HomeMy Public PortalAbout02-01-2016 Minutes Tourism Board MeetingPage 1 of 4
TOURISM BOARD
February 1, 2016
Town Barn
6:30pm
MINUTES
Present: Chair Erik Myers, Vice Chair Libbie Hough, Sean Garrett, Kate Carroll, Kathleen
Ferguson, Mary Catherine McKee, Carolyn Twesten, Kim Tesoro, Steven Burke
Staff: Shannan Campbell (Town of Hillsborough), Sarah DeGennaro (Alliance for
Historic Hillsborough)
I. Call Meeting to Order
Chair Myers called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
II. Agenda Adoption
Motion: Member Ferguson moved to adopt the agenda.
Second: Vice Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
III. Consideration of Minutes of January 4, 2016
Motion: Member Hough moved to approve the minutes as corrected.
Second: Vice Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous.
IV. General Public Comment
There were none.
V. Monthly Reports
a. Alliance Director’s Report and Visitor’s Center Communications Report
Sarah DeGennaro explained that there were no tours or heritage programming done in
January, but that the Alliance was working on its upcoming Revolutionary War Living
History Day that would be held February 20th. She explained that there would be re-
enactors, history tours, and artillery demonstrations. She also said that the Visitor’s
Center was working with the Arts Council to display ‘Mikes Art Truck’ Folk Art for the
Art Walk 2016 season at the Alexander Dickson House.
Ms. DeGennaro went through the communications report also. Highlights included a
559% increase in post engagement on Facebook as well as the communications plan for
the publicity for the Revolutionary War Living History Day. Also, Riverwalk was
featured on UNC-TV.
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Member Ferguson asked if the Visitor’s Center staff had any interactions with Taste
Carolina Tours. She explained that they do food/restaurant tasting tours in Raleigh and
Durham. She asked if that organization was involved in the recent Farm Fare in
Hillsborough now. She said that it could have a tourism draw.
Ms. Campbell said that she would look into this with Visitor Center Staff.
b. Updated/Adjusted Alliance Budget and 2nd Quarter Financial Report
Bill Crowther, Alliance Treasurer, gave the 2nd Quarter Report and indicated that the
Alliance budget needed to be adjusted in two particular line items- ‘Personnel Health
Insurance’ increased from $12,000 to $17,000 and also the ‘Board Members Retreat’ line
item was budgeted for $400 to $5,000. He explained that the Health Insurance line item
was unexpected but that the Board retreat was necessary to determine the direction that
the Alliance was headed in.
c. Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor’s Bureau Update
Ms. Campbell said that she would give this update. She explained that the Alliance had
appointed Jeff Strickler of UNC Hospital as the Alliance appointee to the Chapel
Hill/Orange County. She said that another representation update was that Mike Gerring
was replaced with Mark Bell as the Town Board representative to the Chapel Hill/OC
Visitor’s Bureau.
She explained that the highlights included the Visitor’s Bureau working on trying to get
more high school tournaments in the area, but that they are having some problems with
field rentals and reservations through Chapel Hill City Schools. She said that they were
working on resolving this so that there could potentially be a boost in late summer
hotel/motel stays. She said that there was also some discussion regarding moving the IFC
Community Kitchen from its current location over to the other IFC functions in Carrboro
and possibly rehabbing the building on Rosemary and having the Chapel Hill/Orange
County Visitor Center move into that building. There was also some discussion on doing
a small Chapel Hill/University of North Carolina museum in the same space. She said
that the RFP’s for the market analysis/feasibility study for a conference center in Chapel
Hill/Orange County had come back and were available for review.
VI. New Business Items
a. Colonial Inn Update and Tourism Board stance
Ms. Campbell said that the full details of the Colonial Inn property were available on the
Town’s website and gave the URL. She explained that there was a long history but that
the current status was that the owner needed to stabilize the roof in order to make the
building safe for real estate appraisers to enter it and make an appraisal of fair market
value. She said that the owner was supposed to have the roof stabilized by March 15th.
She said that the Town is moving forward and the owner is being cooperative at this time.
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Member Burke said that the Tourism Board should support the efforts of the Town.
Vice Chair McKee said she would like to have a blanket statement the Tourism Board
members use when asked about the property.
Member Burke suggested the following, “The Tourism Board is ever mindful of the
important historical and cultural value of the Colonial Inn and supports the Town’s
forward motion of the project and positive work in its restoration and in bringing it back
into use”. He said that the Tourism Board does not presume to set policy for the Town
but that the Tourism Board is supportive.
Vice Chair McKee said that sounded like a good statement.
The board members agreed that they would review the statement and tweak it if
necessary at their next meeting.
b. Review and comment on draft logo designs for website/marketing materials
The board members reviewed the seven logo concepts presented and provided the
following comments and suggestions:
- Too strong of use of the clock tower icon. Need something to set Tourism
Logo apart from the Town’s logo.
- Clock tower resembles a light house in some depictions. Especially combined
with water feature.
- Like the outline of the state but it may not stand test of time.
- Would like to see some additional more artistic and creative designs that
demonstrate Hillsborough’s artsy and eclectic side. Would maybe like to see
something abstract.
- Would be nice to see some kind of a main street architectural concept.
- Would like to see a concept that includes more of the overall Tourism draws
for Hillsborough all represented together (ie. Eno river/recreation, food and
beverage, main street/shopping, historic sites, etc)
- Designs feel too municipal and boring and should be more fun and exciting.
- Like the icon concept with the clock tower in it as one of many icons possibly
highlighting other things the town has to offer for tourism.
Ms. Campbell said that she would call the graphic designer to explain some of the
concerns and see if the concepts could be re-imagined.
c. Make nominations/recommendation to Town Board for Tourism Development
Authority appointment
- Town Board appoints 2/8- TDA should meet soon after
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Ms. Campbell said that Mr. Anjan Desai and Ms. Mary Catherine McKee both expressed
interest in being re-appointed to the TDA. She said that the Town Board has already
appointed Ms. Kathleen Ferguson to the Town Board seat.
Motion: Vice Chair Hough nominated both Ms. McKee and Mr. Desai for reappointment.
Second: Chair Myers seconded the nomination.
Vote: Unanimous.
VII. Old Business Items
a. Special Work Session Re-Schedule: Sunday February 7th at 1pm in the Town Barn
Ms. Campbell said that this date/time was determined to be the one with the most
availability via polling of the members.
Motion: Vice Chair McKee motioned to have the rescheduled meeting on February 7th at
1pm.
Second: Member Tesoro seconded the motion.
Vote: Unanimous.
VIII. Staff/Board Comments and Discussion Items
Ms. Campbell said that the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce had met with some of
the former members of the now inactive ‘Downtown Merchants’ group and had offered
to pull the merchants into the Chamber as the ‘Hillsborough Merchants’ group. She said
that it sounded like the Chamber had a very good response on this item. She also said that
at a previous meeting it was suggested by a Board member that the Tourism Board go to
see the Visitor’s Center to get a better idea of the tourist resources available. She said that
she was looking at the possibility of holding one of the regular upcoming meetings there
but that she had to coordinate with Sarah DeGennaro. She said that it would need to be a
meeting with a limited agenda so that would be scheduled soon.
IX. Adjourn
Motion: Chair Myers moved to adjourn at 8:00 p.m.
Second: Member Ferguson seconded.
Vote: Unanimous.