Everett City Council

The City of Everett Lodging Tax Advisory Committee met February 8, 2017, 12:00 a.m. in the Everett City Council chambers. Those in attendance: Council Vice President / LTA Chair Cassie Franklin, Council member / Chair of Budget and Finance Scott Murphy, Melissa Springer, Kristy Kentch, Glenda Anderson, Lucy Krawinkel and Deb Williams. 5 members of the public attended. 1. Welcome and introductions done by Chair Cassie Franklin. 2. Review of the applications. Chair Franklin stated each application would be reviewed with the guidelines previously used to bring people to Everett and look at tourism, marketing, whether it was a new event, was it an off season event and did it encourage overnight stays. If time allowed, the committee along with Council member Murphy, Budget Committee chair would make their recommendations for the allocation of funds. The total amount available to applicants is $300,000.00. The applications listed below are in no particular order. VILLAGE THEATRE PROMOTING 3 SHOWS STARTING WITH A PROPER PLACE asking $40,000.00 this year. They received $32,000.00 last year. This is primarily an off-Season event promoting 3 shows September 1 through June 30, 2017. Funding request focused on Marketing and brings a lot of overnight stays. Member Springer stated she also looks at what kind of overnight stays and does not see a lot of traffic on this one. Member Kentch stated they do see quite a bit of overnight stays including casting crew for each of the events. EVERETT’S COLORS OF FREEDOM FOURTH OF JULY asking $30,000.00 this year. They received $15,000.00 last year. Partnering with Yankee Doodle Dash. Member Anderson would like Carol Thomas to include the number of attendees from out of area over 50 miles and out of state out of country on her surveys. SORTICULTURE asking $24,000.00 this year. They received $20,000.00 last year. Request for funds is focused on Marketing such as digital, social, print and advertising as well as social media. All committee members praised this event which brings people in, including vendors to the area hotels and restaurants. Member Anderson would like to know if the booth fees are included in the $62,200 match. Per Carol Thomas the booth fees each year are put directly in to the City of Everett General Funds. 1 SCHACK ARTS CENTER EXHIBITS AND EVENTS asking $78,950.00 this year. They received $49,115.00.00. LTA Board member Glenda Anderson recused herself. Highlight events that run Off Season. Members felt request for (2500.00) Pole Banners in Everett that direct visitors to the Schack was a duplication of the Wayfinding signs application submitted by the DEA so they felt that amount should be deducted as it was a duplicate fund. Ferry and transit advertising on WA ferries North Sound Zone: from Edmonds Kingston north to Anacortes San Juan Islands/ Sidney, BC. The Herald, Seattle Times, The Stranger, Visitor Guide Preview Gallery Guide Glass Quarterly which is a quarterly magazine aimed at glass artists, collectors, galleries architects and designers. Public Radio stations KNKX and KUOW. Television KCTS 9 digital and TV ad campaigns. YMCA YANKEE DOODLE DASH asking $5000.00 this year. They received $3000.00 last year. LTA Board member Kristy Kentch recused herself. Partnering with City. Requests for funds focused on marketing. Members loved the event and believe attendance numbers may be underestimated but hard to track with this being part of the 4th of July event. IMAGINE THE HOLIDAYS IMAGINE CHILDRENS MUSEUM asking $13,840.00. They were awarded $6460.00 but decided to pass on funds. The dates focus on off season. They are partnering on more than one of their events with 4 new events focusing on the Holidays. Request is focused on specific marketing campaign clearly identified in the application. FISHERMANS VILLAGE MUSIC FESTIVAL asking $20,000.00 this year. They received $10,000.00 last year. This is an off season unique event which is a goal of the city. Challenge with respect to budget presented. Asking for $20,000 with a projected budget identifying $18,000.00 which a $2000.00 discrepancy. Applicant identified that Artists will be paid for by PSA from city and ticket sales. Marketing $12,500.00 is identified as design printing photography and video, advertising, banners, social media advertising, Production $5000.00, Theatre $2,500.00. Last year received Marketing for specifically identified marketing connections. Members stated the applicant filled out application combining the match and city and found the application hard to follow. DOWNTOWN EVERETT PEDESTRIAN WAYFINDING SIGNAGE asked for $25,000.00. This is a new event so no funds allocated last year. Fantastic event, while overnight stays and promotions are unmeasurable Members were very favorable to this application as benefits the entire community. Chair Franklin stated the request for wayfinding signs has been a concern since she joined the Council. Member Springer expressed concern the DEA had the capability to do such a large project. 2 EVERETT CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL asking for $11,000.00. This is a new event for this person so no funds allocated to this person. Mr. Loranger is not a 501c3 nor a Public Entity but D.E.A provided written documentation to sponsor FIZZ serving as the Non Profit. We cannot fund dollars for “Misc.” Request focused on Marketing but may also fund staffing and security $8000.00 and Production $4000.00. Total $23,000.00 EVERETT OKTOBERFEST asking $30,000.00. This is a new event so no funds allocated last year. No specific dates, Concern over same person doing both events in 2 months. A lot of planning involved. Committee members felt this event duplicated Sausage fest. The committee recommends to fund the Craft Festival only at this time as he is new to events in Everett and encourages applicant to apply again next year for both events and spread them out. REPLACEMENT THEATRE SEATING FOR EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS asking $95,000.00. This is a new event with no funds allocated lasts year. Although this is a Capital Improvement members expressed concern over the funds the City receives. This is a city owned facility. While all committee members agree the Everett Performing Arts Center is a wonderful facility purchasing seating does not promote tourism. THE EVERETT QUILT SHOW asking for $8816.00. This is a new event no funds allocated last year. This is a great event partnering with 3 hotels with 30 rooms booked, 10 each at the Courtyard, the Best Western and the Hampton. The Best Western will be providing shuttles to various points of interest in the city for all the participants. Guests are arriving at AMTRAK at Everett Station. Additional expense would be $500.00 for printing Maps and narratives on quilts. Supplies are for the production of the quilts for an additional $685.00. Total would be 10,001.00. OLYMPIC BALLET asking for $5000.00. Did not ask for funds last year. Request focused on promotion, design and marketing. This is an off season event and committee recommends full funding. Committee will meet February 15, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. to determine the amount of funds to allocate to each applicant. Board member Glenda Anderson will not be present but has agreed to list her proposed allocations for all applicants except the Schack. Board member Anderson recused herself from the Schack as she is an employee. Once she has completed her recommendations she will forward those to Chair Franklin. Board member Anderson stated she concurs with committee final recommendations except for the Schack as she recused herself. Meeting Adjourned at 1:05 p.m. 3