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Home My WebLink AboutCHOC Visitors Bureau Minutes 091218 Approved October 17 , 2018 MINUTES Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Board of Directors Meeting September 12, 2018 The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau met at The Chapel Hill Police Station Board Members Present : Kayla Dempsey, Penny Rich, Lydia Lavelle , Anthony Carey, Chair, Tim Hoke, Aaron Bachenheimer, Rachel Schaevitz, Mark Sherburne , David Brooks, Libby Hough Not Present : Lee Storrow, Rosemary Waldorf, Vice Chair, Shannan Campbell, Andrew Strickland , Jeffrey Strickler, Mark Bell, Annette Lafferty, Elinor Landess Staff attendance : Laurie Paolicelli, Steve Brantley, Marlene Barbera , Allison Chambers Also present : Gretchen Mueller, Brand Strategist, FleishmanHillard ; Kristen Bilger, Managing Supervisor Social & Innovation , FleishmanHillard ; Chris Blue , Chief of Police, Chapel Hill Police Department; Meg McGurk, Community Safety Planner, Chapel Hill Police Department Call to Order Chair Anthony Carey called the meeting to order at 8 : 05 am . Introductions were given by all . Host Welcome Chief Chris Blue and Meg McGurk welcomed the board to the Chapel Hill Police Department . As we visited the police station the Chief shared that four years ago the town council identified as one of its goals a new station recognizing this one leaks heavily during storms and is built on landfill so that it shifts . Since that time they have worked on securing a site and planning for a building that will serve as a municipal services center, serving many Town of Chapel Hill departments that are in need of a new and expanded home . The intersection of Estes Dr . Ext . and Seawell School Rd . has been identified as a possible site . Meg McGurk spoke about the headway being made with parking downtown and the new parking meters . They launched the " Park on the Hill " website in the spring . Approval of Minutes Chair Carey requested a motion to approve the August 15, 2018 minutes . Penny Rich so moved and Tim Hoke seconded . With all members in favor, the minutes were approved as submitted . Finance Report Finance Chair Penny Rich reported that we have budgeted correctly and are moving in the right direction . We are on target thus far with revenues and expenditures and continue to watch Airbnb collections and work with the municipalities going forward . The bureau will participate in the Handmade Parade on October 14 in downtown Hillsborough while continuing to work on tradeshows and visitors services . We continue to work with the new UNC Visitors Center and they will present at our November board meeting . Guest Speaker Report The board heard from Gretchen Mueller, Brand Strategist with our ad agency FleishmanHillard in St . Louis . Branding is the chance to capitalize on significant moments of change by more effectively defining and representing purpose, people , products, services and ideas . FH wants to evolve our brand to unlock value, manage change and launch new programs . Ms . Mueller shared some examples including Volvo and Disney . In order to transform our brand into a' powerful force FH will define : engage stakeholders to understand what matters most to them , translate : Illustrate our promise , using audience insights to identify what makes us special , and activate : hone our new identity and launch plan . This culminates in a brand blueprint that leads marketing decisions and possibly a new logo design . Laurie Paolicelli has gathered a group, outside of board members, to participate in the workshop to add diversity and different perspectives to this process which includes African Americans, Latino , Millennial and Baby Boomers as well as representatives from Carrboro , UNC, Hillsborough and Chapel Hill . The blueprint formulated will show what our community hopes to be moving forward . Kristen Bilger added that a fresh look does not necessarily mean a new logo . Laurie Paolicelli told the board the she would bring back a report that is objective and brings in new voices . Following today' s workshop it will take the team at FH a couple of weeks to get a report together for the board . We are looking at January for a full report including a new direction and creative . Mayor Lavelle stated that our values should drive our brand . Executive Director' s Report Laurie Paolicelli shared that she has been talking to Chapel Hill ' s new town manager, Maurice Jones, about a replacement for Lee Storrow as he rotates off the board and emphasized the BOCC' s desire to see more diversity in our appointments . Patty Griffin , VB Communications Director, has just returned from Washington , DC where she attended a media mission to pitch Orange County to travel writers . She and Marlene Barbera have been working with UNC Healthcare about offering visitor and hotel booking services . She reported that walk- in visits to the Bureau have decreased and she would like to do a long range plan to review the future of visitor centers . Sales Report Marlene Barbera reported that she has recently returned from a tradeshow in Florida where she met with 24 meeting planners and returned with several RFPs . This is the third year she has attended this show and was pleased that there were several new meeting planners in attendance . She told the board that when she meets with a planner she asks them if the know where Chapel Hill is, and a lot do not . New Business / Roundtable Chair Carey acknowledged all for updates in their respective fields : • Lydia Lavelle spoke about 203 S . Greensboro St . which is the site for the new Carrboro Branch Library which will include the parks and rec office and possibly the ArtsCenter . The next step is to approve the concept plan . At this time the ArtsCenter has a black box theater, some individual rooms and some shared space planned . WCOM , the local radio station , will have space in the building, as will a teen center . The town is working on leasing some parking spaces from local privately owned businesses on a temporary basis . They hope to break ground next fall and move into the building in the fall of 2020 . When the new space opens the McDougle branch library and the CYBRARY will close . • Mark Sherburne report that without additional demand generators the Carolina Inn is still dependent on the University and pointed out that the football schedule has a huge impact on year to year comparisons of occupancy, and this year' s schedule is weak . Even with the UCF game scheduled for this coming weekend , and now cancelled due to Hurricane Florence, the hotels were not full and there was not a two night minimum . • Anthony Carey shared that the Sienna had cancellations because the Tar Heels have lost their first two games and people are not coming and some of the football guests cancelled because they owned property on the coast 2 Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting February 21 , 2018 and needed to go there . He also told the board that the public has a misconception that all hotels have generators, and the vast majority does not . His hotel screens guests making reservations during storms to make sure they are not coming because of health needs, such as an electric oxygen compressor . • Rachel Schaevitz reported that Film Fest 919 will begin October 3 and go for 5 nights, with the Sienna hosting the opening night party . • Kayla Dempsey reported that most high schools west of 195 are trying to get their games in on Wednesday night ahead of the hurricane with others closer to the coast cancelling . They will decide at the end of September if they will extend the season . • Aaron Bachenheimer reported that the Neighborhoods Night Out was a big success . The University has been dealing with ongoing Silent Sam issues, an apartment fire that displaced some students and plans surrounding hurricane preparedness . Tar Heel Downtown was cancelled due to the hurricane and will not be rescheduled . e Tim Hole thanked the BOCC for allowing the OC Arts Commission to store the puppets for the Handmade Parade in their meeting room at the Whitted Building . The OC Arts Commission is in the processes of producing a puppet for the parade . Local Fest will be held on September 29 at Blackwood Park . Volunteers are needed . Next Meeting : In October we will meet at the UNC Health Care Hospital in Hillsborough , 430 Waterstone Dr . , Hillsborough , NC 27278 . Date Change : In November we will meet on November 14, one week early due to the Thanksgiving holiday, at UNC Health Care , Hedri < uilding, and 211 Friday Center Dr . , Chapel Hill 27517 . Meeting Adjourned "9 : 23 a . / R ute re iewed y : Laurie Pao Celli, xecutive Director Date W Minutes accept d by : Anthony Carey, Chairman Date 3 Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting February 21 , 2018