Town of Blowing Rock
Tourism
Development Authority
Minutes – June
6, 2006
Call to Order
Chairperson Keele called the meeting to order and welcomed the members and guests.
Approval of Minutes – May 2 & 15, 2006
Chairperson Keele
entertained the approval of the May 2 & 15, 2006 meeting minutes. Motion by
Member Pickett and seconded by Vice-Chair Tarbutton to approve the May 2 &
15, 2006. Unanimously approved.
FY 2006-07 TDA Budget – Public Hearing
Chairperson Keele stated that the TDA would be holding a public hearing on the proposed FY 2006-2007. Chairman Keele then opened the public hearing for comments from citizens stating that the proposed FY 2006-07 TDA budget totals $710,320.
Dick Goosman encouraged the Authority to be open to more radio/TV media that may prove more successful than print media. He also suggested more tracking of ad effectiveness and compiling comparative data once a week (possibly every Friday) to measure success. He stressed the need to collect data from as many properties as possible to gain a better measure of the entire hotel market.
Member Drury mentioned that the advertising campaign had not yet been finalized and that it was the hope of the Authority that all media avenues could be explored.
Blowing Rock Art & History Museum Executive Director Joann Mitchell commented on the status of any carry-over funds available in FY 2005-06 and the monies allocated to town infrastructure.
Finance Officer Pierce stated that any unspent funds available at year-end roll into TDA fund balance. She stated that the Local Government Commission required a minimum of 8% fund balance and the TDA policy was the reserve should equal 50% of actual allocated occupancy tax revenues from previous year. Presently, the fund balance is approximately 18%. Member Tester stated the FY 2005-06 estimate revenue/expense numbers were year-end projections based on a flat revenues for May and June.
Member Tester then reviewed the reasoning why 1/3rd of the TDA funds are allocated to the Town for infrastructure. He reminded the Authority that the Town had historically utilized occupancy tax dollars to provide downtown tourism infrastructure and that the new 6% occupancy tax continues to provide a funding mechanism. Items funded include sidewalks, paving, beautification, signage, the property for the location of the future BRAHM museum, etc.
Ms. Mitchell encouraged the TDA to promote the fact that tourism provides funding for town infrastructure.
Ginny Stevens complimented the TDA on the new downtown signage in FY 2005-06 and including the word “historical” as a signage component.
Hearing no additional comments, Chairman Keele entertained a motion to close the public hearing. Motion by Member Tester, seconded by Member Pickett to close the public hearing on the FY 2006-2007 TDA Budget. Unanimously approved.
Member Tester encouraged the Marketing Committee to continue to look at other forms of media in addition to print. Both Member Drury and Vice-Chair Tarbutton agreed that all marketing avenues would be explored and tracking effectiveness was vital.
Motion by
Member Pickett, seconded by Vice-Chair Tarbutton to approve the FY 2006-2007
TDA Budget as recommended. Unanimously approved. (Attachment #1)
Chairperson Keele introduced Finance Officer Margaret Pierce to review the FY 2005-06 budget to date.
Finance Officer Margaret Pierce then reviewed the monthly financial statement and the FY 2005-06 Occupancy Tax collections year-to-date through April 2006. She stated that April revenues, totaling a gross of $35,645.29, were up compared to April 2005. Ms. Pierce also advised that revenue has been up for the past twelve months and that expenditures for the year were in line with projections.
Executive Director Report
Chairperson Keele requested
Executive Director Miller to update the Authority on
Executive Director Miller
reviewed her Monthly TDA Report, including visitor inquiries. (Attachment #2) She advised that TDA
website hits appear to be down, but she would further investigate the usage
numbers.
Member Drury noted the
increase in ad reader response labels and the increase walk-in traffic to the
Staffing
Executive Director Miller
updated the Authority on staffing and advised that the two new part-time staff
were doing great.
Visitor Guide
Executive Director Miller
discussed the need for a more comprehensive and informative Visitor Guide for
visitor inquiries. She advised that she has obtained costs estimates – 100,000
copies of a 32 page guide will run approximately $15,000-$17,000. The guide
would not include any advertising. Member Tester suggested that the guide be
focused on area happenings and be event driven.
After a brief discussion,
motion by Vice-Chair Tarbutton and seconded by Member Drury to authorize
production of a visitor guide and fund the project with the current budget or
the FY 2006-07 Budget, as recommended by the TDA Auditor. Unanimously approved.
Website
Executive Director Miller
stated that the integration of the TDA and Chamber websites was continuing and
that a launch date would be very soon. She apologized for the delay in
completion. The Authority discussed the need to move forward with the TDA
portion, and if necessary, provide a temporary link for the Chamber to the old
Chamber website.
Executive Director Miller
updated the Authority on the construction of the additional TDA office (in the
area formerly leased to the Chamber of Commerce across from the Visitor Center
Desk). She thanked Chairperson Keele and Member Tester for their work in the
installation of a wall and stated the project was moving ahead.
Assistant Director Salary Range/Job Description
Executive Director Miller
advised with the recent departure of Lindsay Galvin that the Board had requested
a salary range review for the position. Member’s Drury and Tester reviewed data
from the area for a similar entry-level position with no experience. The
average range was determined to be $25,500-$29,000. In addition, the Authority
briefly discussed a job description for the position.
Motion by Member Tester and
seconded by Member Drury to establish a salary range of $25,500-$29,000 for the
Assistant Director position and approve the job description (Attachment #3), all subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Unanimously approved.
Advertising Plan/Marketing
Executive Director Miller
briefly reviewed upcoming co-op advertisements that would be taking place and
pending travel writer visits.
The Board briefly discussed
the co-op opportunities and the lack of participation due to increased local
area competition.
The Board then reviewed the
list of upcoming travel writers’ visits as outlined in the Executive Director
Report. Ms. Miller discussed the need for a standard media kit for use for
travel writers, media inquiries, press packets, etc.
WC&T Agency Update
Executive Director Miller
advised that she and Member Drury had met with Dave Tomsky, Director of Public
Relations with Wilson, Coman & Taylor, on a proposal for FY 2006-07
professional services. Member Drury requested approval of proposed contract
with WC&T for FY 2006-07 would cost $24,000, which includes a six-month
evaluation (Attachment #4).
After a short discussion,
Motion by Member Drury, seconded by Member Pickett to approve the FY 2006-2007
contract with WC&T for $24,000 as recommended. Unanimously approved.
Photography
Ms. Miller stated that she
received a proposal for photography services with a retainer of $1,000/month, which would include 8 to 12
pictures for each photo event, with two events per month. She advised that the
Board has discussed for some period the need for updated photography.
Councilmember Bobbie Ball
stated it was important to have photography of all critical events. Vice-Chair
Tarbutton suggested that the TDA be specific in what was needed in photography.
Ms. Miller stated that having a TDA stock of photography was important in order
to control the Blowing Rock image.
It was the consensus that
the funding for this service would come out of the FY 2006-07 purchased
services line-item with the remainder from advertising allocation.
Motion by Member Tester,
seconded by Vice-Chair Tarbutton to move forward with a contract for FY 2006-07
photography services with funding up to $12,000, with a three-month review and
the TDA owns the photography. Unanimously approved.
BRAHM Request
Executive Director Miller
advised that the
Member Tester stated the
goal of the TDA was to put heads in beds; and, the request did not meet that
criteria. He also stated that the other function of the TDA was to create an
environment for tourism and he advised that this project might eventually lead
to that concept. He said it was his belief that both the
Member Pickett stated that July
was the heart of tourist season and the proposed BRAHM event would not increase
hotel occupancy and as such had reservations about funding the project. Dick
Goosman concurred with the comments of Member Pickett.
Member Drury advised that
the event would continue to bring an art perspective for the community and lead
to arts tourism.
Councilmember Bobbie Ball
stated that she supported what BRAHM would do for the future of tourism in the
Town.
Member Tester asked the cost
of the mural. Ms. Mitchell advised around $15,000.
Chairperson Keele advised
that he couldn’t support the request due to other pending TDA priorities.
Member Tester stated that the Board has in the past year shifted their funding
approach from events to more of promotion/advertising.
Motion by Member Drury to
approve the $5,000 request to the
Vice-Chair Tarbutton
reiterated that Board had made it a practice to focus on marketing related
funding requests and not event &capital related funding requests.
Community Events Committee
Executive Director Miller
updated the TDA on the proposed Community Events Committee. She stated that the
following parties contacted had agreed to serve – Community Arts Center
Executive Director, Stage Company Executive Director, Arts & History Museum
Executive Director, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, and the TDA
Executive Director. Ms. Miller requested that the Authority provide some
clarification and direction of the role and scope of the Community Events
Committee.
Board comments included:
-
Not a TDA Committee
-
Committee not going to run events
-
Committee to provide planning assistance to events and oversees
professional events planner
-
Committee determines advertising needs and events planner support
-
Committee recommendations will influence TDA marketing efforts
-
TDA will not micromanage committee
-
Committee would develop community calendar of events
-
Committee would be a clearinghouse of event information
After some discussion, it
was the consensus of the Authority that the Community Events Committee would
have availability to TDA funding for ad/marketing/promotion efforts and event
planning assistance. The main function of the Committee would be overall
coordination/scheduling of events and development of a community-wide calendar
of events. The Authority requested that the Committee develop their role and
duties/responsibilities.
Other
Vice-Chair Tarbutton updated the Authority on the final
phase of the tourism survey. He stated the final survey results would be
compiled in the next month. Once completed, the TDA would have survey
information from four independent sources in the High Country (High Country
Host, Watauga Arts Council, Art in the Park and the TDA Survey). He told the Board
that
Motion by Member Tester,
seconded by Member Pickett to authorize the TDA survey data to be shared with
The Authority then agreed to review a future TDA meeting schedule at the July Board meeting.
Master Signage Plan
Ex-officio Member Hildebran updated the Authority on the status of the Master Signage Plan. He advised that the next phase would include installation of approximately 30 regulatory signs (stop, speed limit, school zone, etc.). These signs would have uniformly painted posts and sign backing and model the elements of the overall sign plan.
He then advised that, later this fall, installation would begin on the kiosk directory signage. The kiosk design and location of the signs would be finalized in the next several months. He shared copies of the design elements suggested for the kiosks (Attachment #6). He stated that the final phase would include parking signage.
Chairperson Keele requested that Executive Director Miller meet with town staff to become familiar with the project.
Chairman Keele thanked everyone for the work on behalf of the Authority.
Adjournment
With no further business, motion by Vice-Chair Tarbutton and seconded by Member Pickett to adjourn the meeting. Motion unanimously approved. Chairperson Keele adjourned the meeting at 10:40 a.m.
______________________________
Scott E. Hildebran, Secretary
Attachments
#1 – FY 2006-07
Annual Budget
#2 – TDA Executive Director Monthly Report TDA
#3 – Assistant Director Job Description
#4 – WC&T Agency
FY 2006-07 Contract
#5 – BRAHM’s Summer
Event Funding Request
#6 – Master Signage
Plan Concepts