Jamestown  (CSi)  The Jamestown Tourism Grant Board Meeting was held Thursday at the CSi Technology Center at Historic Franklin School.

Those in attendance were board members:  President, Matthew Woods, Tena Lawrence, and Frank Balak.

Tourism Director, Searle Swedlund

Ex-Officio Members, Jamestown City Council Member, Pam Phillips, and Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce, Executive, Emily Bivens.

Grant requests were made on behalf of:

Frontier Village Horse Rides  for  Advertising

Women’s Business Conference for  Advertising

The Jamestown Arts Center for Capital Improvements

 

With the Frontier Village $6,350 was requested for stagecoach rides using billboard advertising

near Valley City including  $2,000 for digital advertising from May to August this year.

The Board approved granting the full request with one billboard for three months, and the $2,000 request for digital advertising.

 

With the Women’s Business Conference, Katherine Roth said $900 was requested for advertising, and marketing in Stutsman County, as the Jamestown Regional Entrepreneur Center, will host the conference, at the UJ Reiland Fine Arts Center, for the business community, on Thursday March 12, 2020, with attendees from the nine county South Central Region.  Others invited are from Bismarck Minot, and Grand Forks.  High School students are also invited with their fees waived.

Other funding sources include:  $500 from JRMC, $325 from the Valley City Eagles Club, $1,000 from First Community Credit Union, and $1,000 from Sanford.

The economic impact is estimated at $7,500, with 75 visitors anticipated.

A motion to approve the funding, died for a lack of a second.

 

With Arts Center, the request was for $7,000.  Arts Center Director, Mindi Schmitz said the requested dollars would be used for, painting and repairing the gallery walls, and replacing the flooring at the Hansen Studio.  $500 will come from the Arts Center’s General Operating Fund.

The project is slated for April, 2020, with the total cost estimates at $6,963.

The Board recommends, reassessing the request, after receiving from the Arts Center, two bids for each project and be brought back to the board, for consideration.

 

At the EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

Declaration of Conflict of Interest:   Tena Lawrence from the University of Jamestown stated a possible conflict with Jamestown Regional Entrepreneur Center located on campus and the request for funding for the Women’s Business Conference.  The board allowed her to participate in the discussion and vote.

 

The Financial Report was given by Searle Swedlund, who reviewed the P&L statement, and the receipt of JSDC Matching Grants.

 

With the Tourism Report – Searle Swedlund said, The National Buffalo Museum, along with Fort Seward received Grant dollars from the State Historical Society for projects.  Jamestown Tourism received a grant to catalog Frontier Village artifacts. He added that tourism is looking to partner with The Arts Center, and The Downtown Association for funds, and is seeking matching funds for a mural proposed to painted on a wall at The Full Monte on First Avenue, at the alley.  Matching funds will be applied for through the North Council on the Arts.

 

Ex-Officio Reports:  Pam Phillips said she is running for re-election this year to her City Council seat.

She said a prototype of a fire department ladder truck the city is interested in buying will be on display at the City Fire Hall on Wednesday February 26, from about 9-a.m. to 11:30-a.m., for public viewing.

She encouraged participation in the 2020 census count.

Emily Bivens noted that the recent Chamber Banquet was sold out for the first time, and pointed out the upcoming YPJ indoor Volleyball Tournament will be held, March  7, and 8, with about half the allotted number of teams already signing up.  She added that the first Cash Mob event was held to promote shopping locally, at Plantation Coffee.  The next Cash Mob will be held at The Dakota Store on February 26.

 

Discussed under OLD BUSINESS was:

The JRFD Fishing Tourney grant that was previously approved.  The Board voted to approve the $4,000 for allocation.  Searle Swedlund said that in conversations with the fire department that the dollars have been spent on advertising.    The Fishing Tournament was cancelled, due to unsafe ice conditions, but the raffle and other events are going on as planned, to raise funds.

 

The City Promotion Capital Construction grant process, with applications due March 1, was reviewed.

 

Searle led the board in a review of Grant Guidelines.  Discussed was possible grant request decision  making process changes that would affect the application process requirements regarding categories to fund.