AUBURN’S HISTORIC & CULTURAL SITES COMMISSION
Meeting minutes from March 25, 2003
Present: B. M. Lewis, S. Craner, J. McCormick, M. Goodelle, P. Anderegg, M. Vanek,
E. McHugh, J. d’Oronzio, M. Alberici, D. Dempsey, T. Hussey, P. Johnson, Barb Rauscher (WCNY TV), Daniel Ward (guest), Mike Long (City Planning) and J. Kline
Excused: P. Wisbey
Absent: D. Lamb, C. Carter, W. DeWitt, M. Weitekamp, S. Marteney and T. Bridenbecker
Chair M. Alberici called the meeting to order at 3:40PM. J. d’Oronzio read the Commission’s mission & vision statements.
I. Approval of the Minutes
M. Alberici asked for approval of the January minutes. J. McCormick made a motion to accept the minutes as submitted, seconded by E. McHugh. All were in favor and the motion carried.
M. Long gave Commission members an update on the DOT historic sites directional signage application, which was combined with the City’s greening of the arterial project. The state highway work permit is still pending, but now the exact location of the signs needs to be decided. The Marketing Committee should plan to meet with M. Long to reassess the plans and discuss locations, then a meeting with Ricky Smith, from the City’s sign department, should be set to finalize the sign’s design and materials. M. Vanek said Laura Coburn had already done the design work before the application was originally submitted.
Committee Reports
II. Resource & Development Committee
D. Lamb was absent from the meeting. B. M. Lewis said this Committee had not met.
III. Marketing Committee
As for leads from ads, M. Vanek said during February the Tourism Office responded to 62 inquiries; and 103 inquiries during the month of March for the Historic & Cultural Sites Commission. In the last 30 days the website has had 638 hits, and total visitation is up to approximately 27,000. The Marketing Committee has also been working on pedestrian signage, with the help of artist Melissa Nesbit. A prototype of the sign should be ready next Friday, so Marketing Committee members needs to stay behind after the meeting to set a date to meet. (The meeting is now set for April 11th at 2PM, at the Public Works Department.) M. Vanek said the Office has been compiling the returned postcards for the Commission’s Visitor Conversion Study. So far, 70 cards have been returned, out of the 500 that were mailed.
This is about a 14% rate of return, 15 – 20% would be ideal. They will be compiling the data and should have a report ready at the May meeting.
M. Vanek said the Commission was awarded $7,600 from the I Love NY Matching Funds Program to be put towards their advertising campaign. M. Vanek said, there is a possibility that this program may be cut from next year’s State budget, meaning the Commission’s advertising budget would be less $7,600. This year, the Tourism Office re-granted approximately $18,000 through this program, with the Commission being the largest recipient. She encouraged Commission members to write letters of support to their representatives, expressing their concern. There are copies of two letters that have already been sent by other members of the community, and there are also addresses for our representatives. M. Vanek said there is a flier in their packets promoting the Tourism Office’s next workshop, “Effective Media
Relationships,” happening May 13th from 11AM – 1PM at the County Soil & Water Building. The cost is $15 including lunch. The workshop will address how to deal with adverse publicity, how to prepare for an interview, be a media resource, etc. M. Vanek said she has asked the City and the County to issue proclamations for National Tourism Week, May 10th – 18th. She will let Commission members know when the meetings are with the proclamation announcements (May 8th City Hall, 6PM). M. Vanek said the presentation to City Council went very well in February. All the site directors gave updates and it was very informative. D. Dempsey agreed, and said he has submitted the Commission’s budget request for next year, and will keep us apprised.
J. Kline circulated copies of the insert that will be coming out in the 7 publications included in the Meredith buy. These are Better Homes & Gardens, Traditional Home, Country Home, More, Midwest Living, Ladies Home Journal and Country Gardens. J. Kline said Country Home is hosting a special event at Grand Central Station on April 24th. As an advertiser, the Commission’s brochure (500) will be available for guests at this reception.
J. Kline said in speaking with Mary Riley of Willard Chapel, it was decided that the event placemats were more popular with the restaurants than the tent cards. J. Kline is meeting with designer Maggie Johengen tomorrow, to discuss a summer event placemat. She already has the sites’ summer events since she compiled the information for the Tourism Office’s summer calendar. E. McHugh asked if she could add more events, and J. Kline said yes, if she got them in the next week or so.
IV. Community Outreach Committee
S. Craner said the Committee had not met, but she has moved forward with the Commission display. The photographs have been selected, with the help of the site directors, and now they need to be laminated/mounted. Maxine asked if it was still in the plan to attend the upcoming Tourism Showcase in Wayne County on April 9th. S. Craner said yes. M. Vanek said space is at a premium, and that we should call right away to see if there is still space available. M. Alberici said she would go to host the booth, and that the Chapel has a display that she could use. M. Alberici asked if the sites could drop off 50 brochures, and any other small give-a-ways, to the Office of Tourism by April 1st.
S. Craner said she wasn’t sure if a date had been set yet for the National Main Street Institute’s upcoming session on, “The Business of Tourism,” in Washington, D.C. (She has since checked, and it still had not been scheduled as of March 26th, but she will be checking periodically.) The workshop focuses on developing a cultural heritage tourism strategy for downtowns businesses so that they can enhance the visitor’s experience with souvenir product lines and tourism-related customer service.
Passport to History
E. McHugh said a description of the program will be included in an upcoming Auburn School District Newsletter, and an introductory letter would be sent home with the students when they receive their passports before Spring Break in April. (The schools are willing to copy the letter.) M. Alberici secured 100 day passes for Casey Park and 6 season passes for prizes. P. Anderegg secured 2 savings bonds, so only a few more of those are needed, and maybe some other small prizes.
V. Quality Assurance Committee
Committee Chair W. DeWitt was absent, no report.
VI. Prison Museum Study Group
Committee Chair P. Wisbey was excused. E. McHugh said the Museum’s prison exhibit opening reception is next Friday night (4/11/03) from 6 – 8PM. P. She distributed exhibit posters and postcards. E. McHugh said Leadership Cayuga is helping to generate a feasibility study on the prison museum idea. E. McHugh will tell us the date for their evening presentation.
VII. Other Business
Common Threads
Committee Chair D. Lamb was absent, no report. J. Kline said there is a Committee meeting scheduled for April 1st at 10:30AM at the Schweinfurth for those involved. No word yet on the status of the pending grant.
Barb Rauscher of WCNY TV is helping to put together a series of documentaries on historic movie palaces and houses of worship. Auburn will be a resource for this coverage, which needs to be compiled by August. She has one hour to devote to Central NY sites, which will probably break down to approximately 2 minutes per building. There is no theme for the coverage. M. Alberici and Mike Long mentioned some ideas for Barb, and will compile a list.
M. Alberici said, so far, she hasn’t had any luck filling the open “at large” Commission position. Ormie King was too busy to commit. If anyone has any ideas, let her know, but they must live in the City. M. Alberici asked if Commission members were amenable to scheduling a follow-up retreat with Barry Warren. The mission and Committee structure could be revisited. J. Kline suggested holding it on a Monday in September from 10AM – 3PM at the Chapel. Everyone present agreed. S. Craner made a motion to (try to) schedule the retreat for September 22nd, seconded by J. d’Oronzio. All were in favor and the motion carried. J. Kline said she would check with Barry Warren. (He said it would work, and has us scheduled.)
J. d’Oronzio said a week long-bus tour is being arranged in honor of the 100th anniversary of the AME Zion Church’s ownership of the Tubman property. At the end of February, J. d’Oronzio attended an Underground Railroad conference at the Smithsonian. There were 3-4 panels a day, covering various aspects of this topic. There was also a one-day workshop she attended to develop and identify interpretive themes that could carry through to all the UGRR sites. She should have the themes by the next meeting.
T. Hussey circulated fliers about the upcoming Ruth Laredo piano recital Sunday at 2PM at Westminster Church ($15). He says the concert series is in danger of being discontinued since attendance at the first performance was very low. T. Hussey said there is a Summer Celebration meeting tonight at the Chapel for those involved. S. Craner distributed copies of the new Downtown Auburn BID brochures and holders. T. Hussey painted the image of downtown that was used on the cover. M. Alberici said she and M. Vanek, and others attended a brain storming session on how to capitalize on the traffic flow created by Bass Pro Shops. Suggestions included having a satellite information booth in the Mall, which could be staffed. But it is still too early to tell. We can discuss it at the retreat.
M. Alberici said meeting every other month seems to be working for the Commission members. Mike Long asked if there was anything written into our By-Laws denoting how often we needed to meet. J. Kline said she would double check. (There is no such stipulation.) With no other business to discuss S. Craner made a motion to adjourn, seconded by P. Anderegg. All were in favor and the motion carried. The Commission adjourned at 4:55PM.
The next Commission meeting is Tuesday, May 27th
at 3:30PM, 3rd floor meeting room in City Hall.
Please call the Office of Tourism (255-1658) if you cannot attend the meeting.
Recorded by Jesse Kline
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