August Minutes 2024
Houma Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Regular Schedule Meeting Minutes
August 22, 2024
I. Board and Staff Member Attendance
Present: Staff:
Josh Ellender – Chair Sondra Corbitt via phone
William Bisland – Vice Chair Lindsey Loupe
Margie Scoby-Secretary/Treasurer
Traci Hawthorne
Cheri Blanchard Board Absent:
Celeste Landry Julie Falgout
Judy Smart
Renee Murphy
II. Meeting call to order: J. Ellender called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m.
III. Roll Call: Quorum was present.
IV. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance: W. Bisland led the board in the Invocation. J. Ellender led the board in the Pledge of Allegiance.
V. Public to be heard: Sponsorship Application Presentation: M. Merlos conducted presentation on the MawMaw Walker; left at 8:45 a.m. K. Tanner conducted a presentation on the Hero Fest; left at 9:07 a.m. Discussion: MawMaw – Datafy, previous year’s attendees, and advertising. Hero Fest – event activities, silent auction, Datafy, informational booth, bayou clean up education, and Tri-Parish first responders.
VI. Annual Family Pride Picnic 2025: R. Creppell conducted a presentation on the 2025 Annual Family Pride Picnic. R. Creppell left @ 9:17 a.m. Discussion: approval to proceed with the event, additional events, sponsorship applications, explanation of in-kind, other entities who uses the facility, in-kind sponsorship, other weekend activities, advertising avenues, and questions. W. Bisland motioned to tabled pending financial breakdown. Seconded by: C. Blanchard. Motion passed.
VII. Approval of the July 2024 Minutes: W. Bisland moved to approve July 2024 minutes. Seconded by: M. Scoby. Motion passed.
VIII. Approval of the June 2024 Financials: The financial statements, including the budget to actual comparison for the general fund, for the month of June 2024 were presented by L. Loupe. C. Blanchard moved to the June 2024 Financials. Seconded by J. Smart. Motion passed.
IX. Sponsorship Application: L. Loupe provided an overview of previous applications questions and sponsorship recap spreadsheet.
· MawMaw Walker: L. Loupe provided an overview of the sponsorship application. C. Landry moved to approve the MawMaw Walker application in the amount of $ 5,000.00. Seconded by: W. Bisland. Motion passed. Discussion: funding breakdown and previous year’s sponsorship.
· CCA Lady Lion Tournament: L. Loupe provided an overview of the sponsorship application. W. Bisland moved to approve the CCA Lady Lion application in the amount of $ 6,000.00. Seconded by: C. Landry. Motion passed. Discussion: total of teams and overnight stays.
· Hero Fest: L. Loupe provided an overview of the sponsorship application. W.
Bisland moved to approve the Hero Fest in the amount of $ 6,000.00. M. Scoby moved with a second motion to approve the Hero Fest application in the amount of $ 7,500.00. Seconded by: C. Landry. Motion passed. Discussion: music act, funding, and overnight stays.
X. Rose Bowl Parade: L. Loupe provided an overview of LOT’s Rose Bowl Parade. Discussion: buy-in cost, projected expenditures, location, guest Waylon Thibodaux, costume design, media presence, advertising, budget status, and other CVB’s participation. W. Bisland moved to deny the application based on the projected expenses. Seconded by: C. Landry. Continued: W. Thibodaux’s participation, trip mission, heads in beds, other marketing initiatives, economic impact, PR/Media cover, banners, media interviews, estimated media coverage, float decoration, andmusic. J. Ellender requested a roll call for denial of the proposal: C. Blanchard-no, B.Bisland-yes, J. Smart-no, M. Scoby-no, T. Hawthorne-yes, R. Murphy-no, C. Landry- no, J. Ellender-abstained. Motion failed. T. Hawthorne moved to approve the Rose Bowl proposal and travel expenses. Seconded by: M. Scoby. Josh requested a roll call for approval of the proposal: C. Blanchard- yes, W. Bisland-no, J. Smart-yes, M. Scoby-yes, T. Hawthorne-yes, R. Murphy-no, C. Landry-yes. Motion passed. ROI reports.
XI. President/CEO’s: 3rd Quarterly Meeting update, Waterlife Museum closed, Carry-On Museum series, Christmas Parade, S. Masters head dress, Regional Collaboration Planning meeting, Human Resources classes, Tourism Award Luncheon, Restoration and Downtown updates, and S. Corbitt’s upcoming schedule.
XII. Board Announcements: We The People Drug Opioid Meeting-Sept. 19, Military Museum hosting CVB’s staff,
XIII. Adjournment: M. Scoby moved to adjourn. Seconded by R. Murphy. Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 10:27 a.m.
