Local tourism bureau undergoes scrutiny

Concerns about the Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau took up much of the Whitefish City Council's April 5 meeting.

Immediately after WCVB executive director Jan Metzmaker presented the bureau's annual marketing plan and budget, which the council unanimously approved, the councilors turned to claims that WCVB board members Terry Nelson and Nick Spear should be removed for allegedly having too many unexcused absences.

According to the WCVB bylaws, a board member who misses three meetings in a row or more than half the meetings in a calendar year can be removed, but "circumstances of the absences shall be considered by the city council prior to removal."

Nelson, the popular head coach of Whitefish High School's successful golf program, explained that his three absences in a row included a high school tournament, knee surgery and attending a tourism-related event.

Spear is a traveling actor with the local Alpine Theatre Project. He admitted missing numerous board meetings, but he said he keeps up with WCVB news and suggested allowing traveling members to participate in board meetings by conference calls.

Councilors Phil Mitchell, Chris Hyatt and Turner Askew voted to bring charges against the two in a public hearing. Councilors Ryan Friel, John Muhlfeld and Bill Kahle voted against the motion.

Expressing displeasure in how the matter was put on the council agenda, and saying he had "no problem with this board, mayor Mike Jenson broke the tie vote and stopped the motion.

"Is this the only board we're going to look at?" Jenson asked.

Muhlfeld said he'd seen no substantive reason for the removal. He said he'd served on volunteer boards for a dozen years and warned about creating a 'slippery slope" that could affect all city boards and committees.

"We're all volunteers, but there are rules for a reason," Hyatt said.

Saying she was caught by surprise by the charges, Metzmaker asked if there was any failure of the board to fulfill its duty or to establish a quorum.

"Have there been any complaints from the members?" she asked.

Metzmaker said she asks each member at the end of each meeting if they will be able to attend the next meeting. She said she'll try to include that information from now on in committee minutes to clarify absences.

Askew explained that concerns arose because of other matters, including the 1 percent fee voluntarily collected by some Whitefish businesses to bolster the WCVB budget. He suggested the city could be sued for how the fee is collected, and he cited a case in Eastern Montana.

The state Commerce Department is currently investigating how the Custer Country regional tourism agency spends state bed-tax revenue and how it awards the printing contract for its vacation guides.

Whitefish city clerk Necile Lorang said participating businesses send the collected tourism-promotion fee to City Hall in a sealed envelope which is forwarded to the WCVB.

The council unanimously directed city attorney John Phelps to see if the 1 percent fee is legal.

How the WCVB chose a publisher for its Travel Planner guide was questioned in March 2007 by local publisher Ron Wright, whose "Whitefish" magazine had served as the city's vacation guide. The issue was raised again in February this year by local publisher Clint Walker.

According to WCVB marketing committee minutes from March 2007, Wright's Big Mountain Publishing and Jen Frandsen's Old Town Creative submitted the only proposals for a new Travel Planner, after seven requests for proposals were sent out. Old Town Creative won with a 65-32 rating.

The voting marketing committee members were Metzmaker, Rhonda Fitzgerald and Scott Ringer. When their recommendation went to the full WCVB board, board member John Frandsen, Jen Frandsen's husband, recused himself from the vote. Old Town Creative's proposal was unanimously approved.

John Frandsen told the Pilot in February this year that Old Town Creative does not have a contract with the WCVB but does work as requested. If Walker wanted to submit a bid for the Travel Planner, he could do so, but it wasn't a well-paying business opportunity, Frandsen said. He also said Wright's "Whitefish" magazine contained advertising for Fernie, B.C.

Ringer, who is now the WCVB board chairman, said he met with Walker, John Frandsen, Hyatt and Mitchell earlier this year and reached an understanding about what had happened with the Travel Planner.

One last matter remained for the city council on April 5 — filling two open WCVB board seats designated for Whitefish Mountain Resort and "large lodges." According to city ordinance, the city council 'shall endeavor" to fill seats by certain business categories.

The WCVB board 'strongly" recommended that Whitefish Mountain Resort's marketing manager, Nick Polumbus, be re-appointed, Ringer told the council. The board also "wishes to recommend" that a representative from The Lodge At Whitefish Lake be appointed, he said.

Three representatives from "large lodges' applied for the WCVB board — Ringer, the general manager of The Lodge At Whitefish Lake, Brian Averill, the lodge's owner/operator, and Edna White, the senior sales manager at Grouse Mountain Lodge, which is not a WCVB member.

Muhlfeld's motion to re-appoint Ringer and Polumbus failed on a 2-4 vote, with Hyatt, Askew, Kahle and Mitchell opposed. Askew said he wanted to table the motion so the unexcused absences issue could be addressed, while Kahle wanted the board expanded beyond seven members so other qualified applicants could be seated.

Jenson went to bat for Muhlfeld's motion, saying he had no problem with the current board and that Ringer and Polumbus fit the designated slots. Metzmaker pointed out that Ringer and Polumbus' terms would expire soon, leaving two empty seats before the council could settle its issues.

Friel then repeated Muhlfeld's motion, which passed 4-2, with Hyatt and Kahle changing their votes.

Phelps explained that while the council appoints board members, the WCVB is a standalone nonprofit that existed prior to the council designating it to receive state bed-tax money. Therefore, the council cannot change the WCVB's bylaws, he said.

Metzmaker assured the council the WCVB will look at changing its bylaws and expanding its board, but she pointed out that applicants should be "members in good standing."

"The WCVB has a strong board with broad representation in the community," Metzmaker said. "We will continue our good work that brings out-of-state dollars into Whitefish that benefit our many small businesses."