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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-02-04 KCVB MinutesKenai Convention and Visitors Bureau Minutes of Feb. 4, 2002 Board of Directors Meeting Board Present: Fred Braun, Ron Malston, Marion Nelson, Robin West, Robert Fulton, Jim Bookey, Bill Popp (5:45 p.m.), Dan Van Zee (5:51 p.m.). Quorum achieved 5:51 p.m.) Staff Present: Rickey Gease, Jay Barrett Carl to order: 5:42 p.m. by President Braun. Agenda: Approved (after quorum achieved) Minutes: Approved (after quorum achieved) Visitors: None Correspondence: West Cook Inlet Task Force Gease reported on West Cook Inlet Task Force meeting that he attended. Braun asked what board could do to facilitate. Nelson said the Kenai CVB should be very involved in the west side, as Kenai is the gateway there. Gease said the task force meets every three- to four weeks. Braun said it appeared the wishes of the board are that Gease continue on the task force. Pay phone Gease reported that pay phones are going the way of the dinosaurs, and that ACS is charging the Kenai CVB $480 per year for the one in the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. Gease said a free wireless phone from AT &T that can call 800 numbers and anywhere statewide at no charge is available and should replace the pay phone. Malston inquired about out -of -state calls. Gease said the front desk could sell them phone cards. Introductions Braun introduced Robin West as the newest member of the Kenai CVB board of directors. West is the manager of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. West said he has always enjoyed the services the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center has provided. Gease introduced Barrett, the new manager of communications and special events. Barrett said a few words about himself. Minutes: Approval moved by Popp, second Nelson. Motion passed. Board election results Gease reported all six candidates were elected. Forty ballots returned and there were 40 votes for all six candidates. (Results included by reference.). He said there are 10 members, 11 with Bookey as Kenai City Council liaison. He said the board of directors is comprised of Fred Braun, Ron Malston, Rebecca Cronkhite, Bill Popp, Dan Van Zee, Robert Fulton, Marion Nelson, Marty Reagan, Robin West and Sandra Vozar. There are three hoard seats still open. Braun said Charlotte Legg would like to be appointed to the board. Braun asked the board their thoughts. Bookey asked if the board was intent on having 13 members. He said if so, they should be sought out now. Discussion ensued on potential candidates. Braun said board members should gather names and bring them back to the board. 2002 Board of Directors Manual Gease said he gave one to West. West said it was informative. Gease said two are available at the center. 2002 Board of Directors officer elections Braun threw open the floor for nominations. He said former Executive Director Kathy Tarr made the job of president easy, and that Gease also is making it easy, and said he feels he's had his time as president and asked if anyone was interested in serving in that position. Nelson asked Van Zee if he was ready for the job. Van Zee said he could not take on any other projects at the time. Nelson asked him if he was interested in being vice president. Van Zee said his "arm could be twisted in that direction." Braun asked Popp if he was interested in the presidency. Popp said with the bed tax issue, it might not be best for him to be president at this time. Braun asked Malston if he'd be interested in the presidency. Malston responded he would like to remain secretary- treasurer. Bookey asked if Nelson was interested in the position. She said was out of town too much. Braun said he would agree to do the job for one more year only. Popp nominated Braun for president, Nelson second. Popp moved to close nominations, Nelson second. Fulton asked for unanimous consent. There were no objections. Motion passed. Popp nominated Van Zee as vice president, Nelson second. Popp moved to close nominations, Nelson second. Fulton asked for unanimous consent. There were no objections. Motion passed. Popp nominated Malston as secretary/treasurer, Nelson second. Popp moved to close nominations, Nelson second. Popp asked for unanimous consent. There were no objections. Motion passed. A break was taken at 6:17 p.m. Back on the record at 6:20 p.m. Executive Director's Report Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council /Alaska Tourism Industry Assoc. Gease reported that the Kenai CVB has $10,000 eaiuiarked for membership in the Alaska Travel Industry Association to be a community marketing partner. He said it has generated a lot of leads, being the second largest source of them, behind Yahoo!. He said ATIA has generated between a quarter and a third of the gross leads received. He said Seward and Horner pays $4,000 per year and Soldotna $5,000. Discussion ensued on how much each peninsula city contributes and how much KCVB should contribute. Gease then initiated discussion on bed taxes. He said the legislature now allows boroughs to collect area wide bed taxes and distribute them to cities. He said every other area in the state and western United States has a bed tax, putting the Kenai Peninsula at a competitive disadvantage as far as advertising money goes. Bookey said it makes sense to have a bed tax across the peninsula, not just in the city. Popp said there might be concern from businesses outside cities on the peninsula that the taxes they collect going to the cities. Popp said borough collected bed taxes would likely have to go to a borough -wide marketing entity. Bookey said Ile is worried the borough assembly would tell the city of Kenai to collect its own bed tax since it has such an ordinance on the books, creating an unequal bed tax on the peninsula. Nelson initiated discussion on the health of the Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council. She said she sees an opportunity for a marketing committee from the different areas of the borough to be formed. Popp said with elections this year for most of the assembly members, this might not be the year to talk about a bed tax. Bookey agreed, saying 12 to 18 months from now might be better. Popp said the discussion needs to start now about dedicated funding generated by the users. Van Zee said a seasonal sales tax is preferable to a targeted industry bed tax. Popp suggested all executive directors of chambers of commerce talk among themselves, then talk to the accommodation industry. He said it would be a long and slow process. Bookey agreed, saying bringing groups to assembly and council meetings is important. Popp said best to leave a specific mill rate off the table at this point. Gease said he was asked to sit on the KPTMC board, but was inclined not to. Nelson said she would advise not to. Financial Report: Included by reference Director Popp left at 6:50 p.m. Discussion ensued on obtaining addition pull -tab revenue. Gease pointed out that the KCVB could not enter into any more gaming agreements, as it is bringing in close to the maximum allowed. A partnership with another 501c3 non -profit would have to be created. Braun said the board had given Gease the directive to look for new and additional funding sources, and noted that he was doing just that. The meeting was taken off the record at 7:17 p.m. Back on the record at 7:24 p.m. Gease explained the new "Simple IRA" program for KCVB employees. Gease presented the new Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center logo, saying it would better brand the building. It was met with positive comments. Gease reported on the summer art show "The Spirit of Alaska: The Inner Landscape," saying 92 artists have been confirmed and several sponsors lined up. He also reported on several other projects, including the quilt show, the Hal Gage photography show, the Central Peninsula Writer's Night, his trip to Juneau as part of an ATIA lobbying effort. He said monthly "e- bulletins" are in the works for KCVB members. He said he is working on creating separate budgets for the Kenai Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center. Gease said the draft KCVB budget would go before the city council with a status -quo contract amount of $70,000, and that the Small Tools budge would be similar to past years. He also said there are several options for a printed promotional piece from the KCVB. Bookey said it would be hard to hold to the status quo, as the city will be at least $350,000 to $500,000 in the red. Nelson said a printed piece was needed no matter what. Malston agreed, as did Bookey. Braun said putting advertisements in one cheapens it. Bookey said the key to success is "thinking out side of the box." Nelson said she's been talking to peninsula travel- related businesses and that everyone is anticipating as good as or better year this year over last. Board comments: Nelson welcomed West. West said there is a lot to think about being on the board. Fulton had no comment. Bookey had no comment. Van Zee said he was proud to be vice president. Malston had no comments. Braun welcomed Gease, Barrett and West to their respective new positions. Meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:15 p.m. Respectively submitted, Jay Barrett