HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-08-10-TOUR2-minLexington Tourism Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 1:30 p.m.
Ellen Stone Room - Cary Hall
Lexington Tourism Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wed., Aug, 10, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. - Ellen Stone Room at Cary Hall
Members Present Mary Jo Bohart, Kerry Brandin, Bebe Fallick, Carla Fortmann, Mary Gillespie, Dawn
McKenna, Paul O'Shaughnessy, John Patrick, Jim Shaw, Lou Sideris Staff Present Masha Traber
Guests Present Carl Valente, Linda Vine, Alison Falitco, Fred Johnson, Carmen Manthin, Phil Hurd, Jan
Hurd, Jeanne McKenna Hobbs, Trisha Perez Kenneally
1. Economic Development Officer. Town Manager, Carl Valente, and Assistant Town
Manager, Linda Vine, came to discuss the opportunity for hiring a new Economic
Development Officer (EDO). Although Tourism is not currently under the jurisdiction of the
EDO, Carl acknowledged the importance of seeking input from the Committee. Committee
members freely shared their concerns over the need to receive support from the Town on a
variety of matters. Some of the items discussed were: Desire to have a representative from
Tourism as part of the search/ interview committee; history of the EDO with respect to the
Tourism Committee; desire to see the EDO be a senior management level position, and not
under the Planning Department; cultural tourism and the positive impact on the hotel and
meals tax; fear of Tourism efforts being bogged down in the bureaucracy if it were to be part
under the EDO; desire for additional marketing money; "Linger in Lexington" campaign and
goals; request for Carl to attend one regional conference a year; possible use of the White
House for Tourism; need to get into social media; sheer volume of people visiting Lexington,
corporate connection to tourism.
2. Dana Home. Trisha Perez Kenneally, the new owner, came to speak with the Tourism
Committee about the planned proposal to convert it to an Inn. This conversion will require a
rezoning at Town Meeting. The Tourism Committee will take a position prior to Town
Meeting but invited her for information and to see what questions we had at this time. In
general the Tourism Committee was favorable towards the use, and wanted more
information on the project itself. John Patrick expressed his belief that a smaller business
model would work such as the Hawthorne Inn. He is against the current proposal. Paul
O'Shaughnessy also raised a concern of the change of the site to a commercial enterprise.
Several neighbors voiced their opposition to the plan. The Committee will follow the
progress and vote a position at an appropriate time.
3. Announcements:
a. Mary Jo Bohart, Colin Smith, and Dawn McKenna are working on a redesign of the
Visitors Center and will bring the plans for discussion at a future meeting.
b. We need to be thinking about whether or not to buy the Lexington Home Page on Trip
Advisor.
c. The Historical Society plans to have an outdoor Antiques Show in the Depot Square
Parking Lot next year.
d. On Tuesday, September 27 from 7 -9 p.m. there will be a discussion on "What does Community
Mean ?" at Keilty Hall at St. Brigid's Church.
Documents available for Review - None
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dawn McKenna