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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-05-09 - Minutes• GROUP: DATE: PRESENT: ABSENT: ADVERTISING & May 9, 1994 Coy Kaylor Joe Fennel Woody Bassett Jon Davidson and others PROMOTION COMMISSION Susan Stirewalt Ben Mayes Marilyn Johnson Fred Hanna, Linda McBride, Jim Waselues CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairman Coy Kaylor at 2:05 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce. MONTHLY REPORTS: MINUTES Moved by Fennel, second by Bassett to approve the minutes of the April meeting. Motion carried. FINANCIAL Ben Mayes presented the financial report for April. HMR collections were $70,193 in April, an increase of 14.78% over 1993 collections. Total year to date collections are $265,958, an increase of 19.88%. April expenditures were $96,032. Year to date expenditures $290,905. Motion by Fennel, second by Bassett to approve the financial report. Motion carried. AGENCY REPORT Susan Stirewalt and Brad Ruth evaluated the 1994 media campaign to date. The goal of increasing inquiries by 100 over 1993 has been surpassed with a 25.3% increase in the first 4 months of 1994. The 1994 plan called for increased advertising support in tourist markets with high response numbers based on four year averages. The perceived demographic target for the consumer segments remains for Adults 25-44 with children and Adults 55+ without children. Publications were reviewed to meet these segments and demographics. Group Travel/Meetings and Conventions Segment publications were also reviewed. Moved by Fennel, second by Bassett to approve the media recommendations for the remainder of 1994 and to approve the agency report. Motion carried. ACTIVITY REPORT Marilyn Johnson reviewed April activities of Convention Visitor Development. 800 number calls received in April tide • showed a 200% increase over 1993. Total inquiry responses for March were 7450 Year to date inquiries received are 14,552. Johnson was elected vice president of Northwest Arkansas Tourism Association for 1994-95. The Lights of the Ozarks photo will be featured on the state AIDC Motion Picture Development calendar for 1995. The Lights of the Ozarks festival has been nominated for the American Bus Association Top 100 Events in North America. Convention Activity and meetings attended were reviewed. A funding request brochure is currently being designed. Moved by Bassett, second by Fennel to approve the Convention Visitor Report. Motion carried. OLD BUSINESS: C.C.E. FUNDING DISBURSEMENT Ben Mayes explained his dilemma regarding funding disbursement for C. C. E since the finance department had transferred the money from reserve account into special projects account and the Commission has a policy that invoices or paid receipts would be necessary for a check to be written. Ben requested the Commission to give the ok to issue a check which Dean Dutton has indicated would better facilitate acquiring matching funds if they had the check. Kaylor said he looked at the money as a grant to C. C. E. Bassett moved to write C. C. E. a check and that they be asked to report their disbursement of A & P funds and matching money within 12 months, second by Fennel. Motion carried. WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY A revised proposal from Washington County Historical Society was reviewed. Marilyn Johnson recommended that the Society be given a grant of $10,000 which would cover the brochures, porches, lighting, and parking. Bassett stated his concern about making the grant a yearly subsidy. Fennel said he had the same concern as Bassett. Bassett inquired about other sources of revenue. Herb Lewis and Ann Sugg reported revenue as rent from Ridge House, gifts, sale of publications, and ice cream social revenue. Bassett asked if there was prospect for those to increase so A & P won't be requested to subsidize the Society each year. Bassett said brochure development, repair of porches, upgrading the exterior lighting and paving the parking lot were good and fair uses of A & P funds. Bassett moved that the Washington County Historical Society be given $12,500, second by Fennel. (For advertising and promoting the city or • and for operation of a tourist oriented facility) Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS NATA CO-OP Susan Stirewalt reviewed participation by the A & P Commission in last year's Northwest Arkansas Tourism Association tour guide. 140,000 copies are published. Fayetteville needs to be represented as the largest tour city in Northwest Arkansas. Kaylor stated that the biggest draw to Fayetteville is it's attractions. He suggested having a bigger city ad focusing on the attractions. Marilyn recommended that the A & P Commission set aside $6,048 to be used for 6 pages. .Kaylor moved that the A & P extend the offer to attractions, second by Davidson. Motion carried (3 - 0) OTHER BUSINESS Bassett initiated discussion on funding public recreation facilities and providing money for maintenance of the square gardens. He moved to take out of escrow the $700,000 for a convention center and use $600,000 for public recreation facilities and $100,000 for square garden. Kaylor said he had .mixed emotions about the proposal. It is a good idea, but must be tourist related or we can't spend the money. Bassett said there are no case laws interpreting the uses of A & P funds. The legislature amended the statute to include that money may be used for the construction, reconstruction and operation of public recreation facilities. Tournaments bring in a lot of tourist dollars. The Square Gardens promote the City more than anything else. Kaylor said he would have to see a plan before he votes on spending A & P money. Bassett said he wants to free the money for the people to ask for money for the parks. Kaylor said the football, tennis, baseball, etc. groups need to get together with a coordinated unified plan. Bassett said the Parks and Recreation groups are looking to the Mayor's office for guidelines. The way to touch more people is through baseball and softball. The square gardens has to have money available to maintain them in the future. It is unreasonable to make decisions in a vacuum. He sees substantial amounts of money being spent on capital improvements. Fennel said the HMR tax was started 15 years ago to promote a convention center. He is concerned with the 1.6 million dollar annual budget of Parks and Recreation and how it is • • being spent. Our youth are important and he does a lot for youth but compared with $1.6 million, $600,000 isn't much. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Johnson Director Convention and Visitor Development