Staff Reports
Tourism held their last meeting of the fiscal year this week and determined they are right on track on expected revenue growth over last year.
According to financial reports provided by City Hall, Tourism has received $186,627.96 or 88.87% of budgeted revenue at the end of August. Board president Colleen Taylor said there was an additional check from Avenu for $17,973 for September, putting the budget at $206,608 for the year.
Expenses wise, as of the end of August, the board had spent $168,314.13, and there is an additional $14-15,000 in advertising bills to be paid. That will still put the total expenditures at approximately $180,000 – $26,000 under received revenue and $30,000 under budget.
Taylor also provided the board with her “wish list” of items needed at the Visitor’s Center building she had turned in to Council for their budgeting purposes. Items on the list included new tables, a commercial coffee pot, and bookshelves for storage. She also included items like trash cans for regular use by visitors, new decorations for the City Christmas Tree, and funds for repair and maintenance on the trestle bridge.
According to board member B.W. Brooks, the city is in the running to host the Meeting Planners International Board Retreat in November. The tourism board joined the organization last year in hopes of attracting more weekday, small to medium sized business conferences during the week.
The city has attend several events by MPI and is hoping to have the MPI Board retreat here in town to help them better understand what Jefferson has to offer.
In that light, the Tourism Board approved spending up to $300 for Brooks to attend a MPI Golfing event this weekend.
Bob Thomas provided an update on the “Windows into History” project he’s spearheading. Thomas said the first two pictures have been sent in for production, and he hopes to have them back in the next few weeks. Thomas would like the Tourism Board to hold an event dedicating the windows and showcasing them for local residents.
Pam Thomas said there were no planned updates to advertising at this time, except that they will be dropping the NBC affiliate in Tyler and replacing it with the ABC affiliate in Tyler. She said they are the premier station in the Tyler area.
Lastly, the board added to a future agenda a discussion on the possibility of the City hosting a Paddlefish Festival, maybe next July or August, to celebrate the City and County having designated the Paddlefish as the official fish of the City and County. Marion County is the only county in Texas with an active program to reintroduce the species into local waters.
The board will meet again at 5:30 p.m. October 11, 2022.