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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM021412 TCC Draft Minutes, 2-14-12 WSU Extension Center, Madrona Room 9:03 am Members attending were: Bill Roney, Joy Baisch, Diane Schostak, Carol Christiansen, Bud Schindler, Allison Willing, Chuck Russell. Unexcused: Amanda Others: John Austin, Teresa Verraes, Christina Pivarnik Staff: Kitti deLong Minutes, 11-8-11 Allison moved to approve the Minutes as presented. Bill seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Financial Report, 2-14-2012 Kitti emailed Philip Morley yesterday to see where we were in the First Quarter Appropriation process to recover the shortfall from the end of last year, but have not heard back from him. Also asked him where we were with the LTAC Contracts, but no answer about that yet, either. January Invoices: WTA Annual Membership $ 300.00 OPTC Joint Marketing Contract 3,677.47 Coordinator’s Services 875.65 Polycom Sound Station 505.80 Feb. Total $5,358.92 Carol moved to approve the Financial Report as presented. Bill seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Additions There were no additions. Commissioner’s Update – John Austin In the newspaper, it sounds like the County Commissioners are eager to have sexually oriented businesses in the County. In reality, every County in the State is required to allow sexually oriented business (SOB Law). Jefferson County has had a moratorium for the last three or four years. Could only have a moratorium as long as the Commissioners were really trying to find the right spot to put a sexually oriented business. There are a number of regulations in the draft ordinances before the BOCC now. Will accept comments until 4:00 Friday. John Austin led a discussion regarding Fort Worden and manager Kate Burke being bumped and the State continuing to run the Fort vs. the Public Development Association (PDA) taking over its operation as a Lifelong Learning Center and the pros and cons of both. A lot of time of the Commissioners has been spent contacting Legislators re: the adult learning center to try to save it. Are trying to get a little over $100,000 to run the program, which would go through Peninsula College. Kevin Van de Wege is leading and Scott Wilson is working on this locally. This is the only adult higher educational facility south of Port Townsend. The Commissioners are also trying to save money for the Health Department. Frank Chop, Speaker of the House, has been talking about taking the money away from the Health Departments in the guise of giving people more local control. He suggested raising money through more taxation. The Commissioners feel that is not fair considering that taxes have been raised locally a number of times already. The county is continuing to work on a gravel extraction tax. Philip Johnson is our representative to Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) and that group is trying to get a state gravel extraction tax. Are working trying to preserve rural schools by getting money from the FEDs. Is working with Norm Dicks, who is a great proponent for bringing money back to the State. The Sewer Project in Port Hadlock is trying to finish the final design. The State Supreme Court threw out the lawsuit against the sewer project. Hotel/Motel Lodging Tax: Joy reported that the State says that in 2004, the State overpaid Jefferson County LTAC by $11,000. Therefore, that $11,000 was deducted from the August, 2011 Jefferson County LTAC Income. It looks like Jefferson County LTAC income is down a bit, but when you factor in that deduction (the line for 2011 is $293,344, and adding in the $11,000) we brought in $304,344 for the year. Essentially, the year went better than the published figures show. Joy asked John to explain the new resolution on reserves, #63-11. Joy stated that insurances have gone up as well as rent and all costs. What does John, as a County Commissioner, think about going back to get some kind of additional funding from LTAC? Discussion about the process of requesting funding for the entities that were shorted at the LTAC Budget Requests in September, 2011 and that were presented in October, 2011. After much discussion the committee agreed that it was reasonable, given the new resolution, that there was a different understanding at what level we could draw down our reserve under our new resolution #63-11. It was agreed to not create another formal process, and that we would ask the LTAC Advisory Committee revisit those Sept deadline requests, to determine if those shortfalls (those that are appropriate) are able to be funded at this time. Joy reminded us that, in addition, with the demise of the State Tourism agency, more work is now required to be done at the local level. What does John, as Commissioner, think about going back to get some kind of addition funding from LTAC? Discussion. OPTC – Diane Has been visiting with Debbie on the plan that she is presenting today about the Spring Campaign. We have a week or ten days left before we have to nail down the Victoria Campaign details. Getting those two campaigns going is top priority. There is a to-do in Olympia about LTAC tax. The sunset is 2013. The effectiveness of use of LTAC funds and how many people it drew and how many tourists it generated. With any luck, the annual reporting forms can be retro-fitted to work for the lodging industry. Culinary: Are doing interviews tomorrow with three people in Diane’s office for the Membership Director of the Olympic Culinary Loop. The Board is meeting next week at Port Ludlow from 9 am to noon on the 21. Be a part of the discussion. There also st is a chocolate tasting afterward! WTA – Christina Please plan to attend the WTA Summit on April 5 at the Hilton in SeaTac. For WTA th members, the fee to attend the Summit is $75. There is a reception the night before at the Museum of Flight ($15) catered by McCormick and Schmick’s. Special rates at the Hilton are $119. Roger Dow from the US Travel Association is the keynote speaker. Registration information will be out this week, all on line. Spring Campaign – Debbie Black There are new components in this package and includes more PR than in the past. The Campaign budget is $35,400, duration is March and April with a little bit that will take us through the summer. Things are fresh and exciting with the revamp of the Culinary Loop Tour, which will include new venues. All of the players do need to be committed. Would also like to include more scenic attractions in the campaign to make it more interesting and fun. Debbie is looking for suggestions for these locations to help build a new route that we can promote. There are suggestions that we extend the Culinary Loop to April through October so we can continue this and people will have a little longer time to enjoy this. Some of the feedback was that people would like to have enough time to take it on. Once we identify the locations, will have to produce a new map as last fall and then make it available at different distribution points on the Seattle side as well as on this side. We want to make this simpler so want to discontinue the trivia contest and not require photos. Still have the grand prize that we did not give away last fall. Also have two certificates for dinner for two. Also propose that we put together a FAM tour for the media so they can experience the tour and possibly get more media attention. At the Writers Conference at Fort Worden in April, one of the trends they will focus on will be culinary, which will tie into our Campaign. Will design a small tour for the writers, which will be hand picked by the conference coordinator. These writers will have the opportunity to stay at the Resort at Port Ludlow and a special dinner will be made for them by Chef Dan with ingredients provided by local farms. Next morning, Willie Nelson of All Points Charters will come and pick up the six writers and take them to Port Ludlow and Port Angeles and back. Would like a guide or two riding with them who is very knowledgeable about the area. The other thing that Diane wants to do is to put together another small FAM tour to offer to writers in March. Could be the same or addition sites, and maybe only as a day tour. Will depend on interest and availability and would be little bit earlier in March. Schedule: Will be continuing to work with Seattle Dining but Debbie is proposing to incorporate their sister publication, Sound Rider, that goes to motorcycle enthusiasts. Seattle Dining is offering a customer e-Blast, with no other advertisers. Debbie has incorporated two of those to go out in June. Also would include a story on the new website in March to kick this off. Sound Rider does a similar thing to the Culinary Loop Tour called Café-to-Café, which runs from March through August or September. They do not want our event to compete with Café-to-Café. The second opportunity is with Seattle Magazine in May, the cover features small towns with a focus on agri-tourism. Debbie is proposing a large ad in the online advertising. Edible Seattle: Did some guest blogging in the fall with Graham Kerr. Debbie proposes we do a point ad in color, and also doing about eight weeks of online banners. In addition, Debbie will be in touch with the editor to see if we can do more guest blogging. This is a good fit for the Culinary Adventure. Also adding Cable TV advertising with Comcast using b-roll video, not specifically for the Culinary Adventure but to show a broader perspective. Will use 15-30 second spots and would be aired in north Seattle, the eastside and Tacoma zones. Also will have banner advertising on Xfinity.com where people go to program their DVR’s, etc. Debbie stated that the Visitor Bureau has b-roll that we can try. Will work with producers. Christina stated that all of the Culinary video is available as b-roll. Christina stated that TV stations want b-roll shot only in HD. Diane said that their’s in not in HD. Joy stated that Pam Roberts has b-roll available and will send contact info to Debbie Black. KVI would include an opportunity for an interview or two. Lots of give away opportunities with STAR 101.5, which are (open) currently during the time our campaign is running. Have about six different radio shows that will use these. One will be given away each week. Will give away one package each day Monday through Friday and each package must be identical. Sandusky station airs Table Talk which has a younger audience, is known as the chit chat network. Program is run two times month, both on Wednesdays and focuses on agri-culinary topics. Can promote our packages on her shows. For one month, on both Wednesday shows, would include an interview, banner ads, and verbal mention at different breaks throughout her program. Public Relations for this campaign: Debbie would like to do a press release and pitch this component. Mary Breslford is putting together a blog that will be on the Visitor Bureau website. Design and production – need a new map for the culinary tour, need a banner ad for table talk, and for giveaways on olympicpeninsula.org. FAM tour transportation: Willie Nelson is giving us a really good deal on the transportation at $250. We need to put together the Culinary Adventure route now. Wants venues that are really committed to what we are trying to accomplish. Joy announced they are putting in a permanent farmers market in Brinnon. Christina stated that she is collecting culinary events around the loop and providing that for Edible Seattle and Seattle Dining, and is collecting info on Farmers Markets as well. Debbie Black needs advice about how to develop this information. Diane suggested that we have a work session with culinary people as well as TCC and OPTC people. Will set up a call to work on that adventure. Joy, Carol, Teresa, Christina, Diane and Kitti will take part. Teresa suggested that Laura Lewis take part and Diane suggested Christi Kissler and that someone from Clallam County should be there. Discussion about incorporating QR codes and Four Square, etc. into the Culinary Tour. Debbie Black will explore how to incorporate that in some way. If we agree this is the way to go, Debbie Black will start reserving space. Are looking at an April launch, so the sooner we get going, the better. Would like to do a “test drive” in March on the FAM tour. Discussion about the radio spots. Diane suggested that we stretch out the radio promotions longer to get more mileage. We do not have to drive prospective visitors to Seattle Dining, but can now drive visitors to olympicpeninsula.org. Will have to create another page on the site where we can put that information. Diane suggested that we make that part of the work session. Carol moved that TCC approve and support the Spring Campaign as presented by Debbie Black. Bill seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Port Townsend Marketing – Christina Downtown construction begins Mon., Feb. 20. The marketing promotion “Light at th the End of the Tunnel” is well underway in collaboration with the Main Street program. This afternoon, JCHS is doing walking tours downtown at 2:00 pm as a promotion to get more people downtown during the construction. Also doing this on Presidents’ Day. This is being called, “Be Part of History in the Making.” They are giving fact sheets about the history of the downtown sidewalk area and JCHS will have an exhibit of photos at the Museum. 80+ businesses came to the merchant meeting to hear what will be going on when construction begins. There are 147 downtown businesses! In 2009, Jefferson County had 1100 businesses. The “Light at the End of the Tunnel” is that the construction will finish at the end of June. There will be a “Loyalty Stamp Card” as part of the promotion. Every time someone gets a stamp on their card, their name will be entered in a drawing. Each participant needs to keep their cards. Our goal is to keep these businesses alive during construction. All utilities will be underground at the end of the project. There will also be Coupon Books in each of the businesses. Port Townsend’s gotten some great media coverage recently and has been featured in Victoria Boulevard magazine on Vancouver Island this month, has been named one of the Top 10 Most Romantic Small Towns in America on SmartTraveler.com and has been featured as being very dog-friendly on DogAboutTown.com. Christina has been busy on WTA business and has been chairing the committee to come up with fund raising events around the state. The group needs to come up with $100,000. One idea is to have each of the DMO’s assemble packages to place on the on-line auction. Another idea is possibly doing an event at a bowling alley, maybe in Vancouver, WA. Diane is doing work on how to use our Washington State brand. Diane is taking the Olympic Peninsula on the road to Berlin. The organizers wanted 50 small gifts for the trade show. Diane is taking the string backpacks for this. Diane made a presentation to the Port of Port Angeles to ask for support. Joy stated the Tribes want to come back to the table about the shellfish taking. That has been resolved in the past with a $50,000 payment. This matter is very sensitive and the State has to have this matter taken care of by the first of May. Budget Shortfalls Thursday, we have a County LTAC meeting and will need to discuss: 1.Slowness in the process; 2.Slowness in getting contracts out; 3.We don’t have a really clear understanding on how this money is handled and who has the authority to make decisions. The County just passed another resolution that says that they can only hold 25% of the total spending capacity. This year, it was $304,000. Discussion. Carol moved that, based on Resolution 63-11, TCC supports a thorough re-designation of the 2012 budget request, and fund the shortfalls where appropriate and those monies will be included in contract modifications. Allison seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Joy requested sponsorship for Joy and Kitti to attend the WTA Summit in April, cost will be $75 each for a total of $150. Bill made a motion to fund the cost of the WTA Summit and travel expenses for both Joy and Kitti so they will be able to attend the WTA Summit in April. Allison seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Bill: Adventure Map will be printed within the next 10 days. He is trying to get a QR code placed on it now. Needs to have someone look at the lodging list on the map to review again and then we will be good to go. Joy: Now will be a permanent Farmer’s Market in Brinnon every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Meeting ended at 11:55 am.