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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_CVB_10.06.2004 Convention & Visitors Bureau Board Meeting Minutes October 6, 2004 Present: Kent Huntsman, Ellen Weimer, Scherry Chapman, Gaz Green, Bill Banks, Martha Lawler, Holly Bresser, Carolyn Martin, John Wiley Absent: Posey Duncan, Jim Timmons City Staff: Shelly Hargrove Guests: Dr. Ellsworth Peterson, Penny Plueckhahn, Dr. Bob Horick Lucas Adams 1. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Kent Huntsman at 6:32 p.m. 3. Minutes Minutes from the September 1, 2004, meeting were reviewed. A MOTION was made and seconded to approve the minutes as presented. (Lawler/Wiley) Motion carried. 4. Cooperative Advertising Applications There were no applications presented. 8. Georgetown Festival of the Arts Gaz Green introduced Dr. Ellsworth Peterson, Penny Plueckhahn and Dr, Bob Horick of the Georgetown Symphony Society. Their purpose here tonight was to share with the board a new event they are organizing and their hope that it will become an annual event. Dr. Peterson talked about the Festival of the Arts, scheduled for June 3-5, 2005, as a venue to make Georgetown visible as an arts center. Their intent is to bring in lecturers and musicians to offer a wide range of events from symposiums to concerts. Participants would include local musicians as well as area high school students and involve other local art groups. Events would take place in a variety of venues around Georgetown. Because this event occurs before many other festivals begin the Symphony Society feels it will be able to attract a good number of people; it does not have much competition for the scheduled weekend. With a budget of $50,000 they are determined to present a first class, first quality event. Gaz and representatives of the Symphony Society went before the City Council and asked for $10,000 fro the CVB Reserve funds. The Council sent it back to the CVB Board to endorse. The Symphony Society will be forming a Steering Committee and would like a representative from the CVB Board to serve on that committee. In addition, they will be asking for community involvement as well. They are looking forward to working with organizations like DGA and local merchants and will be approaching local businesses and individuals to underwrite specific events of the Festival. A MOTION was made and seconded to recommend to the City Council that $10,000 from the HOT tax reserve fund be allocated to the Georgetown Symphony Society for their use in promoting the Georgetown Festival of the Arts. (Bates/Bresser) Motion carried. On a separate issue, John Wiley raised questions concerning the $2,300 in cooperative advertising funding the CVB Board had approved for the Williamson County Art Guild. He had learned that the funds were not being used outside the Williamson County Area. In fact, $2,260 has been spent in the Austin American Statesman, not where the Art Guild had originally said they’d be spending the funds. It was also his understanding that no paid advertising had appeared in the San Antonio Express or the Dallas Morning News as originally proposed. Shelley would follow up with Lucas Adams and check her original notes. It was decided that from this point further, the Board needs to be mores specific as to what our expectations are and what is required of the group receiving the funds. In the future, if funds are not used as initially presented, this Board will refuse to reimburse the requestor. John also felt uncomfortable with the way the City council chose to use $40,000 to fund wayfaring signage. John and Kent would discuss this issue and bring their comments and concerns back to the Board. 5. Task Force Updates • Fiddlin’ Fair: John and Ellen reported on that the event was a great time. Crowds were good and everyone seemed to really enjoy the event. For the first time, the Fiddlin’ Fair will probably break even. A wrap-up meeting is scheduled within the month. • Convention Center Research: this has pretty much run its course and sub-committee will be disbanded. • City Branding: A phone survey is being conducted and its results will serve as a benchmark for future surveys. It is expected that a follow-up survey will be done 6-9 months after the brand roll-out which is scheduled for January 2005. • Lodging Liaison: The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26th at San Gabriel Motor Court. • Sports & Recreation Complex: There has been no meeting since last month so there is nothing new to report. Kent feels that the next step is to contract for a feasibility study. The City, the County, and GISD will all need to appropriate funding for this study. Paul Brandenburg has committed $13,000 for the study. Can Shelly find out where these funds are coming from? 7. 2004-2005 Annual Budget Shelly presented a handout of the 2004-2005 budget. Total budget is $215,804. Highlights include $53,200 earmarked for advertising, $10,000 for Co-Op advertising, $1,500 for board trainings and $10,000 for board programs such as improvements to the Visitors Center. 2. 2005 Official Visitors Guide Lucas Adams was present to promote the 2005 Official visitors Guide and included the first draft of the cover for the Board to see. The CVB is expected to print 60,000 copies this year and they have targeted January for distribution. It is expected that the ads place by local businesses will cover the cost to print and distribute. 5. CVB Action Plan The most recent copy of the CVB Action Plan is included in your packet. This document has been reviewed, the input of the Board has been integrated into the document and it has been reviewed again. The committee asked that Board members review it one last time and indicate where each member would like to volunteer their time and effort. The Tourism Assessment Report (included in your packet) was taken into c=consideration with this version. The final Plan of Work document will be voted on at the November Board meeting. Shelly will enter all staff information into the plan and e-mail it out to Board members by 10/12. All input from Board members must be back to Shelly by 10/20 so that the sub committee can review on 10/25. The final version will then be e-mailed back to the Board prior to the November meeting. 9. Staff Report  With the holidays coming up would we like the December meeting to be more of a social function? The meeting will move to the LaQuinta. It will be a short meeting followed by a Holiday Party.  Gary Ford of Southern Living magazine will be visiting Georgetown on Thursday and Friday, October 7-8, for an article he is writing. The focus of the article is “the Square.” At 8:50 p.m., a MOTION was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting. (Chapman/Wiley) Motion carried. Approved and attested to by: Kent Huntsman Date Board Chair Ellen Weimer Date Board Secretary