GRAND BEND & AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Board of Directors Meeting June 18, pm RBC Dominion Securities

Transcription

1 1 GRAND BEND & AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Board of Directors Meeting June 18, pm RBC Dominion Securities Present: Glen Baillie, Mark Lewis, Nancy Starek, Mike Burgess, Joan Karstens, Neil Clifford, Bramwell Steele, and Susan Mills (Manager). Absent: Pat Powers, Barry Richman, Steven Karcher, and Dave Maguire. 1) Call To Order: 2:07pm 2) Approval of the Agenda. a) Motion to approve: Neil Clifford; Seconded: Glen Baillie. Passed. 3) Approval of May s Minutes. a) Motion to approve: Nancy Starek; Seconded: Mike Burgess. Passed. 4) Business arising From the Minutes: We need to follow-up on The Lakeshore Advance s offer of a weekly article space for the Chamber. No article was received by the Manager for June submission. Keep this as a regular agenda item to ensure frequent article submission. 5) Financial Status / Revenue Stream a) Financial Statements & Bank Balance: Bank balance stands at $27,353 this is a significant improvement over this time last year. Financials (Balance Sheet & Income Statement) as of June 18 provided by Karen Stewart (bookkeeper) Motion to approve: Neil Clifford; Seconded: Mike Burgess. Passed. Provide Neil with a list of outstanding Visitor Guide accounts for assistance in obtaining payment (have about $4,083 outstanding to date also better than last year). All invoices paid, other than the sales commission balance which according to The Fisher Corporation should be paid out on the receipts versus invoices, so need to wait until we have the rest of the outstanding paid. Web badge / Upgraded listing advertising invoice and received payment of same. Nothing outstanding. Have received news from Lambton Shores that a 2-year contract for Tourism Services on a services rendered basis will be put together and provided to us Council has passed this and it s now with staff to formulate and forward to us. Have received confirmation of summer student grant support for Federal and Provincial programs. Federal grant is worth $5560; Provincial grant is worth $2,785. [Post meeting update: have received the first payment from the Federal grant in the amount of $3,753] b) Review Engagement:

2 Shawn of Fisher Corporation provided draft Financial Review documentation for review/discussion/feedback by the Board. A number of the recommendations are already in place and in process. Documentation requires complete review and discussion and more time than a regular Board meeting Executive to review documentation and meet separately to discuss/finalize. Suggest meeting on July 4 if this works for Karen Stewart as well. c) Statutory Holiday pay: Cindy Pym has been contacted regarding Statutory Pay for the summer students. Pretty sure that we should be paying based on the number of hours both will have worked prior to July 1 and that they are both working on the day before and after. Awaiting instructions from Cindy. 6) Manager s Report: a) Web audit comparison to membership paid to ensure all members who have paid for a hyperlink have one and those that have not paid don t have one. Completed. b) Drive N Jive: We sold 21 tickets and answered numerous inquiries about the event via phone and . Monies collected were given to Greg VanHevel Drive N Jive organizing committee member. c) Motorhead Traveller: provided us with a draft cut of the episode for our input which was given. Once final cut is ready, Kevin Cullen will send a number of DVDs to us for sharing with stakeholders (Chamber, Rus-Ton Campground, Grand Bend Art Centre, Municipality, TSL, Graphix etc). Perhaps there is opportunity to share the video via YouTube on our website and with the bars in town depending on copyright issues. Susan to investigate. d) Volunteer Update: Dale Wilson a new volunteer will be in for her first day on Wednesday, June 27. e) QuickBooks: Summer students have entered the mailing addresses of all members in order to facilitate invoicing/billing via QuickBooks. Susan to investigate options for QuickBooks training, especially as it relates to invoice setup, billing, payment receipting. 2 7) Chamber Member Events & Services a) MacLaren Math Award: This is an award the Chamber provides to the Grand Bend Public School student with the most improved math marks during their grade 8 year. The award (an engraved medal we obtain from Big Reds in Exeter) is given along with a $50 cash prize at the Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony in June. Two members from the Chamber are in attendance and one makes a congratulatory speech. This year s event occurs at Hessenland Country Inn on Tuesday, June 26. Cocktails at 6:15pm, dinner at 6:30pm. Mark Lewis (Vice President) and Susan Mills (Manager) nominated to represent the Chamber. b) Golf Tournament: Mark Lewis presented draft tournament plan, structure, sponsorship levels, and revenue/costs. Rates received from Oakwood are for September/October dates no date set yet, but considering September 13 or 20 (both Thursdays). Tournament open to members and non-members guests. Should think about having a logo created for the tournament. Grab bags for golfers/take-away gift etc. Event is rain or shine. Could have a hire a pro to hit the ball for you and then get to choose whether to use the pro s hit or not this would be at a charge of

3 3 maybe $2 per. Sub-committee will form to confirm dates and details and provide Chamber staff with laundry list of tasks. Sub-Committee members: Mark Lewis, Nancy Starek, Bramwell Steele, Patrick Powers (volunteered previously) and perhaps Randy Rapley if he d like to help out. 8) Tourism Services a) Webervations Launched on our website under the STAY section today. Tim Dionne (summer student) has completed all but 2 tutorials with participating accommodation providers (the outstanding two have been left numerous voice and to book a tutorial time convenient to them). b) Outdoor Display Unit: Finally received Christopher Robinson s mailing address and forwarded the contract termination letter to him via registered mail. Have also notified membership that if he is in contact with them, not to commit to more than 1-year of advertising, as our contract terminates June 23, c) TSL / RTO1-SWOTC Update: SWOTC is providing $100k for tourism initiatives that DMOs can apply for. One of the opportunities bubbling up are the number of groups involved with biking/cycling paths development and that this $100k would be monetary support towards development maps/promo materials for the trails that do emerge. The Trillium Application for money to support a branding exercise for Lambton County tourism was turned down. The application had $40k in private money and multiple not-forprofit groups involved but was not successful. George Mallay will follow up with Trillium to find out why the application was turned down. An Ontario Infrastructure Research Report currently being used by various organizations in determining tourism needs failed to identify Lambton County as a tourism gateway to Ontario. Although Southwestern Ontario was mentioned, the fact that we are a gateway was not recognized. This highlights the need for and importance of PR and Marketing efforts county-wide. d) Doors Open Sponsorship: Bronze level sponsorship offers the Chamber: Invitation to community launch event / logo recognition on event site map & brochure / opportunity to provide our promo materials at all sites / logo recognition on sponsorship signs at all sites / recognition on website with link to ours. Motion to sponsor at the Bronze level ($250) by: Joan Karstens; Seconded by: Mark Lewis. Passed. e) DayTripping Ad: Third ad submitted June 13 for July/August edition. 9) In-Kind Support a) Canada Day: Support provided to date includes Advertising/Promotion: (1) Plan and implement marketing activities. Arrange for, place orders for and submit all advertising and promotional activities. (2) Design and provide final artwork for newspaper, cable and web ads (Forest Standard, Parkhill Gazette, Lakeshore Advance, Times Advocate, Sarnia Observer, London Free Press, local Cable Community and Zaps It channels)

4 4 (3) Design and provide final artwork for the town flyer and distributed (via to Chamber members; drive 1400 flyers to Goderich for insertion into Lakeshore Advance) (4) Work with Track21 in finalizing artwork for banner. (5) Design and build the website (CanadaDayGrandBend.ca) (6) Design and post event web badge on GrandBendTourism.com linking to event website (7) Radio promotion done entirely by the Beach. Fundraising/Sponsorship Solicitation: (1) Designed and distributed communication soliciting sponsorship and donations to Chamber members (2) Follow-up with personal phone calls to all members. (3) Obtained major sponsorship from P.O.G., Southwest Marine, Grand Bend Legion, Grand Bend Rotary, Track21, and Coleson Freight. Obtained in-kind donations from Drayton Entertainment and M&M Meats for volunteer recognition. Obtained cash donations from approximately 15 members. (4) Obtained major in-kind donation of wood and building supplies from Home Hardware Building Centre Grand Bend for construction of stage extension segments. (5) Grant writing (Heritage Canada; Lambton Shores) completed December Logistics: (1) Researched, identified and signed headliner Elton Rohn. (2) Recruited stage extension construction volunteer. (3) Approached Grand Bend Art Centre to create giant kids colouring mural. Cost of materials to be covered by Committee & Chamber. Administration: Minute-taking and notes, hosting the meeting, ing Committee about meeting times and locations, cheque receipting, bank deposits, record-keeping for the Committee at our location, budget determination and tracking, sponsorship recognition. b) Recommendation: The Chamber Manager no longer be a Grand Bend Canada Day Celebrations Committee member as the use of Chamber resources staff, students and volunteers is too great. A member of the Board will meet with the Committee to outline the need for the Chamber Manager s withdrawal from the Committee and our assistance to them for new member recruitment to establish a fully-functioning committee, and what in-kind support the Chamber will provide moving forward. c) Motion for the Chamber to be much less involved in the Grand Bend Canada Day Celebrations Committee and to help establish a functioning Committee by Mike Burgess; Seconded by Glen Baillie. Passed. 10) Issues and Policies a) Strategic Planning / Building a Better Chamber: Chamber is now on a much stronger financial footing, has emerging good working relationship with the Municipality but now needs a plan for moving forward and for identifying priorities. Have an independent 3 rd party with governance/organizational experience moderate the session. Motion to hold one or two strategic planning sessions in the fall (post golf tournament) either a full day or two 3-hour evening sessions to

5 5 determine future direction and focus for the Chamber by Mark Lewis; Seconded: Mike Burgess. Passed. b) Welcome Centre Maintenance: Interior Painting: Although we have received a donation for the paint, we have no one to supervise or undertake the painting of the Welcome Centre interior. Susan to contact Jim Dekkers to see if he would be willing to donate his time or perhaps negotiate a trade of time for 2013 membership. Vacuum Cleaner: No donation of vacuum cleaner achieved. Motion to purchase one from Home Hardware and have them invoice us: Mike Burgess; Seconded: Nancy Starek. Passed. External Hose Bib & Water Pipe: New garden hose and spray gun purchased as old one was leaking and gun broken. Issue remains about the external water bib, which is spraying a good amount of water back against the wall and into the wall cavity. Motion to hire one of our Chamber plumbers to fix to avoid expensive future repairs: Nancy Starek; Seconded: Mark Lewis. Passed. Fire Extinguisher: We received an inspection from fire inspector and we are required to have a fire extinguisher installed on or before July 11 for re-inspection. Get competing quote to first and go with the cheapest. Motion to buy fire extinguisher: Mike Burgess; Seconded: Glen Baillie. Passed. 11) New Business a) Public Statements By Directors: Reiteration to all Directors that statements made in private (at parties, within own business location, on the street etc) or publically or to any member of the media can be interpreted by others as representing the Chamber s official position or opinion. No opinion is to be given by any director. Official lines of communication from the Chamber to external parties are by Board input/approval. President and Manager are the only two individuals authorized to communicate on behalf of the Chamber and only after that communication has passed Board Executive Approval of at least two Executive Directors. Reminder, Executive Directors are President Glen Baillie, Vice President Mark Lewis, Secretary Patrick Powers, and Treasurer Nancy Starek. b) Manager Compensation: Time to review Manager s compensation package relative to hours worked, benefits, wages etc. Motion to have as agenda item for July s meeting a discussion of Manager Compensation: Mike Burgess; Seconded: Joan Karstens. Passed. Susan to contact several other Chambers and research compensation package information for the Board s review. 12) Next Meeting July 18, 2012, 2pm, RBC Dominion Securities. 13) Adjournment: 4:15pm