[wmm] Notes: WMM Aug 17, 2011 8am at Mo's

Wed Aug 17 22:15:01 CDT 2011

Subject: Wednesday Morning Meeting (round-table discussion, everyone welcome)

Date: 8/17/2011  8am

Location: Mo’s

Number in attendance: 11

Present:  KathyK, JimK, WendyH, BrianO, JohnB, SusanBo, CarolHun, TracyMc, JamesS, JimMc, GeorgeV 

Absent: Everybody else

Notes by George Vetter

Discussion Items:

1.       Lodging Tax down 1.6% for Qtr

2.       Good Days & Bad Days

3.       The Experience vs the Product

4.       “People got to Eat”

5.       Last Minute Bookings

6.       Seattle Gift Show

7.       Seagull Pride

8.    Chamber Committees

9.       Next Wednesday Morning Meeting – August 24, 2011, Mo’s, 8am. Bring your own coffee cup. The coffee is courtesy of Mo’s.

1.        GeorgeV: At yesterday’s Chamber Board Meeting, Rich Mays, city manager reported that Cannon Beach Lodging Tax revenues were down 1.6% for the qtr ended June 30. That’s the 3rd straight qtr of decreases. Someone mentioned that factoring in the discounted room rates, occupancy may have actually been up. Seaside was down 5%.

2.       KathyK: Retail has been totally unpredictable – a good day followed by a bad one. There has been parking on Hemlock and in the city lot behind La Luna Loca. JimK says even though the years started out bad, it has been good as of late, but may not be enough to overcome the slow start.  

3.       JimK/TracyMc: It is the Experience that visitors seem to be seeking rather than Products. Traffic to Ecola State Park and Indian Beach is heavier than ever. Flaggers have been needed regularly to avoid letting people in after parking is full – one car out, one car in. Most purchases at Icefire are souvenirs of the experience of spending time with staff learning/watching how glass is blown. KathyK: There is no way us small retailers can compete on price with the giants, but we can give customer service beyond their ability. WendyH/JimK: Relationship is what needs to be focused and concentrated on. Spend time with people building relationship. Finds ways to differentiate yourself. Owners/Managers need to set the example and lead the customer service charge. It is important to set an “upbeat and happy” mood.  GeorgeV: At yesterday’s Chamber Board meeting, Brent Dahl reported that Travel Oregon is using State Lodging Tax dollars with their focus being on culinary and outdoor recreation. 

4.       JamesS: Mo’s has been doing well. “People got to eat”. Kathy says in past summers she has had to wait in line for coffee and pizza, but not so this summer. Tracy agrees. 

5.       JimMc: Tolovana Inn saw fewer visitors during June and July with many waiting till the last minute to book. August has been very good so far, but a lot of it is last minute. For August, the expensive rooms have been selling first.

6.       WendyH: The Seattle Gift show was last week. It was much smaller than in the past and was very slow.

7.       SusanBo: Seagull Pride publishes 4 times a year as in insert in the CB Gazette and Seaside Signal. Sign up now for the Fall issue. Sign up for all 4 to receive a 10% discount. Susan Boac 503-436-2812 GazetteAds at countrymedia.net. 

8.       WendyH: WOW (Women Only Weekend) organizational meeting is set for Tues (Aug 23) at 5pm at the Ocean Lodge. All are invited to participate – wendy at theoceanlodge.com. 

9.       GeorgeV: Chamber Committees and Board Liasons for the coming year are Finance – Chamber Treasurer, Marketing – Kristine Gottsch, Membership – Christen Allsop, Events – Tim Krupa, Facilities – Jim McDonald, Management – Tim Krupa, Culinary – Carol Hungerford, 

10.   Next Wednesday Morning Meeting – Aug 24, 2011, Mo’s, 8am. Bring your own coffee cup. The coffee is courtesy of Mo’s.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVend

Subject: Wednesday Morning Meeting (round-table discussion, everyone welcome)

Date: 8/10/2011  8am

Location: Mo’s

Number in attendance: 16

Present:  CruzF, MarkS, KathyK, StephanieA, SusanBo, JimK, WendyH, BrianO, JohnB, RobinR, JamesS, TracyA, TracyMc, LindaD, MelodyC, GeorgeV

Absent: Everybody else

Notes by George Vetter

Discussion Items:

1.       Marketing the North Oregon Coast

2.       Water Main Replacement – Spruce St

3.       Undergrounding Utilities

4.       Shuttle’s Future

5.       Choral Conductors Workshop Report

6.       TAC Deadline Sept 1

7.   Next Wednesday Morning Meeting – August 17, 2011, Mo’s, 8am. Bring your own coffee cup. The coffee is courtesy of Mo’s.

 1.       WendyH: 11 people were at the meeting here yesterday to further discuss Cannon Beach’s participation in a North Oregon Coast Partnership. Jon Rahl (Director of Tourism Marketing, Seaside Visitors Bureau, City of Seaside JRahl at CityofSeaside.us) was back, this time with Skip Hauke and ReginaM from the Astoria/Warrenton Chamber. Valerie Ryan expressed her opposition to spending money on “branding” the “North Oregon Coast”. Too much time and money gets “wasted” in this exercise. George suggested that the uniqueness of each town be emphasized. George also suggested that the partnership would benefit Astoria/Warrenton more than Seaside and Seaside more than Cannon Beach since the towns vary considerable in size, resources and potential benefits. Jon explained that the deadline to get an application into Travel Oregon for state motel tax money is Aug 22. In answer to Brent’s question about what would happen if Cannon Beach does not join in, Jon said that Seaside and Astoria/Warrenton would go ahead on their own. Brent expressed concern with the timing of this partnership, siting the lack of funds and the short time he has been on the job along with the projects he already has on his plate. 

2.       Mark See Public Works Director (503)436-8066 and Public Works Foreman, Cruz Flores (503)436-8068 announced an upcoming project replacing the 8”water main on Spruce Street with 12”. The project will take place in the fall. There will be no water disruption, only torn up streets. To minimize disruption, the city has chosen to serve as the general contractor. Work will progress about 100’ at a time so large sections will not be impacted at once. The work cannot be done in the wet season. Some work will be done on Second St between Spruce and Hemlock. Since the Spruce St pavement still has some years left in it, patching will be used rather than repaving. Sheets were passed announcing upcoming information meetings, but later in the day Mark said that the project was put on hold and the meetings would not take place.

3.       GeorgeV: When Hemlock was torn up a few years back, the opportunity was seized to bury utilities thus eliminating power poles on the west side of Hemlock. Mark says it is kind of late to incorporate this, but a larger obstacle is money. It would be expensive. Anybody got a source of funds for this?

4.       WendyH: City Council is looking at what will happen to the Shuttle after Labor Day. They previously approved funding through Labor Day. There is no money in the budget for it. Kathy says money set aside in the budget for other items could be shifted to cover this important service. A Regional Transit Worksession is set for Aug 18 from 9am-12pm at the Seaside Library to look at connecting transit all along the coast. 

5.       JohnB: The George Fox Univ Choral Conductors Workshop that was held in town last week should be getting a bigger welcome and more support from our community. We could welcome them with gift bags like we do for the cruise ships. 

6.       RobinR: The deadline for applications for Tourism and Arts Commission funds is Sept 1.

7.       Next Wednesday Morning Meeting – Aug 17, 2011, Mo’s, 8am. Bring your own coffee cup. The coffee is courtesy of Mo’s.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVend

Subject: Wednesday Morning Meeting (round-table discussion, everyone welcome)

Date: 8/3/2011  8am

Location: Mo’s

Number in attendance: 23

Present:  WendyH, ShandaB, ValelrieR, JonR, SueM, RobS, KeithC, LisaS, BrianO, JohnB, KristineG, TracyMc, MikeF, RussV, BrentD, GaryH, StephanieA, SusanB, JimK, RobinR, KevinL, LindaD, GeorgeV.

Absent: Everybody else

Notes by George Vetter

Discussion Items:

14.   Marketing the North Oregon Coast

15.   Clatsop County Fair thru Sat

16.   Seaside First Saturday Art Walk

17.   Coaster Theatre Happenings

18.   Choral Conductors Workshop Concert Friday night

19.   Chocolate Café’s Grand Opening Saturday

20.   Male Ensemble Northwest Thursday Aug 4 at 7pm

21.   WOW – Women Only Weekend Nov 11-13

22.   Oregon Coast Magazine to feature CB in Sept-Oct issue

23.   Oregon Coast Mag’s 30,000 twitter followers

24.   Coast Explorer’s App

25.   Seaside App

26.   Next Wednesday Morning Meeting – August 10, 2011, Mo’s, 8am. Bring your own coffee cup. The coffee is courtesy of Mo’s.

9.       Much of today’s meeting was taken up by discussion of a joint effort by Astoria, Seaside and Cannon Beach to promote the “North Oregon Coast” Jon Rahl (Director of Tourism Marketing, Seaside Visitors Bureau, City of Seaside JRahl at CityofSeaside.us) explained that a total of $10,000 ($3333 each) is being sought to get things rolling. Astoria and Seaside are already committed. The group will go after an additional $10,000 from Travel Oregon (State Motel Tax $). A website, social media and TV ads are part of the tentative marketing plan. The Southern Oregon Coast has already done a similar thing. A committee with reps from our three communities would be formed. KGW is a potential developer of a plan. Nothing is likely to reach potential visitors till Spring 2012. Marketing would be for off-season.

SueM: Cannon Beach TAC $ could be sought to bolster his effort, but a local 501 C 3 or 6 organization would have to make the ask. The Chamber and the Gallery Group were mentioned as options. 

GeorgeV: The site for the Southern Oregon Coast is very well done and a Northern Oregon Coast site should be even better. As a Cannon Beach business person, George would like to see Seattle and BC, Canada as the target markets rather than Portland and Oregon.  

BrentD: Would this be a break with OCVA? Since Motel Tax dollars are already going to OCVA and they have developed a website and brand, are we not creating another level of bureaucracy? 

        SueM: As a OCVA board member, Sue does not feel that this effort would take away from OCVA. 

JonR: Because of rules set by Travel Oregon, OCVA cannot use state $ to target just one specific market. 

Lisa: The idea of TV ads for Cannon Beach and the North Oregon Coast seems like a good one.

Russ Vandenberg (Seaside Visitor Bureau & Seaside Civic & Convention Center) Marketing the North Oregon Coast as a brand with participation of all three communities has support from his organization.

KristineG: This all sounds good, but we want to be careful to not dilute our existing efforts to the point of nothing being effective. 

 ValerieR: $3300 is not that much money for Cannon Beach to come up with even in this economy. This is an opportunity to call attention to what the North Oregon Coast specifically has to offer.

BrianO: Newport and Lincoln City are already doing TV ads.

Lisa: It would be nice to see a breakdown of how State and City Motel tax $ are being spent. Brent says the state info is available t http://industry.traveloregon.com/About-Oregon-Tourism-Commission/2013-Draft-Strategic-Plan.aspx. The city can be seen at www.cannon-beach.net/city/Distribution_Totals_FY2010-11.pdf  

TracyMc: Working together with Seaside and Astoria can only be good for Cannon Beach.

BrentD: A follow-up meeting should take place right away considering the short time we have to get a preliminary proposal in. Lisa says Mo’s will host the meeting. It will take place Tuesday Aug 9th at 8am. 

10.   GeorgeV: T The Clatsop County Fair is in progress thru Saturday - http://www.clatsopfairgrounds.com

11.    JonR: Seaside First Saturday Art Walk is this Saturday -  <http://www.seasideor.com/item.asp?iid=19&eid=28> www.seasideor.com/item.asp?iid=19&eid=28 

12.    Pia: 3 Plays and other events at Coaster Theatre – www.coastertheatre.com 

13.    JohnB: Choral Conductors Workshop and Concert August 1-5, 2011. Choral conductors of choirs at all levels are invited to a George Fox Univ workshop with Rod Eichenberger. A Friday night performance at the CB Elementary is open to the public. http://www.georgefox.edu/choralconductors/retreat.html. See GVetter’s photos from last year at http://www.cannon-beach.net/events/ChoralWorkshop/ChoralWorkshop2010. 

14.    ShandaB: Chocolate Café’s grand opening is Saturday.

15.    Male Ensemble Northwest Thursday Aug 4 7pm at Presbyterian Church. www.menorthwest.org  

16.    WendyH: WOW (Women Only Weekend) November 11-13. Kristine says Escape lodging will be soliciting items for goodie bags they will be giving to thieir guests. Contact Wendy about participation – wendy at theoceanlodge.com. 

17.    GeorgeV: Thanks to Rob Spooner and Oregon Coast Magazine for choosing to feature Cannon Beach in the upcoming Sept-Oct issue. The cover will be Cannon Beach (a George Vetter image)

18.    RobS: Oregon Coast Magazine has been building followers through twitter though various accounts. The already have a network of 30,000 followers. Contact Rob to find out how to tie in. 

19.    GaryH: Coast Explorer’s mobile app is due out in a week or so. www.coastexplorermagazine.com 

20.    JonR: The Seaside app is out. At last check, 1500 downloads had taken place.   http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/seaside-or/id440885218?mt=8 

21.   Next Wednesday Morning Meeting – Aug 10, 2011, Mo’s, 8am. Bring your own coffee cup. The coffee is courtesy of Mo’s.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVend

Cannon-Beach Net’s July page ranking report 

Cannon-Beach.Net’s - July 2011 – Page Report

Key Pages on Cannon-Beach Net