Orange County NC Website
system. She is confident that the requested number will be reached, but it is not in the front <br /> end of the contract. <br /> Laurie Paolicelli thanked the Board for their support. She said this has been a great <br /> year for Orange County, and all indications are that the tourism sector is strong. <br /> Commissioner Rich said there have been discussions on the Visitors Bureau board <br /> about the possibility of taking the $48,000 per year that is currently being used for rent, and <br /> using this for marketing. She said the goal is to take this money and use it to double and triple <br /> what is happening now. <br /> Anthony Carey, Chair of CHOCVB, said as a hotelier, he has seen ad campaigns do <br /> wonders. He said the Board sees this rent every month, and he wants to take that expense <br /> and put it into the marketing fund and return it. He said a study has shown that local residents <br /> do not know Chapel Hill and UNC. He urged the Board to allow the $48,000 to be put to use <br /> to bring in returns. <br /> Commissioner Rich said that a visitor spends an average of$35 for a day visit, but that <br /> number goes up to $225 if they stay overnight. She said advertising is the key, and this is <br /> money well spent. <br /> Commissioner Price asked where the $48,000 goes. <br /> Michael Talbert said the Board has had a policy over the years to recover indirect costs <br /> or overhead for those departments that have other funding sources. He said this request <br /> would be a policy decision for the Board to take. He said if the $48,000 was not charged, the <br /> Board would also have to approve the money for advertising use. <br /> Commissioner Price said this means the County charges the department rent that <br /> comes back to the general fund. She would be in favor of giving this money to the ad <br /> campaign. <br /> Clarence Grier said this is an indirect cost, and the rent was charged just to cover the <br /> cost of maintenance and upkeep of the building. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said this is a policy change because the policy is in place for <br /> other governments and departments. She said the Board would have to justify specifically why <br /> the change was made for the Visitors Bureau. She said there may be a way the Visitors <br /> Bureau is different. <br /> Commissioner Rich said the Visitors Bureau is an economic driver that brings millions <br /> of dollars of sales tax to the County. She said it is not right for a County department to be <br /> paying rent to the County. She said none of the County's property taxes go to support the <br /> Visitors Bureau. <br /> Commissioner Gordon said that perhaps the rationale could be that the Visitors Bureau <br /> is a County department, and that County departments should not have to pay rent. <br /> Chair Jacobs said he would like to see a list of the County departments that are paying <br /> direct and indirect costs. <br /> Clarence Grier said the total is $438,000 for all departments. <br /> Michael Talbert said it is only three departments, including: Emergency Services, Solid <br /> Waste and the Visitors Bureau. <br /> Chair Jacobs noted that the fund balance for the Visitors Bureau is not treated as <br /> separate from the County fund balance. <br /> Commissioner McKee said he agrees that an adjustment to the Visitors Bureau would <br /> not automatically extend to the other two departments. He is in favor of doing this. He <br /> encouraged the town partners to step up on this as well and give more. <br /> Commissioner Price said the Visitors Bureau is under the division of economic <br /> development, and they should not pay anyway. <br /> Commissioner Rich said the next step was to talk to Hillsborough, Carrboro, and <br /> Chapel Hill to ask for more support. <br />