Downtown Camas Association

2010 Meeting Schedule
Meetings are generally the second Wednesday, 3:30 p.m. at the Camas Library, NE 4th Avenue.

The Downtown Camas Association (DCA) helps our downtown to thrive! The purpose of the DCA is to develop and promote historic Downtown Camas by creating a vibrant social, cultural and economic center of the community while emphasizing preservation of our city’s historic features. We are proud members of the Washington State Main Street Program and value revitalizing our charming downtown while maintaining and restoring its historic integrity.

We are members of the Washington Main Street Program.

Since 1984, the Washington State Main Street Program has been helping communities revitalize the economy, appearance, and image of their downtown commercial districts using the successful Main Street Approach™. Main Street is a comprehensive, incremental approach to revitalization built around a community's unique heritage and attributes. Using local resources and initiative, the state program helps communities develop their own strategies to stimulate long term economic growth and pride in the heart of the community- downtown.

DCA Projects:

Events and Festivals: First Fridays, Girls Night Out, Boo Bash, Cruise-In, Camas LIVE, Camas Vintage Street Faire, the Holiday Home Tour.

Streetscape Design: benches, gazebos, bike racks, fountains, public art, historic signage, holiday lighting

Historic Preservation: Historic walking tours, Downtown Camas Design Manual, historic poster displays

Marketing and Promotion: Downtown walking map, business investment guides and recruitment, regional advertising, downtown website

The DCA Committees include:

Design and Infrastructure: Working to make our downtown more livable, beautiful, and functional while working to preserve our historic structures. Chair, Caroline Mercury.

Marketing and Promotion: Promoting our downtown through special events, advertising, tourism, and community pride activities. Chair, Carrie Schulstad

Membership and Business Development: Focusing on organization membership, business recruitment and retention, and incentives and educational programs to help our downtown businesses and community thrive. Chair, Greg Goforth.

Community Arts and History: Supporting and promoting local arts organizations through collaboration and networking and encouraging participation in public art projects and events. Chair, Karen Hall.

The board members of the Downtown Camas Association (DCA) oversee, facilitate and report on implementation of the Camas Downtown Vision. DCA board members include representatives from local businesses, landowners, the Camas School District, and the public at large. The DCA responsibilities include:

Holding regular Board meetings: meetings are at 3:30 in the Library on the second Wednesday of each month.

Identifying annual implementation priorities.

Structuring annual implementation budgets and sub-committee work programs.

Coordinating with implementation partner organizations to facilitate implementation of actions.

Developing Quarterly Progress Reports for the Camas City Council and general public.

Board Members

Caroline Mercury, Georgia Pacific, Board President
Carrie Schulstad, owner of The Uncommon Gift, Board Vice President
Doug Quinn, Public-at-Large
Greg L. Goforth, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Membership Committee Chair
JoAnn Taylor, building and business owner, Camas Antiques
Joe Williams, Edward Jones Investments, Board Treasurer
Marilyn Boerke, Camas School District
Karen Hall, owner, Camas Hotel
Katina Fischer, owner, Camas Bike and Sport
Kay Thornton, Windermere Realty
Ken Cline, branch manager, Riverview Bank
Steve Hogan, City Council liaison

Staff and Consultants

Paul Dennis, Mayor
Lloyd Halverson, City Administrator, City of Camas
Sarah Fox, Planner, City of Camas
Shannon Van Horn, Workshed Interactive Agency

The Downtown Camas Association is continuing the downtown revitalization started by the Downtown Vision Coalition, a City of Camas committee, which started in downtown in 2000. We are grateful for all of their diligent work over the years. The Downtown Camas Association was granted 501(c)3 tax exempt status in December of 2009 which will allow us to further our revitalization mission.