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Home My WebLink AboutLRC2 DRAFT Minutes Tourism Business Improvement District Board Wednesday, May 11, 2016 Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tourism Business Improvement District Board was called to order on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 10:03 a.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Matthew Wilkins. ROLL CALL Present: Board Members Dean Hutton, Pragna Patel-Mueller, LeBren Young-Harris, and Chair Matthew Wilkins Absent Clint Pearce, Kimberly Walker, and Vice-Chair Nipool Patel Staff Present: Tourism Manager Molly Cano and Recording Secretary Kevin Christian CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS C1. MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016 ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER HUTTON, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, CARRIED 4-0, to approve the Minutes of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board meeting on April 13, 2016. C2. SMITH TRAVEL REPORT By consensus, the Committee directed staff to receive and file the Smith Travel Report. C3. CHAMBER PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT By consensus, the Committee directed staff to receive and file the Chamber Public Relations Report. C4. BCA + STUDIOGOOD MARKETING REPORT By consensus, the Committee directed staff to receive and file the BCA + StudioGood Marketing Report. Draft – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes of May 11, 2016 Page 2 City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle C5. CHAMBER VISITOR CENTER REPORT By consensus, the Committee directed staff to receive and file the Chamber Visitor Center Report. C6. TOT (TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX) REPORT By consensus, the Committee directed staff to receive and file the Transient Occupancy Tax Report. PRESENTATION ITEMS 1. MARKETING AGENCY MONTHLY REPORT Representative from BCA + StudioGood presented upcoming events, noted they are working on the 2016-17 TBID Marketing Plans, reported on partnership activity, and reviewed the April metrics for sanluisobispovacations.com, #ShareSLO, and various social media. 2. PUBLIC RELATIONS MONTHLY UPDATE Chamber of Commerce Director of Communications, Molly Kern, reported that San Luis Obispo placed high on a recent USA Today reader’s poll; a Liquor.com headline promoted Edna Valley over Napa and Sonoma; that Draft Magazine contained a “road trip” piece featuring SLO craft brews; and reviewed eight additional magazines with upcoming features that mention San Luis Obispo. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. ANNUAL PARTNERSHIP & FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS TBID Management Committee Member Harris summarized the committee recommendations for funding the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce 2016-17 contract as shown in Attachment A. The Board discussed the recommendation that the new “Live Chat” feature in the contract be for a two-month trial, and discussed the scope of work for guest services. Harris further reported that the Management Committee recommended funding the 2016-17 SLO Wine Country annual partnership. ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER HUTTON, CARRIED 4-0, to approve funding for the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce 2016-17 contracts as recommended by the TBID Management Committee, specifically: • Guest Services in the amount of $34,000 a year for the 1-877-SLO-TOWN, Availability, Tradeshows • Special Promotion Partnership in the amount of $8,000 a year Draft – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes of May 11, 2016 Page 3 City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle • Live Chat Support in the amount of $4,000 for two month trial • Public Relations in the amount of $51,000 a year and jointly funded by the TBID and PCC • Media Monitoring Services in the amount of $8,000 a year ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER HUTTON, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER PATEL-MUELLER, CARRIED 4-0, to approve funding of $18,000 for the San Luis Obispo Wine Country Association 2016-17 contract, as recommended by the TBID Management Committee. 2. 2016-17 BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TBID Management Committee Member Harris summarized the committee recommendations for funding the 2016-17 TBID budget items: “Marketing Contract”; “Events Promotion”; “Tradeshows”; “Tourism Organizations/Research”, and “Support/Meetings”. The Board discussed the recommendations as compared to the 2015-16 expenditures. Board member Patel-Mueller requested that percentages be added to the budget worksheet in the future. ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER HUTTON, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, CARRIED 4-0, to approve the 2016-17 budget as recommended by the Management Committee. 3. MARKETING AGENCY AGREEMENT AMENDMENTS The Board discussed the need for a 2-year extension of the marketing agency agreement and their concerns regarding conflict of interest, vis-à-vis the agency’s other clients. Tourism Manager Cano reviewed that the Board’s historic position that they didn’t want the agency representing other tourism business. The Board directed the Management Committee to draft an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) based on these discussions, at minimum defining a geographic region and outside-of-region promotion opportunity restrictions, to be presented to the Board for consideration at a future meeting. 4. TOURISM COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the Tourism Coordinator draft job description, noting that it will be presented to the Human Resources Department following Board approval, and then will be presented to City Council for approval on June 14th, 2016. ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER HUTTON, CARRIED 3-0-1, to approve the Tourism Coordinator Job Description as presented (Patel-Mueller abstained). TBID LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION Draft – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes of May 11, 2016 Page 4 City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle 1. HOTELIER UPDATE Tourism Manager Cano reported that two new hotels, The Butler and The Lofts at SLO Brew, are expected to join the district soon. 2. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE No further report. 3. MARKETING COMMITTEE Marketing Committee Member Hutton mentioned that the draft 2016-17 Marketing Plan prepared by the Agency had been presented to the Committee, and noted that attending a business to business (B2B) tradeshow was discussed. 4. PCC UPDATE Chair Wilkins and Tourism Manager Cano reported that the PCC reviewed their Grants in Aid (GIA) applications and that they approved sponsorship funding for the 2016 America in Bloom Annual Symposium to be held in San Luis Obispo in October. 5. VISIT SLO COUNTY UPDATE Tourism Manager Cano stated that the Visit SLO County (VSLOC) research findings profiling visitors to SLO County will be available on June 6, 2016. She further reported that VSLOC have hired a new marketing agency; provided a status update on their strategic plan update; and noted that establishing a quarterly sales review meeting was discussed. 6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE Tourism Manger Cano reported on training for “Helium” and discussed general issues with the program as reported by the properties; reviewed upcoming events and meeting dates; and noted that Council has approved a partnership with Amtrak Surfliner users for complimentary rides on SLO Transit while staying in town. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 12:08 to the next Regular meeting, to be held on Wednesday, June 8th, 2016. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Christian Recording Secretary