Town of
Visitor Services
Board
Meeting Minutes
from
Judge Welsh
Hearing Room
Acting Chairman Peter Bez
convened the meeting at
Members Present: Peter Bez, Acting Chairman; Kathleen Fitzgerald; Michael Peregon; Mick Rudd; Hersh Schwartz and Rob Tosner.
Excused Absence: Laurel Guadazno.
Other attendees: Bill Schneider, Administrative Director of
Tourism; David Gardner, Administrative Assistant II; Lisa Bowden, Cultural
Development Coordinator; Don Knuutilla, PBG.
PUBLIC
STATEMENTS
Don
Knuutilla, PBG announced the publication of the new promotional magazine Provincetown - Like No Where Else and announced that
the publication will include two insert companion items, including a
Lisa
Bowden, Cultural Development Coordinator for the Adams Grant Task Force,
requested a VSB representative replace Lynne Davies on the Task Force. She also invited all VSB members to attend
Task Force meetings.
The
INFRASTRUCTURE
MAINTENANCE
Mr.
Bez provided a brief overview about the history of the municipal funding
provided by the VSB. During the past
several years, the VSB has funded supplemental DPW services that enhance the
tourism infrastructure in Town. These
services include third barrel pick-up, extended comfort station hours and
beautification maintenance.
The
DPW is experiencing a budget shortfall and does not have funds to provide these
services during the 2008 fiscal year.
The DPW has been directed by the Town Manager to maintain the current
level of services while additional funding sources are identified.
Candy
Collins-Boden requested, through the Administrative Director of Tourism, the
Comfort Station open when the MPL does during the winter season, and be staffed
on weekends during the off-season (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). In addition, only one attendant should staff
both restrooms during the winter, which will provide additional cost savings.
CCRTA
UPDATE
Paula
George and Clay Schofield from the CCRTA provided an update regarding transit
services to/from Provincetown.
The Flex route has been extended directly into Provincetown on a year-round basis. The popular Lower/Outer Cape Flex bus will launch non-stop service between North Truro and Provincetown via Route 6 on Friday, May 25. The route shift, to the Mid-Cape Highway from Shore Road/Route 6A, will reduce travel time to and from Provincetown by 10 minutes.
Late
night bus service has been added on Friday and Saturday night. Because of passenger demand, the Flex will
run in and out of Provincetown later into the evenings on Fridays and Saturdays
beginning on June 23. The last bus will
leave MacMillan Pier at 9:15 PM on Fridays and Saturdays only.
Seasonal shuttle service operates throughout the summer season, from Memorial Day until Columbus Day. The Shore Road/Route 6A route in North Truro and Bradford Street in Provincetown will be served by the CCRTA’s Shuttle that will resume service for the season, also on May 25. The service will become a 30-minute frequency rather than 20 minutes. The shuttle will stop at the Provincetown Airport on a request basis.
Transit
Pass Program – The CCRTA has added a Monthly Pass (offering unlimited travel)
and a One-day Pass (also providing unlimited travel) to the existing transit
pass program. The Transit Pass (20 rides
for $15) is still available.
Pass
Employee Program allows employers to provide pass to their employees on a
pre-tax basis.
Car
Free Packages will enable partnerships with the ferry services to ensure people
have a “car free vacation” alternative.
Other packaging opportunities are being developed with local guesthouse
owners and cultural attractions.
Intelligent
Transportation Systems will be introduced this summer, offering a tracking
systems for the buses provided by cell phone service, allowing people to go
online to find real time locations of the buses.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Mick
Rudd Nominated Kathleen Fitzgerald for Chair, seconded by Peter Bez.
Peter
Bez nominated Rob Tosner for Chair, seconded by Kathleen Fitzgerald. Mick Rudd withdrew the nomination for
Kathleen Fitzgerald.
Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0
Hersh Schwartz nominated Kathleen Fitzgerald for Vice Chair, seconded
by Michael Peregon.
Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0
The Provincetown Stars compilation CD project came to fruition
on May 2, 2007. All monies generated
from the purchase of Provincetown
Stars CDs will benefit the Town’s
Fireworks Gift Fund.
Last month, the ADT attended the annual Travel Industry Association of
America’s International Marketplace.
Following the Board of Selectmen’s approval on April 23, 2007, grant
agreements for the FY2008 promotional grant awards were sent last month to each
grantee. In addition, approval of the
co-op marketing grants for both the Chamber of Commerce and Provincetown
Business Guild was received.
The annual contracts for graphics design and public relations services
for the PTO expire on June 30, 2007. The
draft Request for Proposals, which creates a timeline for proposals to be submitted
no later than June 7, 2007. The ADT
anticipates presenting a recommendation for the VSB to consider at their June
19, 2007 meeting.
MOTION: Move to approve promulgating Requests for Proposals for Graphics Design to
appear in the May 24 and May 31, 2007 issues of the Provincetown Banner.
MOTION: Michael
Peregon; SECONDED: Mick Rudd; Yea: 5;
Nay: 0; Abstain: 1 (PB)
MOTION: Move to approve promulgating Requests for Proposals for Public Relations
Services to appear in the May 24 and May 31, 2007 issues of the Provincetown
Banner.
MOTION: Peter Bez;
SECONDED: Michael Peregon; Yea: 6; Nay:
0; Abstain: 0
A
DVD featuring the Let’s Shop
television segment, which was filmed last summer, was received yesterday and
will be added to the PTO website as an adjunct to the promotional video
library. Commencing next week, this
50-minute segment, which offers a sweeping overview of Provincetown’s cultural,
historic and natural treasures, as well as a detailed profile of the
shopkeepers and artisans that make Provincetown a world class tourist
destination, will air throughout the year on a variety of International news
channels, including CNBC.
Through the continued
efforts of FOCUS Communications, the Arts Colony VNR produced last year by the
PTO is currently available on You Tube, Google Video and Yahoo.
Provincetown was featured
in an editorial in the Summer 2007 edition of Northeastern Group Tour Magazine, which
showcases the ability to explore arts and culture at the tip of Cape Cod. This publication was sent to 15,000 travel
agents, motor coach companies, group leaders, tour operators, receptive
operators and bank club directors. In
addition, active leads are provided each month to the PTO from reader response
cards sent from subscribers and others who read the publication.
Next week, Provincetown
will host approximately 200 students, faculty and staff from Boston’s
Commonwealth School. Arriving via a Bay
State Cruise Company charter ferry, the group will be shuttled to/from Herring
Cove via a private tour bus, and spend the day touring Provincetown, including
complimentary admission to both PAAM and PMPM.
New ads have been prepared
for Bay Windows, Boston Magazine, Boston
Spirit Magazine, New England Travel Planner and the Portuguese Festival
commemorative program.
The annual contract with
Holiday Media is up for renewal. This
company publishes the annual New England Group Tour Planner, a 15-year old publication which
has a targeted market of 8,000 professional group tour planners and is
distributed to seven major conventions throughout the year (including the
Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance, National Travel Association, Ontario Motor
Coach Association Annual Convention and the American Bus Association
Marketplace), in addition to a direct mail campaign of 600,000 promotional
postcards. The return on investment from
2006 was over 850,000 unique web visits to Holiday Media’s website. This year,
MOTION: Move to approve funding in the amount of
$2,110 from the FY08 marketing budget for a junior-page four-color
advertisement in the 2008 New England Group Travel Planner.
MOTION: Peter Bez; SECONDED:
Rob Tosner; Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0
EDGE Publications has delivered on
their commitment to bring to fruition the Amtrak value-added promotional fare,
which was announced last month. Since
MOTION: Move to approve funding in the amount of
$5,000 from the FY07 marketing budget for the website advertising campaign,
which will run through
MOTION: Kathleen Fitzgerald; SECONDED: Peter Bez;
Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0
As a reminder, the Town of
MOTION: Move
to approve the minutes of the
Meeting adjourned at