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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-09-29-TOUR2-minTown of Lexington Tourism Committee Minutes September 29, 2025 Hybrid Parker Room, Town Office Building 1625 Mass Avenue Lexington MA 02420 and by Zoom 3:30—6:00pm Members Present: Marsha Baker, Margaret Coppe (Chair), Bebe Fallick (joined after 4:30 PM), Ting Fang, Pam Fowler, Gardy Desrouleaux, Marie -Tristan Rago, Melissa Robbins Select Board Liaison: None Center Committee Liaison: Kat McDonald Staff Present: Sandhya Iyer, Economic Development Director Jay Abdella, Senior Economic Development Coordinator Jackson Rhodes, Tour Services Coordinator Stacia Cooper, Visitor Center Manager Guests: Trenton Carls, Executive Director of Lexington History Museums Masha Traber, Dawn McKenna, Victor ??, The Chair called the meeting to order at 3:37 pm. She read the authorization for remote meetings. A quorum was present. Vote to call meeting to order: Marsha Baker, Aye; Margaret Coppe, Aye; Ting Fang, Aye; Pam Fowler, Aye; Gardy Desrouleaux, Aye; Marie -Tristan Rago, Aye; Melissa Robbins, Aye The vote was unanimous Guest Introductions: Stacia Cooper, Visitor Center Manager Trenton Carls, Executive Director, Lexington History Museums Economic Development Report Jay Abdella/Sandhya Iyer Porch fest September 27 visitor center had $3000 in sales. a) Operations data i) VC People Counter— August 2025, 10,00 (2025) up over 2024 ii) VC Sales —August 20255.5 % increase over 2025 11 iii) Tours sales —August 2025; September bus tours up iv) Liberty Ride Trolley sales —August 2025 Average of 60% ridership; up 53% from April -August v) Sperling Reports: https://reporting.sperlinginteractive.com/app/view/dashboard-2JBaxMVZTUCFt-eCEd- f6Q?period=l. vi) Fall Initiatives/Plans East Lexington Murals dedication October 22 at 10 AM at Bike Store Diwali celebration October 15 Minutes Marsha Baker moved, and Marie -Tristan Rago seconded, approval of the August 25, 2025 minutes. Vote to approve: Marsha Baker, Aye; Margaret Coppe, Aye; Ting Fang, Aye; Pam Fowler, Aye; Gardy Desrouleaux, Aye; Marie -Tristan Rago, Aye; Melissa Robbins, Aye The minutes were unanimously approved. Liberty Ride Option 1 is the only item for discussion. Option 1 is to review the current contract (seven days a week with three tours a day) and go from $210 per hour to $220 per hour. The contract expires March 31, 2027. Before going to a vote, the committee shared their observations of the trolley after going on a ride. All reporting members (Marcia Baker, Pam Fowler, Marie -Tristan Rago, Gardy Desrouleaux and Margaret Coppe) shared the following: • Most of the 90 -minute ride was spent in Concord; one sentence on Buckman tavern, two sentences on the Green • The script needs work, it was information overload especially about witness houses along the Battle Road, contained inaccuracies, people were lost • Problems with the trolley, hard to hear, ride uncomfortable • No promotion for Lexington sites or businesses • Value proposition missing • Comments from tourists: parking was issue, not clear if parked in the lot if there was enough time on the meter. • Tourists who were interviewed before the tour started had a variety of reasons for taking the tour. Had come to town on public transportation and wanted to go to Concord as well as Lexington, found the tour on line and saw good reviews. One family came for the tour and changed their hotel reservations from Waltham to Lexington to be closer Kat McDonald asked if Concord contributes to the Liberty Ride. Answer was no. Question about the cost. $40. Is that too much. What is the value? What other towns have a trolley. Maynard. Is in its first year. iA Dawn McKenna gave an overview and history of the Liberty Ride and tourism in Lexington. She noted that the amount of hotel and meal taxes has risen in Lexington since the inception of the ride as well as the opening of the Visitor Center. Masha Traber, long time guide and originator of the trolley ride script, spoke to her experiences. Kat McDonald reported that the Center Committee has a high level of interest in the fate of the Liberty Ride and concerned that it may cease operating. She requested that Sandhya Iyer and Jay Abdella make a presentation to the Center Committee. Marcia Baker asked if the Select Board needs to meet with the Center Committee. The Center Committee's next meeting is October 9, 2025, 8:30 AM in the Parker Room. Margaret Coppe asked for a motion on Option 1 Gardy Desrouleaux moved and Melissa Robbins seconded recommending renewing the current contract with Joseph's for the Liberty Ride trolley (seven days a week with three tours a day) and go from $210 per hour to $220 per hour, expiring March 31, 2027 to the Select Board Marsha Baker, Aye; Margaret Coppe, Aye; Bebe Fallick, Aye; Ting Fang, Aye; Pam Fowler, Aye; Gardy Desrouleaux, Aye; Marie -Tristan Rago, Aye; Melissa Robbins, Aye. The vote was unanimous. Marsha Baker moved, and Marie -Tristan Rago seconded, that any recommendation to the Select Board with reference to future contracts with the Liberty Ride be based on the assumption that a thorough strategy be developed going forward. Marsha Baker, Aye; Margaret Coppe, Aye; Bebe Fallick, Aye; Ting Fang, Aye; Pam Fowler, Aye; Gardy Desrouleaux, Aye; Marie -Tristan Rago, Aye; Melissa Robbins, Aye. The vote was unanimous. Marsha Baker moved and Pam Fowler seconded adjournment. Marsha Baker, Aye; Margaret Coppe, Aye; Bebe Fallick Abstain, Pam Fowler, Aye; Marie -Tristan Rago, Aye 4) Updates and Miscellaneous a) Updates from Committee Members Center Committee: Kat MacDonald (see above) Lexington History Museums: Marsha Baker Upcoming events: Graveyard tours, Ghosts and Graves, Bood Chat, Indigenous People Day Website and email Cultural District Gardy Desrouleaux announced that Revolution Hall is celebrating its 5t" anniversary on October 25. Gardy Desrouleaux moved and Marie -Tristan Rago seconded adjournment. Marsha Baker, Aye; Margaret Coppe, Aye; Bebe Fallick, Aye; Ting Fang, Aye; Pam Fowler, Aye; Gardy Desrouleaux, Aye; Marie -Tristan Rago, Aye; Melissa Robbins, Aye. The vote was unanimous. Adjournment 5:20 PM Next Meeting: Monday October 27, 2025 at 3:30 PM, Hybrid Respectfully submitted: Margaret Coppe October 5, 2025 C!