Agenda and Press Kit for the August 2013 Franklin TDA Meeting Updated with Video

**update-August 13th** Here is gavel to gavel coverage of the meeting.

You may read my play by play on Google Plus or below the video:


Here is the play play:

Macon Media

Yesterday 4:38 PM

Edit

 

Ground Rules for Participation

I'll be posting the nearly live play by play of what happens at this meeting from 5:30pm onward tonight. If you are at the meeting or just wanna chime in, feel free to do so.

Just leave the personal attacks on the Board Members or Town Staff at the door. This is not Facebook or Twitter and I expect a higher standard of behavior on Google Plus. 

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:12 PM

 

I'm in the town hall now, getting ready for the meeting to start.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:20 PM

 

I left the cord for my laptop in the office, so this play by play won't last long...perhaps another 20-30 minutes.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:31 PM

 

The board is currently one member short of a quorum.

Currently, Chair Candy Presley, Summer Woodard, Mike Gruberman and Josh Drake are present. The board attorney, John Henning, Jr is also here.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:33 PM

 

MEDIA ROLL CALL

Macon Media (me)
Macon County News

others
Barbara McRae (candidate for Town Alderman)
Danny Bates (Franklin Police for security)

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:33 PM

 

Board Member Vickie Springer just arrived.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:34 PM

 

The meeting has been called to order.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:35 PM

 

Summer Woodard is giving the FInancial Report. I don't have a copy, so I can't report the numbers.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:42 PM

 

SUmmer Woodard has delivered a request from Linda Schlote (who is out of town) for $1,500 for the Pumpkinfest. They asked for $2,000 last year and hope to generate revenue by not allowing vendors to sell sodas, which the Main Street Program will be the sole provider of.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:42 PM

 

The board will decide on this request at the September meeting.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:47 PM

 

Summer Woodard is discussing the bids for hosting the Franklin TDA website. Only one vendor agreed to bid. She says two other website providers declined to bid.

The only bidder was SiteDart Hosting, a local company owned by Drake Enterprises. URL: http://sitedart.net/

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:48 PM

 

Josh Drake still says he doesn't understand why they should have more than one website for the TDA. 

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:48 PM

 

SiteDart has been chosen as the host for the TDA website by unanimous vote.

Macon Media

Yesterday 5:51 PM

 

Summer Woodard is discussing the recommendations of the marketing firm (Premiere Marketing...another Drake Enterprises company) hired by the TDA. regarding the website, including adding the ability to blog, Facebook Advertising and Google Adwors.

Macon Media

Yesterday 7:00 PM

 

My laptop battery died right after the last comment. The meeting did not last much longer than that.

The only significant item (in my opinion) that occurred after that was a successful push by Josh Drake to get the board to get rid of the $100,000 Reserve Fund and cap it at 25% of the annual budget.

If I recall correctly, Matt Bateman tried to get the board to come off the $100,000 reserve before, but was rebuffed.

Anyhow, I am now home and will process the video and upload it sometime tomorrow morning.

Goodnight.

The Franklin Tourism Development Authority will be meeting Monday evening at 5:30PM in the Town Hall. I have posted the agenda and press kit below so that the general public may know what is on the agenda for the meeting before it happens, not after. You may watch video of the previous meeting of this board by following this link.

(The following agenda has been copied verbatim from the PDF provided in the press kit)

TOWN OF FRANKLIN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

AGENDA

MONDAY AUGUST 12, 2013

5:30PM TOWN HALL BOARD ROOM

1...Call to order - Chair Candy Presley

2...Approval of the July 8, 2013 minutes

3...Financial Report - Summer Woodard

4...Sub-Comnittee Reports
A...Finace/Budget Chair Report - Miker Gruberman
C...Policy and Rules of Procedure Chair report - Vickie Springer
D...Application Review Chair report - Summer Woodard

5...New business
A...Funding request for Pumkin Fest for $1,500.00
B...Update on website hosting for TDA websites - Summer Woodard
C...Update on Facebook and Google Adwords - Summer Woodard
D...Update on Electronic Billboard Campaign - Summer Woodard
E...Update on Tourism Development Commission meeting - Summer Woodard

7...Items from the board

8...Announcements - The next regularly scheduled TDA meeting is Monday September 16, 2013 at 5:30PM in the Town Hall Board room.

9...Adjourn



This press kit was provided to Macon Media by the Franklin TDA as a member of the local press. In the interest of transparency and to promote accountability, this document is shared with the general public below before the meeting takes place:

Press Kit Franklin TDA 08-12-2013 Meeting