CLEARFIELD – Board members of the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism Authority on Wednesday authorized Executive Director Holly Komonczi to initiate fictitious name registration, which would change its business name to “something more marketable.”
Although it may be required to maintain its authority or legal name, the CCRTA could “do business” under a fictitious, or assumed, name that’s different. An application must be filed through the Pennsylvania Department of State, Corporation Bureau, which costs $70, Komonczi said.
“Most community and county tourism promotion agencies do not call themselves an authority,” board member Terry Malloy said.
Komonczi told the board that most use a tagline, such as “Visit Clearfield County,” which the CCRTA currently uses in promotional materials and on its Web site. Because this name is already “out there,” she believed it’d make for a smooth switch, while people have already seen it.
If the authority is “the go-to place” for tourism information, board member Nancy Micks said people should know its name. “But right now, people don’t know what the CCRTA is, or what it does and have to pick up a phonebook. I think it’s the positive thing to do,” she said.
Malloy encouraged for the creation of a new logo and believed it should be done at the same time as the name change. He pointed out that a geocache coin was designed, and its logo was representative of the CCRTA. Komonczi agreed.
The board voted to approve for Komonczi to complete the application process and register for a fictitious business name and agreed to brainstorm potential logo ideas.
Komonczi announced that she’d received five proposals for the printing of the 2012 Travel Planner. Modern Line, Kurtz Bros. was the only proposal received from a local business, she said.
According to her, all proposals presented three-year contracts to the CCRTA with the exception of Kurtz Bros. Knepper Press of Clinton was the lowest bid at $41,555 and approximately $1,700 below Lunar Cow of Akron, OH, which printed last year’s travel planner.
If the CCRTA wanted to “lock in” a three-year agreement, Komonczi said she preferred Lunar Cow, while she’s worked with them, understands their process and was pleased with last year’s publication.
Board members Joan Robinson-McMillen and Tracey Mahan believed the “best avenue” would be obtaining references for Knepper Press. Micks also said their three-year contract would have to include “an out” somewhere in case of a “bust.”
“We have to be responsible ourselves, too, you know,” Micks said.
Although it wasn’t required of Lunar Cow, its proposal included interactive mapping technologies, such as iMAP. It resulted in $11,000 worth of extra product for a cost that was only $1,700 more than Knepper Press, according to Komonczi.
Micks expressed interest in references for the lowest bidder but, at the same time, realized a board decision couldn’t be prolonged until next month’s meeting. Komonczi said she was “very comfortable” with Lunar Cow and emphasized its final product was exceptional.
Robinson-McMillen said she was fine with accepting the proposal from Lunar Cow. But if agreeing to a multiple-year contract, she wanted a “back door” to get either side out.
When asked about any “major cons” against Kurtz Bros., Komonczi said its proposal was for $53,365, which was $10,000 more and not feasible with the CCRTA’s losses in state funding.
The board accepted the Lunar Cow proposal pending its receipt of references for Knepper Press. Board member Lynda McCracken said next time, the board should request that all proposals include the interactive mapping technologies in them.
Board members also heard from Kevin McMillen about setting up endowment funds through the Clearfield County Charitable Foundation. Prior to his presentation, Micks indicated it was a possible outlet for the CCRTA to place monies that aren’t being used at the present time.
The foundation was established on Nov. 1, 2004 and initially focused upon the immediate Clearfield community. However, it later broadened its scope to welcome all individuals, agencies and organizations within the county under its umbrella, McMillen said.
According to him, the “average man, woman or organization” can create their own foundation without going through the administrative legwork. The Clearfield County Historical Society, Clearfield Revitalization Corp. and the Clearfield YMCA all have funds with the foundation.
“It’s very easy to start, and there’s no cost. It’s very simple to set up,” he said.
Anyone could create an endowment within the foundation for at least $10,000. A person or organization could also start up with only $5,000; however, it wouldn’t endow until it struck the “magical $10,000 mark,” McMillen said.
When asked by Micks, McMillen said if the CCRTA created an endowment, any annual dividend income that spun off would be directed to them.
Because of potential for decreased state and hotel tax funding, board member Hildred Rowles then asked if there would be any penalty for pulling out the principal amount.
McMillen said an endowment fund wouldn’t be like having a savings account or a trust fund. Monies become irrevocable and remain there to endow the organization with a perpetual stream for future years.
“It’s not a place to park your dollars for four or five years and then pull them out,” he said. He pointed out that an endowment would allow donors to contribute to the CCRTA, which they’re unable to do at the present time.
If tourism would stop receiving state funding and/or the authority wouldn’t exist or collapsed with another, Micks asked where their monies would end up.
McMillen said in that scenario, the foundation would search for similar organizations within the county to award the monies to. He noted an endowment fund would be a “useful tool” to any organization or agency that’s dependent upon state funding.
