The Turlock City Council voted unanimously to approve the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Budget for 2013. The City of Turlock and the Turlock Chamber of Commerce have an agreement to have the CVB act as the tourism-marketing arm of the City, in order to help promote the City.
The Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau is responsible through marketing efforts to bring visitors into the Turlock area, thereby enhancing the local economy.
The 2013 Budget is equivalent to the 2012 budget, which reflects a $211,645 amount to provide for continuation of programs and services with the following areas as priorities: community outreach, signage, publications, and economic impact measurement. The budget also proposed to partner with the Carnegie Arts Center for weekend visitors, and information distribution to visitors for a $5,200 cost. While the new partnership is included in the budget, it did not increase the dollar amount of the budget as a whole.
The CVB plans to spend $32,500.00 on Communications and Advertising costs, $11,880 for marketing, $41,600 for community support, $12,565 on technology expenses, $3,900 on professional development, $1,500 on dues and subscriptions, $8,700 on stationary and supplies, and $99,000 on operations and administration costs, bringing the total budget to $211,645.00
Before moving forward with the action item to accept the 2013 Budget, however, Councilwoman Amy Bublak requested that the Council postpone the item until Turlock City Council Elect Steven Nascimento takes his seat on the Turlock City Council in December.
Steven Nascimento, who was present at the meeting, addressed Councilwoman Amy Bublak’s request.
“You all are elected to carry out your full term and I expect you to vote on the matters before you,” stated Nascimento. “When I’m sitting where Ms. Jackson is sitting, I’ll make my decisions, but until then she is the Council Member and has the right to make a decision on this, so I would encourage you to move forward.”
The CVB Budget runs on a calendar year, and does not directly coincide with the City of Turlock’s Fiscal-Year budget. The CVB will give their annual report in January 2013.
Councilwoman Bublak questioned the partnership with the Carnegie initially, asking why one particular non-profit organization was chosen over others to give $5,200. While Bublak did make it known that she supported the budget, she wanted a better explanation as to what the partnership would entail, as it was not clearly stated within the report.
“I don’t have a problem with it,” stated Bublak. “I’m asking the questions I was voted in to ask.”
“We think that the partnership [with the Carnegie] will be a very positive step forward in promoting the City,” stated Turlock City Manager Roy Wasden. “Virtually seven days a week we’ll have the promotion of the City occurring.”
“We believe the CVB is an asset to the City, and we’re very impressed with the strong working relationship,” stated Wasden.
The Council voted unanimously to accept the 2013 CVB Budget and commended the CVB for keeping expenses, even with the Carnegie Arts Center new partnership, within the means of the budget.
For more information about the Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau, visit www.visitturlock.org.
Related Article:
City Council to Consider $211,000 Tourism Marketing Services by Chamber of Commerce’s Turlock Convention and Visitors Bureau
