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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-09-20 Tourism Commission MinutesTOURISM COMMISSION RIVERSIDE, MISSOURI Monday, September 20, 2010 6:00 p.m. The Tourism Commission for the City of Riverside, Missouri, met in the Board of Aldermen Conference Room at City Hall, 2950 NW Vivion Road, Riverside, Missouri on September 20, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. Chair Jason Rule called the meeting to order. Answering roll call were Jason Rule, Deana Winter, Jerry Pietsch, and Alderman Aaron Thatcher (non- voting member). Also present was David Blackburn, City Administrator, Meredith Hauck, Director of Community Relations (recorder), and Morgan Johnson and Jon Ratliff from Trozzolo Communications Group. Motion to approve Commissioner Pietsch made a motion to approve the minutes of August 9, minutes of August 9, 2010, and Deana Winter seconded the motion. All voted in favor. Motion 2010 carried. Tourism Fund Update Meredith Hauck explained to the Tourism Commission that staff recently discovered that the Tourism Commission is not a recommending board and actually has full authority over the Tourism Fund. Although the Board of Aldermen can set the budget for the year, the Tourism Commission has final say over what projects are approved for funding under that budget. At the September 7, 2010 Board of Aldermen meeting, the Board had a workshop on the Tourism Commission, where staff explained this change to them. As a result of that meeting, the Board set the following budget for the Tourism Commission: 20% will go to City Marketing, 35% will go to City Events and 45% will go to other events. This results in the following budget for the FY11 budget year: City Marketing: $36,000 City Events: $63,000 - Other Events: $81,000 Commissioner Pietsch commented that he liked this set up better and that it provided more direction to the Tourism Commission about their role and authority. FY11 Image Campaign Morgan Johnson and Jon Ratliff from Trozzolo Communications Group led a discussion about the City's FY11 Image Campaign. Morgan explained that the City built this campaign to focus on raising awareness of the City of Riverside. The campaign focuses on four channels: earned, owned, paid and social. The goal is to have a presence in each of these areas and to make sure the right message (key message) is getting out to the appropriate audiences. The Billboard Campaign is one part of the City's overall strategic marketing plan. The campaign will specifically target audiences in the Kansas City Metro area. There are a number of other components to the image campaign, including projects specifically marketing the Horizons development and others targeting potential businesses and residents. Commissioner Rule asked what the City was advertising. Hauck said the campaign is designed to establish Riverside as a consideration for people who are looking for a place for their business or a place to buy a home. Rule said he struggles with this idea because he remembers all of the failed campaigns that the City has done in the past. David Blackburn commented that this project is different from past projects because it isn't happening in the vacuum — the City has a strategy for communications and goals associated with that. Funding Request — Commissioner Winter said she thought the billboard campaign would help Riverside Billboard get the word out about Riverside, especially to people who have never Campaign heard about the City. Commissioner Pietsch said although at the last meeting he was initially opposed to spending money on marketing, he has had time to consider the request and feels that this project fits under the "general city marketing" provision provided in the email from City Attorney Nancy Thompson regarding what the Tourism Fund could be utilized for. Commissioner Winter made a motion to approve $12,500 for the Riverside Billboard Campaign. Commissioner Pietsch seconded the motion. Commissioners Winter and Pietsch voted in favor, Commissioner Rule was opposed. Motion carries. Winter asked about the 60 Anniversary Campaign. Hauck explained that the initial project concept was to tie in with BLAST, because the anniversary is on June 21. Since a final decision has not been made about the direction or date of BLAST, there isn't enough information to make a recommendation on that project yet. Funding Request - David Blackburn provided a history of the Community Theater program at Community Theater the Community Theater to the board. He explained that when the City was first setting up the Tourism Commission, the Platte County Convention and Visitors Bureau said that the Community Theater was one of Riverside's key tourism offerings because it appeared on the Metro Calendar that went in all the hotel rooms. Commission Rule asked why the funds for this program should come out of Tourism. He wants to make sure the Tourism Funds were utilized for premier projects and that programs didn't rely on the Commission to fund the majority of their project each year. In addition, he sees this program as a community event, even though it is advertised metro -wide. Commissioner Pietsch commented that this is one program that he actually has seen advertising for in a variety of places. Commissioner Winter said that she could see this program, as well as the Northland Symphony Program, being a great fit for an arts council. Commissioner Pietsch made a motion to approve $6,510 to fund the Riverside Community Theater Program and Commissioner Winter seconded. Commissioner Pietsch voted in favor and Commissioners Winter and Rule were opposed. Motion fails. Grant Application — KC Commissioner Pietsch said he feels the Highland Games is doing a better job Scottish Highland Games getting the Commission complete information about their program. Commissioner Rule said he liked that only 5% of the participants came from the Riverside area and more than 50% were from the KC metro area. In his eyes, this helps us meet the same goal as the Billboard Campaign. Commissioner Pietsch made a motion to approve $17,500 for the Highland Games and Commissioner Rule seconded the motion. All voted in favor. Motion passed. Grant Application — Commissioner Rule said he felt this project has a good funding per person Northland Ethnic Festival ratio and was a feel good event that brought positive recognition to the community. Commissioner Winter made a motion to approve $1,500 for the Northland Ethnic Festival and Commissioner Pietsch seconded the motion. All voted in favor. Motion passed. Adjournment — 7:30 p.m. Commissioner Rule made a motion to adjourn and Commissioner Winter seconded. All present voted in favor.