HomeMy WebLinkAboutCHOCVB Board Meeting Minutes 091620 DocuSign Envelope ID:BCD54242-E930-4E16-AAFB-DA66CD178B1E
For Approval October 21, 2020
Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau
Virtual Board of Directors Meeting
September 16, 2020
Board Members Present: Pam Hemminger,Anthony Carey, Kayla Dempsey, Mark Bell, Sam Vadgama,
Lydia Lavelle, Beverly Payne, Mark Sherburne,Tim Hoke,Jon Hartman-Brown, Matt Gladdek,Jamezetta
Bedford, and Shannan Campbell.
Not Present: Dixon Pitt, David Brooks,Tanya Moore,Spring Council, and Libbie Hough.
Staff Attendance: Laurie Paolicelli, Patty Griffin,Tina Fuller, and Leslie Wilcox.
Also present: Chris Cavanaugh, Asheville/Buncombe County(Interim) Director for Explore Asheville.
Call to Order
Chair, Anthony Carey called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m.
Approval of Minutes
Chair Anthony Carey requested a motion to approve the August 19, 2020 minutes. Tim Hoke so moved
and Mark Sherburne seconded the motion. With all members in favor,the minutes were approved as
submitted.
Executive Director's Report
• July is the first month of the new fiscal year so the budget is largely uneventful at this point.
• This will be the first full fiscal year in which we experience the effects of the COVID 19 Virus on
travel and tourism budgets and we anticipate our revenues being reduced by 70%.
• Currently we are receiving CARES Act grant of$100,000 in tourism marketing received from the
State of North Carolina "Count on Me" program. Patty Griffin will review in detail.
• We are also grateful that we received a CARES Act grants from the County for local staycation
marketing, local safety messaging and broader reach marketing. $25,000, $5,000 and $25,000
respectively.
• We continue to apply for any grants to help with budget and marketing.
• Our budget priority, at the request of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, is
protecting staff.
• I cannot give you a budget projection for more than 90 days. It's next to impossible knowing that
the realities in travel and tourism and college education change daily.
• We will have to tackle relocation costs, because, as you know,we signed a 10-year lease on a new
building right before the pandemic hit and construction bids were just received. In October I'll
prepare you for that.
• In January 2021, we'll have to take a hard look at the budget realities and see how the national and
state economy is trending and what realities we must confront in our economy in terms of demand,
and what we are allowed to host.
Presentations
• Chris Cavanaugh, Asheville/Buncombe County (Interim) Director for Explore Asheville.
Coronavirus and Our Strategic Response presentation.
DocuSign Envelope ID:BCD54242-E930-4E16-AAFB-DA66CD178B1E
• Laurie reviewed the Visitors Bureau marketing campaign funded by CARES Act grant—"Get out.
Give back." Very localized. Produced a video with local elected officials giving messages to the
community as to why its important to get out and give back.
• Patty discussed the$100,000 marketing credit program the Visitors Bureau received from the State,
Count on me NC. VisitNC Tourism Marketing Credit Program. Patty also reviewed the quarterly
newsletter that the Visitors Bureau will be issuing covering which local restaurants and retail are
open and activities/attractions that people can do safely during the pandemic.
New Business/ Roundtable
• Matt Gladdek—Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership
Sidewalk expansion is going well. Offering and approving sidewalk dining grants. Working with
town to reduce parking costs. Working on some future outdoor events. CHDP has hired Kevin
"Kaze"Thomas, owner of Vibehouse 405 to help with event planning.
• Mayor Pam Hemminger—Town of Chapel Hill
UNC has a committee discussing Spring semester. Decisions about October football home games
won't be made until the end of September and after Governor Roy Cooper's orders. Discussions
about preventing mass gatherings on Halloween. Percent positive COVID-19 among the college
students is dropping. Sales tax revenue up over the recent months compared to last year probably
due to more residents working remotely from home and ordering online. Downtown hotel still
moving forward. FilmFest 919 still happening but will have a drive-in as part of the venue. More
information to come.
• Mayor Lydia Lavelle—Town of Carrboro
Shared challenges of the pandemic and how to encourage people to come out but to do so safely.
Also preparing for Halloween and learning about best practices to safely celebrate Halloween.
• John Hartman-Brown—Town of Carrboro, Economic Development
Joint marketing with Carrboro Business Association to encourage people that it is safe to come out
to local restaurants and businesses. Fall festivals will be almost exclusively online via YouTube.
Carrboro Tourism website goes live the end of September.
• Mark Bell—Town of Hillsborough
Colonial Inn is about ready to open. Soft opening early November. Alliance for Historic
Hillsborough is sponsoring Regulator History on September 24"which marks the 250 anniversary of
the Regulator movement. Walking tour and online educations activities. Orange County Museum
is open. Burwell School is hosting The Mad Women of Hillsborough as part of the 100t"
commemoration of the women's right to vote. Hillsborough restaurants are working to stay afloat
with several offering in dining room as well as sidewalk seating. Various galleries have various
exhibits and featured artists. River Park concert and Handmade Parade have been canceled.
• Kayla Dempsey—North Carolina High School Athletic Association
Last week we put our a calendar for the playoff championships event schedule. Off season
workouts are happening if the school district allows it. Everyone in the school districts that are
doing the voluntary workouts seems happy with the protocols.
• Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford—Orange County Board of County Commissioners
Proposed development in Orange County. Rates of positive COVID-19 in the County. One week
below 5%. Need two consecutive weeks below 5% before BOCC can loosen some orders. Funding
for a second building at the Durham Tech Community Campus in the works. There is a committee
studying and working on how commissioners are elected.
• Tim Hoke—Orange County Arts Commission
Just completed their grant cycle. Garden concert in Hillsborough this weekend. Check the website
for details https://artsorange.org/.
2 Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting September 16 , 2020
DocuSign Envelope ID:BCD54242-E930-4E16-AAFB-DA66CD178B1E
Next meeting: Wednesday, October21st
Meeting adjourned at 9:29 a.m.
DocuSigned by: DocuSigned by.
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Minufes reviewed by: Minutes accepted by:
Laurie Paolicelli, Executive Director Anthony Carey, Chairman
10/21/2020 10/21/2020
Date Date
3 1 P a g e CHOCVB BOD Meeting September 16 , 2020