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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 08-19-1998 Board Mtg Minutes Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Board August 19, 1998 The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Board met Wednesday, August 19, 1998 at 8:00 a.m. at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. Chairman Lee Pavao called the meeting to order at 8:02 a.m. Board Members Present: Lee Pavao, Chairman Moses Carey, Jr. Creston Woods Rick Strunk Nancy Davis Pat Evans Diana McDuffee Board Members Absent: Catherine Martin Catharine Callaway Steven Halkiotis Guests: John Link Sandy Roberts Glenn O'Neil Staff Present: Joe Blake, Acting Director Betty Davis, Administrative Assistant INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS Mr. Pavao welcomed everyone to the board meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Pavao requested the approval of the minutes from the June Board Meeting. Ms. Pat Evans made a motion to accept the minutes as written and Mr. Moses Carey seconded the motion. With all members being in agreement the minutes were approved. SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS Marketing Committee Mr. Creston Woods, Marketing Committee Chair, reported that the final version of the 1998-99 marketing plan was included in the August board packets and will be mailed this week to elected officials and visitor industry businesses in Orange County. Mr. Woods also advised to the Board that the Chapel Hill/Orange County website is under construction and should be completed in the very near future. Also, the Orange County Lodging Association met last month and Mr. Woods indicated that the Association will become more active within the Orange County community. Budget and Finance Committee Mr. Moses Carey, Finance Committee Chair, noted that for the months of June and July the County Finance had not provided the Visitors Bureau with financial information pending the final audit for the 1997-98 fiscal year. Mr. Carey reported that the financial information would be available for the next Board meeting. Mr. Joe Blake reported that the Bureau had a $25,000 increase in occupancy tax collections during 1997-98 as compared to 1996-97. Mr. Blake noted this was more than 6% above the budgeted amount. DIRECTOR'S REPORT Mr. Blake, Acting Director distributed to Board Members a draft copy of the new visitors guide. He asked Board Members to review the visitors guide and if they had any suggestions or questions to contact him. Mr. Blake stated that June 30th, 1998 was the end of the fiscal year and that the Bureau has met all goals set for the 1997-1998 fiscal year. He did advise that the hotel occupancy tax was down 3% for Chapel Hill/Orange County, but that the occupancy tax for the other Triangle areas was down 8-9% during this period. Mr. Blake stated to the Board that conference bookings were up and also leads from trade shows have been very positive. Also, he reported that the hotel room rates for Chapel Hill/Orange County were up. In overview, the Bureau is on track at this time and more business is expected after tradeshows in Atlanta (September) and Washington (December). The Meeting and Event Planning Guide is in the process of being printed and a copy will be forwarded to Board Members as soon as the guide is available. Mr. Blake stated the website for the Bureau is being worked on and it is expected that the accommodations and attractions will be up and running in September. OLD BUSINESS Mr. Blake reported the highway signs had been bid out and that the Bureau was working with three companies to complete the project. It is anticipated that the signs should be in place in October or November of this year. 2 Ms. Diana McDuffee inquired about the Bureau's relationship with City Search. Mr. Blake responded that the Bureau did receive free space with City Search and that we will supply them with updated restaurant information for the City Search website. Mr. John Link, County Manager, updated the Board Members on the search for an executive director for the Bureau. Mr. Link stated that the position of executive director has been classified and a job description written and has been approved by county commissioners. The Orange County Personnel Department is now ready to advertise for internal candidates. Ms. Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director, is preparing an assessment panel for interviewing candidates for this position. Mr. Blake reported the County Commissioners had requested the two new staff positions; publications assistant and sales coordinator, be put on hold until a new executive director is hired. NEW BUSINESS Mr. Pavao inquired if the meeting sites for the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Board Meetings as listed were satisfactory. With all Board Members in agreement the meeting sites for 1998-1999 Board Meetings were approved. Ms. Pat Evans led a discussion about bed and breakfast accommodations in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. After the brief discussion it was determined that a committee should be organized to study the feasibility of bed and breakfast accommodations. Ms. Evans, Ms. McDuffee, and Mr. Woods will serve on the committee and report back their findings to the Visitors Bureau Board Members. ADJOURNMENT With all business being concluded Mr. Pavao asked for a motion for adjournment. Mr. Carey made the motion for adjournment; Mr. Rick Strunk seconded the motion. All members being in agreement the meeting adjourned at 8:30 a.m. Minutes Drafted by: Minutes Accepted by: Joe Blake, Acting Executive Director Lee Pavao, Chairman Date Date c:my document/Board/August 19,1998 Board Meeting Minutes 3