Staff Reports/Jefferson Jimplecute
Focusing the City’s advertising online and streaming commercials appears to have paid off for the Jefferson Convention and Visitors Bureau Board as they are projected to finish off the 2020-2021 year with $43,000 in extra HOT revenue.
The CVVB Board set their budget for $135,000 and should finish up with almost $180,000.
“In looking at the August check, we’ll have $138,000 [total] in July,” said board president Colleen Taylor. “In looking at income, were at 138,291. We’re get a check for $18,261, that will put us at $156,452. Then $12,000 for our July check, and $15,000 for August, and then this $7,275 coming in, that should put us right at $180,000. So why not go for $200,000.”
As a result, they’re proposing a $210,000 2021-2022 budget. The first proposal made at Monday night’s special meeting appears to show only a few tweaks to the existing plan.
The biggest increase is in the Advertising line item as it increases from $101,000 to $160,000. The details of how those funds will be spent will be presented at a special meeting in August, according to board member Pam Thomas. Thomas indicated she will not be at the regular August meeting so the plan would need to be towards the end of the month.
“I’ve asked Anderson for a comprehensive report on advertising this year,” said Thomas. “What we did, what we can do, what worked, what didn’t. That reports not ready yet. But I
to see us, with Anderson, expand into the Houston market as we’re currently doing zero there.
“We’ll continue to do the North East Texas Tourism Council book and their map,” Thomas continued. “We’ll continue running the commercial in the Tyler DNA and Shreveport DNA, the Christmas show, TourTexas.com, and I’ve kept some monies for production, photography and special promotions, about $10,000, in the plan.”
B.W. Brooks suggested adding a Contingency and New Event line items of $5,000 each so unforeseen advertising opportunities and event coordinators would be encouraged to bring their events to Jefferson. The details of the New Event item would work similar to a reimbursable grant program, and Taylor said she would work on a form for applicants.
“[The event] would need to put ‘Heads in Beds’,” said Thomas.
“Yes, it would need to be a two day event,” said Brooks.
Morehead asked if they were planning any sort of raise for their employees. Currently the board employees two part-time workers for staffing of the building and to answer visitor questions.
City Administrator Eric Kuykendall said currently the payroll expenses are well within the existing budget of $20,000, so, the 3% raise the City is considering for employees would easily fit inside the budget.
Other items proposed:
• Insurance, reducing from $1,000 to $800
• Avenu (firm which collects the HOT funds) increases from $3,100 to $4,000
• Supplies increases from $600 to $700 due to costs associated with larger number of visitors
• Phone and Internet, decrease from $2,500 to $2,300. Taylor indicated she is working to try and reduce the building to just one phone line
• Postage increases from $500 to $1,000. Due to the partnership with Marion County Media, which publishes the Jimplecute and the Discover Jefferson & Marion County visitor’s guide. Currently the board provides a list and quantity of locations to mail the guide to and reimburses MCM the postage. The increase is to cover those costs.
• Membership increases from $6,100 to $7,000. Taylor said the largest fee is with THLA and they will see an increase due to more lodging options in town and that the current dues were paid out of the previous year’s budget.
• Texas Music Friendly Community, is a new item. City Council is reviewing the board’s request to join this program and Taylor added $1,700 to the budget to begin covering expenses if approved.
•Travel, is another new item. Brooks has requested they start attending some media promoters events to increase awareness of Jefferson. The item as an initial budget add of $1,000.
Jimplecute publisher Hugh Lewis asked what happens if HOT misses the projected revenue.
“Just playing devil’s advocate, but, this is the largest budget you’ve had in over a decade,” Lewis said. “So, what happens if revenue is flat for next year and you only bring in $180,000 or less? Do you have enough funds in reserve to cover the difference?”
“We have about $50,000 in reserves, and we’ll have the overage from this year, so we should be fine,” said Taylor. “$200,000 is doable, but $225 makes me nervous.”
Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker chimed in, “you should get $43,000 extra from this year, so there should be plenty.”
The board still has to formally present their budget request to City Council for final approval. Baker said the Council hasn’t set the dates for those workshops yet, but the board should attend the first one and present their budget then. The Tourism budget is self funded by HOT revenue and does not receive any funds from the City’s General Fund budgets.
Video of the meeting can be found on the Jimplecute/Marion County Herald Facebook and YouTube channels.