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Home My WebLink About100912 DRAFT LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE OUTLINE MINUTES DATE: October 9, 2012 START TIME: 3:00 p.m. LOCATION: City Hall Conference Room 3 VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: David King (Acting Chair), Sherri Hanke, Janette Force, Sue McIntire, Nathan Barnett NON-VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: Mark Cole (Main Street), Bill Roney (TCC), Teresa Verraes (Jeff. Co. Chamber) MEMBER(S) EXCUSED: Michelle Sandoval (Chair), Jake Beattie, Dave Robison, Cindy Finnie, Will O'Donnell MEMBER(S) ABSENT: John MacElwee OTHERS PRESENT: Marketing Contractor Christina Pivarnik, City Manager David Timmons, Deputy City Clerk Joanna Sanders Topic Motions/Recommendation/ Follow up Action Approval of Minutes: July 10, 2012 minutes Postponed. Not a quorum 3rd Quarter Update (Christina Pivarnik): Reported on her activities (see written report) in the areas of social media/website update, downtown construction marketing completion, meetings & conferences update, Washington Tourism Alliance, pitching story ideas & communications, WSF Marketing, Wayfinding, WA travel planner& guide, upcoming marketing opportunities, Olympic Peninsula Travel planner update, and lodging report. Mr. Timmons shared concerns about transient accommodations and vacation rentals, suggesting that a consultant identify community needs and markets to find the types of accommodations needed related to conference center usage. There was further discussion about the market value of vacation rentals to family visitors. Ms. Pivarnik reported we are waiting on the consultant (HVS) to come back with a proposal. General Reports & Updates: Olympic Culinary Loop (Christina Pivarnik): Looking for a new member services director. The in-person quarterly meeting is October 16 in Grays Harbor. OCL was a recent participant on the Culinary Adventure Fam Tour. Jefferson County Chamber (Teresa Verraes): Reported on business activities as listed in the Chamber newsletter and talked about the launch of a new website for East Jefferson County. Tonight is the Chamber mixer. Main Street (Mark Cole): Busy with internal matters such as adding more people to their board and moving forward with projects with limited people. Tomorrow's meeting is postponed. There will be a review of HUD loan applications. Still awaiting a report of Girls Night Out and Concerts on the Dock. Some discussion ensued about calls from business owners asking about community resources/business rental opportunities. It was noted that Team Jefferson is the holder of the statistics. Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission (OPTC) (Christina Pivarnik): October 22 is the OPTC LTAC Minutes Page 1 of 2 October 10, 2012 Topic Motions/Recommendation/ Follow up Action tourism summit. Registrations are down from last year so everyone is encouraged to attend and bring guests. It's at the Red Lion Inn in Port Angeles this year. TCC (Bill Roney): At last meeting: welcomed new members representing the Resort at Port Ludlow and Kalaloch Lodge, approved financials, BOCC report on LTAC funding and upcoming changes. Discussed the following: reserve funding to be released so entities partially funded in 2012 would be now fully funded, County lodging tax revenues up slightly, and City sales tax revenues down. Quinault Lodge is being invited to join OPTC. There was a fall promotion campaign report and discussion of changes/plans for the Olympic Peninsula Travel planner. Update from David Timmons: Report included the following issues and concerns: Fort There was agreement conference planning support is being dismantled; state is considering pulling state parks among members present lodging tax revenues and returning that portion directly to the state (versus City) for tourism (not a quorum) that LTAC marketing ($50K at Fort Worden ) —some discussion ensued about how community leaders approve an allocation of can support the PDA); moving forward with an interlocal agreement with Jefferson Transit on $16K from lodging tax project management and planning; City may develop guidelines and standards for sidewalk budget to recover Police use due to free speech activist obstructing pedestrian traffic; a business improvement district Department overtime in 2012 might be needed to help maintain Main Street/downtown; need a strategy to finish the associated with festivals and esplanade project; Quincy and Washington Street improvements should be the next project events. and there is consideration of transportation benefit district ($20 car tab); discussions with Homeless Shelter to address issues with last year's shelter (drinking and harassment of transit customers); 2013 lodging tax budget is anticipated to be status quo; given economic concerns at the Fort, need to look at revenue growth in the shoulder season at the Northwest Maritime Center and other markets. The 2012 budget situation requires cost recovery for police overtime associated with 2012 festivals/events totaling $16K. He proposed transferring the budget designated for potential advertising buys and holiday promotion to cover this expense. This would leave $6K for holiday promotion. Roundtable Updates: Janette Force— Film Festival was a success— it appears there was an 8% increase. Sue McIntire — Expressed concern about decrease in fairgrounds vendors due to City enforcement of business licensing. Nathan Barnett— Brass Screw Confederacy would return in early June, there will be a Victorian Heritage Festival in March, and possibly a haunted bordello at the Old Consulate Inn next weekend. David Timmons — Urged the Chamber and Film Festival Boards to send letters of support for the PDA. Next Meetings: January 8, April 9, July 9, October 8 at 3 p.m. Meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m. LTAC Minutes Page 2 of 2 October 10, 2012