Whitefish Sustainable Tourism Management Plan Standing Committee

Sustainable Tourism Management Plan Standing Committee July 21st, 2026 @ 2:00 PM City Council Chambers Conference Room Agenda 1) Call To Order 2) Approval of June 16th, 2026 Minutes 3) Public Comment 4) Guest Speaker: Dr. Melissa Weddell, Director and Research Faculty member at the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) 5) Update: Community Survey 6) Staff updates: Pedestrian & Bicycle Path Advisory Committee, Connect Whitefish, Climate Action Plan Committee, Whitefish Community Housing Committee 7) Next Meeting: August 18th, 2026 2:00-4:00pm 8) Adjourn STMP Committee Meeting Minutes - 16 June 2026 Overview The meeting discussed the approval of meeting minutes, the absence of Heather and Nathan, and the need for city council interaction. The group reviewed the city council work session on May 18, noting the lack of council attendance and the need for biannual presentations. They emphasized the importance of presenting actionable items to the council. The spring town hall event received positive feedback, with suggestions for better promotion. The community survey has garnered 154 responses, aiming for 250. The Green Business Award saw only one application, prompting a reevaluation for the fall. Staff updates included trail construction and housing committee activities. Action Items • [] Prepare and deliver two annual presentations to City Council (in November and next spring) that summarize the community survey results, the fall tourism report, and a set of concrete action items the Sustainable Tourism Management Plan could take, using the work session and volunteer board update opportunities. • [] Follow up with Melissa from ITRR to confirm her availability for the fall town hall, arrange a meeting with her before the event, obtain an official proposal for her appearance, and set up accommodations and compensation using the state-funded budget. • [] Coordinate with Sarah, the membership director, to produce community survey flyers and distribute them to restaurants so they can place them in the back of the house for staff and visitors to see and scan the QR code. • [] Work with George to create an Instagram post that promotes the community survey, including appropriate imagery and a link to the survey, and publish it as a final reminder to residents and visitors. • [] Contact the Chamber of Commerce to ask them to promote the community survey to their membership via their newsletter or social media. • [] Update the community survey so that the deadline is extended through the July 4 weekend and pushed out by approximately 15 days. • [] Place a community survey QR code poster at the front desk in the city hall building when re-upping the existing poster. • [] Have Sarah place community survey QR code posters in selected city hall kiosks. Outline Approval of Meeting Minutes and Public Comment • Bill confirms the need for permission to record and notes the absence of Heather and Nathan. • Bill asks if anyone has reviewed the meeting minutes prepared by Heather; no issues are reported. • Bill calls for a motion to approve the minutes, which is seconded and approved unanimously. • Public comment is noted as having no participants. Debrief on City Council Work Session • Bill discusses the city council work session held on May 18, highlighting the presentation and the lack of city council attendance at the subsequent town hall event. • Zak explains the city council's policy on committee representation, noting that having a city council member on a committee would reduce the number of staff members allowed. • Bill suggests presenting to city council twice a year, focusing on action items and survey results. • Zak agrees and mentions the importance of city council understanding the impact on resort tax collections and budgets. Discussion on City Council Interaction and Future Plans • Zak emphasizes the need for city council to understand the work being done by the committee and suggests presenting at work sessions and town halls. • Tammy inquires about the frequency of city council presentations, and Zak suggests twice a year. • Bill and Matt discuss the importance of city council feedback and the need for clear action items. • Bill expresses hope that regular presentations will lead to more city council involvement and support. Spring Town Hall Event Review • Bill thanks participants for their presentations and comments on the positive interaction and discussion at the spring town hall event. • Zak praises the relevance and interest of the presentations, noting the ongoing discussion and participation. • Bill mentions the positive feedback from a friend who attended. • Zak and Bill discuss the challenges of getting more businesses to participate and the potential benefits of targeted outreach. Community Survey and Green Business Award • Bill and Zak discuss the community survey, noting the current number of responses and the goal of 250. • Zak suggests various strategies to increase survey participation, including social media, newsletters, and flyers. • Heather and Zak discuss the possibility of extending the survey deadline and the potential impact of the July 4 weekend. • Bill and Zak review the Green Business Award, noting the lack of applications and the need to revive the award. Staff Updates and Trail Construction • Tammy provides updates on the Housing Committee, including the development of an application process for community housing grants. • Matt inquires about the status of the viaduct beautification project, and Tammy confirms it is complete. • Nathan provides updates on Whitefish Trails, including the relocation of their office and ongoing trail construction projects. • Matt discusses the challenges of managing trail closures due to logging projects and the impact on trail users. Final Remarks and Next Meeting • Bill confirms the next meeting date and asks Zach to check if Melissa can join. • Zak mentions the possibility of Melissa attending virtually if she cannot join in person. • Bill and Zak discuss the importance of sharing survey results and planning for the fall presentation. • The meeting is adjourned with a motion and unanimous approval.