03/13/2017 - MinutesCity of Port Orchard
Economic Development and Tourism Committee
Meeting Minutes
Monday, March 13, 2017
Committee Members Present: Council Members Bek Ashby (Chair), Fred Chang, Clancy Donlin
City Officials and Staff: Mayor Rob Putaansuu, City Clerk Brandy Rinearson, Associate Planner Keri Sallee.
Guests: Dave Jeffcoat, Bobbie Stewart, Sharon King, Lorraine Olsen, Matt Murphy. The meeting was called to order by Chair Ashby at 9:01 a.m.
1. Educational Discussion. Recap of Roger Brooks Presentation. City Clerk Rinearson and Chair Ashby provided notes from the February presentation. The next presentation, “Logos and Taglines”, will be on March 15. Chair Ashby said that the City will continue to provide opportunities for education and networking for local merchants and other businesses. Matt Murphy said that while downtown merchants generally don’t sell items that are needed every day, they have special and unique gifts, and there should be more discussion about whether downtown should focus more on tourism or on serving local residents. Councilman Donlin noted that retailers nationwide are currently dealing with necessary changes in sales strategies because of the growing online retail market, and downtown businesses may want to focus more on things that have to be obtained in a brick-and-mortar establishment, such as restaurant dining. Ashby said that education goes both ways: helping retailers target and reach their buying audience, and helping potential buyers learn what is available from local retailers. Murphy said that local businesses are sometimes torn between wanting to grow and succeed, and not wanting to lose their small-town identity and image. He will continue working with small businesses on their image and business plans. Ashby said that the City can help the Chamber and local businesses by supporting grant opportunities.
2. Tourism Strategic Plan. Ashby went through the goals, strategies and action plan as revised since the February EDT meeting. City Clerk Rinearson said that the tourism plan should include a provision that if businesses or agencies receiving lodging tax funds do not submit their required annual report to the City, they should be restricted from receiving funds in the following year. Ashby said this requirement should probably be codified for enforcement purposes. Ashby said that the City needs to understand which repeating events that receive City lodging tax funds are good long-term investments for the City, and recipients should be required to provide cost-benefit reports on attendance, sales revenue and expenditures. The City should also consider reducing funding for events that have the capability to be self-supporting. Rinearson said that City retailers and restaurants should be encouraged to collect zip code data for sales. Rinearson, Ashby and Murphy discussed the different roles that the City and the Chamber of Commerce can play in maintaining a community calendar, advertising public events and promoting local tourism. Additional changes to the review draft, as recommended by the committee, will be made by Rinearson and presented for discussion at the April meeting. The committee will continue to work on the goals, policies and strategies in April.
3. Trademark of Wayfinding Logo and Policy for Use of Image. Rinearson updated the committee on the status of trademarking the City’s wayfinding logo. The City may only trademark those items that it has actively used or marketed with the City’s logo. Enforcement of trademark violations is a civil matter that is not enforced by the state. One alternative for trademark use is for the City to receive 5% of the retail price of trademarked items, based on the first retail sale; another alternative is for the City to license the trademark to individual retailers with a one-time flat fee. Rinearson will bring a final version of the trademark use policy document to the EDT committee in April, with the intention of taking it to Council’s work-study meeting in May. Ashby adjourned the meeting at 11:17 a.m. Audio/visual recording was successful. Next Meeting/Location: The next committee meeting is April 10, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers.