HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-16-2017
Auburn Tourism Board Meeting
November 16, 2017 – 10:00 AM
Auburn City Hall Council Chambers
AGENDA
I. ROLL CALL
II. APPROVE SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
III. OLD BUSINESS
1) RFP – Tourism Map Update
2) RFP – Marketing Agency Update
3) Tourism Updates
a. Budget Report
September
BA#3 Application.
b. 4th Quarter Digital Marketing Campaign Update
IV. NEW BUSINESS
1) 2018 Business Plan: Discuss 2019 – 2020 Budget Recommendations
V. NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14th AT 10:00AM IN COUNCIL
CHAMBERS
VI. ADJOURNMENT
Auburn Tourism Board Meeting
September 21, 2017 – 10:00 AM
Auburn City Hall Council Chambers
MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
A. Roll Call
Meeting was called to order at 10:07 a.m.
Board Members present: Vice Chair Rachael McAlister and Board Members Kacie
Bray, Tonia Jones, Julie Krueger, Ashley Mohoric, Ronnie Roberts.
Excused absence: Chair Rebecca Frisch and Board Members Reggie Matto and
Jim Wilson
Staff Present: Lorraine Chachere, Tourism Coordinator; Holly Ferry, Board
Secretary
II. APPROVE JULY MEETING MINUTES
Board Member Mohoric motioned and Member Bray second to approve the August
17, 2017 meeting minutes.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-0
III. NEW BUSINESS
A. Tourism Updates
1. Hotel Concierge FAM event: Wednesday, September 27
Coordinator Chachere informed the Board of the Fam event and requested
that Board members representing hotels would encourage their Front Desk
staff to attend the event. She has arranged to visit Emerald Downs, White
River Valley Museum, and Vinifera so that staff can experience it for
themselves and learn of any updates of the attractions as we head into
winter.
2. 2018 Japan – America Grassroots Summit Host
Coordinator Chachere informed the Board that Auburn will be hosting the
2018 Japan – America Grassroots Summit. They are looking for host families
and will come up with a three-day itinerary of fun things to do that are
uniquely Auburn and Pacific Northwest. Our counterparts in Japan are
circulating a brochure and potential visitors will select which city they would
like to stay in. In the draft, she proposed that this might involve participation
from some of the Tourism Board members and will reach out to them closer
to the date of the event.
3. 2018 Mardi Gras Parade and Celebration – Save the Dates
Coordinator Chachere provided a save the date postcard to the Board for the
Mardi Gras Parade and Celebrations that will take place on February 10 and
July 14 that will bring people into the downtown area and businesses. The
Quarters restaurant and Geaux Brewing enthusiastically participated in a
preliminary planning meeting, and it was decided to have two celebrations.
She also mentioned that recognition was given on the Tourism website to
PyeongChang, our Sister City in South Korea, who will be hosting the winter
Olympics in 2018. This was done to drive traffic to both the Auburn Tourism
site as well as PyeongChang’s website as a gesture of goodwill to Auburn’s
Sister City. As a result, the US Speed Skating Association reached out and
requested help in setting up contacts for their VIPs and their benefactors as
well as the athletes and their families. Manager Lein is currently in South
Korea and will unveil the Auburn website and this portion during his meeting
with dignitaries and businesses.
4. Budget Report
The August report was not ready, but the July financial numbers were
provided.
B. Local Marketing Proposal
In an effort to change local residents’ perception of Auburn and to get them to
“buy in,” Coordinator Chachere presented an unconventional way of advertising
and proposed showing a 60-second version of the Tourism video with a message
from Mayor Backus at the end, prior to every movie at the Regal Auburn Stadium
17 theater between October and the first part of January. This video would also
play in the lobby. She informed the Board of the benefits of this kind of
advertising. The goals would be to make viewers see Auburn in a new way, to
change the perception of where they live, to learn something new about the
City, and to generate enthusiasm about where they live. She presented the 60-
second version of the Tourism video that would promote the attractions, retail
and restaurants in the downtown area. The hope is to have a collaboration
between the Tourism Board, Economic Development, and the BIA Board. Several
members were concerned that there would be no way to track the return on
investment.
Coordinator Chachere shared the numbers for 4th quarter advertising from the
previous year. Board Member Roberts asked what king of a discount could be
offered for the campaign. It was also asked whether it would be possible to have
placement closest to the beginning of the movie to ensure as many moviegoers
as possible view the ad. Coordinator Chachere will find out the answers to those
questions and report back to the Board.
C. RFP – Visitor Guide Bids
Coordinator Chachere showed the Board what had been done with visitor guides
in the past. She also passed out publications from some other cities for the
Board to see. When asking for proposals, the bidding agencies were informed
that the product should be user-friendly, and it should be something that locals
could also make use of. They were told who the target audience is, and that help
would be needed with the actual design. Request for Proposals were sent to
eight different agencies, and only four proposals were received.
Different types of maps with different kinds of content were discussed.
Coordinator Chachere thought the focus should be on things to do and see
rather than on places to eat, which is what the Chamber map will provide. It was
suggested that the map should be generic enough that it’s not promoting a
business but should show only the major places of interest in Auburn. The
thought was that a simple map is a subtle way of offering communication but
also marketing the City. The Board decided a tear-off map would provide a visual
cue to communicate Auburn’s main attractions, shopping, and the downtown
core to encourage visitors to stay longer. It should be two-sided with a QR code
that would take them to the Tourism website, and the size should be at least
legal size or larger.
Since the original RFP requested a different type of guide, Coordinator Chachere
informed the Board that she would send a revised RFP on Tuesday, September
26.
D. RFP – Marketing Bids
Coordinator Chachere provided the proposals from the three marketing bids she
received – APEX, Smart House Creative, and BCF. It was decided to invite
Smarthouse Creative for an interview. Coordinator Chachere requested that
Members send her questions for the interview before the end of the business
day, Friday, September 3. She will provide the panel the questions at the
interview.
Board Member Mohoric motioned and Bray second to have Smarthouse Creative
come out and make a proposal in person.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-0
Board Member Roberts motioned and Krueger second to have a Special Meeting to
further discuss the proposal.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-0
IV. OLD BUSINESS
A. Tourism Logo
Board Member Krueger motioned and Member Bray second to table the logo.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-0
V. NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 AT 10:00AM IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Board Member Roberts inquired whether a new hotel owner could participate in
Board meetings if the hotel is not yet built. Coordinator Chachere said they must
have a business license with the City to be a member of the Board. She will research
whether they currently have one or not prior to breaking ground and send the
answer by email to the Board.
Member Roberts requested to see the financials at the next meeting. Coordinator
Chachere said she will provide the numbers for August as they should be available
by then, but she will not be able to have the revenue numbers for September.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 11:59
a.m.
_____________________________ _____________________________
RACHAEL McALISTER, VICE-CHAIR HOLLY FERRY, BOARD SECRETARY
Auburn Tourism Board
Special Meeting
October 9, 2017 – 10:00 AM
Auburn City Hall Council Chambers
MEETING NOTES
I. CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL
A. Roll Call
Meeting was called to order at 10:08 a.m.
Board Members present: Chair Rebecca Frisch and Board Members Kacie Bray,
Tonia Jones, Julie Krueger, Ashley Mohoric, Ting Phonsanam, Ronnie Roberts, Jim
Wilson.
Excused absence: Vice Chair Rachael McAlister and Board Member Reggie
Matto.
Staff Present: Lorraine Chachere, Tourism Coordinator; Doug Lein, Economic
Development Manager; Holly Ferry, Board Secretary
II. SMARTHOUSE CREATIVE
Members gave feedback on the interview with Smarthouse Creative. The Board
appreciated their willingness to work with non-profits and small budgets, and they
have video editing skills. The Board discussed Smarthouse’s idea for providing small
gift bags that would be left in hotel guests rooms, which partners around the city
would take turns contributing to, as well as a campaign to find gold nuggets around
Auburn, and the use of membership cards. Coordinator Chachere provided their
report on the cost breakdown for a 12-month campaign. She also recommended
that, regardless of which company the Board chooses, it is critical that a lot of
importance be placed on the ad search and word buy campaign so that our website
can be easily found. Members thought it was important to use a company from the
Pacific Northwest.
Coordinator Chachere and Manager Lein talked to the Board about the budget.
Coordinator Chachere informed the Board that because a Budget Amendment will
be submitted within the next month, the amount of expenditures from 2016
commitments should free up funds that originally had been allocated for Marketing.
It appears as if we are currently over budget; however, the Budget Amendment
request, if granted, should rectify the financials. Coordinator Chachere indicated
that the Board will need to specify how funds will be spent in 2017, as part of the
request.
Board Member Krueger motioned and Member Bray second to reissue the RFP and
repost it within one week’s time and to have all bids deliverable by the end of the
month.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 7-0
III. PROPOSALS RECEIVED FOR TOURISM MAP
Since the Board had decided on a tear-off map at the September 21 meeting,
Coordinator Chachere went back to the companies who had submitted proposals
and asked them to send a revised proposal with a cost breakdown to fit that need.
She provided copies of the proposals that she received from four companies to the
Board: DEI Creative, Design Maps, Sun Press (a local company) and Alpha Graphics.
The idea of having the hotel front desk people fill out a survey that would give input
as to what people are looking for was discussed. These things could be included on
the map, and the map would always be evolving to stay relevant. It would not be to
scale, but it would show quickly, easily and visually that they don’t need to leave
Auburn to find what they are looking for.
It was discussed that Board Members should send their favorite tourism maps as
examples to Coordinator Chachere by Wednesday to provide examples as a guide of
a potential Auburn tourism map.
The Board decided to have the Graphic Design department students at Green River
College compete in designing a map, with a Board-funded $500 prize awarded to the
winner. Coordinator Chachere will talk with Andy Orr, the IT Program Manager at
GRC. Along with Coordinator Chachere, Member Bray volunteered to be part of the
conversation with the professor of the graphics class.
Chair Frisch asked that the hotels represented give feedback to Coordinator
Chachere about destinations in Auburn that are usually requested so that they may
be included on the map. The map would be completed this year.
IV. MEDIA BUY PARTNERSHIP
A. Tourism, BIA, Economic Development
Coordinator Chachere reported that she asked the theater’s ad agency if the
Board could get a discount for cinema advertising, and they came back with an
offer of nearly a 30% discount to run the 60-second video from mid-October
through mid-January. There was a concern that there would be no way to track
the return on investment. After discussing, it was decided that the money would
be better spent on a digital campaign on multiple platforms. The digital
campaign could start right away. The videos could be marketed to specific
demographics, and the return on investment could be easily tracked. Manager
Lein and Coordinator Chachere will present the digital marketing partnership
proposal to the BIA.
Board Member Krueger motioned and Member Wilson second to spend $2,500
on a digital platform with the BIA and Economic Development each contributing
$2,500 for a broader campaign digitally so we can target specific populations
with different ads in the 4th quarter, but Tourism should spend its own $2,500 on
a digital platform, no matter what.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 7-0
V. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Board, the special meeting adjourned
at 12:06 p.m.
_____________________________ _____________________________
REBECCA FRISCH, CHAIR HOLLY FERRY, BOARD SECRETARY
C:\Users\scampbe\Desktop\New folder (2)\Budget Snapshot as of 9.30.17.xlsx
2016 YTD
Comparison
YTD as of
9/30/2017
2017 Budgeted 2016 Remaining
Commitments
Carry Forward
Revenues:
Hotel/Motel Excise Tax $78,906 $86,170 $110,000
Investment Income $644 $1,150 $400
Total Revenues $79,550 $87,320 $110,400
Expenditures:
Administration
Tourism Manager Salary $31,735 $44,800
Marketing Consultant $10,000 $2,500 $10,000 $0.00
Travel $0 $1,000
Dues $500 $500
Conference Fees $60 $500
Meetings $35 $500
Printing/Promo Supplies**$0 $2,700
Subtotal $34,830 $60,000
2017
Remaining**
**
Marketing
Media Buy,Trade Shows, Digital***$24,725 $42,805 $36,900
Web Site $2,445 $2,500
Multi Media $465 $1,000
Subtotal $45,715 $40,400 $0.00
Community Support - Grants
Grant Program $2,500 $10,000
Subtotal $34,725 $83,045 $110,400 $0.00
Total Expenditures YTD $83,045 $35,632
YTD Ending Fund Balance as of
September 2017 $184,421
Total 2016 Commitments**$35,632.00
Reserves*$20,080
2017
Year End Budgeted Reserve
Balance $84,044
Reserve Restriction $20,080
Unresticted Reserve Balance $61,964
*Restricted reserves should equal 20% of budgeted annual expenditures.
**This amount needs to have a budget amendment 4th Quarter 2017
***$33,130 of this line item is from 2016 commitments
Approved
HOTEL/MOTEL TAX FUND 2017 BUDGET