■ One new member for downtown biz group; Vets Day event ‘couldn’t have been better’

One new person will join the Downtown Benicia Alliance board to fill one of four vacant seats beginning in 2015.

Three other seats will be filled by members who agreed to return next year.

The DBA had four two-year-term vacancies this year, Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani reported, and there will be five vacancies next year for two-year terms.

However, the only nomination application was submitted by Eileen Stern, a Realtor with Re/Max Gold at 426 First St.

“I have worked with Eileen for years, and I have to say that she is going to be a marvelous addition,” said Renee Marie Jordan of Jordan Real Estate.

Stern was unanimously voted in. Giuliani recommended to Chair Leah Shelhorn that the DBA discuss whom to nominate for the remaining three positions.

Tom Hamilton, co-owner of the Rellik Tavern, was more direct: “Why don’t we cut to the chase? Who is willing to stay?” he asked.

Jordan agreed to stay for a year as representative of the Park District, Military to I streets. Shelhorn and Hamilton said they would stay on as representatives of the Capitol District, I to F streets. Members who have one more year on their term are Tom Gavin and Jeanne Steinmann in the Capitol District and Carl Lucca of Lucca Bar and Grill, James Morgan of Sailor Jack’s and James Long of Pups N’ Purrz in the Waterfront District.

The board also discussed last month’s Veterans Appreciation Day, the first DBA-run event.

“I’m so proud of the board for doing this,” Shelhorn said. “Nobody else in town has ever had an event for the veterans.”

Jordan, the board’s current treasurer, said she felt putting the event together with the other members of the board was a “great bonding experience.” She gave a breakdown of expenses from the event: Insurance, supplies, licensing, entertainment and other expenses totaled $3,077.66; sales of beer, soda, water and flags totaled $1,796; and the Rotary Club donated $350 — so “actual out of pocket was only $932.66,” she said.

“All in all I was quite happy because it looked like we were spending a lot of money … but actually it couldn’t have been better.”

The DBA next meets Jan. 13.

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