like to see members of the EDB on First Street during a Wine Walk.

“If you all would just come, I’m not asking you to drink, but just see how people are happy in Benicia, on a Saturday, in the afternoon.

“We’re getting the young people, which we desperately need,” she said. “The 21-year-olds to 30(-year-olds). You see couples coming together, and they’re having a blast.

“This is who we really want to garner as new customers. This is the best event that we’ve ever had. I say ‘we’ because I’m a merchant on First Street.”