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DRAFT LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE OUTLINE MINUTES
DATE:START TIME: LOCATION:
July 13, 2010 3:00 p.m. City Hall Conference Room 3
VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT:
George Randels, John MacElwee, Steve Shively, John Eissinger, Cindy Finnie, Will O'Donnell
(arrived at 3:27)
NON-VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT:
Jennifer MacGillonie (Chamber), Mark Cole (Main Street)
MEMBER(S) EXCUSED: MEMBER(S) ABSENT:
Sherri Hanke, Tim Stover, Dave Robison, Sue McIntire
OTHERS PRESENT:
Marketing Contractor Christina Pivarnik, Bill Roney – Tourism Coordinating Council, City Manager David
Timmons, City Clerk Pam Kolacy
NEXT MEETING DATE:
October 12, 2010
Topic Motions/Recommendation/Action Follow up
Chairman’s Report
Approval of Minutes:
April 13, 2010
Minutes approved as written
Update from David Timmons
Expectation is that capital programs downtown will be completed before Wooden Boat
Festival. Cotton Building will be added to city facilities available for rental to the public.
Cotton Building will have capacity for seating 100 people and public restrooms.
Improvements to Washington Street and Taylor Street sidewalks are pending. City is
waiting for broadband proposal from Mobilisa.
Second Quarter Work Review/Third Quarter Work Plan Christina Pivarnik
Chetzemoka Promotion: Christina gave update on the launching of the Chetzemoka and
showed the banners which will be displayed on light poles. Other items will be marketed
with the image and the website gochetzemoka.com is now functional. The Launch will take
place on August 29 with a full schedule of events on both Coupeville and Port Townsend
sides. Fundraising from partners has exceeded initial goal.
Travel Writers Conference. Christina attended Northwest Travel Writers conference. She
reported that the conference provided an excellent networking opportunity.
Fulfillment Brochures/Travel Planners: Project to have fulfillment brochures and travel
planners distributed by Olympic Peninsula Visitors Bureau office has resulted in significant
savings as well as wider distribution of Port Townsend materials. Work is in progress on a
Seattle lure brochure.
LTAC Minutes Page 1 of 3 July 13, 2010
Topic Motions/Recommendation/Action Follow up
Port Townsend will have a marketing presence in the official Washington State Travel
Planner.
General Reports & Updates
Convention & Tourism Bureau (CVB) Status: Steve reported that Webervations tool has
been selected for on-line reservations and Port Townsend will be invited to join with a
possible incentive. A goal is to attract late shoulder season meetings. The product shows
total lodging availability and is convenient one stop shopping for event planners. David
Timmons noted that the Walkability Foundation plans to host several events in Port
Townsend.
Chamber: Jennifer reported that the Chamber is busy although visitor numbers are down,
particularly the June numbers (1,950 visitors this year compared to 2,800 last June). The
Chamber board will hold a four hour strategic planning retreat on July 14 and has hired a
part time membership sales person. She reported on Concerts on the Dock, very
successful in spite of last minute change in location. The Chamber’s first membership
directory has been printed and the new website jeffcountychamber.org has been created.
Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission (OPTC): Efforts continue on marketing to British
Columbia and Port Townsend was pictured in a full page ad in the Times Colonist without
charge.
Tourism Coordinating Council: Bill Roney reported there was no meeting in July but work
on the fall campaign is ongoing. He noted that TCC is a little over budget year to date and
so couldn’t contribute to the Chetzemoka effort. He provided copies of the new promotional
brochure and noted that the Gateway Visitor Center also experienced a significant drop in
visitors in June compared to last year.
Olympic Culinary Loop: There has been less board involvement recently. Acronym FLOSS
has been adopted (fresh, local, organic, seasonal, sustainable). Will O’Donnell reported
that the Farmers Market had a bad June for attendance. General consensus was that
combination of weather and financial condition contributed to a poor June all around.
Vacation Rentals Subcommittee
Subcommittee to
George Randels stated that the committee met and heard from members of the schedule meeting.
public in attendance, with little time left to deliberate on a recommendation. Another
subcommittee meeting will occur in late July or August, but before the next LTAC meeting.
Mr. Randels noted that the City Council had not set a deadline for the recommendation.
Next Meeting:
October 12, 2010
Meeting adjourned at 4:35 p.m.
LTAC Minutes Page 2 of 3 July 13, 2010