HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-14-TOUR2-min
Town of Lexington
Tourism Committee
Dawn McKenna, Chair (781) 862-0500 ext 256
Approved 9/12/2014
Minutes for the meeting of
Friday, March 14, 2014
Members present: Mary Jo Bohart, Kerry Brandin, Bobbie Carlton, Margaret Coppe, Bebe Fallick, Dawn
McKenna,
Members absent: Trisha Kennealy, Wim Nijenberg
Center Committee Liaison present: Fred Johnson
Staff present: Jeanette Rebecchi, Mark Corr
Guests Present: Tom Fenn, Tanya Morrisett
1)Updates & Miscellaneous
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a)The March 29 Tourism U topic is a presentation on Group Sales and Marketing and will be held
at the Boston Park Plaza. Committee members are invited to attend. Masha will try to attend.
b)The plans for Revolutionary Revelry in May are shaping up. The event planning meetings are
every Thursday.
c)There was nothing new to report regarding the FY2015 Budget Request
d)Attached is updated Committee contact information. We continue to seek applicants with
complimentary skill sets to join.
e)An update on signage was provided.
f)The requested funding for the BrandUSA Program Improvement Request will be brought to
Town Meeting.
g)The AAA Travel Marketplace took place at the beginning of March. In order to help us track the
o visited the Linger in
Lexington table. We hope to create similar cards for additional events so we can get some
objective data regarding the correlation between our marketing and direct visits.
Executive Session
2)Upon role call it was unanimously voted to go into Executive Session under
Exemption 2 in order to recommend compensation to the Town Manager for Liberty Ride
Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator, Veteran, and New Liberty Ride Guides, from which we will
return to Open Session to continue the agenda.
3)Town Meeting
a)
Article positions
i)
30 Medical Marijuana facility locations. The Committee discussed whether or not to take a
position on this article. It was agreed that the only proposed location that warranted
comment from the Tourism Committee was the recommendation from the Planning Board to
allow such facilities in the CB District, which is adjacent to the Battle Green Master Planning
Area, including the Visitors Center. Tom Fenn was present to discuss his proposed
amendment to exclude such facilities from the CB district. Chief Corr also provided his
perspective. At the conclusion of the discussion, upon motion duly made and seconded, it
was unanimously (6-0) to oppose the location of Medical Marijuana facilities in the CB
District with or without a special permit because of the unique historic character of the CB
District and its economic effect on tourism dollars. The Committee authorized the Chair to
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420
submit a letter to the Board of Selectmen detailing our decision, to send a copy to appropriate
staff and boards and committees, and to represent this position at Town Meeting.
ii)
The taking of positions on the remaining articles was deferred:
(1)
4 marketing budget
(2)
7 Liberty Ride Revolving Fund
(3)
8(b) Visitors Center
(4)
8(c) - Battle Green Streetscape Design
(5)
10(a) Center Streetscape Engineering
b)
Copies of the National Park Press Release were provided. The data will be useful as we prepare
our report to Town Meeting.
c)
The discussion regarding funding for design of the Visitors Center was postponed.
i) http://www.lexingtonma.gov/committees/tourism/Revised%20Visitors%20Center%20Report%206_4_2013.pdf
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4)).
Voyages en Francophonie is taking place tomorrow, (Saturday, March 15 It is being jointly
sponsored by Antony Working Group of the Tourism Committee and EFGB. We will have a
tourism table at the event. Members were asked to volunteer to staff the table for one hour shifts.
5)
Committee ran out of time to discuss the following items that had been listed on the agenda and will
defer them to a future meeting:
a)Liberty Ride Operations and Marketing
b)Trip Advisor Ad Policy & Reviewit
c)Joint Training Date and program
d)People Counter Access Policy
e)Minutes Review and Approval
March 28, April 11, April 25, May 16, June 6
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The meeting adjourned at approximately 1 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Dawn McKenna, Chairman
Documents available for inspection:
1.National Park Service Press Release from Lou Sideris regarding the Economic
Benefit of the Minute Man National Park
2.Executive Summary from the Revised Visitors Center Report Voted June 4,
2013
3.Pages 22-23 from the March 2014 TMMA Information Report regarding the
Visitors Center Project
4.2/28/2014 draft of the TripAdvisor Ad Policy
5.Sample handout for TripAdvisor reviews
6.Email dated March 10, 2014 from Mass Insider regarding Tourism U
7.List of Tourism Committee Appointees dated 3/3/2014
8.Email dated January 20, 2014 from Brian Bradbury regarding international
advertising opportunities through CTM
9.MOTT handout title