September Minutes 2024
Houma Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Regular Schedule Meeting Minutes
September 26, 2024
I. Board and Staff Member Attendance
Present: Staff:
Josh Ellender – Chair Sondra Corbitt
William Bisland – Vice Chair Lindsey Loupe
Margie Scoby-Secretary/Treasurer
Renee Murphy
Cheri Blanchard Board Absent:
Julie Falgout Celeste Landry
Judy Smart –via phone
II. Meeting call to order: J. Ellender called the meeting to order at 8:36 a.m.
III. Roll Call: Quorum was present.
IV. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance: C. Blanchard led the board in the Invocation. J. Ellender led the board in the Pledge of Allegiance.
V. Public to be Heard: Sponsorship Application Presentation: Bayou Dularge Fair- Ross Burgard 8:38 a.m. R. Burgard exited at 8:48 a.m. Jada Ledet Elks Duck Derby 8:48 a.m. J. Ledet exited at 8:56 a.m.
VI. Approval of the August 2024 Minutes: M. Scoby moved to approve August 2024 minutes. Seconded by: W. Bisland. Motion passed.
VII. Approval of September 2024 Special Board Meeting Minutes: J. Falgout moved to approve the minutes. Seconded by: M. Scoby. Motion passed. Discussion: R. Murphy encountered phone issues calling into the meeting and seconded motion discussion.
VIII. Approval of the July 2024 Financials: The financial statements, including the budget to actual comparison for the general fund, for the month of July 2024 were presented by S. Corbitt. W. Bisland moved to approve the July 2024 Financials. Seconded by R. Murphy. Motion passed. Discussion: update titles/housecleaning of reports.
IX. 2024 Amended Budget: S. Corbitt provided an overview of the proposed 2024 Amended Budget. W. Bisland moved to approve the 2024 Amended Budget. Seconded by: J. Falgout. Motion passed. Discussion: personnel budget, marketing department planning, Executive meeting recap, and 2025 Marketing plan.
X. Sponsorship Application:
· Elks Duck Derby: S. Corbitt provided an overview of the sponsorship application. W. Bisland moved to approve the Elks Duck Derby’s application in the amount of $ 2,500.00. Seconded by: R. Murphy. Discussion: Datafy report and awarded amounts. M. Scoby offered a substitute motion to approve the application in the amount of $ 5,000.00. Seconded by: J. Falgout. Abstained: C. Blanchard. Motion passed. Discussion: generated revenue, matching dollars, in-kind services, Elks Mardi Gras visits, out of town Elks overnight stays, Datafy reports, and future sponsorship allocations.
· Bayou Dularge Cajun Fair: S. Corbitt provided an overview of the sponsorship application. C. Blanchard moved to approve the Bayou Dularge Cajun Fair application in the amount of $ 7,500.00. Seconded by: J. Falgout. Discussion: prior year’s fair attendance, Datafy mapping/reporting, and available sponsorship dollars. W. Bisland offered a substitute motion to approve the application in the amount of $ 5,000.00. Seconded by: R. Murphy. Motion passed. Discussion: out-of-town visitors.
· Walk to End Alzheimer’s: S. Corbitt provided an overview of the sponsorship application. W. Bisland moved to deny the application in the amount of $2,500.00. Seconded by: M. Scoby. Motion passed. Discussion: incomplete application and lobbying questioning. J. Ellender left the meeting at 9:39 a.m., turned the meeting over to W. Bisland.
XI. President/CEO’s Report: Board terms, 2025 proposed budget, State CEA agreement, Hurricane Florence, Sponsorship ROI committee, Scenic byways billboard updates, Carry-On filming, Bayou Arts/White Boot Stroll update, Grant software partnership, LTA Summit update, Seafood Gumbo Reel with Kim Chauvin, The Courier’s Best of the Best, and upcoming schedules. R. Murphy exited at 9:50 a.m.
XII. Board Announcements: Spigot’s Octoberfest-Regional Military Museum will have a tent.
XIII. Adjournment: M. Scoby moved to adjourn. Seconded by J. Falgout. Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 9:51 a.m.
