Tourism Development Authority Regular Meeting- Budget Public Hearing

Agenda Tourism Development Authority Regular Meeting Budget Public Hearing 5:30 PM June 6, 2024 Board Meeting Room, Town Hall Annex, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Chair Meaghun Darab, Dani Black, and Victoria Pace Staff: Planning and Economic Development Manager Shannan Campbell 1. Call to order Chair Meaghun Darab called the meeting to order at 5:35 pm 2. Agenda changes and approval Chair Darab asked if there are any changes to the agenda, there were none. Motion: Member Victoria Pace moved to approve agenda as presented. Member Dani Black seconded. Vote: 3-0 3. Minutes review and approval Chair Darab asked if there were any changes or clarification needed from the April 24th, 2024 meeting minutes for review and approval. Black asked for the minutes to be updated; stating that she does not volunteer with the Coastal Horizons Group as listed in last month’s meeting but works in a similar type of industry. She stated having no affiliation with that organization personally. Black then motioned to have the minutes from the last meeting approved with the addition of that statement added. This motion was seconded by Pace. Motion: Black moved to approve the April 24th, 2024 minutes with the revisions noted. Member Pace seconded. Vote: 3-0 4. Action Items A. Open Budget Public Hearing Darab opened the public hearing. Campbell stated that there was no one present or signed up to speak to the public hearing portion of the meeting. 101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-732-1270 | www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov www.visithillsboroughnc.com | @HillsboroughNC Tourism Development Authority Regular Meeting Agenda | 1 of 3  TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AGENDA | 2 of 3 Motion: Darab noted that there were no speakers and moved to close the public hearing. Member Black seconded. Vote: 3-0 B. Draft FY25 TDA Budget Campbell explained that the budget looked largely as it did at the last review, however there was $2,500 programmed in for the joint parking study for downtown and west Hillsborough that was being done with funds from the town, tourism board, and TDA to study and identify parking needs in these areas for residents and visitors shopping, dining, and attending events in downtown. She explained that these funds were in the budget from FY24 but needed to be rolled to FY25 as the parking study wouldn’t get started until next fiscal year. Campbell also noted the recommendation of the addition of an added information kiosk in the West Hillsborough area. The location within the median of the parking area is away from utilities. Campbell also recommended the need for additional holiday decoration items. These items included possible presents to sit beside the holiday tree downtown, photo op wooden cut out item to be placed at the Visitors Center. Campbell stated that both the kiosk and additional decoration items have been added to the budget for approval but could be removed following the discussion from this board. Pace stated that she was in favor of using the additional funding amount for holiday décor items and felt that the board had a healthy budget for such items. Darab requested clarification from Campbell on the items in the budget that are listed as miscellaneous; Campbell provided examples of these items. Black stated also being in support of additional holiday decoration but requested staff to see if there was a way to involve local artists and to attempt to have these items sourced locally instead. She said in particular she thought that a local artist may be able to make the photo op wooden cut out. Darab was also in support of the decorations being possibly sourced locally but noted the convenience of maintenance for the ordered fiberglass decoration option. The board members discussed pigs provided at Hog Day as an example of the work of local artists. Pace recommended a combination approach of the wooden photo-op option being locally made but the fiberglass presents be ordered, due to the need for weather resistant materials. Black requested a timeline for when an order would need to be placed to purchase the presents in order for them to be delivered prior to the holiday season. Campbell stated that a decision on the fiberglass presents would need to be made in the next month or so in order to ensure their arrival before the holidays. The board discussed further the option of a hybrid outcome with one item being made locally and the other ordered. The board members agreed to add the holiday decorations to the FY25 budget and have Campbell explore what, if anything, could be made locally. Campbell indicated that Katie Murray with OCAC may be approaching the board with a request for funding for Uproar public art festival. Darab requested clarification from Campbell regarding items in the accommodation marketing line items. Campbell stated that these items include advertising for local lodging, hotels, motels, and Airbnb’s. These items include third party influencers work for social media posts as well as event photographers who provide the Town with digital content to use for advertising.  TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AGENDA | 3 of 3 Darab requested any additional comments or concerns. There were none. Motion: Darab requested the motion to approve the 2025 budget with the addition of the items as discussed and to roll the $2500 needed from the previous year to complete the parking study. Vote: 3-0 5. Monthly reports/updates Campbell updated the board on a concern that was raised from a member of the public. She explained that they were in a photo that was used in a piece of marketing material and they were not happy with the use of the photo. She indicated that the photo was taken legally, in a public setting- where permission is not needed for photography, and the photo was used with permission from the photographer. She said that she was working to correct the issue because the purpose of marketing is to uplift the town and its visitors, not to upset people. She said that she was working with the impacted parties to correct the issue, which may include covering it up with another image or some other mutually agreeable solution. Darab asked how to better prevent something like this from happening in the future. Campbell said that it may be impossible to avoid it ever happening again, but that she will be reviewing these types of photos and requesting permission from individuals shown prominently or identifiably in the future. 6. Adjournment Darab motioned to adjourn the meeting at 6:08pm Respectfully submitted, Shannan Campbell Planning and Economic Development Manager Staff support to the Hillsborough Tourism Development Authority Approved: May 21, 2025