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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-04-20 KCVB MinutesMINUTES A. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. Kenai Visitors Convention Bureau, Inc. Aprt120, 1998- ABBREVIATE Board Meeting, 7:3 resident it Jahrig Presiding ROLL CALL Directors present: Will Jahrig; Ron Malston; Diane Lofstedt; Jerilue Seekins; Becky Vandehey; Fred Braun; Sandra Vozar; Robert Fulton; Ron Rainey; Rebecca Godek Staff present: Kathy Tarr, Ricky Gease C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA M/S (Malson, Rainey) to approve the agenda. D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the March 18, 1998 meeting were not available for approval. E. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD Ricky Gease, new Manager of Exhibits Education, was introduced to the board. Gease commented about his excitement and interest in his new position. F. UNSCHEDULED PERSONS TO BE HEARD None. G. PREPARATION FOR CITY OF KENAI BUDGET WORK SESSION Wednesday, April 22, 1998, 7:00 p.m., Senior Center (M /S Braun, Fulton) to duplicate the "Report to the Community" and mail it to every KVCB member. Director Vozar commented about the financial information presented under "Revenue Detail." Clarification was needed under the line item, "Retail." Tarr explained that Retail and Miscellaneous Income were lumped together in the "Revenue Detail." Since Miscellaneous Income and Retail were combined into one line item, the figure appeared skewed, said Vozar. Tarr said she would clarify it in the final draft. Another draft copy of KVCB's first -ever, "Report to the Community" was distributed to the board. Tarr explained that 15 copies were delivered to City Hall on April 15 so that Kenai City Council members would have the information at least one week prior to KVCB's scheduled budget work session. Tarr said the report was still missing page numbers and needed some other minor editing. President Jahrig read his "President's Message" to the board. There was discussion about the distribution of the "Report to the Community." Tarr informed the board that City Manager Rick Ross was pleased to see the report. He would lilce KVCB to present an annual report to the city every year, said Tarr. Ross would proposed this as a change in KVCB's professional services contract with the City of Kenai. Tarr said the Bureau could save postage costs by mailing it out bulk rate since there were 210 members, enough to qualify for the bulk discount. There would also be photocopying charges. The report (approximately 250 copies would be produced) will also be photocopied on both sides of the page to save money. The final draft was anticipated to be approximately 22 pages long. Minutes April 20, 1998 Page 2 Tarr reported to the board about other proposed changes to KVCB's city contract that she discussed with City Manager Rick Ross. Although KVCB as a private, non -profit 501(c)6 is not required to comply with the Open Meetings Act, the Bureau should make allowances for interested members of the public to attend regular board of directors meetings, especially if those board meetings are held in the Kenai Visitors Cultural Center, a publicly -owned facility. Should the Bureau need to discuss confidential topics, the KVCB board could move to go into executive session. Tarr said she agreed with Rick Ross that KVCB board meetings should be open to the public as long as we were not required to follow all the procedures and regulations outlined in the Open Meetings Act. Tarr suggested that from this point forward, all KVCB agendas include "Unscheduled Persons To Be Heard" to accommodate any member of the public who may choose to attend a KVCB Board meeting. In the meantime, the Bureau has also begun to distribute approved copies of all KVCB board minutes to the City of Kenai. Tarr reviewed other proposed changes to KVCB's professional services contract which she had preliminarily discussed with Rick Ross. Since, FY94, the Meetings Convention grant has appeared as a $25,000 Miscellaneous grant item within the city's operating budget. However, in the city's FY9S Budget, this grant was cut from $25,000 to $10,000. In response to the budget reduction, for the past year, the Bureau has operated with one half time position in "Meetings Conventions" (Mindy Lucas). This had been a full -time position previously. The Bureau also changed the focus of the program to Meetings Conferences, rather than Meetings Conventions. The half -time position primarily focuses on handling the meetings program at the Kenai Visitors Cultural Center, including coordination of all facility bookings and room set -up and tear-down. After much discussion with the city manager, the proposal was made to move the Meetings Conventions grant out of the Miscellaneous category and to add it to the professional services annual contract, The $10,000 the Bureau received within the city's FY98 Budget could be moved into the current professional services contract. The Bureau has always provided meetings services in the Kenai Visitors Cultural Center (KVCC), although this has never been officially stated in the professional services contract. Tarr also reviewed the budget process this year and commented about the positive meetings which she has had with the city administration over the past year. She summarized the KVCB's budget worksheets and justification which were turned into the City of Kenai in February 1998 in preparation for the FY99 budget talks. The professional services contract with the City of Kenai has never been adjusted since the Bureau and the City of Kenai first signed their agreement in 1991, Tarr said. Director Vozar asked how extensive of a meetings conventions service the Bureau could really provide with only $10,000 when previously, the Bureau operated with the full $25,000 per year? Director Malston reminded the board that we have only a part-time person in the Meetings Conferences position. President Jahrig suggested that KVCB put together a cost analysis of all the services the Bureau performs in Meetings Conferences. Director Fulton commented that the Central Peninsula area lacks the infrastructure and resources to promote itself as a "Convention Center." There was discussion about how to qualify and define what services the Bureau would perform under a proposed, revised professional services contract. It was agreed that the language would have to be worded carefully, particularly since Kenai's niche market is technically for groups under 200, and not full- blown, large conventions. President Jahrig requested that the board receive a copy of the Bureau's revised contract with the City before it is adopted and signed. Minutes April 20, 1998 Page 3 There was discussion about the positive relationship the Bureau has with the City of Kenai. Tarr reported on other budget changes the City was proposing: the possible addition of more plexiglass cases for the Cultural Center, a much needed humidification system, and five additional janitorial days added to the building's janitorial contract. The board then discusssed the upcoming budget work session and how the Bureau's presentation to the Kenai City Council should be organized. G. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Director Malston read a letter from Director Louis Schilling who was unable to attend the board meeting. Director Schilling's letter discussed KVCB's original letter to the Board of Fisheries dated January 9, 1998 and asked that the Bureau formally retract the BOF letter. The Bureau officially apologized to the commercial fishing organizations by letter, said Tarr, for the tone and inflammatory language used in the January 9 letter to the BOF. Much discussion then ensued about the events of the past four months and the repercussions. The board also discussed the importance of the visitor industry. (M/S, Vozar /Braun to take withdraw the letter to the Board of Fisheries dated January 9, 1998.) H. NEW BUSINESS 1. Tarr reported that the Kenai Visitors Cultural Center was broken into at 3:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 16. An intoxicated male, aged 28, from Montana, threw five rocks through the front window and was found passed out on the lobby floor. KVCB staff member Nancy Lathey met with the Kenai Police officers at approximately 3:15 a.m. City of Kenai employee, Steven Ramberg, was also on the scene to board up the broken front window. The man was charged with criminal trespassing and was incarcerated at Wildwood Pretrial. The front lobby was sprayed with pieces of broken glass. There were some small blood stains on the carpeting. Nothing was reported stolen. 2. Bank signature cards were passed out so that KVCB's 1998 officers could affix their signatures as official signers on the bank accounts. 3. Tarr reported on the All Alaska Juried Art Show which recently arrived from the Anchorage Museum of History Fine Art. The traveling exhibit was shipped in eight very large wooden crates. The KVCC has no storage space for these crates and Tarr asked the board for some suggestions on where they could be stored for approximately 6 weeks. Director Braun said he would contact Lynden Transport and ask for some help. 4. Tarr reported that Tom Garrett, Director of the State of Alaska Division of Tourism would be in Kenai upon KVCB's invitation to speak to the Kenai Chamber of Commerce on April 29, The Bureau invited Mr. Garrett to speak as a way to focus attention on National Tourism Week, May 5 -9. KVCB will be hosting Mr. Garrett for the entire day. The board discussed a possible itinerary for Mr. Garrett. Directors Vandehey and Seekins said they would assist with Minutes April 20, 1998 Page 4 the arrangements. The other purpose of his visit was to take a fam trip of Kenai, and to meet with KVCB's Board of Directors. Director Rainey offered the use of his lodge as a site for the board's reception. Tarr passed out National Tourism Week bookmarks which staff member Mindy Lucas made. The bookmarks read: "Tourism Works for Kenai" and the Bureau will put them at every place at the Kenai Chamber luncheon the day Mr. Garrett speaks. BOARD COMMENTS Director Vozar said visitors are coming to Kenai earlier than they ever have before. She also said her restaurant recently hosted a wedding with some people associated with the Rennaissance Faire in Anchorage They expressed interest in doing a Rennaissance event in Kenai in January. A Territorial Days conference would be held in Kenai around July 3. President Jahrig mentioned that Toni Tomrdle wants to sell his coffee boat and move it off the Visitor Center property, one year prior to the contract's expiration. The rest of the boats need some care, he said. The suggestion was made to use some high school groups to help renovate them. The Kenai River Classic will be held in Seward this year. The proposed Hanson Park is going forward, reported Director Vozar. It will be a park of "reflection" and will also honor Eagle Scouts. K. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Kathleen Tarr Executive Director