Thursday, June 15, 2006
3:00 PM
Village of Lombard
Village Hall
Community Promotion and Tourism
Village President William J. Mueller, Chairperson, |
Trustee Jack O'Brien Alternate Chariperson |
Jill Payne, Edward Murphy, Steve Wilk, Sr., Marguerite Micken |
Ex-Officio Members: Monica Brown-Lombard Chamber of Commerce, |
Skip Strittmatter-DuPage Convention & Visitors' Bureau, Jim Romano-Yorktown |
Merchants' Association, Mary Eckhoff-Embassy Suites, |
Pamela Rockwell-Hampton Inn, Jennier Evanoff-Studio Plus, Steve |
Cadaret-Amerisuites Renee Tanner-Fairfield Inn, Nicole Norwood-Homestead Village, |
Frank Balisteri/Rashid Batti-Comfort Suites, |
Dave Compitello-Marriott Residence Inn and Eileen Libb-Towne Place Suites |
Meeting Minutes
Community Promotion and Tourism
Meeting Minutes
June 15, 2006
1.0
Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order by Ed Murphy at 3:04 p.m.
Edward Murphy, Steve Wilk, Sr., Monica Brown and Jill Payne
Present:
Chair President William J. Mueller, Alternate Chairperson and Trustee Jack |
O'Brien |
Absent:
Also present: Skip Strittmatter, DuPage Convention & Visitor's Bureau
2.0
Public Participation
None
3.0
Approval of Minutes
On a motion by Payne and seconded by Wilk, the minutes of the February 15, 2006 |
meeting were unanimously approved by the members present. |
4.0
Unfinished Business
There was no unfinished business.
New Business
060311
MMM. Grant Application from the Maple Street Preservation Society, Inc. |
Request for $5,000 from Hotel/Motel Funds for costs to build a storage closet for the |
Maple Street Chapel. |
Doris Schertz, Board Member of Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society, presented |
the request. She mentioned their application and thanked the committee for the |
opportunity. After reading Lt. Governor Quinn's April News Release, which announced |
the Village of Lombard as a Main Street Community, she felt convinced that this would |
now attract more tourism for Lombard. Ms. Schertz mentioned the types of activities |
that the Maple Street Chapel currently hosts as well as the labor intensive procedure |
that must be undertaken for the set up and breakdown of these activities. The Maple |
Street Chapel is requesting a $5,000 grant for onsite storage in the form of a custom |
built closet which would include a fireproof safe for historic records, space for chairs, |
tables, music stands and shelving for equipment and mentioned that it would be located |
under the old pipe organ. She passed around a photograph of the space she was |
referring to. |
Ed Murphy asked if the monies would be used for just storage. Ms. Schertz referred to |
their submitted application which shows the itemization of how the money would be |
used. She also stated that since the Maple Street Chapel is on the National Historic |
Registry they are limited to what they can do and would be grateful if they could receive |
funding for $5,000 or a portion thereof. |
Ed Murphy questioned if this request met the requirements for the Hotel/Motel fund. |
Steve Wilk confirmed the Chapel's concert series having 4 to 5 performances and how |
that brings in people from out of town. He wasn't sure about the people that attend the |
other events. |
Ms. Schertz stated that the Heritage Concert draws people from out of town who also |
frequent Lombard business establishments while they are here. She also mentioned |
that they book rooms at the Holiday Inn for overnight stays. |
Jill Payne questioned if this was under the committee's purview. |
Moncia Brown stated that the Maple Street Chapel is a tourist destination and an |
important part of the Village of Lombard. She is in favor of their request and felt that it |
qualifies under the Hotel/Motel guidelines and mentioned that the Chamber also |
promotes the Chapel. |
Ed Murphy questioned advertising. Skip Stritmatter indicated that they promote but |
don't fund. Ms. Schurtz indicated that they have an annual mailing list. |
Monica Brown indicated that the Holiday Inn is not located in the Village of Lombard and |
suggested when booking overnight stays to use a Lombard hotel. Ms. Schertz agreed |
and thought that the Holiday Inn was in the Village of Lombard. |
It was moved by Wilk, Sr., seconded by Brown, that this matter be recommended |
to the Board of Trustees for approval of items one and two.. The motion carried |
by a voice vote |
060313
RRR. Grant Application from the American Association of University Women |
Request from the AAUW for $2,500 from Hotel/Motel Funds for costs associated with |
their annual used book sale. |
Carol Schuh, Book Sale Co-Chair, presented the request. She indicated that they are |
requesting $2,500 to help defray costs associated with their annual book sale. She then |
introduced Kathy Brenniman. |
Kathy Brenniman gave her personal background and experience with the book sale. |
She mentioned that the AAUW is a non-profit organization that has been holding this |
event for over 40 years and funds school scholarships from the profits of the book sale. |
Last year they grossed $16,000 Their expenses were approximately $4,300-$4,500 |
with the remaining funds going towards scholarships. Sixty percent (60%) of those |
profits go to the National Organization which are then used for going back to |
school/re-entering the workforce scholarships. The remaining profits are used for local |
scholarships. Glenbard East and Willowbrook have received scholarships for students |
entering into non-traditional fields and 2 returning-to-learning scholarships for the |
Lombard area for graduate and non degree programs. |
The book sale will take place on August 9 through August 13 at either Yorktown or |
Eastgate Shopping Center. The change in locations was a result of the construction at |
the mall and alternate spaces they have inquired about are approximately 1/5th the |
usual size. Because of using a smaller space they will not be able to house and sell as |
many books, which will result in lower profits, even though their expenses will stay |
somewhat the same. |
They are requesting Hotel/Motel funds as they have a huge list of invitees that come |
from all over the Chicago area. The first night is known as the pre-sale night and is |
most important as the book sellers arrive from all over the Chicago area, make their |
selections and thereafter return to their stores to resell them. This night provides for |
out-of-town visitors who frequent the mall and local businesses and she has received |
firsthand comments from the various local merchants on how the book sale has |
dramatically increased their sales and impacted their businesses. |
Steve Wilk asked if the vendors were outside of the Chicago area. Kathy Brenniman |
answered no but they have visitors that bring relatives and friends from out of state as |
they have a wide variety of books that cover numerous topics and categories. |
Carol Schuh stated that some of the book dealers arrive prior to the opening of the event |
and will eat and shop to pass the time until they are let in. Kathy Brenniman stated that |
some will come back the next day. This year AAUW will broaden publicity to reach out |
to others which will result in an additional expense. She indicated that they have never |
asked for money from the Committee before and only now due to the situation they are |
in. |
Ed Murphy stated that he is familiar with the AAUW. He explained the criteria for |
granting Hotel/Motel funds. They can grant money to Maple Street Chapel because it is |
a destination point and Maple Street Chapel is unique to Lombard. Their organization is |
not the same. |
Kathy Brenniman stated that there are over 1,000 names on their mailing list from all |
over the metropolitan area. Monica Brown explained where the grant money comes |
from indicating that it generates money from the sales of hotel rooms. Their request |
doesn't fit into the criteria. |
Ed Murphy suggested there might be other Village funds they could look into but not this |
one. Carol Schuh asked for suggestions. Ed Murphy indicated that he is not familiar |
with any but the Committee cannot do just anything with the money. The Village of |
Lombard is a non home rule community which means that they do not have the ability to |
use the funds wherever they want unlike Downers Grove and Elmhurst. |
Kathy Brenniman indicated that if tourism is tied to hotel nights she cannot give specifics |
as to that issue but she knows the book sale attracts visitors that otherwise would not be |
here to the local businesses especially when they had their book sale in the mall. |
Steve Wilk agreed with Ed Murphy and indicated that by law they have to direct grant |
monies to hotel stays. |
Ed Murphy mentioned that this committee is only a recommendary body and that the |
Board of Trustees at their next meeting has the ultimate decision. Kathy Brenniman |
asked when the next Board meeting was. Staff informed the individuals present that the |
next board meeting would not be until August 17. The petitioners stated that the date |
was after their event was over and would not do them any good. |
Monica Brown stated that the AAUW does great things for worthwhile causes but this |
request does not fit under the criteria. |
Carol Schuh asked if they could at least get a police officer for crowd control. Monica |
Brown suggested they contact Ray Byrne. Kathy Brenniman asked if they could get a |
waiver of costs for security. Ed Murphy suggested they talk to their trustee or Bill |
Mueller. |
It was moved by Wilk, Sr., seconded by Payne, that this matter be recommended |
to the Board of Trustees for denial with regard to use exception for a storage |
center.. The motion carried by a voice vote |
6.0
Other Business
None.
7.0
Information Only
None.
8.0
Adjournment
On a motion by Wilk and seconded by Brown the meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m. |
Communications & Marketing Coordinator |