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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda 02-10-2026; 4 - Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board – Appointments Discussion 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 10, 2026 Action Agenda Item No. 4 SUBJECT: Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board — Appointments Discussion DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Members and Applicants Summary Sheet Clerk's Office, 919-245-2125 Membership Roster Applicant Interest List No Eligible Applicants Annual Work Plan PURPOSE: To discuss appointments to the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board. BACKGROUND: The Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board is charged with developing and coordinating visitor services in Orange County. It also implements marketing programs that enhance the economic activity and quality of life in the community. The Board of County Commissioners appoints all seventeen (17) members, with representatives from specific entities and fields. The Carrboro Town Council, Chapel Hill Town Council, and Hillsborough Board of Commissioners each nominate a member to serve. The following individuals have been nominated to serve: NAME POSITION TYPE OF EXPIRATION DESCRIPTION APPOINTMENT DATE TERM Theo Nollert Chapel Hill Town Partial Term 12/31/2027 Council Fred Joiner Carrboro Town First Full Term 12/31/2028 Council If the individuals listed above are appointed, the following vacancy remains: 2 POSITION EXPIRATION VACANCY INFORMATION DESIGNATION DATE Chapel Hill 06/30/2026 Vacant since 05/07/2025 Downtown Partnership Staff NOTE: There are no applicants eligible for this vacancy. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: This item supports: • GUIDING PRINCIPLE — INCLUSIVITY AND ENGAGEMENT We foster an environment in which all are welcomed, represented, and empowered to participate in and feel connected to their community. • GUIDING PRINCIPLE — DEDICATION AND RESPECT We commit to our roles in public service and organizational excellence by fostering the skills, talents, and innovation of our residents, employees, volunteers, and boards needed to carry out this work. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board discuss appointments to the Chapel Hill-Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board. 3 Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board Members and Applicants Name Member or Applicant? Gender Identity Race/Ethnic Background Age Range Township Also Serves on Donald Bryan Member Male White 60+ Chapel Hill Craig Lloyd Member Male White 35-59 Cheeks Allison Reid Member Female White 35-59 Chapel Hill Lisa Kaylie Member Female White 35-59 Chapel Hill Economic Development Advisory Board Karen M.Dehart Member Female White 35-59 Chapel Hill Matt Hughes Member Male African American 18-34 Hillsborough Creston Woods Member Male White 60+ Non-Resident Ben Marklin Member Male White 18-34 Chapel Hill Heidi W.Dawson Member Female 35-59 Non-Resident Wendy Smith Member Female White 35-59 Chapel Hill David Yonkovich- Putnam Member Male White 18-34 Non-Resident Jon Hartman-Brown Member Male White 18-34 Chapel Hill Meredith Sabye Member Female White 35-59 Bingham Sally Greene Member(BOCC rep.) Chapel Hill VACANT VACANT VACANT Amanda Frisard jApplicant Female Native American 35-59 Chapel Hill Margaret Moriarty IAPPlicant Female White 18-34 Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Council Jonathan Sosidka jApplicant Male White 18-34 Chapel Hill 4 Board and Commission Members And Vacant Positions Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board Meeting Times: 8:00 am Third Wednesday of every month except Jul.&Dec. Contact Person:Laurie Paolicelli&Hannah Hemphill Meeting Place: Varies Contact Phone: 919-245-4323 Positions: 17 Length:3 years Terms: 2 Description: <div>This board is charged with developing and coordinating visitor services in Orange County.It also implements marketing programs that will enhance economic activity and quality of life in the community.</div> VACANT 1 First Appointed: Gender Identity: Township: Current Appointment: Ethnic Background: Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2027 Age Range: Special Repr: Chapel Hill Town Council Number of Terms: Donald Bryan 2 First Appointed: 03/07/2024 Gender Identity: Male Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 03/07/2024 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2026 Age Range: 60+ Special Repr: Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Comm Number of Terms: 1 Mr. Craig Lloyd 3 First Appointed: 11/19/2024 Gender Identity: Male Township: Cheeks Current Appointment: 11/19/2024 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2026 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: Orange County/Hillsborough Chamber of Number of Terms: 1 Ms. Allison Reid 4 First Appointed: 11/19/2024 Gender Identity: Female Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 11/19/2024 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2027 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: UNC Chapel Hill Number of Terms: 1 Ms. Lisa Kaylie 5 First Appointed: 02/25/2025 Gender Identity: Female Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 02/25/2025 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2026 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: Economic Development Advisory Board- Number of Terms: Karen M. Dehart 6 Chair First Appointed: 11/01/2022 Gender Identity: Female Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 11/18/2025 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2028 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: NC High School Athletic Association Number of Terms: 2 Thursday,January 29,2026 Page 1 5 Board and Commission Members And Vacant Positions Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board Meeting Times: 8:00 am Third Wednesday of every month except Jul.&Dec. Contact Person:Laurie Paolicelli&Hannah Hemphill Meeting Place: Varies Contact Phone: 919-245-4323 Positions: 17 Length:3 years Terms: 2 Matt Hughes 7 First Appointed: 03/07/2024 Gender Identity: Male Township: Hillsborough Current Appointment: 11/18/2024 Ethnic Background: African American Residency Req: Hillsborough Twnshp Expiration: 12/31/2028 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: Town of Hillsborough Board of Commiss Number of Terms: 1 Mr. Creston Woods 8 First Appointed: 02/25/2025 Gender Identity: Male Township: Non-Res.Consultnt. Current Appointment: 02/25/2025 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2027 Age Range: 60+ Special Repr: O/C Lodging Assoc. Number of Terms: 1 VACANT 9 First Appointed: Gender Identity: Township: Current Appointment: Ethnic Background: Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2028 Age Range: Special Repr: Carrboro Town Council Number of Terms: Ben Marklin 10 First Appointed: 04/15/2025 Gender Identity: Male Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 11/18/2025 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2028 Age Range: 18-34 Special Repr: Alliance/Hist.Hillsborough Number of Terms: 1 Heidi W. Dawson 11 First Appointed: 12/06/2021 Gender Identity: Female Township: Current Appointment: 10/15/2024 Ethnic Background: Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2027 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: O/C Lodging Assoc. Number of Terms: 2 Wendy Smith 12 First Appointed: 03/07/2024 Gender Identity: Female Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 03/07/2024 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2026 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: O.C.Arts Commission Number of Terms: 1 Thursday,January 29,2026 Page 2 6 Board and Commission Members And Vacant Positions Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board Meeting Times: 8:00 am Third Wednesday of every month except Jul.&Dec. Contact Person:Laurie Paolicelli&Hannah Hemphill Meeting Place: Varies Contact Phone: 919-245-4323 Positions: 17 Length:3 years Terms: 2 Mr. David Yonkovich-Putnam 13 First Appointed: 10/15/2024 Gender Identity: Male Township: Non-Res.Consultnt. Current Appointment: 11/18/2025 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: Ex-officio Expiration: 12/31/2028 Age Range: 18-34 Special Repr: Economic Development Staff-Town of Number of Terms: 1 Mr. Jon Hartman-Brown 14 First Appointed: 10/06/2020 Gender Identity: Male Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 06/20/2023 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: Ex-officio Expiration: 06/30/2026 Age Range: 18-34 Special Repr: Economic Development Staff-Town of Number of Terms: 2 VACANT 15 First Appointed: Gender Identity: Township: Current Appointment: Ethnic Background: Residency Req: Ex-officio Expiration: 06/30/2026 Age Range: Special Repr: Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership Staff( Number of Terms: Meredith Sabye 16 First Appointed: 12/04/2023 Gender Identity: Female Township: Bingham Current Appointment: 10/15/2024 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: At-Large Expiration: 12/31/2027 Age Range: 35-59 Special Repr: At-Large Number of Terms: 1 Sally Greene 17 First Appointed: 12/10/2024 Gender Identity: Female Township: Chapel Hill Current Appointment: 12/10/2024 Ethnic Background: White Residency Req: Expiration: 12/31/2026 Age Range: Special Repr: County Commissioner Number of Terms: Thursday,January 29,2026 Page 3 7 Applicant Interest Listing by Board Name and by Applicant Name Contact Person: Laurie Paolicelli&Hannah Hem Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Contact Phone: 919-245-4323 Mrs. Amanda Frisard Gender Identity: Female Date Applied: 06/11/2025 Ethnic Background: Native American Township: Chapel Hill Age Range 35-59 Zone of Residence: C.H.City Limits Also Serves On: Ms. Margaret Moriarty Gender Identity: Female Date Applied: 11/06/2024 Ethnic Background: White Township: Chapel Hill Age Range 18-34 Zone of Residence: C.H.City Limits Also Serves On: Parks and Recreation Council Mr. Jonathan Sosidka Gender Identity: Male Date Applied: 08/12/2024 Ethnic Background: White Township: Chapel Hill Age Range 18-34 Zone of Residence: C.H.City Limits Also Serves On: Thursday,January 29,2026 Page 1 of 1 8 ORANGE COUNTY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ANNUAL REPORT AND WORK PLAN Name of Board/Commission: Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board Report Period: January 2025-December 2025 The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) appreciates the dedication of all volunteers on Orange County boards and commissions and asks each body to complete an Annual Report and Work Plan. This document will inform the BOCC of the activities each board/commission has conducted over the past year and detail a plan for future activities. These activities should be consistent with the board/commission's assigned charge and the goals identified in the Orange County Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan). General information about the Strategic Plan is available here. Person to address the BOCC, title, and contact information: DR Bryan, Board Chair dr(a)bpropnc.com 919-880-1478 Primary staff contact: Laurie Paolicelli, Executive Director Ipaolicelli@visitchapelhill.org 919-259-1658 1. How many times per month does this board/commission meet, including any special meetings and subcommittee meetings? The board meets once a month, except for July and December, for a total of 10 meetings per calendar year. 2. Please briefly describe this board/commission's assigned charge and responsibilities. Board-specific Policies and Procedures documents, which detail the charge and responsibilities for each board/commission, are available Tourism Marketing and Management Since 1992, the Visitors Bureau has served as Orange County's official destination marketing and tourism management agency, operating with a dedicated staff of six who work daily to promote Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough as welcoming destinations for visitors, meeting planners, sports groups, and cultural travelers. 9 The Bureau: • Researches visitor trends to respond with marketing programs that will sustain demand. • Develops advertising and digital campaigns that drive visitors to Orange County businesses. • Manages media outreach to build audiences and engagement at Orange County events, from artist tours, bluegrass, historic programming and sports and recreation. • Provides accurate travel information to thousands of visitors who walk in to a Visitors Center funded through occupancy taxes and whom call, email and use the online portal to answer questions about their visit to Orange County. • Supports major events, conferences, tournaments, and festivals that contribute to economic viability and job creation in Orange County. • Collaborates with hotels, restaurants, small businesses, arts organizations, UNC–Chapel Hill, and local governments to present a cohesive destination message on key events and artistic and athletic programs taking place. Board Leadership and Accomplishments The Board led a forward-looking strategic planning effort, engaging more than two dozen stakeholders and producing a roadmap grounded in community priorities (available for BOCC download). Under its leadership, the County: • Maintained steady hotel occupancy and visitor demand • Secured the winning bid for the 2026 Savannah Bananas games—projected to yield $9+ million in economic return to Orange County in April 2026. • Advanced a robust marketing and trolley campaign for UPROAR 2025, contributing to record attendance • Launched video campaigns supporting small businesses • Produced essential visitor guides • Strengthened partnerships with Chapel Hill and Carrboro Town Managers • Advanced a major America 250 event and commemorative publication to be released July 2026 10 3. What are your board/commission's most important accomplishments during the report period? • Strategic Planning: Led a comprehensive planning process with 25+ stakeholders, producing a roadmap for future tourism growth. • Hotel Performance: Helped sustain steady occupancy and countywide demand, supporting a resilient lodging sector. • Savannah Bananas 2026 Bid Win: Secured a transformative event projected to generate $9 million in economic return. • UPROAR 2025 Marketing Success: Funded and approved a marketing/trolley initiative that boosted attendance and community visibility. • Small Business Support: Created video campaigns featuring local shops, restaurants, and makers to direct visitor spending to independent businesses. • Visitor Guides: Produced guides that strengthen Orange County's reputation as a welcoming and accessible destination. • Municipal Collaboration: Engaged Chapel Hill and Carrboro Town Managers to align strategies and deepen partnership. • America 250 Leadership: Approved a signature 2026 event and commemorative publication celebrating Orange County's contributions. 4. Please list any specific tasks, events, or functions performed or sponsored annually. Destination Marketing & Promotion Year-round brand promotion, digital campaigns, social media, website management, visitor guides, business-focused videos, and outdoor/arts/heritage marketing. Campaigns helped bring larger out of town audiences to local events, increasing spending and strengthening the local economy. Strategic Planning & Industry Research Ongoing hotel data analysis, visitor trend research, stakeholder engagement, and long- range planning. This information is helpful for new developers considering Orange County for a future project. Event Support & Sponsorship Countywide support for arts festivals, Orange County Veterans events, Black Alumni gathering in November 2025, bluegrass and musical cultural events, heritage 11 programming, and major agricultural events such as Hog Day, Salt & Smoke and Sound, Farmers Markets, Gay Pride Carrboro event, LGBTQ messaging to name a few. Interdepartmental Collaboration Work with: • Parks & Recreation — promote trails, parks, and greenways • Aging — provide trolley and tour programs accessible to seniors • Arts Commission — elevate cultural events and galleries • Agricultural Extension — highlight farms, markets, and agri-tourism • Preservation Initiatives — support heritage tourism • Sustainability/Clean & Green — promote tourism as a clean and green industry • Economic Development — drive hotel demand and attract visitor spending • Civil Rights & Inclusion — uplift diverse businesses and inclusive events • Veterans Affairs — provide public relations materials to Orange County Veterans Committee. Visitor Services The Visitors Bureau uses a wide range of modern tools to help visitors navigate and feel welcome. Its mobile-friendly, ADA-accessible website serves as a central hub with real-time events, dynamic maps, trip-planning tools, and dining and lodging information. Custom QR codes provide guided tours and while many digital kiosks at hotels provide quick directions and attraction searches. Visitors Bureau social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X now function as real-time visitor-service tools, sharing trending experiences and answering questions on the spot. Partnerships with local businesses extend visitor support even further, with restaurants, hotels, museums, and shops distributing QR-coded maps, itineraries, and insider tips. Outdoor-oriented navigation tools such as trail-mapping apps, greenway QR codes, and kiosk stations at trailheads are also becoming essential, especially in communities that value outdoor recreation like Orange County. The Visitors Bureau works with local Parks and Rec Departments to learn about QR codes that offer self guided tourism information. 5. Describe this board/commission's activities/accomplishments in carrying out the goals identified in the Grange County Strategic Man. General information about the Strategic Plan is available here. Diverse and Vibrant Economy 12 Our work directly advances the County's goal to "attract and retain sustainable and diverse businesses and visitors, strengthen employment opportunities, and diversify the tax base." Highlights include: • Strategic Planning: Ensures growth is intentional, data-driven, and aligned with economic priorities. • Sustaining Hotel Demand: Supports hundreds of jobs and strengthens tax revenue. • Major Events: Savannah Bananas and UPROAR bring new dollars and visibility to the County. • Small Business Promotion: Directs spending to local entrepreneurs and creative enterprises. • Visitor Guides and Services: Encourage longer stays, higher spending, and repeat visitation. • Municipal Partnerships: Maximize tourism ROI through unified strategy. • America 250 Initiatives: Stimulate cultural tourism and raise Orange County's national profile. 6. Describe any collaboration between this board/commission and other boards and commissions. Tourism accomplishments are strengthened through active collaboration with: • Parks & Recreation • Department on Aging • Orange County Arts Commission • Preservation & Heritage Initiatives • Sustainability & Clean and Green Programs • Agricultural Extension • Civil Rights & Inclusion • Economic Development Tourism is a clean and green industry—it requires no new infrastructure, brings in outside dollars, supports trails and outdoor recreation, provides seniors with trolley and tour mobility options, uplifts local farms, and strengthens cultural and creative sectors. 13 7. Identify any activities this board/commission expects to carry out in 2026 that are related to the Orange County Strategic Plan. General information about the Strategic Plan is available her^. If applicable, please list any fiscal impact (i.e., funding, staff time, other resources) associated with these proposed activities. The Board expects to continue efforts that support a Diverse and Vibrant Economy, including: • Promoting major events to build attendance and strength the economy • Supporting large festivals and cultural programming • Expanding small-business visibility campaigns • Enhancing outdoor recreation and trail promotion • Advancing the America 250 celebration, culminating with a celebration July 4, 2026. • Strengthening partnerships with County departments and municipalities • Fiscal Impact: Staff time, marketing resources, event sponsorships (supported by occupancy tax revenue). 8. What concerns or emerging issues does this board/commission anticipate for the upcoming year that it plans to address or wishes to bring to the BOCC's attention? • Rebuilding Town of Chapel Hill's contribution to the County Visitors Bureau. • Auditing short-term rentals across platforms such as VRBO and Airbnb to understand their impact on lodging tax revenue, housing, and visitor patterns.