HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-10-30-TOUR2-minLexington Tourism Committee
Minutes of the meeting of
Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.
Legion Room
Members Present: Kerry Brandin, Bebe Fallick, Trisha Kennealy, Dawn McKenna, Denise Ricketts, Jim
Shaw, Lou Sideris
Staff: Masha Traber Guests: George Burnell, Fred Johnson Carl Valente
Absent: Mary Jo Bohart
Selectmen Liaison: Peter Kelley
1) Selectmen Meeting Regarding Strategic Plan for Tourism — George Burnell
George has invited what he referred to as "all of the stakeholders" a group to a meeting on
November 28 to discuss a strategic review of tourism. They include Peter Kelley and George
Burnell for the Selectmen, Larry Smith and Pam Shadley for the Chamber of Commerce, Fred
Johnson and Jerry Michelson for the Center Committee, Susan Bennett and Paul Ross for the
Historical Society, John McWeeney for the Economic Development Advisory Committee, Lou
Sideris for the National Park Service, Richard Travis from the Museum, Bill Pool and Bill Mix
from the Lexington Minutemen. He has also asked Dawn to come with someone from the
Tourism Committee. All are welcome to participate.
He is looking to discuss their objective as committees. A set of questions has been given to him
and no effort has been made to answer the questions. He is looking to identify issues to be part
of dialog.
The Tourism Committee was very skeptical about the meeting, the participants, and the
questions that are forming the agenda. Each Tourism Committee member present at the meeting
expressed serious concerns with the process and whether it was appropriate to have people
making decisions about tourism who have not been at the table for these discussions. Those
invited have a narrow purview. George is creating confusion amongst those with whom he is
speaking about whether these efforts are supported by the Board.
Some questions asked by the Tourism Committee:
1. What is the title of the group?
2. Can you point us to a model of another committee who went through visioning and then
have another group come in to decide on their vision?
3. Why is George proceeding with a process that is not supported by the majority of the
Selectmen?
When questioned, by Peter Kelley, George refused to identify from whom the questions were
coming. Rather he indicated that he did not have a model for doing this, there were some
questions that need to be discussed and he wanted to come to some resolution. George indicated
that at the Selectmen's goal- setting session in June, they did not have sufficient time to discuss
the direction the Board would like to see for the Town's tourism efforts.
The Committee proceeded to go through the questions. Many of the questions showed a lack of
understanding. For example, cultural tourism is defined by the Massachusetts Cultural Council
as recognizing that people within your own community can be tourists. Cultural tourists (those
less than 50 miles from Lexington) come back over and over and statistics show that cultural
tourists spend more time and money in the community. The state recognizes tourism as the
number 3 industry in the state. That ranking does not include the economic impact from cultural
tourists because for State statistics, they use the national definition of people travelling 50 miles
or more. However, the State recognizes that it is important to foster visitors within driving
distance to the community. We are the envy of other communities because people want to come
to Lexington. The Greater Merrimack Valley gets its funding based on the success of the region.
In Lexington we know that somewhere between 100k and 1 million people visit the Town
annually. We are looking for ways to harness those visitors. One concrete statistic that
demonstrates the impact of tourism is the Hotel and Meals Tax receipts. There has been $600k
in new growth in Hotel and Meals tax in the last two fiscal years.
The Tourism Committee sees ourselves as a forum for coordination and to eliminate duplication
of efforts. Tourism is an important component of the economic development in Lexington.
Three businesses in Lexington, as an example, that used to be skeptical, have come to appreciate
the economic benefit of working together: Wild and Woolly, Michelson Shoes, and Rancatore's.
During the BBQ as part of Revolutionary Revelry, Rancatore's saw one of their busiest days ever
since they have been open in Lexington.
The relationship between the Historical Society and the Tourism Committee was discussed at
length. The Town do not have stewardship over their properties. There has to be a willingness
on the part of the Historical Society to work as partners for the greater good, not always focusing
on their needs. During the first conversation Susan Bennett had with Carl Valente when he
became Town Manager was asking for a shuttle between the three houses, to shut down the
Liberty Ride, and that the Historical Society should be the only ones providing interpretation.
This position has not changed. It was pointed out that Lexpress already goes to the three houses
and we provide information to visitors who want public transportation. Two houses are within
walking distance to the Visitors Center. Additionally, the Historical Society no longer sends a
formal representative to the Tourism Committee meetings by their own choice. There are,
however, several members of the Society on the Tourism Committee. Our mission is to generate
economic impact. Money earned by the Historical Society stays with them and the Town does
not share in that revenue. However, the Town pays the Historical Society for tickets redeemed —
approximately $7k per year. The Town provides extensive advertising of their houses in our
brochures and marketing at no cost to the Historical Society. The problem seems to be that while
the Tourism Committees views the Historical Society as collaborators, and they see the Town's
efforts as competition. Is there a disconnect between Society leadership and its members on
theseissues?
When it comes to tourism — More is More. The rising tide lifts all boats. If the Depot was
open, and the Visitors Center was open, people would come. Visitors are looking for more
reasons to tour Lexington and the other tourism partners understand this concept.
We want to focus on areas of common interest.
The questions we should be focusing on are:
1. Is Tourism going in the right direction?
2. How does tourism fit into the Town Government?
3. What is the appropriate scope for the Visitors Center? How much should the Town
invest, and in which option?
Selectmen Burnell indicated that there were a number of questions including
1. What is the mission of the Visitors Center?
2. Should we renovate the current building or build new?
3. Which of the three different options should we pursues?
4. What is the best was to answer the list of questions he submitted and put them to
bed for everyone?
Selectmen Kelley indicated that all of these questions should be channeled through the Tourism
Committee.
Comments by Committee members included that there is a 29 page programmatic report about
the Visitors Center on the Town website. It is reasonable to have a conversation about whether
this is the right vision. Such conversations should be broadly open to the public. The questions
Selectmen Burnell has submitted have an answer that the Tourism Committee has worked
through in the past. We should be looking forward, not going backwards. What problem are we
trying to solve?
Selectmen Burnell is holding a meeting on November 28 and wants us to participate. We
would welcome a public forum facilitated by the Tourism Committee but the meeting as
currently structured is not something we support.
When Selectmen Burnell asked why the Committee was being held to a different standard, he
indicated that we was trying to work through issues raised by different people but would not
identify the source of these questions.
Given the length of the meeting, all other items were deferred.
Adjourned at approximately 6:30 pm
Respectfully submitted, Dawn McKenna
Documents available at the meeting:
1. Visitors Center Programmatic Report Financial Feasibility/Funding Sources, page 28
from report dated January 20, 2012
2. FY2012 Liberty Ride Budget Request
3. Tourism Committee Meeting Minutes March 26, 2102
4. Tourism Committee Members list dated October 19, 2012
5. Voted Mission and Vision Statement dated November 28, 2011
6. Email from George Burnell to Board of Selectmen dated August 8 2012 10:13 PM
7. Draft Annual Report 2012