HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-03-12-TOUR2-minLexington Tourism Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, March 12, 2007 at 4:OOpm
Town Hall, Room 111
Members in attendance: Dawn McKenna, Chair, Susan Bennett, Kerry Brandin, Richard Canale,
Bebe Fallick, Paul O'Shaughnessy, and John Ott, Absent: Mary Jo Bohart, Lou Sideris, and
Selectman Liason — Richard Pagett. Staff. Masha Traber
Guests: Keith Omhart and Stewart Kennedy for the West Lexington Greenway Committee.
The meeting was called to order at 4: l Opm by Chair McKenna.
1. Minutes for the Tourism Committee Meetings held on: February 12, 2007 were
reviewed, amended as necessary and approved by those present.
2. West Lexington Greenway Corridor Presentation: Stewart Kennedy and Keith
Omhart then gave an overview of the work being done to create the new greenway.
They are seeking money for Phase 1 Master Planning which will decide on the location
of the trail and its design. It will then qualify them for future implementation funding.
They discussed the trail layout between the Lexington Bike trail and the National Park,
which has already issued a letter of support. Under Article 26, CPA Appropriations,
Section vii, item k, the West Lexington Greenway Corridor is requesting $125,000 for a
planning study. At the closure of discussion, a motion of support was duly made and
voted unanimously: "The Town Tourism Committee endorses Article 26, Section vii,
item k because it enhances tourism in the town, supports residents in their pursuit of
recreational opportunities and provides expanded access to the various historic and
environmental resources of the area. "
3. Freedom's Way Landscape Inventory: Richard Canale updated the committee on the
issue of "witness house" documentation. We need to document as many as possible and
he wanted to know where the Historical Society was on the matter. Where multiple
stakeholders were involved who should take the lead and or where there is no leadership
on a historic topic should the Tourism Committee take the lead or support a specific
initiative? He felt we should use the cultural resource survey to identify "witness
houses." The committee in discussion felt there should be a specific committee to work
on a plan to help with the project consisting of stakeholder representatives. Susan
Bennett and Richard Canale volunteered to work to set up a meeting to get the right
players involved.
4. Review of ways in which Tourism Committee can help all organizations: Dawn
McKenna reported she had met with Paul O'Shaughnessy and Susan Bennett on how
the tourism committee can work with the Lexington Historical Society. We often seem
to learn things after the fact. She feels we should let tourism committee members give
regular updates on their activities and programs. A general discussion ensued on the
topics of (a) an information board in the Visitor's Center operated by the Chamber of
Commerce and who would collect data and update it daily; (b) signage coordination in
town, Dawn noted that the HDC and Selectmen had approved the Tourism Committee's
recommendations to clean up the town center. A discussion of safety signs and signs for
the bike trail were also mentioned. (c) training Liberty Ride support staff, it was offered
that training was needed at each Liberty Ride stop for staff who promoted the service.
Masha agreed to coordinate the training effort and decide who will attend. It will be a
joint effort of the sites to work with Masha to prepare the agenda and to give the tour.
(d) Susan Bennett, discussed how to better include LHS' historic houses in the Liberty
Ride program: Could we include the houses as part of the tour with LHS getting a
portion of the ticket price. Goal is to get people into town and into its historic houses.
Can we try it as an experiment to give Liberty Ride ticket holders one free entrance to a
house of their choice out of the LR ticket price. Everyone seemed to agree that this was
worth a try this season. (e) Susan Bennett then gave an overview of the Lexington
Historical Society's upcoming programs as did John Ott for the National Heritage
Museum.
5, Liberty Ride Trolley Contract: Dawn gave a report on the Liberty Ride
contract and her discussion with Mike and Lisa at M & L Transportation. They were
going to allow advertising on the outside of the trolley which is not permitted by the
town. This will not happen. She talked about the CTM agreement for advertising the
Liberty Ride on CTM's Tourism Map for $275 which is given wide distribution.
200,000 copies will be printed. CTM also had a video screen program that is mounted
on their distribution racks in 20 downtown Boston hotels that would give us a 15 a
second spot in those locations. For a 6 month contract it is $300 a month and a 3 month
contract is $350 a month. It was decided to go for the Aug /Sept/ Oct time slot.
6. The price for our Liberty Ride charter bus service was another topic of discussion.
Our price has been $200 plus the cost of the bus. A motion to maintain the $200 fee
plus the cost of the bus was voted unanimously. A recommendation was also made that
when our next Liberty Ride brochure is printed we should note that the tour follows the
new State Scenic Byway and also to add directions on how to reach the various Liberty
Ride stops.
7. The Tourism Committee voted to support or take the following positions on the Town
Meeting Articles listed below: Article 11: Under terms of contracts to extend the
Liberty Ride contract for up to 6 years as part of a larger bill. All in favor. Article 12:
Transfer of the White House to the Selectmen: Take no position but comment on the
matter. Article 14: Tourism Committee becoming a by -law committee. All in favor.
Article 15: Amend demolition by -law to avoid demolition by neglect, from 6 months to
18 months. Defer for now. Article 26: CPA Appropriations: All present unanimously
voted in favor items b,c,d,h,i,k and by majority on item e .
The Next meeting is scheduled for April 9, 2007, 4pm, Cary Hall.
Motion to adjourn came at 6:15pm
John H. Ott, Recorder