Tuesday was a good and bad day for Sun Valley Resort Area Marketing Inc.
The Sun Valley City Council decided to give the marketing board a $40,000 kickstart this fiscal year in addition to the $400,000 the city intends to provide for the 2011 fiscal year starting Oct. 1.
On the other hand, Jim Knight announced his resignation from the board during this same council meeting. Knight has been the marketing board's point man and was chairman of the preceding economic investigative committee. Knight, Sun Valley's representative on the five-member board, said the reason for resigning is that it has become a "full-time" commitment he can't make.
The council and mayor—except Councilwoman Joan Lamb, who was absent—offered their praises for Knight's work up to this point. But Councilman Dewayne Briscoe said the move leaves him feeling "severe apprehension."
"When the captain leaves ship before it's launched, you wonder where it will sail," Briscoe said.
Knight made a statement to the council listing the committee and board's successes and said a "path is defined going forward." But, he said, the resisting current of the "status quo" is making every step a struggle.
"To anyone who says this is too much too fast, I'd respond by saying it's not fast enough," Knight said.
Sun Valley City Councilman Bob Youngman, who created the committee that Knight led, said he agreed with Knight that the board needs to be quick to perform. For that reason, he said, the city needs to clearly see how its $40,000 will be spent before Oct. 1.
"I'm happy with giving them a jumpstart," Youngman said, "but need to see a rigorous plan of how it's going to be spent."
He said the money needs to be used in a visible way to get marketing started. A contract will be drawn up—requiring City Council approval—to outline the spending.
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The $40,000 doesn't increase Sun Valley's budget for the year but comes out of $50,000 the city already set aside for minimum-revenue guarantees, often called MRGs, for airline service. After budgeting the money, the city discovered it couldn't legally give money to an airline serving the region. Therefore, the money has just been sitting. The council decided Tuesday that the remaining $10,000 will go to the Fly Sun Valley Alliance to start its valleywide club card program giving people—who purchase a $150 card—discounts at participating businesses.
Youngman had words of caution for the marketing board pertaining to its $400,000 in funding for next fiscal year, not yet approved. He said the marketing board must work at a quick pace and show plans for capitalizing on the upcoming 75th anniversary of Sun Valley Resort.
"I will not vote for funding unless I see a plan," Youngman said at an Aug. 3 council meeting. "We cannot wait a whole winter season for the activities to begin."
Sun Valley City Councilman Nils Ribi agreed, saying that taxpayers need assurance that their money is being well spent.
"We are certainly not being served now with the money we are spending (on the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau)," Ribi said. "And that is a deep concern of mine."
Tensions have been high between the marketing board and the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau ever since the new board's inception. Things became even more tense when the cities of Ketchum and Sun Valley said they'd no longer directly fund the visitors bureau, but would give funding to the marketing board, which would have the choice of passing on money to the bureau.
However, the visitors bureau announced its "pledge" in a Tuesday news release to "work in close cooperation" with the marketing board.
"As the marketing board has only recently formed, the visitors bureau pledges to help ensure critical continuity of events, Web site management, visitor services and ongoing projects," said Rob Santa, board president for the bureau.
However, Youngman said, if the marketing board doesn't show immediate marketing efforts in its strategic plan by Aug. 19, the city should abandon its plan of funding the board.
"If for one reason or another we don't see movement, the board can't get it together in a time that seems reasonable for our purposes here, I propose we contract with a marketing firm," he said.
Zach Crist accepts at-large position on marketing board
Zach Crist, former USA Ski Team member and World Cup competitor, will fill the final at-large position on Sun Valley Resort Area Marketing Inc., according to a Tuesday news release.
"Zach brings crucial experience and perspective to the marketing board," said Ketchum representative Jake Peters. "His input will be invaluable in our outreach and messaging to younger skiers and visitors."
The other board members chose 37-year-old Crist, who lives in the Board Ranch neighborhood west of Ketchum and works for Stanley-based Sawtooth Mountain Guides. He is also a marketing consultant for Eddie Bauer First Ascent and K2 skis.
"I'm excited to get involved and help reignite Sun Valley's image," Crist said. "That's the key to attracting more young people and making a more balanced community that can thrive year-round."
Jim Knight
