Town of Provincetown

Visitor Services Board

 

Meeting Minutes of

Friday, April 21, 2006

Judge Welsh Meeting Room


Vice Chairman Peter Bez convened the meeting at 10:07AM noting the following attendees:

 

VSB members: Peter Bez, Vice Chairman; Laurel Guadazno; Michael Peregon; Mick Rudd and Hersh Schwartz.

 

Absent VSB members (excused absence):  Lynne Davies, Chairman and Kathleen Fitzgerald.

           

Other attendees:  Bill Schneider, Administrative Director of Tourism; David Gardner, Administrative Assistant II.

 

MARKETING PRESENTATION

 

Bill Schneider made a power point presentation of the updated marketing plan.  The following travel partners were in attendance:

 

Candice Collins-Boden, Provincetown Chamber of Commerce

Mike Glasfeld, Bay State Cruises

Michelle Haynes, Cape Air

Dan Hoort, Provincetown Business Guild & Somerset House Inn

Jay Hurley, Portuguese Princess

Sheila McGuiness, PAAM

Hunter O’Hanian, Fine Arts Work Center

 

THE WHALE TRAIL

 

Jill Talladay (The Whale Trail), Karen O’Connor (Whaler’s Warf) and Judy Cicero (Provincetown Chamber of Commerce) requested the VSB reconsider sponsorship of the Whale Trail now that three Provincetown artists have been identified.  Artist renderings were distributed for the VSB to review.

 

Concerns regarding the timing were discussed as well as whether or not this proposal was the best use of tourism fund marketing dollars.

 

MOTION:  Move to reconsider the Whale Trail sponsorship.

Motion by:  Michael Peregon; Seconded by:  Hersh Schwartz; Yea: 4; Nay: 1; Abstain:0

 

MOTION:  Move to appropriate $4,800 from the FY06 Marketing Budget to sponsor a whale and forward a sponsorship proposal to the Board of Selectmen at their May 8, 2006 meeting.

Motion by:  Hersh Swartz; Seconded by:  Mick Rudd; Yea: 2; Nay: 3; Abstain:0

 

TOURISM DIRECTOR’S REPORT

 

The PTO is continuing to finalize plans for a “Welcome Back to Provincetown” event for summer workers to occur in late May or early June, and will include a more detailed proposal on May 5th.

 

The PTO will share a booth with the PBG at the Gay and Lesbian Wedding Expo at the Sheraton Hotel in Cambridge on Sunday, April 30th.  One of the PTO banners will be displayed at the booth, and both the PBG brochure and the PTO wedding information card will be distributed, as well as the Calendar of Events.


The ADT will be attending the annual Travel Industry Association International Pow Wow in Orlando next month.  The PTO tradeshow booth will be featured at the See America Marketplace Hall as well as the International Media Marketplace, and press kits have been assembled for the media attending, including a variety of components that have been prepared by Focus Communications on our behalf.

 

Finally, the ADT will be attending the 31st Annual Capital Pride Festival in Washington, DC on Sunday, June 11th.

 

Grant agreements for the 24 grant applications approved by the Board of Selectmen were sent on April 12, 2006.  Nearly half of the agreements have been returned and executed.

 

The dedication ceremony of the Lipton Cup is scheduled for Wednesday, June 14th at 11:30 AM.  The ADT is working with Library Director Debra DeJonker-Berry and members of the Board of Library Trustees regarding this event.

 

PROPOSED USE OF TOURISM FUNDS

 

MOTION:  To accept the proposed language regarding the use of tourism funds:

“The Visitor Services Board is responsible to develop, coordinate and implement a long-term comprehensive plan to enhance tourism year-round and for the purpose of overseeing expenditures of the Tourism Fund under the direction of the Board of Selectmen as approved by Town Meeting.

 

Expenditures of any funds recommended by the Visitor Services Board must be approved by the Board of Selectmen.  All such expenditures shall be for the specific purpose of promoting and enhancing tourism, as overseen by the Visitor Services Board.  Tourism Fund expenditures must not be used for Town-initiated projects or to supplement the Town budget unless presented to the Visitor Services Board and approved by a majority vote.”

and present to the Board of Selectmen for their approval. 

 

The VSB requested the ADT place this matter as an agenda item for the Board of Selectmen to review sometime in May.

Motion by:  Hersch Schwartz; Seconded by:  Laurel Guadazno; Yea: 5; Nay: 0 Abstain: 0

 

Meeting was adjourned at 12:19 PM.