Town of Provincetown

Visitor Services Board

Meeting Minutes of

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Judge Welsh Meeting Room


Chairman Lynne Davies convened the meeting at 10:00 AM noting the following attendees:

 

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

 

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

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the minutes of the June 6, 2006 VSB meeting as amended.

Motion by: Peter Bez; Seconded by: Kathleen Fitzgerald; Yea: 5; Nay: 0; Abstain: 1 (MR) Laurel Guadazno did not vote.

 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

MOTION:  Move to nominate Lynne Davies for Chair.

Motion by: Peter Bez; Seconded by: Michael Peregon; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0

 

MOTION:  Move to nominate Peter Bez for Vice-Chair.

Motion by:  Kathleen Fitzgerald; Seconded by: Michael Peregon; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0

 

TOURISM DIRECTOR’S REPORT

 

The producers of “P-Town Diaries” (a new one-hour reality television series) will be holding casting calls on Sunday, June 25th and Monday, June 26th here at Town Hall.  Once the series has been cast, the producers envision filming will commence for approximately nine weeks throughout the summer.  Attached please find the creative synopsis for this series and the casting call notice.

 

During the last two weeks, the PTO has responded to 11 requests for information received via the website, 12 leads from New England Travel and Life, 20 from Group Tour Magazine, 193 leads from Out Traveler, and nine direct requests.  Lead sources include Yankee Magazine and Out Traveler.

 

The ADT recommends placing an advertisement in the Campus Provincetown Catalog (for September 2006 – June 2007), at the cost of $150 plus the design fee, not to exceed a total expense of $250 be disbursed from FY06 marketing funds.  15,000 copies of the catalog will be printed and distributed in August via a bulk mailing, along with an insertion in the Banner and a link from the Campus Provincetown website.

 

MOTION:  Move to appropriate an amount not greater than $250 from the FY06 Marketing Budget to fund an advertisement in the Campus Provincetown Catalog for September 2006 – June 2007.

Motion by: Peter Bez; Seconded by: Laurel Guadazno; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0.

 

The ADT has renegotiated the advertising agreement with Bay Windows, which expires June 30th.  Although the advertising rates will increase in 2007, Bay Windows has offered us the same rate through June 30, 2007, along with a full page ad in the April 2007 Summer Travel Preview supplement.  In addition, the ADT negotiated a banner ad to appear on www.baywindows.com a minimum of 7,500 per month.  The ADT recommends the VSB approve this proposal for 26 one-quarter page ads for $5,167.50, which is discounted from the regular rack rate of $5,400.

 

MOTION:  Move to appropriate $5,167.50 from the FY07 Marketing Budget to fund the advertising agreement with Bay Windows from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007

Motion by: Peter Bez; Seconded by: Hersh Schwartz; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0.

 

The ADT recently attended the 31st annual Capital Pride event in Washington, DC.  Over 100,000 people attended this event, and many leads were generated.  A partnership with Amtrak is being explored which would provide an incentive for people who travel from Washington to Boston and then take either the fast ferry or fly to Provincetown.

 

The Town is in the process of updating a guide to wheelchair accessibility, which has been published by the Disability Commission.  Previously, this publication was a joint effort between the Council on Aging and Office of Tourism.  The ADT recommends the VSB consider assistance in funding this project.

The ADT has requested the grant request recommended by the VSB on behalf of the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum for Centennial Planning be presented to the Board of Selectmen at their meeting on Monday, June 26th.

 

The closure of the National Seashore during the piper plover nesting season was discussed and the ADT agreed to contact representatives from the National Seashore to explore alternatives for visitors with weekly passes.

 

The Tourism Office logo was discussed. 

 

MOTION:  Move to instruct the ADT to draft an RFP for the Tourism Office Logo design and bring forward on July 10th meeting.

Motion by:  Kathleen Fitzgerald; Seconded by: Hersch Schwartz; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0

 

TRASH BARRELS

 

Restaurants which serve food to go should be required to maintain trash barrels outside of their establishments.  There are sufficient barrels in the center of town, although some supplemental locations might be included on the ends of town.  ADT to investigate purchasing additional temporary trash receptacles for holiday weekends.

 

Street cleaning should be required after July 4th and Carnival parades.

 

Peter Bez recused himself from the meeting at 11:55 am.

 

GRAPHICS DESIGN RFP

 

As requested by the VSB, an RFP was promulgated regarding the graphics design firm and closed on June 15th.  Under separate cover, the ADT has reviewed the six proposals and made a recommendation to retain the Graphics Group for FY07.

 

MOTION:  Move to retain the Graphics Group as the FY07 contract graphic design firm for the amount of $6,900.

Motion by: Laurel Guadazno; Seconded by: Michael Peregon; Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain:  1(PB).

 

The meeting was adjourned at 12:19 PM.