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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-11-10 KCVB MinutesKenai Visitors Convention Bureau Tuesday, November 10, 1998 Regular Board of Directors Meeting, 5:30 p.m. President Will Jahrig, Presiding MINUTES CALL TO ORDER The November 10, 1998 meeting was called to order at 5:43 p.m. B. ROLL CALL Directors present: Will Jahrig; Rebecca Godek; Diane Lofstedt; Ron Malston; Marion Nelson; Shirley Roberts; Jerrilue Seekins Hopley; Sandra Vozar. Staff present: Kathy Tarr, Ricky Gease, and Monica Griffin. C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The scheduled presentation by Mike Huhndorf of the Kenai Cultural Council was cancelled. Mr. Huhndorf was not able to attend the Bureau's board meeting. A brief overview by Ricky Gease on the status of the Kenai Cultural Council was added to the agenda. M/S (Malston, Nelson) to approve the changes to the agenda. Ms. Tarr introduced Monica Griffin as the new Administrative Assistant/Meetings Coordinator. D. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES M/S Godek, Vozar) to approve the minutes of the September 9, 1998 board of directors meeting as amended (Shirley Roberts' name was added to the roll call as having been present.) E. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD: The original Item E, "Correspondence," was delayed in order to hear from the Manager of Exhibits Education, Ricky Gease. Mr. Gease gave an overview of the Kenai Cultural Council, a perspective outlined in his November 10 memo to the KVCB Board. The Kenai Cultural Council was originally established in 1995 by the Bureau's board of directors as an advisory group to help direct the Bureau's board and staff on "museum" matters pertaining to the Cultural Center. There was much discussion about how the Council evolved and what they had accomplished initially. Mr. Gease recommended, and Ms. Tarr concurred, that the Kenai. Cultural Council should be disbanded as a separate entity which meets monthly with an agenda, minutes, etc. More of a "task force" approach was suggested as alternative to a KVCB Board of Directors Minutes November 10, 1998 Page 2 formal council. Whenever community expertise was needed for a specific project or purpose relating to the Cultural Center, KVCB staff, as a matter of course, regularly consult with local experts for their advice and input. Ms. Tarr commented on the many cultural arts- related groups KVCB currently interacts with i.e., the Arts Humanities Council, the Kenai Fine Arts Center, the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, the Kenai Watershed Forum, Dr. Alan Boraas of KPC, and many other individuals, Mr. Gease advised the board that there were long -term issues associated with the Cultural Center that would need to be addressed in the future such as the need for more storage and possible expansion of the building. These could be addressed through the formulation of a special task force with a specified time line, if and when it was deemed necessary. The Kenai Cultural Council was acknowledged for their hard work and interest, particularly for their work in completing the accessions and collections policy a few years ago M/S (Nelson, Roberts) to formally disband the Kenai Cultural Council as an advisory board to the KVCB's board. It was recommended that a letter be sent to Mike Huhndorf and all former members of the Kenai. Cultural Council thanking them for the time they served and informing them that the Bureau would organize cultural task forces on an as- needed project basis. Director Vozar asked about the possibility of Mr. Huhndorf running for a seat on KVCB's Board. Ms. Tarr said she would discuss that possibility with Mr. Huhndorf. F. CORRESPONDENCE All correspondence was reviewed. G. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT Ms. Tarr gave her Executive Director's Report. Most of her remarks were focused on the review of KVCB's new web site. Tarr reported that the Bureau's first web site was scheduled to launch on the Internet the next day. She reviewed the different sections of the web site, www.visitkenai.com. All photos on the new web site were the business or personal property of KVCB and staff. Many local photographers donated images, but the Bureau is still in need of sport fishing photos, particularly king and silver salmon. The banner art used on the web site was donated by Bunny Swan Gease. The "Things to Do" section is the Largest part of the web site. The section, "Our Members," lists all KVCB members by their category and gives complete contact information, including web addresses, but currently, there are no "hotlinks" to the members. When Internet readers click on the KVCB logo, they find the Reader Response KVCB Board of Directors Minutes November 10, 1998 Page 3 Form which asks them some demographic and marketing information. At the end of the Reader Response Form, the reader may still request a color brochure on. Kenai. President Jahrig pointed out that the web site should also include information about when halibut fishing is available. Tarr said they would be sure this information was included. The web site will need to be updated monthly to keep the membership listing current, etc. (President Jahrig departed the meeting early and Vice President Godek conducted the rest of the meeting.) Other news: Tarr reported that a team of people from Economic Development Agency, the original federal funding agency on the construction of the Kenai Visitors Cultural Center, visited Kenai to gather information on the economic impacts of the building and the increased tourism business its presence had generated. The Center was one of 25 projects nationally which EDA was studying. EDA gave very favorable comments about the KVCC. The State of Alaska is funding the establishment of a series of gold rush interpretive signs throughout the Southcentral region. The Kenai Visitors Cultural Center has been selected as a site for one of the gold rush signs. The signs are designed, constructed, and installed by the State Office of History Archaeology at no cost to the local community. Tarr reported that a meeting was held with the City of Kenai, the landscape architect, the state historian KVCB staff, and Jarnes Bookey to discuss the best possible location outdoors on the Center's property for the gold rush sign to be installed in the spring of 1999. Tarr reported that she was named as an advisor to the AVA Board. AVA is scheduled to hold its board of directors meeting and retreat in Cooper Landing, Dec. 7 -8. The legislative tourism fly -in to Juneau is scheduled for March 31 -April 1. A copy of the AVA board of directors and advisors was distributed. The 1999 AVA state tourism convention will be in Ketchikan. Challenger Learning Center of Alaska has announced a tile fundraising program to kick -off in the central Peninsula area on. December 1st. Tarr commented on how beautiful the KVCC looked. The Bureau purchased the icicle lights and Terry Bookey from the Dept. of Parks Recreation hung the lights. Tarr said the City of Kenai, Bob Frates Terry Bookey were formally thanked for their help. Tarr discussed the upcoming holidays and the possibility of recognizing employees. KVCB Board of Directors Minutes November 10, 1998 Page 4 The idea was proposed to give all employees an extra day off with pay around the Christmas/New Year's holiday. Written reports on. the Cultural Center were distributed. A new key box was installed in the Cultural Center to house all the exhibit keys. Other monthly reports were distributed and discussed including Meetings /Conferences Report, Membership Report, and Visitors Statistics, There were 53,183 visitations between May and September 1998, slightly below the visitations in 1997. A. FINANCES The October 30 budget report was discussed. Gaming_rFvenues are tracking below the 1998 projections, however, the overall expenses wer a king lower. Tarr reported that the 1998 advertising budget is tracking slightly over budget due to some additional advertising opportunities which became available late in the year. The State of Alaska Division of Tourism contracted with a company recently to produce a special Sunday newspaper supplement on Alaska to eight major Lower 48 newspapers. The supplement on Alaska will appear in the Lower 48 newspapers on Sunday, January 31, 1999. Soldotna, Kenai, Homer, and Seward have all pitched in $400 with KPTMC to pay for a 1/8 page ad to advertise the Kenai Peninsula and to give readers information on how to request a 1999 Kenai Peninsula Discovery Guide, produced by KPTMC. The Bureau is also doing some additional Internet advertising with the Milepost. Director Vozar inquired about the status of the Bureau's computers. Tarr said she would report on the computers and other equipment at the next board meeting. Director Mal inquired about the establishment of an Equipment Replacement Fund for future equipment needs such as a photocopy machine, upgraded computers, portable microphones, and other type meetings equipment such as easels and the possible purchase of PowerPoint. KVCB is planning to establish such a fund, said Tarr. Tarr said she was working on some draft changes needed in the Bureau's Employee Handbook and would report to the board in the future about the suggested changes. The draft 1999 calendar year budget will be presented at the December 1998 board meeting. KVCB Board of Directors Minutes November 10, 1998 Page 5 BOARD ELECTIONS Director Malston reported on the recent board elections. Bureau staff sent a mailing to all KVCB members asking for nominations for candidates to the Bureau's board of directors. Only two names were submitted as nominees and both of them were existing KVCB board members. Director Malston reported that there were seven openings on the KVCB board. The election ballott listed seven candidates for seven positions. Director Malston expressed his concern that there was an apparent lack of interest from KVCB members to run for a seat on the Bureau's board. There was discussion about how to interest more people in serving. V.P. Godek asked about the possibility of having some type of membership function in February 1999. Tarr agreed that a membership seminar /program on how to market their business, or Tourism and the Internet, etc., would make an interesting program possibility. Tarr said she will come up with some ideas. The Second Annual Central Peninsula Writers Night will held on March 4, 1999 to coincide with the 50 Anniversary of the Kenai Community Library on. March 7 The Writer's Night is organized by the Bureau and all proceeds are split between the Friends of the Kenai Community Library and the Kenai Visitors Cultural Center. J. NEW BUSINESS The Executive Director's Employment Agreement and annual performance review was scheduled for December 1st at 5:30 at Old Town Restaurant. The KVCB Executive Committee will meet with Tarr. K. BOARD COMMENTS OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS Congratulations were given to Diane Lofstedt who won an award at the KPTMC Regional Tourism Conference for her support of the visitor industry. Director Malston commented about the requests for renting the KVCC in the evening. There is currently no money in the budget to support evening hours. Tarr explained the staffing problems associated with evening hours. Tarr agreed with Director Malston that in the long -term, the city and the Bureau may want to do a marketing and cost analysis of possibly expanding the building's hours. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Kathy Tarr