Town of Provincetown
Visitor Services
Board
Meeting Minutes
from
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Judge Welsh
Hearing Room
Chairman Rob Tosner convened
the meeting at 10:00 AM noting the
following attendees:
Members Present: Rob Tosner, Chair; Kathleen
Fitzgerald, Vice Chair; Peter Bez;
Laurel Guadazno; Michael Peregon; Mick Rudd; and Hersh Schwartz.
Excused Absence: None.
Other attendees: Bill Schneider, Administrative Director of
Tourism; David Gardner, Administrative Assistant II.
Lisa Bowden, Cultural Development
Coordinator; Candy Collins-Boden,
Chamber of Commerce; Patrick
Eleey, Landscape Architect; Don Knuutilla, PBG;
James Mack, Beautification Committee; Rex McKinsey, Harbormaster.
Both the EcoTourism and GLBT VNRs are both important niche
markets that the VSB believes should be funded so the PTO may proceed with
arranging production.
BUDGET UPDATE
The budget update was continued until after the Fiscal Year
Close.
WEBSITE UPDATE
The website update item was continued until the July
meeting.
TOURISM DIRECTOR’S REPORT
The Joint
Revenue Committee is meeting today on Beacon Hill to
hear testimony regarding the proposed legislation to expand the room tax to
include private homes, condominiums and times shares. The ADT prepared correspondence, which will
be presented at this hearing.
Members
of the VSB discussed this issue.
Motion: Move that the VSB draft a letter in support
the proposed room tax initiative be extended to include short-term rental of
private homes, condominiums and time-shares.
MOTION: Michael Peregon;
SECONDED: Peter Bez; Yea: 7; Nay: 0;
Abstain: 0
In
addition to issuing a press release to invite travel writers to visit Provincetown
for hosted FAM trips, other initiatives include coordinating a visit by the
crew of PinkPlanet (a Canadian-produced travel show that will feature Provincetown
in the first episode of their 2008 season).
PinkPlanet is a popular satellite program that showcases destinations
for GLBT travelers. The ADT is working
with the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) to provide
transportation to/from the Cape and Islands
for the production crew as well as designing an itinerary for PinkPlanet’s
four-day visit June 13-17, 2007. The agency is also assisting with the
producers of a four-part series of half-hour television programming focusing on
GLBT 20-somethings to be filmed in August.
FOCUS has jumpstarted a partnership for accommodation requests for these
two media opportunities with the PBG since
these are prime opportunities to spotlight all that P-Town has to offer for the
GLBT traveler – from natural beauty to exciting night life.
Additional
efforts to place the VNR (“An Art Colony Called Provincetown”) continue, and
the agency is also working to support MOTT’s green tourism meeting being held
at PAAM in June.
In
partnership with the Chamber, PBG and PPPC, the ADT organized a meet and greet opportunity for the
“Spirit of Nantucket.” This initiative
will provide PTO beach bags containing information from businesses throughout
Town to Cruise West passengers who visit Provincetown throughout this month and on September 24, 2007. The Chamber of Commerce will
also provide entertainment and refreshments for the June 14, 2007 arrival of the “Spirit of Nantucket.”
The PTO, in partnership with the MCC Adams Grant Task Force, has produced a list of events and Provincetown map, which will be provided to all Cruise West passengers prior to
their arrival in Provincetown.
Last month, the PTO, Chamber and
VSB joined a contingency of Cape and Islands
tourism professionals for a lunch with Peter Pantuso, president of the American
Bus Association. The Cape Cod Chamber of
Commerce Group Tour Committee is sponsoring the “Be Our Guest Program” in Provincetown
on Tuesday June 19, 2007 at
11:00 AM (as part of the VSB’s next
regular meeting). The Group Tour
Committee has extended an invitation to all businesses with customer service
and sales staff that interacts with motor coach tours. The committee’s goal is to instill pride and
reinforce the importance of providing excellent customer service to this very
important segment of the tourism industry.
At this meeting, the Committee will present a short service training
video and will share industry trends as we embark on the 2007 season.
The
“Art In Windows” project will feature an exhibition of artwork from the Provincetown Elementary
School
students on June 13, 2007 at 2:30PM. Following this exhibition, the
artwork will be installed at Logan International Airport later this month.
Marketing
efforts are underway to promote the Provincetown Farmers’ Market. Andy Pollock, manager of the market, advised
the ADT last week there are eight farmers confirmed, including vendors selling
fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs, baked goods, jams and jellies, pesto,
olive oil and vinegar. Miss Richfield
1981 is scheduled to make a special guest appearance at the opening day
event. The market is scheduled to
operate from 11AM until 4PM on 16 consecutive Saturdays (June 30 through October 13, 2007). Andy will be meeting with the
Board of Health and Licensing Board to receive approvals for the Farmers’
Market (including signage to promote the event).
As
of May
30, 2007, eight FY2008 grant
recipients have not returned executed grant agreements. The PTO sent reminder letters on June 1, 2007 to these grantees. If grant
agreements are not executed by June 15, 2007, grant funding may become made available to other grant
applicants. Three promotional events
scheduled for FY2008 have advised the PTO of date changes. The Women Innkeepers are moving Single
Women’s Weekend from May 9-11, 2008 to May 16-19, 2008, which coincides with the Monumental Yard Sale Weekend. Providing a cross-promotional opportunity for
both the Women Innkeepers and PBG, this date change was made following feedback from previous attendees
who were displeased with the event coinciding with Mother’s Day. In addition, the Swim For Life events are
scheduled for September 7-8, 2007 (not September 8-9 as stated in the promotional grant
application). Finally, the International
Women’s Flag Football Association’s annual P-Town Classic will not be happening
this year as a result of the organization not being able to secure a suitable
venue in Provincetown. This reduces the amount of
FY08 promotional grants from $102,450 to $99,450.
MOTION: Move to approve an administrative amendment
to the grant agreements for the dates of both Single Women’s Weekend and Swim
For Life and Paddler Flotilla as requested by the grant applications.
MOTION: Peter Bez; SECONDED:
Laurel Guadazno; Yea: 7; Nay: 0;
Abstain: 0
Last
week the ADT was contacted by a summer Cape Cod
resident who is a member of the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association regarding this
non-profit organization’s interest in installing reciprocal signage in Long Beach, California and Provincetown denoting the origination and termination points of
historic Route 6. A variety of marketing
opportunities are being explored, including the possibility of combining the
two California destination signs into one, having some other type of
destination signage, and a possible tie-in opportunity with the curriculum of
the schools in California and Provincetown.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: Move
to approve the minutes of the May
15, 2007 meeting as submitted.
MOTION: Kathleen Fitzgerald;
Seconded: Michael Peregon; Yea: 6; Nay:
0; Abstain: 1 (Laurel Guadazno)
FORMER FIRE HOUSE NO. 2
The selectmen have scheduled a
meeting to discuss the use of Former Fire House No. 2 (located on Commercial
Street adjacent to the Town Landing near Court
Street). Use of the upstairs has not
been determined and the ADT recommended the VSB discuss their recommendations
at their next meeting to be presented to the Selectmen during the June 25, 2007 public hearing
regarding this matter.
MOTION: Move to direct the ADT create a marketing
plan for a Waterfront Park
Improvement Gift Fund to include the sale and promotion of memorial benches,
trees or pavers to raise money for the Waterfront Park.
MOTION: Rob Tosner; SECONDED:
Peter Bez; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain:
0
MOTION: Move to present the proposed waterfront
improvement plans to the BOS for their
review and discussion at the June 25,
2007 BOS meeting.
MOTION: Peter Bez; SECONDED:
Rob Tosner; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain:
0
FY 2008 GOALS
The VSB recommends the following Goals for FY08:
The VSB strongly urges the BOS
to adopt an ongoing goal to officially recognize that Tourism is the Town’s
primary economic engine by applying resources to invest in tourism
infrastructure.
Develop a communication plan to between town hall
departments that addresses any infrastructure impacts to visitors and residents
Move that the VSB send a letter to the BOS
to express their concern regarding the implementation of the sewer improvement
project on Shank Painter Road
and the impact
The BOS should make the
repaving town roads a priority.
MOTION: Move to submit the above-referenced goals to
the Board of Selectmen for Fiscal Year 2008.
MOTION: Peter Bez; SECONDED:
Laurel Guadazno; Yea: 7; Nay: 0; Abstain:
0
Meeting adjourned at 12:30 PM.