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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021/04/21 MASON COUNTY LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting Minutes 411 North 51" Street, Shelton, WA 98584 Wednesday, April 21, 202199. 00 a . m . Members in attendance via Zoom : Chair Sharon Trask, Nathan Welch , Duane Wilson , Heidi McCutcheon , Pam Volz, Shaun Tucker, and Liz Arbaugh . Also in attendance was Deidre Peterson and Rachel Hansen . Chair Trask called the meeting to order at 9 : 00 a . m . Approval of Minutes Duane/Pam moved and seconded to approve the January 20, 2021 meeting minutes. Motion carried. LTAC Members Term Expiration All members agreed to serve another term . Still one vacancy for a "generator" , Heidi will reach out to a couple of eligible people to see if they want to serve on the committee . Quarterly Reports Quarterly Reports from Visitor Information Centers and Northwest Event Organizers a . Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce Heidi presented the Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce 2021 11t Quarter Report . Many volunteers have been vaccinated and are back . The Hoodsport VIC is closed Tuesday-Wednesday; however, the National Park Service will return May 17th, 2021 and the VIC will resume normal hours . The Caboose VIC is open to the public as of mid -January and had a special visitor, The Grinch ( Tony Solano ) , show up to remove the garland and lights . Engagement for the Facebook pages, website traffic, and Google analytics has continued to grow . Mason County Restaurant Takeout and Delivery Options was renamed to Eat Local Mason County , YMCA Inside Look was one of the top landing pages as well as COVID - 19 resources . The 32 - page Business Matters issue published in March highlighted the 2021 remote Legislative Session , introduced new Chamber board members, annual goals, and the formation of non - profit foundation for beautification and education . Duane inquired about a topography map on the wall and asked that if VIC hours change that LTAC be informed . He shared concerns about paying for services and not getting them . Heidi previously discussed with Sharon and Diane about the subsidized sale of maps, passes, apparel , restricting the number of visitors, and installing safety barriers . Sharon feels communication is critical . b . North Mason Chamber of Commerce Pam presented the North Mason Chamber of Commerce 2021 1st Quarter Report . Visit Union kicked off a social media campaign to attract visitors to local waterfalls . This series had a reach of over 43 , 000 people . One -on - one is still preferred but they are working on user-friendly options for phones and tablets . The Visit Union Facebook page will promote Washington State Park Free days . The Eat Local — Win Local campaign uses QR codes and includes all restaurants, not just members . There is a heavy focus on fishing licenses with fishing season beginning and an increase in Discover Passes . They will be hosting a complimentary two - hour customer service training workshop per location potentially via Zoom . This Summer they are hoping to get back to events and launch in July a way to reengage on recreation program for outdoor adventures . c . Mason County Historical Museum Liz presented the Historical Museum 2021 11t Quarter Report . The museum reopened March 23rd and they are seeing an increase of visitors from all over the country . Currently they are working on clearing out "visible storage" and sold vintage books netting them approximately $400 . The LTAC Meeting Minutes — April 21, 2021 December 315t, 2021 . If funding is pulled , the Hoodsport VIC will be closed . The top priorities are not VIC, it is helping businesses and connecting to resources . Many visitors Google to search for directions or phone numbers and traffic has increased substantially over the last 12 months . Pam shared it is hard to put a dollar amount on VIC services, you have people who know the area and have a passion to help visitors find new places . Shaun asked if these volunteers can answer specific questions such as the best lure to use for fishing, how to find a specific trail , what the best restaurant is, etc . He feels we need to face reality from an economic standpoint and that a different strategy would suffice and provide an equal amount of information and guidance . Sharon shared that 68% of LTAC collected is awarded out and that we can look at that percentage and determine if we have different options . The RCW is not specific on how funds are distributed . LTAC can decide how and take that idea to the Board . Shaun asked if we can use a more modern approach for human interaction . Heidi shared that 68 % of the budget goes to general tourism , 15 % to events and festivals, 30 % to VIC, and 2 % to general reserves funds . Sharon asked if the VICs can show us how they are changing with the times . Shaun commented a large amount goes to the building and asked if it is worth funding . Sharon suggested we change contribution amounts . Duane shared that Pierce County does not have a VIC, their brick and mortar VIC was defunded . Heidi commented that Pierce County has a visitor and convention center bureau , which Mason County does not have . Shaun asked about the demographics of visitors in Mason County . Rachel answered the focus on marketing is targeting groups that are coming for the right reasons . She is working with the Ridge to see how we can help the tourism they bring in . Infrastructure is needed to coordinate that . Nathan brought up the smaller VICs in Allyn and Dosewallips and that if it isn ' t broken , don ' t fix it . Mason County has a huge potential for more lodging . Other Business - none Public Comment - none Calendar The next meeting is May 4, 2021 at 9 : 00 a . m . Adiourn The meeting adjourned at 11 : 09 a . m . LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON ATTEST: LTAC Clerk Chair