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2015-11-23 BOCC LTAC INFORMATIONAL MEETINGBOCC LTAC INFORMATIONAL MEETING November 23, 2015 1:00 pm Present: Commissioners Fund, Schulte and Stamper Reporter: Karri Muir Commissioner Fund gave an explanation of how this meeting was started and how it became an open meeting of the BOCC. The BOCC strives for transparency in all the things they do. She gave the explanation of the RCW that explains the LTAC make-up. Not fair 4 applicants on the committee BOCC cannot change the amount recommended by the LTAC Committee Commissioner Fund went over RCW 67.28.120 No. 1 travel destination in Packwood Lewis County has a lot of destinations that people can visit. Demand generators for lodging in Lewis County: What brings visitors to Lewis County, natural attractions and events? Expectations and requirements When the application was first sent out for 2016 the BOCC required an audit, this has been reduced to a financial review. We have had issues in the past with some of our non-profits in Lewis County. Commissioner Schulte stated that there is a difference between the LTAC and the BOCC. Commissioner Fund stated it is wise to be accountable. She sat on the LC Historical Museum when money was not being spent appropriately. It is nice to see the funding being spent appropriately and audits are clean. LTAC monies being spent outside of the County: Commissioner Fund was not sure what this question was regarding. Todd Chaput can money be spent for marketing organizations outside of Lewis County, or does the funding need to be spent in Lewis County. Commissioner Fund stated she was not sure of this answer. Long term marketing plan in place: There was a SWOT analysis plan done earlier this year. Commissioner Schulte stated that LC EDC is doing a marketing study in LC. Tourism steering committee or board that provides direction: Commissioner Fund stated there are a lot of people in LC that provide this function. Commissioner Schulte stated this answer is yes by the LTAC and the people of LC elect the BOCC. Difference between tourism promotion and event marketing: The lines get smeared when you talk about this. It is all a combination. Audits: This is a financial review for applicants. Discover Lewis County will be audited by the SAO and our own Auditor Application revised if applicants are in need of an audit: This is a good suggestion. Some applicants have worked with the college for their review. Collaboration with other applicants. Satisfied or unsatisfied by the 2015 LTAC allocations: We took a lot of time to go through what we want from the applicants. We want the applications to be all of Lewis County. Commissioner Fund stated she would like to see other things funded, yet she is one vote. She gave a brief over view on how the LTAC meeting went. In the future Commissioner Fund is going to look into if an applicant can vote on their own proposal. Return on investments: State requires this on the JLARC report. Scoring matrix-looking at this for the future. Commissioner Schulte stated the LTAC can design the criteria on the vision they see for that year. The visions can change yearly. Are the lodging properties in Lewis County served with the LTAC decision? Commissioner Stamper stated he and Commissioner Fund have gone to look at different tourism organizations in Lewis County. Most are volunteer and there were quite a few that were not as informational as they could have been. This is due to them having volunteers doing the work. If money is given, those projects need to be completed. He looks at this when the funding is being considered. Commissioner Fund discussed the chart that shows were money is being generated in Lewis County. Mary Kay Nelson stated in referring to the tourism chart, there is no lodging in the Adna area. She asked that the pie chart be corrected to reflect Pe-ell and Onalaska. Commissioner Fund stated this chart comes from the Treasurer Office and is generated by zip code. She will check on the Adna piece of this chart. County-wide promotion in the LC tourism industry: Commissioner Fund stated this is through cross promoting functions in Lewis County. Time for everyone to help one another. Discover Lewis County recently did a training on Facebook. Annalee Tobey-how can a marketing organization work with another entity? Do you want all of the lodging in Lewis County on the website. Commissioner Schulte, phone calls, emails, Facebook, however you are comfortable communicating. Commissioner Fund asked that they look for opportunity to work with other entities. They would like all websites be listed on websites. Annalee stated that Ashford was not listed on the DLC website. Spreading organizations finite resources across the entire county to represent areas’s in which they are not experts: Commissioner fund stated yes the BOCC does. Step-guidelines to guard against visitor confusion: Let each other know if something is missing. When we educate people what we have in LC we promote LC better. Annalee Tobey-what tourism expertise is the BOCC drawing on for marketing and tourism. Glenn Carter stated tourism has been spoke about at the BOCC level for years. DLC was a technical issue, the money that was given for tourism promotion for websites was not used wisely. This is how DLC was developed through technical expertise. It appears that DLC has morphed into something more than a website. His advice has been to develop DLC and they may be ready to look for expertise in other areas regarding tourism. Commissioner Schulte stated we have a group of professionals who are experts and will reach out to others for their expertise. Annalee her concern is to have a panel of experts available to do marketing when there are businesses out there that do marketing for a living. She is concerned if this is the best use of money. DLC make-up as a government organization gave them advantage: Commissioner Fund stated they were the only one who addressed county-wide tourism. Commissioner Schulte also noted that we asked the Chamber of Commerce to do this and they said they would not be able to. Evan how specific can we know that funding is going to the right places? Commissioner fund stated the LTAC makes the recommendations to the BOCC. As Commissioners we cannot give money to applicants that did not receive a recommendation from the LTAC. We are trying to do the best process and will be happy to discuss them with anyone. Applicant’s involvements in DLC- Commissioner Fund stated we have been asking if applicants have been collaborating with others in Lewis County. She was impressed to see all the entities volunteering at the DLC Fair Booth. How was it decided to fund DLC over seasoned applicants with proven track records? Commissioner Fund stated once again there was no one who applied who did all of LC. LC Historical Museum given additional funding We have money from Historical Preservation funding from the Auditor’s Office. Commissioner Schulte stated that the LC Historical Museum houses our artifacts. Purpose of Discover Lewis County Who is creating the marketing plan for DLC? Commissioner Fund stated this is an ongoing program and feedback is encouraged on the website. Festivals are high priority Commissioner Schulte stated festivals are specific in the RCW. Festivals enhance LC. Imposing different requirements from the LTAC and the BOCC- Commissioner Schulte stated he has been discussing improper use of funds over the past year. He discussed different issues and red flags that have come up and have been questioned through the funding process. He is asking for audits and wants them to be clean. Until this happens he cannot accept or award funding requests by applicants. Questions Courtney Williams-she feels that this is a step in the right directions. She looks forward to future dialogue. Mary Kay Nelson-comments Commissioner Schulte are about the WP Byway. We have asked for something in writing. She would like the chance to sit down and discuss these questions. She thinks the process was unfair and they were not given the opportunity to explain. Todd Chaput-feels that DLC would be better served by a steering committee outside Lewis County. He feels a strategic plan should be set up for Lewis County. Evan Fagerness-asked what county-wide means to the BOCC. Commissioner Fund stated we are talking history the museum is our place. When looking at visitor bureau areas, do they have an area set for visitor information? Annalee Tobey is concerned with DLC and their lack of tourism and marketing expertise. Spoke with other commissioners, would the BOCC look at other processes for funding. Hard to apply if you do not know the concern beforehand. Meeting adjourned at 2:15 pm.