Marshall Chamber of Commerce

Tourism Committee Minutes

February 21, 2008

The meeting was called to order by Chair Stan Moore at 9 a.m.

Committee members present: Angie Wells, Bill Riggins, Stan Moore, Arline Borchers, Rose Anne Huck, Ken Yowell, Cynthia Crawford

Guests: Mike Davis and Stephanie Gardener from the Marshall Democrat News, Rachel Harper, Marshall Democrat News Reporter.

Rose Anne Huck moved and it was seconded to approve the minutes from the January meeting. Motion passed.

Mike Davis and Stephanie Gardener discussed the paper’s website and strategies for ads on the website. Ads will be animated. With the implementation of a new server, going online today, they will be able to track the location of people visiting. There are 90,000 unique visitors per month (and are on the site more than 30 minutes). March 1 the newspaper website will have its new look. The cost is $200 per month in the news story section. The news page (listing of stories) is $150 per month.

Meeting February 25 in Dover on the Old Trails ExCEED project. The visioning session is from 4-8 and includes a box supper. Meet at 3 p.m. at Bank Midwest to car pool.

The Boonslick Tourism Council continues good work. Arline reported that the second quilt block is being developed. Carol Raynor has selected the farmer’s daughter design. The duck race will raise funding for the quilt block materials. The cost for a block for a barn is about $300.

Boonville will be having “A Taste of Home” on April 22. It will be hosted by the Casino facilities.

Marshall will host the next meeting of the Boonslick Tourism Council – first Thursday of March 6, 10 a.m. at Stone Hedge concluding with a no-host lunch.

Rose Anne is supplying information and photography for the Boonslick Tourism Council’s publication.

The application with the MO Division Tourism is completed and is going in the mail today announced Rose Anne.

Rose Anne looks forward to further refining the website.

The affiliates have suggested a dining guide for Marshall be developed to hand out at events. Poole Advertising is doing something similar for Hannibal.

Stan suggested that it may be time for the committee to do some strategic planning for the longer term. Currently, funding streams have us thinking one year at a time. There is an opportunity to tie print media with web work.

MarSaline Economic Development is working to keep ties and contact information with Marshall young adults. This may be a significant help with tourism efforts, as well.

Rose Anne moved and it was seconded to pursue a Vista volunteer to focus on tourism in Saline County. The person would work to support Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee work. Focus on regional tourism development and tourism development within Saline County. The Civic Center can provide an office. The person would be supervised by Ken Yowell. Cynthia will begin on the application. Bill will take care of funding.

The next committee meeting (March) will be at the Martin Community Center.

Cynthia urged committee members to attend a March 14 Ag Landowners conference in Marshall. The event is drawing a multi-state audience and will feature a track on agri-tourism.

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m.