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HomeMy WebLinkAboutVisitor Services and Information Advisory Committee Minutes September 8, 2011_201402041408036915 Minutes of Visitor Services Advisory Committee Thursday, September 8, 2011 Land Bank Conference Room In attendance: Kate Hamilton, Director, David Sharpe, Office Administrator, Gene Mahon, Chairman, Charles Balas, David Larivee, Wendy McRae Absent: Diane Reis-Flaherty and Louise Swift Gene called the meeting to order at 3:09pm Kate welcomed the new committee members, David Larivee and Wendy MCRae. The first item on the agenda was the Visitor Services Update and Hours. Kate reported that the office will be open 7 days a week until Christmas Stroll and will close on Sundays for the winter. David updated the committee on the June, July and August statistics. He noted that that lodging was sold out 5 weekends in a row from mid-July to late August as well as the Saturdays of Fourth of July and Labor Day Weekends. The second item on the agenda was the Budget. Kate reported on the FY12 Budget. She explained that Room tax revenue was down over the last few years, but the trend is moving up again. Kate added that the office has never overspent its budget and has actually had money remaining at the end of the fiscal year. 3:15 Diane Reis-Flaherty arrived. Kate also noted that in the current FY11 budget, there is an extra $14,000 put in that is from the Park and Rec budget for their events. David Larivee disclosed that he is also a Park and Rec commissioner and that the P&R budget had to be put somewhere other than the DPW budget in order for not be used by DPW where Park and Rec now falls under. Kate also discussed that she is looking to upgrade the office with some outdoor lighting in the near future along with some other ideas. These renovations do not qualify under Capital projects. Projects Administrator, Diane O’Neil has a separate building account for that. The Office Update was the next item on the agenda. Kate reported that the staff came back for another year. It is hard to maintain a schedule due to the Town’s mandated 15 week/ 30 day off rule. The fifth item on the agenda is the Comfort Station update. Gene asked if the island has enough public bathrooms. He suggested that a permanent one needs to built in Madaket and Cisco to replace the portapotties. Charles asked how would we start the process? Gene explained that somebody needs to place an article in the Annual Town Meeting warrant . David Larivee suggested that it could be funded thru Capital Projects. Gene suggested that for the time being, high end portapotties be placed in those locations until the structures are built. Fireworks and T-Shirts Brochure was next on the agenda. Kate reported that the office sold many Fireworks T-Shirts. So far the office has raised $4,900, this year from T-Shirt sales. 5,000 Fourth of July brochures that included Town events and T-shirt info were printed. Kate noted that this brochure was overdue and well received. It only cost $1,200 to print. The 7th item on the agenda was the 2012 Travel and Lodging brochure. Kate reported that production is on track. The booklet will be ready for Christmas Stroll. Unlike, last year’s edition, the office is not requiring fees to in order to list in the brochure. The Town is looking into setting up a User Fee structure for the future. Another item on the agenda was the September 11 Remembrance ceremony at the Fire Station. Kate reported that she was asked to send out Press Releases for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The Town held a ceremony on that Sunday. The Seafest (Maritime Festival) was the 10th item on the agenda. Kate reported that on Saturday, October 1, the Egan Institute and ReMain Nantucket will be holding a festival at Children’s Beach for the second year. The second to last item on the agenda was the Town Report. Kate reported that it is finished. It will be available at the April ATM. The report includes the office’s use of Social Media, the Tip of the Week among other activities the office does. New Business was the last item on the agenda. Kate reported that the office has a whiteboard which lists the Tip of the Week; A suggestion of an activity for people to do. The committee discussed Sidewalk Sales. There is a bylaw that prohibits them at this time but the idea was only brought up because it is done in other towns. The committee also expressed concern for the Fall Restaurant Week. The upcoming event has been scaled back from Monday – Sunday to Monday to Thursday. This coincides with the resignation of Chamber PR Manager Lawrel Spera who organized the bi-annual event. The Committee voted 5-0 to look into moving these monthly meetings to the Public Safety Facility on Fairgrounds Road. David Sharpe explained that he will check on room and time availability and report to the committee at the October meeting. Gene adjourned the committee at 4:03pm.