2018-03-28 Minutes
NEW HANOVER COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
March 28, 2018
PRESENT: Joe Benson, Mayor – Town of Carolina Beach
Bill Blair, Mayor – Town of Wrightsville Beach
Craig Bloszinsky, Mayor – Town of Kure Beach
Jason Bryant – Vacation Rental Properties
TeDra George, Hotel Manager – (-150 rooms)
Kim Hufham, President/CEO – NHC TDA
Nicolas Montoya, Hotel Manager/Owner – (150+ rooms)
Daniel Perkins, Hotel Manager – (150+ rooms)
Chuck Pennington – County Bed and Breakfast
LeAnn Pierce, Hotel – Carolina Beach
Bill Saffo, Mayor – City of Wilmington
Lisa Wurtzbacher – New Hanover County Finance Officer
EXCUSED: Natalie English, Peggy Sloan, Anne Brodsky, Commissioner
Patricia Kusek, Angela Rhodes
STAFF: Jeanette Foster, Administrative Services Manager/Recording
Secretary
Linda Brothers, Financial Analyst, New Hanover County
Connie Nelson, Communications/PR Director
Karla Thompson, Technology/Systems Manager
John Sneed, VP Sales
Shawn Braden, VP Marketing
GUESTS: Sam Black, Blockade Runner
Don Anderson, DCG
Chairman Nicolas Montoya called the meeting of the New Hanover County Tourism
Development Authority Board of Directors to order at 5:35 p.m. in the Lucie
Harrell Conference Room at the New Hanover County Government Complex. He
officially welcomed Mayor Joe Benson of Carolina Beach and Mayor Craig
Bloszinsky of Kure Beach to the Board.
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ITEM #1 – EXCUSED – NICOLAS MONTOYA
Natalie English, Peggy Sloan, Anne Brodsky, Commissioner Patricia Kusek, Angela
Rhodes.
ITEM #2 – APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES FOR JANUARY 24, 2018 –
NICOLAS MONTOYA
\[Motion made by Jason Bryant, seconded by Daniel Perkins and
unanimously accepted to approve the January 24, 2018 TDA Board minutes as
read.\]
ITEM #3 – FINANCIALS/ROT REPORT – LISA WURTZBACHER
New Hanover County Finance Officer Lisa Wurtzbacher reported on the
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Financial/ROT Report for July 1, 2017 – February 28, 2018. 1 and 2 3%
revenues are at $3,408,665 collected for the months mentioned or 47% collected. As
for expenditures, $2,722,101 spent or 38%.
ROT collections (July – January) are mostly showing a healthy growth. First 3%
through November up 3.22%. Second 3% shows Wrightsville Beach down slightly.
City is down some. Some properties are doing renovations; we’ve had cold weather
and only one movie crew in previous year. Complete report can be found in
Exhibit Book XIII.
ITEM #4 – EXPENDITURE REQUESTS – KURE BEACH – KIM HUFHAM
President/CEO Kim Hufham presented funding requests from the Town of Kure
Beach.
The Town of Kure Beach respectfully requests TDA funds in the amount of
$178,202.68 for expenditures for lifeguard services for the summer of 2017.
The requested funds include expenditures for two budget years 2016-17 and
2017-18. This program is directly related to tourism to protect vacationers
and visitors as they swim and enjoy the beach strand. Visitors are attracted
to areas offering lifeguard services, especially those with young children and
older adults.
The Town of Kure Beach respectfully requests TDA funds in the amount of
$8,800.00 during the summer of 2017 (FY 2017-2018) for the Pleasure Island
Chamber of Commerce Free Summer Concerts. The six free summer
concerts, held at the Fort Fisher Military Recreation area, attract tourists to
Kure Beach by providing an enjoyable and affordable venue.
Total funds are available in the amount of $187,002.68.
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\[Motion made by Leanne Pierce, seconded by Chuck Pennington and
unanimously accepted to approve the Kure Beach expenditure
requests in the amount of $187,002.68 as presented.\]
ITEM #5- DCG PRESENTATION – DON ANDERSON
Chairman Nicolas Montoya introduced Don Anderson with DCG who will be in
charge of doing our Strategic Vision Plan. This had been discussed at our January
meeting and voted on to give the contract to Mr. Anderson. Nicolas advised what
had been taking place since Monday with our Executive Committee and Don to get
the process of the plan started.
Don’s summary of what has and will be taking place proposed long term plans to
get customers to come back. Don noted he has been in business since 1996 and has
worked with 250+ CVB’s, TDA’s, etc. In May, he will be bringing in his partner
Gary Sherwin. Has done work in other places in North Carolina to include
Charlotte, Asheville, Raleigh, Lake Norman, Halifax County, Johnson County, etc.,
plus 30+ board related DMO’s in other areas from South Carolina to California.
In developing our Strategic Vision Plan, wants to drive more visitors here, enhance
the visitor experience, communicate relevancy and viability and refresh and
replenish our community. In doing so, there is a four step assessment/plan
approach (secondary research evaluation including current visitor information,
marketing plans, partners’ strategic plans, and TDA members and staff
consultations through dedicated meetings/online surveys and/or community/visitor
industry workshops.
Step One: Current Destination/CVB Analysis (Where are we now?) Topics covered
and/or prepared: top-of-mind issues, SWOT/future map and competitive analyses,
primary market segments, visitor/destination product experience evaluation given
separate DestinationNEXT survey report, CVB performance record and main
challenges.
Step Two: Future Destination/CVB Opportunities (Where would we like to be?)
Topics covered and/or prepared: destination/tourism drivers and new product
potential, visitor growth segments, vision, mission/beliefs, value propositions, long-
term goals and agreed-to destination vision.
Step Three: Priority Destination/CVB Initiatives (What do we need to do?) Topics
covered and/or prepared: priority strategies related to visitor product development,
advocacy and partner/ community relations, industry communications, and CVB
resources (funding, talent and technology capabilities).
Step Four: Destination/CVB Plan Development and Communications (How we
communicate what we do?) Topics covered and/or prepared: user friendly
documentation for immediate execution and subsequent stakeholder/partner
understanding and program investment with expected measurable returns.
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Don stated that Steps one, two and three are where the heavy lifting will be. Step
One – “Where we are now” – will be sending out a survey to fill out in the next few
weeks. Very important this be done.
The Strategic Vision Plan will have a one-page document. Plan will have a good
rationale behind it. Hopes to have a final plan done by September. Was
emphasized that we have great resources to do things right.
Chairman Montoya expressed the importance of the Strategic Vision Plan and what
it will mean for New Hanover County. Board member discussion stressed the need
to “tell our story.”
ITEM #6 – PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS – KIM HUFHAM
President/CEO Kim Hufham stressed the survey is of utmost importance in
being filled out. The Tourism Development Authority takes the lead on this.
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Will have a workshop with Don and Gary on May 2. To be a
lunch/working session with the TDA Board and to run from 12 Noon until 3
p.m. Venue to be advised. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend.
National Tourism Week will be May 6-13, 2018 with the Travel Rally
Breakfast being held on May 11 at the Wilmington Convention Center.
Kim gave an update on the 365 Conference which some of the staff attended
recently and noted it will be held here next March.
Due to Tourism Legislation Day being held later in May, the TDA Board
meeting will be moved to May 30.
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The General Manager’s Roundtable will be held on April 19. Location and
time to be advised.
ITEM #7 – OLD BUSINESS/NEW BUSINESS
N/A
ITEM #8 – CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS – NICOLAS MONTOYA
Chairman Montoya went over Don’s visit here this week (Monday – Wednesday)
and the excitement of what will be going on with the Strategic Vision Plan. Will
have a lot of work to do and Leanne Pierce and Jason Bryant will be on the
Executive Committee to assist with all that will be going on. Stressed again the
importance of doing the survey and attending the workshop and the importance of
this Program of Work Plan.
One of the areas covered this week was visiting with the three MAC committees and
they are really excited as well.
As there was no further business, meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
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Next Meeting Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2018
______________________________ __________________________
Kim Hufham, President/CEO Daniel Perkins, Secretary
Minutes located in TDA Board Minutes Book XIII
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