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W 3 Tourism Committee
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Dawn McKenna, Chair (781) 862-0500 ext 84585
Minutes
Thursday,November 2, 2017 at 4:30—6:00 pm
Dawes Room (Second Floor Town Office Building)
Members Present:Kerry Brandin,Margaret Coppe,Bebe Fallick,Trisha Kennealy,Jon Himmel,Dawn McKenna
Staff Present:Maureen Rynn,Megan Zammuto
Members Absent:Marsha Baker,Wim Nijenberg,Leeying Wu
1) Visitors Center Project next steps
The committee discussed the visitors center project,which is currently listed on the Fiscal Year 2020 capital budget. To
keep the project on schedule, the committee is advocating that it be moved to the Fiscal Year 2019 capital budget. The
committee discussed the Historic Districts Commission meeting later this evening where the commission will discuss the
visitors center project. The committee discussed the Massachusetts Cultural Council Cultural Facilities Fund grant in
January, 2018.Part of this grant application includes demonstrating community support for the project. The committee
discussed potential fundraising sources including internal revenue and external community partners. Dawn McKenna and
Megan Zammuto will attend an information session regarding the grant application this week.
2) Annual Report
The committee discussed the draft annual report for Fiscal Year 2017. Suggestions included adding demographic
information,website analytics, Liberty Ride ridership statistics,visitors center people counter data, additional statistics
from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.
3) FY2019 Budget
Megan Zammuto discussed the marketing program improvement request that was submitted as part of the Fiscal Year
2019 budget request.
4) Minutes
The committee reviewed the minutes from Tourism Committee meetings on August 30"' and October 5"'. The committee
suggested edits to reduce abbreviations and other minor edits.
A motion was made to adopt the Tourism Committee minutes from August 30`h and October 5rh with minor edits. The
motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
5) Staff Operations Updates
The Minuteman Bike Share launched with a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 27"'. To date we have had 55 active
members and 39 unique trips. Zip code data will be sent from the vendor quarterly. Staff is working to increase the
Liberty Ride corporate charter business. Gross profit from July—October is down this year, and we have seen similar
trends in the Visitors Center and other retail establishments. Staff is working on a strategy for increased sales in the spring
including marketing initiatives.
6) Marketing
Staff produced an advertisement on NewEngland.com for September. Additional advertising initiatives include standard
ads with the Greater Merrimack Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Megan Zammuto discussed the google analytics provided in the meeting packet. The Liberty Ride related pages are the
most highly visited.Visitors are finding the website through organic searches, direct input, and referral websites. There
has been some progress in design improvements for the tourism home page. A designer has created a mock up sample that
will be sent to you via email prior to the next meeting. The tourism newsletter has been under the management of staff for
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE•LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420
the last few months, the open rate has steadied around 22% (249 unique opens.) The events page on the tourism website is
now updated throughout the month. The Lexington Center map has been completed, and staff is currently working on the
interactive online version.
7) Updates and Miscellaneous
Dawn McKenna has reached out to the current committee members, and has heard from all but one member about
reappointment for next year. Antony Park construction is moving forward, and the implementation of the Battle Green
Master Plan is in progress.
Documents Available:Meeting Agenda,Tourism Committee Schedule,Annual Report 2015-2016,Draft Minutes,August 30,October
5th,ED Budget,Capital Plan
Adjourned at approximately 6:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,Megan J.Zammuto
Approved,November 30,2017