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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Community Development Committee 1998-09-24BRADFORD PUBLISHING CO.RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS /community Development Committee September 24, 1998 Committee: Attending: Also Attending: Absent: Chairman Barker, Trustees Doylen and Marshall All Town Administrator Widmer, Directors Kilsdonk and Pickering, Manager Marsh, Clerk O'Connor Director Hinze Chairman Barker called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. 1. MARKETING. A. Advertising Manager presented a copy of the "Family Fun" Magazine, where an unsolicited whole page article on Estes Park was displayed. B. Advertising Report: Manager Marsh presented the following data and associated graph: Requests for Information = 47,728, a 9% decrease as compared to 1997. Staff has been advised by RRC that the decrease statistics are skewed as the magazine mailing lists contain a 12% duplication. Staff discussed this inaccuracy with the fulfillment house and from this point forward, they will review and/or revise their mailing list every month. Incoming 800 Line Call statistics for August appear sound. Manager Marsh is discussing the "Clancy" Parking System with Chief Repola to ascertain whether license plate statistics (i.e.: state, county, rental cars, etc.) could be analyzed/refined. Responding to Trustee Doylen's question regarding the percentage of repeat visitors, staff commented that it appears that repeat business is very high; a viable economy bodes well for vacations. Virtual Visitors Guide: E-mailed requests for the printed guide in August totaled 468. Of that total, 12.2% were generated from a magazine ad. Total year-to- date e-mailed requests for Guides was 4,436 which equates to a significant response generator for the Virtual Visitors Guide. The Committee commended Manager Marsh. Sample magazine ads for the Fall season were displayed. The Fall schedule includes 13 titles, reaching 9,586,000 households. The CTTA has hired a new director; satellite, non-destination areas are suffering, and, for example, the western slope is launching an effort for the return of a state tourism board. C. Conference Center Report: Director Pickering presented the Fall Conference Report for September through November, 1998. Seventeen groups were booked with conference attendance ranging from 100 to 1,500. Of particular note is the Snow and Ice Conference Sept. 28th nd- October 2 The Committee reviewed a letter from the New Mexico Quilter's Association commending Linda Larsen for her assistance during their quilt show. Employing a BRADFORD PUBLISHING CO.RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Community Development - September 24, 1998 - Page 2 Conference Service Coordinator is paying big dividends. All conference groups are surveyed and staff will share this information when available. The Committee commended Street/Parks Supt. Speedlin and his staff for booking the Snow and Ice Conference which, with 1,500 attendees, relates to a community income of approximately $600,000. D. Marketing Advisory Council Report: Chairman Barker reported that Chamber Resort Assn. Director David Thomas will be reporting to this Committee on a monthly basis from this point forward. Director Thomas stated that the Marketing Advertising Council was created in 1997 and its purpose is to develop a long-term marketing direction that includes the establishment of specific plans for marketing programs advertising, etc. to increase the exposure and market share of Estes Park. The Marketing Advertising Council will unveil a new Visitors Guide (Vacation Planner) to the public October 22nd. The new Guide is an attempt to convert the undecided visitor, and it should capture visitors' interest. Research on the front-range consumer has been completed, and the next step is to prepare an advertising plan and help position Estes Park in the Colorado market. Ski areas are abandoning the front-range market. if^C IS also working on creating special events, and they have secured two corporate sponsors. Mr. Thomas reported that Red Feather and Tubbs (snowshoe hav® agreed to sponsor the Celebrate Estes Est®s Park/RMNP is an excellent winter sports pfti tty ^enter' especially to the front-range. Estes 1 been selected as one of ten sites by Tubbs and they will create a snowshoe center, with demonstrations, f°f the ,^ubb.s Outback Snowshoe Festival December The ev®nt.wl11 be held at the Hidden Valley snow FeSiJfia,ir . W1 i56 desi^ned for a11 consumers. This Festival IS a good example of how MAC is creatina special events to fill-in the off season aSd Se? of eventVaCl5.th0nhoPtahCka9eS C-an be built around thls ^Jpe or event. With both companies, Estes Park will receive national and regional cooperative advertising. Tubbs is also planning on having Estes Park listed on their snowshoe "hang tag". uneir evlnfierdtslnone1dklnt9 SOC.i?ty iS helpin9 to create “Other event designed to attract the general public in February. Last year's Winter Trails Day Weekend was most successful, and there were only two sites this event was held. Echo Lake and Estes Park. Event dates were selected by the company based on their ChrJsLas3) St?tihtiC? (^0% of.sales achieved before n ^ ’ . i-A brief discussion followed on the lventUlb1engmnv.^^h+-TrUSte+e D°yiLen suggesting the snowshoe rl, b d t0 post christmas. Joe Evans and Bill Gowaltney/RMNP were commended for their cooperation in planning the above events. in MAC has created a new website that will include the above packages—the biggest advantage is that it BRADFORD PUBLISHING CO.RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Community Development - September 24, 1998 - Page 3 increases awareness of Estes Park to existing, as well as new partners. In cooperation with Frontier Airlines, the Airlines distributed 40,000 Visitors Guides. Dollar Rent a Car distributed 5,000. MAC expects to double the Betterment Fund (1%) by collecting over $100,000 this year, and the number of businesses participating increased from 17 to 53. The Holiday Inn is a major participant, and significant cooperation is being received from accommodations and restaurants. These businesses are also contributing by agreeing to include their products for vacation packages. With advertisement, this partnership will significantly attract customers in the off-season. Marketing Advertising Council members include: Bill Almond/Holiday Inn, Trustee Barker/Liaison, Cory Blackman/Best Western Lake Estes, Monte House/Grumpy Gringo, Terry Licence/Trail Gazette, Larry Wexler/Colorado Bicycling Adventures, David Thomas/CRA Director, and Town staff members: Peter Marsh, Tom Pickering, Rich Widmer and Linda Hinze. Chairman Barker reiterated that the intent of the merger to the Chamber Resort Assn, was to obtain corporate sponsors and MAC has been successful in that area; the significant positive role Frontier Airlines is providing was further detailed. Chairman Barker commended MAC for their excellent work. MUSEUM. Budget: The Museiam was granted an IMLS support grant in the amount of $38,104. Director Kilsdonk requested approval of an expenditure of $32,000 which will be used for cabinetry, shelving, etc. for the storage area. The Committee recommends approval of the request as specified above. B. Personnel. Curt Lyons has resigned to take a full-time position as Program Coordinator at the Golden Landmarks Foundation. Lisa Hanson has filled this vacancy. Director Kilsdonk was named the State Chairman for the American Association for State and Local History Awards Program. This^ national program rewards achievement by historical societies, museums, universities and other entities that deal with local and regional history. The Museum received a Certificate of Commendation from this program for the exhibit "Tracks in Time." The Museum is ineligible to compete for 5 years. C. Grant Award. The Museum has been awarded a $25,409 general operating support grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency. The grant ^ rewards achievement in all areas of museum operations, including outreach, collections management acilities, safety and security, etc. The museum was just one of two historical museums in Colorado to receive the award. The Museum is ineligible to compete until 2001. BRADFORD PUBLISHING CO.RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Community Development - September 24, 1998 - Page 4 D.Programs. 1998 is the 125th anniversary of the assent of Longs Peak by Isabella Bird. Lynne Swanson, of Cheyenne, will portray Bird after her return from the Rocky Mountains. The program is supported by a grant from the Colorado Endowment for the Humanities. The program will be held in Room 203 of the Municipal Building at 7:00 p.m., September 24th. A program is also planned at the School at 1:00 today. Friends of the Museum. The Friends Annual Meeting is scheduled October 3rd at the YMCA Ernie Bernard, Editor, will be talking on his newly annotated version of "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains." F. Attendance. Attendance for August was 3,337; year-to- date is 8,939 as compared to 4,272 in 1997. Director Kilsdonk was praised for her excellent work. SENIOR CENTER. A. Personnel. A Committee consisting of Trustee Marshall, Senior Center Board Members and Director Kilsdonk interviewed four candidates for the Senior Center Director. They have made an offer to a candidate and are awaiting her response. B. Meals. The Center served 1,017 meals onsite and 593 home-delivered meals during August for a total of 1,610 meals. C. Miscellaneous. On September 15th, Senior Center Board Members and volunteers. Key Bank volunteers, and Streets and Parks Department staff cleared away the Senior Center basement. The Street Dept, also moved in a pool table donated by Ben Steam. The old pool table was given to the Fire Dept. An end-of-season barbecue was held September 18th as a fund raiser and to say "goodbye" to summer residents. The Senior Center continues to receive many requests for programs and facility use. A Monopoly Tournament, a benefit for the Estes Valley YOi!t5 1Cejlter and Senior Center, at "Kids Unplugged" is scheduled October 10 and 11th, Everyone is encouraged to enter. a 4. SPECIAL EVENTS. A. Policy Manual. Director Hinze is requesting approval to revise the Fairgrounds Booking Procedure and Payment of Fees under the Operating Procedures Section of the Policy Manual. The fee increase is a reflection of increased use of the facility. The Committee recommends approval of revisions to the Policy Manual as stated. BRADFORD PUBLISHING CO.RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Community Development - September 24, 1998 - Page 5 B. Street Closure/Celebrate Estes. Chief Repola requested approval to close Elkhorn Avenue from Riverside Dr. to Moraine, and Moraine to Spruce Dr. for the "Celebrate Estes" event Nov. 28th and 29th, and Dec. 5th and 6th, 1998. The event has been expanded to two weekends, and in order to better accommodate traffic and enhance the festive atmosphere, the street closure has been modified so that Moraine will remain open to east and westbound traffic. Closure each weekend will begin at 6:00 a.m. and reopen at 4:30 p.m. The Committee recommends approval of the street closure as requested. Public Riding Use/Fairgrounds - Doug Davis. Davis was absent, this item was continued. As Mr. D,Event Critique: Scottish Festival. This is an excellent, well- managed event. Attendance statistics will be available in October, and the new traffic counter on Hwy. 36 will assist if providing traffic counts. Trustee Marshall questioned how sales tax was collected, and Clerk O'Connor reviewed the Sales Tax Collection Policy as enforced by Special Event Director Hinze. Partners "Grand Prix Go-Kart Races". This first- year event was very successful, and there were few, if any, complaints. The event was sponsored by Partners, a charitable organization and fundraising efforts were beneficial. There was local participation, and this event was held the weekend of August 29th and 30th. Partners will decide whether or not to continue the event. American Carriage Association. This was an excellent event; however, participant numbers were down due to the VS outbreak (disease affects horses) in Colorado. They may return in 2002. There being no further business. Chairman Barker adjourned the meeting at 9:05 a.m. Vickie O'Connor, CMC/AAE, Town Clerk APPROVED OCT 1 3 B96 TOWN Of ESTtS PASn Botm or Ttumcei