Big Idea Board of Directors

Board Meeting December 2, 2011 ~ KLTV Studio, Longview

Minutes

Present:  Don Jensen, Paul Helenberg, Ellen Rose, Mike Moss, Barry Verrill, Larry Alexander, Vivian Mosby, Karen Johnson, Howard Rogers, Ginny Whiffen, Maruta Haas, Kim Lefebvre, Jennifer Keene, Katie Wells, Susan Humbyrd, Taryn Nelson, Pete Poulsen, Tom Mulder

Excused: Barbara Doran, Gian Morelli

Introductions:  Don Jensen, Chair, called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. Introductions were made around the room.

Approval of Minutes:  Karen Johnson moved and Ginny Whiffen seconded to approve the Minutes from the last meeting of November 4, 2011. Motion carried.

Elect a Vice-Chair:  Don indicated that with the recent elections, the former Vice-Chair of this committee will no longer be on this Board. Therefore a new Vice-Chair needs to be elected.  Paul Helenberg volunteered; Larry Alexander was nominated.  By flip of the coin, Paul was elected.

Mike Moss told the board that Megan who was secretary for the Visitor Center took another position with LCC.  Currently looking within for a new person; hope to have someone in place by March. At this time, the visitor center will stay where it is and the tourism office is not moving to the mall.  Mike hopes to get info out regarding the visitor center within the week and hopes to update the county through weekly posts.

A master schedule of events for the County needs to be put together and published. Mike Moss will collect everyone’s list of events and will publish those.  If you haven’t done so already, please send your events list to Mike immediately.  A draft will be ready for the January meeting.  Mike Moss will send it out to everyone and will make it available on line.  Website links would also be helpful as well as contact information for each of the events.

Karen Johnson suggested having staff from each visitor center visit each of the other visitor centers spending a day with them to share information with each other, and learn from each other.  Karen will take the lead on this. 

Strategic Tourism Plan has been put on hold; and Jennifer indicated that funds for that program were paying for Jennifer and Katie’s time with this Big Idea Board.  So this is their last meeting.  Mike Moss indicated that the Strategic Tourism Plan will probably not be looked at again until mid-year 2012 once he gets staff in place and has a better idea of how to proceed.

Jennifer indicated that several decisions need to be made by this board in order to put the bylaws together.  Items include a cap (year-limit) on when money can be spent; partnering with other cities/county and pooling resources for combined efforts, and the like.  Claire will be putting bylaws together based on MOU’s established; Susan Humbyrd, Ginny Whiffen, Barry Verrill and Don Jensen volunteered to be on the Bylaws committee along with Jim Misner.  Don so appointed these individuals as the Bylaws committee.  An email address list will be sent to everyone by Jennifer.  Jim Misner suggested having the bylaws ready to review by March 2nd.  So the bylaws committee will need to meet prior to March 2nd to have the drafts put in place.  Any questions or suggestions for what should be included in the bylaws can be sent to Jim Misner. 

Visitor center moving to the mall:  Jim Misner indicated it’s still a possibility; but staffing the center could be an issue.  Jim suggested that the center be staffed by volunteers from the cities/businesses in the cities who would be willing to spend a couple of days a month at the center. This would give the businesses an opportunity to advertise their particular organization directly with people who stop in. The mall is also willing to put in a lounge for people coming in off buses.

Kalama has a Blues Festival scheduled for the 3rd Saturday of August along with the car show on the following Sunday.  Pete Poulsen encouraged each of the cities and county to advertise their entities, events, etc., at their festival. 

Tom is planning an event at the amphitheater at the Johnston Ridge Observatory which could also have a national draw; if anyone is interested in being involved and would like to participate, please contact Tom.

Paul Helenberg indicated that pictures and/or videos should be taken at each of the events that take place for future advertising purposes.

Next Meeting: The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, January 6, 2012 in Castle Rock.