HomeMy Public PortalAbout06-06-2017 Minutes TDA Regular Meeting
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Minutes
Tourism Development Authority
6:15 p.m. June 6, 2017
Town Barn, 101 E. Orange St.
Present: Chair Mary Catherine McKee and Member Kathleen Ferguson
Staff: Economic Development Planner Shannan Campbell
Guests: Alliance for Historic Hillsborough Executive Director Sarah DeGennaro and Public Space
Manager Stephanie Trueblood
Item 1: Call meeting to order
Chair McKee called the meeting to order at 6:25 p.m.
Item 2: Consideration of changes or adjustments to the agenda
There were no changes or adjustments to the agenda.
Motion: Chair McKee moved to approve the agenda as presented.
Second: Member Ferguson seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
Item 3: Consideration of minutes from April 17, 2017, meeting
Motion: Member Ferguson moved approval of the minutes.
Second: Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
Item 4: Reports
a. Occupancy tax revenue report
Ms. Campbell reported the occupancy tax revenue has increased almost 34 percent from Fiscal
Year 2016. In FY2016, it was down a little bit compared with FY2015.
b. Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau update
Ms. Campbell did not have a report.
Item 5: New business items
a. Hillsborough “bee hotel” functional public art — Request for Special Project/Partnership
Funding
Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood reported North Carolina has 500 species of native
bees. Many do not have stingers. Many live solitary lives and could live in the type of structure
the artist would be commissioned to build. Ms. Trueblood said the idea is to merge
environmental art and public art to create a showpiece with an interpretive sign that explains
the purpose pollinators serve. Workshops then could be hosted so people can make their own
small bee hotels to take home or hang along Riverwalk.
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Member Ferguson asked at what point an insect hotel is too social or large for solitary insects.
Ms. Trueblood said ground-burrowing bees are solitary but will burrow next to another ground-
burrowing bee. There are large, beautiful public art pieces like this that insects are using. Ms.
Trueblood reported that the idea was to make this an enticing project for craftspeople. Orange
County Arts Commission Executive Director Katie Murray researched an appropriate commission
and concluded $3,000 was right for such a piece.
Ms. Trueblood said she expects the selection committee to be comprised of representation from
the town staff (likely Ms. Campbell and/or another person representing the Tourism
Development Authority and Ms. Trueblood representing the Tree Board), the Orange County
Arts Commission and the Hillsborough Arts Council.
Ms. Trueblood explained that Ms. Murray would create the request for qualifications or “call”
for artists to apply. The idea is to install the showpiece in Gold Park; but if it looks like the bee
hotel would not hold up to flooding, Ms. Trueblood would like to consider installing it at Cates
Creek Park.
Member Ferguson spoke strongly in favor of installing it at Gold Park. She also asked that those
choosing the location consider people who have allergies to stings. She said the installment
needs to be flood-proof.
Ms. Trueblood said they would like to write into the call to artists that the artist must maintain
the bee hotel for three years. Ms. Trueblood reviewed other pollinator gardens where the bee
hotel could be installed. She prefers Gold Park near the pollinator garden and in a location
where someone would have to walk over to it to learn about it. In other words, off the trail.
Ms. Trueblood reviewed the unveiling could coincide with the River Park concert on Oct. 28.
Ms. Trueblood asked the Tourism Development Authority to contribute $500 to help with the
workshops/unveiling and $1,000 toward the commission for the project.
Motion: Member Ferguson moved approval of $1,500.
Second: Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
b. Sundays in Hillsborough — Request for Special Project/Partnership Funding
Ms. Campbell indicated that Ms. Tesoro could not be here this evening to make the request. She
explained that the idea behind the concert series is to encourage weekend-long activities and
Sunday activities and to encourage businesses to be open on Sundays. She said that having
weekend long activities could encourage more people to stay overnight and increase ‘heads in
beds’. The Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce is discussing collaboration
possibilities with the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough to do a Sunday Tour. Another possibility is
to work with local car clubs to make the event a ‘cruise-in’, Ms. Campbell reported.
Member Ferguson said that when this proposal came before the Tourism Board, she was
concerned there was not enough leveraging. She does not want to see the Chamber request full
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funding. She wants to see the chamber leverage networks and relationships.
Ms. Campbell said the budget includes $300 of Chamber money and $1,500 of sponsorships. The
Chamber is requesting $9,000 to cover the costs of bands, marketing the event, and trying to get
reenactors/tours.
Motion: Member Ferguson moved to approve the $9,000 request.
Second: Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
c. FY2018 Tourism Development Authority budget
i. Formal public hearing
Chair McKee moved to open the public hearing. No one wished to speak.
Motion: Member Ferguson moved to close the public hearing.
Second: Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
ii. Discussion and decision
Ms. Campbell said the audit is $250 more for FY2017, so she increased the budget by
that much for FY2018. Marketing support is now in the advertising line instead of under
“miscellaneous.”
Motion: Member Ferguson moved to approve the budget.
Second: Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
d. FY2017 Tourism Development Authority audit contract
Motion: Member Ferguson moved to accept the audit contract.
Second: Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
Item 6: Old business items
a. Hillsborough visitor and relocation guide and map development
Member Ferguson expressed interest in putting places on the map outside of downtown and
West Hillsborough. The authority agreed to list commercial areas outside of downtown on the
map and indicate that Daniel Boone is a point of interest. Ms. Campbell shared the mark-ups she
had made.
b. Advertising with Orange County Sportsplex (banners)
Ms. Campbell reported she had spoken with management at the Sportsplex about hanging a
banner ad in the swimming pool area and ice rink area and that it would be $200 which is a 50%
discount.
Motion: Member Ferguson moved to approve to pay the Sportsplex $200 for the two banner
ads.
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Second: Chair McKee seconded.
Vote: Unanimous
Item 7: Staff/board comments
Member Ferguson added she wants to make sure the Tourism Program gets recognition for sponsorship,
particularly at Hog Day.
Item 8: Adjourn
Chair McKee adjourned the meeting at 7 p.m.