HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-18-11 Tourism Business Improvement District Minutes
Tourism Business Improvement District
Minutes of Meeting January 18, 2011
Chamber of Commerce Building, Bozeman Montana
Present: Daryl Schliem (Executive Director) Jim Robbins (Sales Development)
Board Members: Andrew Ash, Lynn Bendz (sec), Tim Kuhlman (president), Carl Solvie, Steve Sparks,
Tom Stenzel (treasurer)
Advisory Board Members: Dan Rust, Melanie Stocks, Chris Mehl
Public: Larry Lambert (Bozeman Super 8), Petra Gunther (Best Western Grantree),
Terra Corscadden ( LaQuinta), Anita Dobrenski (Days Inn), Alexis Fowler & Sandra Hodge (Homestead
Suites), Dale Lewis (Fairfield Inn)
Tim Kuhlman opened the meeting at noon, asking for any disclosures. Daryl Schliem said that he
and Jim Robbins had met with each board member (except Steve Sparks) prior to today, explaining the
options/ramifications of using Flying Horse Communications.
Tim Kuhlman asked for any public comment and there was none.
The minutes from the last meeting were approved on a motion by Andrew Ash, 2nded by Tom Stenzel.
The financial report ending 12/31/2010 was submitted and discussed.
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The TBID meetings have been on the 2 Wednesday of the month but due to a conflict, the time had to
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be changed. After discussion, a new date on the 1 Tuesday of each month was proposed by Lynn
Bendz and 2nded by Carl Solvie. All approved. A reminder that in order to have an item added to the
meeting agenda, it must be submitted 3 days before our scheduled meeting.
Jim Robbins asked that TBID checks of less than $50 be legally written with only one qualified signature
rather than the normal 2 signatures. This would improve work flow. Motion to accept made by Steve
Sparks, and 2nded by Carl Solvie. All approved.
Mark Jones submitted his resignation so we have a vacancy on our board. Jim Robbins will send out
email applications to interested persons, who will then submit them to Chris Mehl , who will pass them
on to the city council for approval. The only qualification: you must own a hotel within the TBID
district or be the owner’s representative.
Montana senate bill SB131 by Senator Larson is a proposed bill that would allow TBID districts to levy
a percentage tax rather than a fee. This would allow all of our revenue to be run through the Montana
Revenue Dept, who would charge us a 10% accounting fee. And of course would also allow possible
future diversion of our money to the general fund. A motion to write a letter opposing this bill on
behalf of the BTBID board was made by Steve Sparks and 2nded by Tom Stenzel. All voice approved.
(Note: on 1/19/2011 we learned that this bill was withdrawn .)
An idea to add a representative of the Bozeman Belgrade Lodging Association to the advisory board was
discussed. The representative would be the same person for an entire year and would voice ideas and
opinions of the local lodging industry. Motion to approve by Lynn Bendz, 2nded by Carl Solvie.
Jim Robbins and Chris Mehl reminded all of us board members to take the ethics course being offered
online by the City of Bozeman.
Daryl Schliem discussed the bargain we would be getting if we contracted with Flying Horse
Communications to develop a marketing strategy. Our cost is $30,000, about ½ the normal fee.
Daryl and Jim were strong proponents for this, seeing the need for a Bozeman branding that is a difficult
thing to achieve without prefessional help. There was no objections. Tom Stenzel offered a motion to
spend up to $30,000 for this effort, 2nded by Carl Solvie, all voice approved.
Jim Robbins spent $250 for a membership in the Montana Lodging Hospitality Council.
Jim Robbins had samples from a sports convention magazine showing our add for Bozeman as
destination place for tournaments.
A motion to authorize up to $31,950 to bid on the 2011 Class A basketball tournament and the Class C
basketball tournament by Tom Stenzel, 2nded by Andrew Ash. All voice approval.
Melanie Stocks and Dan Rust talked of the need for volunteers to man the tournaments we may get.
Some of the large hotels will try to get their employees, friends and family to step forward as needed.
But the cost of hiring people versus voluteers has to factored into our costs as a worst case scenario.
Consecutive tournament weekends can see the volunteer well dry up.
Jim Robbins reported on his attendance for 3 days at the Las Vegas Professional Conference
Management Association. He was thankful he did not have expensive sales literature to hand out as they
accepted only CD’s and memory sticks. But he learned a lot.
Jim Robbins will attend many trade shows where having a helper or two to talk to potential conferees
while he is busy would be very beneficial. Petra Gunther offered her opinion that, after having attended
many of these types of trade shows in the Boston market, that allowing other hotel volunteers to help Jim
would be a normal and necessary occurrence. Larry Lambert felt the TBID should not pay for their
plane tickets and lodging/meals. However, the general feeling was that these would be volunteer people
who would promote Bozeman as a destination, and not their individual hotels. Hence, this would be
valuable free labor and the least we could do it pick up their expenses.
Tim Kuhlman talked of the necessity of the community making a decision about building a convention
center. He feels that if we don’t build it---a large hotel will come to Bozeman and build a huge
convention hotel with 300 rooms and 25,000 square feet of convention space. No one in the room wants
that to happen. We don’t need more rooms to fill. Larry Lambert mentioned that if we start
designing a center, make sure we stick to the basic plan and don’t add unnecessary and expensive extras
that drive up the initial cost and make upkeep costs prohibitive.
Steve Sparks made a motion to delay until our next scheduled meeting the last 3 items on our agenda.
2nded by Lynn Bendz.
Meeting adjourned at 1:50pm
Next meeting Tuesday February 1, 2011