HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-02-2020 Minutes Tourism Board Regular Meeting
Hillsborough Economic Development Planner Shannan Campbell
101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278
919-296-9477 | shannan.campbell@hillsboroughnc.gov
www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov
www.visithillsboroughnc.com | @HillsboroughNC
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Minutes
Tourism Board (Remote)
5:30 p.m. Nov. 2, 2020
Town of Hillsborough YouTube channel
Present: Chair Matt Hughes, Mark Bateman, Barney Caton, Barry Hupp, Kim Tesoro and Cathleen Turner
Staff: Economic Development Planner Shannan Campbell
Guests: Nic Beery, Tonya Brami, Tanya Day, Brooks Graebner, Torey Mishoe, Katie Murray, and Sarah
Parris
1. Call to order
Chair Matt Hughes called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and noted there was a quorum and Mark
Bateman was expected later.
2. Agenda changes and approval
There were no changes.
Motion: Member Kim Tesoro moved to approve the agenda as presented. Member Barry Hupp seconded.
Vote: 5-0
3. Minutes review and approval
None.
4. Presentations
A. At-large board member interviews
1. Nic Beery
Beery shared that he has lived in Hillsborough for 3 years and Orange County for 15 years. He is a video
producer and filmmaker who works locally. At the request of the board, he named restaurants he enjoys. He
explained that he helps clients with branding and promoting. He has done several videos for the Town of
Hillsborough including the America’s Coolest Small Town video and the videos about volunteers and
employees. He also enjoyed attending the Hillsborough Academy a year ago.
Stann asked Beery what would help promote tourism in a safe way during the pandemic. Beery said videos,
websites and e-blasts to share “hidden gems” in Hillsborough. He suggested highlighting how safe it is to visit
Hillsborough.
Stann is concerned that restaurants will suffer as it becomes too cold to eat outside.
B. Contract partners quarterly reports
1. Alliance for Historic Hillsborough (Visitors Center)
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Sarah Parris, executive director of the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough which operates the Visitors Center,
reviewed that several interesting talks have been held via Zoom. The Visitors Center has also created print
advertisements to attract visitors to Hillsborough.
2. Burwell School
Brooks Graebner, chair of the Historic Hillsborough Commission which owns and operates the Burwell School
Historic Site, said the commission and staff had created several videos and moved programs online. The
Burwell School reopened when the state allowed museums to open. The site does not have many in-person
visitors at this time. The commission has nearly met its goal for first-quarter fundraising.
Bateman arrived.
3. Hillsborough Arts Council
Hillsborough Arts Council Executive Director Torey Mishoe said the council was focusing on the campaign to
shop local the weekend after Thanksgiving. The council is working on a program to enable groups to
temporarily adopt one of the large puppets used in the Handmade Parade. Groups would make repairs or
improvements to the puppets, hold them in the parade, and then return them to the council to be adopted
again for the following parade.
4. Orange County Historical Museum
Tonya Brami, secretary of the museum board, introduced Site Manager Tanya Day, who started working for
the museum in August. The museum reopened Sept. 25. Visitors must preregister. There were 19 visitors the
first week.
5. Action items
A. FY21 Grant Award – Art on the Hill postponed to Summer 2022 (Fiscal Year 2022)
Orange County Arts Commission Executive Director Katie Murray explained this is a new countywide public art
festival set to take place in downtown Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. Organizers are hoping to get
national media attention. Big pieces of public art would be installed in the downtowns for the month of July.
There are 14 community partners committed to the events. Most of those are funding partners. The
commission will also be fundraising. The preparations take at least a full year.
Board members talked about whether to earmark the money.
Motion: Hughes moved to roll the $7,500 for Art on the Hill to the Orange County Arts Commission for
Fiscal Year 2022 during the FY22 budget process. Bateman seconded.
Vote: 6-0
B. Adopt unfunded projects priority list
Campbell reviewed the list in the agenda packet. The top two projects would cost a total of $23,500. Revenue
projections are not looking good so she indicated that she wasn’t sure when or if the projects could be
completed but would keep the board informed.
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When asked, Tesoro said the Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce would not need funding for
the Holiday Parade because it would be a virtual parade.
Motion: Member Cathleen Turner moved to adopt the unfunded project priority list as presented with the
two top scorers being the Kings Highway Park biodock and kiosk signs at Calvin Street and Visitors
Center. Member Barney Caton seconded.
Vote: 6-0
6. Discussion items
A. At-large seat appointment recommendation
Motion: Bateman moved to recommend that the Hillsborough Board of Commissioners appoint Beery to
the Tourism Board.
Vote: 6-0
7. Monthly reports and comments
A. Alliance for Historic Hillsborough Director and Alliance Programs reports; Visitors Center Communications
Report; Tourism Staff Report and Orange County Visitors Bureau Updates
Campbell shared that efforts are underway to encourage people to come to Hillsborough to shop and eat.
There was discussion about a Buc-ee’s Travel Center possibly being built in Orange County. It is projected to
attract 12,000 travelers a day. Tesoro and Bateman wanted the Tourism Board to write a letter to the Orange
County Board of Commissioners about the project because it would bring visitors roughly three miles from
Hillsborough, increasing the chances of some of those interstate travelers coming into town to shop and dine.
Hughes expressed reservations about a town advisory board writing a letter to the county commissioners in
support or opposition of a project outside of the town’s jurisdiction.
Campbell said Orange County Planning Board plans to discuss the project in November. She proposed making
this an item on the December meeting agenda. She said that she will provide some additional information on
the project a draft template of a letter that the board could send to the county commissioners if they decided
that was an appropriate action. She agreed with Hughes that it would need to be carefully worded.
8. Adjournment
Motion: Tesoro moved adjourn the meeting at 7:13 p.m. Caton seconded.
Vote: 6-0.