The Ketchum City Council didn't pledge money to a new marketing board at a Tuesday meeting or even talk of cutting funding to the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau.
Instead, council members welcomed the public's questions and voiced concerns of their own. For the first time, the chamber's board expressed its feelings about possibly losing half its budget.
The changes are under consideration because of the Sun Valley Resort Area Marketing Committee, a group assembled to analyze the resort area's struggling economy and come up with ways to reinvigorate marketing Sun Valley. On May 18, the committee suggested that the chamber's current $1.2 million budget be split down the middle, with the chamber limiting its focus to visitor satisfaction. The committee suggested that a marketing board be created to advertise Sun Valley to outside areas. The board would receive the other half of the $1.2 million budget and be given $400,000 a year for the next three years.
Committee Chair Jim Knight revealed details that have been blurry up to now.
He said the proposed marketing board needs to be "apolitical," which is easier said than done with funding coming from the cities. He said the nonprofit board would consist of five members: one representing Ketchum, one from Sun Valley, one from Sun Valley Resort and two community members with no political affiliations.
Knight said the city councils wouldn't directly appoint the board's city representatives, but each city and Sun Valley Resort would choose someone for a committee that would then select board members. The board would hire a chief marketing officer responsible for advertising Sun Valley to outside areas.
Knight revealed that Sun Valley Resort General Manager Tim Silva has explicitly stated that the resort would not give money for a marketing board even though it would have a voice on the board. Silva has been a consultant to the committee from the get-go.
Sun Valley Mayor Wayne Willich proposed on Wednesday, May 26, that the city give $400,000 to the marketing board, meaning that Ketchum would have to commit $600,000 next year to meet the $1 million goal. And the committee is suggesting a $1 million funding amount for the next three years.
Willich proposed cutting Sun Valley's contribution to the chamber from $321,000 to $60,000, far more than half as the committee proposed. But Ketchum City Councilman Baird Gourlay wasn't comfortable with reducing the chamber's budget just yet.
"I don't think it's any secret the cities have been critical of the chamber's marketing in the past," he said. "But it's not fair to cut their feet out from under them."
Gourlay said he needs to see the chamber's current needs—excluding marketing efforts—before even considering a dollar amount for the chamber or marketing board. He pointed out that the chamber organizes many events, and said nothing should be dropped on a $600,000 budget.
"That's the question," said Ketchum Mayor Randy Hall.
Ketchum currently provides $290,000 to the chamber.
The chamber's board sent a letter to Ketchum confirming that "more advertising funds" and a new "brand strategy" are needed, but didn't approve creation of an independent marketing board. The letter stated that the chamber and a marketing board should be under one umbrella.
"We think a new marketing focus can be launched faster and more cost effectively by not reinventing a whole new organization," the letter read.
Ketchum Councilwoman Nina Jonas shared that opinion.
The meeting ended without a clear indication as to Ketchum's leanings. But Ketchum and Sun Valley leaders and chamber Executive Director Carol Waller agreed they need to work together, and at a quick pace.
Sun Valley's 75th anniversary is quickly approaching next winter.
The Sun Valley City Council will consider Willich's funding proposal on Thursday at its 10 a.m. budget meeting.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
