Minutes: Tourism; October 2012

City of Evansville Economic Development Committee Subcommittee on Tourism Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 6 PM Creekside Place, 102 Maple St., Evansville, WI MINUTES 1. Call to order at 6:04 p.m. 2. Roll call. Present: Sue Berg, John Decker, Mary Rajek; Ex Officio Jim Brooks. Guests: Sarah Bauer, Brandon Rutz. Absent: Dave VanDerHaegen, Sandy Decker. 3. Motion to approve agenda. Decker/Rajek. Unanimous. 4. Motion to waive the reading of the minutes from August 7, 2012, and approve them as printed. Rajek/Decker. Unanimous. 5. Citizen appearances. None. 6. Marketing/promotional opportunities. a. Jim Brooks will represent Evansville Nov. 14 at meeting with Beloit CVB and potentially Janesville CVB to discuss the I-39/90 reconstruction/ expansion project and its impact on communities via detours. Discussion included how to measure impact, such as using car counts. DOT overview and updates are offered at www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/swregion/i3990/index.htm b. The walking tour handbook narrative is being updated by John Decker, Ruth Ann Montgomery and John Ehle. Three historic districts have been added in Evansville; properties from Grove and South First districts will be added, as will Lake Leota Park. Decker took several new photos. Decker and Brooks will look into Rock Hour Community Timebank or alternative services for a typist to key in the original handbook plus other materials. c. The Discover Wisconsin brochure will be updated and printed. Mary Rajek will update the list of businesses. John Decker has replacement photos for the cover and will review the history narrative. Jim Brooks and Sue Berg will review the remaining narrative and images. Berg will collect all the information and contact the original printer for an estimate. d. There is interest in encouraging the use of QR codes in the Evansville retail and historic districts. Rajek will survey local businesses about current use. 7. Retail Market Analysis Subcommittee Sarah Bauer and Brandon Rutz reported early results from business and consumer surveys, which are still available online. They also are studying marketing signage opportunities—such as billboards or digital signs--that would promote activities/shopping in Evansville. Signage was identified as a concern during the tourism assessment process. It was recommended that signage be addressed at the Economic Development Committee meeting, and that the Retail Market Analysis Subcommittee continue as a regular item on the Tourism Committee agenda. 8. Review of year’s activities Sue Berg presented a report of activities conducted since the first tourism meeting was held Sept. 20, 2011. The report is attached. 9. Tourism updates: a. Patrick Reinsma with the Wisconsin Tourism Department conducted a customer service workshop twice on Oct. 3, 2012, at Creekside Place. Dave Warren of Dave’s Ace Hardware assisted the presentation. About 14 people total attended. b. Sue Berg and John Decker represented Evansville Tourism at the Business Expo I October at Creekside Place. c. Information about significant Evansville events in 2013 was entered into the Tourism Department web site database prior to the Oct. 19 deadline for inclusion in the spring publication. d. In the Prettiest Painted Places national competition, Evansville was the only one out of seven Wisconsin communities to make it to final judging in its region. The contest generated national exposure for Evansville and all entries through Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and other national media. e. A late-September bus tour brought Columbia (South America) Beef Producers to Creekside Place for a late lunch and presentation in connection with their visit to the World Dairy Expo and Larson Acres. A second bus tour brought tourists to lunch at Creekside Place, plus a downtown historical tour with John Decker. f. 14 South Artists Tour and the Ice Age Trail had no updates. g. The State Fair winner of Evansville’s weekend package did come to Evansville to spend the night and attend Oktoberfest. This was also the person who won Beloit’s weekend package at the State Fair. h. Oktoberfest was successful with about 180 attendees, and about 60 different beers from approximately 20 breweries. i. The Health Fair was well attended and offered educational programs as well as vendor exhibits. j. Creekside Place plans to launch a monthly speaker series, possibly starting in December 2012. The Evansville Fund has indicated it will offer a grant to help underwrite expenses. k. The bridge historical plaque has been approved by the Wisconsin Historical Marker program, submitted to Sewah Monument Company foundry for manufacturing, and may be ready in November. A late spring or summer dedication was discussed. John Decker reported that additional historical markers may be pursued for Lake Leota Park, and the Theodore Robinson boyhood home, currently a private residence occupied by Tom and Mary Beaver who have indicated a willingness to have the home designated. l. Jim Brooks reported interest in developing a geocaching festival in the fall of 2013. m. The 150th anniversary of the railroad’s presence in Evansville will be commemorated July 2013. John Decker anticipates recruiting train aficionados Steve and Carol Culbertson and student Hayden Barlass. n. The year 2014 marks the 175th anniversary of settlement in the area; the year 2016 marks the 150th anniversary of the community. 10. New business. Information has been collected for a 2013 master calendar list of pertinent tourism events and activities for Evansville. The calendar has been submitted to the Rock County Tourism Guide. 11. Next meeting. The Tourism Committee will set a schedule to meet every other month. The next scheduled meeting is proposed for 6 p.m. Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at Creekside Place. 12. Meeting adjourned 8:02 p.m. Rajek/Decker.