Minutes_Five Flags Commission 1 28 13Five Flags Commission Meeting Monday January 28, 2013
Present: Barb Kurt, Rod Bakke, Bryce Parks, McKenzie Hill, Joyce White, Don Howes, and Ali
Levasseur
Absent: None
Commissioner Parks called meeting to order.
Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Parks motions to approve minutes from October 29, 2012
meeting. Commissioner Bakke seconded, all approved.
Old Business:
• No old business reported at this time.
New Business:
• New commissioner McKenzie Hill took Oath of Office and shared some information about
herself
• Commission members introduced themselves and shared their history with Five Flags
Commission.
Director of Finance, Don Howes, delivered the following reports:
Financial, Accounting Reports:
• Quarter: Under the quarterly budgeted net income /loss by $23,541
• Year to Date: Actual YTD Income is up $2,615 compared to YTD budgeted income
o One event (Kenny Rogers) that was budgeted for did not occur
o F &B was down because of the reduced events
Actual YTD expenses are under YTD budgeted expenses by $7,869
o Utilities are under budget with conservation methods in place
o Preventive maintenance has kept our Repairs and Maintenance under budget
Actual YTD net loss is less than YTD budgeted net loss by $10,484
• Forecast: December's forecast shows to be under the benchmark at years end by $1,490
• Don Howes reported the work had begun on the FY14 Budget process.
General Manager, Joyce White, delivered the following reports:
Operations Department:
Upgrades and improvements during the second quarter included the following efforts:
• SMG corporate mandated that all venues conduct an "audit" to determine OSHA compliance.
Pat Patterson, Certified Safety Professional, visited and audited Five Flags Center on October
15 and 16. While on site, he conducted an administrative review of safety records, MSDS
sheets, and a general site inspection.
• In conjunction with OSHA audit, Five Flags has complied by completing 28 written Safety
Programs; correcting items that were cited as violations and providing information to the City
Contract Administrator relative to costs to correct violations that are outside operating budget.
Those items were: fire -proof paint storage cabinet; two eye -wash stations; and installation of
safety barrier over "camera deck" on north side of arena.
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• In conjunction with OSHA audit, management staff has begun to take additional safety training
classes. Part -time staff will undergo additional safety training during the spring of FY13 (if
funding allows). If funding is not available in FY13, staff will budget for training in FY14.
• The Safety Committee met in October and November for the regularly scheduled safety
meetings. Meetings include a review of incident reports, training schedules, and a building
walk- through.
• In conjunction with residual federal stimulus funding of approximately $95K, management
solicited bids for a new message center (marquee) and energy efficient lighting for the locker
rooms. Documents were submitted to Cori Burbach, City Sustainability Coordinator. (Project
still pending)
Marketing, Promotions, and Events Interests:
Primary marketing activities during the second quarter included the following:
• Social Sense, a small marketing and technology company in Dubuque were engaged to:
o Assess Five Flags current marketing strategies
o Develop and promote new business relationships
o Market Five Flags events by incorporating social networking platforms, including Facebook,
Twitter, Pinterest, Four Square and You Tube
In the second quarter of their contract, Social Sense has provided metrics reflecting favorably on
our progress.
• Second quarter event marketing efforts "primarily" focused on MPA Pool Tournament, MMA
Pinnacle Combat, Dock Dogs, Sesame Street, Kenny Rogers, Mannheim Steamroller, and
Globetrotters.
o Globetrotter attendance doubled from two years ago increasing from 1500 to 3000 patrons
and sales for food, beverage, and novelties responded accordingly. Some credit for the
show's success must be given to "the date" — Sunday afternoon on December 30 — between
Christmas and New Year's. Mother Nature unpredictably "cooperated" with an absolutely
gorgeous day.
o Both Globetrotters and Sesame Street sent "characters" to Dubuque to advance the show —
bringing great publicity to the events.
o Dock Dog World Championships, held in late November, attracted over 3500 spectators
from across the US and Canada to the four day competition in downtown Dubuque. The
dogs were great and their playful nature was a positive on both master and patron alike! For
the weekend, City of Dubuque Hotel Occupancy was up 20% compared to previous years.
This event will be back for two more years.
o Mannheim Steam roller played for the second time in Five Flags history to an "almost" sold
out house.
• Commissioner Bakke gave information on the Colts Drum and Bugle Corp, dates June 22, 2013
at Loras College and July 12, 2013 at Senior High School Dalzell Field.
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First Quarter Events
July 2012
Rising Star - "Hairspray"
August 2012
Rising Star - "Pinocchio"
Second Quarter Events
October 2012
DSO Classic I
Don Tjernagel Comedy Monster
City Leadership Meeting
DSO Arts Trek
Outlaws Roller Derby
DSO Auditions
MPA Pool Tournament
Third Quarter Events
JANUARY
Bixby Inflatable Rainforest
Colts Drum and Bugle Corp
Dubuque Soccer Club
Eastern Iowa Outlaws
FBN — Largo Desolato
Tour Dubuque
MMA — Pinnacle Combat 12
City Engineering Conference
City Leadership Meeting
City Water Department
City Human Rights Department
September 2012
DHS — Kinderpalooza
Phi Beta Sigma "Step Dance"
DSO Arts Trek
Holiday Inn Meeting Space
City Human Right Meeting
November 2012
Loras Open Wrestling
DALMC Career & Tech Fair
DSO Classic I I
Outlaws Roller Derby
Girl Scouts Dream Event
Dock Dogs World Championships
Native Spirit Dancer
Sesame Street Live
Colts Drum & Bugle Corp (camp)
Dubuque Dance Studio
MMA Pinnacle Combat 11
FEBRUARY
FBN — Largo Desolato
Dubuque Soccer Club
Bull Ride Championships
Eastern Iowa Outlaws
DSO All Beethoven
DSO Youth Performance
Hogs Gone Wild Fan Fest
City Leadership Meeting
City Human Rights Department
DSO Auditions
City Leadership Meeting
Regional Roller Derby
Fly -By -Night — "45 Seconds
from Broadway
December 2012
DSO Family Holiday Concert
DSO Holiday Pops
DSO Youth Ensemble
Mannheim Steamroller
Jim McDonough Holiday Grande
Dubuque Soccer Club (camp)
Night Storm Teen Dance
Harlem Globetrotters
MARCH
NCAA Division III Wrestling
Eastern Iowa Outlaws
MCFC Taste of the World
Unity Church Service
Hempstead Variety Show
QueenB Radio Golf Expo
DSO A Chain of Jewels
Staff Development
Staff updates during the second quarter included the following activities:
• Don Howes, Director of Finance and HR Designee, attended an SMG corporate meeting in
Chicago in early December. The two -day meeting focused on the ramifications of the
Affordable Care Act.
• Rita Blewett, long -time event staff employee, passed away unexpectedly on January 5, 2013.
Other
Other venue activity occurring during the second quarter includes the following:
• The City of Dubuque has appointed McKenzie Hill as a new commissioner to the Five Flags
Advisory Board. McKenzie is an attorney with O'Connor & Thomas, PC and she will be sworn in at
the quarterly board meeting on January 28, 2013.
• General Manager distributed a hard copy of the annual report give the city council on Tuesday
January 22, 2013.
Adjournment of Monthly Commission Meeting: Commissioner Parks motioned to adjourn the
meeting. Commissioner Kurt seconded, all approved.
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Next meeting: in the General Manager's Office on Monday April 29, 2013 at 3 :30PM. Five Flags
staff will place an email "Thursday before" to remind commissioners of the meeting.
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