Chamber and Museum discuss the next step

Bed tax funding will stay the same for the time being, but how the Chamber spends it is open for discussion. Until this comes up again with the City as an allocation issue next year, the Chamber of Commerce board of directors and Winslow Historical Society board of directors tried to agree to work together on some things until then. What those things they will work together are somewhat unclear.

In response to the Winslow Historical Society's presentation to city council a few weeks ago where the museum announced their plans, the Chamber requested the two groups meet to try and work out any differences they may have.

"If we are not doing what the city or anybody thinks we should be doing, then we would like to here about what they would like to see us do," said Bob Hall, director for the Winslow Chamber of Commerce.

The Museum board said they have been working hard on many ideas and they brought these ideas to the meeting to share with the Chamber.

"I think the most important thing I want to emphasize is that the Historical Society is only interested the betterment of downtown Winslow," said Sue Teckleburg, president of the Historical Society. "We in no way want to be in any kind of competition with the Chamber. We want to work with you."

Teckleburg said that the museum board opted out of moving to the Hubbell building because they wished to focus more on downtown, which is why they thought acting as a Visitor's Center would help. They also did not expect the Hubbell building to be ready anytime soon.

"If we work with the Chamber as they work to bring people into Winslow, and bring more businesses in, then once the people are here the museum could do a better job operating the Visitor's Center," Teckleburg said. "There are things we have to work on, as do you, but if you stay the same ­ you stagnate, and that is what has happened here."

Former Chamber president, Bill Lawler interjected that they look at the whole picture.

"Winslow is and entire town that spans for a few miles, it is more than just a few blocks in downtown. It also goes out to Homolovi, Meteor Crater and Clear Creek," Lawler said. "For a Visitor's Center to bring in people to direct them to see the places they want to see, then the Visitors Center would ideally be located somewhere other than a central location in downtown.It was discussed that the Chamber had no control when the Arizona Department of Transportation moved them away from their old location by the highway because of the expansion of the bridge and ramps around North Park Drive. ADOT paid the Chamber for this relocation and the City is holding the relocation money for them until they can move ­ it was decided between the City and Chamber that the Chamber could move into the Hubbell.

The Historical Society expressed their disappointment with the Chamber's current promotion of Winslow and said they would like to see a tour to attract tourists into visiting other businesses in town. The Chamber suggested the Historical Society come up with an idea for a brochure and they could bring it to the Chamber for funding.

"We are going to develop a downtown walking tour and whether or not we come to you for funding or if we work in cooperation with you, but there will come a moment when the City discusses the allocation of the bed tax money ­ and we will make our pitch," Lutzick said.

"If you want to be competitive for the bed tax money that's fine, but right now let us work together to make Winslow a better place," said John Dalton, a Chamber board member.

Another Chamber board member, Dan Simmons, said that this time next year, regardless if it is the Chamber or the museum operating the Visitor's Center, that both groups should not go against each other, but help each other out.

In addition to the walking tour, the Historical Society suggests a regional attraction brochure that would place Winslow at the center as a hub for many day trips.

Hall said he has already been working on such a project with Holbrook and Petrified National Forest, for which said he received an $80,000 AOT TEAM grant. A'kos Kovach, economic developer and grant writer for the city of Holbrook put the actual figure at $23,378.

Teckleburg said she liked the idea of working together on brochures and promotional material for the area.

"Recently, I spent a weekend in Williams and they had this colorful magazine in each hotel room that had things to do and places to go in Williams. It was a wonderful idea," Teckleburg said.

Hall said he is also working with ADOT to have signs and with the AOT TEAM grant to have billboards directing people into Winslow.

Lutzick said, "My big concern is when you do finally get your signs, billboards, brochures or advertisements; will it be a proper presentation for Winslow ­ with good pictures; does it tell a story and truly bring people to Winslow?"

Randy Hummell pointed out that in Arizona Tourist News, the picture of Winslow used was a skyline of boarded up and dilapidated buildings.

Lutzick, who has been working on the Snowdrift art space for years in Winslow, said that the Chamber's advertising looks amateurish.

"Take this to somebody who does this for a living and they are going to say, 'GoshŠ"'

Lutzick was suggesting the Chamber's promotional material is not professional or artistic; being that it lacks basic industry standard techniques like quality photography, color theory, the rule of thirds or being done in a way that grabs attention.

"We are 100 percent open to any suggestions we can get. If we can get professionals in the field who are willing to volunteer their time and can make our ads look better then we are all for it," Dalton said.

Lutzick responded, "Put it this way ­‚ if we design the walking tour, did the brochures, came up with ideas for billboards and kiosks, then what is the Chamber doing? You are the ones who receive the bed tax funding."

Lawler invited anyone to attend the Chamber board meetings to see what they are doing. He said that while they might like to do these things, they have other things in the works.

Lutzick said that the Chamber not having a brochure to promote the town was like having a business without a business card.

"I was in business for years without a business card and did very well thank you," said Simmons who owns one of two local realty businesses in town.

Hall said they have a brochure; one that Allan Affeldt designed.

"Then where is it?" said Lutzick.

"Well, they are being reproduced because we ran out," Hall said.

Opening the Chamber's relocation packet, Lutzick noticed they were not in there either. "How long have you been out?"

"Yesterday," said a Chamber member.

They moved on to other topics that led to creating exhibitions around town in businesses, but it came up that the museum has a budget of $20,000 and the Chamber has a budget of over $100,000 and Lutzick did not think it fair that the Historical Society do all the work.

Chamber President Teresa Warren said that the museum should then work with the Chamber to request the funds for projects like these because that is what the bed tax is for.

"I don't recall there has ever been a time where the museum requested funding and we did not give it to them," Warren said.

"That bed tax has to go to many different things, it is very divided and we try to keep it equal," Hall said. "There is money going to the Little League All Stars tournaments, the Just Cruis'in Car Club and Standing on the Corner Foundation."

"If you want to compete your ideas versus ours then go ahead, but if you take out the Little League and Girls Basketball tournament then you guys are done. Hands down. The kids in this town are where it's at," said Chamber board member John Jacobs.

Simmons said he believes that the Chamber is forced to advertise for the La Posada instead of for Winslow as a whole.

"We have to answer to our other locals hotels weekly, why we have to promote La Posada so much. We get drilled about it and I have to defend it all the time," Hall said.

One suggestion made was about going to the voters to ask them to increase the bed tax from 2 percent to something higher since many other Arizona towns have much higher rates.

Lutzick said raising the tax does not solve the problem of the current bed tax funds being inefficiently spent.

"The best part about this is that residents do not have to pay it, it is paid by tourists only," Dalton said. "I'm just doing the best I can. I have no education in tourism, but I do this for free because I love the community and want to help out. I could use a little bit of encouragement and help from people who may not think we are spending it properly."

Hall said that most people are not aware of the variables they have to deal with because they are not involved on the Chamber board and do not see everything that is being done.

Many of both groups' leadership maintained in the end that they will work together even until the point next year when the Historical Society vows to contend for the bed tax funds. The Chamber does not want to lose that funding, and the Historical Society seems to have other ideas on how it should be spent; however, no further meetings or additional steps to be taken were mentioned by the meeting's end.

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