Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown Tourism Grant/Executive Board meeting was held Thursday at The CSi Technology Center at Historic Franklin School.

Board members present were:  Tena Lawrence, (Chairing the meeting for Matt Woods),  Frank Balak, Paulette Ritter, and Taylor Barnes.

Jamestown Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund, Ex-Offico Members Pam Phillips representing the Jamestown City Council, Corry Shevlin representing the JSDC, and Emily Bivins the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director.

Tourism Receives “Trailblazer Award” at Minot Conference.

Requested for grants were:

Rods and Hogs – Jamestown Downtown Association

Buffalo Days – Jamestown Chamber of Commerce

The Hansen Arts Park Summer Series – The Arts Center

Summer Concerts – 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse

Escape Room – 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse

Stutsman County Memorial Museum

Jamestown Choralaires

Representing the Downtown Association was Lynn Lambrect, who requested $1,000 for the Annual Rods & Hogs Event, to be held this year, on Saturday June 8, on First Avenue in Downtown Jamestown.

The event attracts participants bringing classic cars and trucks, along with “rat rods,” motorcycles, and has vendors, music and a street dance.  Registration fees are estimated at $1,350, vendors providing $200, and sponsors $1,000.

The board voted to fund the full $1,000 request.

The Chamber requested $3,000 for the Buffalo Days Celebration, July 25-27 this year, formerly known as White Cloud Days.  The economic impact is estimated at  $120,000.

Chamber Executive, Emily Bivens said the community-wide celebration features a parade, along with many other entities holding events, including the Jamestown City Fire Department’s Pancake breakfast, the Mini Art Hunt, the Jamestown Classic Car Club Show, and much more.

The Tourism Board granted the full amount requested at $3,000.

The Arts Center, requested $6,000 for Arts Park summer events, including the Arts Market to be held this summer on Thursday evenings, June through August, with the exception of the 4th of July.  This year the Arts Market will be 5:30-p.m., to 8:30-p.m.

Arts Center Director, Mindi Schmitz said the entertainment costs are $14,000.

Tourism funded the full amount of $6,000.

Representing the 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse was Steve Reidburn, who requested $1,200 for  the “Concerts in the Courtroom,” series, to be held June through August this year.

He said the concerts will help draw numbers to one of the most important buildings in North Dakota History.

He said the State Historical Society has contributed $800 toward the concerts.

The Board approved $1,000 in funding.

 

A request was made for $6,350 in  funding for an “Escape Room,” at the 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse basement, for startup and operations costs.

The Escape Room is said to attract local and out of town visitors to the historic courthouse, and will create a new revenue line.

Tourism funded the full amount of $6,350.

 

The Stutsman County Memorial Museum requested $2,200 to produce a Louis L’Amour video, of his life and his ancestors in Jamestown. Keith Norman said the planned debut of the video is on August 4 this year, in conjunction with a Front Porch Chat at the Stutsman County Museum.

The Tourism board voted to fund the full amount.

 

The Jamestown Choralaires Represented by Mark Sherfy requested $1,200 for advertising costs as they host the North Dakota Men’s Choral Festival in Jamestown, on  May 11, at the University of Jamestown’s, Reiland Fine Arts Center, at 7-p.m.

The Choralaires will host choruses from Valley City, Minot, Harvey, and Bismarck.

Ticket sales are estimated at $3,750, with an economic impact of $20,000 including overnight visitors.

The Tourism Board approved funding for $1,000.

 

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

There were no Declarations of Conflict of Interest

Tourism Report – Searle Swedlund reported on his attendance at the North Dakota Travel Industry Conference in Minot, Wednesday, as he accepted Jamestown Tourism’s, Trailblazer Award for Tourism Innovation.

 

Ex-Officio Reports:

City Council Member, Pam Phillips told the board that city street and infrastructure projects will soon be starting, and that she will be looking in to the present Jamestown snow removal policy, and possible changes in the procedure of clearing streets and alleys of snow, after a snowfall event..

 

Chamber Executive, Emily Bivens gave a report on a successful Home & Garden Show this year, noting possible changes in 2020.

 

Corry Shevlin from Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corporation reported that the Annual meeting will be on May First this year.

 

Under NEW BUSINESS

The board reviewed bids for Directors and Officers Policy concerning liability insurance.

Searle Swedlund said the low bid for the policy was from Great American Insurance Group in the amount of $854, substantially lower than the premium of $1,458 dollars being paid to Philadelphia Insurance Companies.  The board voted to direct Swedlund to purchase the Great American policy, if it has adequate coverage.

 

The Tourism Board established the 2018 Financial Review Committee, consisting or Frank Balak, and Amanda Thrift. The board members are reset every three years.