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Town of Lexington Tourism Committee Dawn McKenna, Chair info@tourlexington.us 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 Tourism Committee Minutes Thursday, December 16, 2021 3:30 pm Conducted Remotely Members Present: Marsha Baker, Sarah Boulos, Kerry Brandin, Margaret Coppe, Bebe Fallick, Dawn McKenna, Erin Sandler-Rathe, Elsie Xu Members Absent: Wim Nijenberg Others Present: Doug Lucente (Select Board Liaison), Fred Johnson (Center Committee Liaison), Sandhya Iyer (Economic Development Director), Casey Hagerty (Economic Development Coordinator for first hour), Michelle Jarvis 1) Battle Green Master Plan and Interpretive Rails Following our feedback from the previous discussion regarding the custom artwork for the Battle Green interpretative rails, Michelle Jarvis worked with the artist to incorporate that feedback. Updated sketches were presented and discussed. The three rails are independent and complementary. Comments were made on wording including the year the Belfry was built. The Committee provided feedback including the desire to increase the size of Buckman Tavern to Michelle Jarvis to give to the artist. The Committee will review the final drafts at the next meeting. Dawn McKenna explained that the Engineering Department presented an updated streetscape proposal to the Select Board on December 6th. The Committee has not been consulted on the current streetscape proposal and Doug Lucente indicated that he would like the Tourism Committee feedback on the proposal. This presentation included a new proposal to add a roundabout at the Hancock Street/Bedford Street intersection. The other two intersections proposed are consistent with the Tourism Committee’s prior review and concurrence. Preliminary sketches have been sent to the Committee. Mr. John Livsey, Town Engineer, has been invited to our January meeting for review. 2) Economic Development Report Sandhya reported that October sales totaled $38,720 and were the best since 2018. November revenues were $12,791. Both revenue numbers include Battle Green tours. The Visitors Center will be open seven days a week in January from 9:30 – 2:30 pm. While not written in stone, it is currently anticipated that beginning in February, the Visitors Center will be open Friday – Monday those same hours and closed Tuesday-Thursday. The Liberty Ride Trolley contract ends on March 31, 2022. The Liberty Ride Trolley is no longer on the senior management ARPA list for funding. A new RFP has been written and will be issued in January. Casey has been talking with potential bidders. The biggest problem Sandhya reported is the hourly rate charge and they are considering a different vehicle other than a trolley. Dawn indicated that this is a topic on which the Committee should be consulted as we have experience with the impact on revenues. Dawn was the last one to write the RFP