HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-09-26 - Minutes -Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission
Minutes September 26, 2022
Fayetteville Town Center
Commissioners Todd Martin, Chair, Tourism & Hospitality Representative
Present: Elvis Moya, Tourism & Hospitality Representative
Andrew Prysby, Commissioner at -large
Sarah Bunch, City Council Representative
Mark Kinion, City Council Representative
Commissioners Chrissy Sanderson, Tourism & Hospitality Representative
Absent: Katherine Kinney
Staff: Molly Rawn, CEO; Ashley Cane, Marketing Manager; Jennifer Walker, VP of
Finance
Chair Martin called the meeting to order at 2:02 pm.
Old Business
A. Chair Martin asked commissioners to review the August minutes and asked if there
were any additions or revisions. Hearing no additions or revisions, he stated that the
minutes stood approved.
III. New Business
A. CEO Report. An executive overview of the previous month's activity, issues and
opportunities facing the organization.
Rawn opened by reviewing the HMR numbers with the commission.
July's HMR activity, which was collected in August was $363, 072. As you can see,
we are exceeding 2019 numbers by 26% and 2021 numbers by 14% and HMR is up
17% overall for the year.
Rawn then discussed this year's budget process: we will be presenting a broad
overview of the budget at the October commission meeting which will be a week
earlier as Rawn will be traveling to a Bike City Summit during the 4th Monday in
October. The October meeting will be a budget preview, which will include any key
projects, any major changes and more. The entire budget will be sent at least 2
weeks ahead of the November meeting, which is the Monday after Thankgiving. If
the budget is approved in November, there will not be a December meeting.
B. Financial Report. Jennifer Walker, VP Finance
Walker began by referencing the financial information that has been included in the
meeting packet, including a balance sheet and P & L statement for August. Walker
stated that our target percent is 67% of overall budget and that revenue is 6% above
target and expenditures are 8% under this target of 67%; she noted both of these are
good data points. Our net income for August is $646,000 and HMR collection came
in at around $2.9 million dollars — when this is seasonally adjusted, it is 8% above
budget.
Our liquid assets are holding very steady at around $4.67 million and the town
center's unearned revenue is $155,000, reflecting future booking.
In asking if there were any questions about the financial report, Chair Martin asked
Tyler Wilson, General Manager of the town center what he thought about business at
the town center and he said he thought it was getting back to the normal cyclical
bookings. We have very few open dates in October and November.
C. Marketing Report. Ashley Cane, Marketing Manager
Cane showed our ads showing dual sports cycling and Razorback football. She also
showed information about our First Thursday we held on September 15t" which was a
makeup event from August. We obtained lots of great footage from this First Thursday
to help promote next year's season.
She followed up on the influencer visitors, Arkie Travels and said they did a great job
and shared lots of content with their audience and shared their pictures with Experience
Fayetteville for our use.
Our next influencer will be a motorcycling influencer. She also shared some great new
photos of some newer businesses such as Pearls Books and Sleet City.
Mike Sells shared our web analytics and stated that they are up compared to last year
which is indicative of us spending more funds on ads this year.
Top web pages — Home Page 17%, Visitors Guide 42% and Outdoors 304%. Sells
also showed the top 5 states with a lot of growth in Illinois and Missouri.
In sharing OZCX promotion information, Sells talked about geoframing which is
targeting individuals who have been interested in the different cyclo-cross events.
Commissioner Moya asked about Vanny's travels and Rawn was able to share that
Vanny traveled to the Americana Festival in Nashville. Vanny also traveled to Big Dam
Bridge in Little Rock this weekend. Commissioner Moya asked if Trick or Treat on the
Square was happening. Rawn said that we are working with the City Parks Department
to host this event in the Ramble rather than the square. A press release about this
change should be forthcoming.
Chair Martin asked Cane more about the advertising around football we've been doing
and Cane and Rawn said we are focusing on extending the time a football goer spends
in Fayetteville by highlighting other activities that are going on during the weekend. We
do this with our Friday roundup of activities. Discussion around creating different visitor
itineraries to promote other options of activities was had.
D. Vote. Lease agreement with 21 Mountain, LLC for office space for Fayetteville Town
Center staff.
Our current lease for 5 W. Mountain will be expiring soon and we have been asked to
find alternative arrangements which we have with a suite at 21 W. Mountain.
Rawn discussed that the staff did as the commission requested and analyzed using
Walker Stone House as a possible landing place for the Fayetteville Town Center staff
and it was decided, as summarized in an email sent to the commission earlier that
month, it would not be cost effective and it would prohibit other, possibly better uses for
Walker Stone House.
In discussing the proposed lease, Rawn noted that it is inclusive of utilities and the
overall rent is less. The Chamber is also willing, at their cost, to wall in some space to
give additional office space. Rawn stated that it was both her and also Tyler Wilson's
recommendation to sign this lease for three years. Chair Martin entertained a motion to
authorize the CEO to sign a three year lease agreement for 21 Mountain LLC for office
space beginning October 12, 2022, which Commissioner Bunch moved and
Commission Kinion seconded and with no discussion, Chair Martin called for a vote
and it passed unanimously.
E. Vote. IT Vendor. Agreement with TekTrendz for Managed IT services
Rawn opened up by stating that in 2021 our agreement with our current IT Provider
was set to expire and the commission authorized it to continue for one more year with
the intent to put out a Request for Qualifications this year which we did. We received
three responses, of which two were deemed qualitied to provide services. TekTrendz
not only was well qualified to meet our managed IT needs, their monthly retainer was
at a lower price point. Rawn asked the commission to allow her to accept the quote
and Chair Martin entertained a motion to authorize Rawn to accept the quote for the
Scope of Work and the Master Services Agreement provided by TekTrendz for a 2
year term for a rate of $2,910 monthly. Commissioner Moya made the motion with
Commissioner Prysby seconded it. With no more discussion, it was voted on and it
passed unanimously.
F. Vote. Presentation on Fayetteville Town Center's participation in the city of
Fayetteville's Energy Savings Performance Contract with Johnson Controls.
Rawn has learned a couple of key pieces of information since our last meeting,
including financing terms. The city will allow us, if we so choose, to finance the
initial cost of this for 20 years.
It was also discussed that the current lease for the town center is a bit unequitable
when considering what is involved in other leases with other component unit
buildings such as the library, the Air Museum, etc. Rawn pointed out that our lease
needs to be renewed and she thinks when that happens, we can make it more
equitable in regard to items such as roofing and plumbing as it was pointed out that
other leases contain provisions for roofing and plumbing issues.
Chair Martin began discussing the solar panels by stating it's hard to predict the
ROI as it is hard to predict energy prices for the next two decades. He stated that
he also wanted to acknowledge that we are renters of the town center and we need
to consider what types of investments we need to make in a property that is not
one we own. He further stated that with the possible ambiguity of the lease he
wasn't certain this was an expense we needed to bear. Chair Martin wondered if
we adopt solar panels, what would we cut?
Rawn stated that if we took the cost savings assumptions made in the 20-year
financing option, she did not see that we would not be cutting any programs.
Much discussion happened about the possibility of the solar panels and also the
new lease that will be negotiated and what might be included in that lease such as
roofing and plumbing. It was brought up that we could discuss and propose any
changes with the solar project when this is discussed more at the city council.
Chair Martin asked for a motion which Commissioner Moya made and
Commissioner Prysby seconded: The commission authorizes the CEO to continue
negotiations regarding the town center's participation in the city's energy savings
performance contract with Johnson Control and empowers her to reach a favorable
agreement with the city council based upon the data presented in today's A&P
Commission's meeting. After no further discussion, the motion was unanimously
approved by Commissioners Bunch, Moya, Prysby, Martin and Kinion.
With the time of the meeting, it was decided to put the Welcoming discussion on
the October agenda with a shortened marketing report so we could discuss
signage examples.
G. Chair Martin called for a motion to adjourn the meeting at 3:40 pm. The motion
was made by Commissioner Prysby and seconded by Commissioner Moya
Minutes submitted by Amy Stockton, Director of Operations, Experience Fayetteville