HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-07-TOUR2-minTOURISM COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Room G -1S
Monday, November 7, 2011, 4 pm
Present: Dawn McKenna, Mary Jo Bohart, Bebe Fallick, Carla Fortmann, Paul
O'Shaughnessy, John Patrick, Lou Sideris, Jim Shaw, guests - Fred Johnson, Alison
Fatalico, staff Masha Traber
Absent: Mary Gillespie, Kerry Brandin
New Tourism Office: Dawn and Masha showed the committee the new office near
the front stairs of the Town Office Building. Our committee picture was taken there.
Announcements:
1. Jim Shaw, Masha Traber, Dawn McKenna, John Patrick, Amanda Grant (from
Lexington Historical Society office) all will be attending the GMVCVB
breakfast on Thursday morning this week. There is some chance that the
Lexington - Concord brochure will be reissued as more funds have become
available this year to the GMVCVB.
2. Bebe Fallick brought us up to date on the Lexington 300 celebration plans.
There is a time line on the town website of proposed activities.
3. There is a Chamber of Commerce meeting about the Lexington 300 events
tomorrow night (11/8/11) at 5:30 p.m. at Brookline Bank.
4. GMCVB are proposing a Bike event here and will meet with the bicycle
committee and Ride Studio Cafe.
S. Dawn has circulated an evaluation of participants in last year's Revolutionary
Revelry. She has half of them returned and will report back.
Liberty Ride:
1. Lowell City of Lights Festival requested the Liberty Ride for its parade on
November 26, 2011. After much discussion, it was decided to decline.
2. Charter price increase - Masha proposed to raise charter walk on tours
from $200 currently to $250. After some discussion, on motion duly
made and seconded, it was unanimously passed to adopt a new charter
fee of $2SO leaving Diamond Tours and Lexington School groups at the
$200 fee.
FY2013 Capital Requests
Dawn reviewed the proposals for possible funding for
1. Stabilization of the White House for possible use by the Liberty
Ride as a starting point
2. Enlargement and reconfiguration of the Chamber of Commerce
Visitors Center.
3. Battle Green Master Plan proposals on Pages 91 & 94 in the center
4. Antony Park plans and constructions to be ready for the 2013
Sister City celebrations.
After motion duly made and seconded, the committee unanimously voted to
forward the four proposals for inclusion on the Town warrant.
Liberty Ride Operating Budget FY2013
The proposed budget was reviewed, essentially the same as 2012, but with
numbers supporting 2 buses running during the month of July as a pilot. July
is generally the busiest month of the season.
Tourism Marketing -This season the committee has $15,000 for marketing.
Dawn presented a Program Improvement Request to increase this amount by
$25,000 for FY2013 based on the substantial increases in revenues from the
hotel and meals taxes.
Upon motion duly made seconded a motion it was unanimously voted to
submit the funding requests for the Liberty Ride, Tourism Marketing,
Program Improvement Request described above, and the level service Battle
Green Guide budget.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 6:0 S
p.m. Next meeting will be Monday, November 28 at 4 p.m. Focus of next
meeting will be Long Range Strategy for this committee.
Materials distributed at this meeting included:
1. Town of Lexington -FY 2013 -2017 Capital Improvement Projects
a. White House Stabilization and Potential Reuse
b. Visitors Center
i. Proposed Site Plan
ii. Proposed Level One
iii. Proposed Level Two
c. Battle Green Master Plan
d. Antony Park
2. FY2013 Liberty Ride Budget Request
3. 201 -2012 Future Meetings
Respectfully submitted,
Carla Fortmann