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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-12-16 KCVB MinutesKenai Visitors Convention Bureau, Inc. Board of Directors Meeting President Will Jahrig, Presiding Thursday, December 16, 1999 MINUTES A. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m. B. ROLL CALL Directors present: Ron Malston; Sandra Vozar; James Bookey; Robert Fulton; Fred Braun; Ron Rainey via teleconference; Will Jahrig Staff present: Kathy Tarr, Executive Director (Note: as of 12/16/99 there were 10 KVCB board members due to one vacancy (Gabriel Godek) and 3 resignations (Vandehey /Schilling/Roberts) late in 1999. The newly elected KVCB board members will not be seated until 2000. A board orientation for newly- elected KVCB board members will be held before the February 2000 meeting.) C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA (M /S) Malston, Fulton to approve agenda with the corrections. Section G Item #4 Christmas Bonuses was added. Item 11 Performance Review of Executive Director, originally due on November 1, 1999, was postponed. A review committee was formed by President Will Jahrig with directors Malston, Braun,Fulton, Braun, Vozar. The director's performance review committee will evaluate the executive director and President Will Jahrig will conduct the review in early January. The committee will meet with President Jahrig before January 15, 2000, or prior to the next full KVCB board meeting. D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The board minutes from October 27, 1999 meeting were not available. E. CORRESPONDENCE President Jahrig reported that a letter was received from. the IRS notifying KVCB that the penalty which was assessed for late filing of the Bureau's 1998 and short- year 1997 tax returns was waived. F. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD: None. KVCB Board Meeting December 16, 1999 Page 2 G. ACTION ITEMS *Proposed Budget Year 2000 There was much discussion about the proposed budget for 2000. Director Vozar inquired about the status of KVCB's management contract with the City of Kenai. Tarr explained that there were no changes anticipated in the city's FY01 Budget. The funding level for the Bureau was expected to remain status quo. Director Malston inquired about the Bicentennial. Bingo revenues anticipated for year 2000. The long -term forecast for gaining profits remains highly unstable. Tarr stated that depending on gaming revenues as the organization's primary source of operational funding is a "guessing game." Gaming revenues fluctuate between $85,000 and $120,000 per year. Year end revenue for 1999 as of December 16, 1999 were estimated at $240,000, reported Tarr, and the year end expenses for 1999 were estimated at $236,000. Gaming revenues are monitored closely and expenses are adjusted accordingly each month if revenues fall short, said Tarr. MIS (Malston, Rainey) to approve the proposed Year 2000 Budget. Director Vozar asked about the Alaska 2000 art show budget. All the expenses KVCB incurred in 1999 on the Alaska 2000 project will be reimbursed to the Bureau out of the proceeds earned in 2000. The main purpose of the exhibition is to raise proceeds for a Kenai Peninsula College scholarship fund and to attract more visitors to Kenai. A copy of the "Alaska 2000" Budget was distributed and discussed. After all project expenses are covered, including reimbursement of the up front costs to KVCB, proceeds will deposited in a scholarship fund for KPC. The budget for the art exhibition was estimated at $57,000. Various sponsors are being solicited to help defray costs of the Alaska 2000 exhibition. A grant request for $10,000 was submitted to the Rastnuson Foundation by KVCB and KPC for money to pay for exhibition materials. Should other sponsors be secured, more money will be made available to cover such as exhibition materials. Tarr said the Kenai River Sportfishing Association had also been approached as a major sponsor. Although KVCB was not successful with its proposal to KRSA for major sponsorship, KRSA encouraged the Bureau to scale down the funding request and to put more of an emphasis on the educational component. A second proposal was being submitted to KRSA for their review at the $3,000 level asking for assistance with the Science on the Kenai free summer interpretive programs which would be held during the "Alaska 2000" art exhibition and through the end of August. M/S (Fulton/Braun) to approve the Alaska 2000 Budget as presented. KVCB Board Meeting December 16, 1999 Page 3 Tarr reported on the newly revised "Employee Handbook." The draft was distributed to the board several months ago. Director Braun said the draft had been reviewed by an attorney since then and he felt comfortable with the new additions. Tarr said the handbook was greatly expanded as the former employee handbook was missing important information and some of the text needed clarified. A staff meeting would be held to go over the changes, said Tarr. One additional paid holiday was recommended by Tarr. Tarr reminded board members that no health benefits are offered to Bureau employees. M/S (Rainey/Fulton) to approve the new Employee Handbook. (President Jahrig excused himself from the rest of the meeting due to a prior commitment. Past President Maiston conducted the meeting on his behalf) Tarr proposed that small Christmas bonuses be given to the regular staff this year as $200 holiday bonuses had only been given to Gaming Staff over the past several years. Tarr stated that bonuses should not be guaranteed every year, but should be given at the executive director's discretion depending upon the financial condition of the Bureau and how successful the prior year was. M/S (Braun/Fulton) to approve the proposed holiday bonuses of $400 each for Bureau staff and $200 for the gaming staff. (The bonuses were included in the 1999 Budget for payroll.) Tarr presented the board members with a complimentary copy of the Robert Bateman "Alaska Autumn" poster which will retail at the Center for $10 each. Proceeds from the sale of the poster would help offset expenses of the exhibition. 2000 posters will be available for sale beginning May 1 when the show opens. The original painting will be on display at the Kenai Visitors Cultural Center. Prints will also be for sale. Several of the artists will come to Kenai this summer. A free community day is planned for Mother's Day (Sunday, May 14 The staff will open the building special for community day. Many school groups will visit the exhibition in May. The Science on the Kenai summer talks will be related to the art show, as well. For example, the paintings will depict Alaskan wildlife and the science talks will focus on such topics as `Bear Habitat" and "Salmon." Full color ads are running in Alaska Magazine and packets are being prepared for travel writers. KVCB Board Meeting December 16, 1999 Page 4 Director Braun asked about other local involvement for the show. He recommended that when artists come to Kenai, ads should be placed in the local paper. An aggressive advertising program is being undertaken, said Tarr. The Bureau is also working with the Kenai River Classic, Ducks Unlimited, the Audobon Society, and others. The Bureau was also looking for a major sponsor for the Community Day and the Grand Opening Reception which would not conflict with the opening of the Challenger Leaming Center of Alaska. The Milepost ad for 2000 and the Bureau's web site also mention the wildlife art show. A full color postcard is also being printed to advertise the show. The Alaska 2000 wildlife art show is the largest exhibit the KVCC has ever undertaken. Director Malston complimented the Bureau staff on the interesting programs which have been held recently, i.e., "Politics of the Past" and Barbara Brown's children's story time scheduled for December 18 Tarr said the staff works hard in its dual mission to serve residents and the visitors. H. ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Was to have taken place by November 1, 1999, however, due to scheduling conflicts the review had not yet taken place.) L EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT Tarr said she is still serving as a member of the Kenai Peninsula Brown Bear Stakeholder Group as a tourism representative. The stakeholder group was invited to meet in Kenai by Tarr and they agreed to meet at the Center on January 13 (approximately 50 people from Anchorage and the peninsula.) "Get to Know Kenai" was held for the first time last April. This was a very successful Kenai familiarization program for local hotel workers, taxi cab drivers, restaurant employees, retail clerks, etc. April 2000 is going to be an especially busy time for the Bureau as it is the Great Alaska Sportsman Show in Anchorage and the last two weeks of the month are reserved for installing the 75 paintings for the Alaska 2000 art show. The suggested date for this year's "Get to Know Kenai" program is early April, possibly Thursday, April 6 Tarr asked for assistance from board members in organizing the program and collecting door prizes. Director Bookey said that generally in early April that city council members are in town. Director Vozar suggested emphasis be placed on what there is to see and do in the area. KVCB Board Meeting December 16, 1999 Page 5 The Third Annual Central Peninsula Writer's Night will be held on March 9. Tarr reported that she was asked to be a panelist at the Governor's Conference on the Arts which will be held in Anchorage in January 20 -22. The panel is on cultural centers. Tarr reported on an article which appeared in Travel Weekly magazine about the restructuring of Alaska's tourism marketing program. Tarr reminded the board that part of the advertising money for 2000 was to be expended for Kenai VCB's contribution to the statewide marketing efforts, as all CVBs in Alaska are voluntarily contributing. Susan Springer from Seldovia won the new ATIA board seat for Southcentral. Tarr recently attended the AVA board meeting and the Marketing Forum. Kim Booth, formerly director of KVCB is now working for AVA. Bill Elander, CEO of Anchorage CVB is retiring after 12 years with the Bureau. KPTMC's 2000 Kenai Peninsula visitor guide was distributed. A membership issue that needs to be addressed is the dues structure for large companies which have various subisidiaries such as Cook Inlet Region. CIRI recently purchased Kenai Fjords Tours, Alaska Windsong Lodge, etc. There was discussion about the membership policy and whether CIRI's subisidiaries should pay separately for their dues at $100 each. Currently, additional companies pay only $50 for their second membership using a different business name. Board members felt that only Kenai -based companies should be eligible for a $50 second membership. Director Bookey said that traditionally companies based outside of Kenai have paid $100 for each business listing. This will be an agenda item for February. At that time, the overall dues structure will be examined. J. BOARD COMMENTS Director Malston said he was developing a plaque using KVCB's logo to be used in the future to recognize outgoing KVCB board members and for other special tourism presentation purposes. Director Fulton asked about board liability insurance. He asked that it be put on the next agenda. Director Braun asked about renting the building for receptions. Discussion followed about the meeting rental fee structure. Director Rainey was tuned into the board meeting via teleconference. He wished everyone a Happy Holiday season and said he would see everyone several months after his knee surgery. KVCB Board Meeting December 16, 1999 Page 6 K. SCHEDULE OF NEXT BOARD MEETING A new board member orientation would be scheduled prior to the February 2000 board meeting. L. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Kathy Tarr Executive Director