AD HOC Tourism Minutes 2003 08-27-03 APPROVED PYTHE
COMMIiTEE/$OAw
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE ON;
AD-HOC TOURISM COMMITTEEn
WEDNESDAY,AUGUST 27,2003 v D 1
ATTENDANCE
Committee members: Aldermen Paul James, Valerie Burd and Rose Spears; Tess
Wackerlin; and Perry Clark.
MINUTES
Minutes from the June 16, 2003 meeting were approved.
PRESENTATION
Perry Clark, director of sales for the Aurora Convention and Visitors Bureau, spoke to the
committee about his involvement in the visitors bureau and how the bureau works. Clark,
a Sugar Grove Village trustee, said he is in a unique situation because he views the
tourism industry from both sides.
In the four months he has worked with the visitors bureau, he said his eyes have been
opened as to what the bureau does to promote the area's attractions such as the museums,
Silver Springs and Bliss Woods, an RV park in Sugar Grove.
Many of the benefits from improving tourism in Aurora spills out to neighboring
communities, he said. Many people, when they come to big cities like Aurora, also want
to see what is in the neighboring smaller towns, he said. The average traveler spends
$129 per day. Out of that money, 70 percent is spent on food, gifts and amenities, Clark
added. The bureau's job is to keep that money flowing into the communities, he said.
Clark said another goal of his is to look at area festivals. He went to every one in the
service area this past year to look at what they were doing or not doing. He wants to see
what the bureau can do to help improve some of those festivals. However, the bureau
doesn't want to be the leader for the community events. That is still the role of the local
residents. The bureau would, however, like to be an active passenger in the car.
Clark told the committee member that tourism could be a vital part in the growth for
Yorkville. Clark added that the bureau is working to bring an archery tournament to the
Fox Valley area and said the organizers have looked at Silver Springs as one of the
locations. The event, he said, could bring in as many as 1,300 participants. The last time,
the event was held a number of years ago, all 14 hotels in the area sold out.
The bureau also is working to promote local travel. Clark said Midwest travel is up 20
percent in the last two years. The Fox Valley area gets visitors from Canada and
Michigan who like antiques and shopping. As an offshoot to that, he said the bureau is
working to encourage motor coach travel to the area and is looking for more RV parks.
He told the committee members that the bureau wants to make sure the city knows it's
available for a partnership.
Alderwoman Rose Spears said the archery tournament sounds interesting and could be a
good draw to the community. She said Yorkville could possibly tie-in some type of
downtown event at the same time. Since it is a family event, Clark said it would be wise
to host something for kids or families.
Alderwoman Valerie Burd asked Clark how much land would be necessary for an RV
park. Clark said 20 to 30 acres would be workable.
Burd then asked Clark what the City of Yorkville could do to besides hiring an events
person to bring more tourism to town. Clark said it would help to make the city more
motor coach friendly and to let them know they are welcome.
He also suggested looking into hosting sporting events, such as canoe races on the river.
Clark said Waubonsee Community College will be the host of a national cheerleading
event, which will bring about 1,500 people to the area. While the cheerleaders, coaches
and families are in the area, they will go to Blackberry Farm, Splashtown and the
Paramount. He said the organizers intend to visit and use what is available in the
community.
Burd asked how an events planner in the City of Yorkville would need to operate, if the
city were to hire one. She asked if that person would need to sit on various committees
and organizations in town and in the county.
Tess Wackerlin, manager of the City of Aurora's Mayor's Office of Special Events, said
an event's planner will never be able to work alone. She said an events planner needs to
work with many people from different aspects. While her office coordinates many events
such as the Downtown Alive Friday night events, it also works in conjunction with other
groups on many other projects. The Downtown Alive events, which run over 10 weeks in
the summer, involve a number of different city departments. The special events office
works closely with the public works department, the police department, the fire
department, downtown services, and other city departments to make the event successful,
she said.
Wackerlin also said it is critical for her and the staff to become festival goers, visit
vendors, see the event through the eyes of those who come. She also said it is critical for
the city's staff to be visible and to talk to festival goers.
Wackerlin provided a history of her background and outlined many of the events the
special events office is responsible for organizing. A former Yorkville resident,
Wackerlin has held her current position in Aurora for two years. Her office's budget
funded through a variety of sources. Riverboat gambling, though, provides the greatest
majority of her budget, she said
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In her experience, she said the biggest impact of tourism money is that it is new money to
the community. The money has not been recycled throughout the community as most
money is.
She also said it is important for small communities to remain alive and well. She said the
big dog, like Aurora, needs to make sure the little dogs are okay. Wackerlin added that
Yorkville doesn't need to feel as if it is competing with Aurora. Instead, the larger
communities and the smaller communities compliment each other and bring a balance
and continuity to the area.
Burd suggested that there could be satellite auditions for Aurora Idol, which was a recent
success. She said the satellite auditions could be held in towns such as Yorkville and
Oswego.
Another suggestion for communities to work together involved the riverbank planting
project. Wackerlin said every year, a group of people plants new plantings along the
river. It was suggested the event could be something akin to a River Days celebration
where plantings also could occur in other towns such as Yorkville.
Burd asked how the position of special events manager was set up in Aurora. Wackerlin
said her position was an appointment by the mayor and was approved by the city council.
The other staff members were hired through the city's personnel department. She added
that before the office was titled the Mayor's Office of Special Events, it was called Civic
Activities. However, she said it is important for a community to attach the mayor's office
name to its events planner.
As for Yorkville trying to hire an events planner or similar position, Wackerlin suggested
ways for that person to look for help. She said that person should look at what other
communities are doing. See what works for other communities and adjust it to fit
Yorkville, she said. There also is help available though several industry magazines or the
Internet. She also said her office would be willing to share ideas.
She suggested the city keep the job description generic to give the person flexibility and
latitude. She also suggested the city shouldn't lock the position into certain weekly hours.
She said that needs to be flexible because there are weeks or days when the hours will be
long. After a question for Burd on salary suggestions, Wackerlin said that for a
community the size of Yorkville the salary should be in the upper$20,000 to lower
$30,000 range.
Wackerlin also said the city would need to hire someone energetic and who is not afraid
to make mistakes. She also said the city would need to make sure that all of the key
departments were on board with hiring such a position because everyone will need to
chip in.
To end the discussion, Clark said that committee members might wonder why the bureau
and the special events office are so willing to help. The answer, he said it easy. As
Yorkville expands and grows, the city will attract more tourism and those tourists will
come to Aurora, too.
Discussion of Job Responsibilities for a Yorkville Events Coordinator
Looking at the proposed job description, Alderman Paul James suggested the committee
table the discussion until the next meeting. He said there are a lot of facts to digest and
things to consider.
Burd said at that time she would like the committee members to discuss what they think
the job description should be and what they think the salary should be. She said it might
be possible to hire someone next year. Burd added she thinks the role of this person could
be expanded to include marketing and public relations.
However, James said he thinks it might be difficult to justify the position and to get
everyone on board with the idea.
The committee agreed to discuss the matter at the next meeting to be held Oct. 20.
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Dina Gipe