HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee - 02/25/2021 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
Agenda
KENT Committee Members: Bill Boyce, Chair
WASH I N GTO N John Casey - Gaila Haas - Tim Higgins - Andrew Hutchison -
David Kwok - Zenovia Harris -
City Staff: Bill Ellis - Rhonda Bylin - Michelle Wimot
Thursday, February 25, 2021
4:00 p.m.
This is a remote meeting due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus Emergency
To listen to the meeting, call
1-888-475-4499
1-877-853-5257
And enter Meeting ID 924 4386 9472
Item Description Action Speaker Time
1. Call to Order Chair 01 MIN.
2. Roll Call Chair 01 MIN.
3. Changes to the Agenda Chair 01 MIN.
4. Approval of the Minutes Chair 01 MIN.
1. Approval of June 18, 2020 YES Chair 05 MIN.
Minutes
5. LTAC Budget Review NO Shane Sorenson 15 MIN.
6. 2021 Visit Kent Campaign YES Bridget Baeth 15 MIN.
Proposal
7. Suspension of Grant Program for YES Michelle Wilmot 10 MIN.
2021
8. Adjournment Chair 01 MIN.
Unless other noted, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee meets in April and
September to review grant requests. Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held in
the Centennial North and South Conference Rooms, 400 West Gowe Street, Kent,
WA 98032.
For additional information please contact City of Kent at or via email at
Cityclerk@KentWA.gov.
Any person requiring a disability accommodation should contact the City Clerk's
Office at 253-856-5725 in advance. For TDD relay service all Washington
Telecommunications Relay Service at 7-1-1.
4.1
Pending Approval
Lodging Tax Advisory
'
T Committee
KEN
WA9H... Lodging Tax Advisory
Committee-Special Meeting
Minutes
June 18, 2020
Date: June 18, 2020
Time: 4:03 p.m.
Place: THIS IS A REMOTE MEETING
Attending: Bill Boyce, Chair
John Casey, ;
Gaila Haas, Executive Director
Tim Higgins, a,
Andrew Hutchison, Z
David Kwok, °
Erin McCallum c
Q.
Agenda: a
1. Call to Order 4:03 p.m. a
0
R
2. Roll Call
0
N
O
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived N
Bill Boyce Chair Present
c
John Casey Present
Gaila Gutierrez Executive Director Absent c
Tim Hi ins Present
Andrew Hutchison Present
David Kwok Present
Erin McCallum Present
Bryan Powell Late
Zenovia Harris Advisory Member Absent
3. Changes to the Agenda N
as
4. Lodging Tax Budget Overview
5. Approval of the Minutes - February 13, 2020 & May 7, 2020
1. Approval of Minutes dated February 13, 2020
MOTION: Move to approve the Minutes dated February 13, 2020
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Page I of 2 Packet Pg. 2
4.1
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Lodging Tax June 18, 2020
Advisory Committee-Special Meeting Kent, Washington
Minutes
......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................._...............................................................................................................................................................................................................
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: John Casey
SECONDER: Tim Higgins
AYES: Boyce, Casey, Higgins, Hutchison, McCallum
ABSENT: Haas, Kwok, Powell
2. Approval of Minutes dated May 7, 2020
MOTION: Move to approve the Minutes dated May 7, 2020 y
a�
r
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] c
MOVER: John Casey
a�
SECONDER: Erin McCallum
AYES: Boyce, Casey, Higgins, Hutchison, McCallum 0
ABSENT: Haas, Kwok, Powell >
0
6. Appoint Sarah Davis to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee a
MOTION: Appoint Sarah Davis to the Lodging Tax Advisory a
Committee, to serve the remainder of the three-year term vacated by a
Mo Abuelerous. o
R
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] N
MOVER: Andrew Hutchison N
SECONDER: John Casey w
AYES: Boyce, Casey, Higgins, Hutchison, McCallum
ABSENT: Haas, Kwok, Powell
0
7. Administrative Allocation from LTAC funds to 2020 ECD Budget a
MOTION: Recommend to Council the transfer of 6% of lodging tax
revenues annually to the budget of the Economic Development
division in consideration of its costs associated with supporting the
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. CU
CU
a
RESULT: WITHDRAWN 0
Q
S. 1st Quarter Results & Updated 2020 Scope from JayRay
9. Adjournment 5:05 p.m.
Committee Secretary
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Page 2 of 2 Packet Pg. 3
LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
4^4� 220 Fourth Ave S
Kent, WA 98032
KENT
WASHINGTON
DATE: February 25, 2021
TO: Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
FROM: Finance
SUBJECT: LTAC Budget Review
SUMMARY: Update chair and committee members on current funds available in
the lodging tax account as well as provide recap of 2020 revenues and projected
revenues for 2021.
SUPPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL:
Sustainable Services - Providing quality services through responsible financial management,
economic growth, and partnerships.
Packet Pg. 4
LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
4^4� 220 Fourth Ave S
Kent, WA 98032
KENT
WASHINGTON
DATE: February 25, 2021
TO: Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
FROM: JayRay
SUBJECT: 2021 Visit Kent Campaign Proposal
MOTION: Recommend to Council a reduced scope of work designed to
maintain an established tourism promotion program and web/media
presence for those who visit or are planning to visit Kent for leisure.
SUMMARY: In light of reduced revenues due to travel restrictions imposed to
combat the spread of Covid-19, and anticipating that the travel sector of our
economy is not likely to begin a robust recovery until late in 2021, we propose to
renew our contract with JayRay for basic maintenance and upkeep of our
established tourism promotion campaign, Visit Kent, established in 2017 and built
in partnership with JayRay.
A detailed scope of services provided under the proposed agreement is attached to
this agenda.
BUDGET IMPACT: $85,000 from the Lodging Tax Fund
SUPPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL:
Thrivinq City - Creating safe neighborhoods, healthy people, vibrant commercial districts, and
inviting parks and recreation.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Visit Kent 2021 Budget_JayRay_2-19-21 (PDF)
Packet Pg. 5
6.a
VVat JAYRAY A PLACE TO THINK
KentO ding I Ad—rising I strategic Communications
535 DOCKCK STREET
SUITE 205
W A S H I N G T O N TACOMA,W 98-2
253.627-9128
Visit Kent fez 253.627.6598
2021 TOURISM PROGRAM PROPOSAL
February 19,2 02 1
WEBSITE SERVICES(Development, 77
Perform website maintenance and content updates to include events calendar,hotel/business listings,travel
advisories,homepage banners,packages&deals and one blog per quarter(4)
Annual hosting,domain,software and plug-in subscriptions*These are third-party costs not controlled by JayRay.
Budget reflects current pricing
Annual technical support plan includes resolution of bugs/errors,uptime monitoring,fast website restore(when
x x x x
down),necessary theme and plug-in updates
SUBTOTAL, $ 14,9S0
R
N
SOCIAL • • • • • - Q
Write social media content and post 3 times per week on Instagram and Facebook;leverage hotels packages and x x x x _
deals content
C
Community management and engagement on Instagram and Facebook(schedule/post content,grow followers, tm
respond to posts and proactively engage,upload events,curate photos from followers) x x x x rL
V
Ad allowance for boosted posts on social media to grow page followers,increase reach and drive visits to hotels E
and basecamp webpages on VisitKent.com $1,200 x x x x M
t)
SUBTOTAL, $ 17,600
MARKETING SERVICES Budget
0)
• • • - Y
Update and grow Kent Food Trails(reach out to businesses to confirm participation,add listings to website and to
x T_
Food Trails map based on feedback in 2020:more restaurants would like to participate!)
r
Develop seasonal overnight trip/hotel campaign with contest sweepstakes(includes creative brief,two concepts,
7x x Q
digital ads,graphic design,landing page)
Create seasonal animated gifs(affordable approach for video-like content)to reach and engage target markets x x x x
through social media(determine 4 quarterly themes in advance) to
Media buy plan (recommendation for ad placements)and advertising allowance to promote an overnight trip/
x x
affordable lodging in Kent $ 24,000 N
Sweepstakes coordination and allowance for overnight trip campaign (provides a strong call-to-action/incentive) $ 1,200 x
r
SUBTOTAL $ 38,730 NI
RELATIONSMEDIA • • • • -
Develop PR editorial calendar with quarterly themed stories(3) including content that promotes overnight trips x t�0
Craft media pitches/press releases(3)and send story ideas to targeted media.Includes development of media listI
and media-follow-up.Leverage past story pitches and recent attendance/media contacts made at Travel&Words x x x 4)
0
Media Show to send stories to those who are now familiar with Kent as a travel destination. -0
Cision media database subscription (media lists,coverage monitoring) $ 1,000 x x x m
Media hosting allowance(to cover PR/travel writers overnight stays in hotels) $ 1,200 x x x
SUBTOTAL $ 8,330 O
N
PROJECT �NY
Develop Project work plans,track goals and provide quarterly reports 4 of services provided and annual report
Quarterly project status calls(4)with client 177
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SUBTOTAL $ 5,390 >
TOTAL 2021 BUDGET: $ 8S,000
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Packet Pg. 6
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VISIT KENT BUDGET ALLOCATION BY PROGRAM
Project
Management Website
Media Relations 6% 171/.
10%
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Social Media d
21% r-
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M
U
Marketing
C
46% N
Y
■Website ■Social Media ■Marketing ■Media Relations _Project Management An
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Packet Pg. 7
LODGING TAX ADVISORY COMMITTEE
4^4� 220 Fourth Ave S
Kent, WA 98032
KENT
WASHINGTON
DATE: February 25, 2021
TO: Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
SUBJECT: Suspension of Grant Program for 2021
MOTION: Recommend that other than funds already obliged and the
maintenance of an established campaign, no other obligations shall be
assigned to the lodging tax fund during 2021.
SUMMARY: Lodging tax revenues which fell below even the worst-case scenario
imagined at the beginning of the Covid-19 Stay Home order in Washington State,
necessitate that the committee adopt a wait and see strategy with regards to the
awarding of new grants. While a full and robust recovery of the travel and tourism
sector is anticipated it isn't likely to begin in earnest until late 2021, when a post
vaccine environment and corresponding herd immunity may begin to restore the
public confidence.
BUDGET IMPACT: n/a
SUPPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL:
Thrivinci City - Creating safe neighborhoods, healthy people, vibrant commercial districts, and
inviting parks and recreation.
Sustainable Services - Providing quality services through responsible financial management,
economic growth, and partnerships.
Packet Pg. 8