South Central Reporter

City of Salem Tourism Board met May 13.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Call to Order

The Salem Tourism Board met Monday, May 13, 2024 at Salem City Hall.

Chairman Jacob Hockett called the meeting to order at 5:03 pm. Present were board members Janelle Smith, Brooke Frederick, Kelley Predium, Dana Hampton, Sherry Morton, Leon Chapman, and Chairman Jacob Hockett.

Minutes

The minutes of the April 9, 2024 meeting were presented for action.

Brooke Frederick made a motion to approve the minutes. Dana Hampton seconded the motion. AYES: Brooke Frederick, Kelley Predium, Dana Hampton, Sherry Morton, Leon Chapman, Janelle Smith and Chairman Jacob Hockett.

NAYS: None. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report

The April Treasurer’s Reports were presented for action.

Dana Hampton made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Reports. Leon Chapman seconded the motion.

AYES: Kelley Predium, Dana Hampton, Sherry Morton, Leon Chapman, Janelle Smith, Brooke Frederick and Chairman Jacob Hockett.

NAYS: None. Motion carried.

Presentation of Petitions/Public Comments

International Aerobatic Club – Chapter 61 is requesting $1,000.00 for the Giles Henderson Memorial Challenge. The contest is conducted annually and continues to be recognized as arguably the best contest in the Midwest and one of the best in the country. We attract between 15 and 30 pilots from all categories, Primary through Unlimited, and many other aviation and aerobatic enthusiasts. The event is June 7, 8, 9, 2024.

Funds are needed by June 1, 2024.

Leon Chapman made a motion to approve the $1,000.00. Janelle Smith seconded the motion.

AYES: Dana Hampton, Sherry Morton, Leon Chapman, Brooke Frederick, Kelley Predium, Janelle Smith and Chairman Jacob Hockett.

NAYS: None. Motion carried.

Roy and Beth Landers were present at the meeting. Would like for Tourism to help with promoting their events. Actually, the whole town to get involved and help promote Salem. They are having Donkey Polo fund raiser for cancer coming up. Beth stated that people don’t realize how many people that their events bring in to Salem that don’t live here. Beth said that they are getting ready for their first rodeo of 2024. The rodeo will bring in 3,000 to 4,000 contestants for fifteen days from different states and countries. Roy Landers said that the Iron Saddle feeds 500 to 600 people a day. These are people that are driving duallies, pulling trailers. They need gas for their trucks, places to eat and hotels to stay the night(s) in. Beth said that this is the first year that they can really focus on events.

Grant Reports

Leon Chapman had a proposal from Holiday Outdoor Décor (quote #00016797) to purchase Christmas décor to be displayed on the courthouse lawn the Friday after Thanksgiving. Prices are good until May 31, 2024. After May 31, 2024 the price discounts go down. Kevin Cripps was unable to attend the meeting last night to give verble okay that the courthouse would put up, take down and store the displays for Tourism. Brooke Frederick would still like for Tourism to have something in writing from Kevin Cripps on this.

Janelle Smith asked Leon Chapman if he was good with the selection of items to be displayed. Leon Chapman was. Leon Chapman thinks that any leasing should be completely out of the picture.

Dana Hampton is worried about the space and items for the courthouse lawn.

Dana Hampton had contacted Carlyle city hall. Carlyle owns their own displays. They have three or four people work to put up and take down the displays the weekend after Thanksgiving. Carlyle has a huge storage shed that they store the displays in by hanging them up. Carlyle has an electrical person that builds the displays out of rebar. They also trenched and put in cords and outlets for the displays.

Dana Hampton said that Lebanon displays are completely handled by volunteers. Leon Chapman stated that finding volunteers is an issue. Dana Hampton agreed that it is not realistic to find help. Dana Hampton said that the person from Carlyle she talked with stated that vandalism is very minimal.

Kelley Predium stated that the Community Center has had events on the courthouse lawn and that Livesay Electric had brought in an electrical panel for the extra outlets. Janelle Smith asked Kelley Predium if the outlet problem was feasible. Kelley Predium said that TOP electrical could probably bring in an electrical panel.

Jacob Hockett suggested using the person that makes displays out of rebar on the next phase of lights in the park.

Janelle Smith made a motion for Tourism to purchase the Christmas displays from Holiday Outdoor Décor at a cost of $57,414.20. Leon Chapman seconded the motion.

AYES: Dana Hampton, Sherry Morton, Leon Chapman, Janelle Smith, Brooke Frederick, Kelley Predium and Chairman Jacob Hockett.

NAYS: None. Motion carried.

Discover Downstate Illinois – Georgia

Georgia explained that Digital Marketing can be updated at any time, customers can interact and engage with posts, full control of audience, ease of measuring results, higher conversion rate and works with any budget.

Budget Example:

Face book example: One week campaign with a 50 mile radius of Salem is around $300.00; more money, larger radius and length.

Geofencing Example: $750 for three-day event, targets the attendees digitally; can capture users to target in future.

Christine offered $200.00 credit for face book campaign

Key takeaways of Digital Marketing: Accessible with any budget; includes trackable analytics and metrics; messaging can be changed anytime.

Leah Dellicarpini suggested maybe Geofencing Lebanon, Carlyle lights which when a person searches for lights it would include Salem’s display.

Roger Dale Carnegie had sent out a proposal. PKC plans are to move the Spring Super Stakes Championships to Salem, IL in 2025 provided we can get an agreement with the City of Salem. This event is a weeklong event beginning on Monday and ending on Saturday. It will have triple the entries of the National Championship. Also, we plan to move the National Championship to a different location. We have checked the availability of the fairgrounds and both possible weekends are available April 14-19, 2025 or April 21-26, 2025 depending on which week works best for our schedule.

Tourism board was all in agreement that they want PKC to continue to hold their events in Salem.

Board Members Report

None.

Adjournment

Chairman Jacob Hockett welcomed new board member Kelley Predium. Leon Chapman, Brooke Frederick and Jacob Hockett were sworn in by Mayor Nic Farley for another term.

Chairman Jacob Hockett as there was no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.

Leon Chapman made a motion to adjourn. Janelle Smith seconded the motion.

AYES: Sherry Morton, Brooke Frederick, Leon Chapman, Dana Hampton, Kelley Predium, Janelle Smith and Chairman Jacob Hockett.

NAYS: None. Motion carried.

https://www.salemil.us/node/795/minutes/2024